Chanel released three new Le Vernis Nail Colors ($27 each for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz) in conjunction with the Rouge Allure Gloss collection. The three shades include:
- Intention 633 a medium camel-beige nude with a slight hint of gold shimmer
- Expression 635 a medium-bright pink red cream
- Exception 639 a deep wine brown with a hint of warm red
All three shades are similar to previously released shades so you may want to shop your stash if you have a lot of pink-reds or brown-reds. Unfortunately I don’t have swatches to compare since I’m completely out of nail wheels and my fingers can’t take a lot of swatching right now with the dry weather and load of polish remover.
Intention 633 is a warm beige with a slight hint of gold shimmer in the bottle. It has a bit of pink in it making a slight salmon colored tint. On the nails the gold isn’t visible. I thought this would be my favorite since I adore neutrals, there’s something about the color that is extremely unflattering on my skintone. It makes my olive skin look extremely sallow. I don’t think I’ve given many Chanel nail polishes a thumbs down on color, but for me this is a definite no. If you can wear warm beiges easily, the formula is very nice and smooth. You can get full coverage with two coats. I do believe this is a unique color. It’s reminiscent of Inattendu which is sheerer and more wearable (for me at least).
Expression 635 is a medium-bright pink red rose. In the bottle it looks like a straight red, but there is a slight hint of bright pink mixed in making it a softer red. The pink brightens the color so it’s not quite as sharp as a true red. Out of all the Chanel reds, Pirate is the most blue-based that I’ve tried. Expression by comparison is brighter and more vibrant. Even though I own a lot of other reds, this one is a must for me. The mix of pink in it makes it really pretty. It has a similar vibe to Suspicious which is more blue-based, while Expression has more red.
Exception 639 is a unique brown and brick red mix. It’s not quite a vamp, but it’s not brown, and it’s not red either. It’s a mix of several different shades making it a reddish brown. The formula is really phenomenal with this one. It’s smooth, pigmented and very glossy. The red in it gives the color a bit of warmth so it’s not too dark on the nails. In direct light it appears more red, in natural light or the shade, it will look more brown. It reminds me of Accessoire minus the plum and with a bit more warmth.
This is in direct sunlight so it looks more red than it does in natural light:
Out of the three, I like Expression (the pink one) the best even though I own so many pink-reds. Given the similarities of all the colors to previously released shades, I can’t say any of them are must-haves, even for a die-hard Chanel Nail Polish collector like myself. Still, Exception (the brown) is a very nice brown brick red with a classic but soft touch. If you missed out on previously released nail polishes, I would say these are good classic shades everyone should have in their nail polish collection.
Bottom line: Expression and Exception are nice to have, but not must-haves. If you have similar skin to me, I would say skip Intention. I usually always look forward to new nail polish releases from Chanel. They make such lovely colors and I adore the formula. This collection’s releases were a bit disappointing for me because I feel like they could have released more unique colors. Or re-released some past amazing limited-edition colors (such as any of the Russies, Haute Chocolat, Kaleidoscope, Wonderland, Malice etc.)
All three shades are available at Chanel counters and boutiques now. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks and Chanel.com. Will you be getting any of the shades or are these a pass for you? If you already did buy these, what did you think?
P.S. Chanel Sweet Star is back in stock on Chanel.com, if you were waiting, I suggest you order soon! Swatches and original post here.
wishing and waiting for some new Chanel polishes to blow my socks off. I have been disappointed lately. anyways, thanks for the review.
I agree, of course my curiosity got the best of me for these, but yes, this year for fall to winter, I've been kinda meh about the colors. Sweet Star is something I think is unique, but nothing like Black Pearl, Strong and Steel from several years ago.
Love colour 633 so pretty..
Candice | Beauty Candy Loves
xoxo
Perfect collection. I like all three of them))
I bought all three polishes from the rereleased 80's collection but I *might* be skipping these. I'm looking forward to the spring collection and hoping for better colors.
I am a huge fan of your blog. It has been so hard to get accurate recommendations for asian skin until I came across your blog and now I can confidently purchase items knowing I will not be disappointed :). I had a request, if you could do a post on the organization of all your beauty items. I love how beautiful your photos of the products always are and I imagine your organization of them is equally beautiful. I have seen the posts done before but I was hoping for a more comprehensive post so I may be able to get some ideas for my own beauty collection organization. Thanks so much!
It's funny – I have gel polish on my hands, so I only use "regular" polish on my toes – and I have them done. But…I held up my hand to the screen, and the gel I have on is a dead ringer for Exception – and this is my go-to color, especially in Fall and Winter!
I like expression the best. I have no pink reds so that might be a must buy for me.
Chanel, I love their nail polishes.
Lots of love, xx
http://www.marysreturn.com
http://www.marysreturn.com
Hi Sabrina,
Expression is really pretty and looks gorgeous on you !
How is it compared to Dior's Star ?
I have Star and love it. I've been wearing it a lot since I bought it.
Xoxo
Michelle
Hello Sabrina,
The French Chanel team has confirmed me that these colours were entering the regular line, they are not limited edition.
I'm so glad because I really love the perfect Expression red!!
xxx
Got Expression for my birthday and was worried it'd look like something I already own. But it is really quite unique in a subtle way; my eyes can't quite tell if its red or dark pink 🙂
Loved the application. Was a one coater for me.
I wonder how Exception compares to Accessoire and how Expression compares to Tapage.
I think Exception is the colour of the year: Marsala…