Spending $20 for a good, clean nail look is a thing of the past. This is under $10 and people say it really does work. If you have naturally thin, brittle nails or if acrylics and gel manicures have been taking a serious toll, you may be looking for something to help your claws look good and feel strong. For years now, HuffPost readers have loved Londontown's Kur nail concealer for fortifying their nails, but at $20 a bottle and rarely on sale, it's certainly not fortifying your bank account. Thankfully, today we spotted a similar, milky nail strengthener from the brand Modelones. It's a buildable nail concealer designed to repair your existing nails and help new nails grow long and strong. $7.99 at Amazon (regularly $9.99).
What Makes Modelones Nail Concealer Stand Out?
This 3-in-1 concealer can be used in place of your normal nail polish, as a priming base coat, or as a shiny top coat. Fans say it's not just saving their nails; it's saving them money and time. Unlike traditional, clear nail strengtheners, the Modelones nail concealer hardens nails while offering a buildable, glossy, pearly white color. This means you can wear it on its own without your nails looking totally bare, or use it alongside your favorite polish colors. (You can actually now find the concealer in a selection of hues, but the pearl white is the best deal.)
Key Ingredients and Application Tips
Made with keratin to strengthen and protect, jojoba oil for conditioning and repair, and evening primrose oil for hydration, many users say the concealer keeps their nails looking healthy and beautiful without harsh smells. The brand recommends applying it in thin coats, as you would with a traditional polish, waiting two minutes between coats. You'll add more coats for a deeper color, waiting five minutes when you're done for it to all dry. Reviewers say the product makes their nails look clean and cared for, but not too flashy, giving you that just-stepped-out-the-salon look without the price tag.
Real Reviews from Satisfied Customers
It's loved by users with naturally paper thin nails, damage from acrylics, or whose nails are becoming more textured and fragile with age, for being a one-and-done fix with lasting power. One reviewer says: "This strengthener works perfectly for me because it is like a treatment and polish in one. It makes my nails smooth, glossy and gives them a nice, clean, natural color. Best of all, I'm good to go after two quick coats." Another calls the product "the best thing since sliced bread," noting they like it more than Londontown's concealer: "I was blown away by how smooth this was applied. This was way more luxurious than expensive nail polish brands." A third jokes the product was "love at first coat," saying it makes their nails look like they went to a salon to get them done! Many say this concealer is the only thing that's ever worked to get their nails to grow, with results beating professional manicures. Reviewer PieTOgo compares it to "a whisper of fairy dust for your nails," which covers up yellowing, cracks, and roughness, making hands look elegant.
More Testimonials
Fans love this strengthener for keeping their nails smooth and strong. Check out more 5-star reviews and grab some for under $10. Stephanie Acierno says: "My fingernails are actually growing and nothing else has ever worked. This is lovely milky color and lasts pretty long considering I'm in a chlorinated pool almost every single day for hours exercising. Most success I've ever had even when I lived in NYC and got weekly manicures. My nails just never felt this strong or held up to doing housework or dishes by hand, etc. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Easy to apply. Dries Quick. Very Smooth. Very Pretty." Christen writes: "I bought this because I was looking for an alternative to Londontown's nail concealer, $20 a bottle is just too steep for me. This works wonderfully. It's milky and beautiful, it applies evenly without streaks and it doesn't take forever to dry. I can easily get a weeks worth of wear with a good base and top coat. I definitely recommend this product." Nida M. shares: "I am very much a nude or pink nail girl. I stopped getting nail extensions because I'm in the kitchen often, I type on computers a lot, and I love to garden. I started doing gel polish on its own, but we all know what a pain it is to remove at home. My nails were getting pretty damaged even with very gentle removal, so I just stopped painting my nails entirely. There is nothing wrong with bare nails, but I really prefer to have a clean-looking and slightly shiny nail just to feel put together. This product delivers exactly that!! I got the peach-nude color and it is the perfect nude pink for medium skin tones!! All I did to prep were push back my cuticles, file my nails down, and wipe them with alcohol to dehydrate. I did not use a base coat, as I wanted to see just how long these lasted with minimal prep. I did 3 thin coats of the polish, and each coat dried down very nicely and almost immediately. I topped with OPI's double duty top coat, and these pictures are of my nails after a week. I waited a week to write a review because I really wanted to see how they lasted. My nails very commonly crackle/chip with regular polish even from a salon. I am SO impressed with how these held up. I will absolutely be repurchasing this, but it looks like I won't have to for a while since there is so much product in the bottle. This is probably going to be my go-to nail product for a while. Removal is easy with 100% acetone as well, so if I ever need a refresh, it takes less than 15 minutes! TLDR: MUST BUY! Quick dry, no base coat needed, lasts long without chips or cracks, stays shiny, easy to apply!"
Other Affordable Nail Care Favorites
Keeping fingernails healthy shouldn't cost you your entire arm. Here are three other favorites, all under $10, curated by HuffPost Shopping.
1. Instant Cuticle Remover
This instant cuticle remover gets the job done in seconds and is made with aloe and chamomile, which nourishes nails. With more than 42,000 ratings (the vast majority of them five stars), it's officially reached cult-favorite status. Promising review: "I've tried other cuticle removers but none are as gentle, effective, and affordable as Sally Hansen's. This is just one of those products that I always have on hand and will never be without." $4.97 at Amazon.
2. Nail Strengthening Cream
If your nails are flimsy and brittle, a nail-strengthening cream may help strengthen them. Over 54,000 people gave this one by Hard As Hoof a 5-star rating, with one calling it "the only thing" they've found that even slightly lessens the ridges in their nails. The formula repairs past damage (such as caused by acrylic or gel manicures) and strengthens nails so they grow longer and stronger. Bonus: You'll get a 5% discount off the already-affordable nail potion if you grab two. $13 at Amazon.
3. Glass Nail File
Senior shopping writer Lourdes Avila Uribe swears by this glass nail file. While a traditional sandpaper-like file can leave nails feeling jagged, rough and full of micro-tears, her glass file slices through them cleanly, easily and smoothly, leaving them feeling healthy and strong. Promising review: "So much faster than using a disposable emery board. Just wash, dry and reuse. Be sure to use gentle pressure at first if you've never used this type of file before." $9.95 at Amazon.
The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through fake hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there's an exception, we'll tell you why.)
