Perfection is Possible – Perfect Formula Nail Care Review
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The classics are always in style with this high end line.
photos: we heart this
Duochoromes, flakies, glitters, crackle coats…the world of nail color has blown up in the last few years and for nail junkies like myself, it is a blessing and a curse. I love being able to experiment with new styles, but the struggle to keep up can be overwhelming. (REALLY, do we really need yet ANOTHER “must-have” color of the year already?!)
What do you do when you just want a good solid color with lasting power, without all the bells and whistles? Well, I learned that’s when you turn to Perfect Formula.
Perfect Formula is a luxury nail care line for those who want strong and healthy nails, as well as great color with even coverage. In addition to a core line of Classic Nail Polish shades Perfect formula offers a select range of seasonal colors to keep things interesting.
But what they are really known for is their correcting and nourishing formulas for nails that could use some help, such as their Pink Gel Coat ($30), a protein enriched clear nail coating which provides strength and protection for even the weakest and brittlest of nails.
And did I mention everything is 4-Free? (No formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene OR formaldehyde resin.) Plus Perfect Formula products boast an “Instant Strength Technology” that includes keratin and calcium to add immediate strength and thickness to your nails.
I was able to try two Perfect Formula polishes; a seasonal nail color in Avant Gray and their best-selling My Favorite Top Coat.
Avant Gray ($15) is a classic steel gray that began as the “It” color of 2010 and slowly fought its way back to beat out all the greiges that descended on the scene in 2011. It’s a dark, striking neutral that is a bit more wearable than a true black.
Classic Collection Nail Polish in Stiletto
The formula of this polish is indeed ‘perfect’ and it applies like a dream – only two coats and I got a perfect (there’s that word again) manicure with lovely even coverage. The brush is long and thin, a plus for those of you with smaller nail beds and who hate the fatter “professional” width brushes.
However, the real champ of Perfect Formula is My Favorite Topcoat ($18). It truly lives up to its name; I was super impressed in its shine and fast-drying formula.
Between the nail color and My Favorite Topcoat, I got SIX days of wear out of my manicure which is unheard of for me. (I’m a bit *ahem* rough on my hands.)
I didn’t get quite as much wear when I used the topcoat on a manicure with other polishes, so I think there is definitely a one-two punch in the Perfect Color and My Favorite Topcoat combo. I didn’t see an immediate increase in my nails strength, but I have pretty strong nails as it is. I am really excited to hear what the other testers thought and see if maybe our ladies with more brittle nails saw an improvement.
Classic Collection Nail Polish in Pashmina
The only real drawback of Perfect Formula is that the selection of colors are a bit limited, and overall the line is pricey. Perfect Formula runs about 2 to 3 times more than I normally pay for nail color and care. Though the bottles are slightly bigger than normal (.57 oz versus the standard .5 oz for OPI or China Glaze) and it is a luxury line.
Pros:
• High shine
• Easy application
• Even coverage
• Long-wearing color
• Big 4 Free
• Crazy strong topcoat
Cons:
• Limited color choices
• Pricey
Overall, the formula and application are stunners. And there is something to be said for a company that focuses on the quality of their products and not just jumping on the latest trends.
we heartsters – are your nails perfectly happy with the Perfect Formula collection of color and correctives?
Alyssa is kinda geeky, kinda girly and all the way in love with her cowboy husband who can say words like, “ornery” with a straight face. She live in Texas and is working on her Masters, being a good cook and the art of looking cute in the morning AND being on time for work. Visit her blog Kind of a Mess.
Disclosure: This review includes products that were provided by the manufacturer/PR firm for our consideration. It also contains an affiliate link, a link that gives us a small commission if you purchase the item. For more info, or any questions, please see our disclosure policy.
I’ve never heard of Perfect Formula before today, and, wow, six days of wear is mighty impressive! I’m also interested to read what the weaker nailed (like me) reviewers think of this line, @lyssachelle .
I hadn’t heard of them either, but I’m glad I know them now! :-) I was surprised at the six days of wear too, that NEVER happens with me…
I agree–I’m a little tired of the “must have” nail colors. It’s nail color–do what you want! :) I’m impressed with your 6 days of wear, @lyssachelle, but am bummed it only really worked when you used the combo of topcoat and nail polish from Perfect Formula (it’s a bit too pricey for me!) I’m really hard on my hands too, so it’s tough finding polish that won’t chip by the next day or two!
I will also say that the topcoat has proved pretty powerful with my other polishes too, but not six days powerful. I’d consider the topcoat a good investment and the other polishes a nice bonus if you find a color you love. (I’m WAY too fickle in my polish needs to stick to one brand, no matter how great!)
I tried Pashmina and adored it! I usually rock wildly painted toes in an effort to express myself since I can’t wear it on my hands. Aside from working in a conservative environment, I also have stubby little nails and I’ve never really grown them. Pashmina is such a soft, natural pink that I can wear it on my stubby nails to make them appear healthier and more, uh, polished. I also like this for my toes in between my wild colors, stripes and glitter–a little conservative downtime–like driving the Volvo while the Lamborghini takes a break.
This polish goes on smooth, dries rather quickly, the color is forgiving of mistakes, and best of all, it wears a good long while before chipping (that’s a week for stubby-nails-me). 5 stars.
“like driving the Volvo while the Lamborghini takes a break.”
I love this! And the toe idea is perfect, polish always lasts WAY longer for me on my toenails and I think this is the perfect vacation polish to keep a pedicure looking fresh.
So glad you liked it too!
I am LOVING Perfect Formula! First up, I got to try Stiletto, the bright and beautiful shade shown on my fingers above. It’s red, but now your typical red as it’s a bit pink. But beautiful and very fancy none the less. The consistency is heaven, not too thin, not too thick. 2 coats = perfection.
But what I’m really gaga for is the Pink Gel Coat. It couldn’t have come at a better time, I got a gel manicure recently. Which was fab, until I removed it and my nails were a weak mess. The Pink Gel Coat instantly strengthens my nails. Way more so than just a regular top coat. It’s thick but dries quickly, and you can actually see that you’re adding a layer of strength to your nails. It’s simple, I wear this and my nails don’t break. $30 is kind of ouchy, but not a terrible price to pay if you have problem nails.
5 stars from me, both products are a hit!
I’m so glad to hear that about the Pink Gel Coat! Did it give your nails a nice tint too? My nails are pretty strong naturally and with my prenatal vitamins now they are crazy indestructible. However, I’d love to give them a rest every now and then but still have a nice protective coat for shine; not currently possible because they are yellow from over-polishing. A healthy slight tint would be perfect…
This is a five star product for me! When I first wrote this review, I thought maybe it’d be four stars just based on the price, but since my top coat bottle is nearly empty, I’m obviously using it a lot and it’s worth the extra star!
I have never heard of this brand and was instantly hooked by seeing the beautiful Pashmina color!
The top coat sounds like an investment, but if you are conserving polish, why not? The Pink Gel Coat sounds amazing and just what I need.
I would love to give this line a try!
The Classic Collection Nail Polish in Pashmina has my number as does My Favorite Topcoat. I love neutural colors and that looks great! The cost seems a bit high in my opinion but if it works that does help when shelling out the cash!
I love the two colors above, and I haven’t heard of this brand up until now. The bright red would look great on my toes! Plus the staying power would be a plus since my feet don’t get color changes as quickly as my hands. I will have to give these a try!
I love the three colors above, it looks simple in your nails but elegant. I never tried Perfect Formula Nail Care but I will have some try of this. Thanks!