We Put NailKind’s Vegan, Natural, Long-Lasting Polish to the Test

We’ve partnered with NailKind, the vegan, natural, long-lasting nail brand for a couple of our competitions now (there’s one live right now!). How good are they? The AGL team put the NailKind products to the test! Here’s what we thought – all our own words.

Sam

I came across NailKind last summer when I was searching for the perfect shade of yellow/orange that wasn’t a gel formula, and found it in Flip Flop. Although it was the colour that drew me to the brand, I was overall very impressed with the product.

Unlike most nail polishes on the market, you get a rich application with just one swipe – and that’s something I’ve found whether you’re wanting a rich colour like Snake Charmer, or a more natural, neutral shade, like Pillow Talk. I also think the effortless application is down to the nice wide brush; you very quickly get an even, desirable coverage. Although two coats will give you the best look and feel, if you’re in a rush, or just want a little coating for an occasion, or need to top up your polish, you can get away with it in this range.

I am a stickler for not sitting still, often trying to do multiple things at once and when you’re trying to paint your nails, it often results in disaster. It’s important to note that this is quick drying- and certainly much faster than most on the market, but not instant so you do need to leave several minutes between each application to avoid scuffs, smudges, trapped hair, etc. – yes, speaking from experience, I really put it to the test. The base coat will set in moments, you only need to give it a minute or two before you can apply your colour; but the colour is best left for 5 minutes before applying your second coat and then another 5 before your top coat. 10 minutes after applying your top coat and it’ll handle most activities with no problems. 

An essential from the range is the Nail Oil which instantly hydrates the nail bed and skin – I even used it on my hands with great results (and they were dry!). Even with a home application and no fancy manicure, the oil gave it that salon quality finish. A bonus is the nice citrusy scent to it. It has the same brush as the nail polishes so you get a good dose of oil without feeling like your nails are dripping. It’s definitely one to have on hand as it’ll make such a difference to the condition of your nails, it has with mine and in just one application.

Of course, this high praise is all without acknowledging the actual good things about the polishes in that they’re made up of mostly natural ingredients!

Megan

The main thing I love about the NailKind polish is how quickly it dries! Life is very busy, and I find that I don’t have much time for pampering at home. This means I can go for months with boring, unpainted nails.

The base coat dried incredibly quickly. In fact, all four coats (one base coat, two colour coats, and a top coat) dried fast enough for me to carry on with my day without worrying about smudges.

I chose the shade Bon Bon Blush, a beautiful neutral pink. I was surprised by the colour payoff – I could have used one coat, and it still would have looked great. Bon Bon Blush is the kind of colour that goes with everything; my nails look delicate and natural but polished. It’s a fab ‘every day’ shade.

NailKind’s formula is gentle (they use up to 85% natural and plant-based ingredients), so I felt happy to paint my daughter’s nails, too. Twenty minutes later and our home mani/pedi experience was complete, and we both noticed that the nail polish didn’t smell as strong as others we’ve used in the past.

It’s a day later, and my nail polish is still intact. This is pretty impressive, given that I’ve done the washing up several times, dealt with the laundry, and ran around after my kids all day! I tend to chip my nail polish almost immediately, so I’m very happy with this.

I’m now eyeing several other colours, and I plan to gradually build up my NailKind collection – the Autumnal shades are calling my name! Meanwhile, my daughter is very keen to grab the entire To Paris With Love collection …

Adele

Over the past few years, I have been trying to switch to more natural cosmetics and toiletries, so when I heard about NailKind – which uses up to 85% natural and plant-based ingredients – I jumped at the chance to give it a go.

I must admit I have been pleasantly surprised with the results.

I chose ‘Do Not Disturb’ from the To Paris With Love collection and absolutely loved it. The colour is rich, warm, and vibrant and only required one coat to get the full effect. It’s definitely a stand-out shade, which I received quite a few compliments on.

It was easy to apply and dried very quickly, which is a major plus point for me. It didn’t take long at all to apply the base, main, and top coat, which left plenty of time for me to paint my toenails as well in hope for sunnier weather. I also liked that it didn’t have the same, strong, chemical smell that other nail polishes have.

I put the polish through its paces over the weekend with a trip to Wales, where I went on a waterfall walk, scrambling over rocks. I was pleasantly surprised to find that after three days the polish has barely chipped and thanks to its quick drying time it will be easy to give it a bit of a touch up ready for the week ahead.

Overall, I’ve been pretty impressed with this polish and have been perusing some of the other great shades on their website!

Fancy winning 1 of 5 NailKind bundles? We’ve got a base coat, top coat, 3 shades of choice and a Nail Oil to give to 5 Anything Goes Lifestyle readers! Head to our competitions page to find out more.

Be inspired

Whether you’re considering what you’d pick if you were one of our five NailKind winners, or are wanting to be inspired to give NailKind a try, here are some shades that are hot right now.

Barbiecore is still very much the now trend! If you want to channel your inner Barbie, Own It is your go-to shade.

If you’re having a metallic moment, go So Over The Top is the shade for you.

Santorini Bikini is full-on 90s vibes!

The sheer trend can extend to your nails too; give Cashmere kiss a try.