Touted for its Active Glow, Smooth and Shine range, Manucurist is not only pro-approved, but can also be found scattered throughout this beauty writer’s home – always on-hand for both nailcare emergencies and luxe manicures in moments.
As someone who spends most of her working hours writing about nail trends and free time scrolling social media in search of manicure inspiration, it’s safe to say I’m pretty versed with what’s in and what’s not. Manucurist, as a brand, is very much the former and does it all, from luxe sheer nail polishes to nail-enhancing treatments. Its Active Glow range, all of which boast flattering fruit-inspired tints, is arguably the most well-known – and beloved for helping to create popular looks like lip gloss and rose water nails at home. But as a fan, I can tell you that there are plenty of other shades equally deserving of acclaim, several of which will help you achieve the most popular and stylish of 2025 nail trends.
The 9 Manucurist nail polish shades and treatments you need
As mentioned, Manucurist, like that of Chanel’s nail polishes, just has a luxuriousness to it. It’s the branding and sleek rectangular bottles, but also the elegant colour range and innovative formulas. The French brand is vegan and prioritises nailcare, with science-backed and cruelty-free formulas that deliver shine and pigment to your nails, without any of the nasty stuff (see Manucurist’s ingredient blacklist).
All very impressive stuff, and while I do, of course, love a professional gel and Bio Sculpture manicure, Manucurist has revived my nails and delivered a quick and very chic-looking (if I may say so myself) mani on several occasions. So, without further ado, these are my nine favourite polishes – in case you’re curious but aren’t sure where to start.
Manucurist
1. Active Glow Polish Raspberry
RRP: £16/$19
Arguably the most iconic of Manucurist’s polishes, Active Glow blends a gorgeous, rosy tint with strengthening AHAs and raspberry actives, as well as hydrating sweet almond oil, to both care for and beautify your nails. It’s available in a range of tints, from Blueberry to the newest Cranberry, but personally, Raspberry is still my favourite for a glowy and subtle my-nails-but-better effect.
Manucurist
2. Active Smooth 00
RRP: £16/$19
If your nails are feeling very rough or uneven, or perhaps you’re just seeking to recreate the ever-popular milky nail trend but with a nourishing twist, say hello to Active Smooth. Formula-wise, it’s enriched with castor fibres, hexanal, AHAs, and vitamin E to strengthen and smooth the look of your nails. It blurs ridges and imperfections and is available in four neutral hues, designed to offer a subtle and natural look for a range of skin types. I swear by this during my breaks from gel treatments, as it helps to conceal any roughness on my nail plate.
Manucurist
3. Active Shine Treatment
RRP: £16/$19
I like to describe this polish as the Space Cowboy eyeshadow of nail polishes (fans of the Urban Decay Moondust palette will understand), because it offers a delicate shimmer to your nails, without any chunky glittery particles. The effect is soft but catches the light in such a pretty way – ideal for adding a bit of festive or party-ready oomph to any of your other favourite nail colours. And like its Active sisters, this formula also boasts a reparative blend of AHAs, as well as beetroot extract and hexanal. So you’re getting nailcare and a flattering shimmer in one, easy-to-apply polish.
Manucurist
4. Green Nail Polish in Shade Hortencia
RRP: £14/$14
If you love a sheer and buildable milky pink nail polish, Hortencia is your new best friend. This shade offers a wash of soft, petal pink to your nails that can either be worn alone or as the base colour for a classic French tip design. This was one of my go-to shades for a quick and chic at-home manicure, until my cat decided to knock it off of my dresser…yes, it smashed and yes, I’ve missed it every day since, because it’s such a staple hue to have in one’s kit.
Manucurist
5. Green Nail Polish in Shade Dark Pansy
RRP: £14/$14
If you were to ask any of my friends, they’d tell you dark red and burgundy nails are very much my signatures, no matter the season, but especially in the autumn/winter. I just think shades like Dark Pansy are just the chicest and most versatile of colours. This one, in particular, boasts a rich, wine-like tint and gorgeous glossy shine – making it the ideal pick if you need an expensive-looking manicure and fast.
Manucurist
6. Green Nail Polish in Shade Red Cherry
RRP: £14/$14
Cherry red nails have been very popular this year, and it’s really not hard to see why. They’re luxe and versatile, especially where this Manucurist shade is concerned. Each of the brands Green™ shades is vegan and features bio-sourced ingredients, promising a kinder and more conscious manicure, which I love – almost as much as I love this juicy cherry hue.
Manucurist
7. Green Nail Polish in Shade Dune
RRP: £14/$14
Dune is such a lovely but slightly underrated neutral. It’s warm but buildable, allowing you to wear it as more of a sheer, your-nails-but-better base, or as more of an opaque sandy sort of nude. I like wearing this as my early January nails, as something of a palette cleanser from all the festive shades and designs.
Manucurist
8. Green Nail Polish in Shade Milky White
RRP: £14/$14
Once again offering the perfect air-drying equivalent to this year’s trendiest manicures, Milky White delivers a soft wash of colour to your nails that, like most of the brand’s sheer shades, can be built up or worn as more of a tint. It’s also ideal if you’re hoping to create the popular ice cream manicure or a very natural-looking French tip nail look.
Manucurist
9. Green Nail Polish in Shade Hollyhock
RRP: £14/$14
As mentioned, I love a dark burgundy manicure, and Hollyhock offers such a rich and chic look. It’s very pigmented and glossy, though I definitely recommend adding a clear top coat as a finishing step, to really get the most out of this elevated colour. This is definitely going to be one of my go-to, at-home polishes as we head into the winter months.
Manucurist nailcare buys I love
Manucurist
Glass Nail Accessory Trio
RRP: £24/$24
This set is my go-to every time my nails need shaping or my cuticles pushed back. It’s made of glass and feels like such high-quality, the file especially, smooths roughness so quickly, without tugging or feeling overly coarse against the edges of my nails – I like it so much, in fact, that I actually carry it in my handbag, in case of any manicure-related emergencies.
RRP: £15/$15
Alongside Active Glow in Raspberry, this cuticle oil was one of my first introductions to the brand. While a tad fiddly, I just love the glass pipette-like applicator, and in general, it looks so cute on my nightstand. As for the formula, it features a nourishing blend of sweet almond, coconut and walnut seed oils to hydrate your nails and the surrounding skin. Along with L’Occitane’s Shea Cuticle Oil, I use this to maintain my professional and at-home nail treatments. My top tip is to apply it just before you’re about to go to sleep, to avoid oily finger prints on your phone or book – and to enjoy the soothing almond-y scent.
Manucurist
Keratin Booster
RRP: £15/$15
The latest addition to my kit, this treatment features plant-based keratin, silicon and biotin to strengthen and help repair damaged nails, which alas, post dodgy at-home gel removal, mine currently are. It absorbs and gets to quickly, ideal if you’re talons are in desperate need of TLC.
A nail lover’s verdict on Manucurist
As you can deduce from my roundup of polish and nailcare favourites, I’m a big fan of Manucurist. The Active range is always one of my go-tos when my nails are bare and in desperate need of sprucing up, as are Manucurist’s nail files and buffers – I even love their dotting tools for whenever I’m attempting a polka dot nail moment at home.
Their nail care-forward formulas are also such a winner for me, because, even before getting gel treatments and the like, I’ve always had quite weak nails. The shade range, from timeless hues to more trendy tints, is also a real draw, as I can be very particular with the colours I like to wear and think suit me. Personally, I prefer their traditional polishes to the Green Flash LED gel range, but still, I appreciate the idea of it for those seeking a more long-lasting alternative for their at-home treatments.
(Image credit: Future/ Naomi Jamieson | Products: Manucurist)
All in all, the concept and look of the brand really resonates with me, as a manicure-lover. While you, of course, shouldn’t judge a book by its cover or a nail polish by its packaging, it can’t really be helped. I’m very much a magpie to pretty beauty products, which Manucurist’s range certainly is, but as mentioned, there is style and substance.
As for my all-time favourites from the line, I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again, I just can’t do without the original Active Glow in Raspberry. It’s just the most gorgeous sheer, rosy polish, and I always find myself itching to apply it anytime my nails are bare. I actually currently have two on the go, one of which bears the old label…
Is Manucurist worth the money?
So, is Manucurist good and worth the money? Now this question is a little subjective, as it partly comes down to personal preference. If you love an ultra-long-lasting gel or BIAB nail look, air-drying polishes might not cut it. Of course, Manucurist does offer its own Green Flash LED gel range, but it’s still not as long-lasting as a hard gel treatment and so on.
Formula-wise, though, the answer is yes. Manucurist is vegan, cruelty-free and prioritises nail health. They’re also hema-free (to name just one of the many chemicals and ingredients that are banned by the brand), and boast many revolutionary formulas that again, seek to care for your nails, as well as deliver a pretty manicure. Their shade range is also gorgeous, with everything from timeless hues to colours that have inspired trends in their own right.
As for the price, Manucurist sits somewhere between essie’s nail polishes and OPI’s nail colour range. Most shades retail at £14, while the brand’s beloved Active Glow will set you back £16. So, not the cheapest polishes out there, but also not excessively expensive.
Speaking as a nail lover who switches between professional Bio Sculpture nails and doing her own at-home manicures, my answer is also yes. In the past, I’ve scoured the web for colours that would closely match the trends, and Manucurist has them in abundance. Their range of masks and treatments is one of my favourites on the market, and I also use their tools and buffers exclusively, as they’re of such great quality. Plus, I will just never be over that iconic Active range.
