Product Review: Sephora by OPI Nail Polish Remover & Zoya Remove +

Lately, I can't seem to stop playing with nail polish. I'm not sure why it took me so long to get on this particular bandwagon... after all, I've become at least briefly obsessed with pretty much every other type of cosmetic product on the market. I usually had polish on my toes, but living in Canada means that those little piggies are usually covered up inside thick socks and big boots, and so there wasn't too much to get excited about.

As for my fingernails, I didn't wear polish on them up until now because I had the worst application skills. Still do, actually. Copious amounts of natural clumsiness combined with copious amounts of hand-shaking caffeine meant that any polish job was a messy, splotchy affair. Yes, I could clean up afterwards with Q-Tips and remover, but my Sally Hansen removers would dry out my cuticles horribly, so that by the end of it, I had crooked polish on raggedy white cuticles. Attractive, no?

This all changed when Sephora introduced their Sephora by OPI nail care line. The now famous Metro Chic was the shade that drew me in (fodder for another post), but along with it, I also tried the $OPI Nail Color Remover and my mind was blown. A polish remover that smells nice (really nice... not that fake lemony "nice") AND doesn't dry out my skin atrociously?! Where have you been all my life???

The Sephora by OPI remover is gentle enough for repeated use but strong enough to take off even glitter-packed polish with minimal scrubbing. And though it smells alcohol-y in the bottle, once it's on your hands, it morphs into a fresh, happy scent.



I thought this had to be the absolute best remover on earth, until I got a free mini bottle of Zoya's Remove+ along with a nail polish order. (The cute flippy bottle pictured is the full-size... the mini is a slim bottle with a screw-top cap. Very convenient for travel.) Remove never has that strong astringent smell at all... rather, it's all lavendery goodness from the get-go. Very spa-like. I think it's even gentler on cuticles than Sephora's remover, but it is perhaps a bit less effective on hard-to-remove lacquers. On typical polishes though, both are just peachy... a couple of quick swipes and you're good to go.

These removers have definitely changed my (beauty routine) life. Plus now I don't feel awful for doing my nails when The Boy is around, because I'm not totally stinking up the apartment. Of course, the Sephora remover is very pricey at $12 CAD for 4oz. Zoya Remove is pricier than your average drug-store fare too, but you can find it online for less and buy even cheaper in bulk. So worth it.

This is how addictions get started, people!

Sephora by OPI Nail Color Remover
Zoya Remove+ (and at various e-tailers)