Lily and Fox Review: Are They Better Than Color Street?
Not only will you get my honest review of Lily and Fox Nail Polish Wraps, I will also compare them to Color Street to see who comes out on top. Is Lily and Fox a great Color Street Alternative? Keep reading to find out!
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Lily and Fox Review: Are They Better than Color Street
Lily and Fox is a nail strip company that’s giving Color Street a run for their money. Today, I’m sharing all the pros and cons in this Lily and Fox review so you can decide if their nail wraps are something you’d like to try.
Some people will definitely choose Lily and Fox over Color Street and some won’t. So let’s get into all the details below and see which one you might be.
Lily and Fox Review
I heard about Lily & Fox from someone on Pinterest. They left a comment on one of the pins that leads to our Color Street post saying that Lily & Fox was better than Color Street nails. I try my best to follow up on all comments so I told them I’d check them out and now, here we are.
I tried two different sets from Lily and Fox a solid, neutral color and a glitter design. I know Color Street’s glitter designs always last longer for me so I really wanted to compare the two glitters.
Now that I’ve tried out Lily & Fox, I’m ready to share my honest review with all of you. I’ll tell you all about Lily and Fox and compare their nail strips to Color Street’s. We’ll see who comes out on top.
Lily and Fox vs Color Street
Color Street seems like the top dog of nail polish strips. They are the first to come out with a much easier application process while still keeping manicures and pedicures lasting for 10-14 days. They really changed the game of nail polish strips.
But just because they were the first, doesn’t necessarily make them the best. More and more companies are coming out with their own nail wraps. Today, we’ll be comparing newer company, Lily and Fox to Color Street.
Lily and Fox
Lily and Fox doesn’t share much info on their site when it comes to the company itself. They talk about wanting to find a better way to get salon quality nails at home with out the time waste, poking and prodding, and dollars spent at a nail salon.
I did email the company and found out some more info. Lily and Fox was started in 2018. There are parts from around the world that go into making their nail wraps but everything ends up in Australia for final processing. They have an office and warehouse in Perth, Western Australia and another warehouse in Elk Grove, Illinois.
Lily and Fox nails are 100% vegan, non-toxic and cruelty free! They are 10 free which means they don’t include the ten most toxic ingredients that are found in nail polish. You won’t find dibutyl phthalate, TPHP, toluene, xylene, ethyl tosylamide, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, parabens, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide in Lily and Fox nails which I think is pretty amazing.
Color Street
Color Street was created by Fa Park when he saw a woman struggling to polish her nails in a NYC taxi in 1984. He started working on finding the right formula for a real nail polish strip and eventually came out with Color Street, Incoco, and Coconut.
Incoco headquarters is in Clifton, New Jersey and it’s where Color Street and its sister companies are manufactured. All products are made in the USA which means a lot to Park because this is where he made his “American dream a reality”. You can read all about the company on their website.
Lily and Fox Pricing is Way Better
Let’s start with a pricing comparison. This is where Lily and Fox really shines. As of right now nail strips are only $2.99 for a set of 16. For reals!
It’s written as a sales price. The actual price is listed at $9.99 which is still better than Color Street prices. Plus, they have free shipping.
The thing is though, Lily and Fox nail wraps have been at that sale price of $2.99 for ever. They’ve never not used that sales price. Will they eventually stop using the promotional price? I can’t say. But for now, take advantage of that price because it’s amazing!
Check out the photo below to see what comes with your order. How cute is everything?! You don’t get alcohol wipes like you do with Color Street, but you do get a cuticle pusher which is really helpful when applying the nail wraps.
They also gave me an old Christmas set to practice with which is super awesome. I’m not sure if they do this for all first time buyers but it was a nice surprise for me.
The nails themselves come in a foil packaging. It’s not possible to seal them up again but because of the nail ingredients, you can use any extras again without them drying out. That’s a nice bonus. Color Street nail strips will dry out if you don’t do a whole song and dance to reseal them and even then it’s not guaranteed.
Color Street nail strips range in price from $11 – 14 for 16 nail strips and shipping is a flat rate of $3. They do have some deals that drop the prices.
Buy three get one free for colors, glitters, and nail art designs makes prices closer to $8.25 – 9.75. Buy one get one free for French manicures makes them $7 plus the $3 for shipping so if you plan ahead and buy more then you do get a better price. But it doesn’t compare to $2.99.
How to Purchase
Both Lily and Fox and Color Street have websites you can order from and get your nail wraps shipped to your home. You can’t buy either one in stores all though you can get Incoco and Coconut, Color Street’s sister companies, in some stores. Read more about them HERE!
Color Street does have the option of purchasing nails from a stylist. There are some benefits that come from this.
- Support for a friend that is trying to earn some extra money for herself/family.
- Stylist can have a good stock of nails at home which means you can sometimes avoid shipping cost when you buy from them. They can also have retired designs in their stash which means you can nab them when people ordering straight from the site can’t.
- Stylist love to get the word out through parties. In home parties are always fun but not super safe right now but most stylist are great at hosting online parties and making it fun. Hosting an online Color Street party could be a great way to have fun with friends and family while social distancing. Plus, you can earn yourself some free nails.
- If people keep complimenting you on your Color Street nails then you might make a good stylist which gets you discounts on nail strips and could turn into a good little side hustle for you.
None of this is possible with Lily and Fox. They only have purchasing through their website available.
Nail Strip Designs
Both Lily and Fox and Color Street have some great designs. Personally, I think Color Streets designs look a bit nicer and higher quality. Some of Lily and Fox designs look a little off to me. They just aren’t as crisp. It’s like there’s a slight blur to them.
This doesn’t happen on all their designs but I definitely see it in some, especially the holiday designs. I do think Lily and Fox nail designs are getting better though. When I first checked them out a couple of months ago, I only found a handful of designs I liked. Now, they have a lot more cute ones.
Both have holiday designs. Lily and Fox, however, has already sold out of their Halloween designs. Where as, Color Street, hasn’t even stocked theirs yet. I’m not sure if Lily and Fox will restock theirs. It seems like once they’re out of a design, that’s it. They’re done.
Color Street keeps the same nail designs for seasons. They let you know when they will retire a design so you have a chance to stock up on your favorites before they go away.
Lily and Fox, on the other hand, seems to rotate through designs on a regular basis. I loved the light grey set I got but by the time I got back on the site to think about reordering, they were gone. That’s a total bummer in my book. I want to know my favorite designs will be there so I can reorder them anytime I want.
Nail Strip Application Process
The application process between the two nail strips was very similar but Color Street is easier to apply.
Lily and Fox nail wraps go on really well and you can take them off and reposition them if you need to which is pretty helpful. But, the wraps are thicker and more plastic-y which makes them much harder to rip/pull away the excess polish strip you don’t need. You really need to file the extra away which is a bit harder to do. It does get easier with practice.
Lily and Fox nail polish strips are a bit stretchier which makes them go on the nail well but I think this contributes to a bubble problem I’ll talk about in the next section. This is also why most people have said they can only get one manicure out of each Lily and Fox set.
However, I did find a way to get a full manicure and pedicure from one set of Lily and Fox nail strips and still have some nail strips left over. Enough to get another pedicure or manicure for a younger daughter out of them.
$2.99 for a full mani/pedi plus another pedi is a crazy good deal.
Look and Feel
Again, I think the look and feel of both Color Street and Lily and Fox is similar. They both look great when first applied. Color Street nails do have a smoother feel though.
The Lily and Fox nail strips never feel completely dry. They have a sticky feeling to them that I don’t love.
Color Street nail strips last up to 2 weeks. I find the glitter polish has the best staying power. There is no wait time once your nails are on. You can immediately wash dishes or jump in the shower with no negative consequences.
Lily and Fox wants you to wait at least 6 hours before submerging your hands in hot water. I put my nail wraps on before bed so I don’t have to play a waiting game.
Lily and Fox also suggests using a base coat to help their nail strips adhere better to your nails and a top coat to make them last longer. Sally Hansen’s Mega Shine top coat is one they recommend.
This is a total negative in my opinion. I don’t like the idea of extra work but for $2.99 it could be worth the extra effort.
The first set of Lily and Fox nails I put on my bare nails and did not do a top coat. I don’t have to do that for Color Street nails and I wanted a real comparison.
Within a couple of days my nail polish wraps had started to bubble up and pull away from the edges. I think this is partially because of that stretch that happens when you first apply the nail strips.
It feels like they shrink back down which creates those bubbles and exposed tips.
I had to remove the Lily and Fox nail wraps by the end of the week because they looked awful. If you stick to an application with no bottom or top coat then these nails will only last about 3 days.
(Update) From my interactions with the company, they seem like a helpful group who wants you to have the best experience when using their product. After seeing how my grey nail wraps bubbled up they got in touch with me to let me know that it wasn’t normal and I must have gotten a bad set. They no longer have that design so they had me pick two other ones to try out. They have sent me them free of charge.
They do offer a 100% guarantee so if you experience a similar problem or are unhappy with your nail polish strips in any way you should reach out to them. I plan on trying the new sets they send to see if I have a similar bubbling problem and will update this post again with my results.
Lily & Fox Glitter Set
The next set I tried from Lily and Fox was a glitter set because I wanted to see how they compared to Color Street’s glitter designs. For this set, I left my right hand top coat free but I applied a layer of fast dry top coat to the left hand to see if it helped.
The right hand bubbled up just like the first Lily and Fox set I tried, but it bubbled way less than the solid set. I think the glitter holds up better just like Color Street glitter does.
The side with the top coat never bubbled up. It lasted the two full weeks with the only noticeable wear being growth at the nail bed and a tiny bit of nail showing on the tips.
You can see there is a lot of nail showing on the set that didn’t have a top coat on. The bubbles are not as noticeable on the glitter nails but you can really see it on that thumb nail.
I’m still wearing the Lily and Fox glitters on my toes and it’s been over a month. Just like Color Street the pedicure last much longer than the manicure.
Nail Strip Removal
Even though Color Street is made from real nail polish, there are a couple of layers in there. Therefore, cheap, 99 cent nail polish remover doesn’t really cut it. I use the coconut scented ONYX professional nail polish remover and it works great and still comes in at a good price.
Lily and Fox nails has a protective layer built into their nails to prevent nail damage. Because of this layer, the nail wraps simply pull off of the nail with out the need of polish remover.
I was able to peel the nails right off. It does leave a bit of residue on the nails but that washes off with soap and warm water.
If you use a base coat or top coat then you will need to use a nail polish remover. I tried to see if Lily and Fox nail wraps would peel of with the top coat and it did but it damaged my nail so that’s not good. A good nail polish remover was easily able to remove the top coat and strip.
Do They Damage Nails?
There is some debate on whether or not Color Street ruins your nails. Some people’s nails crack and split after too much Color Street use. Other people don’t have a problem with them at all.
Like I said above, Lily and Fox nail polish strips are made with real nail polish but they have a backing on them that prevents nail damage. If your nails have been damaged by other nail strips you should definitely give Lily and Fox a try.
So Which Nail Strip is the Winner?
So, now that I’ve gone over all the pros and cons of Lily and Fox and compared them to Color Street, which one do I recommend?
With a price of $2.99, the winner for me is Lily and Fox. 🦊 While they do have some problems with their nail wraps, the price more than makes up for them.
I would much rather spend 3 bucks on a mani and pedi that I have to paint a top coat on. It’s a very small, extra effort and if you use a fast dry, top coat it’s dry in less than a minute.
The application is slightly more annoying than Color Street’s process but again the price makes up for that.
If Lily and Fox ever stops the $2.99 sale price and starts selling their nail wraps at the listed $9.99 then I would switch back to Color Street. The’ve got more designs that will stick around.
Their nail strips last longer on their own, no top coat needed. Plus, the application process is easier, even if only by a little bit.
Have you tried Lily and Fox nail wraps? We’d love to hear about your experience with them in the comments!
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Hello everyone. Thank you so much for your full and honest review! I appreciate this! I wanted to share my experience. Now personally I have used the big 3. Color Street, Dashing Diva and now Lily & Fox. Color Street(CS from now on) is the best quality but with the recent price hikes, I don’t buy much anymore. CS is by far the easiest to use and fastest, but I do a couple extra steps to prep my nails before the application, I chose to do this because a 12.00-14.00 set must absolutely last 2 weeks for it to be worth my hard earned money. I do add top coats next day after application and throughout the next 2 weeks to keep them nice, it extra work but it still beats the nail salon prices. CS is just so expensive, for me it has become a special treat. I get the monthly box. However the CS box is 31.00 and you don’t know what your getting. I have hated a couple of them and skipped a few months because it was not in my budget at the time. I have to use polish remover for CS and that weakens your nails and causes breakage, so after a 2-3 CS mani’s I need to give my nails a break for a few weeks. Dashing Diva(DD from now on) is my go to. It’s cheaper than CS easier to use than Lily and Fox(LF from now on) for me always last 14 day’s. I take them off will vitamin E oil by saturating the nails and letting them sit. It usually only leaves residue from the adhesive if your patient. Coconut oils also work’s great. Now DD is a great middle option in my opinion, a little more work to get right than CS, but have really pretty designs for less. I favor DD’s gloss pallets. I do have a problem with DD sizes, in those sets, they are a bit small for my nails, and because they give only 4 wraps of a certain color or art in those sets your mani’s are hard to get done exactly the same on both hands. I just do my best to center the wrap on my nail and there will be a bit of a gap on sides but only noticeable if you point it out to others. However with DD I only need to add top coat once and I do it after about 2 hour’s from application and they be good for 14 or more day’s even if you work full time. CS I need to re-top coat a couple of times to keep them protected that 14 day’s. Finally LF. They are just vinal stickers, but thick one’s at least. They smell like a pool floaty when you open the package. This doesn’t bother me. I must admit the first time I used them was frustrating and they weren’t staying on and they got bubbled up. I didn’t give up though and tried them a couple of times, but that was only possible because of that awesome 2.99 price! I learned that applying a base coat first(I use the DD Red nail care base coat or Sally Hanson) then applying the LF nail wrap makes them stick better and they don’t bubble up. I then apply a top coat(I use Sally Hanson brilliant shiny top coat in chrome bottle)to the LF and they last a minimum of 14 day’s, in others words you have them on a long time and usually must intentionally remove them to change up. I buy the LF sets now mostly for accent nails in my mani’s. Ok final points, I use all 3 brands and even mix them together and don’t mind taking 45 minutes to make my mani’s look top notch! I personally take great care in my CS mani’s because I have a couple extra step before application of my CS to get them to last 2 weeks. I have gotten compliments on all 3 brands and nobody can tell the difference between them unless you tell them. I say you pick whatever is in your budget. If you choose to add base or top coat all three brands will need a nail polish remover, unless you have the patience to let oil sit on your DD and LF(this is not an option for CS) than you will probably have some damage to the nails because of nail polish remover. Hope this helps.
I have been using Lily and Fox over a year, every two weeks. and although I had issues at first, nothing now and I love them my more than I did Color Street. I think they are easier to apply and stay on longer. I don’t use a base coat but I put many, many , many layers of Sally Hanson miracle gel top coat on them. I also do mine at night so they have time to “cure” overnight and, since I work at home I am able put probably 8-10 coats of the top coat on throughout the day. They end up as hard and ,in my opinion, durable as I get with acrylics. I use acetone to held to my nail for 2-3 minutes on a cotton ball (I have the little clips like they have at the salon) and VOILA! it’s gone! I use to just take them off, and they came off ok, but I could definitely tell they were taking a layer or two off my nail and made them more thin and weak than my nails already are. In the end, I give them an A+++++++! They are only “polish” that will stay on my nails without acrylic and I recommend them to everybody I can! THIS ALL BEING SAID: If you are in a hurry, you aren’t going to get them quickly. They say they are shipped in 2-3 days and that’s not true. It typically takes about 2 weeks to ever be sent and then mailing time, so I make sure to order well in advance for holidays (I ordered Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentines day altogether in an order at the first of October, along with in between plain/glitter sets, and I *almost* didn’t get the Halloween ones in time! But, other than that, no complaints!
I just tried my first set of Lily and Fox after using Color Street for three years. I put them on my bare nails and used Essie speed setter quick dry top coat (I used this with Color Street too). I did not have any issues at all. They lasted just as long as Color Street (maybe longer), and came off easily with nail polish remover. My nails have been splitting ever since I took my acrylics off during the pandemic, but with Lily and Fox, my nails do not split. I could not believe the difference! With the $2.99 price, healthy nails, ease of application and removal, Lily and Fox has won me over!
Thank you for such a wonderful review. I love color Street but was wondering about Lily and fox and now would really love to give them a try. Can’t beat the price.
I use both LF and CS
I love both and agree with the
Critique.
The price is quite the determining factor.
$27 for 2 CS
$31 for 11 LF
5 years Color Street Stylist here. Color Street is made of 100% Nail Polish (no adhesive) and is made in the US. You can only buy from a stylist or online. Buy 3 Get 1 includes French tip. You can reseal by putting left overs back into the plastic sleeve and seal with a hair straightener. They also offer make up and Nailcare products. All are made with good for your skin ingredients. Nail splitting is caused by poor hydration and unhealthy cuticles. Color Street is easily removed. Non-acetone (acetone is horrible for your nails) on a cotton ball held to nail bed for a bit, and they wipe right off. Glitter too. The only reason why you would have damaged nails from CS, is if you peeled them off. Since the are made with real nail polish and no adhesive you remove them as such.
You don’t *have* to use acetone, you can use coconut oil or lemon juice and it does the same thing. The choice is yours! I use acetone now, but I’m going to try coconut oil, too.
As an ex employee from Lily and Fox, they do NOT make their wraps.
They buy it from a Chinese company called Huizi.
You find them on alibaba and aliexpress.
I enjoyed this review, thank you! I have been using Dashing Diva for some time and recently tried out Lily & Fox. In both cases, I have had good and bad results based on the specific color/finish. I love the translucent finishes at L&F, and a top coat really makes the difference. I have never had that bubbling issue – super weird. Exposed tips I have had. Top coat helps with that.
I absolutely love Lily and Fox and have been ordering from them for two years now. I always have a really good outcome and get so many compliments on my nails and tell others where they can order them too. For $2.99 a set and free shipping regardless of how many you buy, it’s such a great deal and they have such cute designs. They seem to protect my nails and do come back off very easy. It took me a little bit to get used to putting them on but now it’s such a quick easy process for me and I don’t stretch them so never a problem with bubbling. If I need a tiny strip to add to the side of the thumb, I just cut a little strip from the smallest nail strip and add, then top coat. they look so pretty. I have always received my order quickly and just what I ordered. Now, if they ever do charge the $9.99, I guess I’d have to go back to nail polish as my budget loves the $2.99 with free shipping and I couldn’t afford much more. But I love them so much and have a case that I have so many nail strips in, as the cost lets me. So much fun to decide which to do next. I use a base and top coat and with working full time, they still last a couple weeks, or until I want to switch them out, and that happens more often for me as I love changing to a different look. So pretty. Definitely give them a try. you’ll be so happy you did. I am. Loved the review by the way so much. 🙂