Chanel’s Le Vernis Nail Polish Has A Cult Following For A Reason
We’re always on the lookout for hero beauty buys, and Chanel’s Le Vernis nail polish is a cult classic for a reason. Read on for our review of the beauty bag staple, plus, application tips for a salon-worthy manicure at home.
The why and the wherefore
As iconic beauty products go, Chanel Le Vernis is right up there, particularly after its Rouge Noir shade had a starring role in Pulp Fiction back in 1994. Ever since, the shades have always managed to be perfectly pitched to ensure that each season they were a sell-out success; anyone could cling to the coattails of the fashion zeitgeist by painting their fingertips.
But, ugh, there was a catch – and it was a big one: the formula was never that good and certainly not as good as it should have been. You might be sporting the coolest shade on your nails, but it would chip as fast as you could say ‘bouclé tweed’. Now, joy of joys that is no longer the case! It’s had a makeover, and the new and improved formula is quite possibly the best I’ve tried anywhere.
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How to apply
I mean, it’s in the usual way but this is a new and improved brush than in days of yore and easier to self-apply and spread polish evenly and avoid splurging some of it onto skin. And by the way, if you apply a couple of coats of just the base, you’ll get a really great glazed look.
Final result
Seriously, I put it through its paces: I washed dishes (without gloves), raced on rowing machines, did some international travel alongside the daily grind, and this stuff lasted about ten days until it started to cave. This is long wear par excellence. And the colours are as lust-worthy as ever: 17 new shades, but my favourite is the gentle lilac hue called Immortelle.
The verdict
This nail polish is the bees knees. Excellent polish in chic shades it offers a little bit of Chanel in your life for the cost of a week’s worth of (London prices) flat whites.
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