While Nails Inc. might not be the most well-known nail polish brand in the industry, it’s most certainly one of the best—in terms of ahead-of-the-curb, on-trend colors, ultra-clean formula options, and overall application experience (i.e. long-lasting, chip-free wear, high-shine, etc.). Founded by Thea Green MBE back in 1999, Nails Inc. has long been, and is still, regarded as a leading and award-winning, British beauty brand—renowned for its innovation and trend-led premium color quality in addition to splashy and notable celebrity collaborations à la Alexa Chung, Victoria Beckham, Diane Von Furstenberg, and the list goes on.
Therefore, it’s really no surprise that despite the fact that I own about 500 bottles of nail polish, my curated collection of Nails Inc. bottles is one of my most-revisited. I look forward to adding fresh new shades to it every season, but I also have best-of-the-best standbys that I’ve been coming back to again and again for years. (Like, since college!) So, as an ode to the brand that’s always raising the bar in the nail space, I’m listing the top 10 best Nails Inc. nail polishes of all time (plus the runners up in each color category) just below. What’s more, they range from $9 to $15, so there’s no need to feel guilty about snapping up all of your favorites. Keep scrolling!
The brand’s award-winning Plant Power line is the absolute cleanest within the Nails Inc. polish family. As you might have gleaned from the name, it’s composed of 73% plant-based ingredients, and every single coveted shade is long-lasting, quick-drying, and 21-free. Oh, and as far as reds go, it just doesn’t get any damn juicier than this deep, statement-making crimson hue.
Sure, you can wear pink nail polish any time of year, but this ultra-flattering candy pink flavor couldn’t be more mouth-watering now that spring and summer are just around the corner.
Is it red? Is it orange? Is it pink? We never quite know how to classify a perfect shade of coral, but we do know we need this vibrant hue in our polish mix, stat.
Call us basic, but we can’t stop dreaming of mellow pastels toward the end of winter after months of monogamy with deeper, darker shades. This lemon yellow hue from Nails Inc. has us dreaming of limoncello sips and breezy, sunny spring days.
Everyone, and we mean everyone, needs a refreshing shade of mint in their polish wardrobe. It doesn’t get more pristine than this take from the brand, and thanks to the long-lasting formula, you won’t have to worry about chips or a gradually dulled-out finish.
Nails Inc. makes countless stunning blue nail polish colors, but this rich shade of cobalt has our full attention right now, and we’ll wear it over and over again.
Can we just say that we need to give lilac more credit in the universally flattering department? This soft light purple looks exceptionally pretty on every skin tone and is a strategic alternative to your more expected neutrals. (Trade it in for your typical baby pink!)
If you ask us, brown is the most underrated nail polish color in the history of nail polish colors. While we love a great beige or taupe, a bold brown hue feels a little more nuanced, and we’ve grown to prefer it to the starkness of other (sometimes) overplayed staples like black, gray, or white.
Fun fact: I was wearing Porchester Square the first day of my first-ever beauty internship (at Byrdie, a publication that used to be part of the Who What Wear family), and it’s been one of my all-time favorite shades of nude ever since. Oh, and it also happens to be one of Nails Inc.’s all-time best-selling shades, period. The brand refers to it as “muted mushroom,” but we think of ut as a unique andd happy medium between nude, gray, and purple.
If you’re someone who loves a little shimmer and shine, you’ll flip for Moon Boots, a totally space-y, compliment-inducing must-have within the Nails Inc. clan, that feels chic and elevated, and not tacky or overly scream-y like some sparkling polish options.
