Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour

RRP: £13 for 13ml
no. of shades available: 22

--What does the promo say?--
"Le Vernis from Chanel offers a wide colour variety, from the most elegant and classic to the latest and trendiest shades. It is chip-resistant, thanks to an original, state-of-the-art, exclusive-to-Chanel formula, with naturally strengthening and protecting bioceramides. One last reason to adore it? The patented no-spill bottle, with a 'built-in wiper system' - so you apply the perfect amount of this toluene-free polish, with every sweep of the brush."

--Packaging--
Very square, good-looking, modern glass bottle, with a black plastic lid bearing the Chanel logo, which all comes in a black box with white product information on it, and a gold stripe at the bottom. It soon becomes apparent, though, that the black square smoothly-finished lid is just a shell for a ridged, cylindrical lid that's easier to turn and open.

--Application--
All as usual. Open the lid, pull out the brush, wipe on the edge of the opening to avoid excess, and apply at least 2 coats to the nails after a base coat, allowing plenty of time to dry in between.

--Texture--
Smooth, and a little bit watery, but not too bad.

--Appearance--
One coat is not sufficient - two or more are definitely needed. While in the bottle the colour appears definite and vibrant, this doesn't translate well to the nails, which is rather disappointing. It also appears slightly streaky after the first coat has been applied, though the application of a second coat improves this. However, there is a slight shimmer to it, which is nice and subtle.

--Does it do what it promises?--
Not by a million miles. From Chanel's own description, you'd think the nail varnish would last perfectly well on its own, but even with a base coat and a top coat, it couldn't withstand my part-time job, where I am constantly having to remove trays and faff about with keys and thus constantly knocking my nails. Whether it would withstand normal day-to-day business is something different, though the evidence doesn't fare too well on that front either. I applied the varnish on a Thursday while travelling on a train to meet friends. The journey was long and there was plenty of time for all coats of varnish to dry. I had a perfectly normal day on the Friday (i.e. I was not at work or undertaking any kind of activity that was rough on my hands), but then on the Saturday I returned to work. As soon as I undertook any kind of activity using my hands, the nail varnish simply didn't last (and I work in a jeweller's - I'd say there are far more strenuous activities!). Therefore, in my book, this nail varnish in no way does what it says it will.

--Value for money--
I think you've already guessed what I'm going to say here. There are simply far better nail colours out there that last far better than this one does. The only thing got going for it is the texture and the wide range of colours, but these qualities can only redeem this nail colour to a certain extent. I can only recommend that you choose something else for your nails, but don't write off Chanel completely - it quite often comes up trumps.

perfect partners
Chanel Protective Base Coat, £12 for 13ml
Chanel Nail Colour Remover, £8.50 for 50ml
Chanel Rouge Hydrabase Creme Lipstick, £16 (38 shades available)