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This story originally appeared on People.com.
Painting your nails requires a lot of practice and patience. On top of being precise with your polish placement, you've also got to wait (for what can feel like hours) for your nails to dry. And if you're someone with a busy schedule, like Hilary Duff, chances are you don't have a lot of time to sit around and wait for them to do so. That's likely the reason the actress, singer, and mom of three has been using Essie Expressie nail polishes.
She shared a photo on Instagram showcasing her two-tone manicure crafted from the brand's quick-drying nail polishes. Duff chose the colors We Don't Mesh, a vibrant lemon-lime green, and Millennium Momentum, a muted neutral beige from the Dial It Up collection. And apparently, she loves the lacquers so much that she's even partnered with Essie.
"These @essie expressie nail polishes are major 💅🏻🤍💛 #essiepartner I've been wearing shades from the 'dial it up' collection that dry in about a minute!" she captioned the photo.
Shop it! Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Vegan Nail Polish in 298 We Don't Mesh, $9; amazon.com, ulta.com
Shop it! Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Vegan Nail Polish in 358 Millennium Momentum, $8.99, amazon.com; $9, ulta.com
The vegan eight-free formula is a one-step nail polish, meaning it doesn't require a base or top coat. Just apply two coats of color, let it dry for about a minute or so, and voila! It comes in a taller, thinner bottle than regular Essie nail polishes and has an angled brush that makes it easier to paint, even with your non-dominant hand. Essie Expressie nail polishes are available at Ulta, Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and Amazon for $9 a bottle.
Duff isn't the only celebrity who loves Essie. Queen Elizabeth has reportedly been using the brand's sheer pale pink color called Ballet Slippers since 1989 and even got Kate Middleton hooked on it—the Duchess of Cambridge wore it on her nails on her wedding day. Blake Lively also wore several different Essie colors during a movie press tour in 2018.
In fact, over 5,300 Amazon shoppers have given the Essie Expressie nail polish a five-star rating, and reviewers rave about how quickly it dries and how long it lasts.
"This is the only nail polish I've ever used that I feel successful with," one customer wrote. "It dries very hard very fast, so I can paint my nails quickly without ruining them half an hour later. The shimmery shades take a bit of effort to remove, but I find this is true of all polishes. Overall, I strongly recommend for anyone who struggles to do their own nails or just can't sit and do nothing with their hands for an hour while their nails dry."
Another chimed in, "I can go from freshly painted nails, to changing a diaper in five minutes. It doesn't chip any more than regular polish, is SUPER easy to remove, and best of all is only one step for busy moms like me. My only critique is that the colors do look a little different online than in person, but I'm just glad to have polish on my nails again so I really couldn't care less. I will definitely be ordering more colors!"
Speaking of colors, there are over 40 unconventional shades to choose from, including Duff's lime green, this pretty mauve purple, and this slate blue. If you love to do manicures at home but have little time to do so, add a few bottles of Duff-approved Essie Expressie nail polishes to your cart below.
Shop it! Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Vegan Nail Polish in Peach 130 All Things OOO, $8.97, amazon.com; $9, ulta.com
Shop it! Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Vegan Nail Polish in Slate Blue 340 Air Dry, $8.99, amazon.com; $9, ulta.com
Shop it! Essie Expressie Quick-Dry Vegan Nail Polish in Purple 220 Get A Mauve On, $7.98 (orig. $9), amazon.com; $9, ulta.com
