Consumer Reports: Longest lasting nail polish

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Consumer Reports determined what nail polishes last longest in its latest report. Chanel, the most expensive, chipped quickly, while Sinful Colors lasted more than seven days.

The nail color industry has enjoyed stellar growth in the past few years, as women head to salons for specialty services like gel manicures and pedicures. But for a simple nail color change, women prefer to do it themselves.

Consumer Reports tested polishes for its ShopSmart magazine to find the longest lasting nail polishes.

A beautiful manicure is a great finishing touch to your look. But it loses its glamor when it starts to chip.

Consumer Reports tested seven nail polishes, including several that claim to last a long time. All were applied with a base and top coat if the brand had one.

Ten panelists tried the disguised polishes at home, while ten panelists received a series of professional manicures, with different polishes on alternating nails. Those were checked at seven, ten and 14 days.

This Chanel polish is the most expensive tested $27 for the color plus another $52 for the base and top coat. But it chipped so quickly, most of the home panelists removed it early.

"It chipped the next day," Jessica Vecchiano said, "even with a top coat and a base coat."

Which are the hands-down favorites? Surprisingly, a $2 polish available at Walgreens Sinful Colors came out on top. The base and top coat together are just $8. The polish still looked good after seven days, but it took slightly longer to dry than others.

Another winning polish $10 CND Vinylux Weekly Polish lived up to its name, still looking good after a week. It doesn't need a base coat, and the top coat is $10.

Also a favorite, a $6 Revlon polish promises to last 11 days, and still looked okay when checked on day ten.

"It went on really smooth, and they looked really nice," Jennifer Frost said. "I felt like I had a real manicure." The Revlon base and top coat were $13.

So to keep your nails looking their best, pick a polish that lasts.

If you want a quick manicure and don't have time for the whole base coat, top coat routine, Consumer Reports found some one-step polishes that looked pretty good at the end of a week. They're Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure for $7 and Covergirl Outlast for $5.

All Consumer Reports Material Copyright 2008. Consumers Union of U.S. Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Consumer Reports is a not for profit organization which accepts no advertising. It has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor on this site. For more information visit consumerreports.org.