Olive And June Nail Polish Review: The Most Honest & Detailed
It’s so hard to find a non-toxic gel nail polish. When I found out that Olive and June’s polish lasted almost as long as gel, I dashed to my local Target to buy it. Here’s my honest Olive and June nail polish review!
TLDR; I ended up loving this nail polish brand so much that I almost exclusively use them. But all products come with their cons, so keep reading below!
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Olive and June Nail Polish Review
Long Lasting Polish Review
Olive and June’s long lasting polish is one of two types of nail polish formulas they have. I found the product lives up to its name because whenever I apply this polish formula, my nail polish does not chip. It also helps that I apply 2-3 layers.
It does take longer to dry but using their top coat helps it dry much faster. These polishes are most similar to gel because of how long it can last.
Quick Dry Polish Review
Quick dry is the second type of formula in Olive and June’s nail polish collection. This polish formula is REALLY fast drying. It actually feels dry to the touch just after 1 minute. Based on my experience, it doesn’t fully set in until close to 1 hour later.
But that one hour goes by fast when you’re just watching TV or doing something that doesn’t involve your hands.
Iridescent Sheer Shades Review
By far some of my favorite shades from Olive & June are the shimmery iridescent sheer shades. I absolutely love layering their iridescent shades over a solid color shade. It gives the best subtle shimmery look. My favorite combinations are:
- Stellar with Pink Goldfish
- Point Dume with Pink Capiz
I don’t often see these types of iridescent sheer shades with other nail polish brands so it makes me love Olive & June even more.
Nail Systems
One of the best parts of Olive and June is they make it SUPER easy to make nail salon-quality nails at home with their nail systems.
Their most popular is called “The Mani System” which includes all the essential nail tools for cuticle care and also lets you pick your own set of polishes. It comes with:
- Poppy (this is a universal polish bottle handle that makes painting your nails 10x easier, especially on your non-dominant hand)
- Cuticle serum
- Clean up brush
- An acetone-free polish remover pot
- Straight-edge nail clipper
- Nail Buffer
- Nail File
- Top Coat
- You can choose your favorite polishes.
- Add Ons: Nail Brightener, Matte Top Coat, Nail Strengthener, Dry Drops, Nail Primer/Base Coat (costs extra but at a discount)
They also have The Complete System which includes everything in the Mani System plus an entire pedicure set. If you’re like me and pay less attention to your toes, I would just skip The Complete System and go for the Mani System.
Pros
- Nail polish glides on incredibly smoothly with its flat edge brushes.
- 15-free (no harmful chemicals including Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP), ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, Camphor, Triphenyl Phosphate, Acetone, Animal-Derived Ingredients, Bisphenol-A, Nonylphenol Ethoxylate, Parabens, Sulfate).
- Offers a complete nail system. They have many different nail kits to choose from and getting a full kit easily allows you to pull off a home manicure that mirrors nail salon quality.
- Non-streaking formula. All their nail polish formulas are non-streaking so it looks beautiful on the nails.
- So many beautiful nail polish colors. They have an endless selection of colors to choose from and they’re constantly coming out with new colors.
- Easy to remove with non-acetone nail polish remover.
- Good price. It averages from $7.50 to $9 a bottle which is more inexpensive than some brands.
- Long-lasting. Mine lasted 10 days before I used nail polish to wipe it off. No chips.
- Cruelty-free and vegan.
- Amazing customer service.
Cons
- Not exactly like gel nail polish. The durability is better than most regular polish but still not the same as a gel manicure.
- Slow drying time. The quick dry nail polish formula is dry to the touch within 1-2 minutes, but it doesn’t fully set until 1 hour later. The long lasting nail polish formula doesn’t fully set in until 2 hours later.
How to Apply
It’s really easy to apply. I’m going to explain two ways to apply it – the first with The Mani System and the second without it.
How to Use With The Mani System
- If you have existing nail polish on your nails, dip it into the Nail Polish remover pot. This will ensure you have a clean base to start with.
- If your nails are too long for your liking, use nail clippers.
- File your nails to the shape you want.
- Use the nail buffer to add shine to your nails.
- Apply cuticle serum to your cuticles. Rub the serum all over and let it dry.
- Attach the Poppy to the nail polish you want to use.
- Apply 2-3 thin coats on all your nails.
- Use the clean-up brush to erase the polish and create precise lines.
- Apply one layer of a glossy top coat to let your nails dry faster and add extra shine.
- The last step is to let it air dry for at least 1-2 hours.
How to Use Without The Mani System
- If you have existing nail polish on your nails, dip into the Nail Polish remover pot or use any nail polish remover at home. This will ensure you have a clean base to start with.
- Choose your O&J polish color! Apply 2-3 thin coats on all your nails.
- Apply one layer of a glossy top coat to let your nails dry faster and add extra shine.
- The last step is to let it air dry for at least 1-2 hours.
If it’s your first time applying nail polish at home, it can be a learning curve but I guarantee you it’ll get easier!
How to Use Olive and June Nail Polish Remover
To use the Olive & June nail polish remover, just dip your finger into the center of the pot and twist. Keep twisting until the polish is completely removed.
I don’t know about you, but I go through so many tissues and also occasional nail polish remover spills when using a typical polish remover bottle. So I think this is seriously a game changer.
Where to Buy
Here are a few places you can buy it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Olive and June nail polish non toxic?
Yes, Olive and June nail polish is nontoxic. It’s 7-free and 15-free so it’s free from the toxic chemicals found in many other nail polish brands.
Is Olive and June 7 free?
It’s not only 7 free but it’s 15 free. It’s one of the safest nail polish you can use.
So, wondering what ingredients are inside? The ingredient list is proprietary but we know that it’s free from Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, Toluene, DBP, ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, Camphor, Triphenyl Phosphate, Acetone, Animal-Derived Ingredients, Bisphenol-A, Nonylphenol Ethoxylate, Parabens, and Sulfate.
Does Olive and June nail polish last?
Yes, it’s very long-lasting, especially their long-lasting polish formulas. In my experience, they last me 10 days if I apply 2-3 thin coats plus a top coat.
How quickly does Olive and June dry?
For the quick dry formulas, they dry within 1 minute but you’ll need to wait close to 1 hour before they fully harden.
Does Olive and June smell?
I was shocked that Olive and June smelled a lot less strong compared to conventional nail polish brands. It does still have the typical nail polish smell but I’m guessing the smell is more subtle because it’s made without toxic chemicals.
Is Olive and June regular nail polish?
Olive and June is considered regular nail polish because you apply them just like regular nail polish and you need to let it air dry. It won’t dry under a UV light. However, I’d say it’s much more durable and long-lasting compared to typical regular nail polish brands.
Where is Olive and June nail polish made?
Olive and June nail polish is designed in Los Angeles and is made in South Korea. The founder is Sarah Gibson Tuttle.
Is it like gel polish?
Olive and June nail polish is not gel polish. The application is unlike gel polish because you don’t use a UV light to let it dry within seconds. Gel polish also lasts longer. However, it’s still very durable and much longer lasting than traditional nail polishes.
At home, I still like to use Olive and June polishes over gel polishes because it’s much easier to take off and doesn’t have toxic ingredients.
In fact, it’s so good I even included it in this best non-toxic nail polish & gel polish post.
Is Olive and June worth it?
100% yes, Olive and June is worth it. It checks all my boxes – being relatively affordable, non-toxic, fast drying, and long lasting. If it’s your first time trying Olive and June, I recommend just buying one polish color to test it out. If you end up liking it a lot, you can even upgrade to The Mani System.
That’s a wrap on this blog post of my honest olive and june nail polish review!
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