I Hate Painting My Nails—but These Strengthening, Sheer Polishes Changed My Mind

Since I was a child, I could never paint my nails. Too impatient, too antsy—I’d get polish all over my fingers and my desk, then immediately mess them up before they were fully dry. It’s why I’ve almost exclusively used press-on nails or gotten gel manicures since I was 15. But that impatience has bled into hating sitting at a nail salon, and constant press-ons have made my nails brittle and unhealthy. Bare nails are fine, but I love a little something. That’s when I tried the Manucurist Active Glow range.They’re basically a sheer manicure in a bottle, albeit with loads of strengthening ingredients to make your nails healthier over time. It’s both a nail strengthener and a chic polish, all in one. “I’m all about clean, quick, and easy when it comes to my nails these days, and nothing is cleaner and easier to use than the Manucurist Active line,” says beauty director Lauren Balsamo. “For a sheer, “quiet luxury” look, I file my nails, push back and trim my cuticles, and then do one layer of Active Smooth to camouflage ridges and then one more of Active Plump in the iridescent pink shade to create a super soft glazed effect.”Let me break down why exactly we love it, a few cons to keep an eye out for, and the before and after when I used them on my own nails.Jump to:ApplicationThe shades and formulasProsConsBefore and after resultsWhy trust Cosmopolitan?ApplicationBefdore I apply my Manucurist Active Glow Polish, I groom my nails meticulously. Sheer manicures look best on hydrated, healthy hands. So I o a whole at-home manicure: wash my hands, exfoliate, clean up my cuticles, buff my nails, shape and file them to my liking—the whole nine.Then, I immediately go in with the Active Polish on bare nails. I stick with two coats—enough to build up the color or shimmer a lil bit, but not so much that it feels thick on my nails.The shades and formulasThe Active line is just that: a whole line of different formulas for different needs. Let me break them all down:Manucurist Active Plump Collagen-Infused Nail PolishInfused with collagen and peach extracts to help plump up your nails so they look firmer and brighter. Comes in two shades: a shimmery light pink and a milky light blue.Manucurist Active Glow Nail PolishGives nails an ultra-glossy finish with almond oil and fruit extracts. Comes in four shades: a coral pink, a cool pink, bright lilac, and bright coral.Manucurist Active Bright Nail Concealer and Nail BrightenerDubbed as a “nail concealer” to help hide nail discoloration while strengthening nails in a milky, white color.Manucurist Active Shine Nail PolishGives your nails a super shiny, shimmery finish as it strengthens and moisturizes nails.Manucurist Active Smooth Nail ConcealerHelps fill in ridges, smooth out nails, and conceal discoloration in four milky, sheer shades: beige, light pink, tan, and chocolate brown.Manucurist Active Blur Strengthening Nail PolishBlurs and smoothes your nails with a powder-pink, satin color.Beth Gillette for CosmopolitanProsIt is so easy to paint on. Because these are essentially clear, painting them on your nails is super easy, even if you’re challenged with a brush (me). There’s also no base coat or top coat necessary, which really speeds up the whole process.Oh, and they dry super quick. Necessary for me, a person who cannot sit still.They’re pretty long-lasting. I get two really good days with this polish, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but really is for me. I am extremely hard on my nails, so even gel polish will only last me about five days without chips. To get two full days of this polish looking good is a feat for me. Balsamo, though, notes that it looks good on her for three to four. That said...“It’s barely noticeable when it starts to chip or fade,” says Balsamo, because the shades are so sheer that it just blends in with your nails. Long term, it’s actually healthy for your nails. Each polish in the line has different strengthening, hydrating, smoothing, and repairing ingredients depending on which you choose. They make my nails look so healthy and glowy with only one or two coats. If you love a sheer manicure, like soap nails or bb cream nails, these are perfect for achieving that look without hitting the salon.Add Cosmopolitan as a preferred source in your Google search results.Use your Google account to add this to your settings.ConsAt $19 for one bottle, it’s a little expensive. Albeit, that’s a lot less than I’d spend getting even one manicure at the salon, so it nets out.Some of the shades look better on my nails than others. This is all about skin tone and nail type, though. Some of the bright pinky shades look a bit off on my nails, but when I see them on Balsamo or other people, they look great. It might take some trial and error to figure out which shades work best for you.Before and after resultsBeth Gillette for CosmopolitanMy nails have looked better, but they’re not terrible right now. I love the soft shimmer of the Active Plump polish. It’s almost like a chrome rather than a chunky glitter. The soft pink color is also precious (I’ve tried the blue too and loved that for summer).Why trust Cosmopolitan? Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with eight years of experience researching, writing, and editing hair, makeup, nail, and fragrance stories.Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.