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The 8 best nail polishes for an at-home manicure

On that pro level ish

By Briar Clark

Beauty Crew Beauty Editor / October 05 2023

We’re the first to admit that our nail polish application skills could use a bit of (ironically) polishing up.

And we don’t know about you, but there's no greater incentive for bringing your A-game to the proverbial manicurist’s table than a fresh set of pretty polishes.

We’ve collated a few of our favourite nail polish brands and respective shades so you can finally start moonlighting as your nail tech's arch nemesis.

Hanami

Funky Aussie nail colour company Hanami boasts a varnish formula that’s made from 82 per cent naturally sourced ingredients (think: Sugarcane, cotton, corn and cassava), is free from 10 different toxic chemicals traditionally found in nail polish, and is vegan-friendly and cruelty-free to boot. The quick dry time and colour opacity doesn’t hurt either.

Our favourite shades: Rococo, Holograms and Beams

$19.95 at Flora & Fauna

Essie

If you haven’t heard of Essie nail polish then you need to get out more – sorry not sorry. The iconic brand has given us Queen Elizabeth-worthy nudes like Ballet Slippers for crying out loud, not to mention they’re renowned for a formula that rivals any in-salon manicure; we’re talking high shine, long-lasting, chip-free wear, sis. Invest in yourself and snag a few shades.

Our favourite shades: Eternal Optimist, Lilacism and Bordeaux

$14.95 at Adore Beauty

JINsoon

After nail polish shades that look like they came out of an editorial fashion spread? Then look no further than JINsoon. The rich, high-coverage and double-patented formula delivers a smooth finish and high shine in as little as one to two coats. Plus, with the addition of high-tech polymers and resin, you can count on this nail polish to last on your nails and in your kit (no weird separated varnish formulas here please).

Our favourite shades: Ube, Dandy and Abyss

$26 at MECCA

gloss & Co

Aussie brand gloss & Co delivers on a number of points: Cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, chip-resistant, long-wearing and free from eight common toxic chemicals traditionally used in varnish formulation. And can we talk about the extensive (not to mention exciting) shade range?! To die for.

Our favourite shades: Main Squeeze, Olive and Moss

$26 at gloss & Co

Smith & Cult

Smith & Cult are like the sophisticated older sister of the nail polish family. She lives somewhere cool like London or New York, knows all the best places to thrift and somehow always manages to pull off wearing glitter without looking like a four-year-old. Get a taste of the good life Smith & Cult have to offer with a few coats of the high shine, chip-resistantpolish, that’s also 8-free, vegan, and cruelty-free.

Our favourite shades: Darjeeling Darling, Peaceful Paranoia and Seek Me Out

$32 at Adore Beauty

OPI

The OG of nail polish. You know that OPI is legit because we don’t know a manicurist who doesn’t stock hoards of the silver-necked bottles. And it’s not hard to see why our nail techs keep reaching for the stuff either;the Infinite Shine formula is the closest you’re going to get to a gel finish without the rigamarole of UV-processing your manicure, promising up to 11 days of high-shine, chip-free wear.

Our favourite shades: Bubble Bath, Black Onyx, and Big Apple Red

$22.95 at Adore Beauty

Sienna Byron Bay

Byron Bay natives Sienna have worked hard to formulate their cleanest possible formula. It’s free from 12 common toxins, water permeable, breathable, cruelty-free, vegan and housed in sustainably-made packaging using environmentally-friendly materials. The range of earthy hues is just the icing on the cake TBH.

Our favourite shades: Soulful, Courage and Wilderness

$28 at Flora & Fauna

Selfie Nails

Desperately want to have your nails effortlessly done at all times? But you can’t quite master the quick coat of polish (without waiting what feels like 3 business days for it to dry). Don’t worry, Selfie Nails has you sorted! With this at home kit, you’re going to become a bonafide nail tech. With 45 different colours to choose from, the ultimate mani is just a sticker away!

$6 at Selfie Nails

Need some inspiration before you start painting? Here’s all the best new manicure inspo courtesy of your favourite celebs.

Main image credit: @hanami_cosmetics

Briar Clark

Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).