Sales of nail polish are up 24% since lockdown began, mostly because no one can visit salons for the long-lasting UV-cured lacquers that dominate the modern industry but also, I’m convinced, because we suddenly have way more time and inclination to bother.
It may be one minuscule piece of good fortune in this crisis, but we can also lend a shaky hand to the struggling salon sector as we file and paint.
When it comes to beautiful, gift-worthy packaging, Nailberry, a British independent used in high-end nail bars, can, in my view, compete with YSL and Chanel – and I don’t say this lightly. A luxury bottle of its sustainable L’Oxygéné Nail Lacquer £15, vegan and free of phthalates, formaldehyde, alcohol and other chemicals you may be keen to avoid) is more treasure than toiletry. Noirberry, a black puddingy red, is my favourite, but all shades are sophisticated, cool and give fantastic coverage in only one coat (deep, dense perfection in two).
Ciaté, another British indie, first brought nail art to the mainstream with its DIY kits featuring everything from pastel cake sprinkles and holographic tinfoil to blackboard nail paint and chalks. Today, Ciaté’s focus has shifted somewhat (it now makes good makeup), but its knack for nails prevails. Antique Brooch polish (£9) is one of my rare concessions to glitter, providing expensive gold sparkle when worn alone, or disguising ugly chips when painted over ailing gels. I’ve also had hours of fun with its new Cheat Sheets (£16) – a pack of leopard print, evil eyes and neon stripe decals that stick on neatly and effortlessly (in any case, the truly cack–handed have plenty of time for low-stakes practice).
One shouldn’t talk about British nails without mentioning Nails Inc, whose founder Thea Green is solely responsible for bringing New York-style nail bars home to the UK in the 1990s. Her empire has 60 in-store and standalone manicure bars, and the temporary loss of its some 10k weekly customers will be acutely felt.
Until freedom and finances see you back on the bar stool, clumsily operating your iPhone with the wrong hand, you can help support Nails Inc’s workers by buying its DIY products online. The array of top-grade nail colours is vast, but I’m personally never without its nail polish removal pots, £9, which dispense entirely with cotton wool and mess. Everything here is cruelty free.
