CHANEL Summer 2014 Nail Polish from Reflets D’Été de Chanel
Mix. Match. Mismatch. The pairing possibilities are endless…the bolder, the better.
The overiding theme of Chanel’s Summer 2014 Collection, Reflets D’Été de Chanel, is all about mixing rich, bold color. The four, new super saturated Chanel nail polish shades (Eastern Light is a re-promote) certainly lend themselves to the art of color combining.
Formula & Application
Chanel Le Vernis is 5-Free (free of DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor). The signature square glass bottles are topped with a black square outer cap that is removed to reveal a stubby, round, ribbed inner cap. The brush is round, medium in length and width and reminds me of the old OPI brushes. It easily fans out and covers the nail without much resistance.
The consistency of the polishes in this collection is thin and pliable but packed with pigment, with the white being the one exception. The rest are all two coat confections that dry nice and glossy. Whites are notoriously difficult and Eastern Light certainly continues the tradition. It’s streaky and not the best at self leveling. I needed three coats and still wasn’t happy with the finish.
Chanel Eastern Light is back after first appearing last year. It is a pretty basic white creme.
Chanel Eastern Light
Chanel Mirabella is a warm, nectarine orange creme that leans towards mango. Compared to past Chanel shades, Orange Fizz and LA Sunset, it’s much darker and more orange, less peach.
Chanel Mirabella
Chanel Orange Fizz, Mirabella, LA Sunrise
Chanel Pink Tonic is a cool, hot pink creme. It falls in between other Chanel pinks in this range, Riviera and Pulsion.
Chanel Pink Tonic
Chanel Riviera, Pink Tonic, Pulsion
Chanel Sweet Lilac is a pink-based, pale purple creme. It has that hidden Chanel shimmer you see in the bottle but simply adds depth on the nail. It’s much lighter than Chanel Rodeo Drive.
Chanel Sweet Lilac
Chanel Sweet Lilac, Rodeo Drive
Chanel Tutti Frutti is a fruit punch, pink-based coral creme. Like Sweet Lilac there’s a subtle shimmer. It’s a bit more apparent on the nail but you really have to look for it. Where Chanel Lilis was more of an orange/red coral, Tutti Frutti is on the opposite end of the coral spectrum.
Chanel Tutti Frutti
Chanel Lilis, Tutti Frutti
Bottom Line: At first glance, this collection is one I would easily pass by. Five cremes, including one streaky, problem-child white doesn’t read as overly unique. Especially after the shimmery route that Chanel went last summer.
I mean, I love a great creme and four of these are very well formulated but the colors aren’t overly original. However, I’m struck by Tutti Frutti and it’s definitely my standout of the summer shades. Eastern Light, on the other hand, gets a huge thumbs down. It should be permanently retired.
The Chanel Summer 2014 Nail Polish colors are available now is available now at Chanel counters nationwide and online at Chanel.com, Nordstrom.com and Macys.com. Chanel Le Vernis retails for $27/ea for a .4oz bottle.
Thoughts on these new Chanel shades? Were you happy to see Eastern Light come back? What are your favorite Chanel summer colors ever?
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for Chanel. Affiliate links appear in this post. When you purchase through an affiliate link, you help support this site. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
I like TF and Mirabella, but they aren’t unique enough for me to splurge on them.
Those are some pretty cremes!
Wow. For Eastern Light being a problem-child, I wouldn’t know it by the photo of your nails. It looks beautiful!
Sweet lilac & Tutti frutti are soooo pretty! Definitely not the most unique shades, but still…:)
Love the colours in this one! I wouldn’t pay the hefty price for these, but will wistfully look at your photos!
Agreed on Eastern LIght. When will the stark white nail polish trend finally die? Too much like the White-Out nails of school days for my taste. The rest of the collection is as yummy as they come. I am most excited for Sweet Lilac, Tutti Frutti and Pink Tonic. Only Tutti Frutti is permanent, from what I understand. Too bad, because I think Sweet Lilac could easily be a classic best seller for years to come. This shade fills a big gap in their current offerings.
Meh. What’s the point? Sweet Lilac might be nice if it DID have the shimmer on show.
Thanks for posting the side by side comparisons. It’s really helpful. I’d have a hard time choosing between Sweet Lilac and Rodeo Drive. Mirabella stands out to me, but then I’m always searching for the perfect orange creme!
Have you found a lot of white polishes to be streaky and problematic? I have yet to find a good one, which is a shame because I think I’d really like white polish if I could find on that applied a little easier.
Hi Melynda! Try Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear White On. It’s cheap and less streaky than most.
Thanks for comparing the bottles side-by-side of similiar shades. I always drive myself crazy trying to remember. It’s better to see them next to each other.
So glad you find it helpful!
Mirabella and Sweet Lilac are stunning! Thanks for sharing!
-Monica
Does anyone remember a nail polish called fresh cut coral I believe it was a chanel product. It was the perfect summer colour. That unfortunately stopped making it. Ok it was over 30 years ago but that is how much I love it and I remember the name
Hi Pat! I’m not familiar with that shade and I asked my friend who is somewhat of a Chanel expert and she doesn’t recall a polish with that name. Might be from another brand. The name sounds like something OPI would come up with.
It rung a bell with me, but I can’t remember what brand it was, so I googled and oddly enough, found a tiny 1978 newspaper ad archived via a people finder site. You need to sign up in order to access the actual material, but this might put you on the right path:
http://www.myheritage.com/names/amber_nail
Now, if only I could find the sweet pale blue nail polish in a unique genie bottle my mom gave me as a kid (I believe it dated to the mid-’60s).