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Confession: The last time I can recall having bare nails was when I was a 5-year-old. When I was 6, my mom painted my tiny nails before a ballet recital, and they haven’t been bare since. The shade was Essie’s Ballet Slippers (great choice, Mom).
I am a nail-polish obsessive and if you do the math, I’ve been obsessed for almost two decades. I’ve had more drunken nail-polish-shopping binges than I care to admit. At home, I wear rubber gloves for more than just washing dishes for fear of ruining my mani. Last week, my manicurist staged an actual intervention: She told me I needed a breather and sent me home with naked nails.
So you can trust me when I say that I’ve tried every polish on the market. and these are the ones I know won’t let me down.
Below, you’ll find our list of top-rated, no-chip polishes (broken down by how long each polish lasts) with some of the best feedback from experts and reviewers. Olus the Cut editors’ favorites.
So, you’re looking for the best long lasting nail polishes?
➼ Our top picks
➼ More tried-and-true options
➼ FAQs
➼ Our experts
.
Our Top Picks
The Best Long-Lasting Nail Polish, Hands Down
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.46 oz
Two coats of this polish will last you up to two weeks while maintaining a great shine. You don’t need a base coat, but it’s important that you use the brand’s Gel Couture top coat for the best results. There are over 50 shades to choose from in the Gel Couture line, and I can say with confidence that any bottle is a reliable investment. — Cleo von Siebenthal
The Most Colorful Long-Lasting Nail Polish
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.4 oz
You’ve probably seen these sweet, candy-colored nail polishes on Instagam, on the hands of celebrities like Mandy Moore and others. They arguably made the Skittles manicure a thing (with the help of Harry Styles), and are known for having some of the longest-lasting polishes ever. The brand held a “Mani Marathon” contest and one client said her manicure lasted without chips for 21 days. — Kathleen Hou, former beauty director
The Best Long-Lasting Neutral You Won’t Have to Touch Up
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Sheer | Size: 0.5 oz
I can always count on OPI’s Bubble Bath to stay intact for days. This is the color I use when traveling, because I won’t have to worry about having to touch it up. Just two thin layers will give your nails a nice natural sheen without bubbles or cracks. Some darker OPI polishes chip at the two day mark, but the lighter, sheer shades tend to have longer lifespans. — C.S.
The Best Long-Lasting Drugstore Nail Polish
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.5 oz
Chips in dark polish stand out much more than in light colors or nudes. This one normally remains chipless for around seven to ten days if you apply two coats plus a layer of the brand’s top coat. Miracle Gel polishes were one of the first in the market of UV-free, long-lasting polishes, and they’ve continued to be an affordable drugstore favorite. (The Cut and the Strategist both love them.) — C.S.
The Best Long-Lasting Nail Polish That Feels Like a Gel
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.5 oz
This polish gives gel results without the UV light or the foil-removal process. Do three coats, and it can last up to ten days without a chip. While it does take a little while to dry, the wait is worth it. Note: You can use it with any base and top coat. — C.S.
The Best Glittery Long-Lasting Nail Polish
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Holographic shine | Size: 0.4 oz
This nail polish has close to 2,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. The brand, ILNP (which stands for I Love Nail Polish), is also loved by the Laqueristas, Reddit’s nail-obsessive community. Reviewers love its durability and opacity (you only need one coat), and say the colors are so pretty that they wish they could dip their whole bodies in them. — K.H.
The Best Long-Lasting Polish From a Luxury Brand
Shades: 2 | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.33 oz
From personal experience, this gel-effect polish goes on extremely smooth; plus the brush shape and length give you a salon-worthy mani when you’re doing it at home, filling even the hard-to-reach areas of your nails with rich color. With the proper base and top coat, it can last about ten days or longer and has a glass-like shine. Yes, it’s expensive because it’s Dior, but the reviewers also say the price is well worth the wear you get out of a single bottle. —L.A.
The Best Long-Lasting Cruelty-Free Polish
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.24 oz
Ella + Mila’s quick-drying and chip-resistant nail polish is opaque and doesn’t require multiple coats — unless you prefer to apply more than one. It’s also vegan, cruelty-free, and 17-free, meaning it’s free of 17 harsh ingredients like formaldehyde and camphor that can be common in some nail-polish formulas. This specific shade has more than 4,000 ratings with a rating of 4.5 out of 5, but if blue isn’t for you, there is no shortage of other equally vibrant colors. —Lauren Adhav, Cut Shop contributor
More Tried-and-True Options
Shades: 30+ | Finish: Gel gloss | Size: 0.4 oz
Butter London claims their new formula has ingredients that promote healthier, stronger, and brighter nails, and I believe them. This has lasted me up to ten days with no signs of chipping and lots of shine. Some polishes leave my nails stained or yellowed, but not this one. — C.S.
My go-to is OPI Infinite Shine Gel-Like Lacquer System. This three-step system offers a gel-like manicure lasting up to 11 days. The pre-cured technology creates a durable, scratch- and chip-free high-gloss manicure that removes damage like lacquer. How does pre-cured technology work, you ask? As solvents evaporate, the pre-cured gel technology creates a film on the nail with more connections than traditional lacquer but not as many as gel polish. This technology unlocks like a lacquer for quick and easy removal with lacquer remover. — OPI global education manager, Galdina Jimenez
Shades: 50+ | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.3 oz
Although this polish doesn’t claim to be gel-like, it can last up to seven days with two to three coats. It also dries fairly quickly. Pixie is a perfect light-pink gloss that doesn’t crack after a few days of wear. What’s great about Jin Soon polishes is that they’re free of harsh chemicals, have UV filter protection, and are not tested on animals. Jin Soon polishes are also now 10-free, meaning that they are free of formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, camphor, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, triphenyl phosphate, parabens, and lead. — C.S.
Dirty Little Secret by Deborah Lippmann is a kit essential because its universally flattering taupe-nude reflects a subtle rainbow shimmer. I love this color because it’s truly multifaceted. The formula goes on really smoothly even though it’s a shimmer. It self-levels and doesn’t streak! — Anna Miles, New York–based nail artist
Shades: 20+ | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.4 oz
If you tire of pastels, you’ll love J.Hannah’s “ugly cool” colors — the nail polish equivalent of “ugly pants.” Many of the colors are jolie laide like this very striking sludge green, which is called Eames. The brand’s Instagram is full of beautiful hands, artfully draped like a 1960s Vogue. — K.H.
The Best Long-Lasting Red Polish
Shades: 18 | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.4 oz
This shade is called “The Perfect Red” for a reason. It’s not too cool but not too warm, plus it’s bright enough to make a statement but still super-chic. The long-lasting formula is enhanced with nourishing ingredients like bamboo extract, sea-buckthorn oil, and rice-bran oil. — Brooke LaMantia, editorial assistant
Shades: 18 | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.37 oz
Nail polish obsessives love this black polish. They praise it as even better and richer-looking than Chanel’s Black Satin, the original shade which kicked off the black polish trend in 2006. And you only need one coat. —K.H.
Shades: 20+ | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.34 oz
These luxurious Black-owned polishes are also 10-free, in addition to cruelty free, and vegan. They apply like a dream, stay just as smooth and chip-free well past the week-mark, and come in unique colors that pop on all skin tones, like this groovy chartreuse that’ll transport you straight to summertime. —K.H
Shades: 50+ | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 oz
When in doubt, paint your nails yellow. The color evokes happiness, so add it to your beauty routine when you’re feeling down. This shade from Green is perfect and the polish is shiny and sleek. —B.L.
Shades: 9 | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.33 oz
The brand describes this formula as an “intense plant-based varnish” that boasts a high-shine, glossy finish with a strong staying power. The raving Sephora reviews praising the colorways and the gel-like finish are proof that this splurge polish is worth every penny. Plus, this is the perfect red hue for fall and the holiday season that will flatter all skin tones. Bonus: If you fell in love with this nail shade, Gucci Beauty also makes a lipstick in the exact same color. A win-win! —Maya Allen, the Cut’s former beauty director-at-large
Shades: 20+ | Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 oz
In 2021 when the luxury French fashion house announced it was launching a nail-care collection, editors and influencers gathered in the downtown Manhattan storefront in anticipation of trying out the new polish. I personally gravitated to moody, vampy plum shade. It reminds me of a full-body Cabernet in polish form. The texture deposits a smooth, streak-free sheen on the nails that last for weeks on end. —M.A.
FAQs
What should people be looking for when it comes to a good long-lasting polish?
According to nail artist Anna Miles, there are a few things to look for when searching for long-lasting polishes. “I am generally looking for a polish that has a thin or medium viscosity so it applies in even coats, self-levels, and dries quickly,” the New York–based artist tells the Cut. But even with a good polish, long-lasting nails are all about technique and nail preparation. This includes starting with “a clean nail plate (free from cuticle skin, oils, and debris), using products like a base coat, and making sure you let each coat dry for about two to three minutes before applying the next coat,” Miles says.
What ingredients or formulas make these polishes “stronger” than normal polishes?
Using traditional nail polish, gel polish, and acrylic are all ways of making plastic coverings for your nails. “Gel polish that is cured with a UV light has a completely different polymer chemistry and yields a much stronger bond to the nail plate than that of a solvent-based nail polish acetates,” says Miles. But then, there’s also “gel-like” polishes that are marketed as longer lasting owing to their formula’s different makeup. “It is crucial to use these products according to the manufacturer. Making sure to use even (not overflowing) coats and allowing ample time between coats is essential with ‘gel-like’ products as they can be on the thicker side,” she says.
What else can you do to enhance polish longevity pre- or post-mani?
Pre-mani: “Clean the nail plate thoroughly! Using a cuticle remover product, cleanse the nail, buff the nail, wipe with alcohol and acetone to make sure none of the cuticle remover or skin debris is still on the nail, and go in with a base coat; making sure that each layer is dry before proceeding to the next.”
Post-mani: “Cuticle oil helps keep the nail’s free edge (the white part that grows out) flexible when life gets in the way!”
Our experts:
- Cleo von Siebenthal, Cut Contributor
- Anna Miles, New York–based nail artist
- Galdina Jimenez, global education manager at OPI
- Lauren Adhav, Cut Shop contributor
- Kathleen Hou, former beauty director
- Brooke LaMantia, the Cut’s editorial assistant
- Maya Allen, the Cut’s former beauty director-at-large