This is going to be a rather short and sweet post about my experience with Nails Inc– specifically, their 73% plant-based polish. Let’s dive right in!
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Impact
According to the site, “the revolutionary formula is 21 free (free from formaldehyde, acetone, parabens, and 18 other nasty ingredients), vegan, cruelty free and halal friendly.” Let’s discuss this in greater detail…
THE INGREDIENTS
Regular nail polish contains harmful things like polymers and copolymers. This isn’t good for the environment because once your nails flake off or are removed, they will be a stain on the environment. And you might not think that that thin layer of polish will do any real harm, but when millions and millions of people around the world use it on a monthly, if not weekly, basis, it isn’t such a small problem anymore.
This is why I decided to convert to more environmentally friendly polish. While Nails Inc “Plant Power” polish isn’t entirely plant based, it’s a start. It still has acetates and copolymers, which mean it is still not the best for the environment.
Cruelty Free
Cruelty free has been something important to me since I learned about animal tests they conduct on bunnies for the sake of beauty and personal care products. Nails Inc is PETA certified and uses their logo on the website. This is great news, but doesn’t entirely confirm their “cruelty free” claim because PETA only requires a statement of assurance from the CEO and a $350 one time fee to use the logo. If you want to read more in depth about identifying cruelty free products, read my post on that here.
This company is not Leaping Bunny Certified, so, in my opinion, its cruelty free journey is only half-way there. It is important to note that in order to be Leaping Bunny Certified, you have to jump through lots of hoops and provide proof that animal testing is not conducted at any stage in the production process. I am giving this company a two and a half out of ten for being animal-friendly.
When the plant based line released, they donated a part of their profits from every “Plant Power” polish sold to planting trees- until November of 2021, anyway. I am not sure how many trees they planted, but it’s still an honorable endeavor.
Because of this revolutionary formula and the company’s commitment to sustainability, but lack of “Leaping Bunny” certification and presence of harmful chemicals still in the polish, I am giving this nail polish line a 3.5/5.
Quality
Long Lasting
Alright, so this nail polish is pretty damn good when it comes to long lasting wear. I worked as a housekeeper the summer I began wearing it and managed to go up to three days without a single chip. And when I say chip, I mean even the most microscopic imperfection.
It’s important to note that when I did work in a kitchen, especially when wearing gloves, the polish would chip so much quicker- it would be rugged looking within one or two hours of me doing dishes. Something about wearing gloves and trapping that moisture makes the polish come off much faster.
The polish itself goes on smoothly and looks like glass once it’s on. It’s thicker than many polishes I’ve tried in the past and the ridges of your nails won’t show up when you put on even a single coat. Impressive to say the least. It is easy to take off and leaves your nails feeling as strong as they did before you applied the polish. So for quality, I am giving this polish a 4/5.
Nail Tip
Recently I’ve started doing more nail stuff and have discovered that filing down your nail bed before applying polish makes it a lot longer lasting. This is because the coarser, rougher nail bed has more grip, therefore the polish adheres for longer. Use any old file, or even get yourself a fancy nail drill like this one I bought myself. That way, you can get every corner and crevice of your nail.
Variety
During the last few years of using this brand’s polish, I’ve seen a significant amount of colors and finishes added onto their Plant Power collection. The colors and finishes range from matte pink to a pearlescent gold, and everything in between.
There are also base and top coats that are part of the collection, and they pair well with the colors offered.
If I had a say in expanding the line, I would include a matte top coat and more shimmery and metallic finishes, but I understand that because of the plant based nature of this polish, that might be hard to achieve. So for versatility, I will give this polish a 3.5/5.
Price and where to buy
The regular plant power nail polish is, as of December 2021, $10 per 14 ml jar, and $15 for the base and top coats. This is pretty reasonable considering Essie charges $9 for their polish on their website and O.P.I. charges $10.79.
I found out about Nails Inc through Sephora, which is where I bought it. But it’s important to note that not all of the “Plant Power” collection is on there, so you’re better off getting the polish from the Nails Inc site directly. Plus, they often have free polish gifts with a purchase of $35 or more (even though you don’t get to choose your gift).
The plant based line is also available in Sally Beauty and Target’s website- not sure about in stores. Unfortunately, last I checked it’s not available at Ulta.
Last time I checked, the plant based like wasn’t on Amazon while some of their other products are. Hopefully this will change in the future so the line is more accessible and exposed to a larger audience. I give it a 4/5 for ease of purchase and price.
In Conclusion
Overall, I am pleasantly surprised by this line and think it has a lot of potential to do good. I want the line to not only expand in its color, but also in its approach to nature and animals. I want to see that Leaping Bunny Certified stamp on the line, and I want to see the plant based percentage go up even higher than 73%. For now though, it’s a good line and one of the best I’ve come across.
If I averaged out the numbers, the rating I gave this company is a 3.75 out of five. I would say that this is pretty accurate. This is a promising line of nail polish, and I hope to see them continue to work on their formula and become more widely known. Thank you for reading!