Is Olive & June worthy of the hype? I wondered this for months before trying it myself! The result? I’ve upped my nail game by trying out this social media loved at home manicure nail polish. And now I can share a full Olive and June review with you!
*In case you don’t want the full review, know this – I adore Olive & June and believe it is totally deserving of the hype. I’ve been painting my nails forever and have tried almost every polish around and none compare to Olive & June. Keep reading if you’re curious why.
Since that first box years ago, I’ve since tried out many of their products. Those products include their Mani System, their Pedi System, their Press On System and care items like those for hand and foot care, cuticle care and more!
This post includes affiliate links.
Use this link and the code jenb20 for 20% off your order of any of their systems!
How I Tested Olive & June
I’m a busy mom so I have no time for a nail polish that requires upkeep! I’ve also been painting my nails for years using everything from Sally Hansen to OPI so trust me, I know my nail polish.
For this review, I have done a variety of testing. Here’s some things I’ve tested:
- Tested their different types of polish – both long lasting and quick dry.
- Also tested on a variety of people from my daughter who is 5 years old to friends, family and other moms.
- Using a variety of application methods
- Putting it on with minimal prep and minimal upkeep after
- Following all of their prepping recommendations and reapplying the top coat every couple of days
- Tested one layer + topcoat all they way up to 4 layers + topcoat
I went about life as usual and didn’t protect my nails in any way and asked anyone who tested it to do the same.
My Olive and June Nail Polish Review
Let’s dig into some specifics!
How Long Does Olive & June Last
I think this is the question that everyone wants answered! Instead of my nails chipping after a day or two, if I fully prep my nails, and reapply my top coat, I can go at least 4-5 days without a chip and typically only get chips on nails that are peeling (my pointer finger nails always peel no matter what I do!). My sister can easily go 5-7 days, sometimes longer.
Prepping your natural nails and waiting in between each layer makes a huge difference. Without proper prep, waiting between layers or reapplying the top coat, it will last about 2 days on me. They can chip much easier than something like gel manicures or dip nails, however, I’ve noticed that it lasts longer than other polishes I’ve used and their top coat is the best I’ve ever used.
Other things to note I found with testing:
- Applying only 1 or 2 coats + a top coat will make it last the longest
- Applying anything over 3 coats + top coat will likely cause chipping within a couple days (the lighter polish color needs more layers which is when I did a lot of layers)
- Not waiting in between each layer to allow it to dry will also cause early chipping
Polish
Their polish is beautiful and they have every color imaginable yet keep coming up with new colors! The polish doesn’t get as clumpy or goopy as quickly as other brands that I’ve used.
They have 2 kinds of polish – long-lasting polish and quick dry polish.
(This nail polish holder has been a life saver in keeping me organized!)
Long-Lasting Polish
The long lasting polish (basically their regular polish), as you can imagine, lasted the longest on me. With proper prep and adding my top coat, I could wear this for about 4-5 days with no chipping.
Removing it was definitely harder than the other polishes and took a bit of effort to get it all off, especially with the darker colors. Using the Olive & June pod helped get it off easier.
Quick Dry Polish
The very fist time I tested a quick dry polish, I put it on and then my husband asked me to cut an onion only a minute or two after finishing (I’m the designated onion chopper in this house haha!). I figured I’d give it a go to test it out and I was shocked that it stayed in perfect condition even after all my chopping.
The difference came with how long it lasted. This one usually starts to chip on day 3 for me with proper prep. This is typically the polish I use on my daughter and even as a little girl who is constantly playing, crafting and doing things with her hands, it will normally stay on great for at least 2 days.
This one is incredibly easy to remove – the easiest of the two.
One thing to note – when it comes to the glitter, some of the larger glitter polishes like Sprinkle Cookie are incredibly difficult to apply. I ended up having to pick out each chunk of sprinkle with a toothpick to apply it on my daughter and. Not ideal to say the least.
In summary, you can count on 4-5 days of chip free nails with the long lasting polish and you should get to day 3 with the quick dry polish. The quick dry polish is incredibly easy to remove.
Also, the top coat is amazing. It smooths out any imperfections and gives you that gel-like finish. I think that is the biggest game changer of the whole thing because it really helps you your at-home manicures look professional!
Brush
The Olive & June brush is far better than other brushes I’ve used. The shape of the brush is flat which make it easier to actually apply the polish.
Olive & June Pros
- Goes on easy with their flat edge brushes
- Lasts longer than most polishes and doesn’t chip as easy
- It’s 15 free (free of most harmful chemicals like Formaldehyde, Toulene, DBP, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Ethyl Tosylamide, Xylene, Triphenyl Phosphate (TPHP), Acetone, Animal-Derived Ingredients, Bisphenol-A, Nonylphenol Ethoxylate, Parabens, Sulfate)
- Vegan and cruelty free
- They’re always coming out with new, fresh colors and products
- Best customer service around
- Available online as well as Target and Walmart
- Options for quick dry polish and dry drops for fast manicures
Olive & June Cons
- The flat edge brush can be hard on small or skinny nails (like my daughter’s nails) since it’s wide
- New products can quickly sell out
Olive & June Discount Code
Use this link and the code jenb20 for 20% off your order of any of their systems!
Keep reading below for the history of Olive & June as well as more details on specific products!
Olive & June History
Olive and June was started in 2013 by Sarah Gibson Tuttle. If you watch O&J’s Instagram stories or lives you’ll often hear her go by SGT.
Something that I love about SGT is how and why she start Olive & June! Sarah worked as an equity sales trader in New York for JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley and moved out to California for a better work life balance.
When she moved out to LA, she couldn’t find a nail salon she liked so that’s what led her to start Olive & June! She loved everything about Los Angeles except the fact that she didn’t have a spot to get her nails done!
She wanted to create a beautiful spot that women could get stunning nails without the high prices. A spot that felt like you’re going to your best friends house for a fun little mani party.
She also set out to create a polish product that is clean, lasts 7+ days and is easy to apply. All of their polish is 15 free (free of toxic chemicals), vegan, and cruelty free with real staying power.
Mani Kit
The Mani System includes:
- The Poppy– Olive & June’s secret weapon to being able to polish your non-dominant hand with success (more on the poppy below)
- The Mani Box – easily hold all of manicure items in one place
- Award Winning Cuticle Serum – another secret to flawless manicures is beautiful cuticles! Pro tip: turn the top many times to get the serum to start flowing.
- Clean-Up Brush – nobody is perfect, not even the pros! Dip your clean up brush in your polish remover pot and clean up and imperfections on your nails. I use this every single time I paint my nails!
- Acetone-free Polish Remover Pot – yet again, this is the BEST polish remover around. Not only do they make it easy to remove your polish but it works better than any remover we’ve ever used. My sister actually added her Target brand polish remover to her pot when her pot dried up and she could immediately tell the difference. O&J nail polish remover pot makes it easier and faster to remove your polish. The best part is you can easily remove one nail to fix it while you paint your nails rather than having to ruin your entire mani!
- Straight-Edge Nail Clippers – the easiest way to shape your nails is with these straight edge nail clippers.
- Dual-Grit Nail File – a must have to finish shaping your nails.
- Nail Buffer Bar – I use this both on the top of my nails as well as to file down my cuticles.
- The Top Coat – this brand’s top coat is magic! It smooths any perfections for a gel-like finish and keeps your nails looking flawless. Put this on every 2-3 days to prevent chips.
Plus you get a polish of your choice! You can choose from long-lasting, quick dry or both.
The Poppy
The Poppy is Olive and June’s “secret weapon” to salon worthy nails without the salon! (Side note – you can even buy the Poppy at Target!)
It’s a unique bottle handle that makes painting your nails, especially your non-dominant hand (for me, that’s my right hand) easier! You can even use it on any universal polish bottle handle, not just Olive and June’s.
How to Put on the Poppy
To be real, it took me more than a minute to figure out how to actually use the Poppy! I couldn’t figure out how to put it on the polish!
To use the Poppy, you need to remove the cap of the nail polish! This is where I got messed up – you have to pull somewhat hard to get the cap of your nail polish off. My best trick is to twist the opposite way that you would open the nail polish while pulling up gently.
Olive & June Cuticle Serum & Cuticle Balm
One thing I especially love about Olive & June is their cuticle serum! It makes your cuticles look refreshed and hydrated with the simple swipe of the brush.
It’s mess free which makes it an obvious choice for busy women. You apply it with the foam tip, not your fingertips! The cuticle serum goes where you want it and need it (your cuticles) without your fingers getting greasy.
It’s also fast drying and full of avocado and jojoba oil. And it’s so easy to use – just take off the cap, twist the pen and apply on your cuticle!
Just a note about getting the serum to come out. The first time it takes about 10-15 clicks for it to come out. I store mine foam tip down in a jar to easily get the serum out whenever I want it.
Olive and June recommends applying your serum 2-3 times a day. It not only helps hydrate your cuticles but also gives you that beautiful salon-perfect shine!
It’s also great for travel! Throw it in your purse and you can keep your cuticles happy and moisturized all day long no matter where you go.
They also just came out with a Cuticle Balm which is a lip balm style cuticle treatment that has sunflower and meadowfoam in it that hydrates dry and cracked cuticles. This is another fabulous option!
Other Olive & June Products
1. Press On Nails
Olive & June also came out with Press On nails!! Like the others, they have a full Press On System to get your started. Each set comes with:
- 42 Press On Nails
- Non-damaging glue
- Wooden cuticle pusher
- 2-in-1 file and buffer
- Prep pad
Check out my full review on their Press On nails here but overall they’re amazing!
2. Pedicure Kit
If you love at home pedicures, you need to check out Olive & June’s Pedicure System! From a patent pending foot rest to give you the perfect angle for painting to your toes to a foot file and cuticle remover, this is one of the best sets ever!
Check out my full review of the Olive & June Pedicure System here.
3. Nail Strengthener & Ridge Filler
If you deal with weak nails that peel or have ridges or white spots, these 2 products are fantastic. My own nails are known to peel no matter what I do and using other brand’s nail polish always make them weak.
I’ve been using the nail strengthener off and on over the past few months and love it. I noticed a difference in just the first application. I’m not super regular at using it so my nails do still peel from time to time but I’ve definitely noticed a difference in the strength of my nails.
I don’t deal with too many ridges in my nails but if you do, they have a ridge filler but this is a great option to fill in gaps in your nails before painting them! It creates a perfect solid base for the perfect mani.
It contains Vitamin E to condition the nail and Silica to fill in the gaps.
4. Olive & June Dry Drops
The Olive & June dry drops dry your nails to the touch in just 80 seconds! Just put a drop or 3 on your nails, wait 80 seconds and fully dry in half the time as usual.
I use these on myself and my young daughter. It’s easy to use and it actually works!
5. Nail Tools & Nail Art
If you want to try to do nail art and designs, you need some nail tools! Olive and June has their own nail tools as well!
Mani tools can be a little hard to figure out in the beginning but just like the perfect manicure, a little practice is very helpful when it comes to creating beautiful nail art.
6. Nail Stickers
They also have nail stickers to make creating designs a breeze. There’s everything from shimmery stars to eyes to letters, you can change your nail art as often as you change your nail colors!
Olive University
One of the best things about Olive and June is Olive University. Want to know how to actually have a beautiful mani? Start there.
You’ll see amazing tips and tricks for at home manis that look like the salon and last!
Olive and June polish isn’t gel so it’s not going to last weeks and weeks but with the right prep and proper maintenance it will last a while! They have tons of different tips on their site but one of the biggest things to note is to prep your nails well!
FAQ
Olive and June itself will not ruin your nails but picking or peeling at your polish can definitely damage it. It’s always good to take breaks from your polish if you notice your nails are peeling or discolored.
There’s lots to love about O&J! From their 7-free, vegan polish to their vibrants colors to their amazing collabs with other brands and celebrities, there’s not much to not like!
You can expect your Olive and June manicure to last 5 days. Proper prep work before your mani and applying your top coat every 2-3 days will help it last.
No, not to purchase. (At this time!)
Yes it’s safe, even for pregnancy! Olive and June is 15-free meaning it is free from Dibutyl phthalate (DBP), Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde resin, Camphor, Ethyl tosylamide and Xylene.
Use this link and the code jenb20 for 20% off your order of any of their systems!
I hope this Olive and June Review was beneficial!
Thanks so much for reading!
Looking for nail ideas? Try these:
- Check out O&J Spring 2022 here!
- DIY polka dot manicures
- Manicure systems and how to use them at home
- Nude nail designs
- Short nail designs
- Floral Nail designs
- Manicures for Valentine’s Day
- White Nail designs
And try out one of these different nail shapes while you’re at it!
Hi! I’m so interested in trying Olive & June, but I want to get something I would feel comfortable occasionally using on my 3 year old daughter. Would you feel comfortable using it on a kid that young?
Yes! Their nail polish is free of all the bad chemicals etc that are in a lot of polishes. I use this on my own daughter who is now 5!
Hi you mention a few times that the polish is 15 free but then at the end it said 7 free… Which is it?
Oh thank you for pointing that out! Olive & June has always been 15-free. Until recently, they’ve called their polish 7-free, because those core 7 toxins were the highest priority to them and to their community. But since they know that transparency and your health are the most important, they’re adjusting how they talk about their polish. (I spoke directly to Olive & June for clarification when they switched!)
I love the link to the organizer for all the polishes. Where do you keep it everyday? On your bathroom counter?
I actually keep it on a shelf in my closest – out of reach of my toddlers! 😉