Orly Breathable Nail Polish Review
Orly Breathable Bottles, L to R: Fairy Godmother, Sharing Secrets, You’re A Gem
Updated 2024.07.15. This post contains affiliate links and Lots of Lacquer will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on these links.
The Breathable formula is designed to prevent chipping and peeling, plus it’s infused with Argan Oil, Pro Vitamin B5 and Vitamin C for healthier looking nails. It’s a nail polish and a treatment wrapped into one.
As with all Orly formulas, the Breathable line is cruelty-free, vegan, formulated without harmful ingredients, and Made in the USA. With a Breathable manicure, you simply apply 2-3 coats of your desired color on clean, dry, bare nails, wait a few minutes between each coat of color for the layers to dry and that’s it.
Once you’ve applied your final coat of color, simply wait 15 minutes or so before bumping your hands into anything. It’s a nice formula for “on the go” manicures.
I specifically like Breathable formulas for when I’m attempting to give my nails a little nourishment. I also like Breathable formulas for when I have to be somewhere and I just need to get something on my nails quickly.
That said, after 3 years of buying and testing Breathable polishes, I can firmly say that these colors typically DO last longer when you pair them with a base and top coat.
Even if you just finish them with a top coat and skip the base, you’ll still get a longer-lasting manicure.
So while a base or top coat is not needed, adding them will extend the longevity of your Breathable manicure.
One thing I like about Breathable formulas compared to other, eco-friendly and “good for you” nail polish lines, is the range of finishes available. No! Breathable polishes are not just a bunch of creams reworked to be better for you.
You can get Breathable polishes in all types of finishes and special effects, like glitters, pearls, metallics and micro shimmers. So if you like the idea of “good for me and the planet” nail polishes, but still want to explore different styles, you can do that with the Breathable line.
Now let’s look at a few Breathable swatches:
Orly Fairy Godmother swatch
Orly Fairy Godmother swatch
Orly Fairy Godmother
Shown in 2 coats, this is a rose gold metallic sparkle. It's pleasing to the eye and looks very similar to OPI Metallic Composition, but with finer glitter and more rose tone.
Orly Sharing Secrets swatch
Orly Sharing Secrets swatch
Orly Sharing Secrets
Shown in 2 coats, Sharing Secrets is a taupe gray cream base with fine red, pink and orange micro flakies.
If you’ve written off grays in the past, this one could change your mind because Sharing Secrets looks like the cozy vibe of an evening around an embering fire, encapsulated in a nail polish formula.
Orly You’re A Gem swatch
Orly You’re A Gem swatch
Orly You’re A Gem
Shown in 3 coats, You're a Gem is a pretty, multi-dimensional, duochrome purple glitter. It shifts to warm plum, cool lavender and dark violet depending on how the light hits it.
All in all, the Breathable line is worth it, especially if you want to lean into beauty products that are both good for you and the planet.
Not only that, Orly bottles are huge - you get a lot for your money. Each Orly bottle is 18mL, which is one of the more substantial amounts of nail polish formula offered on the market. Additionally, Orly bottles have rubber caps with grip threads, which makes it so easy to open them.
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