I normally compare luxury to dollar-store products but decided to review some frugal-only nail products for you! I have the same routine when I do all my nails:

 

1. Apply 1 coat of Sally Hansen’s Extended Wear Base Coat

2. Apply 2 coats of chosen nail polish

3. Apply 1 coat of Avon UV Top Coat

4. If I am feeling particularly festive I will add a top coat of Deborah Lippman’s Happy Birthday Glitter Polish

(if you want an inexpensive alternative to the Happy Birthday Glitter polish, Wet & Wild has an awesome one: Party of Five Glitters

5. I use a hair dryer to dry my nails, about 1-2 minutes for each hand.

A NOTE REGARDING FRENCH MANICURES: Ok, so I know a lot of you might like the look of french manicures but since starting my polish research last fall, I have discovered that really GOOD and reputable trendy/classy nail stylists frown upon this look – big time. A french manicure is now being associated with strippers and porn stars (not that there is anything wrong with that!!). Gel and Acrylic nails are also old school and frowned upon by some nail experts. Perhaps if you are a Jersey Shore kind of gal it might be a look for you but if you can, avoid French Manicures if you don’t want to look out of date or trashy. I was shocked to find this out but I’ve read it in WAY more than just one or two websites. There are some people that still think it’s a classic look though. It’s your choice but I wanted to give you all the heads up.

 

POPULAR SUMMER COLOURS: Yellow, Orange/Corals, Pinks, Neutral (taupe, light rose), Grays, Blues (Teal, Turquoise…), Greens & Classic Reds. I’ve also seen lots of metal polishes which I love. Glitter is also really big but it seems to be geared for later in the summer.Why wait?

 

FRUGAL NAIL POLISH

Joe Fresh ($3.33)

I recently purchased the Joe Fresh Cloud nail polish (available at Loblaws or the Superstore in Canada). Using two coats, and doing A LOT of things with my hands, the polish still looked good after 3 days. Some of the color came off a bit on the edges of my nail but otherwise the rest stayed really nice. Had I done less, I think I could have made this polish last 4-5 days! At $3.33 a bottle and a short handle for easy application, this has become one of my new favorite brands. Joe always has the latest colours and I like that the bottles are smaller too. The polish does dry fast so it’s a perfect polish to use if you’re on the go!

 

Avon ($4 on sale)

Don’t buy Avon polish when it’s $7 but wait till it goes on sale for $3 which happens often these days. I actually purchased their UV Top Coat and it has become my favorite one. I like it even better than Nicole by OPI! It gives a really nice glossy  sheen and applies so easily. LOVE IT.

 

Mark by Avon ($6.99/set of 2 minis)

Mark. has come out with a mini summer collection of two polishes called Tango & Mojito. I love mini bottles since I tend to get tired of colours quickly. When I purchase mini bottles I usually always use them up completely, no waste. The two colours are so rich and even after one coat I felt as if my nail looked completely covered, you could get away with just one but I did two. It lasted a couple of days without chipping but as far as lasting power, other brands I tried were better. I’d say the selling point of this product is the color palette. So rich and yummy!

 

L.A. Colors ($2)

I bought a neat pink colour called Infrared. I actually paid $1.50 for it since it was on sale. The color itself is a little translucent so the color was rather pale but still nice. It lasted a full 24hrs then it started to chip a little. This line does have some cool colors but I wasn’t particularly impressed with the product overall. Good, but not amazing. Surely if this stuff was under $1 I’d go for it if I wanted to try out trendy colors.

 

Eyes Lips Face (ELF) ($1)

I love that ELF offers affordable cruelty free makeup & nail products! I had tried their polish way back but decided to give them another go. Since metal polishes are really in right now, I got the ELF Metal Madness. I LOVE the colour.I have two metal polishes; my Sally Hansen one is a little more blueish and this ons is more grey with some sparkles in it. Really awesome and industrial looking! It chipped a bit within 24hrs but I remembered from last time that with ELF polish, I need 3 coats if I don’t want it to chip fast. A great buy for $1, but I suggest using 3 coats for longer lasting nails.

Forever 21 – Love & Beauty ($3.80)

I purchased 1 bottle of this stuff not realizing how amazing it would be. I bought a Taupe and this lasts FOREVER on my nails. Almost a week without any issues. Two coats of this polish and you’re good to go. I will definitely be ordering more of these! F21 is always coming out with new colours so check them out here.

 

Sally Hansen Salon (received for free, retail: $6)

I received a free polish when I attended the fashion show during my city’s fashion week. It’s the Sally Hansen Salon in a Bronze colour. I decided to put it on for the weekend to see how long it would last. I put two coats on. I loved how I was able to use my hands almost immediately after I was done applying this. Dries fast. It lasted a long time, 3 days and no chips! I had to remove it on the 4th day so I could test another polish. I find that most Sally Hansen products are good, so I wasn’t surprised.

 

 

Sinful Colors ($3.99)

I’ve read on a lot of blogs that as far as cheap polish goes, this one is amazing. People rave about the colour choices and how long it stays on. So I bit the bullet and visited my local drugstore and purchased it for $3.99 though I know it’s cheaper in the US. I picked a color called Vacation Time. OMG This polish is amazing! Not only does it go on well but it dries super fast and stays on forever! This is my new favourite brand! It looks so smooth and creamy! I believe Walgreens in the US carries it, in Canada apparently London Drugs carries it and I purchased it at Lawton’s (in Atlantic Canada). If you want to buy online for $2.50US, try Cherry Culture.

 

Milani ($5)

This is the last one I tried on and even after 2 days, no chipping.This polish is great but seems to go on a little less smoothly than the others. It is still easy to apply and dries relatively fast as well. If this was on sale, I’d get it but I would probably pick another polish before this one. I am still keeping the one I have, as it’s the only green color I can pull off!

Have you tested any inexpensive polish brands that you love?

FRUGAL POLISH IDEAS FOR SUMMER NAILS

 

LADY IN RED: Try this WICKED red from Forever 21 ($3.80)

MAGENTA ROSE PETAL: This small bottle of glitter joy will bring a smile to your nails!($1.80)

TEAL BLUE BY ELF: Awesome bright colour. Want to be noticed? ($1)

SUNSHINE AVON NAIL PRO: So bright and so happy! Would you draw smiley faces on your nails with this? ($7 – but get it on sale!)

CLOUD BY JOE FRESH: I LOVE this nail polish. Looks clean and cool. ($3.33)

AMP’D BLUE BY L.A. COLORS: This has a nice glitter to it, reminds me of the ocean when it sparkles with sunshine! ($2)

MINT APPLE BY SINFUL COLORS: I love the shine in this polish. Outdoor Picnic date anyone? ($2-4)

GLASS PINK BY SINFUL COLORS: If you want a nice classic clean looking nail and decide to scrap your french manicure, try this! ($2-4)