If I'm being really honest with myself, the reason I rarely give myself at-home manicures (or actually go to the salon, even) is that I'm a bit impatient and lazy. Listen, I love the look of beautiful, freshly manicured nails as much as the next person, but I hate the waiting time. And not to mention when I'm doing it myself, there is much room for human error. I'm not exactly the most careful when it comes to application.
So what's a girl to do? Well, I'm realizing that one of the ways I can get the best of both worlds—a nice mani and a few minutes of my life back—is to invest in some quick-drying nail polishes. I know it's not rocket science, but I finally got there. In my quest to up my manicure game, I've been doing some research on the best quick-drying nail polishes out there, and I found some noteworthy candidates. Take a look at some options below—and enjoy that extra time saved!
1. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish Lacquer
Sally Hansen's formula is a three-in-one that's a base coat, nail color, and top coat. It's also chip-resistant.
2. Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Vegan Nail Polish
With this nail polish, your nails will dry in a flash—about a minute to be exact. The cool thing about the product is it has an angled brush, so it's so easy to apply—even with your non-dominant hand.
3. Wet n Wild Fast Dry AF Nail Color
All you need is one coat, and you'll get amazing color with this polish. It can dry in as little as 40 seconds and lasts up to five days.
4. Nails.Inc 45 Second Speedy Gloss
Not only does Nails Inc's polish dry in 45 seconds, but it also nourishes your nails. It's enriched with calcium-rich hexanal and magnesium to strengthen.
5. Context Nail Lacquer
Context's quick-drying formula applies evenly, so no streaks or clumps here. It leaves opaque coverage with a highly glossy finish.
6. Smith Cult Nail Lacquer
This is a pretty "clean" nail polish that's free of a lot of toxic ingredients. It delivers saturated pigmented and lasts a long time.
7. Ella + Mila Nail Polish
Quick-dry, chip-resistant, and 17-free—what's not to love about this nail polish?
8. Orosa Nail Paint
This nail polish comes with a flat, wide, and curved brush that is designed to mold to the shape of your nail for precise application. And of course, like many on this list, it dries quickly and lasts for up to a week.
9. Essie Gel Couture
If you really want your at-home manicure to have lots of staying power, try this polish from Essie that can last for up to 14 days. You get a salon-worthy, gel-like manicure without leaving your house.
10. Revlon Top Speed Fast Dry Nail Enamel
Revlon's nail polish can dry in up to 60 seconds so you can go about your busy day. The formula also has a built-in top coat so you don't have to worry about applying that extra layer.
11. Orly Nail Lacquer
Orly's nail polishes are streak-free, quick-drying, and formulated with UV inhibitors so you don't have to deal with fading and yellowing.
12. OPI Nail Lacquer
OPI has some of the best neutral hues around, like this pretty taupe color. The fast-drying formula delivers up to seven days of wear.
More Quick-Drying Nail Products
The vitamin E in this glossy top coat's formula makes it dry faster.
Apply these 17-free drops onto your top coat before it dries to speed up the drying process.
With over 28,000 ratings and 4.5 out of five stars on Amazon, this top coat is a cult favorite.
Set your nail polish in 60 seconds with the help of this spray. You can also use it to give your days-old manicure a boost of shine.
Add one to two drops of this formula to your nails, and they'll be dry to the touch in 80 seconds.
Deborah Lippmann's quick-dry top coat is formulated with hemp seed oil to strengthen and UVA/UVB inhibitors to stop discoloration.
Use these drops to accelerate drying time and also add more shine to your nails. They're infused with coconut and avocado oils to strengthen the nail and nourish the cuticle.
The unique thing about this top coat is that it's infused with retinol, which hardens and strengthens weak nails. It locks in color in just 45 seconds.
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