Olive & June Long Lasting Nail Polish

I first picked up Olive & June polish at Target during one of those "I need something quick" shopping trips, and I'll admit I was skeptical. Could a cleaner nail polish formula from a mainstream brand really compete with the conventional polishes I'd been using for years? Spoiler: it absolutely can.

Olive & June's Long Lasting formula is what they call "15-free," meaning it excludes 15 potentially harmful ingredients commonly found in conventional nail polishes. These include the well-known "toxic trio" (formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate), plus 12 additional ingredients like parabens, xylene, and camphor.

What impressed me most wasn't just what they left out—it was that they didn't sacrifice performance to get there. The polish is also vegan and certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny, which matters if you're trying to align your beauty routine with your values.

I tested three shades over the course of six weeks—a classic red, a dusty rose, and a neutral beige. Here's what I found:

The gel-like finish is real. You get that glossy, salon-quality shine without needing a UV lamp or gel removal process. I typically got 7-9 days of wear before seeing significant tip wear, which is honestly better than I get with most conventional polishes. One coat gave sheer coverage; two coats provided full opacity.

The wide "Poppy" brush is a game-changer if you have wider nail beds or struggle with precision. It covers more surface area in fewer strokes, which means less streaking and fewer mistakes. That said, if you have very narrow nails, you might find yourself needing more control than this brush offers.

Drying time was average—not lightning-fast, but not torturously slow either. I gave each coat about 2-3 minutes before applying the next layer, then waited 10-15 minutes before resuming normal hand use.

Let me be clear about what "15-free" actually means. This isn't a completely non-toxic product—nail polish requires solvents and film-formers to work, and those chemicals aren't risk-free. What Olive & June has done is remove the ingredients with the most concerning safety data.

Olive & June's formula still contains ethyl acetate and butyl acetate—solvents that are generally recognized as safer alternatives but can still cause irritation with prolonged exposure. I always apply polish in a well-ventilated room.

This is where Olive & June really shines for accessibility. At around $10 per bottle, you can find it at Target, CVS, Walmart, and Amazon. Compare that to brands like Ella+Mila or Côte, which typically run $10-15 and are harder to find in physical stores.

The shade range is extensive—over 200 colors at last count—from classic reds and nudes to trendy seasonal shades.

The fan brush genuinely changes the application process. The wider surface area means you can often get full coverage in 2-3 strokes instead of 4-5. This reduces the risk of streaks and bubbles.

However, if you have narrow nail beds or need precision around your cuticles, you might find yourself doing more cleanup.

I consistently got 7-9 days of wear before I wanted to remove the polish due to tip wear. Chipping was minimal with a top coat. Removal was straightforward with standard acetone-free remover.

Olive & June sits in a sweet spot: cleaner than conventional drugstore brands, more accessible than premium boutique options, and genuinely effective at delivering salon-quality results. If you're standing in the nail polish aisle wondering whether cleaner formulas can actually work, Olive & June is a low-risk way to find out.

I first picked up Olive & June polish at Target during one of those "I need something quick" shopping trips, and I'll admit I was skeptical. Could a cleaner nail polish formula from a mainstream brand really compete with the conventional polishes I'd been using for years? Spoiler: it absolutely can.

Olive & June's Long Lasting formula is what they call "15-free," meaning it excludes 15 potentially harmful ingredients commonly found in conventional nail polishes. These include the well-known "toxic trio" (formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate), plus 12 additional ingredients like parabens, xylene, and camphor.

What impressed me most wasn't just what they left out—it was that they didn't sacrifice performance to get there. The polish is also vegan and certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny, which matters if you're trying to align your beauty routine with your values.

I tested three shades over the course of six weeks—a classic red, a dusty rose, and a neutral beige. Here's what I found:

The gel-like finish is real. You get that glossy, salon-quality shine without needing a UV lamp or gel removal process. I typically got 7-9 days of wear before seeing significant tip wear, which is honestly better than I get with most conventional polishes. One coat gave sheer coverage; two coats provided full opacity.

The wide "Poppy" brush is a game-changer if you have wider nail beds or struggle with precision. It covers more surface area in fewer strokes, which means less streaking and fewer mistakes. That said, if you have very narrow nails, you might find yourself needing more control than this brush offers.

Drying time was average—not lightning-fast, but not torturously slow either. I gave each coat about 2-3 minutes before applying the next layer, then waited 10-15 minutes before resuming normal hand use.

Let me be clear about what "15-free" actually means. This isn't a completely non-toxic product—nail polish requires solvents and film-formers to work, and those chemicals aren't risk-free. What Olive & June has done is remove the ingredients with the most concerning safety data.

Olive & June's formula still contains ethyl acetate and butyl acetate—solvents that are generally recognized as safer alternatives but can still cause irritation with prolonged exposure. I always apply polish in a well-ventilated room.

This is where Olive & June really shines for accessibility. At around $10 per bottle, you can find it at Target, CVS, Walmart, and Amazon. Compare that to brands like Ella+Mila or Côte, which typically run $10-15 and are harder to find in physical stores.

The shade range is extensive—over 200 colors at last count—from classic reds and nudes to trendy seasonal shades.

The fan brush genuinely changes the application process. The wider surface area means you can often get full coverage in 2-3 strokes instead of 4-5. This reduces the risk of streaks and bubbles.

However, if you have narrow nail beds or need precision around your cuticles, you might find yourself doing more cleanup.

I consistently got 7-9 days of wear before I wanted to remove the polish due to tip wear. Chipping was minimal with a top coat. Removal was straightforward with standard acetone-free remover.

Olive & June sits in a sweet spot: cleaner than conventional drugstore brands, more accessible than premium boutique options, and genuinely effective at delivering salon-quality results. If you're standing in the nail polish aisle wondering whether cleaner formulas can actually work, Olive & June is a low-risk way to find out.