The launch of the brand new re-formulated Chanel have Chanel Le Vernis has been a hot topic in the beauty world and a launch I for one have been very excited about. If you were ever a user of Chanel nail polishes then you shall know the issues we all had with the formulation and the chipping issues, the only thing that let the product down. But with a whole new longwear formulation, Chanel Le Vernis now promises great things.
One brand that always excites me in the nail department is Chanel, mainly because not only do the polishes themselves look ultra chic sat on your dresser (admit it) but the colour choices are always shades that entice you out of your comfort zone when a new collection launches, but still manages to keep you looking classy and fabulous because that is what Chanel is ultimately all about. Chanel nail polish was always renown for chipping almost instantly which deterred many of us from buying them as why would we buy a luxury nail polish that chips when you can get pick up a hight street one for way less money that wont?!
reformulated their entire nail range with a brand new 5-free formula with bioceramics to prevent chips and streaks for seven days and ceramides to help keep the nails healthy with a super glossy gel like finish - all with no lamp. The moment I heard this news I was stalking my local makeup stores so I could get my hands on them and try. This ultimately is what we have all been praying for Chanel to do! My lovely husband actually spotted them whilst travelling through Heathrow Airport so surprised me with a few colours that he knew I would maybe not instantly choose - again taking me out of my usual 'red/nude' comfort zone and boy, I am so happy he did.
There are currently 15 shades available including some cult favourites with some stunning new, more daring shades. I have the shades as below, #520 Garçonne a khaki, grey, beigeand #516 Mariniére a grown up navy blue.
To work alongside the new polish shades, Chanel have also launched the brand , a longwear top coat that claims to extend the wear of your nail polish for up to seven days (big claims!). It is activated by natural day light instead of a UV lamp but works just the same to bond to your nail colour for longer wear with an ultra glossy, gel finish. Ultimately turning your nails into a gel manicure.
There are some lovely brands such as Seche Vite, Essie, Dior etc that all make great gel top coats so Chanel are a bit behind as we all have our favourite that we tend to stick with so I knew it would take a lot to get me away from my beloved Seche Vite because for me, that is my winner.
I have taken the above photo in natural daylight and the below photo in indoor lighting so you can see how incredible that shine really is on the nails and visible in all lighting; So glossy!
So lets talk about the NEW formulation; it got way better. It is now 5-free which in technical terms means it doesn't contain formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, camphor or formaldehyde resin. It also contains ceramides, which are lipids that help form a barrier, and bioceramics, which are strengtheners. Basically, it contains no nasties that can make your nails become damaged. The texture is a little thicker than before which I think makes the polish apply a lot more smoothly and more evenly on to the nail. can be applied in one stroke with only one layer needed. Now that's the kind of product that I like.
If you have used Chanel polish before you shall notice the bottle is exactly the same (thank god as it's ultra chic) but they are with less words on the front of the bottle. I love this subtle touch as it just adds to the classiness of the brand, keeping it simple yet chic. The brush itself is still the same but with the new formulation being thicker the two work so much better together resulting in a match made in nail heaven.labelled differently
Now to the part where you just want to know, did it last and did it chip? I can hand on heart say that this is not the Chanel polish as we knew it, it has transformed into the polish that we always hoped for. My nails usually always chip but amazingly my Le Gel Coat manicure lasted a good 6 days before showing signs of wear but still didn't really chip, it just lifted at the corner and peeled off so this is quite a big deal in DIY manicure terms! I really did not think I would be this impressed because I love gel nails (UV cured type) and the fact you can get this amount of shine and longwear from a DIY polish that isn't cured with a lamp is just amazing; I feel our prayers have been answered. Especially as the choice of Chanel nail colours are always so incredible and they make it possible to change an entire outfit look by simply switching up your nail shade and being a little more daring. I also love Le Gel Coat as I think it is just as good as all the other high end ones including my beloved Seche Vite. I do believe using with these new nail colours is key as they have been designed to work in sync with each other but there is no reason that you cannot use your own gel top coat of choice should you so wish too, just bear in mind that you may (or may not) get the same results in terms of wear.
The whole gel nail trend is hugely popular today with nearly every luxury and drugstore brand having a gel product to their range so I am glad that Chanel have come to the party with this stunning new collection that was most definitely worth the wait. Gel polishes shall never beat a salon gel manicure for longevity but they most definitely beat a normal nail polish that's for sure. Let face it, we all want longwear and hassle free today because we all have such busy lives and no time to sit and paint our own nails daily and having nice painted, manicured nails makes you feel so much more glamorous and feminine and using something like a Chanel polish just makes you feel really special.
I am so in love with this new collection (here) and have already been eyeing up what other shades I want to add into my collection next. I highly recommend checking this new line out as the new formulation has been well worth the wait and totally lives up to all its claims in my opinion. A reason why Chanel continues to be one of my all time favourite brands.
Have you tried them yet? Tempted?
