Chanel Vertigo Le Vernis / Nail Lacquer ($26.00 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is described as a “grey-black.” I’d like to describe it as one weird color that’s impossible to describe! In the bottle, it’s like a deep, dark smoky plummy brown with bits of shimmer in it. In natural light, it’s an inky brown with a hint of gray and touch of burgundy. In bright light, it’s a plum-tinged brown with bronze and red shimmer. Cult Nails Enigmatic is redder, lighter, purpler. Rescue Beauty Lounge Recherche is purpler, more eggplant than brown. Illamasqua Baptiste is definitely purple. Chanel Paradoxal is purpler, less brown (but it’s kind of the closest in “feel”). China Glaze Bogie is duller, more purple.
Oh, Vertigo is a complex one, which is what you hope for when Chanel debuts a new shade. I don’t know if it’s a pretty shade or one of those pretty-ugly kind of shades that people either love or hate. I see myself closer to the love it crowd, but I don’t think it’s particularly flattering against my skin tone, so it’s not something I’d end up reaching for. I always appreciate it when a brand manages to come up with a color that’s more nuanced or harder to dupe. I wish the shimmer was more noticeable, though, because it’s nearly invisible under most lighting conditions!
Chanel’s formula wears a full week on me with minor tip wear but no chipping. The consistency of Vertigo was just right–not too thick or too thin–and it applied easily and evenly. The color was fully opaque after two coats.
Oh, Vertigo is a complex one, which is what you hope for when Chanel debuts a new shade. I don't know if it's a pretty shade or one of those pretty-ugly kind of shades that people either love or hate.
Product
10/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Chanel Frenzy Le Vernis / Nail Lacquer ($26.00 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is described as a “lilac grey.” It’s a light taupe with a cream finish. There’s a little brown, little gray in it. Looks like the inside of a mushroom to me (aka it’s sooo taupe!). Zoya Farah is a little darker, browner. Essie Sand Tropez is very similar but a smidgen lighter. MAC Inert is grayer, a little darker. It’s the new nude; not beige, not mannequin hands–sophisticated and elevated. Why is taupe always so lovely? I could see this being a really nice go-to for office-appropriate nails.
It’s mostly opaque in two coats, but there is some visible nail line coming through. It does apply fairly well, though. I was expecting major streaking, but it was mostly even and very easy to control. The consistency was a nice balance of thick and thin, not going too far in either direction, so I didn’t have problems with bubbling or pooling, either. I felt like it took a little long to dry but not too much longer than usual. With Chanel’s formula, I usually get a week of wear with minor tip wear but no chipping–but very few formulas chip on me (and none really come to mind, other than matte polishes without a top coat).
It's the new nude; not beige, not mannequin hands--sophisticated and elevated. Why is taupe always so lovely? I could see this being a really nice go-to for office-appropriate nails.
Product
8.5/10
Pigmentation
9/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
4.5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Chanel Diwali Le Vernis / Nail Lacquer ($30.00 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is described as a “mix of pale gold and luminous silver.” Which would be pewter, really, except it’s more of a muted champagne gold chocked full of shimmer. The finish is metallic foil. Chanel Delight has a comparable finish but it’s very bronzy in comparison. OCC Cruising is very gold. Urban Decay Superfreak is similar but a little lighter–less golden. Dior Timeless Gold is more pewter, so it has less gold and more silver in it. China Glaze Midnight Kiss is much more golden. Illamasqua recently came out with Swinger, which I do have to review but haven’t photographed or swatched it (still in its box so no fingerprints get on it!), that may be similar as well.
It’s pretty much opaque in one coat, and I only used one coat in the swatches because it was so, so opaque, I wanted to be sure to capture and convey it to you. There are visible brush strokes, but they’re more minimized than they usually are in this type of a finish. It’s impressive, only because it’s hard to achieve, but they’re still there–I did feel like they were easier to control and get to look straight. It dries down to a semi-matte finish, though it still reflects because of how shimmer-loaded it is. The consistency wasn’t thick, but it wasn’t thin; it could have been a smidgen thinner I think. I’d have preferred to have more control with a thinner formula and need two coats. I typically get a week of wear with Chanel’s formula; no chipping but minimal tip wear.
There are several comparable colors available, so if you miss it, there are other shades worth considering (and they do come at lower price tags). I think Chanel often comes out with the next-best-shade before many other brands, but this one isn't quite as unique.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
8.5/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
4/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Chanel Island Le Vernis ($26.00 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is a pale golden beige with pink iridescence. It has a more metallic-like finish with heavily visible (and hard to control) brush strokes. It’s semi-opaque after two coats, and you could get it almost opaque with three. OCC Kava Kava is very similar in base color, though it doesn’t have the pink shimmer/flash. Urban Decay Fame is more beige. Rescue Beauty Lounge Ani is darker.
The formula was thick, and the color was really prone to unevenness in both the general color (which, thankfully, is sheerer so it was more difficult to spot some of the unevenness) but the brush strokes just pulled and curved around. It looks like my hand was vibrating the whole time I did this, but I swear, it was as steady as I would ever be able to get it (I do have carpal tunnel, so I don’t have a surgeon’s steady hands by any means!). It will show any imperfection you have on the nail; on my pointer finger, there are two dents that go across horizontally, which ended up emphasized with this polish on top. You might want to use a ridge filler with this one or lightly buff nails (but never do it too much or too often). It has a long drying time, and it is not at all forgiving if you make your move for a second coat a moment too soon–it will pull at the base.
I typically get a week of wear out of Chanel’s formula, but I don’t have issues with nail polishes chipping on me aside from some matte formulas (with no base/top coat). This shade was difficult to work with; it’s just too finicky and should be easier to apply at this price point. It is gorgeous and very work-friendly with a subtle, elegant twist as it flashes pink, but the formula is disappointing.
This shade was difficult to work with; it's just too finicky and should be easier to apply at this price point. It is gorgeous and very work-friendly with a subtle, elegant twist as it flashes pink, but the formula is disappointing.
Product
7/10
Pigmentation
8.5/10
Texture
7/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
3/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Chanel Holiday Le Vernis ($26.00 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is a bright medium-dark orange with a cream finish. MAC Morange is similar, a touch lighter. NARS Lal Mirchi is redder. MAC Kid Orange is redder. MAC Oriele is redder but muted. Essie Braziliant is darker, more red-toned. It has some red undertones, but it’s more orange than red–definitely not coral. There’s enough vibrancy for it to pop, but I wouldn’t describe it as a neon–there’s too much depth for that.
There’s definitely no shortage of orange nail polish options this summer! It seems like every major brand has launched at least one. This shade seems a bit more dupeable, though it can be a little difficult to find an orange that is mostly orange, rather than orange-red, that isn’t neon. It was opaque in two coats, and it applied evenly and fluidly–it was the easiest to apply out of the three in the summer collection. The consistency was just a tiny bit thin. There was the slightest jelly-like quality to it, though it’s really a cream. I typically get a week of wear out of Chanel’s formula, but I don’t have issues with nail polishes chipping on me aside from some matte formulas (with no base/top coat).
There's definitely no shortage of orange nail polish options this summer! It seems like every major brand has launched at least one. This shade seems a bit more dupeable, though it can be a little difficult to find an orange that is mostly orange, rather than orange-red, that isn't neon.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
4/5
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Chanel Delight Le Vernis ($26.00 for 0.40 fl. oz.) is a pale golden bronze with lighter champagne, copper, and bronze shimmer. It has a strong metallic, almost foil-like, finish. Urban Decay Superfreak is more pewter-like; less bronzy, more silver-gold. OCC Cruising is a golden yellow. MAC Soiree is the closest I could think of, but it has a rosiness to it. China Glaze Jingle Bells is much yellower.
This actually could be a one-coater, and I liked the way it looked better at once coat–it almost gets a little too thick-looking (but it doesn’t seem thick in terms of actual, physical thickness). It was totally opaque in one coat, but I did swatches with two coats. The drying time on this is very quick, regardless of whether you’re doing one or two coats. The texture was really fantastic on Delight; it wasn’t too thick or too thin, and it flowed beautifully across the nail during application with no bubbling, streaking, or pooling along the edges. Not many polishes chip on me, so I’ve had no problems with Chanel and wear–I get noticeable tip wear after a week of wear but no chipping.
Updated: Sorry, all! It was supposed to be A–I must have typed through the rating fields too quickly and hit A+ rather than A. Thanks for everyone who emailed and left comments telling me about my colossal error!
This shade will be flattering against warmer skin tones and is very appropriate for summer. It reminds me of sandy beaches, partially because of the color but also with the finish--though not gritty (it dries smooth), you can kind of see grains of sand.
Product
10/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
5/5
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
