The Hit List: Best Nail Polish

Date: Thursday, July 29th, 2010 Author:

What’s the Best Nail Polish…?

What brand/product wins this category? Any particular reason it wins?

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65 thoughts on “The Hit List: Best Nail Polish

  1. Katie says:

    OPI because the colors are AMAZING and it stays on the longest.

  2. Callen says:

    China Glaze for colour selection/value… and honestly Sephora by OPI for wearability. Everyone rags on it but it wears great for me!

  3. Rengirl says:

    OPI’s Do You Lilac it comes pretty close to perfection for me. I also really love (like most people) China Glaze For Audrey now that I’ve added the right amount of thinner to it making the formula work for me.

  4. kat says:

    My favorite brand would have to be zoya. I love the colors and their nail polish remover is great

  5. j e n says:

    OPI and Essie

  6. Shumpac says:

    Chanel – Particularie

  7. Courtney says:

    I have to give it to China Glaze. Low cost polish with a ton of really fun and unique colors. Generally good quality, maybe not perfect, but when you can find them for $3 a pop they’re worth it.

  8. mkdallas says:

    For a high-end polish, I swear by Rescue Beauty Lounge. The best drug-store brand I’ve found is Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. The best mid-range (in my humble opinion) is OPI. That is all!

    • Cat says:

      I agree, for the most part. RBL is hands down my favorite luxury brand; most of the colors are opaque in just one coat, and they apply like butter. OPI is my favorite salon bran, and I’d have to say my favorite drugstore brand is Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear for the price, fashion-forward color selection and flat, wide brush.

  9. Julia says:

    China Glaze or Essie, but I also love Orly.

  10. Britt says:

    Lately I’ve been loving Essie and RBL

  11. Tiffany says:

    Rescue Beauty Lounge is the best in my opinion, due to the flawless application and coverage. It also wears very well for me. It sure isn’t cheap, though!

  12. Arantzazu says:

    I like very much Chanel polishes, basically for their quality and their elegant colours.
    Of course I like many other brands (Eyeko, ChinaGlaze, Astor…) but the point is choosen one… Hahaha

  13. Margot says:

    OPI and Nubar … colours are amazing and formulas go on so smooth

  14. Miss Shalyne says:

    For me, it’s OPI !

  15. New Ribena says:

    Zoya system gives me the absolutely best wear without chipping.

  16. Lisa says:

    Illamasqua, hands down.

  17. Abby says:

    China Glaze for value, but I feel like too many of their shades are glitter/frost. I LOVE Essie’s palette, but their formula can be hit-or-miss, and those brushes….bah!

  18. Marianne says:

    Illamasqua. It is a bit pricey but, it applies so smooth and evenly. The colors are vivid; to include the pastels, which tend to run sheer. I can get a week’s worth of wear before the inevitable tip wear starts to show up. I don’t have all of the colors yet, but so far, whack is my favorite. It is such a bright rich orange and it is so pretty it actually pains me a little to take it off.

  19. Laura says:

    China Glaze and Zoya (colors, finishes, price)

  20. Dana says:

    I really like the ranges of OPI (for darks) and Essie (for light/pale). The price is great when on sale (usually buy 2 get 1 free at Ulta) but their wear on me is just OK. Mac polish stays on me the longest, usually almost 5 days which is a long time but their color selection is limited. I have never ventured into Chanel or any other high end brand for polishes, it doesn’t seem worth the extra cash

  21. nicole says:

    Zoya. i love everything about the brand. the color options are amazing, the brush is perfect for me, and the application is probably one of the easiest i have come across

  22. Mercee says:

    Nubar, because they’re consistently pigmented, they last without chipping and apply like buttah! Oh, and they’re vegan. I love OPI for colours and quality too.

  23. dana says:

    I love OPI and they wear by far the longest on me. I did my nails about a week ago and there’s like one chip…and I’m a hair stylist..so my hands are constantly in something. I have Chanel polish and it’s off in a few days.

  24. Anna says:

    Chanel!

  25. Cathy says:

    My favorite is Revlon,I just wish they had a larger color selection.

  26. Kate & Zena says:

    Illamasqua, hands down. I can’t imagine living without my Illamasqua polishes! They wear so long. They’ve had a consistent formula from the beginning with great packaging and a very nice brush. They aren’t afraid of colors and I personally love the names (Rampage, Boosh, Baptiste, Phallic, DWS). I can’t imagine what my world would be like without Rampage!

  27. Anne says:

    I love NUBAR!

  28. Sarah says:

    NUBAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It NEVER chips, peels, fades or shows any signs of tip-wear on me until at least 5 days (especially when I wrap the tips). There has been more than 1 occasion I was able to wear it for 9 days and other than a slight touch of tip-wear it looked like a brand new mani. You don’t know what you’re missing until you’ve tried Nubar.

    • Sarah says:

      Ohh, and the color selection, they have EVERYTHING and are constantly coming out with new stuff. Fantastic :-D

  29. OPI, Zoya, and Barry M

  30. igswonderworld says:

    China Glaze for price, quality, color selection and application!

  31. Vanesa says:

    OPI all they way i absolutely love Jade is the new Black and Pandamonium Pink (i thinks thats how its spelled) OPI in my opinion has the best streak free application due to the size of the brush. LOVES IT!!

  32. Alison says:

    YSL!

    OPI for the range of colors and the brush, YSL for the formula. Its gorgeous.

  33. crlsweetie912 says:

    China Glaze for me, with Sinful Colors a close second. China Glaze consistently comes out with amazing color selections on a seasonal basis! I find myself wanting them ALL! Sinful colors for their easy availability, price and color range!

  34. Mabeth says:

    Loveee China Glaze. Affordable, good quality, large color selection.

  35. Laura says:

    Rescue Beauty Lounge or Deborah Lippmann. RBL great cremes and really, really great quality, but Lippmann makes AMAZING glitters.

  36. Becca says:

    I’d have to say a tie between OPI and China Glaze

    OPI because of the wide selection and quality,
    China Glaze because of its unique, fun colours

  37. Megan says:

    China glaze! I love the selection.
    By the way…I found 2 bottles of Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure at Walgreens today. If your still lusting over it don’t give up hope!

  38. Heidi says:

    Deborah Lippman Collection hands down! Worth every penny and the colors are gorgeous…my nails stay perfect for weeks. Favorite colors are Nefertiti and Whatever Lola Wants

  39. Ashley says:

    Chanel and Essie!

  40. Kirstie says:

    This would have been better to see as a poll, but my favs are Essie, OPI, OPI for Sephora, and zoya!

  41. Pearl says:

    Chanel. They have such classy colors and their polishes dry quick. With the right top coat, Chanel polishes do not chip any faster than OPI. I used to use OPI but their polishes took forever to dry. I hate spending too much time doing my mani/pedicure :P

  42. sarah says:

    i love opi’s russian navy :)

  43. Melody says:

    Silky Girl’s Berry Vampish

    It lasts almost 2 weeks on me with only very very minor chipping + the colour is just lovely~ =D

  44. condesa says:

    I’d say Chanel and YSL. OPI has the best shades, but wears off faster.

  45. Valerie says:

    OPI, Essie, Chanel, Dior!

  46. maya pastori says:

    OPI!!!!!!!!!!!

  47. maya pastori says:

    opi

  48. Scientific Housewife says:

    I love Zoya’s color selection but OPI’s wearability.

  49. Linnea says:

    Right now, L’oreal nail polish, just because I’ve found a couple of colors that I LOVE, and I love the bottle/applicator.
    But I really really want to splurge on some Butter Londons. Beautiful colors, and sounds like they’re amazing! Anyone tried them?

  50. Danielle says:

    OPI defiantly! Lasts the longest and has the best colors.

  51. Stella says:

    I love China Glaze for the color selection. My nails are very brittle, and Deborah Lippmann makes an amazing base coat (Hard Rock) that’s helped my nails grow out more than they ever have!

  52. ruthk says:

    Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure is the best I have ever used. Although I don’t go for the “complete” bit, I still use base and top coat with it. I have one Butter London, it chips first day and peels off in sheets. Chanel I love for the colors but they chip on me on the second day. I was an OPI lover until i discovered that the Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure is longer lasting and easier to apply and has the best brush i have ever used.

  53. Coming from a nail blogger, this is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to answer. *thinking* OPI has a great brush, yet China Glaze has a better range of colors. Zoya makes amazing glass flecked shades and comes out with great collections. Nubar has really interesting colors also, like Indigo Illusion. Nfu-Oh has flakies, and who doesn’t like those? If you’re in the mood for a holo, Nfu-Oh’s 63 is to die for. Orly has a great formula and some shades are even one-coaters. Color Club has a great range as well and Misa’s brush is heavy and gives a steady hand to polishing. I couldn’t even narrow this question down to my top 5 shades…. :)

    I’ll give it more thought.

  54. Kelsey says:

    OPI for the creamy/smoothformula, quick dry time, and ProWide brush. China Glaze comes in as a very close second for me.

  55. marielouise says:

    China Glaze!!! Can’t get it where I live, and can’t wear it at work since I work for MAC, but I love the range of colours and the texture….on 2nd place it’s OPI :D

  56. Katy says:

    China Glaze, for the huge range of colors.

    And props to the person above who also mentioned Color Club’s color range. What other brand could help me stock up on neon purples so?

    • Cat says:

      I know, isn’t Color Club Pucci-licious the funnest purple ever? Their formula is great, and their price point is not prohibitive for anyone. Plus, people find full sets of their collections at Ross for $7!

  57. Dollymix8 says:

    OPI because it says on so long! I love painted nails, but I’m too lazy nd busy to redo my nails all the time

  58. twilight(= says:

    i like OPI and DelSol!!!!

  59. Carrie says:

    Definitely will be Deborah Lippmann, the colors are amazing, fast-drying with great staying power, though a little bit pricey, they worth every penny.

  60. alexxxxxxxxxx says:

    Savina is actually pretty good! (@ Nordstrom Rack)It’s like $4. Wet n’ Wild is okay for its price. ($1) OPI ($9?) has REALLY pretty colors, but it’s actually kind of a pain to apply, for me. I REALLY like Sally Hansen’s Hard As Nails Xtreme Wear. It’s cheap ($2-$3) and it doesn’t chip on me, even if I don’t wear a base or top coat!