Save v. Spend. Lacquer. Varnish. Nail Polish.

I LEARNED SO MUCH.

Lacquer. Varnish. Nail Polish.

Varnish. Lacquer. Nail Polish.
Fraction of @nicolejaclyn 's collection.

My friend Nicole is a nail polish goddess. This babe has all of your higher-end drug store varnishes, like OPI & Essie, plus couture lines, like Butter London, and Indielines (!), like NinjaPolish, in a smattering of mattes & sparkles, in every hue of every single shade possible. Cue: I-am-overwhelmed-smile.

She taught me SO much. And, yes, there is much to learn about nail polish. Especially because you have to spend & spend wisely.

Know what products to buy. Which ones to try. Where to buy. And … which ones to rent??

Yes. You will end up shelling between $6.50 and $9 per pop on the “less” expensive, though equally as lavish, brands. Simply put, brands like OPI, in comparison to those associated with drug store make-up lines, have more lacquer. More lacquer means truer hue & lasting finish. Think about it this way. Spend on the most expensive hair product, and you might be $40 in the hole for a humidity-defying spray. Spend on a worth-it varnish, and $6.50-$9 is a manageable expenditure. An investment? Absolutely. Not only did you skip the salon but, let’s be honest, when was the last time you ever used 1 entire bottle of lacquer? (…Never.) Chances are, you buy a bottle, & you only buy it once.

OPI.
Only bottle Nicole's bought more than once.
And it was because the previous bottle dried-up.

So, what are you saving on? The manicure. Truly, $10-30 savings depending upon the salon & you have the polish for touch-ups & do-agains. Also, distributor. As much as I adore salons & secretly wish Icould live inside of one, Nicole highly recommends not buying in-salon or drug store. On average, both amount to between $2-3 extra. Beauty supply stores like Beauty Plus Salon, CosmoProf, or Ulta, and sometimes even larger grocery chains, like Wegmans, have the fairest prices. Shop around & shop wisely.

The true key to spending (wisely) on nail polish? Know What Products to Buy Basics:

Base Coat: CND (sticky coat) or Orly (bonder)

Varnish: OPI, Essie, or your favorite mid-priced designer brand (i.e. Zoya, China Glaze)

Top Coat: Seche Vite (fast drying)

You need a sticky/bonding base & a fast drying top. Need.

You don't need this many. But that would be awes.
Possibly as awesome as this rug beneath Nicole's varnishes. 

Keep in mind, couture lines do exist. Niche brands like Butter London or brand icons like Chanel & Dior run for much more than $7-9. While these shades glide-on like velvet over chocolate, they are super expensive. However, with emerging rent-&-try trends like Lacquerous, nail-onistas might grab the best of both Save v. Spend worlds.

Nicole's Mini Series. (She knows them by name.)
Minis are great way to delve into designer & color.

Inevitably, the miser in all of us rears its head & wants to know if it is at all possible to save. Yes. Of course. For super trendy colors or hues for trendy nail art, go inexpensive. Wet ‘n’ Wild & Rimmel, while more prone to chipping, have tailored brushes for even coating. And, hey, buy 2 while you’re at it.

Go Team!
Base, 2 - 3 Varnish, Top.
From Left: Barbara, Nicole. Shannon.

xo.