Is Olive & June worth the hype? I wondered this for months before seeing for myself! I finally tried out this Instagram-loved at home manicure nail polish to share with you!
I’ve always loved trying out new beauty products and I’ve had my eye on Olive and June nail polishes for a while after spotting them on Instagram. Their manicures always seemed perfect, the colors were fun and constantly changing and I was intrigued.
A while back they so sweetly sent over a Mani System to try out so I wanted to share a full Olive and June review for you! Since their first box years ago, I’ve since tried out most of their products like from their Mani System, their Pedi System, their Press On System and things like their hand and foot care, cuticle care and more!
Use this link and the code jenb20 for 20% off your order of any of their systems!
Olive and June Nail Polish Review
This post may include affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you shop using the links below at no additional cost to you. Paisley + Sparrow is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.
In case you don’t want the full review, know this – I adore Olive & June and believe it is totally worth it. I’ve been painting my nails forever and have tried almost every polish around and none compare to Olive & June.
Their polish is beautiful, their tips and tricks make a huge difference and it’s a fun way to change up your nail game without having to go to the salon!
One thing that immediately caught my eye about Olive & June is their impeccable style. They’re always showing amazing manicures that I always thought was done by a pro until I discovered their DIY section on both their blog and Instagram.
I was literally shocked when I found out these manis were done by girls just like me – sitting at home in their living room, painting their own nails! While yes, there is a learning curve to painting your nails, the idea the I could actually have beautiful salon-quality manicures at home was enough to get me to try it!
When I tried it I noticed that first it was easier to apply. The shape of the brush is flat which make it easier to actually apply the polish.
Instead of my nails chipping after a day or two, I can go at least 4-5 days without a chip, longer if I reapply my top coat!
I do need to mention though, that it’s still a polish and not a gel. They can chip much easier than something like gel 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.
And the polish itself doesn’t get as clumpy or goopy as quickly as other brands that I’ve used.
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 at JP Morgan equity sales trader at JP Morgan & Morgan Stanley in New York 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 like 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 woman 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 created a polish that was clean, lasted 7+ days and easy to apply. All of their polish is 15 free (free of toxic chemicals), vegan, and cruelty free with real staying power.
Mani Kit
When I got my Olive & June box I immediately dove in, ready to tackle my first at home mani. I recognized most of the items (except the poppy – more on that later), but was so glad to actually own them!
The Mani System included:
- 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, 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 polish remover 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 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
If you’re new to O&J, you need to know about 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 easier! You can even use it on most any nail polish bottle, 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! Nobody likes blistered, dry cuticles! Mine get especially bad in the winter between the dry air and constant hand washing.
If you’re anything like me, you likely need the 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.
Have patience! If you use it on a regular basis you won’t need to click it that many times. Also storing it down so the foam tip is facing down will help the serum to come out quicker.
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!
Prep Tips
So what are some of their prep tips?
1. Shape
Using the nail clipper and file, shape your nails! I’m really bad at this but it makes such a difference. I saw on one of their posts that you should have this be the first step and do it while your previous polish is on so you can see what it will be like in the end. I love that tip!
Find 11 different nail shapes to try here!
2. Clean your nails
Always use nail polish remover and get all of the previous polish off as well as excess oil which helps the polish stick and not chip.
3. Trim and buff cuticles
Using the buffer, glide it across your cuticle to get rid of dry skin and smooth everything.
4. Use the nail polish remover again!
This is my favorite tip and makes such a difference! Often times I’ve been touching my nails, getting them dirty or oily while I’m prepping them. Doing a quick dip in the polish remover pod will clean everything up for your first coat!
(This nail polish holder has been a life saver in keeping me organized!)
5. Wait 2 Hours After Washing
Wait at least 2 hours after washing your hands before painting them! This will prevent them from chipping.
6. Let Each Layer Dry
Go SLOW! Don’t rush to put all your coats on as quickly as possible. Let them dry a bit between each coat before applying the next one. That will help you have long lasting manicures.
Other Tips
- You don’t need a base coat!
- The brush bristles aren’t round – there’s a flat side so be sure to hold it the correct way when applying the polish.
- Give your nails time to set in between coats. This will help it to not bubble.
- Take your time! Don’t just rush through it, carefully apply the polish to each fingernail.
- Clean up at the end. Using the nail brush (or a small paintbrush) clean up any mistakes you made along the way.
- Reapply your top coat daily! This is something I’m terrible at but it’s so helpful to do.
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 as 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!
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! 😉
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!)
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!