SUNCOAT Water-Based Nail Polish | Review & Swatches

Have you ever been totally freaked out by the ingredients in standard nail polish? As someone who polishes their nails at home on the regular (once every week or two) I make sure to wear an air filtering mask and to keep the fan on so that I breathe in less of the fumes. If you want to get rid of toxic nail polish in general, Suncoat is the brand for you.

Easter-themed mani using only Suncoat products

Yingchun Liu, Founder and Chief Chemist for the Canadian-made Suncoat brand wanted to create a product for her young daughters that was both a fun and safe alternative to traditional polish. The result was Suncoat, a now widely enjoyed nail polish that is a natural and clean alternative made with vegan and mineral-based ingredients. The main ingredient? Water!



With 70% water in the formula, Suncoat is virtually odor-free and contains no formaldehyde, toluene, acetates, phthalate or alcohol. When applied, water vapour is released, not chemical fumes. Suncoat is also not tested on animals either. Their Nail Polish Remover Gel is revolutionary too, as it's the only plant-based remover of its kind. I tried their liquid nail polish remover, which makes it very easy to remove the Suncoat colours. Note that regular nail varnish remover will not work for these.

The Suncoat Classic Water Based Nail Polish ($12 CAD) comes in 23 shades, whereas Suncoat Peelable Polish ($12 CAD) comes in 12 shades.

I was skeptical about the Peelable Mineral Polish because I usually look for the OPPOSITE in my nail products! Doing a full mani is time consuming, so I try to extend the life of my colour instead of having it peel off early. I do understand how this adult-friendly peel-off product is good for travel, and you don't need remover. That being said, I found that it was so difficult to build up colour with this formula and I can't see myself using it too often.

If you're looking for products geared specifically to kids, check out Suncoat Girl, a line of 30 peelable (yet durable) polishes that are $9.50 CAD each. The shades are more playful and bright, perfect for spunky girls and boys.

Application tips

CLEAN YOUR NAILS

Wash hands with soap and water before applying. I like spritzing a bit of rubbing alcohol to make sure all oils are removed. Base coat isn't necessary since these polishes won't stain your nails. You can apply the peelable base coat though if you want a peelable finish with the classic collection colours. Note that this base coat can be used as a top coat as well.

APPLY GENTLY

Thin, even coats are ideal for this formula. Allow polish to dry for 30+ seconds in between coats. If your polish starts to get too thick, add a few drops of water to thin it out!

SEAL THE DEAL

The Crystal Clear Top Coat can be applied for a longer-lasting mani and a salon-like finish. Make sure you avoid soaking your nails in water during the first couple of hours after application. You can shower after around 4 hours of dry time.

REMOVE

Use the liquid or gel remover for the Classic Nail Polishes. These plant-based and natural removers are made from corn stock fermentation, and are enriched with vitamin E. They can actually remove all nail polishes, including conventional formulas. The liquid pump (featured in my photos) has an oil-like consistency (the same as the nail polish remover pads I reviewed from ELF here!) and won't dry out your nails.

For peel-off formulas, soak your nails in warm water for 2-5 minutes, then peel off from one corner of the nail.

Suncoat is available at retailers including Whole Foods, Jean Coutu, independent health retailers and online at suncoatproducts.com. You can follow on Facebook and Instagram too!

xx

Press samples featured.