After reading Liz's tweet last month regarding the arrival of Chanel's Le Jeans de Chanel collection at The Bay, I knew I had to get in on it. The entire collection features three nail polish shades inspired by blue jeans, and is limited edition. After seeing the initial swatches of it last fall, I was completely in love with them because I am a total sucker for blue polishes. I was totally bummed that I couldn't get them because, for whatever reason, they weren't available here. So you can imagine my excitement at the announcement of Chanel finally bringing them to their Canadian customers. As they are $27 a pop, I knew I just couldn't justify spending that much on three nail polishes, so I decided to get only my favourite: Coco Blue. Since I don't live near a Bay location that carries Chanel, Liz offered to pick it up for me downtown, 'cause she knows I need new and coveted nail polishes "like, yesterday."
Coco Blue is a light-medium sky blue with very subtle white micro-shimmer that gives a pearlized effect (this is more apparent in sunlight). I absolutely love, love, love this colour and I think it's perfect for Spring and Summer — it's by far one of the sophisticated light blues I've encountered, which is really saying something, because baby blues often enter juvenile territory. But the formula? Let's just say Chanel really let me down with this one. I'm used to Chanel polishes being really pigmented with smooth and even application and fast drying time. They're usually not too thin or thick in consistency, and I'd never had a problem with wear time, bubbling, streaking, or pulling.
Coco Blue was definitely on the thinner side in terms of consistency, which resulted in unevenness and streaking. The pigmentation, however, was the most disappointing aspect of this polish. Many Chanel polishes are one-coaters for me, but this one needed a minimum of three coats, and that's only if you're quite generous with the thickness of each coat! Moreover, the drying time was significantly longer, which just prolonged the entire application since I had to put on three thick coats. The fact that it's $27 is just adding insult to injury (apparently, it was even more expensive when it initially launched in the US!). As I said, I adore the colour and I've received a ton of compliments on it just in the one day that I've worn it, so I don't regret buying it, but the formula is exceptionally disappointing given that it's Chanel. On that note, I couldn't find a good dupe for this shade. The closest I could find, at least in my stash, is OPI's What's With the Cattitude?, which is lighter and in a cream finish (and it was limited edition with the Shrek collection two years ago). So at least that makes me feel a bit better about this splurge.
I saw that when I was in the Chanel counter the other day!!! SOOOO pretty!! I was contemplating for 10 minutes if I should get the Coco rouge shine in BOY but resited because I didn't like the smell and looks and applies just like Revlon's lip butters in peach parfait! I want a chic lippie though! Im so materialistic its gross! LOL
ReplyDeleteLOL!! I'm the same way, don't worry. I say get a YSL lipstick instead -- totally worth the splurge. :)
DeleteI like the Rouge Coco Shines, but many of the colours are comparable to Revlon's Lip Butters now. Boy is okay, but my favourite is Rivage!
For what it's worth, this looks gorgeous on you :) (I'm trying to convince you it's worth the effort..hehe)
ReplyDeleteWe have these here and I've been contemplating the darker shade..I think it was either Blue Boy or Blue Rebel. Sigh, this love affair with blue is going to make me bankrupt one day :)
P/s - Wearing Love Cycle today and totally loving it.
Haha, thanks, Fieran. :)
DeleteI say go with Blue Rebel -- it'll look great with your skintone! I've heard it has a way better formula, anyway. :P
Haha, very nice, you should post a Love Cycle look!!! :)
I don't know if the blue really is this gorgeous or your photo makes it look even more stellar! It's too late for me to return my bottles so I guess I'll just have to hang on to these gorgeous Chanel polishes, lol! ;)
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, Chanel sucks with the paler shades. Riva's formula was crap, too.
Haha, well, I think the blue really is that gorgeous. ;) But there's also something about shooting in daylight that makes everything look better in photos. :P Did you buy all three? I heard the other two were quite a lot better in terms of formula!
DeleteIt's weird, because Nouvelle Vague was phenomenal and that's a lighter shade as well. I'm still glad I got this colour, 'cause I didn't get Riva and I really wanted it. :P
I rarely see daylight in my bank tower of horror but I just rearranged my schedule so that I get off work at 4:30. It makes so much of a difference!!
DeleteI did buy all three and wanted my money back last week but it was too late. Oh well... I'm keeping my Chanel NP collection. Parting with them would make me cry! And hopefully some day they'll re-release Riva and Nouvelle Vague so we can both feel fully fulfilled in life, hahaha!
Getting off work at 4:30 will be especially great during the summer when the sun sets at like, 9:00! :) I hate summer weather but I'm excited for more daylight so I don't have to rush to take photos, lol! #cameranerd
DeleteWait, what's the NP collection???
How sad is it that Chanel polish can make us feel fully fulfilled? :P