Guerlain Le Vernis Maxi Shine Nail Lacquer
Happy mid-week! It’s been a hectic week so far for me, but thought I’d take some time to indulge in something cheery – let’s take a look at Guerlain’s latest Le Vernis Maxi Shine shall we?
This summer, Guerlain has introduced a collection of 10 new nail lacquers in a range of ultra feminine and vibrant colors. When I first saw the shades, I thought they were quite dupe-able. But having experienced them for myself, I can boldly say that these lacquers are a class of their own with their AMAZING formula! Guerlain has employed new adhesive resins that enabled the Le Vernis Maxi Shine to go on smoothly without the slightest streakiness, and create perfectly shiny nails that last for days!
I received shade #125 Vega from the Guerlain event last week (read about it here), and purchased #165 Champs Elysee and #143 Nahema because I loved them so so much!
Because I couldn’t wait to try them on, I applied Vega on my thumb and ring fingers, and Champs Elysee on the rests. Pictured above is 2 coats over Guerlain’s base coat, without the gel top coat yet. See how shiny the polishes turned out on their own!
Champs Elysee is my favourite shade in the entire collection! It is that perfect fushia that is sexy and confident without being too Paris Hilton trashy. The formula is just the right consistency, allowing for fast and easy application. I found that it was almost opaque in just 1 coat, with the 2nd coat entirely optional.
I personally feel Vega is the perfect companion to Champs Elysee. It is a rich chocolate-wine color that is so ladylike and intriguing. Strangely, I found the formula for Vega to be somewhat thinner than Champs Elysee & Nahema, requiring at least 2 if not 3 coats to be completely opaque. Looking through my stash, I found a few polishes that are similar, including Butter London’s La Moss (reviewed here) and OPI’s You Can Tapas This; but neither are as chocolate-y as Vega.
All of Guerlain’s Le Vernis comes with extra wide brush, that easily covers an entire nail in 1-2 swipes. The only thing that I can find fault with, is the bristles do not spread out in a flat line when applied on the nail, but fanned out in a U-shape. This makes it just that little bit harder to paint a straight line across (because I’m that hopeless!), but no biggie really.
Included in the bottle are 2 tiny metal balls that help mix the formula, to ensure the right consistency at every use.
The new collection also includes a base and gel top coat, designed with a silicone derivative to strengthen, reinforce, and protect the nail. The base coat is a milky formula that goes on clear, and fills in any ridges. The gel top coat, is the 2nd one I’ve seen this season. Similar to Dior’s earlier launch, Guerlain’s gel top coat creates amazing lustre and shine. Personally, I found Guerlain’s to have greater lasting power and provided more protection against chips. See how super glossy my nails turned out with the gel top coat added in the picture above?!
Just because I loved the collection so very much, I had to buy a 3rd bottle… and I chose Nahema. It is a vibrant orange-red that is perfect for perking up the gloomiest day. I found a bottle of OPI in my stash from 2 years ago that looked the same. Unfortunately, the sticker label had fallen off so I don’t have the name for it. Anyway, the OPI formula was much more watery, requiring at least 3 coats, and gives a completely different effect from Nahema. At the same time, I realized Nahema was the same base color as Dior’s Diablotine (reviewed here)! However, the big distinction is that Nahema gives a smooth opaque finish whereas Diablotine is packed with shimmers that lend it a slightly cool tinge. I have painted my thumb and ring finger with Diablotine and the rests with Nahema for comparison (picture above taken without the gel top coat).
I never thought I would say this, but Guerlain Le Vernis Maxi Shine has me so completely enraptured that it is now my FAVORITE nail lacquer of all time! The rich pigments, smooth application, and extra wide brush make it a dream to apply. I love it even more because these babies dry super fast! 10-15 minutes and I can tend to my little bub! Interestingly, I found the gel top coat to take somewhat longer to dry than the lacquers.
The more adventurous lacquerista may find the range of colors somewhat limited, however to quote Maxime Poulin, Guerlain designs for the sophisticated lady in mind. Bleah, give me more!!
For those who have no time / inclination to ponder over pulling together a complete look, there is a matching lip gloss for every shade. These are equally fabulous, and I will be posting have posted my review very soon, so stay tuned HERE!! XOXO
Do you have a favorite polish to share? Would love to hear from you!
Yes I tried the guerlain nail polish at an event with maxime!! I love how long lasting their polish is. I’m pretty calmsy and rough with everything but surprisingly it lasted 2 weeks without chip, unlike many other nail polish that only last 3-4days. Yes it does take a bit of time to get used to the flat brush but I’m sure it will work out fine once you get the hang of it! Do you prefer dior or guerlain nail polish?
Yes, I love the brush actually! And, I think Guerlain Le Vernis lasts much longer on me than Dior. I’m extremely clumsy too, and I abuse my nails way too much. But Dior has a wider range of colors… in fact i think they’re coming out with magnetic polish for Fall! ;P