Best nail polishes?

[daimbardiva]

Hi, can you recommend a nail polish that a) is easy to apply b) has good coverage and staying power and c) is under a tenner?

I love Nails Inc, but recently tried No 7 stay perfect and was really disappointed

I find Rimmel Lycrawear beyond shit.

I like Jessica and Essie (think they're under £10?)

Second Seche Vite as a top coat.

Misa by Nail Systems International- good price for a salon product!

OPI and Essie are the best ones with a top coat.

Another vote for Rimmel - great colours, wonderful brush and so cheap!
Definitely Seche Vite as a top coat - stinks like fury but makes polish last much longer than other top coats I have tried
Any old base coat - I use Barry M
Not a fan of Barry M colours though - brush too thin and hard to get a nice finish, even with 3 coats
I have one Essie colour - 'Sheer Bliss'- not very impressed with it, very thin and hard to apply

I think the way you apply it helps as well as the brand you use.
Do a base coat.
Then a first coat.
Wait 10 mins
Apply a 2nd coat.
Wait 10 mins.
Apply top coat.
Wait 10 mins.

Mavala is my new favourite. Goes on smoothly and lasts well even without topcoat (3 weeks on my toes so far and no chipping). Costs under £5.

OPI- I'm not a nail varnish fan and I can't have anything on my nails for work.But during the holidays it lasted really well.

If you have a Home Sense near you check in beauty/toiletries bit for Leighton Denny.

I used No7 Stay Perfect french polish. White tip paint was very thick and 'tippex' looking.Also the very long brush held alot of colour so it dripped.

Thanks all, lots of suggestions there, OPI seems to be a clear favourite, will give it a go!

I'd recommend Models Own. Great colours and last well too. Half the price of Nails Inc or Opi. Available in larger Boots stores for £5 a bottle and they often do 3 for 2, or two bottles for £8l. Also do a great deal online, I got three nail colours plus a free black eyeliner plus free delivery for a total of £12.00.

Gosh are great. Fab colours too. Much cheaper than opi. Add a top coat seche vite and you'll have fab nails.

OPI or Jessica. but use base and top coats as well. I had an OPI pedicure recently which lasted 5 weeks without a chip. Only had it re-done because the nails were growing out.

Chanel is my favourite. It is pricey, but hardly chips- toes last ages. About £16 so I only get it at xmas! Also wearing a bourjois one atm which has lasted ages on my toenails. Adore OPI but find Nails Inc a bit watery, needs lots of coats.

Opi and Chinaglaze seem good and similar apart from the brand - they do both contain formaldehyde though which I find a little scary

Another vote for Chanel Le Vernis - it lasts ages and doesn't really chip. You can get it on ebay for about £11 a bottle. At the opposite end of the scale, the Collection 2000 extra long lasting is good value.

Sandoz, I LOVE china glaze, the best brushes for me. But having looked into this when pregnant, I'm 99% OPI and China Glaze are more recently free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde. EU formulations at the very least (I think OPI did a different formulation for EU market) as EU directive banned formaldehyde in cosmetics some while ago.

However I believe Seche Vite (China Glaze product) has toluene which is a nasty chemical from what I've read (birth defects with extensive exposure) and one I steered clear of in pregnancy.