7 best vegan nail polishes to make your mani more ethical

Best: For shellac alternative

Rating: 10/10

This vegan and sustainable nail brand is changing the game when it comes to at-home nail treatments. Not only will you find polish alternatives, but the brand has also created a shellac replacement, AKA the green flash set (a sustainable version of a shellac lamp).

Its a 10/10 from us: it gave us a high-shine manicure at home that lasted for more than 10 days. It did take us around 30 minutes all in all to complete, but it was totally worth it for the results.

Best: For luxury

Rating: 9/10

Containing some of our favourite winter shades - think rich cocoa, forest green and dusty pink - this trio of polishes is all about cosy vibes, and seriously shiny finishes. So shiny, in fact, our manicure was mistaken for shellac.

We also liked the fact that the brand uses a 12-free (meaning they don’t contain 12 of the usual toxins found in your supermarket nail polish), vegan-friendly L’Oxygéné formula that helps repair damaged nails in the long run - we even noticed that our nails felt a little stronger after just a few weeks of use.

Best: For budget

Rating: 8/10

The brand’s first foray into plant-based nail polish, kind & free, is Rimmel’s new make-up and nail collection with the aim to make clean beauty accessible to everyone.

It ticked a lot of boxes for us: affordable at under £6, coupled with a seriously glossy finish and sustainable packaging. We’d recommend this as a great top coat to help your colour stay put.

Best: For shade range

Rating: 7.5/10

Not only are there heaps of trend-led shades to choose from, but Peacci’s nail polishes really deliver when it comes to colour. Part of the brand’s latest collection named 90s baby, hubba bubba was by far the most pigmented shade we tested and the colour stayed put for at least four days.

Best: For shimmer

Rating: 8/10

It’s rare to find a shimmery vegan nail polish, and especially not one that doubles up as a nail treatment, too. Free from any harmful ingredients, it helped protect our nail bed (a big win in colder months) and the shimmer finish didn’t fade for a good few days. We would say, though, that it requires a few coats to get the best results and that removal can be a little tricky.

Best: Overall

Rating: 8/10

Glossy finishes, unbeatable shade range, long-lasting formulas – we loved everything about Sally Hansen’s vegan collection. Free from any nasties, the 100 per cent natural and plant-based bristles were easy to use and the colour glided on smoothly and evenly. We used it alongside the vegan top coat to help prolong our manicure.

Best: For nail care

Rating: 9/10

Hate waiting around for your polish to dry? Us too, which is why we can’t get enough of Revlon’s new Ultra HD snap! collection. Saving us time and effort when DIY’ing our nails at home, the colour was highly-pigmented and quick-drying, meaning we only needed one coat. It’s also infused with shea butter, spinach, avocado and green tea, so we didn’t have to worry about additional nail care.