Budget to Blowout: The 4 nail polish brands we rely on for an expert-looking at-home manicure

If you're someone that doesn't like to go without a well-preened manicure, but doesn't want to splurge upwards of £30 every month, you might be in the market for a nail polish that delivers streak-free coverage and resists easily chipping.

Whether you're looking to recreate some of the most popular 2026 nail trends or perhaps want to save some money by cutting back on salon manicures, either way a quality nail polish will be your best friend. In fact, if you take a look at our beauty team's March 2026 nails, you'll see that we've ditched our nail appointments and instead have been reaching for our all-time favourite nail polishes.

So, with that and decades of collective experience in our back pockets, our we'd say we're well qualified to share our tried and tested go-to nail polish brands – that suit every colour preference and budget. We're talking everything from £9 essie nail polishes to top-shelf luxury formulas from Chanel.

The four nail polish brands our team rely on for their at-home manicures

With nail polishes typically spanning from a couple of pounds up to £30+, you might be wondering which bottles are actually worth investing in. Thankfully, our beauty team have been sweeping polish onto our talons for years, trialling a variety of buys from several different brands, from affordable drugstore options to top-shelf formulas – so, we've got all the intel you need to know.

That said, you'll often find stellar discounts on shades from the likes of essie, OPI and Manucurist, so it's worth keeping an eye out on retailers, such as Lookfantastic and Amazon.

Budget Nail Polish brand - Essie

If you've ever stepped foot into a drugstore, you'll already be well-acquainted with Essie. If we're ever on the hunt for an affordable nail polish, you can most likely find us standing at the Essie counter scouring through their abundance of shades.

Since launching back in 1981, the brand has created over 1000 different colours, from sheer pinks to luscious reds, metallics to mattes and everything in-between. With a plethora of different formulas, including the Longwear, Enamel and Quick Dry (not to mention, the brand's stellar nail care offering), essie's most notable shades include Ballet Slippers, Mademoiselle, Salt Water Happy and Blanc.

Low Mid-Price Nail Polish brand - OPI

If you know a thing or two about nail polishes, then there's no doubt that you'll already know about OPI. OPI is arguably one of the most iconic and well-known nail care brands around the globe, thanks to their lineup of colour-rich nail lacquers that have gone onto gain cult status in the world of beauty.

Other than their classic Nail Lacquer formula, the brand also boast an array of other collections such as Infinite Shine, RapiDry and Nature Strong Vegan Nail Lacquers – alongside an assortment of nail care buys too. Out of the the over 240 OPI nail colours available to shop, Bubble Bath, Funny Bunny, Big Apple Red and Cajun Shrimp are just some of the hues that loved by many.

High mid-price nail polish brand - Manucurist

If you haven't already met Manucurist, this Parisian nail brand is known for the lineup of eco-friendly nail polish formulas. Beginning as a nail salon in the heart of Paris in 1996, the brand has since gone on to gain popularity for creating the first green, clean alternative to gel polish and their stellar tinted nail care buys – namely their Active treatment range. As for the lineup of Manucurist nail polishes, popular choices include Mocha, Lava, Hortencia and Milky White.

Blowout nail polish brand - Chanel

If you're wanting to treat yourself, our editor's say Chanel's assortment of nail polishes are well-worth the splurge. Setting you back £30 a bottle, these nail polishes ooze luxury from start to finish. These pigmented, high-gloss formulas glide onto the talons, thanks to its nourishing camellia eco-ceramides, whilst wearers also hail the nail polishes for their durable longevity.

Currently with 35 shades the choose from online, including minimalist neutrals to vibrant colourful hues, the most recognisable Chanel nail polish shades are Rouge Noir, Ballerina and Particulière.