I Wore a Different Luxury Nail Polish on Each Hand for a Week—Here's the Verdict

I definitely live for luxury goods—bags, shoes, coats—you name it. One thing I don't usually spend a ton of money on, however, is nail polish. I normally rely solely on the salon to provide me with my color of choice, but recently I decided to change that. There are a lot of luxury nail polish brands out there that seem to offer more health benefits for your nails, fewer toxic ingredients, and totally unique shades. I figured at least a few of these had to be worth trying.

I tested two different luxury polishes on each hand for a week. On one hand, I tested Butter London's decadent formula while on the other, I gave Chanel's most popular polish a spin. If you're curious about how each performed after wearing them for a week, keep scrolling for the verdict and a few other luxury nail polish brands we love.

1. Butter London

I tested Butter London polish on my left hand for a week in the shade Piece of Cake. I'll admit, I'm used to quick-dry salon polishes so after initially applying, I wasn't as careful as I should have been. A few nails smudged just a hair, but that was no fault of the polish's—just human error. So far, the polish seems to be staying in place pretty well with no chips after about a week. I think really my only con about using this polish is the dry time. You have to be super careful for at least 10 to 15 minutes after applying. I like polishes that take less than 30 seconds to dry—you never have to worry about smudging your nails and you don't have to sit and wait. Overall, this is a really nice polish and color, but I'm not sure it's the right one for me for that reason.

2. Chanel

On my right hand, we have Chanel's Longwear Nail Colour in Organdi—one of the brand's most popular hues. This is a gorgeous shade of muted pink, so points for that, but I did run into the same problem with this polish as well. I smudged a few nails slightly due to my own impatience. This is a beautiful color that applied really well and has been staying in place equally as long as Butter London's. If I had to pick between the two, I would probably reach for Chanel's formula more often. It's really creamy and the brand offers so many stunning shades. Again, the only con here is drying time. If you're used to getting gel manicures, hard gel, or dip powder, this polish takes about three times as long to dry. I'd probably bust out this polish for special occasions or stock up on a few other hues from the brand if I want a look that's a tad more unique.

3. Gucci

Gucci's stately offering to the nail polish world is a plant-based varnish that promises glossy shine and serious glamour. Other highlighted ingredients in this nail polish formula include stearalkonium bentonite which promotes uniform pigment dispersion, red algae extract to provide extra nutrients to your nails, and tocopherol, a form of vitamin E that's high in antioxidants. The color selection doesn't hurt either, there's everything from a breezy turquoise to deep, candy apple red.

4. Smith & Cult

Smith & Cult boasts an eight-free formula, meaning it doesn't contain toxic ingredients like dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, and triphenyl phosphate. It's also vegan, delivers incredible shine, offers bold colors, and chip resistance.

5. J. Hannah

When jewelry designer Jess Hannah ventured into the world of nail polish, it was bound to be extra luxurious. Hannah's nontoxic formula is also eight-free and comes in dashingly unique shades inspired by artists' palettes and the natural elements. The result delivers shades like warm terracotta and burnt caramel brown.

6. Emilie Heathe

Emilie Heathe's lush nail polishes are infused with bamboo extract, sea buckthorn oil, and rice bran oil for a boost of nutrients. Bamboo extract contains organic silica which is an essential mineral needed to form strong, healthy nails so I'd say that's a huge win against unnecessary breakage. Additionally, Heathe's nail polish formula features custom glass and magnetic overcaps made in Japan. The brand and formula itself are an homage to Asian culture. It features highly revered, power-packed ingredients from the continent that have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for years.

7. Deborah Lippmann

Deborah Lippmann's award-winning, treatment-enriched nail polish delivers glossy shine and the richness of a gel manicure sans the nail damage. With ingredients like evening primrose, keratin, biotin, green tea extract, and rice protein, it's a great luxury option that also provides a health boost to the quality of your nails.

8. Hermès

Radiant color, lasting wear, and mega-watt shine are just a few things promised by Hermè's luxury nail polish formula. The French-made formula contains a high concentration of ultra-fine pigments and comes in an array of vibrantly bright colors and velvety smooth dark colors.

9. Christian Louboutin 

I'll admit, $50 is a lot for nail polish. But if you do feel like splurging, this opulent polish from Christian Louboutin might just be the ticket. It's highly pigmented, chip-resistant, and dazzlingly shiny—like a good patent leather shoe or bag.

10. Dior 

Dior's luxe nail polish provides a gel effect and contains both peony and pistachio extract to enhance the health of your nails. Each shade is also boldy inspired by the trends and latest creations of the House of Dior.

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