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Chanel Noirs Obscurs Collection - Le Vernis Review, Swatches, Photos

Chanel Noirs Obscur Collection
Chanel Diabolic Le Vernis

Chanel Noirs Obscurs Collection features three shades of Le Vernis ($23.00 each): Diabolic (deep black), Vendetta (deep violet), and Forbidden (deep black burgundy brown).

Le Vernis ($23.00)

  • Diabolic is a rich, wine-berry burgundy that looks darkest in natural light–like a deep, berry-brown. It has more of a cream finish as it doesn’t have any shimmer.
  • Vendetta is a delicious shade of a deep violet-black with violet shimmer that’s most noticeable in bright light. This shade actually made an appearance a year or so ago, so check your stash if you’re an avid Chanel polish collector. I love this shade, though!
  • Forbidden is a deep, dark reddish-tinged brown. It’s very dark, very sultry, and it’s such a sexy way to wear red without really wearing red. Surprisingly, I really loved this shade on my nails. It’s also a cream texture, like Diabolic (ignore any residual sparkles–I’m pretty sure that’s MAC’s Seriously Hip leftovers).

There’s no real need to discuss value here–it’s a double C nail lacquer, so pick your poison. I’ve always had good luck with Chanel polishes. For my nails, I tend to use Zoya’s Color Lock System for base, top, and fast drying coats, and my nails always last forever. I just get tip wear (which is normal), but I never get chips. Chanel’s formula is consistent, too, which I can appreciate. I just need two medium-thick coats to achieve solid, intense color. I think these colors are perfect for the fall/winter season, and I love how they coordinate so well with the rest of the Noirs Obscurs collection.  If I had to rank ’em, I’d recommend them in this order:  Forbidden, Vendetta, and Diabolic.

  • Product: 28/30
  • Value: 7/10
  • Ease of Use: 4/5
  • Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation: Love vampy nails? Love Chanel? Then check these out!

Availability: October/November 2009 at Chanel.

See swatches and close-up photos

Chanel Noirs Obscur Collection
Chanel Vendetta Le Vernis

Chanel Noirs Obscur Collection
Chanel Forbidden Le Vernis

35 Comments

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Alexis Avatar

LOVE Vendetta but I have enough dark colors for the season – I am going to hold out long as possible because $23 is a bit much for me to spend on nail polish! I do love me some Chanel though…

Macaddict Avatar

I have Vendetta from last year. Still love it and wear it a lot!
Funny that it matches my new Chanel Hysteria l/s! I didn’t think of that but will wear them together for sure. Also might buy Forbidden just because it’s a very different rouge/red and seems like a perfectr fall color.

amy Avatar

I like Vendetta, but I have Russian Navy from OPI and it is quite similar in the bottle. I will have to swatch it to compare and decide if I want to pick this baby up.

Gotham Avatar

I wear VENDETTA frequently and it is so pretty. I know that these are somewhat expensive, but I find that I am not a fan of having multiples of a similar shade. Chanel really understands color, and their quality is excellent. I recently bought a Dior polish and it was horrible. Only other brand I use is OPI, but I have about 15 Chanel polishes and I tend to use them more. Will be buying DIABOLIC for sure!

Lorna Avatar

i would have to agree with you on the quality of chanel nail polishes. i find them to wear better than any other brand i have tried. in fact, vendetta is one of my all time favorites. if i didn’t already have it, i would get it again. as for reds, i think i’d rather get vamp instead of diabolic. maybe i just prefer my sparkles…

Vale Avatar

I’ve bought Vendetta last year. And I have to say: it isn’t able to resist on my nails for more than 1 or 2 HOURS before getting spoiled and break (base, 2 layers of Vendetta, top coat and a layer of dryer). And I can assure you that other nail enamels resist on my hands for an entire week. Has this happened also to you?
V

Chiara Avatar

I have vendetta, and I find it so pretty yet I’m so disapointed by this color: it’s gorgeous in the bottle and in bright day light, but in “normal” light, it just looks like a classic purple/black, the shimmer doesn’t show up at all.

Faheema Avatar

I totalllly LOVE chanel nail polishes but I just can’t justify buying a nail polish for that much… Anything else from Chanel I probably could justify hehe

Anna Avatar

I love this makeup collection. Practically anyone can wear it if you apply it skillfully i.e. sparingly. Maniac lipstick,blotted and topped with gloss #132 Mirage is gorgeous as the pink in the gloss makes the dark lipstick more wearable. The best nail polish with this collection is Violine.

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