We Tested 22 White Nail Polishes — These Are the 10 Best

Best Overall

Static Nails Liquid Glass Lacquer in Elixir

View On Staticnails.com

Staying true to its name, this Static Nails lacquer looks like liquid glass on nails, leaving a bright, polished manicure on an array of skin tones. One of our testers was amazed at the opaque coverage that was thin enough to layer as needed. “It’s salon-quality, shiny, and doesn’t chip off right away,” they say. Not everyone is a nail polish expert, so the rounded brush makes it easy to apply even coats without the color flooding onto your cuticles. One coat leaves a true white color on nails, but it can look streaky if not followed up with a second coat. The long-wear abilities and bright color make this polish shine above the rest, and when paired with the brand’s primer and top coat, you’ll have a flawless salon-quality manicure for a fraction of the cost.

Size: 0.4 fl. oz. | Finish: Opaque Shine | Certifications: 8-free, Vegan, Cruelty-free

Best Value

Essie Nail Polish in Blanc

View On Amazon $8 View On Ulta $10 View On Walgreens $10

Essie polish has a special place in my heart for its low-cost selections that don’t skimp out on quality. This specific shade is the whitest of whites from the brand, creating an extremely opaque surface that isn’t sheer in the slightest. “The polish applied smoothly and evenly, but the first coat was slightly streaky,” says one tester. The streakiness disappears with a second coat, and leaves your nails with a full, rich white hue. Dry time is also speedy compared to other polishes: According to our testers, their nails were fully dry in 20 minutes. “I always press on my nail polish to determine if it’s dry, and I pressed very hard, but there was no residual imprint in the polish,” one tester says. The only downside is that Essie polishes tend to get goopy over time. To avoid this, it’s essential to store it upright — doing so will prolong its lifespan.

Size: 0.46 fl. oz. | Finish: Opaque Shine | Certifications: 8-free, Vegan

Best Splurge

Dazzle Dry Nail Lacquer in White Lightning

View On Amazon $22 View On Dazzledry.com

Dazzle Dry is an AAPI-owned brand that prides itself on its quick drying polish formulas — and the lightning-fast dry time is what initially caught the attention of our testers. “I dried my nails for 30 minutes but noticed it completely dried at around the 20-minute mark,” one of our testers says. Since the lacquer applies smoothly, the dry time is faster than thicker polishes. This quality, thin formula, along with the slight curve of the brush, makes for a streak-free application, notes anther tester, “The polish applied with minimal streaking, and the second coat was completely opaque.” If you want a bright yet neutral manicure that won’t clash with a bright-colored or patterned outfit, White Lightning is the shade to grab. Just keep in mind that because this polish is semi-matte, you’ll need to apply a top coat if you want a glossy finish.

Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Finish: Opaque Semi-Matte | Certifications: 10-free, Vegan, Cruelty-free

Best Sheer

d.i.d. Nail Paint in Clean Slate

View On Getyournailsdid.com

Sheer polishes can still pack a lot of pigment, and that’s especially important with white lacquers because otherwise, they’ll look like a clear top coat. d.i.d Founder Adrienne Blanks created the ideal milky polish after years as a licensed nail tech. Aptly named, Clean Slate is a thin polish that dries quickly, and accentuates the natural nail. “Because it isn’t thick, the polish applied evenly, and dried in 15 minutes,” one tester says. As with most lacquers, at least two coats are needed to get the full-color effect; and while this shade is considered white, it has more of a yellow-gray tint, according to one tester.

Size: 0.4 fl. oz. | Finish: Sheer Shine | Certifications: 5-free, Vegan

Best Glossy

Essie Nail Polish in Marshmallow

View On Amazon $9 View On Ulta $10 View On Walgreens $10

One of the more sheer white polishes on this list, this shade is very elegant, and according to one tester, “extremely flattering.” The brand describes this color as a “cloudy light white” — and that’s precisely what it is. “The polish is shiny, and the shade isn’t too stark,” notes our tester. Since it’s on the sheerer side, streakiness is expected, but it evens out after two to three coats. This neutral shade still packs a lot of pigment with a subtle hue, making it an excellent color for when you’re indecisive, but want something on your nails. The first coat leaves a milky finish, while the second and third coats create a glossy manicure that is the best neutral color for a classy look. Because of how glossy the polish is, you can skip a top coat as this lacquer packs a lot of shine on its own.

Size: 0.46 fl. oz. | Finish: Glossy Sheer | Certifications: 8-free, Vegan

Best Pearlescent

Taupe Coat Nail Polish in Pearlie

View On Blkgrn.com

Thanks to Hailey Bieber, glazed donut nails are the mani of the moment. Luckily, you don’t need to go to the salon or drop a ton of money to replicate the look — all you need is a pearlescent polish, like Pearlie from Taupe Coat. The Black-owned brand, founded by Bethany JP, focuses on small-batch, vegan formulation, and keeps quality top of mind. This sheer polish is buildable, allowing you to customize the final look. “With three coats you can get a light, milky color with an iridescent finish,” says one tester. She notes that the formula does take a bit longer to dry, and still felt tacky after 20 minutes. To speed up the drying process, try adding Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Nail Coat on top.

Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Finish: Milky Sheer | Certifications: 10-free, Vegan, Cruelty-free

Best Opaque

Olive & June Nail Polish in HD

View On Oliveandjune.com View On Target $9 View On Walgreens $10

If you want an opaque white mani, you’ll want to use HD from Olive & June. Its smudge-free finish and thin consistency make for a smooth, professional-quality manicure without a high price tag. You’ll get a vibrant, snow-white color after two to three coats, with no streakiness in sight after the third. “The third coat applied a little bit thick, but it’s fully opaque and looks pretty smooth,” says our tester. The same tester notes that a topcoat will really take your nails to the next level and guarantees an even finish. “It doesn’t look goopy or streaky whatsoever on its own, but I think it needs a layer of topcoat to smooth and round out the whole look.” 

Since the lacquer layers well, it’s great to use when creating nail art, especially if you want to add swirls, stars, or zigzags to your look. It also looks beautiful on its own, and thanks to the neutral undertones, the polish works with just about every skin tone. Plus, here’s a fun fact: This polish is named after Haylie Duff, who, according to the brand, “lives for a white mani, so this polish had to be hers.”

Size: 0.46 fl. oz. | Finish: Opaque Shine | Certifications: 7-free, Vegan, Cruelty-free

Best Off-White

Auda B Beauty Mother Of La Pearls

View On Audabbeauty.com

When you think of off-white colors, creams or eggshells might come to mind, but try expanding your reach to shades that offer a little something extra — like metallic-flecked Mother of La Pearls from Auda B Beauty. This off-white shade is a fairy-like top coat that leaves an “ethereal look,” according to one tester. Pink pearlescent mica is added to the quick-drying formula to create a gleaming, metallic white. “A couple of coats were dry in no time,” our tester says. “I did a smudge test after 15 minutes and had no issue.”  Before applying, the brand recommends giving the bottle a good shake to swirl the iridescent goodness for the best application. The only thing we’d change is the brush: The slim size makes it difficult to apply a single coat without re-dipping several times.

Size: 0.3 fl. oz. | Finish: Metallic Sheer | Certifications: 10-free, Vegan, Cruelty-free

Best for French Tips

Zoya Nail Polish in Snow White

View On Amazon $10 View On Zoya.com

Through different nail trends — from line art to rhinestone decals, and 3D charms — one nail look stands the testament of time: The French tip. Content creator and nail tech extraordinaire Sonya Belakhlef is a huge fan of the French tip, and recommends taking your time when perfecting it at home. “There are so many variations on French [manis], so if you mess up, you can pivot and change the look,” she says. It’s such a classic design that you can’t be wasting your time on sheer white polishes that chip mere hours after painting, either. 

Zoya’s polish in the shade Snow White is our winner for creating the best French tip because of its thick formula that doesn’t need several coats to reach vibrancy, and the slim brush that makes application easy. “The polish is shiny, smooth, and even in texture,” notes our tester. That said, she also mentions that the dense formula takes longer to dry, but leaves behind a salon finish with a lasting shine. One downside is that the polish gets very clumpy as it gets closer to its expiration date, so be sure to use it up before it gets too old for the best quality.

Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Finish: Opaque Gloss | Certifications: 10-free, Vegan