Consumer Reports tests longest lasting nail polishes

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Consumer Reports tested several polishes to see which chipped and which was worth the money.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Is there anything worse than chipping your nail polish just a day or two after pampering yourself? Probably.

But it seems like we are always in search of the longest lasting polishes, especially because most women prefer to do a simple nail color change at home.

Consumer Reports tested seven polishes for its ShopSmart magazine to find the longest lasting nail polishes. They chose bright red polishes that would easily show chips and the price range was $2 to $27.

All of the polishes were applied with a base and top coat if the brand had one. Ten panelists tried the disguised polishes at home, while 10 panelists received a series of professional manicures, with different polishes on alternating nails. Those were checked at seven, 10, and 14 days.

Chanel's polish was the most expensive tested at $27, plus another $52 for the base and top coat. But it chipped so quickly, most of the home panelists removed it early.

"It chipped the next day, even with a top coat and a base coat," said tester Jessica Vecchiano.

Which are the hands-down favorites? Surprisingly, a $2 polish available at Walgreens called Sinful Colors came out on top. The base and top coat together are just $8. The polish still looked good after seven days, but it took slightly longer to dry than others.

Another winning polish was the $10 CND Vinylux Weekly Polish. It lived up to its name, still looking good after a week. It doesn't need a base coat, and the top coat is $10.

Also a favorite, was the $6 Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel that promises to last 11 days. It still looked okay when checked on day 10. The base and top coat totaled $13.

"It went on really smooth, and they looked really nice, and I felt like I had a real manicure," tester Jennifer Frost said.

If you want a quick manicure and don't have time for the whole base coat, top coat routine, Consumer Reports found some one-step polishes that looked pretty good at the end of a week. The Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure for $7 and Covergirl Outlast for $5 were both favorites.

So to keep your nails looking their best, pick a polish that lasts.