"I’ve never been one for an elaborate beauty routine—everything showers seem like a lot of effort, there are only three steps in my skincare routine, and I haven’t even plucked my eyebrows in six months. But the one compromise I’ll never make? My nails. No judgment toward anyone else, but when my nails are unkempt, uneven, or broken, it drives me up the wall. For years, I spared no expense on my monthly manicures, spending upwards of $100 on my nails each month. But after taking a good, hard look at my finances, I realized I needed to find another solution.
Get 70% off of select areas until March 3!
After trying just about every DIY manicure I could think of, I found a singular $16 product that makes my nails look so good, I don’t even miss my monthly manis. Curious? Here’s my full review of Manucurist’s Active Range collection. To put it simply, my nails have never looked better, and I doubt I’ll step foot in another salon for a very long time.
About the Manucurist Active treatment polishes
Manucurist’s Active line is an all-in-one product that was inspired by the idea of combining nail care with makeup, meaning that while the product actively nourishes and treats the nails, it also enhances them similarly to how makeup enhances the skin. Each shade in the line contains powerful active ingredients like AHAs, raspberry extract, and hexanol to target specific nail concerns while providing you with a “your nails but better” finish. Each polish is designed to be used alone—no base or top coat needed—and is deeply nourishing. The shades can also be layered, so you can customize your shade and combine benefits.
Active Glow contains raspberry extract and AHAs to boost radiance, nourish, and give your nails a subtle pinky glow.
Active Glow Blueberry contains blueberry extract and AHAs to boost radiance, nourish, and give your nails a bluish-pink hue.
Active Smooth contains castor plant fibers, AHAs, and Hexanal combine to strengthen your nails, fill ridges, and give your nails a barely-there neutral tone.
Active Bright contains lemon, Hexanal, AHAs, and vitamin E to brighten and restore your nail strength.
Active Shine’s Hexanal, AHAs, and beetroot extract combine to target weakened nails and add instant shine.
My review of the Manucurist Active treatment polishes
I’m a perfectionist when it comes to my nails. In my salon days, that meant making the drive if I noticed a mistake a few days after a fresh set; in my DIY days, it meant having my day ruined when I noticed a nail was uneven or started chipping almost immediately after I finished. I realize I’m a little extreme in these areas, but a slightly imperfect manicure really gets to me. The Manucurist Active polishes are so forgiving, dry super quickly, and last for up to 10 days without chipping.
Each shade is semi-sheer and super buildable, so you’re able to really customize your look. If you want more opacity, I’ve layered up to four coats to make the shades really pack a punch. But if you’re in your bare-nails-are-better era, you can still get great benefits from just one or two coats of product. I’ve also seen users combine one of the sheer pink shades with the sheer white Active Bright shade to create a French manicure, so despite the shades not being as fun as the bright pops of color you might get at a salon or using other systems, you do have options. Plus, one of my favorite nail hacks has always been to go with a natural shade anyway. That way, when it does chip, no one can really tell.
The true power of these polishes, though, lies in their nourishing benefits. Whether your nails are weak, dull, bumpy, or just generally unhealthy, they can benefit from the Manucurist Active line. When I stopped getting gel manicures, my nails were in terrible shape (as anyone who’s ever had gel removed can attest). For weeks they would constantly break and looked so dry and bumpy that I had to train myself not to look at them. When I finally started using the Manucurist Active line, my nails did a complete 180. They started growing faster, stopped breaking, and soon became perfectly bright and strong—a process that would have taken much longer if I hadn’t tried these products.
In a time when budgets are stretched thin or elaborate beauty routines just aren’t possible, the Manucurist Active line really is the answer. I truly don’t miss my monthly gel manicures, and I always have the option to get a regular manicure or DIY my nails at home if I want a pop of color. But nine times out of ten, these treatment polishes will be coating my nails.
Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content. You might also find her name pop up as a contributor throughout the site, though she mostly works behind the scenes, leading the team in their creative efforts and ensuring they have everything they need to create top-quality content for our audience.