I've owned over 500+ nail polishes but this £8.99 product has changed the way I now do my nails (2025)

If there's a new beauty product launch that has been designed to genuinely make life easier and more efficient, then I want to know about it (and naturally, try it out immediately). So, when Nails.INC announced the launch of its brand new 1-step gel nail polish system called It's Topless, I knew I had to give it a test run.

I'm a qualified nail technician (turned food writer) but still regularly do nails for friends, family, and myself, so I've tried my fair share of nail products over the years, and to say this product has changed the way I do my nails, is a serious understatement.

Nails.INC It's Topless, is a brand-new innovation on the market, and combines four needs in one: a base coat, treatment, colour and a top coat, all in one easy step. It's formulated with bio-peptides and glass particles for a glossy chip-resistant at-home gel polish-like finish. Not only that, but it also has a super rapid drying time, and was touch dry in 50 seconds (but I'd allow about an hour before you venture out into the world). Now that's what we call a hard-working multi-tasker.

I tested this brand-new nail system for 5 days, with each day including some pretty hand-intensive tasks as you'll see below, and monitored how it lasted and looked, to really find out if this can trump my usual Mylee at-home gel nail polish system (which typically gives me chip and scuff-free nails for 7-10 days).

There are plenty of shades to pick from in the new Nails.INC 1-Step range, so whether you go for neutrals, brights, or darks, there's guaranteed to be a shade for you. I decided to try out the shade called Miley, a bright Barbie-esque pink with a blue undertone, to see how it would last in my hand intensive lifestyle...

TIP: Regardless of whether you are doing your nails with regular nail polish or gel polish, I would always recommend using a nail cleanser before painting to remove excess oil, dirt and fluff from the nail bed. This helps to ensure the polish has the best possible chance of adhering onto your nails.

Day 1: I cycle to the office (I do this 3x a week), so this means I'm taking my bike lock on and off, carrying my bike up some stairs, a task that usually involves some form of nail chipping but nothing! Impressed so far.

Day 2: I go for a morning run with my partner, so that means it's hair wash day, so I am expecting my nails to chip and peel from shampooing my hair, but, it seems to withstand that, too..

Day 3: In the office I opened plenty of Easter eggs in their cardboard and plastic packaging (yes, eating chocolate is part of my job) and I cooked dinner AND did the washing up (glove free, woops) and noticed some very minor wear at the free edge of my nails. By day 3 I would usually remove my nail polish because this is the day I would notice the most amount of chipping, but it's minimal so don't feel the need to.

Day 4: I start my morning with a strength class at the gym, lifting heavy kettlebells and dumbbells, plus another hair wash after the gym. If you look closely at the edges of my nails, about 3/10 have some minimal chipping, but from afar my nails looks perfectly polished and in really good nick.

Day 5: I cooked, filmed and edited a recipe video (almond croissant baked oats in case you were wondering) and did the washing up, again without gloves (someone get her a pair of gloves already), and noticed no further wear and tear.

The verdict: To have done so many hand-intensive tasks in a week is normal for me, so I wasn't expecting this to hold up very well at all, but it did, and I am seriously impressed.

This has genuinely exceeded my expectations and freed up so much extra time - no more nail appointments or waiting hours for my nails to dry. And for £8.99 a bottle, you better believe I'll be stocking up.