The 13 Best Black Nail Polishes of 2023 When You’re in the Mood for a Moody Mani
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Essie Nail Polish in Licorice is our top pick
Byrdie / Lecia Landis
In case you missed the memo, black nail polish isn’t just trendy and edgy, it’s also incredibly sophisticated. I have nothing against neutral nudes and pale pinks, but there’s something about an inky manicure that feels equal parts classic, yet also completely cool. (And also makes for an awesome pedicure color, FYI.) No matter whether you’re a black polish devotee or are just looking to take a walk on the darker side, these black polishes are worth swiping.
Ahead—take a look at the best black polishes, ranging from classic black to glittery to matte.
Essie Nail Polish in Licorice
Best Overall
It’s shiny and inky black, not to mention super affordable, and from an extremely well-trusted brand.
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“This shade has been around forever. It’s a staple black,” says celebrity nail artist Elle of one of her faves. Just like real licorice, it’s shiny and inky black, not to mention super affordable, and from an extremely well-trusted brand.
Price at time of publish: $10
Size: 0.46 oz. | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
LeChat Nails Dare to Wear Nail Lacquer in Black Velvet
Best Budget
This wallet-friendly pick is super opaque.
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An extremely wallet-friendly pick, this is another of Elle’s faves. “It’s so opaque that you can almost get away with just one coat,” she says. And while the shade name may imply a finish that’s more on the matte side of the spectrum, the color is ultra-shiny, she adds.
Price at time of publish: $10
Size: 0.5 oz. | Finish: Cream | Cruelty-Free: Yes
OPI Nail Lacquer in Lincoln Park After Dark
Best Non-Black Black
It’s ideal for anyone who may be hesitant about going with a full-on black.
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OPI has (and continues to launch) tons of shades, but this is one of their top classics. It’s ideal for anyone who may be hesitant about going with a full-on black; the shade is dark, with rich wine-toned hues, says Elle. In fact, in some lighting, it can even look almost like deep plum, though it still reads as dark enough that it comes across as black.
Price at time of publish: $12
Size: 0.5 oz. | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
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Chanel Boy De Chanel Nail Color in 404 Black
Best Matte Black
The matte finishes makes it super versatile, especially for nail art looks.
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Elle also likes this pick, a great choice for anyone who wants to opt for a matte black. She says the finish makes it super versatile, especially for nail art looks. One of her favorites? A French mani, using shiny black for the base, and this for the tip. FYI, she suggests not using a topcoat with this to maintain that matte effect.
Price at time of publish: $30
Size: 0.4 fl. oz. | Finish: Matte | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Butter London Patent Shine 10X Nail Lacquer in Earl Grey
Best Glossy Finish
Diamond powder in the formula brightens the color, making it look almost like patent leather, while UV absorbers ward off fading.
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On the flip side, if you prefer your black polish to have mirror-like shine, reach for this bottle. Diamond powder in the formula brightens the color, making it look almost like patent leather, while UV absorbers ward off fading. And speaking of the color, this deep gray creme reads as black, yet is just a tiny bit softer and not quite as harsh.
Price at time of publish: $18
Size: 0.4 fl. oz. | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
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Mischo Beauty Nail Lacquer in Run The World
Runner-Up, Best Glossy Finish
This chip-resistant, high-shine black polish is 10-free and comes in packaged in one of the prettiest bottles we've ever seen.
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This high-shine black checks all the boxes: The durable, chip-resistant formula is 10-free in addition to being vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and artificial fragrance-free. But also, can we talk about the packaging? The bottle is beautiful, you’ll want to keep it on display.
Price at time of publish: $20
Size: 0.37 oz. | Finish: High-shine | Cruelty-Free: Yes
LeChat Dare To Wear Nail Lacquer in Rock the Mic
Best Metallic
It’s not your basic black because it’s a glittery, gunmetal shade.
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“This shade is a classic in my kit,” says Elle of another one of her go-tos. “It’s not your basic black because it’s a glittery, gunmetal shade,” she says. Still, you get the same effect as a black mani, just with a little more pop. And, as a bonus, glitter colors tend to last longer than creams.
Price at time of publish: $9
Size: 0.5 fl. oz. | Finish: Shimmery | Cruelty-Free: Yes
Sally Hansen Insta Dri Nail Color in Black to Black
Best Quick-Drying
The revamped formula offers complete color coverage and dries in, wait for it, just 60 seconds.
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All of the polishes in this list have a similar, fairly standard dry time that’s typical of any traditional polish (about 15 minutes or so). Not this guy. The revamped formula offers complete color coverage and dries in, wait for it, just 60 seconds. Not to mention that there is both a base coat and topcoat built-in, so you can shave even more precious minutes off your manicure time.
Price at time of publish: $7
Size: 0.31 oz. | Finish: Shiny | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
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W/S 15-Free Nail Polish in Keep ‘Em Guessing
Best Non-Toxic
This pick is an impressive 15-free.
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We’ve seen 3-free, 8-free, even 10-free polishes in the market (as a friendly reminder, this refers to how many potentially questionable chemicals aren’t found in the formula), but this pick is an impressive 15-free. It’s also cruelty-free and vegan, made in the USA, and the brand donates a meal to someone in need for every bottle purchased. The line-up of shades is fairly limited, but this black is rich and inky and deeply pigmented.
Price at time of publish: $14
Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Habit Cosmetics Nail Polish in 30 Midnight Cowboy
Best Sustainable
The brand uses recycled plastic components in addition to biodegradable bamboo overcaps and FSC-certified paperboard for its packaging.
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Nail polish is known to be, well, not the most eco-friendly beauty product out there. Habit is helping to combat this via its innovative packaging. It’s currently the only polish brand using recycled plastic components for its bottles in addition to biodegradable bamboo overcaps and FSC-certified paperboard boxes. The formula is also non-toxic, vegan, and cruelty-free, to boot. Midnight Cowboy is one of our favorite shades from the brand, a black jelly base with silver micro-glitter that lends just the right amount of sparkle without being too over the top.
Price at time of publish: $20
Size: 0.3 fl. oz. | Finish: Shimmery | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro in Fade to Black
Best Gel-Like
This polish is made with an exclusive combo of 10 ingredients that help deliver that gel-like effect.
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For those who want the high-shine, long-lasting wear, and cushiony look of a gel manicure but don’t want to deal with curing lights or an annoying removal process, this formula reigns supreme. The eponymous line from one of the biggest celebrity manicurists in the biz is made with an exclusive combo of 10 ingredients that both help deliver that gel-like effect, while also doing good things for your nails. The line also comes in tons of colors; as far as black goes, this full-coverage black creme is the way to go.
Price at time of publish: $20
Size: 0.5 oz. | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Orly Breathable in Mind Over Matter
Best for Easy Application
It’s specially formulated to go straight onto nails, which makes the DIY mani process easier.
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Calling all DIY mani newbies. This polish is excellent for beginners because you don’t need to use a base or topcoat with it. It’s specially formulated to go straight onto nails, which both makes the DIY mani process easier but also helps let nails breathe and keeps them healthy (per the name). Also helpful: The addition of argan oil and pro-vitamin B5. Plus, it layers nicely with metallic toppers, a nice boon for nail art fans.
Price at time of publish: $11
Size: 0.6 oz. | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
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Nailtopia Plant-Based Bio-Sourced Chip-Free Nail Lacquer
Best With Benefits
This formula is 85% plant-based, filled with tons of ingredients that do great things for your nails.
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As the name suggests, this formula is 85% plant-based, filled with tons of ingredients that do great things for your nails. Truly, the list reads more like something you’d put in your morning smoothie than what you’d find in nails polish. We’re talking raspberry seed extract with vitamin E to help hydrate nails, antioxidant-rich blueberry extract, vitamin A-rich spinach extract to help harden, the list goes on and on. There are 77 colors to choose from, but you can’t go wrong with this classic black.
Price at time of publish: $7
Size: 0.41 fl. oz. | Finish: Creme | Cruelty-Free: Yes | Byrdie Clean: Yes
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Final Verdict
A black manicure never goes out of style. When it comes time to pick your polish, you can’t go wrong with Essie Nail Polish in Licorice, a classic, inky black that’s super shiny. If you prefer a matte finish, the Chanel Nail Color in Boy De Chanel is a splurge-worthy choice. The OPI Lincoln Park After Dark is a nice pick for anyone who wants their manicure to look black but not be straight-up black (it has deep wine and plum undertones). Finally, the Sally Hansen Insta Dri Nail Color in Black to Black gets our vote for the best fast-drying option. It sets in 60 seconds and doesn’t require a base or topcoat.
Elle is a celebrity nail artist in New York City and Los Angeles. Her clients include Jennifer Lopez, Charlize Theron, and Blake Lively.
What to Look For in a Black Nail Polish
Good Opacity
According to Elle, this is one of the main criteria. “If you hold the bottle up to the light, you can tell how opaque it is based on if you can see through it or not, and I always like a nice solid, black,” she explains.
Shine
Unless you’re intentionally choosing a matte finish, Elle says ensuring that your black polish is nice and shiny is important to keep the final look sophisticated and classic.
How We Researched
To compile this list, our team of editors and contributors spent hours researching the best products on the market in this category, evaluating their key features—like ingredients, shade range, or design—in addition to reviews from customers and other trusted sources. We then used this research to assign a star rating from one to five (five being the best; one being the worst) to certain products on the list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does black nail polish stain nails?
<p>It certainly can—if it’s not applied correctly. Using a base coat pre-polish is paramount to preventing staining, notes celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi, founder of <a href="https://jinsoon.com/" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="externalLink" data-ordinal="1" rel="sponsored nofollow">JINSoon</a>. That being said, black polish in particular is actually more likely to stain the skin and cuticles rather than the nail itself, particularly when the skin is dry, she notes. (It has to do with the composition of the different pigments in the color.) Your big takeaway: Make sure both your nails and the surrounding skin are properly prepped and/or moisturized before applying black polish.</p><p><br/></p><p><br/></p>
What's the best way to get black nail polish off nails?
<p>Choi suggests first applying a cuticle oil or balm on the skin around the nails to protect the area from the potentially drying effects of nail polish remover. “Saturate a piece of cotton in non-acetone remover and put it on each nail for a few seconds and wipe it off in one fell swoop to avoid rubbing around the cuticle and finger areas,” she advises. If there’s any residue left under the nail, remove it with a nail brush.</p>
How can you make a black manicure or pedicure last longer?
<p>Clean nails with a non-acetone remover ahead of time to remove any oil or residue, then swipe on a long-lasting base coat. Make sure that the polish itself is applied completely over the tip, or free edge of the nail, and use a long-lasting top coat, again, focusing on the free edge as well, suggests Choi. Using a top coat weekly will also help extend the longevity of your black mani or pedi, she adds.</p>
Why Trust Byrdie
Byrdie contributor Melanie Rud has over a decade of experience in the beauty industry, writing for some of the biggest magazines and websites out there. She has her nails polished 99% of the time, most often rotating between a nude color. That being said, she loves a dark manicure (and pedicure) especially come the fall and winter months. The Essie and OPI options on this list are two of her personal favorites.
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