What NAILS Magazine readers say they are looking for in a nail polish:
By Beth Livesay
After posting my blog last week on the new nail polish lines coming out this spring, I received several tweets and emails asking what I thought about gel-polish.
I understand the obsession with gel-polish. It is glossy, durable, and easy to apply. But I am not a fan of it. Why? Here are my top three reasons:
1) Gel-polish isn’t a true polish. It’s actually more like a thick coat of acrylic than a traditional lacquer. So even though it goes on easily, you still have to cure it under an LED or UV light and then soak it off with acetone. That means that you still have to take time out of your schedule to get your gel manicure done or redone when the color chips.
2) Gel-polishes contain harmful chemicals that can damage nails and cause skin cancer (not to mention the fact that you risk damaging your eyes by sitting under those UV lights).
3) Gel-polish brands are expensive! The polishes themselves usually cost $12-15 each, then you need to buy the lamp, which costs $150-$200 depending
We surveyed nail techs & readers of NAILS Magazine to find out what they are looking for in a nail polish. Here’s what they told us.
What Nail Polish Do You Buy?
In this survey, we asked readers to tell us what type of polish they were buying, and how much they spend per bottle:
What kind of polish do you buy? (Specify brand if possible) How much money do you typically spend on each bottle?
Essie $1-9.99 29% $10-19.99 35% OPI $20-29.99 30% China Glaze Other 15% $30 or more 13% 69%
Most Popular Polish Brands in our Survey
As you can see from the chart above, the most common price range was $10-$19.99 per bottle, with nearly a third of our respondents saying that is how much they spend on each bottle. Essie was the most popular brand among both nail techs and non-nail techs, followed by OPI and China Glaze.
We love our polishes. We’ve been known to buy a bottle of nail polish based on its name alone, without even considering the color. Sometimes we’re not sure if we’ll actually wear it, but it’s so pretty that we can’t help ourselves. So, when we were thinking about what NAILS Magazine readers would like to see in a nail polish, we decided to ask them.
We asked our readers what they look for when buying nail polish and what they wish polish brands offered. We also asked them whether they’d like to see more brands offer more unique colors with bold finishes or if they prefer the tried-and-true shades and finishes (like reds, pinks, and creams).
Here is a summary of the responses from our survey:
• 78% of respondents said they buy polish based on the color and finish first, then look at the brand name second.
• 70% of respondents said the price of polish is important to them when purchasing a new bottle. Eighty percent of those who said price is important typically spend less than $10 per bottle.
• The majority (58%) of respondents said they prefer to purchase their polishes from their local salons or spas. Twenty-three percent
Nail polish has come a long way since the days of thick, goopy formulas that could take hours to dry. Today’s nail polishes are thinner, more flexible and chip-resistant – and they dry much faster.
But the invention of gel nail polish is arguably the biggest thing to happen to nail polish since nail polish remover. Gel nail polishes give you the look of a professional manicure that lasts for weeks without the need for drying lamps or soak-off.
Gel nail polish is a long-lasting variety of nail polish made up of a type of methacrylate polymer. It is painted on nails like regular varnish, but does not dry. Instead it is cured under an ultraviolet lamp or ultraviolet LED. While regular nail polish formulas typically last two to seven days without chipping, gel polish can last as long as two weeks with proper application and home care.
So, what are consumers looking for in a gel nail polish? NAILS Magazine readers told us they are looking for an easy application and removal process, high shine and other benefits such as strengthening their natural nails.
As a nail technician, I am always on the lookout for the perfect nail polish. When it comes to UV gel nail products, there are many different brands and types. One of my favorite nail products is gel nail polish. Gel nail polish is a quick drying, non-toxic, odorless formula. It comes in a wide range of colors and does not require any special preparation or cleanup. For the most part, it looks and feels like regular nail polish but has some major advantages over standard nail lacquers.
For one thing, this type of nail polish lasts longer than traditional nail lacquers. With traditional lacquers you have to wait for them to dry before applying another coat. It can take up to an hour just to apply one coat! On the other hand, UV gel nails can be applied almost immediately after the previous coat is dry. This saves time and keeps your nails looking great!
Another great advantage of UV gel nails is that they are extremely easy to remove. No special tools or harsh chemicals are required to remove this type of product from your nails. You can easily remove it with a cotton swab soaked in acetone after each use. Simply wipe away the excess product and you’re ready to go!
After the lipstick, nail enamel is the most favored cosmetic. While lipstick makes your lips attractive, nail paint embellishes your nails. According to a study conducted by NAILS magazine, the nail polish market was worth about $768 million in the year 2004 and had grown by 25% since 1999. The booming popularity of nail polish can be attributed to its easy use and affordability. You can choose from a range of colors to suit your outfit or mood.
Nail polishes are basically made of pigments suspended in a liquid solution called “lacquer”. Lacquer is made from nitrocellulose dissolved in a solvent like butyl acetate or ethyl acetate. When applied on nails, the lacquer film dries up due to the evaporation of solvent leaving behind the pigment attached to it.
Nail polishes are available in various colors and finishes such as matte, metallic, frosted, glittery etc. Special effect nail paints are also available that contain holographic glitters or magnetic particles that give an extra shine to your nails. Nail paints with silk fibers have also been launched recently that provide your nails with a soft cushion-like feel when dry.
You can choose from a wide range of colors for painting your nails,
If you’ve been into the nail salon recently, you may have noticed that most techs are using a new type of polish on your nails, called gel. Gel polish is wonderful stuff that makes your nails stronger and more flexible.
It’s a little more expensive than regular polish, but worth every penny. Here’s why: The gel base coat is applied with an ultraviolet light, which is the same kind of light used in tanning salons. It hardens the nails immediately, so they won’t chip or peel for at least two weeks. The color coat goes on like any other polish and is cured under the UV light. Then your nails get a clear top coat, and the whole process is repeated again. Your finished manicure will last at least two weeks and up to three or four weeks with no chips or peeling.