[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I’ve been curious about this French nail brand for quite some time but their newest collection, the Actives, has properly grabbed my attention. I don’t wear nail polish nearly as much as I used to because my nails, without constant attention, aren’t as strong as they used to be. Whereas once I was dazzled by beautiful colours, I’m now more drawn to nail treatments and minimal precision.
I like the use of make up terms applied to nail products and all of the Manucurist Actives there is a visual as well as remedial effect. I like a nail glow that amplifies your natural nail shade and just makes your talons look super clean and healthy – there’s a peachy option or a cool rose option and I can’t say I’ve seen either before from any other brand. Nail glows tend to be just a ubiquitous pink and I can see that nail tone has very much been considered here.
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The Active Shine is one to look out for – it’s clear with a delicate twinkle which is just lovely, even for the most minimalistic nail looks. You could say that it’s a highlighter for nails and I’m going to wear it next weekend when I’m in Portugal. I’m sceptical about the added extracts – beet, raspberry and blueberry for example – because in my view there is very little, if anything, that your nails can absorb from a polish type product. That said, all of the Manucurist Actives have a physical appearance benefit and I can’t think of a time where I’d turn down smoother, glowier nails.
While you couldn’t shoehorn me into yellow nail polish (see Lemonade), I really do like Wisteria – it’s a creamy, elegant lilac shade that is a win for beachy toes or hands. The Green label is the Manucurist way of telling you that the polish is made with up to 84% plant based ingredients – this is a big leap in nail polish world (although not new – I’m a big fan of Kure Bazaar which has taken the humble potato and used the starch as an ingredient) and a far cry from the days when nail lacquer was basically car paint.
It’s not possible to make nail varnish completely naturally – or from plant based ingredients. It relies on film formers, solvents and plasticizers to stay on the nails but there are certain ingredients (Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), Formaldehyde Toluene, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor, for example) that it’s better to be without, which Manucurist formulas are. On the nail wheel above, the shades are Pamplemousse, Lemonade and Wisteria. Although each Active is available individually, I’d be tempted to get the full set which gives you a big saving anyway of £21. It’s £59 HERE. It’s not often I am really, genuinely looking forward to trying every single item from a set (truthfully, they can feel like hard work), but I am – I like the idea of make up for nails that goes over and above just colour – a quick brush stroke of brightener of shimmer feels easy for the busy.
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