Chanel Nouvelle Vague Le Vernis Nail Lacquer Review, Photos, Swatches
Chanel Les Pop-Up de Chanel: Nouvelle Vague
At $23 a pop, Chanel’s Le Vernis Nail Lacquer is a decadent indulgence for your hands. Some love ’em, some hate ’em. I’m in the camp of love the product, hate the price (but who loves to pay more? seriously!). I’ve personally haven’t had any issues with formula or wear on the Chanel shades I own. In Les Pop-Up de Chanel (Chanel’s summer collection), Chanel is releasing three new shades of Le Vernis: Mistral (soft pink), Nouvelle Vague (turquoise), and Riviera (intense pink).
I literally just received Nouvelle Vague this afternoon, and I was thinking about holding off to post until tomorrow, but I just can’t resist. Nouvelle Vague is a beautiful shade of aqua-blue. It’s turquoise, but it’s not a brightened turquoise. It’s pastel without being light and sheer. There is the finest dusting of icy, aqua-blue shimmer laced throughout the aqua-blue. It’s a very stunning shade of turquoise. It’s one of my favorite polishes by Chanel, ever.
For those who find Chanel out of their price range (or fear their bank account murdering them in their sleep if they purchased this…), don’t despair, because China Glaze For Audrey is so, so close. Chanel’s Nouvelle Vague is just the slightest bit lighter and it has shimmer, whereas China Glaze’s is a pure cream. Check out the swatches to see just how similar they are. Personally? I would have bought Nouvelle Vague anyway. In a heartbeat. I wouldn’t even think twice (barely once!).
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 🙂
- Product: 30/30
- Value: 6/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: I think for those who love their polish, there may be the need to own both, but for those who are simply lusting after the shade, For Audrey might be a little lighter on the wallet.
Availability: May 2010
China Glaze For Audrey vs. Chanel Nouvelle Vague
Thumb & Pink are For Audrey; the rest are Nouvelle Vague
Chanel Nouvelle Vague
China Glaze For Audrey vs. Chanel Nouvelle Vague
Thumb & Pinky are For Audrey; the rest are Nouvelle Vague
(Natural Light) China Glaze For Audrey vs. Chanel Nouvelle Vague
Thumb & Pinky are For Audrey; the rest are Nouvelle Vague
Gotta start saving my pennies now. I’ve never had any issues with Chanel polishes chipping more easily than others. Granted, I don’t like paying $23 for nail polish even if it lasts 3 weeks! I agree it’s the best color I’ve seen from Chanel as far back as I can remember.
This is so gorgeous!! But I am on the fence, since I already have For Audrey! (And I am supposed to be on a nail polish no-buy…and failing!) Hmmmmmm decisions. Thanks for the quick review! 😀
I totally love the new style of pictures you’re taking! New camera? More natural lighting? Or what is it! haha
I will buy the Chanel polish. I don’t like the texture of China Glaze at all. I’ve tried 2 of their polishes and I am not a fan. Chanel has never let me down.
$23 for nail polish seems crazy BUT that color looks gorgeous on you and I have wasted more than $23 on other things.
I love that color..but I already have For Audrey and it makes me look dead!
That subtle shimmer is STUNNING. It makes the color, in my opinion. But nail polish is where I like to spend as little as possible, so I’ll have to skip this color. So pretty, though!
I agree, nail polish is the one beauty product I don’t splurge on. I don’t think I have ever paid more than $8 or $9 for a bottle. There are other products I want to save my money for
I probably have 3 other shades like this one but I still want it ! 😛
OMFG LOVE. But I already have For Audrey. But I like the lighter, slightly shimmery Chanel. But I have already have For Audrey. Doh!
So, LOL!
I love, love, LOVE For Audrey. It’s my all-time favorite polish shade. It’s such an amazing shade (to me), so the more the merrier in my opinion! (Says the girl who has six For Audreys in her possession at present.)
Hi, Christine!
I’ve been an avid reader of your page for the last few weeks and love what you do! You mentioned you had six bottles of For Audrey — where do you think is a good place to buy? Ordered mine from Sally Beauty, and when I received the polish it didn’t seem like a new bottle and the pigmentation seemed to be a little dark (no offense to Sally!). Any advice?
I got mine from 8ty8beauty.com!
Gosh Christine.. every time my iGoogle page gets a feed from you, I can hear my wallet screaming! I’m sure to pick this one up.. love the color!
LOL!
Thanks for this! I have For Audrey (who doesn’t!) but I think I love this Chanel one more! I love the tiny sparkles in it. Ugh, is it worth 23 dollars for shimmer?
If I didn’t have For Audrey I’d pick this up in a second 🙂
Well, yes. But that’s because I absolutely adore this color family and I’m sick! Sick with beauty addict-itis!
Nouvelle Vague is pretty but yes Chanel polishes chips fast. I don’t know if it’s just me or I am not just using the right base and top coat.
I’ve definitely heard this, but I’ve never had an issue with Chanel polish chipping! I use Zoya’s Color Lock System.
When I saw this I said I NEED THAT! …then I saw how much it looked like for audrey! Thanks for saving me money!
I hope this doesn’t become another Jade & be sold out & going for $100 a pop on eBay. I’ll make sure to get this one the day it comes out.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it did!
absolutely gorgeous! i wish i could apply my polish as flawless as u do 🙂 oh and did u swatch the other two colors of this collection? i cant decide which is the nicest!
No, I didn’t have those at this time!
OMG it’s sooooooo pretty! I can’t wait to own this one!
I am really tempted to get this one, it is such a pretty robin’s egg blue.
Bah, even though I’m not such a fan of China Glaze’s formula, For Audrey is good enough for me. This is pretty, but I think I’d feel too guilty for spending so much on a single nail polish. I’ve been wearing For Audrey a lot recently, and I’m getting a lot of compliments. Such a lovely spring color.
It is stunning! Thanks for the comparison. I love Chanel polishes for their amazing fine shimmers, so even if I have For Audrey, I would still get Nouvelle Vague.
How do you think the formulas compare? I’ve never tried either but I love the color!
They’re both great formulas on me, lol! Chanel’s definitely requires three coats, but it’s smooth all the way through–had no trouble with application. If it looks good the first time I’m out to swatch, then the formula is good. If I hate how it swatched just throwing it on, and I have to work with it… then I start delving into the formula to see why it’s not working for me.
Chips like crazy for me–and I use a basecoat plus a topcoat. Must be doing something wrong, but I don’t want to put on three coats of nail polish. Pretty color though 🙂
What base/top coat do you use?
I do three coats on all polish, soooo, yeah 🙂
Ahh, so three coats IS the trick! LOL 🙂 I use an OPI base coat and the Seche Vite quick dry top coat. I’ve tried three coats but I end up gooping it up somehow. Maybe I will try three coats plus a bit more patience. Thanks Christine!
I was patiently waiting for Nouvelle Vague to come out but I guess I’m opting for For Audrey now because I don’t like shimmers in my polish 🙁
wow they really are dead on the same color, except for the shimmer! I’m tempted! I have one other Chanel polish & I make sure that for that amount of money, I use it up before it separates. 🙂
For Audrey is just a smidgen of a shade darker than Chanel — but it’s hard to tell if you’re not looking REALLY close and moving your hand back-and-forth in the light, lol.
OMG I’m so glad I’m running out of For Audrey and the formula is getting gross so I really need a new one. I apply glitter on For Audrey and I really like the combo and I love this Chanel polish – I love subtle shimmer! I’m definitely getting it! Thanks for the swatch! =)
This is the color of Tiffany boxes!!! LOVING 🙂
Although it is absolutely gorgeous I *never* wear my ‘for audrey’ by CG. I think as much as I love bright colors I wear darks more.
I like the chanel one cuz its shimmery/sparkly
I have never seen another person with my name before….v.cool!
Love the colour, literally. But Chanel’s enamel are so bad they’re chipping in 2 hours! Unfortunately, China Glaze is not sold in Italy (maybe in 2 shop in the entire Country?) so you are tempting me anyway!
Vale
I am totally loving the lighting in this. Gotta admit I only clicked on this because the lighting was so amazing, plus the quality is beautiful. Im an amateur photographer and wish I could do what you just did =) <3
Aww, thanks AlyxVeee! I am an amateur photographer, too, but I’d say like pre-amateur, really. I don’t have the time to learn about a lot of the mechanics and technical aspects of photography and lighting, but I wish I did!
ChG For Audrey looks just a tiny bit better than Chanel 😀 The color is great! 🙂
Love the colour, but pricey! I don’t spend that much on nail polish as a rule, because I buy too many!!!! =)
The color is gorgeous Christine! Thanks for the swatches and for the recommendation. There is always a cheaper variant to any nail polish or makeup color 🙂
christine these photos look v professional.. especcially the last one 🙂 it looks like some promo ad for the nail polish lol it really is a beautiful colour but i cant be spending that much on a polish 🙁 haha
Thank you, Kerry 🙂
I agree with just about everyone else…altho I already own for audrey, the chanel looks so shimmery & pretty. Don’t know if I can resist.
It really is a pretty colour. I do like the fact that there is some shimmer in it! But I mean if the For Audrey is so similiar (minus the shimmer) I would rather just use that and save the money to buy other colours!
that subtle shimmer in the chanel one is really pretty. i already own for audrey. in fact, i’m wearing it right now!
plus i’d NEVER pay more than $10 for a nail polish especially since i’m sure it costs pennies to produce the stuff.
Wow, this is a lovely color! I have For Audrey already so I think I’ll pass on this one…but the other two are calling my name! Christine are you going to do swatches of those when you get them?
If I get them, I definitely will!
Omg! I just wrote a post about China Glaze for Audrey =) I love all 3 of them waiting May.. Absolutely i will get all!
Maybe you want to cheack it out! Here is my post link:
http://insideofmypurse.blogspot.com/2010/04/china-glaze-for-audrey.html
WHOA. its like oranges and oranges. I am a total nail snob and was like, uh huh SURE they are super close. . . but wow, just wow. I have to say, I prefer the China Glaze. Skip the shimmer.
not sure if you’ve done anything different, but i like the photos for these nail swatches…
not too mention the polish…i have to say the comparison shots have me a bit confused — the difference is barely there in appearance, but i still would love to get both! unfortunately sometimes the nail polishes don’t ever get released here… 🙁
The actual photos of the nail polish swatches are the same, though the bottle photos are in more natural lighting and a different part of my house, so those are different!
I spent all night playing around with the swatches and the differences are small. If you really look for them, you’ll definitely see how China Glaze is a bit darker and obviously Chanel has shimmer, but it’s not obvious!
i ended up getting for audrey off an ebay seller…..i was slightly disappointed in the finish/colour….pretty colour but a bit too dark and towards the blue spectrum for me…hopefully the chanel one will be released in the uk…i think the shimmer would help!
I have For Audrey (along with three other China Glaze polishes, none of which I’ve managed to use without some frustration at the difficulty in applying — for some reason there’s a lot of drag marks on my nails no matter what), and the difference between it and the Chanel is very, very subtle. $23 US seems like a lot to pay for a polish, but it sure is gorgeous.
*sigh* Sometimes i wish i didn’t work in an office setting so i could wear such beautiful bright colours on my nails. I don’t go out much so there’s no use for me to get a bottle. 🙁
I don’t know how much cooking and dishwashing you all do, but as much as I love Chanel, I won’t be buying anymore of her polishes! They chip off way too fast and I can’t stand it because the chip is obvious. I love wearing Particuliere, but I guess I cook, bake and wash my hands too often. If at all, I’ll probably stick to the very sheer ballet slipper shades.
I type all day, wash hands a zillion times a day, but I don’t do dishes myself… but yeah, they always hold up for me. Sometimes I’ll wear the polish for two weeks and all that I have is tip wear!
Well, you know I caved already and I tried 3 coats. Put it on last night and lookin’ good so far. I type all day long, too! Thanks again. 🙂
Yay!! 🙂
Also reminds me a lot of Essie’s Mint Candy Apple from the Holiday Collection…
Does anyone know where i can find out that it will be released in belgium?
The stores have never heard of this collection, i hope i can find it because i’m in love with nouvelle vague hihi
I think it will be – are the Chanel seasonal color collections usually released? If so, it should be.
Oh my… there goes my paycheck. I need to call Chanel tomorrow and check my local stand. Wait..no! I MUST resist.
i need this!!!!!!! it’s awesome.. it’s one of my fav’s one of all time
Is this anything like Orly’s Gumdrop by any chance?
I don’t think I’ve tried that one!
oh deng, almost exact dupe for ChG For Aubrey except for the shimmer.
Oh my, I LOVE this colour. I also have For Audrey though.. They seem only a tad different, but that little difference is what I LOVE!! I’ll check out The Bay to see if they got any in…
I have to say I NEED this color! While I hate paying @# for a bottle of nail polish Chanel tends to win my heart over time and time again. Just like I needed Jade..I have to say I need this too! LOVES <3
wow…at first I couldn’t tell but then i looked again and it seems to be that the Chanel has a ever so slight shimmer in it, a bit of a yellow whereas the China Glaze is very flat. Other than that, not much difference at all, from pictures.
nice mint
LOVE THIS! After I saw your review, I called my Chanel counter immediately and got one on hold. Can’t wait! It’s absolutely gorgeous.
YAY! I hope you love!
Love this, Actually I DON’T like the For Audrey better… I love the slight shimmer tho!
I love this new shade, I was not a fan of “different” colors, until I saw this one from channel! I was into the basics whites and light rose and french manicure style,even red for me was too much of a change….
Agree with the others about the price!!!! Would not pay $23 for nail polish, ever!!
Found a very similar shade, very cheap at CVS and Walgreens!!! $1.99 girls!!!! “Sinfulcolors professional” the shade is “mint apple”!
Loved,very satisfied,great conversation piece, LOL…..
I applied 2 coats,its low shimmery and a tiny little bit darker.
Nobody can’t beat $1.99!!!!
I live in Israel and in my counrty, you cant find nothing – not mention CHANEL. I absolutely LOVE this color, it is amazing – modern & vintage. At last, I orded it from Hong Kong(!) for 50$(!!!). I cant wait to get it , just hope it will be worth the price.
Can i still find this in stores? I just found out about it:(
Probably not 🙁
Nouvelle Vague is back on the Chanel website! I ordered a bottle yesterday and I’m really excited! Chanel has free shipping and 2 free samples…I highly recommend checking it out before they are gone again! 🙂
That’s such a gorgeous shade . . .
I think I’ll go with For Audrey though just for the price xD
god. this is like, the most beautiful nail polish of all time. the shade is perfection. chanels brushes make it so easy to give yourself a great home manicure. i’ve had so many people compliment it already.
Beautiful swatch, I was just wondering if this color would look good on a darker skin tone?
I think it would!