Reviews and Other Stuff

chanel le vernis

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer Review & Swatches

Today’s review, we’ll talk about my favorite nail colors from this posh brand.

tom ford nail lacquer review

The Tom Ford Nail Lacquers don’t seem to have a lot of color lineup to choose from, and in contrast to Chanel or Dior, Tom Ford doesn’t seem to release many colors every season, or none at all. In total, there are about 11 shades of the Tom Ford Nail Lacquers available (as of the moment), and though limited in color range, you will still find the perfect true red nail color, a beautiful vamp, a nice neutral cream shade, and the prettiest pink. The quality of these nail lacquers and the beauty of the packaging with the gorgeous sleek tube are just drool-worthy. They’re definitely the most beautiful nail polish I’ve ever owned, just staring at them will really make your heart skip a beat, LOL. Formula-wise, I find that I always need to apply two coats on my nails in order to get a good color payoff, and the first application always seems to be a bit patchy, but once you apply the second coat, then you’ll get true vivid rich colors that will last for two weeks without almost any chipping. I do think that the patchiness of the first application is due to the brush applicator which I think could be improved because it’s a little too thin or too skinny and a little too long for my taste. I would have loved it to be like Dior’s or Essie’s Gel Couture brush that is wide and thick which applies nail colors quickly and easily. But anyway, that’s just a minor thing, because once you apply any of these nail polishes, you’re definitely going to be amazed at how nice, glossy, and beautiful your hands and fingers look especially if you use any of the darker shades.

 

tom ford nail lacquer

 

 

tom ford mink brule nail lacquer

Mink Brule – This is probably the best neutral I could find out of all the TF nail lacquers, and I like that this fits my complexion well without making my skin look too dark or too pale. On me, this looks like a medium beige creamy nude.

 

tom ford smoke red nail lacquer

Smoke Red – This is a blue-toned red that delivers super rich pigment and one that my skin can pull off because it’s a deep rich red and not one that is too bright or tinged with orange or coral.

tom ford bitter bitch nail lacquer

 

Bitter Bitch – Bought this because of the name, I must admit, and it still cracks me up whenever I see this particular nail polish. I think this color has an attitude, LOL, it’s like eating chocolate and having it all over your nails while not giving a care, hmmm!

tom ford bordeaux lust nail lacquer

 

Bordeaux Lust – As always, I’m a big fan of vampy or red-wine nails, so a nice blood-red color from Tom Ford like this is a perfect must-have for me. Just can’t go wrong with this shade.

tom ford plum noir nail lacquer

 

Plum Noir– A surprisingly beautiful dark purple-violet color that may look vampy in the shade, but can also look like a beautiful glossy berry-wine under the sun. This is a dramatic beautiful color that is perfect for Fall or Winter and the best berry-violet-purple nail polish I’ve ever tried.

 

tom ford nail lacquers review swatches

 

Bottom line, lots of love for these gorgeous nails lacquers. I may not like their brush applicators and their sort of patchy application at first, or the fact that there’s not a lot of shades to choose from, especially if you’re looking for more neutral colors, but I do love how long-wearing the formula of these nails colors are, and the fact that they don’t chip as much compared to most nail polishes out there. They also don’t have a very strong pungent scent and they set in pretty well, though you will still need a fast drying top coat to seal the colors in quickly. These nail lacquers are pricey but its good to have a few of them in the colors that you really like.

 

Are you a Tom Ford Nail Lacquer fan?

 

These Tom Ford Nail Colors are currently available at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Net-A-Porter

 

Chanel Haul

 

chanel poudre universelle libre

 

Why Hello There! I’ve got some Chanel goodies to review today including one of the new shades of the Le Vernis, and of course, a really beautiful bronzer. I actually had to restock some of my favorite Chanel products like their eyeliners, but I couldn’t resist checking out what’s new in their beauty department.

chanel stylo yeux waterproof espresso

chanel stylo yeux waterpoof espresso swatch

 

First off, I repurchased the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliner ($33). I’ve been using the Pomme de Pin shade which is a very dark black blue tone but it seems like that shade has been long out of stock, so I decided to try and swatch some other colors in-store. I settled on the Espresso color which is the darkest matte brown shade available, and I would have also settled on the Ebene shade had I not known that there’s a more intense pure matte black color available, the Noir Intense. The reason behind why I picked the Espresso color is that I wanted something that is more for an everyday wear or daywear eyeliner that doesn’t look too sharp, is quite natural and doesn’t have any shimmery effect. And the Noir Intense color is the perfect classic black eyeliner.

 

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre

 

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre 30 naturel

 

Next up is the Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre ($52) in 30 Naturel. This is basically Chanel’s Universal Natural Finish Loose Powder that is very versatile for any makeup or skincare situation. I purchased this as a replacement for my previous Chanel Loose Powder in 40 Doré which I gave to my sister because it had gone too dark for me. The 30 Naturel shade is the perfect shade for me right now and I am in love with this loose powder so much so because it comes in this hefty tub with a huge puff that’s so easy and practical to use. I just tap it on the powder and dab some on my face in order to control shine or set my foundation for the day, and it doesn’t leave a white cast. The powder is very soft and smooth and it’s pretty much time-saving to use.

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour Chicness review

 

A Chanel haul won’t be complete without checking out what’s new in Chanel Beauty. With the Chanel Cruise Collection 2018 being released, there’s a lot to see, starting with the new shades of the Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour. There was one shade that really drew me, it’s called Chicness ($28) and it’s sort of a nude purple pastel shade. It’s so pretty and it’s really chic. Wear time is great because I have the color on my nails for more than a week now and it’s still looking great, no chipping so far. Also, this shade really complements my skintone.

 

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Multi-Colour Powder medium

 

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Multi-Colour Powder swatch

 

This year’s Les Beiges Collection comes with the limited edition multicolor bronzers which are a sight to behold – the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Luminous Multi-Colour Powder ($58). Each glow bronzer has a stripe of six shades and if I’m not mistaken, there are one or two shades that look very similar to each other. Nevertheless, it’s so beautiful and so summer-ready. I purchased the Medium which really suits my skin tone very well and its effect is quite subtle but it gives my face a nice natural warm glow and definition. It pulls off as lightly peachy on me which reminds me of the Guerlain Terracotta Light Bronzers (reviewed and swatched HERE). It’s definitely slightly more pigmented than the La Mer Bronzing Powder (HERE), but it’s not as super pigmented as the Becca Sunlit Gradients (seen HERE). Texture-wise, this Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzer feels very soft smooth and velvety, and it applies nicely to the face. It has a light floral scent and it comes with a round brush applicator.

 

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof

 

Bottom line, I love this haul! the Stylo Waterproof Eyeliners are the best and are very reliable as they perform in any weather and in any activity, and they also don’t budge. They don’t irritate the eyes and they come in several beautiful colors. The loose powder is fast, practical and easy to use. It’s one of my most favorite loose powders of all time simply because it’s very versatile. And who doesn’t love the Chanel Le Vernis? They last a long time and the Chicness color is just pretty. Plus of course, the limited-edition Les Beiges Healthy Glow Multi-Colour Powder will have your heart skipping a beat.

 

Have you tried these beauties already?

 

 

Dior Vernis Review

Dior Vernis review

 

This is my first time trying out the Dior Nail Polish and I honestly can say that I love their nail colors so much already. I’ve always been using Chanel for most of my high-end nail lacquers (reviewed HERE), supplemented by a bunch of OPI, Essie, and China Glaze. This time I’m venturing into other nail polishes to see if the grass is really always greener on the other side. Well, I’m happy to say that yeah, perhaps, it almost always is, except for a few caveats.

 

The Dior Vernis nail colors are all in a gel formula, just like the new Chanel Le Vernis. It goes on smoothly and feels very rich and creamy while fast-drying at the same time. The brush applicator is wide and very precise, which I’m really impressed at. Also, the scent of this particular nail polish is not as strong as the other nail polishes I’ve tried before, even slightly less than Chanel’s. The very best thing about the Dior Vernis Gel Shine is that the colors are extremely versatile, wearable, very classic and well-pigmented. I noticed that I seem to like most of their shades and would want to wear them all.

 


 

dior vernis incognito 257

  • Incognito (257) – Definitely the best nail color if you want something subtle yet sophisticated. It’s a very corporate shade and also very casual. The best definition would be that this nail color is very versatile for everyday use. The perfect nude nail color, even more so for medium skin tones.

 

dior vernis cosmopolite 785

  • Cosmopolite (785) – I’d like to call this a vintage, retro-ish, washed-out red, or more of a brick rose-red. It’s classic but not boring and has an old-world feel. A muted red that is also very versatile. Great for when you’re bored of red nails or that red nails may be a bit too much for the occasion. This is definitely a unique red tone shade.

 

Dior Vernis mirage 338

  • Mirage (338) – If you’re a fan of purples, magentas, plums, or violet-pinks like me, then you’ll love this shade. It’s quite similar to OPI Dim Sum Plum or Essie Big Spender, but with slightly more lasting power than the other two.

 

dior vernis Massaï 853

  • Massaï (853) – My most favorite shade of the entire Dior Vernis by far, and one of the most perfect red nail color I’ve ever seen. It’s definitely a rich deep red and slightly vampy like blood. There’s no black tone nor orange tone. It’s more of a blue-toned red and the formula goes on smoothly into the nails. This nail polish definitely complements all skin tones because of its perfect beauty.

 

dior vernis nuit 1947 970

  • Nuit 1947 (970) – I love vampy shades and this one is also perfect for me. It’s a deep vampy red like wine but looks almost black in low light. It’s similar to Chanel Le Vernis in Rouge Noir than Vamp. No shimmers, just plain reddish-black nail color.

 

dior gel coat review

  • Gel Coat – This is the topcoat of choice for the Dior Vernis Gel Shine. It is meant to make the gel nail colors dry fast and to make them long-wearing. Which I think is definitely true on the fast-drying ability of this topcoat, but I’m not sure about this top coat’s long-wear potential. My nail color starts chipping on the side during the 5th day, which doesn’t happen with me whenever I use the Chanel Le Gel Coat with the Chanel Le Vernis. I don’t know if it’s this topcoat or the Dior Vernis in general, but I find this topcoat to be not as long-wearing as what it’s supposed to be. A lot of people prefer the Top Coat Abricot more than this Gel Coat, which I haven’t tried yet, but will definitely give it a go-to compare them side by side pretty soon.

 

Dior Vernis swatches

 

Verdict: I love the Dior Vernis and will definitely recommend it to you all. The colors are great and the formula is also wonderful. I love that the scent is not too strong and it disappears quickly, and I also love the wide brush applicator for a more even application better than Chanel’s. Also, the nail colors dry very fast with the help of the designated Gel Top Coat, but it’s not as long-lasting as the Chanel Le Gel Coat (reviewed HERE). I probably get a good 7 days of wear with these Dior nail polishes, while I get almost 2 weeks from the Chanel Le Vernis. In addition to that, Chanel has a lot of colors to choose from, yet Dior Vernis’ well-pigmented pretty colors are to die for.

 

– The Dior Vernis retails for $27 in Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Saks, & Neiman Marcus.

– The Dior Gel Coat is also $27 in these following retailers: Sephora, Nordstrom, Macys & Saks

– While the Chanel Le Vernis nail polishes are also available at Nordstrom 

Have a great day friends, stay tuned for more reviews…

 

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