The Best Nail Polishes for Long-Lasting DIY Manicures, Including Chrissy Teigen's Go-To Brand, Start at $6 (2024)

Olive & June makes some of the best nail polishes that are nontoxic and 7-free. Essentially, they're made without common toxins found in nail lacquers, a trait shared by most high quality formulas, according to celebrity nail artist Sarah Chue (who works with clients like Tate McRae, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Ava Max). The brand has many colors available, but if you have decision fatigue, this Bright & Bold set comes with a curated collection of six quick-dry formulas in stunning spring and summer hues.

Colors: 6 | Opacity: Opaque | Finish: Glossy

For a salon-worthy manicure — with hundreds of color options — consider O.P.I. Nail Lacquer. You can find this polish on Amazon Prime, making it a good choice for last-minute manis. And, the long-wear formula can last up to seven days, which is impressive considering most nail polish manicures only last between three and five days.

Colors: 250 | Opacity: Depends on color choice | Finish: Depends on color choice

If you’re looking for the best gel nail polish that doesn’t require a UV lamp, Essie Gel Couture Longwear Nail Polish is one of my tried-and-true picks. While it’s not as durable as traditional gel manicures, you can still achieve a high-quality and long-lasting manicure with a gel look thanks to its two-part polish and top coat system. The polish is also super easy to remove (no soaking required!), so you can swap out shades without much hassle.

Colors: 18 | Opacity: Opaque | Finish: Gel gloss

If you’re someone who can never have enough nail polish options, Lights Lacquer makes over 140 hues to choose from — including the most adorable Polly Pocket pink. You can find the perfect shade to pair with everyday looks or special occasion ensembles; the brand makes some of my all-time favorite nail polish colors. The formulas are also 12-free, so they’re an excellent nontoxic choice, too.

Colors: 141 | Opacity: Depends on color choice | Finish: Glossy

Kylie Jenner, Jennifer Lopez, Alessandra Ambrosio, and Selena Gomez have all rocked manicures with PLA nail polish. The 10-free brand is unique in that most of its colors come in both gel and regular nail lacquer formulas, so you aren’t limited based on your manicure preferences. If you’re new to the brand, I recommend trying one of their sets, like this Spring Mini Nail Collection. This one features seven stunning hues that correspond, so you can mix and match or use them to create fun DIY nail art creations.

Colors: 7 | Opacity: Opaque | Finish: Creamy gloss

Côte nail polish is a must-have in any DIY nail polish collection. The brand offers dozens of hues — including sheers, metallics, and glitters — and carries one of the best white nail polishes I’ve ever tried. All Côte polishes are nontoxic and cruelty-free, and they don’t chip as easily (especially if you use a good top coat like the Orly Shining Armor Long Wear Topcoat).

Colors: 1 | Opacity: Opaque | Finish: Cream

When shopping for a quick-drying nail polish, the Insta-Dri line from Sally Hansen will always be my first choice. If you’re in a pinch, you can find this polish at most drugstores, Target, and ULTA. Its gel-like formula makes it one of the best one-coat nail polishes for last-minute applications. The polish is great to have on hand (pun-intended) to maintain your manicure while on vacation or spruce up your nails before an event.

Colors: 38 | Opacity: Depends on color choice | Finish: Depends on color choice

Deborah Lippmann offers multiple opacities in its lineup, so whether you prefer a shimmering sheer or creamy opaque finish, you’ll find what you’re looking for. This luxe nail polish brand also has some of the best neutral tones, so it’s a great choice for nude nails. The formulas are also 21-free and made with only ten ingredients — including nail-strengthening keratin and biotin — so it’s one of the safest nail polish options out there.

Colors: 26 | Opacity: Depends on color choice | Finish: Depends on color choice

Painting your own nails takes some skill and can get a little messy. If at-home manicures stress you out and you don’t like the look of press-ons, ManiMe makes the ultimate hack: gel nail polish stickers. These stickers are made to look like a gel manicure and come in a range of solid colors and nail art designs. I love the Serenity Spots style because it features a gorgeous neutral green hue with more minimalistic nail art that goes with virtually anything.

Colors: 1 | Opacity: Opaque | Finish: Glossy

If you’re searching for the best top coat nail polish, you’ll find it in this formula from Orly. After years of gel manicures, I switched to traditional nail lacquer and found that this high-gloss top coat was the only formula that gave me that same long-lasting and shiny finish without needing a UV lamp. In addition to using it on top of regular polish, you can also apply it to weeks-old gel manicures to revive that glossy finish between salon visits.

Colors: 1 | Opacity: Clear | Finish: High gloss

I’ve been using the Seche Vite Clear Base Coat for years and find that it’s one of the best base coat nail polishes for all kinds of manicures. The clear base coat helps prep nails for polish by creating a smoother surface. It also helps hide imperfections, which is especially helpful when switching from acrylics or gel to regular polish.

Colors: 1 | Opacity: Clear | Finish: N/A

It goes without saying that nail polish remover is a must-have for at-home manicures. I prefer 100-percent pure acetone because it makes removal super easy, and it's what most salons use for a more efficient cleanse. You can also pour a little bit of acetone into the bottle cap or a small cup and use a brush to clean up your finished manicure and fix any mistakes.

This budget-friendly acetone from Amazon comes in several size options, including 4-, 8-, and 16-ounces. A little goes a long way — even if you switch out your polish color every week — so it’s an excellent value. Since it’s pure acetone, you can use it to remove gel polish and acrylics from home, too.

Our Expert Panel