Updated date:

Nov 5, 2019

Battle of the Nail Polish Strips: Color Street vs. Lily and Fox

Author:

Lauren is a busy mother of two magnificent children and loves music, food, and experimenting with her hairstyle.

battle-of-the-nail-polish-strips-color-street-vs-lily-and-fox

When I first began my foray into nail polish strips, there were few reviews on Color Street and none on Lily and Fox. So I decided to review and compare both companies so that others could be informed before they buy.

What Are Nail Polish Strips?

Nail strips are an alternative to nail polish. They generally consist of a set of different sized strips that you peel and apply to your nails.

Company Summaries

Color Street

Color Street is a direct marketing company founded in New York by Fa Park. Their patented products were previously sold in stores as Incoco nails, and recently the company switched to a direct sales platform and is experiencing massive growth.

Lily and Fox

Lily and Fox is an Australian-based online retailer. Their website offers only a vague account of their history and information.

Price

Color Street

These nail polish strips cost $11-14 for each set, and shipping is $3.00. You can buy three sets and get one free, or for their French manicure sets, you can buy one and get one free. Each set comes with 16 nail strips, and you can usually use both ends of the strip. I generally do my nails twice with one set.

Lily and Fox

These strips sell for a very palatable $2.99 per set, with free global shipping, although this is supposedly a sale price. The original prices are marked at $8.99. In the few months I’ve bought from this company, the sale prices have always stayed in effect. Each set comes with 16 strips, but I’ve rarely been able to use both ends of one strip.

Look and Design

Color Street

This company boasts vibrant colors and professional-looking nails. The designs are a bit limited, and they cycle through them often, but overall they are contemporary and classy.

Lily and Fox

These products are appealing and fun, and they’ve got far more variety than Color Street—in particular, they deliver some great designs for holidays. But some of the designs seem a little cheap-looking, particularly when the colors are faded or the images are a bit campy.

Ease of Application

Color Street

When I first tried these products, I was amazed by how easy they were to apply. It did take me a little while to get them lined up correctly on my nails, but after some practice, I was able to apply a full set in about 5 minutes. You peel off the strip, apply it to your nail, and file or tear off the excess. The strips are light enough to be able to stretch and fit easily.

You remove the strips with nail polish remover, although it takes a lot of remover and rubbing to get it all off.

Durability

Color Street

The company says your applied nail strips can last up to two weeks, but unless you wear protective gloves all day or are an underwear model, this is probably not accurate. They will last weeks if you do absolutely nothing, but if you plan on dressing yourself, eating and preparing food, wrangling kids, or doing any other type of daily activities, these nail strips will chip and crack. However, I do feel they hold up better than a professional manicure.

Lily and Fox

They also say their nails will last two weeks, but again, this is true if you do absolutely nothing. The difference with these nail strips is that they won’t necessarily crack or chip as much (these strips are incredibly tough), but I’ve found they do snag and stick to just about anything. Unless you file them off just right, water and dirt will get under them and cause them to easily peel off. Usually, I only keep these on for a day or so. On the occasions where I’ve kept them on for longer, they get a little warped and wrinkled.

Feel

Color Street

I really do love the way these nails feel. They’re smooth and glossy, and they generally make my nails feel stronger.

Lily and Fox

These also make my nails feel stronger, but they’re not smooth. Rather, they’re more rubbery and sticky. The company recommends painting a clear top coat over the strips, but what’s the point of having nail strips if you have to use nail polish too?

Smell

Color Street

Yes, I do mention the smell, and this is why. Color Street strips smell like nail polish, which I like. Not that I like the smell of nail polish, but since they claim that their strips are made from nail polish, and they come out of the package smelling as such, I’m more inclined to believe them.

Lily and Fox

Lily and fox also claim their strips are made from nail polish, but they smell more like rubber. Are you sensing a theme here?

Summary and Recommendation

I would actually recommend both of these companies' products. I would use Color Street more for everyday use where I’d appreciate the feel and longevity. The price point is a little hard to swallow, but they are still cheaper than most professional manicures.

I would recommend Lily and Fox for events and occasions where I only need to wear them for a few hours. However, if their magical, ongoing sale should ever end and the price of their products jumps back to $8.99, I don’t think I’d still purchase them.

I feel both of these companies offer great products that ease the effort of applying nail polish and curb the cost of professional manicures.

Which Nail Polish Strip Company Would You Prefer?

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

Questions & Answers

Question: I find Lily and Fox nail strips peel off, is there a way to adhere better? Today I cleaned my nails with nail polish remover to see if it makes a difference?

Answer: I find that Lily and Fox nails adhere better when I don’t do anything involving water for a few hours. Usually, I put them on right before I go to bed and they have hours to bond to the nail.

Question: I love being able to reseal my Color Street nails so they last, but I can't find anything on resealing Lily and Fox. Do you have to throw out Lily and Fox nail polish strips after one use?

Answer: The composition of Lily and Fox nails is different than Color Street, and they actually don't dry out. So you can open them up and leave them out and they'll be perfectly fine to use again later.

Question: I am now a ColorStreet Stylist, I love your fair evaluation, but I would recommend you try ColorStreet Glitter Nails again. I swam for two hours in a Salt Water pool and also did 3 days of repotting plants. I was shocked that my ColorStreet Glitter lasted. About two days later I did see chipping. I believe you could give them a try again. What do you think?

Answer: I continue to wear Color Street and the result is almost always the same. They look great for one or two days and then start chipping and cracking, regardless of what activities I’m doing. I still feel they are the superior nail strip, but advertising that they last for two weeks is unrealistic.

Question: Why do lily and fox nails look upside down with the design at the bottom?

Answer: I think Lily and Fox is a company that sells cast off or overstocked nail strips, so I think some of the designs might have been misprinted. I’ve had a couple that are upside down.

Question: Have you tried Glitterati?

Answer: I have not, but I've looked at their website and will be trying them soon!

Question: I just ordered a batch of L&F strips. I'm disappointed to hear how short-lived they are. Color street are too flimsy and tear easily, in my honest opinion. The very best are Perfectly Polished. I have had these last 3 weeks on vacation, and they are lovely and thick and don't tear. Have you tried these?

Answer: I haven't tried Perfectly Polished, although, the more I use Lily and Fox, the more I like them and the longer they last.

Question: I have flat nails with ridges. Will Color Street adhere to my nails?

Answer: Yes, Color Street nails and most nail strips are very flexible.

Question: Does cleaning your nails with nail polish remover before applying help them stay on longer?

Answer: I haven't tried that, but it seems that it would. Usually I clean my nails with an alcohol wipe before applying the strips.

Comments

Robini0902 on June 27, 2020:

Color Street, Incoco, and Coconut nails are all made by the same company.

Susan Berger on June 01, 2020:

I've tried them both. Lily and Fox , just put a top coat on..They last ..

Price can't beat it.

Susan Berger on June 01, 2020:

I've tried them both! Color St

Wendy Statz on May 12, 2020:

I've used Lily&fox a few times more. I love them. Great designs, great price and they lasted over 4 weeks. I did put clear polish over the top but that was my personal choice. Love them

mjcaraway64 on February 25, 2020:

Color street do not work well after time even when being sealed up. I started my nail strip wearing with CS but now prefer the less expensive wraps that last longer stored.

Amy on December 28, 2019:

To make your color street last longer apply them right before bed. So nothing comes into contact with your nails until the morning. No moisture oils etc. Since making this change my color streets last 3 weeks plus. Vrs between 1 and 2 weeks before.

Also adding a layer either with their awesome overlays or with just a clear strip will greatly increase wear time.

Lyla on December 07, 2019:

I used my first Color Strip nail strips for my daughter's wedding 2 weeks ago. I'm still wearing these, after scrubbing my floors by hand, digging in my flower garden planting bulbs, day after day, doing a lot of other household duties. I'm shocked they're lasting as well.. I have similar sparkly nail polish and have touched up tips but am not ready to take them off yet. They look fantastic. Nothing has ever lasted this long on my nails. idk if I just got an extremely durable set of strips (Tokyo Lights) or what. I didn't have the alcohol pad with me so I washed my nails and applied mouth wash to them. Maybe that did it??

Marie-Eve Riel on November 04, 2019:

Ive you try marie nail and Beauty bar?

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on September 30, 2019:

Jill,

So sorry about your lost nail strips! Honestly, the more I use Lily and Fox, the more I like them. They take some getting used to and every once in a while I’ll find a set that isn’t very consistent in quality, but for the price, they’re really quite good.

Jill McAlester on September 30, 2019:

Wish I had read this before I ordered Lily and Fox. I lost my wallet containing about $100 worth of Color Street nails. Devastated! Looking for a quick, cheap replacement I happened on Lily and Fox. From your review I think I might be disappointed. Hopefully not.

Sharon Herdenberg on June 29, 2019:

Out of the 2 Color Street is the better one. But whoever said Glitterati in the comments is right. They work the best for me also, I love that brand.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on April 24, 2019:

Kavita,

The magnificent thing about nail polish strips is that they take zero time to dry, which is one of the many reasons I feel they are superior to bottled nail polish.

Kavita Mevada on April 24, 2019:

How long does Nail Polish Take to Dry it takes for your nails to dry depends partly on the nail polish and nail polish dryer you use. All polishes can dry in a timely fashion as long as they are applied thinly and evenly on a clean surface and topped with a proper topcoat.

Please check out my web site too and let me know what you think.

http://www.atallcures.com

MARLA BAKER on March 18, 2019:

Not to get off-subject, but does anyone know if Lily & Fox are the same nail polish strips as Perfectly Polished and Lucky Moose? The packaging for all of them is pretty much identical. Wondering if they're all the same exact thing just sold under different names?

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on March 14, 2019:

Julie,

Thanks for the tip with the flat iron! What a great idea! I feel like Lily and Fox last longer because the strips are thicker, so that’s a positive. I’m glad you tried them out, they’re a nice alternative to the price of Color Street.

Julie on March 14, 2019:

Thanks for the article! Because of this I learned about lily and fox, and so far really like my first set. They've been on a week and look better than any of my colorstreet after that amount of time. I did hit them with a top coat when I got back home due to the rubbery tacky feeling and that solved it. Application was fine and I did clean my nails with alcohol like I do before colorstreet.

Also, as for saving your colorstreet after opening? Seal the plastic envelope with a flat iron! Keeps it pretty air tight, but they still won't last forever...

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on March 14, 2019:

Marla,

I’ve had a fair amount of trouble with the Lily and Fox strips coming off soon after application. Although, I have better luck with them when I apply them at night before I go to bed. That way they have all night to bond without me doing housework and getting my nails wet. I don’t know if that’s helpful. Regardless, Color Street has the superior product.

MARLA BAKER on March 14, 2019:

All of the Lily & Fox strips I've used are garbage. They lifted off within 30 minutes of application. I guess you get what you pay for. Too bad since L&F have so many more colors and designs. Oh well, I'll stick with CS, Incoco, Coconuts and Jamberry lacquer strips.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 23, 2019:

Tina,

While Color Street does have a fair amount of designs, when compared to Lily and Fox they are limited, as they only have about half as many designs. Furthermore, a chunk of Color Street’s designs are solid colors and solid glitters, whereas Lily and Fox offer more variety in their styles. That being said, some of the Lily and Fox designs can verge on kitschy, while Color Street designs seem to be more defined and classy.

Tina on February 22, 2019:

I can't believe she said the Color Street designs are limited- maybe back then but they are plentiful now and every season they add new designs and each year the designs for that season are different then the last. Right now they are offering at least 5 designs just for St. Patrick's day. They offer many sports themes and the list goes on. They are even about to launch a whole bunch of new spring themed

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 13, 2019:

Andi,

Color Street is definitely the better quality product, however, I’ve found that the more I use Lily and Fox nails, the longer they last. Maybe I’m getting better at applying them or something.

Andi on February 13, 2019:

I’ve used Incoco now Color Street for years, they last weeks but will start to have tiny crack lines after a couple days. Its really only noticable up super close so I wear them til my nails grow out too much. I used my first Lily and Fox today, it lasted til I showered. I noticed 4 completely fell off and the others I was able to pull off without any trouble. Shortest time I’ve ever had my nails done for. Disappointing but I guess the price difference explains it.

stacey on February 10, 2019:

they are not wide enough for my nails perfect for a child

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 04, 2019:

Francine,

You can’t post pics in the comments, unfortunately, but if you have them posted elsewhere online you can share the link in the comments. I don’t know if that’s helpful.

Francine on February 04, 2019:

I love the glitter finish, and adding Miracle Gel over them makes them sparkle even more! Definitely with Incoco (I bought MANY Incoco nail strips before they transitioned to Color Street and still have tons in inventory), that makes them last longer. I'd never been able to grow my nails very long until I started using nail polish trips. Now I have nails anywhere from 1/8 to 1/4" beyond my finger tips. Love that! Day 4 now with Lily and Fox ("Cotton Candy" design) and they still look like they did when first applied. Can I post pics of nails?

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on February 04, 2019:

Francine,

Thanks for those tips, I’ll have to try the Miracle Gel to take away the rubbery feeling. Also, what I like to do with Lily and Fox nails is use the ones that are slightly too small for each nail. Yes, that does mean that parts of my nails show on the sides, but with some of the designs you really can’t notice. I find that this helps because I don’t have to shape them.

Francine on February 03, 2019:

I've used Incoco (dba Color Street) nail polish strips for years. I am currently wearing my first set of Lily and Fox. They take longer to apply because they are thicker. It is essential that you use an orange stick to make sure the sides are firmly attached to your nail. And they ARE hard to file and shape. But I've been wearing them now three days and they still look great ... no chips or lifting. I also use Miracle Gel topcoat with both products, which dries almost instantly. If you want them to last for at least a week (either brand), taking these two extra steps goes a long way to making that happen.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on January 31, 2019:

Cindy,

Yeah, lily and Fox aren’t for everyone. But you bring up a good point. Incoco nails are Color Street nails, and you can buy them at Walmart or online for $5-$7. They’re still a great product at a lower price, but it’s kind of a slap in the face to any of Color Street’s stylists.

Cindy on January 31, 2019:

I just tried Lily and Fox wraps for the first time and by the time I had the 3rd nail wrap on, the first one was coming off. They are so so thick. It felt like I was putting children's Colorforms on my nails. I threw the package out and put on Incoco and they're all perfect after 3 days.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on December 22, 2018:

Rebecca,

Lily and Fox definitely have a better price point, and I’ve noticed that since they’re generally thicker than Color Street they don’t chip as much and sometimes last longer. Although I do have more issues with the Lily and Fox nails coming completely off. I’ll have to try doing the clear coat. I think I’m just too lazy. :)

Rebecca Strong on December 22, 2018:

I have used both types. I now put a clear coat of nail polish over any that I apply. It only takes a couple of minutes to dry and helps the polish stay in longer. Sometimes the lily and fox last longer than color street because I have experienced more chipping with color street. The difference in price is why I prefer lily and fox.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on December 14, 2018:

Leslie,

Color Street is great quality and you pay for it. I have found some Lily and Fox designs have stayed longer than a day. It seems their designs are not uniform, making me think they may get their products from multiple manufacturers. Lily and Fox are great for a quick, fun event, but the longevity and feel of Color Street is uncontested.

Leslie Jean Knope on December 14, 2018:

I would just like to say that I too have tried both Colorstreet and Lily Fox. I bought some as Christmas gifts but wanted to give them a try first to see what I was gifting. Colorstreet came in the mail fairly quickly and Lily and Fox took forever. I was already a fan of Colorstreet but for the price of the other one, I had to try. I could not agree more with this well written accurate description. Lily and Fox were more like stickers than nail wraps. I will say though putting a 'quick dry' clear top coat over the Colorstreet really lengthens the life. Unfortunately as soon as I took a shower the Lily and Fox came right off. So they didn't last 12 hours and I will not be giving them as gifts. Well maybe to the 10 year old girls, but not the adults. Again, great article, veey accurate and well described.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 17, 2018:

Kikilong,

That’s great! I definitely think there might be some variation of longevity between some of the Lily and Fox styles. I’ve tried a couple that were truly frustrating, but other than those ones I’ve had a pretty good experience with them.

Kikilong on November 17, 2018:

I’m currently wearing a lily & fox set that I’ve had on for two weeks! They’re glitter so I’m not sure if that makes a difference but I’m very impressed. Def going to buy again.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 08, 2018:

Mallory,

I have not tried Glitterati, I will have to check them out. Thanks for the tip!

Mallory on November 07, 2018:

Lauren,

Have you tried Glitterati? I have tried all three of these companies and found that Glitterati lasted the longest for me as well as being cheaper than color street. You also get 18 strips instead of 16.

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on November 01, 2018:

Sharon,

Honestly, the more I use Lily and Fox, the more I like them. I still think Color Street are the better quality, and you pay for it, but I find Lily and Fox to be more and more acceptable for dat to day use. And I love their variety of designs!

Sharon on November 01, 2018:

I love Lily and Fox! So easy to apply and really last. Dish washing house cleaning and all. I tried to order the Christmas wraps but were sold out, surprise! So excellent, I have tried a lot of wraps too. Please keep up the good work!

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on October 12, 2018:

Betsy, I actually had to go through a few failed attempts before I found a method that worked. After I use all the nails I need for the first time, I put the extras back in the clear plastic sleeve they came in, fold it over and tape it all the way around. I have found, however, that even with this method the remaining nails end up slightly more brittle than at first and shorten their life a bit, but I always get them to last at least a week.

Betsy Kleger on October 12, 2018:

I love color street. Question: you mentioned that you can use one set twice. How do you store them so they don’t dry out? I was under the impression that once they were opened they had to be used right away

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on September 29, 2018:

Katie, yeah, it always seems like the Color Street nails still smell like nail polish almost one or two days afterwards. It’s kind of weird.

Katie on September 29, 2018:

Did you notice the smell of the color street to go away? They were still smelling strong 12+ hours after application for me, which gave me a headache.

Maykup on September 29, 2018:

Sweet products free

Lauren Flauding (author) from Sahuarita, AZ on September 28, 2018:

Here are the links to the websites of these two companies, which I would imagine would be useful for anyone seriously considering buying their products.

https://colorstreet.com

https://www.lilyandfox.com