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The best long-lasting nail polishes according to celebrity nail artists

And your reviews!

By Briar Clark

Beauty Crew Beauty Editor / February 19 2025

Besides a beautiful colour, there’s just one other priority we expect from our nail polish — it needs to be long-lasting.

That used to mean that if a nail polish lasted a good solid few days without chipping we were over the moon. But the invention of builder gel (AKA BIAB) nails kind of screwed that up for regular nail polish.

If we aren’t getting more than a week of wear out of a lacquer brand, we’re not interested. We expect more, and so we should.

But, thanks to popular demand, long-lasting nail polishes exist. Here, BEAUTYcrew rounds up the long-lasting nail polish favourites of nail artists and reviewers alike, for a salon-worthy manicure at home.

Chanel Le Gel Coat

from $49 at MYER

Inspired by long wearing gel polish, this lacquer-finish top coat from Chanel is a favourite of celebrity nail artist Betina Goldstein. "I prefer thicker top coats as they provide more shine and protection," Goldstein shared via Instagram.

To ensure her manicures last longer than just a few days, she initially applies two coats of top coat — "this will give your nails extra protection from everyday wear" — and then she applies another layer of top coat after three days. "This will not only refresh your manicure, it will also make your manicure last longer."

She also recommends prepping the nail plate and cuticles properly prior to polish application for best results.

Key features:

Enriched with naturally derived camellia oil
High-shine, lacquered finish
Promotes polish longevity

Available at:

$49 from MYER
$49 from David Jones

Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish

from $9.49 at Priceline

Review: "I am not gentle on my fingernails at all and this polish lasted longer than an actual gel polish that needs to be set with a lamp — I am so impressed. Unlike gel polish you don’t have to worry about the cost of buying a lamp and the inconvenient removal process — it applies and removes like a normal nail polish — but has some magic powers to make it stay on for much longer. The brush is easy to use, and the colours that I’ve tried so far are fully opaque and apply evenly with two coats. I can’t wait to try even more shades in the range now." — J.D, BEAUTYcrew Member

Key features:

Promises up to 15 days of chip-free wear
High-shine finish
Available in 24 longwearing shades

Available at:

$9.49 from Priceline
$19 from Adore Beauty

OPI Nail Envy

from $22.17 at RY

PSA: The longevity of your manicure is keenly determined by the overall health of your nails.

"Nail care is as important as skincare and hair care — to all my fellow nail girlies — it is so important to take care of your nail health," celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt shared via Instagram. "When OPI first introduced Repair Mode Bond Building Nail Serum ($33.99 from Chemist Warehouse) last year, I immediately fell in love with this magical product and recommend it to everyone — even my clients love it as much as I do now."

"It’s basically keratin treatment for your nails and you can see the result within a week," she explained. "I like to combine it with OPI's Nail Envy Nail Strengthener when I feel like my nails need a break from gel polish. The thing about Nail Envy is it comes in different colours — all your favourite shades — such as Big Apple Red ($22.17 from RY), Bubble Bath ($36.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty), Alpine Snow ($22.17 from RY), and more."

Key features:

Reinforces the nail plate
Creates a tough protective layer
Available in OPI's most popular shades

Available at:

Big Apple Red ($22.17 from RY)
Bubble Bath ($36.95 from Oz Hair & Beauty)
Alpine Snow ($22.17 from RY)

Dior Rouge Dior Vernis

from $47 at MYER

Review: "I have tried numerous nail polish brands and they have left me disappointed and frustrated. I saw positive reviews of [Dior] and decided to give it a try. I [only] applied one coat — as it is that high quality — it is a nail polish that has the power to dramatically change the look of nails in one stroke. [It's] dreamy to apply [and] formulated beautifully. The texture doesn't bubble — giving my nails the smoothest of finishes. The brush wraps perfectly around the nails, making the application easy without bleeding out. I didn't notice any signs of chipping for several weeks, and I work a lot with my hands, so I'm exceptionally impressed." — B.H, BEAUTYcrew member

Key features:

Enhances nails with a glossy finish
Gel-like formula
Available in shades inspired by Dior runway collections

Available at:

$47 from MYER
$47 from David Jones

Sally Hansen Colour Therapy Top Coat

from $10.80 at Big W

Review: "I always use a top coat on my polish to make it last and Sally Hansen is one of the best. I cant be without this product as I religiously apply it over all my polishes. This seals colour really well and delivers a lovely shine making my nails look professionally done. I love that it is enriched with argan oil to nourish my nails, all the while they look lovely with great colour all sealed in. This product extends the life of my polish to make my manicure last, a huge bonus." — Debbie P, BEAUTYcrew member

Key features:

Glossy shine finish
Enriched with nail plate-sealing argan oil
Promotes extended wear

Available at:

$10.80 from Big W
$11 from Chemist Warehouse

Main image credit: @betina_goldstein

Longevity isn't the only thing you need to consider when you're painting your nails — you also need to figure out which nail shape is right for you.

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).