buuk.top / David Hattan
Let’s be honest: visiting the nail salon is just one way to get top-tier nails. There’s no question that salons yield great results, but many of us are in need of alternatives that feel a bit more realistic.
With the time it takes to commute to the salon, sit there and wonder if you should attempt to listen to a podcast but ultimately decide not to because you don’t want to do the awkward dance of removing your AirPods without smudging if someone talks to you, and make it all the way home without accidentally chipping a nail, it’s no wonder many of us are ready to speed up this process.
So, in the spirit of saving time (and money!), we’ve made it our mission to find the best quick-dry polishes available on the market. Surprisingly, the results havent been disappointing. Withhydrating ingredients and different packaging options, not only do these polishes boast a variety of flattering shades and other perks, but they also dry super fast, getting us polished, sealed, and delivered out the door in about 10 minutes flat.
You may be wondering: How can a polish dry that quick? Well, according to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, these products contain a higher amount of solvents like ethyl acetate or butyl acetate. The solvents evaporating are what causes the nail polish to dry, so the more the polish has, the quicker it can set.
After consulting King to learn even more and conducting hours of product research (from evaluating ingredients to sifting through reviews), we landed on thesetop-rated quick-dry nail polishes for DIY manicures that won’t have you missing the salon.
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color at Amazon
China Glaze Nail Lacquer with Hardeners at Ulta
Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish at Amazon
Suite Eleven Nail Lacquer at Suiteleven.com
Orly Treatment + Color at Amazon
Nails, Inc. 45 Second Speedy Gloss at Sallybeauty.com
JINSoon Nail Polish at Jinsoon.com
Butter London Patent Shine 10X Nail Lacquer at Amazon
Zoya Naked Manicure Perfector at Ulta
Olive & June Quick Dry Polish at Target
In This Article
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Best Overall
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color
Walmart
View On Ulta
View On Target
Wide shade range
Comes in several glitter shades
Brush makes application easy
Can chip
Sally Hansens Insta-Dri formula is already legendary, boasting both an impressive color rangeandeasy accessibility (just pop into any drugstore). It has a built-in base and topcoat, which is excellent for manis in a rush. "If you are concerned about time, there are some 3-in-1 formulasthat work well," says Kelly Hanna Thompson, a freelance nail artist and former manager of Paintbox in New York City. Tack on a mere60-second dry time,and theres no reason there shouldnt be one bottle (or five) in every nail enthusiasts lineup.
Shades: 49 | Size: 0.3 fl oz | Finish: Shine, glitter
Best Budget
China Glaze Nail Lacquer with Hardeners
Sally Beauty
View On Sallybeauty.com
View On Macys
Resists chipping
Bright, fun shades
Goes on smoothly
Strong odor
No, this isnt the cheapest on the list. But its our best-budget pick because itsa great price, all while specifically formulated torival professional-level enamels.This quick-dry polish from China Glaze boasts a strategic blend of polymers and resins for aworry-free result that wont chip, fade, or dull. Plus, this formula willnever get thick or gloopy in the bottle,which will speed up dry time. "When polishing with a quick-dry polish, avoid applying too many coats. It’s actually quicker to remove too thick of an application and start over with a thinner coat," says Michelle Saunders James, owner and founder of Saunders and James Nail Care and the brands salon in Oakland, CA.
Shades: 35 | Size: 0.5 fl oz | Finish:Shine, glitter
Best Drugstore
Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish
Walmart
View On Ulta
View On Target
Angled brush makes application easy
Soft, pretty colors
Super shiny finish
Can chip
Another long-time drugstore staple (and our favorite convenient grab), Essie is beloved the world over—the shade "Ballet Slippers" is the only color the Queen of England will wear. Expressie, theirquick-dry line, introduces a uniquely shaped, angled brush to make painting faster and easier,even when youre using your non-dominant hand. "A wide, flat brush will give you an even application with fewer strokes, but a round brush is better if your nail plate is smaller," says Rebecca Isa, creative director at Zoya Nail Polish. Get the best of both worlds with this product.
Shades: 40 | Size: 0.3 fl oz | Finish: Shine
Best 10-Free
Suite Eleven Nail Lacquer
Free of common polish ingredients
No strong odor
Looks good in thin coats
Not a huge range of colors
The founder of Suite Eleven started this line after having to toss almost all her beauty products after she discovered she had several chemical allergies. The result is afast-drying formula thats "10-free"—it contains none of the harmful chemicalsthat exist in more old-school polish formulas. If the smell of nail polish is quick to give you a headache, this purist option might be for you.
Shades: 15 | Size: 0.5 fl oz | Finish: Shine
Best Treatment
Orly Breathable Treatment + Color
Ulta Beauty
View On Ulta
View On Beyondpolish.com
Strengthening formula
Unique, glittery shades
Cap is easy to open
Shades can differ slightly in person
The only thing better than a no-fuss formula is a polish that makes your nails better while you wear it. Orlys Breathable Treatment+Color line contains argan oil and vitamins B5 and C meant to add nutrition and hydration to brittle tips, and advanced oxygen technology keeps application quick but wearability long,according to the brand. Plus, we dare you to name a place or time this beautiful rose gold shade wouldnt work.
Shades: 18 | Size: 0.6 fl oz | Finish: Shine, glitter
Best Under 60 Seconds
Nails, Inc. 45 Second Speedy Gloss
Sally Beauty Supply
Dries extremely quickly
Easy to apply
Super shiny finish
Can chip or fade
Okay, so youre running late. Really late. Like only 45 seconds to do your nailslate. Impossible? Not anymore. Nails, Inc.s Speedy Gloss line will get you out the door fast. The color range is a tightly edited selection ofversatile shadesthat can work everywhere.
Shades: 3 | Size: 0.5 fl oz. | Finish: Shine, glitter
Best Long-Lasting
JINSoon Nail Polish
JINSoon
Resists fading and chipping
Rich, glossy finish
Wide range of chic shades
Non-returnable
JINsoon polishes only need two coats for total color saturation,andthe formula includes a built-in UV filter to prevent the pigment from fading or turning yellow.Its excellent news for on-the-go manicures and choosing a color. "Sometimes it helps, when choosing a color, to wear dark opaques or light sheers for the best coverage and fastest drying times," says Saunders James.
Shades: 90 | Size: 0.3 fl oz. | Finish: Shine, glitter
Best Splurge
Butter London Patent Shine 10X Nail Lacquer
Amazon
View On Walmart
Strengthening formula
Super shiny finish
Pretty shades
Can fade
Yes, this is a mouthful of a name, but hold on. Although this fast-drying option from Butter London is one of the lists spendier options, its also one of themost covetable. Its shock-resistant polymers fight chipping; it hasdiamond powder for the most brilliant shine and bamboo extract meant to strengthen the nail. Your nails certainly wont look rushed with this formula.
Shades: 32 | Size: 0.4 fl oz | Finish: Shine
Best Nudes
Zoya Naked Manicure Perfector
Zoya
View On Zoya.com
View On Sleekshop.com
Sheer
Free of common polish ingredients
Works quickly
Sheer polish is not as versatile
One of the best methods for a polished mani, when youre pressed for time, is to go for the slightest whisper of color instead of a bright, bold hue. The Zoya Naked Manicure Perfectors are for just that purpose. They offer a sheer wash of color: enough to hide any discoloration or texture, but not so much that your cuticles are suddenly purple with no time for clean up.
Shades:1 |Size: 0.5 fl oz | Finish: Sheer
Best Non-Toxic
Olive & June Quick Dry Polish
Walmart
View On Oliveandjune.com
View On Walgreens
Mirror-like shine
No smudging
Fan brush
Slightly thicker formula
Olive & June has quickly become a mainstay in the nail industry since introducing their at-home system and polishes in 2019—their brand fans are incredibly loyal and sing the praises of the polishes from this female-founded company. Not only do they have plenty of beautiful shades of their non-toxic polishes, which many customers raved about in the reviews, but the sleek rounded bottles feel very luxe and like you’re still getting a main character moment even if you’re short on time.
Shades: 48 | Size: 0.46 fl oz | Finish:Shine
Best With Built-In Base Coat
Wet N Wild Fast AF Nail Polish
Wet N Wild
View On Riteaid.com
Rich color
Cruelty-free
Affordable
Shades can differ slightly in person
Wet N Wild is known for affordable drugstore makeup products, but don’t sleep on their nail offerings. The Fast Dry AF Nail Polish boasts a 40-second dry time with a built-in base coat and their shade offerings cover all of the basics—from black and white to neutrals to brighter options if you’re in the mood for color, this polish is for anyone who wants to test quick-dry nail polish for the cost of an almond milk latte.
Shades: 15 | Size: 0.46 fl oz | Finish: Shine
Best Shade Range
Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer in Elixir
Static Nails
Over 100 shades
Vegan and cruelty-free
Long-lasting
Only available on their website
Have you ever fallen in love with a product and been so obsessed that you want to buy it in every color it comes in? Well you might need to be more discerning with this next pick, because the Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer is available in 100 shades from neutrals to brights. Plus, this formula is made with ingredients like apricot (which nourishes and strengthens) and hydrating marula oil.
Shades: 100 | Size: 0.4 fl oz | Finish:Shine
Best Salon-Like Finish
Manucurist Paris Green Natural Nail Polish
Manucurist Paris
View On Manucurist.com
Professional quality
Impressive shade range
Sustainable packaging
Can fade
Manucurist may be best-known for helping us bring the salon to our homes with their UV Lamps and LED Polishes, but they also understand that not everyone is willing to go that extra mile. For that they offer an option that air dries and dries quickly—the Manucurist Green Nail Polish range. Manucurist polishes are also vegan, cruelty-free and made with sustainable packaging—which they break down how to recycle on their website.
Shades: 90 | Size: 0.5 fl oz | Finish:
Shine, metallic
Where We Stand
Overall, our favorite quick-dry nail polish is the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Color because of its built-in base and topcoat and its impressive 60-second dry time. We also loveWet N Wild Fast Dry AF Nail Polish or the China Glaze Nail Lacquer with Hardenersif you want to try these formulas on a budget. For the ingredient conscious polisher, we recommend theOlive & June Quick Dry Nail Polish and the Suite Seven Nail Lacquer
.
What to Look For in a Quick-Dry Nail Polish
Color range:Nail polish is too much fun to play with to stick with the same tone every time. Whether you prefer classic neutrals and pinks, or trendy pops of colors on your nails, find a quick-drying polish with a wide shade range so youll have lots of variety at your fingertips. With many brands hopping on the quick-dry bandwagon, you wont have to look hard to find an impressive array of stunning shades for every occasion. (Our JINsoon pick offers 90 colorways!)Ingredients:Some quick-dry nail polishes also come with the same built-in benefits as a nail treatment, plus color. Look for formulations that are meant to address nail concerns like weak, brittle nails or ones that include UV protection to address fading. And in the same vein, if youre conscious of which cosmetics you use, look for companies that omit the harmful chemicals of yesterdays nail polish. Especially if youre sensitive to the smell of nail polish, choosing a conscious formulation free of common offenders can provide some relief while you paint. (We awarded Olive & June our best non-toxic pick.)Applicator brush:Not all nail polish brushes were created equal. Choosing a product with an angled brush or one with a larger surface area can make it easier to get a chip-free manicure or pedicure. Take a look at the shape of the brush too, as there are pros and cons to both round and flat brushes. Using the right brush can help you save even more time when polishing your nails.Cost:
Price isnt always an indicator of quality, but when it comes to quick-dry polishes, it can be an indicator of how good the formula is. "Price can give you an idea of how quality the pigment and plasticizers (for flexibility) are since they cost more," says Thompson. These are other components of quick-dry polish to take into consideration.
You can always opt for a modifier for your existing bottles. Drying spray, like OPIs RapiDry Spray Nail Polish Dryer, or Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops, will help absorb the solvents in nail polish more quickly than they would evaporate on their own. They basically turn any bottle of nail polish into a quick-dry formula.
Aside from using a quick-dry nail polish, an essential step to getting a mani or pedi, stat, there are several tricks many people swear by to dry nails quickly. From dipping your hands or feet into ice water for five minutes to spritzing with hair spray, shortcuts can be used in a pinch when theres no time for a full dry.
Wet n Wild Fast Dry AF Nail Polish Color has an impressive 40-second dry time. Most other quick-dry polishes take about 60 seconds to dry in comparison.
Yes. Quick-dry top coats work in the same way as regular quick-dry nail polish and can save you time as the last step in your nail care routine. Most brands claim the polish dries in about a minute. OPI, Sally Hansen, and Seche are a few brand mainstays that offer quick-dry top coats for nails.
Why Trust buuk.top
Austen Tosone is a beauty and fashion writer and content creator. She has been caught applying nail polish mere minutes before needing to run out the door to brand events and work meetings, so she knows the power of a quick-dry formula. For this story she consulted with an expert:
Ginger King, aka The Beauty Shark, is a cosmetic chemist who has helped develop hundreds of beauty products and has served as a judge for Allure’s Beauty Awards
Kelly Hanna Thompson, a freelance nail artist and former manager of Paintbox in New York City.
Michelle Saunders James, owner and founder of Saunders and James Nail Care and the brands salon in Oakland, CA.
Rebecca Isa, the creative director at Zoya Nail Polish.
According to our Diversity Pledge, 15% of products in our newly published market roundups will feature Black-owned and/or Black-founded brands. At the time of publishing, we were not able to find enough quick-dry nail polishes from a Black-owned and/or Black-founded business to meet this percentage. If you know of one we should consider, please email us at contact@buuk.top.com
, and we will evaluate the product ASAP.
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