Fab Find of the Week: Manucurist Active nail range
January is famously a time of detox. And so here’s a range to help detox your nails, both in terms of how they look – groomed, elegant, understated – and more natural formulations, with it.
We’re used to claims that products are 3-free, 7-free, 9-free, even 12-free. But it’s also about what is in a formula, not just the nasties that a brand leaves out. Manucurist – a French brand – avoids petrochemicals in favour of plant-derived ingredients, from sugar cane, cotton, yuca and corn. They’re chemicals, yes – but so’s water, come to that, and these replace their known toxic ‘relatives’. And – trust us – without sacrificing anything, in terms of performance. Au contraire, these perform absolutely beautifully.
So, while Manucurist has dozens and dozes of coloured polishes in their line-up, we love the like-your-nails-but-better results that the Manucurist Active range delivers. The ‘Active’ refers to nail-boosting ingredients in the formulations, and they should be worn on bare, ideally buffed nails rather than combined with a coloured polish.
Active Bright, for instance, lifts the appearance of dull nails, while nourishing with an 80% plant-based formula that includes lemon, AHAs and vitamin E. Brush on for what they accurately describe as a healthy glow and a ‘veil of light’ – honestly, a great description.
Active Smooth – this is the one for ridged and uneven nails. (We have those; it’s an age thing.) It smooths out the surface, creating a flawless-looking finish, while protecting against knocks. Love this!
Active Shine has a teeny-tiny hint of a glittery pink tint – not in the least disco dazzling, but catches the light flatteringly.
Active Glow – we have already raved about the original shade of this sheer, slightly tinted polish, here. (Think of it as the manicure equivalent of a tinted lip balm). Well, now it’s available in a slightly deeper pink translucent shade, Blueberry – still incredibly natural-looking, though. Wear it on bare nails for a really healthy-looking finish, thanks to that subtle tint.
And all of these air-dry in seconds, too – no wafting your hands around, to avoid smudging, allowing you to be… well, active.
Active Bright/£16 for 15ml – buy here
Active Smooth/£16 for 15ml – buy here
Active Shine/£16 for 15ml – buy here
Active Glow/£16 for 15ml – buy here