It's the season for open-toed shoes – not to mention swimsuits – which means your toenails and fingernails are on show more than ever. Although there are a myriad of nail varnishes on the market claiming to transform your hands and feet, the ultimate quest remains: find a versatile, super shiny, quick-drying bottle. Here’s what iVillage staff discovered when they tested 10 of the most popular brands and colours.

1. Estée Lauder Pure Color Crystal Nail Lacquer Crystal Opaline - £9.50 / 9ml. A brilliant sheer, pale pink colour that looked like a French manicure after just one coat. This polish was quick-drying and is the perfect neutral shade for summer.

2. MAC Swinger - £7 / 14ml. This pink colour was bright, garish and funky – lots of fun. One coat was sufficient, and so far it’s lasted five days. It was simple to apply and would be great for going out – it screams ‘notice me’.

3. Clinique Glosswear Nail Enamel Pink Shimmer #33 - £9 / 15ml. I loved this product, and the colour – a stunning transparent pink – was amazing. The colour in the bottle looked quite opaque and mumsy, but seemed completely different on my nails. Just one coat lasted five days and it was easy to apply. Plus, it didn’t chip or peel. This varnish was so low-maintenance that after one coat I was sold on it for the rest of the summer.

4. Superdrug Kolor One Coat Nail Polish Lido - £2.09 or £2.49 / 8ml or 14 ml. Hmm…this one looks better in the bottle, I have to say. I only wanted to paint one coat, but it streaked so badly that I had to apply another. Then it chipped within three hours. However, it would be good fun for a one-night application if it went well with an outfit. Otherwise, it doesn’t have much functional use - even though it chips easily, for some reason it refuses to come off with remover.

5. Lancôme Lacquiresist Perle, Colour 22 - £5 / 15ml. I loved this subtle pink colour that gave my nails a very natural look, but I must confess, I've always liked Lancôme polishes because the varnish goes on smoothly and evenly. I would highly recommend this to anyone, even though it’s a bit more than I usually prefer to spend.

6. Revlon Copper Glaze Platinum #05 - £6.29 / 15ml. This subtle bronzy colour was stunning and the consistency was perfectly smooth. After a few days it began to fade away at the top a bit. I should have probably used a topcoat and it would’ve been ok. I tend to wear a colour similar to this a lot, but it's one of the nicer ones I have tried. I liked the texture and would definitely buy this brand again.

7. Space NK Nails Nude - £8 / 11ml. This neutral colour was shiny enough to make my nails look manicured, but subtle enough for the office. I applied two coats, which lasted four days. When I removed it later in the week, it came off easily. The colour isn’t particularly original, but it’s something every woman should have on hand.

8. Tommy Hilfiger Play As You Go Maribu - £5 / 15ml. This nice plum colour could be used for both day and night. Although I needed two coats - and the second one needed a lot of polish on the brush - when applied thick enough, the colour was fantastic. This varnish lives up to its name, drying in around two minutes so I could continue with my daily routine almost immediately. It began to chip after about two days, but I would definitely use it again.

9. Chanel nail polish Fuschine - £11.50 / 13 ml. I liked this colour a lot—it’s subtle with a slight metallic tinge to it. One coat lasted several days. Chanel have the best colour range of all makes – the hues are subtle, not hard, and new ones come out twice a year to fit in with fashion trends. These nail varnishes are of an excellent quality and are worth the extra money.

10. Max Factor Nail Enamel Antique Gold - £5 / 10ml. I liked the gold colour of this one, but it didn’t last long enough for my liking. It started to come off after only one day and didn’t stand up to washing up, etc. It behaved a bit like a cheaper brand – ok to use for one occasion but not to be relied upon for more than one day.