Abstract: A system of aqueous nail polish compositions is provided, including base coat, color coat, and top coat formulations. The base coat formulation comprises aqueous emulsions of acrylic polymer and vinyl acetate/acrylic copolymer. The color coat formulation comprises an aqueous solution of polyurethane resin and a colorant in addition to aqueous emulsions of acrylic polymer and vinyl acetate/acrylic polymer. Finally, the top coat formulation comprises an aqueous emulsion of vinyl acetate/acrylic polymer and an aqueous solution of polyurethane resin. The aqueous nail polish formulations of the present invention are substantially non-flammable and non-toxic while providing comparable nail coverage, wearability, and stability to non-aqueous nail polishes. Further, the present formulations offer rapid dry times and may be readily applied to nails using conventional nylon brushes.