Product Review: American Apparel Nail Lacquer



Holy windy Wednesday afternoon! No sooner had I jokingly complained about how good weather distracts me from my work on Twitter than it began to pour and howl outside. But even the sudden wind and rain couldn't bring me down. After all, my evening plans included yoga class and doing my nails. Last weekend I'd bought three new American Apparel nail polishes ($7.50 each or 3 for $18) in Berries, L Esprit, and Peacock and I couldn't wait to try them.

I chose L Esprit for my first AA mani and so far I have only good things to report. The formula is very thick and opaque compared to other polishes like Butter London so one coat was more than enough. However, it does dry quickly to a creamy smooth finish with a bit of shine to it.

Overall, I like how the entire line contains on-trend shades and the polishes are true to colour and not shimmery. (I'm very picky about shimmer these days.) I'm also a fan of the bottle's sleek rectangular shape, which holds as much polish as a round OPI bottle but doesn't take up as much space. Like many higher-end brands, the formula is free of DBP, toluene, and formaldehyde, but AA's more affordable price point makes it easy to stock up on cool colours. I'm not sure how long this mani will last, but if it's comparable to polishes I've used in the past I may have to return for a few more.

Have you tried AA's nail polish? Do you have any favourite brands or colours you swear by? What do you like doing on a dark and stormy night to relax?

20 comments

  1. I have yet to try the AA polish... but on this windy night I painted my nails a lovely spring shade of Essie polish.

    Butter Londen is one of my favourite polishes - such a great finish!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've never tried the AA polish.. and I don't have favorite brands yet. It's difficult to me find one that last a lot, but I love red and derivatives, and some more darker.

    xxx
    - Laura

    ReplyDelete
  3. OH, I didn't even know AA carried nail polishes. I might give it a try if I find the right color. I usually like Essie , Opi and Sally Nail polishes.

    Have a lovely day!
    xx
    Mimi

    ReplyDelete
  4. i did not know AA has nail polish! i love the peacock color. and my fave nail colors are my own private jet and malaga wine, both by opi.

    ReplyDelete
  5. i was wondering of these were any good so thanks for the review!
    I just painted my nails an electric blue from Sephora. I also have a deep red from Nicole that i LOVE.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, AA is a very affortable place. I like the middle color (El Esprit). It's clean and pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love their shades! I have the same blue as you, plus black and dark green, planning to buy lilac and possibly yellow very soon!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I usually stick to OPI, Essie and sometimes Chanel. I'm a creature of habit. HA!

    ReplyDelete
  9. love the affordable pricing. nice to be able to coordinate my nails with my AA jumpsuits for the summer!

    i must say i rarely buy nail polish though b/c i usually get my toes done and I rarely do my hands. OPI never fails me for quality although the shades are not as cutting edge. I've always wanted Chanel nail polish but i've never tried it. The shades look so delicious.

    nice bumping into you yesterday!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Haven't tried AA polish yet. My favourite brand is Spa Ritual. It's all natural and they have gorgeous colours.

    ReplyDelete
  11. your nails looked great at the stylespy fine finds event! love the lilac colour, it's so pretty :)

    every time I'm in american apparel, I keep forgetting about their nail polish! I'll have to make a note and remember the next time I go haha

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have yet to try these! I hope I can pick a few up sooon.

    ReplyDelete
  13. my fav brands are OPI and Chanel. : )

    ReplyDelete
  14. Aww no nail shots in action? I've been very curious about these polishes so it's great to hear that they're worth trying out!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I had no idea AA made nail polishes. Must check these out next time! I fluctuate between the classics (Chanel, Dior) and supermarket brands, because particular brands do stock colors I can't find elsewhere. Know what you mean about the shimmer factor... there's a fine line that can make those look tacky.

    ReplyDelete
  16. ohh nice! i gotta try this! : ) love the shades

    ReplyDelete
  17. havent heard of this line! love the blue shade though :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for the review. I definitely want to check out the polishes at AA. It's a good price point.

    My favorite brands are Essie and OPI but I have recently discovered butter LONDON and Cheeky Monkey.

    ReplyDelete
  19. hey i just bought 3 of these to try lately too! i think they're like etsie and opi in terms of nice shades but the finish is not as smooth as those brands. still, it's a good deal and i like the colors a lot!

    ReplyDelete

Back to Top