The Facts about my nails:
Size: Long nail beds
Shape; I like them short and clean-edged
Nail Health: My nails are quite healthy and resilient!
Scotch Natural Nail Polish Price:
Scotch Naturals Velvet Kilt - $15.50CDN
Scotch Naturals Blood & Sand - $15.50CDN
Scotch Naturals Base coat - $15.50CDN
Scotch Naturals Top coat - $15.50CDN
Scotch Naturals Nail polish remover is $11.50CDN
Nail prep: Jojoba oil $10CDN
Total I spent on this kit: about $80 CDN
I purchased the nail polish remover, top coat, base coat and two colors from my local community health food store. I purchased the kit because I had done research on toxins in nail polishes and thought this would be a great alternative to the typical 'top 3, 4 or 5 free', which are polishes made with less chemicals like formaldehyde resin. Everything was marketed to be toxin free. And how cute is the packaging? I love the sleek simplicity of the labels and beautiful nail polish remover in a glass spray bottle. You can proudly display these lovely bottles (excuse my well-loved nail polish remover in the picture!)!
I started my Scotch Naturals manicure by reading the instructions thoroughly. I started with the jojoba oil and buffed my nails and gave them a good wash to get rid of the residue and left over oil. I then started with the base coat which dried almost opaque matte white. Then came the color - I started with the first layer of "velvet kilt" which was quite opaque. I followed up with a second coat and let it dry - it dried to a matte finish. I followed up with the top coat which looked a bit white when you started to apply it but dried clear - it left my nails nice and shiny - but not a high gloss shine you typically see in your regular top coat.
I found the nail polish to not have the 'chemical' smell that sometimes can be irritating from other nail polishes. I literally had to smell to bottle to get any sort of scent to it, and really I couldn't smell anything specific or irritating in the product. I found all layers of the polish to dry quickly and completely dry within 5 minutes - although they recommend over night to complete curing.
The nail polish remover was very different than any other remover I've tried. You spray it on your nails and let it set - the remover itself is an oil. Within a few minutes you can use an orange stick and peels away the polish. I recommend you spray your nails sufficiently where you have descent layer and let it set for 5 mins - this will make the removal process easier. The remove itself smelled like beans straight from a can - a good sign of a natural product I think! The remover on it's own can be used on regular polish - but it does take a little longer to work.
Results:
I was very excited to try scotch nail polish - especially since I invested in the entire system. The color selection is great - and you can find something for every occasion in their collection. This being a non-toxic product I thought was a great alternative to regular nail polishes out there even the 'top 3, 4 or 5 free' which still carry many chemicals which can be harmful. Below are the results of wearing "velvet kilt" for 4 days.
What about the other color you ask? Well, I found the formula to vary depending on the color. On my nails, the "Blood and Sand" red did not chip as much but did wear around the edges. Where as the "Velvet Kilt" wore out quickly and chipped within a day or two. The base and top coat did a descent job but you can tell in the pictures that by day 4 the shine from the top coat is nearly non-existent. After a few months, base coat dried out(keep in mind our climate is really dry),
I would recommend this polish if you're an occasional nail polish wearer that is looking for a natural alternative to use on special occasions. If you are an avid polish wearer like myself I would not recommend this product for you unless you are set on using a water-based polish and are willing to give yourself a manicure every 3-5 days. The one positive to this would be you can always try new colors, and you don't need to worry about drying out your nails with the nail polish remover as it's very hydrating and so is the jojoba oil used to prep the nail for the polish.
Final Rating:
Over-all Rating: 2.5 / 5 | Usability: 2 / 5 | Packaging: 5 / 5 | Value: 2 / 5 |