The Best Nail Products That Our Editors Tested in 2020
Our Editors Became DIY Manicure and Pedicure Pros in 2020, Thanks to These Products
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We're sure we can all agree that 2020 was the year we became very independent and learned how to do things for ourselves — like paint our nails, dye our hair, and even DIY wax . . . down there. With no access to the salon and a lot of extra time on our hands, many of us set out to do what we previously believed to be the impossible: give ourselves a salon-quality manicure or pedicure at home, and we've been pleasantly surprised by the results.
Don't get us wrong: we are by no means saying our newly developed nail skills are a replacement for a trained professional. There will forever be a special place in our hearts for our manicurists (and all of the other beauty pros that we miss dearly). But our DIY manicures got us by and, more importantly, brought us some joy at a time we needed it most. It didn't take long for painting our nails to become one of our favourite new self-care activities. Whether we mastered a full manicure from start to finish or finally learned the proper way to file our nails, because there is a wrong and a right way, it was all growth.
We wouldn't have been able to do it without the necessary supplies. From fancy gel systems and dip powder kits to simple cuticle oil, we discovered a bunch of new nail products this year that helped improve our manicure game. So, to give credit where credit is due, we rounded them up ahead.
Olive & June Everything Box
"I am terrible at doing my own nails, which is something I've told Olive & June founder Sarah Gibson Tuttle a million times. Still, I've kept the Olive & June Everything Box ($80) kit tucked away in my closet for months. Now, with a little more time on my hands and hundreds of nail polish colours to choose from between my and my roommate's personal collections, I find myself reaching for the kit on a weekly basis. My nails and toes are now getting some extra TLC and, even if the paint jobs are kind of bleak, the hour I take out of my day to give myself a mani and pedi feels really good." — Samantha Sasso, associate editor, native beauty content
Kiara Sky Dipping Powders Essentials Kit
"I'm fully aware that $95 is a hefty price point to swallow, even when you're shelling out $40 once a month for a salon dip manicure. However, given how much product you get for the money, it's technically fiscally responsible if you have the means. Despite how many steps there are in the Kiara Sky Dipping Powders Essentials Kit ($95), I preferred the process to a gel manicure because there are no sticky polishes or bulky UV lamps involved. Not only was I satisfied, but I was weirdly looking forward to doing my nails again." — Maggie Panos, senior editor, voices
Nails Inc. Plant Power Nail Polish
"I've been getting gel manicures every two weeks — like clockwork — for as long as I can remember. But when COVID-19 hit and the salons closed, I had to break out my OG nail polishes and try to DIY. Spoiler alert: it looked like a child's art project gone wrong. The polish was way outside the lines and smudged nearly every nail in an instant. But my whole manicure game changed when I got a hold of the Nails Inc. Plant Power Nail Polish ($10). The plant-based, vegan and cruelty free nail polish has a wooden, square lid that makes polishing my nails crazy easy. I have so much control of the brush and, with a little top coat, it dries so quickly." — Samantha Holender, assistant editor, Makeup.com & Skincare.com
Le Mini Macaron Gel Manicure Kit
"Le Mini Macaron Gel Manicure Kit ($35) is probably the cutest option on the market — I mean, the LED light is shaped like macaron. It's powered by a USB plug so you can take it on the go and even plug it into your laptop to use, and comes in two sizes — I have the small option that lets you cure one finger at a time. My favourite part: the polish is quick drying, so there's no waiting around and fanning your hands frantically to keep from smudging. The gel manicure lasts about one to one-and-a-half weeks, depending on how rough you are on your hands, and is practically chip proof. What more could you need?" — Jessica Harrington, associate editor, beauty
Côte Growth with Garlic Base Coat
"When everything shut down in March and it became clear that I wouldn't be getting a mani anytime soon, I was faced with the challenge of dealing with my nails sans gel polish for the first time in a long time. I decided to spend some time giving my hands and nails the TLC they desperately needed. Strangely enough, garlic extract can help strengthen your nails so they grow faster. The Côte Growth with Garlic Base Coat ($21) uses an odourless garlic extract that won't give your nails that weird yellow undertone that many growth polishes leave behind. I redid my mani once a week and used this as a base coat, and after a few weeks my nails definitely felt more fortified and less brittle." — Aviel Kanter, associate director, branded content
Vishine Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit
"I love doing at-home beauty treatments and I like to think I've already mastered most of them before COVID. I have an at-home gel manicure set that I use all the time and get salon-quality results. It's the Vishine Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit ($40) and it's so easy to use." — Lauren Harano, editorial assistant, growth and strategic features
Cirque Colours Crème Nail Polish
"One highlight to an otherwise awful year: discovering Cirque Colours Crème Nail Polish ($13). The brand has such a fun range of non-toxic shades I've never seen anywhere else. I found myself painting and re-painting my nails every few days with cheerful colours while stuck inside." — Lisa Peterson, senior manager, social media
CND Solar Oil Nail & Cuticle Care
"I'm not really one for manicures — they're a nice treat but not something I work regularly into my beauty routine. So you could describe the state of my nails at any given time as slapdash at best. But since I've been home with not much else to do, I invested in a Tweezerman Mini Hangnail Squeeze Snip Nipper ($12) and CND Solar Oil Nail & Cuticle Care ($9) . . . more out of a curiosity if I could do any kind of nail care for myself. Verdict: Not really. But, it does make my shaky paint jobs look a little more polished, and is certainly healthier than picking at my frayed cuticles, so I'll take that as a win." — Riyana Straetker, voices editor, family and pets
Olive & June The Pedi System
"With the Olive & June The Pedi System ($100), the brand thought of everything you'll need to create your perfect pedicure. In addition to the classics you've come to expect from the mani kit, like a nail file, buffer, cleanup brush, nail polish, and topcoat, there are a bunch of new tools created just for your toes, like a foot serum, cuticle pusher, cuticle remover, nail-polish remover pot with a sponge cap for toes, foot file, and silicone toe separators. Plus, it all comes in the Posey, which is a container that doubles as a foot rest, so you don't have to hunch over to get the perfect pedi." — India Yaffe, assistant editor, shop
KISS Gel Fantasy Whatever
"On those days when I didn't have the time or the patience to paint my nails but still wanted to dress them up a bit, the KISS Gel Fantasy Whatever ($8) saved me. I've been using press-on nails for years but they really came in handy this year when I wanted to add some length to my nails, which have a tendency to break. This is my number-one nail hack, pandemic or not." — JH
Tweezerman Neon Hot 4-in-1 File, Smooth, & Shine Block
"This Tweezerman Neon Hot 4-in-1 File, Smooth, & Shine Block ($10) is a major key for at-home nail maintenance." — Perri Konecky, editor, trending and viral features
