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Milena Milani/Stocksy
Treating yourself to a spa manicure is great once in a while. But if you're anything like us, you fall back on DIY mani-pedis more often than not. Taking your time and carefully gliding your favorite color over your nail beds can be a relaxing activity. It can also save you a chunk of change—especially if you reach for a wallet-friendly polish from the drugstore. Nail artist Syreeta Aaron says, "It's easy to get confused with what to purchase when you have phrases like 'no-chip,' 'lasting color,' 'non-toxic,' 'quick-drying,' etc."
From opaques and sheers to glitters and metallics, there are some seriously stunning shades to choose from. And thanks to the Internet, you don't even have to go to an actual store.
We conducted hours of research on the best drugstore nail polishes, evaluating brands on formula ingredients, colors and shades available, finish, and ease of application. We also took into consideration how long a polish lasts, and whether or not it chips easily. With expert recommendations from a nail technician and artist, we considered dozens of formulas. Insight from Byrdie editors and our knowledge of fan-favorites helped us land on these best in show.
Ahead, find the best drugstore nail polishes for freshening up your digits.
Best Overall
OPI Nail Lacquer
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Ulta Beauty
Dries quickly
Smooth application
Used in nail salons
Some shades oxidize quickly
When it comes to high-quality nail polish, OPI reigns supreme. The OG brand's classic formula goes on smooth, dries fast, and lasts a solid week. This lacquer is so good, it's one of the few drugstore brands widely used at nail salons.
Not only that, but it comes in every color under the sun. We're talking vivids, neutrals, basics, bolds, shimmeries, nudes—you name it—all cleverly named with cheeky phrases and puns that make us giggle.
Price at time of publish: $11
Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Budget
L.A. Colors Color Last
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Great color payoff
Long-lasting
Dries quickly
Can be streaky
This budget-friendly nail polish has a wide, robust brush that covers your entire nail bed with a coat of lacquer in a single swipe. For only a couple bucks, you can treat yourself to a show-stopping DIY manicure that lasts up to ten days—now that's what we call self-care!
Price at time of publish: $6
Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Quick-Drying
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color
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Walmart
Two-in-one formula
Dries in a minute
Contoured brush
Chips easily
Who has time to wait a half-hour or more for their nails to dry? Not us. Made for folks on the fly, Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri polish is a two-in-one polish and top coat that dries in a minute flat.
Price at time of publish: $7
Finish: Glossy, metallic, shimmery | Size: 0.3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Long-Wear
OPI Infinite Shine Long-Wear Lacquer
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Amazon
Great color payoff
Gel-like finish
Expert-recommended
Three-step system
"I love OPI Infinite Shine since they are formulated for longer wear and have a gel-like finish without the commitment," says nail artist Christine Doan of Gloss House. "It's a longer-lasting version of their normal lacquer."
Price at time of publish: $14
Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Chip-Resistant
China Glaze Nail Lacquer with Hardeners
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Sally Beauty
Wide brush
Great color payoff
Contains hardeners
May stain nails
China Glaze is a tried-and-true drugstore nail polish brand. Thanks to a blend of hardening polymers and resins, you can count on this lacquer to resist chipping and peeling for several days.
Price at time of publish: $10
Finish: Glossy, glittery, shimmery, metallic | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best All-in-One
CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss
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Amazon
Smooth application
No top coat needed
Unique color selection
Not fast-drying
Reminiscent of Chanel's iconic Le Vernis bottles but with a much more agreeable price tag, CoverGirl Stay Brilliant is a base coat, nail lacquer, and top coat in one. This multitasking product goes on smooth, delivers a glossy shine, and lasts up to a week. The unique shade range is something to admire too.
Price at time of publish: $7
Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Sheer
Cirque Colors Nail Polish
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Amazon
Subtle colors
Long-lasting
Formaldehyde-free
Requires up to three coats
Cirque Colors makes our favorite affordable sheer polish. The translucent shade selection ranges from soft peach and pinky nude to pearlescent white and even a semi-transparent blue.
Price at time of publish: $13
Finish: Sheer glossy | Size: 0.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Matte
Sinful Colors Sheer Matte Nail Polish
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Bed Bath & Beyond
Statement colors
Chip-resistant
Long-lasting
Can be streaky
For a DIY matte manicure, go with Sinful Colors. This shine-free nail polish comes in several highly pigmented statement hues, like flamingo pink, burnt orange, and icy turquoise. What's more, the reliable formula resists chipping for a full week.
Finish: Matte | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Glittery
LeChat Dare to Wear Nail Lacquer
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Amazon
Excellent color selection
Long-lasting
Not fast-drying
Aaron stands behind LeChat, and if you're craving a little glitz, this is the brand to get. The glittery color selection includes options with super-fine shimmery pigments and large reflective particles. They're great on their own or as a glammed-up top coat over opaque nail polish.
Price at time of publish: $9
Finish: Glittery, shimmery | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
What Our Experts Say
"To make things simple, purchase a base coat in the color of your choice, and for a fast-drying process, a quick-dry to put on top."—Syreeta Aaron, Nail Artist
Best Classic
Revlon Nail Enamel
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Walmart
Excellent color selection
Chip-resistant
Anti-fade technology
May stain nails
Revlon is another great fallback for drugstore polish. The brand's chip-resistant Nail Enamel comes in a broad range of shades and finishes from glossy to shimmery to metallic. But if you're looking for classic hues of red, maroon, or pink, you won't be disappointed.
Price at time of publish: $8
Finish: Glossy, sheer, shimmery, metallic | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: No
Best Color Selection
Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish
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Walmart
Unique shade range
Dries quickly
No top coat needed
Chips easily
Just when you think there couldn't possibly be any uncharted nail polish colors, Essie comes out with a new collection that blows us all away. Known for its unbeatable shade selection, you'll find hues ranging from teddy-bear brown to almost-black burgundy to retro greenish-yellow inspired by 1970s kitchen appliances. The brand's Expressie line sweetens the deal even further with a quick-dry formula that doesn't require a top coat.
Price at time of publish: $10
Finish: Glossy, shimmery | Size: 0.3 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Neon
Nails Inc. Naked in Neon Nail Polish
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Sally Beauty
Wide brush
Smooth application
Great color payoff
Not fast-drying
Neon is surprisingly versatile, and it can really liven up an at-home manicure. If you love the day-glow look, pick up a bottle of Nails Inc. polish. The collection includes supersonic yellow, hot orange, and a brighter, bolder Barbie pink. This lacquer goes on smooth and requires minimal strokes, thanks to the wide brush and highly pigmented formula.
Price at time of publish: $22
Finish: Semi-matte | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Plant-Based
Nailtopia Plant-Based Bio-Sourced Chip-Free Nail Lacquer
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Ulta
Strengthening
Chip-resistant
Unique color selection
May stain nails
If you're partial to plant-based products, go with Nailtopia. This bio-sourced vegan nail polish contains 85 percent naturally derived ingredients. The strengthening, chip-resistant formula is available in nearly 70 shades. Standout colors include avocado green, creamy periwinkle, mustard yellow, and almost-white pastel pink.
Price at time of publish: $10
Finish: Glossy, shimmery | Size: 0.4 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Clean
Ella+Mila ELITE Collection Nail Polish
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Amazon
PETA-certified
Formaldehyde-free
Chip-resistant
Not fast-drying
If you prefer clean beauty products, Ella+Mila Nail polish was made for you. The Elite Collection is totally vegan and PETA-certified as cruelty-free. Not only that, but the chip-resistant formula is free of acetone, formaldehyde, parabens, and sulfates.
Price at time of publish: $11
Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Breathable
Orly Breathable Treatment + Color
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Ulta Beauty
Permeable
Wide brush
No top coat needed
Multiple coats for full color
Orly's breathable nail polish line is permeable, meaning air can pass through the paint. We also appreciate that this all-in-one formula triples as a base coat, lacquer, and top coat. What's more, the 600-bristle brush makes it easy to apply with fewer strokes.
Price at time of publish: $11
Finish: Glossy, glittery | Size: 0.6 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Gel
Essie Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish
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Amazon
No UV-lamp needed
Long-lasting
Easy to remove
Requires gel top coat
DIY shellac manicures are more accessible than ever, thanks to brands like Essie that make affordable gel polishes. The Gel Couture line comes in a bunch of lovely colors you'll be happy to rock for the full two weeks.
You don't even need a UV lamp to cure the lacquer. Just swipe on a layer of the Gel Couture Top Coat, and you're good to go. Best of all, it comes off like regular nail polish—no scraping or soaking needed.
Price at time of publish: $13
Finish: Glossy | Size: 0.5 ounces | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Best Top Coat
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
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JcPenny
Dries quickly
Long-lasting
Expert-recommended
Consistency changes quickly
"I've said it time and time again, this is the one top coat I think everyone should keep on hand," says Doan. "The formula is thick enough to where it will self-level any small divots, and it's super fast-drying. I've gotten about 22 days of non-chip wear with this before, so I'm very impressed every time."
Price at time of publish: $11
Final Verdict
OPI Nail Lacquer reigns as the best drugstore nail polish of all time. The tried-and-true formula goes on super smooth, dries in a flash, and lasts a full week. If you finish it with a coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat, you can expect it to hold up even longer. However, for at-home gel nails, your best bet is Essie Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish, which lasts two whole weeks.
Meet the Expert
- Syreeta Aaron is an Alabama-based nail artist. She is also a nail educator and brand ambassador for LeChat.
- Christine Doan is a nuclear engineer turned licensed cosmetologist. She specializes in natural nails and advanced nail art.
What to Look For When Buying Drugstore Nail Polish
Color
The main thing to consider when buying drugstore nail polish is the color. Reds and neutrals are great year-round, pastels are fun in the spring, pinks, blues, and neons are perfect for summer, and maroons, grays, greens, and other deep hues are excellent for fall and winter.
However, there are no real rules as to which colors can or should be worn throughout the year. It's all about expressing yourself and rocking a shade that makes you feel happy.
Finish
Nail polishes come in a range of finishes. There are opaque lacquers, which have a solid, glossy finish. Then you've got sheer options that offer more of a translucent tint, even with multiple coats. You can also get shimmery polishes, which can be opaque or translucent. And then there's glittery nail polish, which you can wear over an opaque color or on its own.
Dry Time
As you're probably aware, some drugstore nail polishes dry much faster than others. If you have some time to kill, this isn't as important, but if you've got things to do and places to be, look for a quick-dry formula. You can also apply a quick-dry topcoat over any nail polish to speed things up.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Why Trust Byrdie
Theresa Holland has been contributing to Byrdie since 2020 and has several years of experience covering cosmetics. She interviewed two experts for this story, including a nail artist and a cosmetologist specializing in nail care. As a religious nail-painter, she's tried nearly every brand on this list. Her go-tos include OPI, Essie, Sally Hansen, Nails Inc., and Revlon.
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