Just after my move from Bordeaux to Amsterdam a little over a month ago, I found my hands and nails in quite a sorry state. Between packing and unpacking boxes, scrubbing our old home in Bordeaux, and then cleaning and settling into our new apartment in Amsterdam, it’s hardly surprising that my hands and nails took a beating. My hands were extremely dry despite all the creams I applied, and my nails—usually naturally white and fairly strong—were now splitting, brittle, and soft.
I immediately wanted to find a “treatment” nail polish that would bring a bit of color to my nails while also helping to “repair” them, protecting the healthy part as it grew out so I could gradually trim away the damaged part. Normally, I only wear nail polish on special occasions or when I want to treat myself a little. I mentioned this already in my previous Ask Léonce article: I’ve always found that my nails ended up in poor condition—split, overly buffed, soft, sometimes even yellowed—after a few weeks of wearing regular polish, and even more so with gel polish, which I haven’t used in years.
I tried all kinds of polishes, from the cleanest formulas to the more conventional ones, and I even tested different manicure salons, from budget-friendly to more upscale, but each time I was left disappointed: my nails were too soft, too fragile, too damaged, and it took weeks for them to recover. And yet, I absolutely love having well-manicured hands with neatly trimmed nails and healthy, hydrated skin :).
That’s why I set out to find the perfect polish, one that would combine beauty and care without damaging my nails. After much searching, I finally found the perfect polish. The one I’ve been wearing in rotation for a month now, and which gives my hands a lovely, polished look without harming my nails. I share all the details in this article :).
This post is not sponsored. I only share what I truly love. Some links are affiliate, meaning I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Merci!
I want to make it clear that this article is not sponsored (like all the articles on this blog), and that I personally purchased all the products mentioned here :). I genuinely love these products, and I simply wanted to share them with you—whether, like me, you’re looking for an alternative to traditional polishes and semi-permanent gels, or you’re just curious to try something new.
A month ago, I picked up the Active Plump, Active Bright, and Active Smooth 00 shades from Manucurist Paris to try them out. As I explained in my previous article, the Active range is a collection of treatment polishes that combine a lovely color—to visually enhance the nail—with a formula enriched with active ingredients to nourish and treat the nails. The color payoff of these polishes is more or less translucent; for example, after two coats, Active Plump remains quite sheer and gives a very natural “naked nail” effect, while Active Smooth 00 offers a more polished look.
At the moment, my two favorites are Active Bright and Active Smooth 00. Each week, I take the time to gently file my nails fairly short, leaving just a hint of white at the tip. I then apply two coats of polish from the Active range and let them dry (the drying time is pretty quick). I don’t trim my cuticles (which, let’s not forget, protect the nail by preventing bacteria, germs, and dirt from entering under the skin), but I do hydrate them with a little oil and cream.
This manicure is wonderfully simple and quick to achieve: just two coats of polish, no base or top coat needed—more than making up for the fact that it only lasts about a week. I absolutely love the result: clean, slightly pinkish nails, with the natural white showing through for a look that’s a bit like a French manicure—only more chic and understated. My nails look well cared for yet still natural, and I find the finish particularly sophisticated.
After wearing it for a week, I was really curious to see the condition of my nails underneath, to see if these polishes lived up to their promises. And they absolutely did: after removing the polish with the Nail Polish Removing Oil (which I highly recommend for its acetone-free formula), I found my nails perfectly healthy, as if I hadn’t worn any polish at all. When using the oil, make sure to really take your time—soak the nail thoroughly and let it sit for a few moments. I also bought the Degreaser, but honestly, I don’t find it essential.
So that’s pretty much my nail routine, which I’ve been following every week for the past month. I’m thinking of trying out some other shades soon, including Active Shine and maybe Active Glow. I hope all these details are helpful, please don’t hesitate to leave me any questions in the comments below :). À bientôt!
