high five

News of a celebrity nail polish line isn't exactly groundbreaking, especially considering how everyone from Katy Perry to Gwen Stefani to even One Direction has dipped their hands (pun intended) into the polish biz. But Demi Lovato's collaboration with The New Black is totally something to write home about--one, because it's awesome, and two, because this is a girl who knows what she's doing.

Anyone who follows Lovato on Instagram understands that the singer and X-Factor host loves her nail art. So when it comes to making her own, she doesn't mess around. Think studs, tiny balls, shatter-insipred sparkles, and polishes with matte and pearly finishes, all available to buy next month. So when the five sets-- three three-piece kits and two five-piece kits--landed on our desks early, we had to give them a spin. Read on for our findings:

--You don't need multiple layers. One of the reasons we love The New Black lacquers in the first place is the fact that they're so dense, they really only require one coat. So whether you're using the deep forest green or the light gray, the color is super-saturated and chip-resistant.

--The tiny nail art embellishments actually stay on. We were curious to see if you could actually put tiny silver balls on your nails and if they'd last more than two minutes. But huge props to the seriously effective topcoat, because our accent nail has lasted, even after showering. 

--It's good for people who don't "do" nail art. Despite stocking gold studs and sparkly flakes, the sets are surprisingly neutral. Versatile shades like lilac mean you can go as wild (AKA layering glitter over everything and putting studs on top) or as simple as you'd like--which we appreciate. 

-- Mixing and matching is a good thing. All of the colors look great together, as do the different embellishments, so you literally can't mess up. Tip: use Tweezers to drop the tiny pieces on your nails.

Is this nail art for dummies? Maybe...but in this case, that's definitely not a bad thing.

Get a sneak peek at Demi Lovato x The New Black below, and get the sets when they debut on Ulta.com in November.