Save on Manicures with This “Your Nails, But Better” Polish

Manucurist’s Active Polish range combines nail care with an easy, low-effort manicure that’s endlessly customizable—and it’s on sale right now.

You may have seen the Active range of polishes by the French nail brand Manucurist on Instagram or TikTok, where popular summer trends like mermaid nails and glazed donut manicures are all over the #fyp. Even some of our staff have been drawn to its charm. After getting influenced by social media, BuzzFeed editorial VP Peggy Wang said that since she bought it a few months ago, “I’ve only gone a day without having [Manucurist] on my nails because I liked how my nails looked so much more with it on.”

Wang’s strong recommendation got me curious, so I reached out to the brand to try the polishes myself. Spoiler alert: I can see why it’s popular!

The full Active line includes five different polishes, each giving a unique look to your nails. Here’s a breakdown: There are two Glow polishes, which are ultra-sheer but buildable tints in bright berry colors. Then there’s a brightening polish that adds a shiny, light-reflecting effect, and the CC polish, which works like a nail concealer, hiding white marks or nail bed imperfections. Finally, there’s the Shine, a shimmery champagne-toned polish that adds a glowing highlight to nails and works well as a top coat, staying shiny and never going matte, unlike the gel polishes I get at the salon.

“I don’t need to apply a ridge filler, and it covers up the texture of my nails sufficiently,” said Wang, who uses one coat of Active Bright with two coats of Active Shine.

Another fan in our office, HuffPost breaking news reporter Lydia O’Connor, said, “I usually do two coats of the Active Glow in blueberry for a sheer but juicy berry hue, then add a layer of Active Shine for a little shimmer. It’s the perfect amount of color and sparkle to feel like you’ve gotten a manicure without the hassle of trying to paint your nails perfectly with a regular opaque polish.”

I also love how many different looks you can create with these polishes and how easy it is to get a completely customizable look. You can even start with the CC polish on the bottom, then add a couple of dewy coats of the Glow polish for a look that’s less sheer but still very clean-looking.

And as O’Connor and Wang mentioned, the subtlety and effectiveness of this range are big reasons for its success. It makes both the wearing and the application process incredibly low-maintenance and, according to O’Connor, “impossible to mess up.”

“It’s so light and subtle that I don’t have to be super careful about application. It takes me like 10 minutes to do three coats,” Wang said. “I have been keeping my polish on for about one and a half to two weeks, and it hasn’t chipped, but it wouldn’t be very visible even if it did.”

Each of the 80% plant-based formulas contains ingredients meant to improve nail health, like nourishing sweet almond oil, fruit extracts to help restore peeling and brittle nails, castor oil, and other hydration and strengtheners. The texture, which goes on watery, dries down to feel barely there on the nail bed, which is a welcome change from traditional polishes or gels that can feel a bit heavy.

You can see more promising statements down below, but if you’ve already been convinced to forgo the nail salon for good, shop the Manucurist Active range for yourself from the links above.

Promising reviews:

• Terri: “I love these polishes!!! They last so well, no peeling, and they are easy to remove. I’m already seeing noticeable improvement in my nails (they’re stronger now). Thanks!”
• Andrea: “I have only tried the raspberry glow and glitter so far, but I’d say I’m pretty experienced in painting my nails with different types. This is the only nail polish that has stayed shiny after showers and lotions. I used to paint with jelly nail polish with shiny top coats but those start to get dull after I shower a couple of times and put hand lotion on. These have stayed shiny maybe because of the texture of it, and I’m hoping they’ll continue to stay this way. They feel different and lighter than the nail polish with a top coat over it. I may have finally found my ‘nails but better’ easy one-step application! Highly recommend!”
• Elena M.: “I have seen this brand for years but only recently came across it when looking for a specific polish. Decided to try this kit and have to say I am not disappointed. It felt like it took a while to arrive, having been shipped from France to the UK but the set is so beautifully packaged and such a delight to use. I quite like mixing and my favourite look is the blueberry active with shine on top. Lasting really well too though can’t comment on the health benefits yet.”
• Imogen G.: “I can’t get over the difference in my nails!”

Get the full set from The Manucurists for $59 (also available in one bottle). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.