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One of the most well-known and best nail polish brands, the company started with just two nail products in 1946 launched by Ms. Hansen herself. Now, one of the largest brands across the world, the reputable nail brand has over 500 shades and multiple lines.

Their latest collection of cruelty-free, vegan nail polishes, aptly named “Good. Kind. Pure,” is our pick for the best polishes to buy.

Their nature-inspired colors come with an all-new vegan formula that lasts up to two weeks. This longwear nail polish is 16-free, meaning it’s free of 16 toxic ingredients found in other harsh nail polish formulas.

Pros and Cons of the Sally Hansen

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We’ve all been there: patiently waiting 10 minutes for our nails to dry, only to rummage through our purse and ruin our fresh polish. Thankfully, Essie’s Expressie line is remarkably quick-dry (try 66 seconds) so you can avoid those kinds of mishaps.

Essie has been around for a long time, and the brand is a crowd favorite (Meghan Markle reportedly wore the shade Ballet Slippers for her wedding day). But the Essie Expressie collection is what really seals the deal for us. 

It’s the brand’s first 8-free nail polish arsenal, a vast improvement from their previous 3-free collections. It’s free of formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl phthalate, formaldehyde resin, camphor, ethyl tosylamide, xylene, and triphenyl phosphate.

Pros and Cons of the Essie Expressie

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This salon-favorite is a favorite for a good reason. OPI nail polishes tend to last for a pretty long time, have a pigmented formula (one coat is already pretty dark), and generally take longer to chip.

You’ll also know OPI by their catchy names, including “Eiffel for this Colour” from their France collection, “La Paz-itively Hot” from their South America line, and “Suzi Skis in the Pyrenees” after the co-founder of the brand, Suzi Weiss-Fischmann.

If those adorable names aren’t enough to make you go grab one right now, then you might be swayed by the fact that OPI nail polishes are 3-free, or free of DBP, toluene, or formaldehyde. Another selling point is their wide brush that makes it easy-peasy to apply polish to the whole nail in just one swipe.

The brand also sells nail treatments, mani/pedi products, and nail lotions.

Pros and Cons of OPI

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If you frequent a lot of nail spas in the country, you’ve probably seen a lot of ORLY nail products lining the shelves. This brand is known for its high-quality, long-wear catalog inspired by the latest fashion trends, so its popularity across the globe comes as no surprise. The brand has more than cemented itself as a classic. In fact, the brand’s founder, Jeff Pink, actually created and popularized the original French manicure. Talk about iconic.

The first ORLY product certainly reflects that same originality. The ORLY Top 2 Bottom combines the hardening formula of a solid base coat and the quick-dry sheen of the perfect top coat.

Made with no toxic ingredients, this nail treatment lets you save time by mixing two types of nail polish in one. For those always on the go, this quick nail treatment is perfect for you. It’s also designed with an award-winning gripper cap for foolproof application.

Pros and Cons of ORLY Top 2 Bottom

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“Go easy on the planet, go hard on nail art.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, but Smith & Cult hit the nail on the head here. Their vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and 8-free formula is perfect for any clean beauty junkie.

We named it the best unique bottle for their trademark design that is both classy and fun. The wide cap may be a challenge for those who are used to smaller handles, but for some it may be a better option.

The brand offers a wide color range that includes deep hues and playful light shades, but we highly recommend their metallic polishes that have a super shiny finish unlike any other.

Pros and Cons of the Smith & Cult Lacquer

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What started as a small nail salon business founded by celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi eventually blossomed into a global brand.

The brand is known for plenty of things: their designer collaborations, their artist-inspired color family, and even their non-toxic formula that contains a UV filter so it doesn’t fade or yellow under the sun. 

While those things are no doubt remarkable, one thing that we love this brand for is its deep colors. Thanks to their highly pigmented formula, their dark shades like Vanity (a bold red), Plunge (an ocean-deep blue), Epidote (a deep emerald green), and Heroine (a dark red wine) are nothing short of glamorous.

Pros and Cons of the JINSOON

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Brittle nails are pretty difficult to maintain. A gel manicure may cause more breakage, so it’s best to stay with a breathable polish that nourishes along the way. The ORLY Breathable Treatment + Color contains argan oil, pro-vitamin-B, and vitamin C to keep your nails colorful, healthy, and strong.

The formula is a breathable blend that contains vitamins and doesn’t include any of the harmful ingredients usually found in budget-friendly polish options. The gripper cap makes it easy to open and close the bottle securely, while also making it easy to hold the brush steady. It’s perfect for beginners and professionals alike.

This particular polish line comes with a built-in base so you can get a full manicure in just two strokes of the brush. 

Pros and Cons of the ORLY Breathable Treatment + Color

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On the other side of the coin is this healthy alternative to (most) gel polishes. The eponymous line offers high shine and extended wear without the need for UV lamps, resulting in no nail damage, unlike many other gel formulas.

Plus — and this is our favorite part — you can remove it with ordinary nail polish remover. Cue the celebration!

If you’re looking for cute pastels suited for everyday wear, Lazada carries a set of 6 candy-colored shades for less than Php 2,000 a box.

Pros and Cons of the Deborah Lippmann Polish

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We’ve listed a lot of great vegan brands so far, but our clear winner is the Ella + Mila Nail Polish. It’s not three, not four, but 17-free.

With their commitment to safe products for everyone, we can’t help but fall in love with just about everything in their line, from their polishes to nail treatments, top coat formulas, and cuticle oil. They even have a soy-based polish remover.

Streak-free and nourished with vitamins, E + M’s collection comes in different textures like matte, jelly, metallic, neon, pearl, shine, and more. Our pick? Their wide collection of nude colors that are fit for everyday wear.

Pros and Cons of Ella + Mila

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Local cosmetics brand Happy Skin has it all: lippies, foundation, and nail polish. If you’re wondering whether to run to the nearest store to buy a UV lamp in order to use Happy Skin’s express gel line, worry not. 

The formula is nourishing as well as naturally drying and 10-free so you can perfect your nails without guilt or harm. The brush is designed for easy application, and you can get great color with just two coats.

Check out their collaborations with Disney by taking a quick look at their website. You’ll also find tons of other everyday-wear shades from the brand’s multiple nail collections over at Lazada.

Pros and Cons of Happy Skin

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Finally, we’re returning to foreign waters with this luxurious nail company. Butter London Lacquer might be a bit of a splurge, but it’s one of the few brands that actually mean business when they say they’re no chip.

If you think they use harmful ingredients to achieve such a long-lasting formula, however, we’ve got some good news.

Butter London is one of the many wonderful vegan, gluten-free, and non-toxic brands in the industry. Our favorites are the English Lavender Patent Shine and the London Fog Patent Shine, which instantly transport you to the busy streets of London.

Pros and Cons of Butter London