Best Luxury Nail Polish Brands for a Gorgeous
With just one coat of Gucci in Goldie Red, I transformed from someone who saw nail paint as an afterthought—something I would borrow from a roommate or my mother’s stockpile—to the ecstatic owner of a burgeoning collection of high-end lacquers. These high-end polishes include long-lasting formulations, pigmented colors, and packaging that is attractive enough to be used as house décor, which sets them apart from ones I would buy on a grocery run.
Not that less-priced options don’t also flaunt these qualities. After all, our favorite celebrity-launched nail trends, like Margot Robbie’s holographic manicure, are the work of companies like OPI and Essie. Instead of spending a month’s worth of rent on a handbag or a pair of stilettos, buying a high-end nail paint lets you indulge in a prestigious, designer item. Don’t our nails merit the same level of attention if we’re not hesitant to splurge on cosmetics for our skin and hair?
Chanel
When you wear a Chanel product, more than simply its interlocking Cs or distinctive smells are obvious. Whether you use their high-end nail polish or tote a branded bag, the quality of its decade-defying, classic styles speaks for itself. The glossy, long-lasting lacquers from Chanel just look opulent, and your nails will too owing to the formula’s fortifying components like ceramides and bioceramics.
You won’t have any trouble picking a hue to match your new purse like Kate Middleton with more than 20 shades to choose from. There is a color for everyone, whether you desire a genuine red like Super Lune or a daily neutral like the effortlessly stylish Chanel Organdi.
Elle Gerstein, a well-known nail artist, uses Chanel’s Harmonie whenever she needs a neutral shade that works with any skin tone. Additionally, the shade is the focal point of Arden Cho’s high-shine half-moon manicure. Finish the design with another of our faves, Chanel Boy De Chanel Nail Color in 404, a dramatic matte black, to recreate the look at home.
Chanel Beauty
I’ll admit that seeing unpacking videos of shoppers hoping to receive the brand-stamped tote with their purchases on TikTok inspired me to try Gucci nail polish for the first time. Despite not being one of the fortunate few, I soon realized the polish was well worth the dashed hopes. The Vernis Ongles collection’s pear-shaped glass bottles add style to our shelves and vanities, but the brand’s plant-based recipe is what keeps us going back for more.
Their extremely rich colors flow with color and shine and resemble those that would be found lining the walls and furniture of Versailles. Additionally, they apply quite smoothly, which is difficult with an opaque shade. It is hard to pick the wrong color, but we have a particular soft spot for the current 712 Melinda Green, while Goldie Red is a great choice for a more classic appearance.
Hermès
Our editor called Hermès’ nail polishes the “Birkin of Manicures,” and they are just as opulent as its purses. If we had to pick just one of the brand’s 24 intensely pigmented lacquers, we’d suggest the deep red-brown Rouge H. It’s one of Gerstein’s faves, and she used it to make this whimsically mismatched checkerboard manicure design.
These little polishes have a lot to enjoy, starting with the large, thick brush that makes it easy to apply the formula with fewer strokes. It also contains more than 70% natural ingredients, so you can feel good about wearing the polish.
Not to mention, each polish comes in an instantly identifiable orange box, which you may match with the Orange Boîte nail color. Spend money on the brand’s nail files, which are also available in its distinctive orange, and hand cream with white mulberry extract for a luxurious at-home manicure.
Dior
Rumor has it that your neighborhood Sephora is still out of the Dior Lip Oil, but the French fashion house knows how to start a trend. Perhaps Dior provides its gel-like polish in nearly 40 colors so that you have unlimited alternatives to reproduce any new manicure trend that you see on your feed without worrying about running out of supplies.
Dior polishes are great when you want vibrant, distinctive hues, according to celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt, who gave Hailey Bieber’s iconic candy-cane glazed nails. We would choose striking colors like Red Smile or Désir to replicate Hailey Beiber’s glossy manicure. Gerstein’s top pick, Grace, a mauvy pink, should be paired with the Tutu, a light brown, for something more subdued, like the milk foam effect. However, the most popular color for the brand is a very wearable, subdued pink rather than one that makes a statement.
Peony and pistachio extracts are also added to Dior’s formula, which not only sounds luxurious but will also help to protect your nails. Dior Nail Glow is also highly praised for its brightening effect on your nails, which is comparable to applying blush, and for giving them a healthy glow with just one coat.
Judith Lippmann
Deborah Lipmann is a well-known figure behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week and is no stranger to high fashion catwalk presentations. She is fully aware of our preferences for nail polish, including its adaptability, durability, and lack of dangerous chemicals.
In order to eliminate the heat lamp and still get the same unexpectedly long-lasting, glossy finish as a gel manicure, her company formulates the Gel Lab Pro Color range with powerful chemicals (but not potentially harmful ones like formaldehyde and toluene). Its recipe omits the number 10 in favor of mending and conditioning components like primrose, keratin, and biotin.
In order to ensure that her range has all the new colors you need to get the look at home, Lippmann always keeps her finger on the pulse of the newest manicure and nail art trends. Chantilly Lace, a creamy translucent shade with a jelly-like sheen that rivals Lizzo’s milky nails, is the color we’re presently coveting.
Pleasing
The Harry Styles-founded company is yet another celebrity foray into cosmetics, but as someone whose manicures routinely steal the show at red-carpet events, we trust his judgment. My wallet sighed when Pleasing released its fairycore-inspired line of polishes (I’ve already had to drag myself away from any mushroom-related product for the past year). It also doesn’t hurt that it’s Michelle Saunders’ top recommendation, a well-known celebrity nail artist.
Sweet hues from Pleasing’s collection include Syrupberry, a vibrant cherry blossom pink, and Sprouting, a pastel blue-green. We can’t get enough of Incrvel Marrom Fosco when it comes to everyday wear and adaptability.
The retro-inspired deep brown goes with almost everything in our wardrobes and serves as a neutral for darker complexion tones.
Pleasing first released The Perfect Polish Set, a collection of four pearly lacquers with iridescent and matte finishes, before to the psychedelic release. Like its most recent offering, the company formulates these 12-Free polishes using a process that is biodegradable, vegan, and free of animal products.
Did we also mention that each color comes with amusing and simple-to-apply decals for those of us who are less adept with a nail art brush? Polishes can be purchased singly or as a set.
Ingrid Heathe
You’ll wonder how you ever survived without Emilie Heathe’s nail polish after just two applications, we guarantee it.
Drizzle Billions on your nails to simulate the effects of a sparkly eyeshadow. One of the 14 colors we can’t stop looking at is this liquid gold tint, but Public, a fiery orange color, is bold enough to liven up any dull weekday.
The 10-free polish is packed with nourishing components, like vitamin E and bamboo extract, that you may be familiar with. The company also uses less well-known (but highly nutritious) ingredients like rice bran oil, which is full of amino acids that hydrate and safeguard your skin.
Everyone yields a durable polish. However, the brand’s lacquers come in flat, macaron-shaped vials that you can easily tuck into a handbag or coat pocket if you do discover that you need a touch-up.
Louis Vuitton Christian
You know how Louboutin heels just have a different sound to their click-clack? Well, wearing the brand’s eye-catching lacquers gives off the same draw-you-in feeling.
Starting with the bottle, it has an 8-inch knife-sharp cap that was modeled after the Ballerina Ultima, the tallest Louboutin heel. The seductive vibrant hues will draw your attention if that doesn’t.
Pluminette, a vivid fuchsia pink, is the epitome of dopamine clothing since it quickly improves your mood. Then there are the gloomier, deeper hues like Lady Twist and Khôl, which may be used to get a Billie Eilish-inspired look and master just the perfect amount of confidence.
Consider this an investment because, according to the manufacturer, two coats of the glossy lacquer are equivalent to 20 of standard nail polish.
Off-White
Every design created by the late Virgil Abloh and his company Off-White, from the accessories on Kylie Jenner’s Met Gala outfits to your fingers, made a statement.
There are only six tones in their selection of polishes, but they are all eye-catching and bright. A half-moon manicure will soar to new heights with Flashback, a hotter-than-hot pink that is as blue as the Caribbean Sea and dripping with gloss. Even the top coat, packed with amethyst crystal extract, manages to feel more opulent than your normal clear lacquer. We can’t help but be stunned by Acid, a space-age sparkly shade you’ll never want to remove (but when you do, we’ve got you covered).
Every finish is thin and offers high-shine coverage, so you can probably see it from space, according to our assumption.
Àuda B
Although we enjoy staying on top of the latest nail trends, we think the rise in the number of companies offering vegan formulas free of potentially dangerous substances is our favorite. Àuda B. is a premium brand that provides some of the greatest nail polishes without the 21 components that cause the most controversy. Leaping Bunny and PETA both endorse it.
Each varnish comes in a stylish glass container that is as attractive as the vibrant hues within, and it a promises a chip-free finish for up to five days. We intend to keep Pucker Up Pink in our rotation for the entire year because it is a charming, Little Bo Beep pink.
Bonus: The formula dries quickly, making them excellent for nail painting. Metallic colors like Hollywood Hills and High Fashion, for instance, resemble a preppy, Y2K-palette suited for when we finally attempt the negative space mani.
Beauty of Pärd
Pärd Beauty, which is pronounced “party,” creates its Y2K-inspired varnishes using a vegan, 21-free recipe. When wearing these vibrant shades, you’ll feel precisely like partying. We adore the appropriately named Senior Prom Spray Tan, a creamy orange, and Plant Daddy, a vibrant pea-green, for when we want a punchier look. We are also huge fans of the spunky navy shade I Want to Forgive You & I Want to Forget You, which is reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s Midnights aesthetic.
Troy Solomon and Gregory Littley, the creators of the queer-owned company, are even more captivating than Pärd’s sunglasses. With an emphasis on inclusivity, they opened the Pärd in 2021 as a location where everyone, regardless of gender or identity, could express themselves and have fun. We say, “Here, here.”
What You Should Remember
Undertones
Everyone can wear any color they want without feeling committed, which is one of our all-time favorite things about nail paint. Do you feel like going out on the town in a slimy green? Roll on. Want to get your fingertips covered with disco ball glitter? We argue, why not?
To avoid mannequin hands, it’s useful to know your own skin undertone — warm, cool, or neutral — and then to select a range of hues that work well. However, when it comes to nude colors, the undertones in our skin dictate how complimentary a shade will look on us. For instance, Ganzorigt claims that because of her yellow undertones, she avoids pinks when looking for a nude tint.
It’s a really simple rule to adhere to, as Gerstein says. Warm-toned skin sticks to warmer tones, like Dior in Copper, while olive will want to choose neutral colors, like this one from Emilie Heathe. Cool-toned skin looks excellent with other cool tones, like Chanel in New Dawn. Turn your wrist over and look at your veins if you’re unsure of what your undertones are. Green indicates warmth, blue indicates a cold undertone, and neutral will be a combination.
Earlier and Later Care
The ultimate goal: a manicure that is immaculate, incredibly glossy, durable, and quick to dry. According to Gerstein, “the preparation has to be done in advance and it has to be perfect.”
After cleaning your nails with antibacterial soap and letting them dry, use rubbing alcohol that is at least 75% pure to thoroughly clean each one. “This will act like an astringent and bring your nail to the proper pH level while eliminating any dust and debris from your nail,” claims Gerstein.
Gerstein cautions against substituting acetone for rubbing alcohol because it doesn’t properly clean the nail and will leave behind residue that can make your manicure chip or fail to dry. “It’s like painting on oil,” she explains, advising using a base coat like this one as a ridge filler to balance out uneven nail beds.
Shade
We’re all guilty of spending too much time in front of a wall of nail paints at the store or salon. Saunders asks her customers to picture their closets in order to assist them decide more quickly. What color are your dresses, sweaters, and tops, she continues.How about the colors in your jewelry?”
The majority of individuals already know what flatters them, she continues. If you can wear a red dress, you can definitely wear red nails, she adds. However, if your wardrobe is primarily black, she advises choosing deeper tones, while people who prefer a more neutral color scheme should look for similar shades.
How can you make your expensive manicure last longer?
These polishes cost a big fortune, and while chips and peeling are unavoidable, our experts offer some suggestions for extending their lifespan. Stick with the base coat and top coat from the brand, advises Gerstein, because their formulas were created to complement one another. The chemicals could not interact well if you use different products.
She adds that resealing it with a top coat and using a cuticle oil, her favorite of which is LeChat CBD Cuticle Oil, also assist. The strength and flexibility of the nails are maintained by daily oil use, according to the woman.
All the professionals we talked to agreed that how you prepare your nails for polish will determine how long your manicure will last. “Imagine a wall, that wall must be smooth, buffed, spackled, and free of debris and oils for the primer (basecoat) to go on,” advises Saunders. “Never skip a base coat, and preferably use one that has a grip to it.” Her recommendation is the Grip Lock Base Coat from London Town.
Why choose a high-end nail polish?
Although they don’t always alter the outcome of your manicure, luxury products undoubtedly provide noticeable benefits.
“Luxury brands’ formulas and color choices can’t be duplicated — they’re unique to them,” says Gerstein. “Think Hermès orange — no one could ever duplicate that color.” And of course, there’s the thrill of their unique packaging, like Gucci’s vintage-inspired bottles and the cottage-core designs of Pleasing’s line.
How do I apply nail polish?
In order to achieve the best results, Gerstein advises beginning with a base coat. “Think of this like the primer to your foundation,” she advises. Open your bottle when it has dried and re-apply any leftover polish. Start painting the first line close to the cuticle after flattening the brush. She instructs, “Wiggle it to bring it closer to the cuticle, and then paint a stripe straight up.”
Make sure to cover all of the edges when you repeat this procedure for the left and right sides. Gerstein advises applying two layers, then a top coat, and correcting any mistakes along the way with a natural bristle brush dipped in acetone. As an alternative, she advises painting clear polish over your error and removing it with a brush.