Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Sara IlyasMorwenna Ferrier

Spray-on nail varnish, tried and tested – fashion buy of the day

The finished result.
The finished result. Photograph: Guardian

Work Christmas parties are notoriously tense, mainly because you have about seven minutes to get ready in the office loo before your do. Thanks then to Nails Inc, which has created Paint Can, the “world’s first ever spray-on home manicure”. The main shtick is that it dries quicker than graffiti or regular nail varnish. And it’s impossible to screw up. You simply spray it all over your hands and wash the rest off. Not sure about the name of this shade – Hoxton Market – but Alexa Chung rates it, so there must be something in it.

Nails inc paint can nail polish in Hoxton Market.
Nails Inc Paint Can nail polish in Hoxton Market. Photograph: Guardian

As a kid who could barely muster enough coordination for one stroke of finger paint, nail-polish cheats were the kind of thing I dreamed about. I’ve patiently been waiting for someone to invent a machine that allows you instant nail-colour changes at the flick of a button, but until that we have this, nail art’s latest innovation, to get us through. It’s fairly straightforward but, annoyingly, you still have to use a base and top coat for it to stay on. It’s great for going straight from the office to a party, and definitely a decent stocking filler – but do it in the bathroom or on a newspaper because there is going to be a lot of mess. The best thing is that unlike regular nail polish, this stuff washes off your skin instantly, so you can be as messy as you like – but wait for a few minutes for the polish to dry first.

Spray-on nail polish, £10 for 50ml, by Nails Inc, from boots.com

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.