Nail varnish
Quantity discount
CHF10.20 per piece for 2 units CHF792.59/1l
Essie Nail Colour
60 Really Red, Colour paint
Stiftung Warentest looks at your nails: this is the result of the polish test
24.4.2023
Translation: machine translated
From low- to medium- to high-priced: in addition to the colour spectrum, the cost range on the nail polish shelf is also broad. And this is despite the fact that there is not always a difference in quality, as a test now shows.
Red nail polish is quite a stereotype. In pictures and films, it usually wants to sell us sex appeal and attractiveness. However, the Stiftung Warentest has now investigated how seductive your red nails are in terms of harmful substances and value for money. And found that you'd be better off resisting the one or other polish temptation.
The ranking
The ratings of the 20 varnishes tested range from good to sufficient.
The test winners are the products from Dior and Essie with a score of 2.2. The result is up to five days of red nails at work, sport and home. These top two places are followed by the red bottles from Alessandro, Anny and Artdeco (all with a score of 2.4).
In contrast, the lower ranks were occupied by the varnishes from the brands Yves Rocher and Max Factor with scores of 3.1 and 3.5. Benecos (3.9) was the worst performer and the only one to achieve an "adequate" rating.
The water-based La Nature polish (2.7), the vegan Kia Charlotta (2.9) and Catrice (3.0) are in the midfield.
Nail varnish
Quantity discount
CHF10.20 per piece for 2 units CHF792.59/1l
Essie Nail Colour
60 Really Red, Colour paint
Nail varnish
Quantity discount
CHF13.10 per piece for 2 units CHF1370.–/1l
Artdeco Quick Dry
28 cranberry syrup, Colour paint
The process
Each polish was applied to the nails of ten test subjects and three cosmetics experts. Among other things, gloves were put on and pebbles were rummaged through to determine the durability of the nail polish during the test.
The evaluation focussed primarily on cosmetic properties such as appearance, shine and coverage. Aspects such as consistency, spreadability and drying speed also played a role in the grading. The laboratory also checked the products for critical ingredients and truthful declarations.
Cost point and weak points
From 1.09 to 15.50 euros per 5 millilitres, everything is represented among the 20 varnishes. Dior and Essie, the two test winners, performed about equally well in terms of appearance and durability - but with a price difference of almost 12 euros per 5 millilitres.
It was noticeable that the polishes from Kia Charlotta and Yves Rocher discoloured the nails more than all the others. Manhattan was unable to confirm its advertised 10-day durability when tested. And the Benecos bottle also promises more than the polish in it delivers.
And what else?
A total of seven products were found to contain harmful ingredients. Catrice and Trend it up in particular have too high a content of carcinogenic nitrosamines. Also unpleasant: Solvents such as acetone or xylene were found in almost all paints, although these were not listed by the manufacturer. Many products did not even have a list of ingredients on the bottle.
It is also worth noting that La Nature, the only water-based varnish tested, fulfils its peel-off promise: It is indeed mostly peelable and does not require nail polish remover. However, it does not last as long as some of its competitors.
One thing's for sure: the bright colours make you want summer. Haven't found your favourite polish yet? Then you should have a look here.
Cover photo: Maike Jensen
Cat lady and coffee lover from up north. Always on the lookout for «News and Trends».
Beauty
Follow topics and stay updated on your areas of interest