Allure Best of Beauty 2024: Nails Winners

Nail trends may have skewed minimalistic in 2024—celebrities known for elaborate embellishments have been going beige at unprecedented rates—but our nail needs haven't changed. When we're doing our own manicures at home, we want them to look good, we want them to last, and we don't want to damage our nails in the process. Is that too much to ask? If you're asking this year's Best of Beauty Award winners, the answer is a definitive no.

No matter what colors you're drawn to right now, there's a top-performing nail polish—both quick-dry and long-lasting—that scratches that itch. And if you don't have much confidence in your painting prowess, you'll love our press-on and nail-wrap picks, which are as innovative as they are adorable.

Here, you'll also find the unsung heroes of gorgeous manicures, including a strengthening base coat, a versatile cuticle oil, and the best polish removers for starting fresh when a new hue is calling your name.

Your nails may make up only a few centimeters of your beauty look, but their impact can't be overstated. They deserve the best.

Best of Beauty Awards 2024: Nails

Shop your favorite category or keep scrolling for the year's very best nail polishes, press-ons, and polish removers.

• Best Nail Polish
• Best Topcoat
• Best Nail Strengthener
• Best Cuticle-Care Product
• Best Press-On Nails
• Best Nails Wraps
• Best Nail Polish Remover

Why It Won: There's no point in using a quick-dry nail color if the base and topcoats aren't in a rush to set. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri plays all three roles, giving you a complete, streak-free, full-coverage manicure that's ready to roll in a mere minute. What won't take 60 seconds? Selecting a shade from the 69 bright and bold options.

Tester Feedback: "It dries in a snap, and one coat of even the richest red in the lineup is all you really need for saturated color," says senior copy manager Dawn Rebecky.

Why It Won: Sundays Non Toxic Nail Polish may not spell out in the name that it's a long-wearing formula, but it proved its perseverance to our testers over and over again. With more than 60 sheer, opaque, and in-between colors, this formula is never fleeting.

Tester Feedback: "I can go four or five days without even a tiny chip," says content director Kara McGrath. "And I don't go easy on my nails."

Why It Won: Come for the exceptional shine, stay for the unparalleled protection. In addition to upgrading your manicure's glossiness, CND Vinylux Long Wear Shine Top Coat will vigorously defend it against chips, helping to extend the lifespan of your nail color.

Tester Feedback: "Nothing is more irksome than chipping your freshly painted nails," says social director Kassidy Silva. "This topcoat keeps my mani vibrant and intact for days on end."

Why It Won: Worn as a glossy solo act or as a base coat under color, Essie Hard to Resist Advanced Nail Strengthener is a gift for flimsy fingernails. In just days, it works to fortify and protect so your nails get back on track.

Tester Feedback: "I’m very particular about my nails," says senior audience development director Lexi Herrick. "And as a fan of temporary press-on nails, I'm constantly seeking solutions for the havoc they wreak on my nail beds. This quick-drying, strengthening treatment brings them back to life straight from their brittle grave."

Why It Won: There are so many moisturizing oils—in addition to the titular ones, there's jojoba, almond, rosemary, avocado, and many more—that you'll want to (and could) share Jinsoon Primrose + Honeysuckle Healing Cuticle Oil with your face. It nourishes skin, keeps hangnails at bay, and instantly improves the look of any manicure.

Tester Feedback: "The dainty dropper delivers the perfect amount of oil to hydrate your cuticles without leaving them greasy," says associate features director Dianna Mazzone Singh.

Why It Won: Looking for press-on nails that will have strangers asking for your nail artist's number? Three words: Chillhouse Chill Tips. The natural-looking lengths and shapes combined with dozens of the coolest designs we've ever seen—not to mention the non-damaging glue and 24 size options—make them our favorite alternative to polish.

Tester Feedback: "I've never gotten so many compliments on press-ons," says associate beauty editor Annie Blay. "They also lasted longer than any press-ons I've worn."

Why It Won: Most nail stickers are just that: stickers. But Heyhae Sun-cured Gel Nail Strips have been crafted with gel polish that comes to you 60% cured. Once you press them onto your nails, a little sunlight will make that 100%, and your new tips will last two weeks (maybe more). The nearly 50 design options range from ethereal to edgy, so there's something for everyone.

Tester Feedback: "These are so beginner-friendly and foolproof—and don't even get me started on the uber-cute designs," says commerce editor Sarah Han. "Goodbye, hours spent struggling simply to paint a solid coat of color."

Why It Won: We know that the foam inside the Olive & June Nail Polish Remover Pot is saturated with a non-acetone, polish-dissolving formula, but it still seems like magic every time we dip a fingertip in and the nail comes out bare. Keeping this jar handy is a no-brainer for both spill-prone klutzes and impulsive nail painters who crave quick changes.

Tester Feedback: "I don't wear regular polish often, but when I do, this little tub makes it super easy to remove it," says associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen. "I just pop a finger in, move it back and forth a few times, and voilà! All of the polish is soaked right off in a matter of a few seconds."

Why It Won: Rarely do we think of nail polish remover as nourishing, but Tenoverten The Rose Soak approaches clearing away nail color from a very thoughtful place. The non-acetone liquid is formulated with glycerin, aloe, rosemary extract, and neroli oil, so each erasing session also imparts soothing hydration (and smells amazing).

Tester Feedback: "In my opinion, most non-acetone nail polish removers might as well be called nonfunctioning nail polish removers," says McGrath. "This one actually takes off your polish but doesn't dry out your tips in the process."

Written by Marci Robin

How we test and review products for Allure Best of Beauty

Ubiquitous with the beauty market's cream of the crop, Allure's little red Best of Beauty seal is known worldwide as being a trusted indicator of the year's top products—and we do not take that trust for granted. Each year, we painstakingly test tens of thousands (yes, really) of products across over a dozen categories, including Hair, Skin, Makeup, Nails, Fragrance, Splurges, Steals, Tools, Breakthroughs, and Sensitive. We employ a large group of testers—including editors, top industry professionals, and other experts— to ensure representation for a wide range of ages, genders, skin tones, and hair textures, as well as dermatological sensitivities and conditions.

How we determined Allure's Best of Beauty Nails Winners

For our Best of Beauty winners in the Nails category, we considered each product's performance across the following categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance (where relevant), and product experience (including texture and wear). We tested over 7,000 products for 24 weeks on different skin types and tones. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from relevant experts.

To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.

Discover more 2024 Best of Beauty Winners:

• Best of Beauty 2024: Fragrance Winners
• Best of Beauty 2024: Steals Winners
• Best of Beauty 2024: Splurge Winners

Watch us test our Allure 2024 Best of Beauty winners: