YSL
La Laque Couture Nail Lacquer
6/27/13

I have a confession. I've been cheating on my beloved Chanel polish for about a year now, and I've decided we can no longer be exclusive. I'm seeing other polishes, and I'm loving them. YSL has stolen my heart with some of the most incredibly rich pigments I've seen on the market. From the perfect red, to deep fuchsia and sexy golden hues, I can't get enough of these polishes. 

I've been a Chanel polish devotee for well over 15 years, and have zero guilt about my betrayal. A girl needs to keep her options open, and YSL knows how to create perfection in a bottle. A gorgeous bottle, to boot. The array of colors offered is stunning, particularly their seasonal, ltd. edition releases. This is where YSL really casts a large shadow on Chanel. Chanel has the disadvantage of mass appeal, and their ltd. edition colors tend to reflect that. Light blue, endless shades of rosy pinks, and sparkle. Always some offerings with a glittery sparkle. I just don't do glitter. 

(click photo to enlarge)

YSL's ltd. edition releases tend to skew bolder. Richer. More luxurious. What you see in the bottle is what you get on your nails with two coats. I've had some trouble with Chanel's darker shades lately (like Taboo), where you really don't know what you're getting until it's mani/pedi time. With YSL, I know exactly what my nails will look like. Better still? They're $2 less than Chanel polishes. My current favorites are Corail Colisee (above left), Violet Baroque (above right), and Dore Orfevre (a Neiman Marcus Exclusive). From what I'm told by manicurists near and far, the YSL brush is far easier to work with. 

My verdict? I'll never completely call it quits with Chanel.There are several favorites I can't live without. But my YSL crush is strong, and I don't see it fading (or chipping) anytime soon. 

- YSL La Laque Couture Nail Lacquer is $25 a bottle. 

- Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color is $27 a bottle.

Both available at Nordstrom.