I distinctly remember that I started wearing nail polish in 2nd grade. Clear nail polish, and it was not for fashion purposes; rather, my mom wanted me to stop biting my nails. Yes, a bad habit, but it is so hard to break. In middle school I stopped wearing nail polish. In high school, I brought that routine back to life, finding new and cute designs to try out. Since then, I’m always looking to try new brands and colors, thus I stumbled upon the e.l.f. Nail Polish in Red Velvet!

Apparently, this nail polish line from e.l.f. has not always been the same price: “Our Nail Polishes are back in stock and better than ever! Due to the new and improved formulation, the single nail polish price has increased to $2.”

e.l.f.’s website describes the nail polish as, “This color-lock formula with chip resistant shield gives long lasting color with high shine. The bristle design glides color on flawlessly, and quick dry formula gives perfect application every time. Key nutrients infused with Vitamin E for stronger, healthier nails. Our formula is FREE of: Toluene, Formaldehyde, and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).”

The bottle. Argh. Why is it such a weird shape. When I twist open and close the cap, it isn’t aligned unless I leave it loose (which I did not do otherwise the formula will dry out…) A normal circular twisty cap would be easier to handle and more practical, methinks. As for the nail polish itself, it looks a sparkly rich velvet darker red in the bottle, but when applied onto the nail, it appears brighter, not really true to it’s color. Smell was bearable, like a typical nail polish smell. The polish wasn’t clumpy or excessively drippy. Instead, the polish was smooth and easy to glide on, producing a really pretty color. I ended up applying two coats.

Here’s a snapshot of the nail polish formula with flash:

The longevity of this Red Velvet-ness lasted a good four days before it started to chip. (I did apply a clear base coat before and top coat after.) Then, I decided to use Cutex nail polish remover. It took several good firm rubbings to get nearly all the color off each nail, being a little harder to remove than some other nail polishes I’ve used. At least the red shade wasn’t too dark to begin with.

Love the texture and was surprised how precise I was able to apply the nail polish on with the brush without messing up. Sometimes, I get pretty messy with others due to my petite small-ish nails, but not with this one! Costs $2.00 here, and there are many other colors to choose from. Don’t depend on the swatches on the site. All in all, this bold Red Velvet is especially great for adding a festive splash for the holiday season!

Score: 4/5

Disclaimer: A product sample was provided to me for reviewing purposes only. All opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own. Thanks for reading!