There are a few things that I look for in a good nail polish; gorgeous colours, even application and a long-lasting formula among them. As a proud (ok, slightly ashamed) owner of more than 60 bottles of nail polish for my personal use, I would also say that I am relatively expert on the subject. It was therefore with great interest that we received a selection of nail polishes from Colombian brand TOY (“Two Of You”) who have recently launched in SA, with four new shades to trial and the “Diamond Cocktail” topcoat. I’ve put them through their paces and here’s what you need to know:
The shade range is gorgeous – there are 29 colours available in South Africa at R99 each, with new shades being introduced every couple of months. The selection ranges from vivid brights to more muted neutrals, along with some that have shimmer, glitter and duo-chrome finishes.
The brand is earth- and human-friendly – TOY products are not tested on animals, free from commonly used toxic ingredients including formaldehyde, toluene, camphor and acetone, the bottles are made from recycled glass and the packaging from bleach free craft paper.
It’s very quick-drying – they claim that the first coat dries in 50 seconds and the second coat in 90 seconds. I couldn’t be bothered to count the seconds but I can say that it is genuinely quick-drying and that’s a huge thing for me. I used the Diamond Cocktail topcoat over one layer of polish (see below) and it was touch dry within a minute and completely non-tacky within five. This is seriously impressive, as I can usually only achieve this with a combination of quick drying drops and sealing spray.
The formula is opaque in one coat – I tried Turquesa, a vibrant jungle green, and it went on fully opaque and streak free in one coat. I know plenty of premium brand polishes that can’t say the same, plus it’s great for girls on the go – we don’t all have time for a full four-coat manicure!
The top coat is brilliant – Shiny. Quick-drying. Hard wearing. What more do you want?
It’s long lasting – I wore the polish (only one layer + base and top coat) and the first TINY chip only appeared on day five, which is longer than usual (I go four days max without a chip, and that’s always with at least two coats of colour). They say it should last eight days but to be honest, I think that’s a pipe dream, unless you’re a lady who lunches.
Final score: 8/10, with points deducted for price (I think nail polish in general is overpriced, although TOY is certainly good quality) and availability (I wish it was more widely distributed but they’re still new so this isn’t a deal breaker for me).
For stockists and more about re-selling TOY to your friends, read this. You can also follow TOY South Africa on Twitter and Facebook where they post regular updates and promotions.