As a total fashionista who‘s always on top of the latest trends, I was so excited when I started seeing Olive & June pop up across my social feeds. With its beautiful manicure images and raving beauty editor reviews, I knew this was a nail care brand I had to try for myself.
After testing several of their polishes, nail stickers and care products, I‘m back with a comprehensive review detailing everything this popular company is getting right. By the end, you‘ll know whether Olive & June truly offers an elevated at-home mani/pedi experience worth the splurge.
An Introduction to Olive & June
Founded in 2013 by LA-based entrepreneur Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Olive & June began as a single salon in Beverly Hills offering trend-focused nail services with a sense of old Hollywood glamour.
Since expanding into an eCommerce brand, Olive & June aims to bring that same level of quality and education into homes nationwide. With its impressive array of nail polish colors, treatments, tools and more, they‘re certainly advancing the at-home manicure game.
So without further ado, let‘s get into the nitty gritty details on what this brand has to offer!
Olive & June Nail Polish Reviews
With over 100 options ranging from bright neons to mood-setting dark vamps, I had the hardest time narrowing down my first Olive & June polish purchases. After surveying social media fans, these were the 5 shades readers were most curious about:
CCT
- Finish: Sheer Cream
- Color: Baby pink
- Wear Time: 6 days
- Rating: 5/5
This globally-inspired pink polish was formulated in collaboration with fashion blogger Cologne Trude. It‘s the perfect barely-there nude that makes nails appear longer and more slender. The application was smooth as butter thanks to the curved brush, and I was shocked by how chip-free my mani remained even after my marathon typing sessions at work. For a soft, feminine look I can wear anywhere, CCT is my new go-to!
HLP
- Finish: Cream
- Color: True red
- Wear Time: 5 days
- Rating: 4.5/5
Named after brand founder Sarah‘s grandmother, this timeless cherry red is a great pick year-round. I loved that it provided full opacity in just 2 coats while other reds often require 3-4. The glossy finish looked freshly painted even 5 days in, when I noticed very minor tip wear. This shade feels nostalgic and elegant during the holidays yet still modern.
BP
- Finish: Metallic
- Color: Forest green
- Wear Time: 6 days
- Rating: 5/5
This unexpectedly complex green has just enough gold sheen to make nails dazzle without being over the top. The rich hue reminded me of a regal emerald ring. I was able to wear it a full work week before noticing any minor chips. If you want an eye-catching polish that still feels luxe, this one‘s for you!
After testing Olive & June‘s polishes back to back with my Essie and OPI favorites, I can confirm the formula, pigmentation and wear time is just as good, if not better, across the board. Olive & June is anything but basic with their unique, relevant shades and salon-like performance.
Olive & June Nail Sticker Reviews
Another area Olive & June creatively sets itself apart is with its extensive line of durable nail sticker sets. These micro thin decals feature charming designs that cling to polish tightly while allowing nails to still breathe.
I fell head over heels for these 5 top selling sticker collections:
Tie Dye Nail Stickers
- Design: Swirling tie dye patterns
- Application: Smooth like a temporary tattoo
- Wear Time: 10 days
- Rating: 5/5
These funky ‘70s inspired stickers applied flawlessly over 2 coats of white polish. The trippiest colors like orange, fuchsia and lime green blended beautifully into purple swirl designs. Despite wearing them for over a week straight through hand washing, workouts and more, the edges didn‘t lift or peel whatsoever. For less than $10, this was an instant outfit-elevating manicure.
Fruit Stand Nail Stickers
- Design: Watermelon and citrus slices
- Application: Practically seamless
- Wear Time: 7 days
- Rating: 4.5/5
What better way to welcome warm weather than with juicy fruit nail art? These stickers couldn‘t have hugged my nails better over a coral base polish. The 3D design details on the fruit slices gave so much depth and made people do double takes. I was admittedly sad when the stickers started wearing around the edges after 7 days of wear. But for vacation vibes in an instant, no effort required, these get huge props.
Olive & June makes nail sticker application easier than ever while also ensuring they endure regular hand activity without damage. Compared to other decals that may lift or peel quickly, these truly last long enough to get your money‘s worth.
Olive & June Nail Care Reviews
Of course, a killer manicure starts with healthy, nourished nail beds. That‘s why a brand‘s base treatments and tools also make a tremendous difference in final results.
Here are the 4 Olive & June products that took my at-home mani game up a notch:
Cuticle Serum
- Key Ingredients: Vitamin E, Evening Primrose
- Benefits: Hydrating and softening
- Rating: 5/5
No matter how perfectly I file and trim, my cuticles always end up dry and ragged weeks later, causing polish to snag and lift. After smoothing just ONE drop of this antioxidant-rich serum over each nail daily, I noticed dramatically softened skin after a few days. Two weeks later of continuous use and my nails have never looked healthier!
Straight Edge Nail Clipper Set
- Features: Salons grade stainless steel
- Performance: Precise, smooth clipping
- Rating: 5/5
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve experienced nail clippers pinching instead of slicing evenly. The sharpness of these professional grade ones had me shocked. They cut through nails like butter, leaving straight, blunted edges that won‘t catch or tear on fabric. My polish applications have never looked so neat thanks to these game changing clippers.
The Poppy
- Concept: Magnetic wand for steadier polish application
- Execution: Total game changer for messy painters!
- Rating: 5/5
After a lifetime of flooded cuticles and polish everywhere except my actual nail, The Poppy wand has been my saving grace! Attaching magnetically to bottlenecks, it enabled me to grip better and fully erase any shakiness. I‘m now painting crisp, even coats and attempting fun nail art I could only dream of pre-Poppy. If you‘re polish application challenged, this $16 tool is life changing.
I‘m thoroughly impressed by the innovation behind Olive & June‘s offerings. Everything from diamond-sharp clippers to skin-transforming serums shows how dedicated they are to advancing at-home manicure possibilities.
A Look Into Olive & June‘s Nail Services
Seeking to spread knowledge and creativity beyond quality retail products, Olive & June also provides best-in-class education from its LA flagship studio.
Bootcamp is ideal for total manicure beginners looking to refine fundamental techniques on natural nails. The intensive 1-5 day courses range $65-$250 based on curriculum specifics.
For those with existing manicure skills eager to bring designs up a notch, Olive University Masterclasses offer next level guidance directly from top celebrity manicurists. Previous 2 hour virtual sessions have covered marble/ombre looks, fun foil and jewel appliques, working with acrylics, and more. Priced at $50 per live online class, these workshops let you get innovative one-on-one mentorship without leaving home.
While I haven‘t yet taken an Olive & June class myself, followers of mine who have report feeling exponentially more confident implementing advanced methods. It‘s clear from the educational marketing itself that their programs provide tremendous value no matter your current skill level.
How Does Olive & June Compare to Popular Brand Essie?
As a lover of Essie’s sheer glazes and creamy nudes myself, I wondered how Olive & June’s formulas and shades stacked up.
Price wise, both brands retail around $9 per standard sized bottle. Essie does offer a wider range of more affordable mini sizes, while Olive & June provides better sales incentives like free gifts and member discounts.
In terms of formula, Olive & June polishes tend to have a bit more grip and thickness for longer wear without sacrificing that glossy wet look. Essie’s glazes have a more jelly-like consistency that shows nail lines underneath.
As for color selection, Olive & June definitely serves up more punchy brights and multidimensional metallics that feel fresh. Essie takes a more neutral nude and pastel focused approach.
Overall, these two industry leaders succeed in different spaces. Essie provides effortless minimalist polish looks and basics that never really go out of style. Olive & June excels at on-trend coder colors with a gripping formula and tons of creative vision from its designers.
At the end of the day, you really can‘t go wrong with either brand. It just comes down to the types of shades and manicure inspiration you gravitate towards most!
What Do Actual Customers Have To Say?
Scouring Olive & June website reviews and nail blogger commentary, it’s clear their products have struck a serious chord with everyday manicure lovers. On their site alone, over 20,000 user reviews give top sellers like CCT Nail Polish and Cuticle Serum a 4.5 star average rating.
Followers praise the accessibility of Olive & June’s trendy colors compared to the mark ups of celebrity collab polishes from Zoey Deschanel and Priyanka Chopra. Customers also give major props to the Poppy nail polish handle for its ingenious ability to fix a shaky grip instantly.
One review from mega influencer nail artist Naileditbynicoleee reads:
“Let me just say I am OBSESSED with Olive & June nail polishes. The colors are always on point, application is super easy with their wide brush, and I’m still scratch free 5 days later! For the quality, these polishes are such a steal.”
Hearing this high praise from a nail pro with almost 2 million TikTok followers says it all!
Final Verdict: Should You Buy Into the Olive & June Hype?
In case my gushing reviews haven’t made it abundantly clear yet, I wholeheartedly believe Olive & June is well worth the investment for any manicure lover. Compared to drugstore polishes costing the same amount, you’ll enjoy longer wear, beautiful high-shine finishes, and a vastly wider color selection with this brand.
What’s more, detailing tools like The Poppy and treatments like the Cuticle Serum outperform competitors by leaps and bounds. Everything Olive & June delivers focuses on pushing the boundaries of what’s possible for at-home manicure perfection.
Of course, a standout element that shouldn’t be overlooked is the tremendous educational assets Olive & June makes readily available too. From fundamentals Bootcamps to Masterclasses with celebrity manicurists, their virtual and in-person classes unlock new levels of skill.
So if you’re looking for an inspiring nail care brand selling salon-worthy lacquers and innovations unlike anything else on the market – look no further than Olive & June!
