Essie Leave No Trace Glitter Nail Polish Remover Review: Does it Live Up to the Hype?

Are you tired of battling stubborn glitter nail polish? Essie's Leave No Trace Glitter Nail Polish Remover claims to be the solution, promising quick and easy removal of even the most tenacious glitters and textured polishes. This innovative "scrub-in-gel" formula combines acetone with scrubbing beads for a supposedly mess-free application. But does it live up to the hype? We put it to the test using a variety of nail polishes, from creamy shades to heavily-filled glitter and textured finishes, to see if this popular remover truly delivers on its promise of effortless removal.Our in-depth review explores the product's performance, ease of use, and overall effectiveness. We'll detail our testing process, showcasing the results of removing various polishes and highlighting both the pros and cons. Find out if Essie's Leave No Trace Glitter Nail Polish Remover is a worthwhile addition to your manicure arsenal, or just another over-hyped beauty product. Prepare to discover whether this remover is truly a game-changer for glitter polish removal.

Pros And Cons

Essie Leave No Trace Glitter Nail Polish Remover
  • Removes glitter and textured polishes.
  • Relatively easy application.
  • Messier than expected.
  • May require additional cleanup with another remover.

Read more: 7 Best Nail Polish Remover Pens (2024 Review)

Product Overview and Background

The Essie Leave No Trace Glitter Nail Polish Remover is a unique product marketed as a quick and easy solution for removing even the most stubborn glitter polishes. It claims to have a double-action formula, combining a gel-like acetone with scrubbing beads for effective removal. The product was initially released around 2016-2017 and gained popularity in the UK before becoming more widely available.

The packaging describes it as a 'scrub-in-gel' formula that tackles tough glitters and textured polishes. It promises a mess-free application and easy control. The instructions suggest applying a pea-sized amount, letting it sit for 30 seconds, massaging it in, and then wiping away with a cotton pad.

Testing the Remover on Different Nail Polish Types

For the test, four different nail polishes were used: a cream polish, a glitter top coat, a filled glitter polish, and a textured polish. This variety aimed to assess the remover's effectiveness on diverse finishes and textures.

Stopwatch shows nail polish remover test time.
Stopwatch shows nail polish remover test time.

The reviewer applied a generous amount of the remover to each nail and waited for 30 seconds. Then, they used a cotton pad to remove the polish, demonstrating the process on camera. The application was slightly messier than advertised, but the remover was applied to ensure the test accurately showcased its effectiveness.

Results and Observations

The results were surprisingly positive. While the cream polish left a slight pink residue, the glitter and textured polishes were removed almost completely with minimal scrubbing. The glitter top coat proved especially easy to remove.

Nail polish remover test results
Nail polish remover test results

The reviewer noted that even the textured polish, which is notoriously difficult to remove, came off with just a few swipes. The remover did create some mess, contrary to its claim of being mess-free, but overall its effectiveness outweighs this small inconvenience.

Nail polish remover test results
Nail polish remover test results

Repeat Test and Final Thoughts

A second test was conducted using only the textured polish to further evaluate the remover's performance. The results were consistent with the first test; the polish was removed efficiently with a single swipe.

Nails with textured polish after removal.
Nails with textured polish after removal.

Overall, the Essie Leave No Trace Glitter Nail Polish Remover exceeded expectations in terms of its effectiveness. While not entirely mess-free, its ability to remove stubborn glitter and textured polishes quickly and easily makes it a worthwhile product. The reviewer strongly recommends this product to others having similar struggles in nail polish removal.

Purple glitter nail polish removal test.
Purple glitter nail polish removal test.