As beauty editors, there's often one brand or product that was the reason we became so infatuated with the industry in the first place. For me, it's Chanel nail polish. Long before I was a beauty journalist or nail tech, I would reserve buying them for special occasions and at the airport with my leftover money from any holiday I went on. I built up quite a collection of classics and limited-edition shades and swooned over each one.
Not only are they (obviously) beautiful, but they remain some of the best formulas and most wearable shades. They apply like a dream and one coat is enough for an even layer (whether it's a sheer or opaque finish) and is genuinely long-lasting—particularly if you use a base and top coat and use cuticle oil daily. The brushes are flat with a slightly round tip, which makes it really easy to paint in three easy strokes.
Best Chanel nail polishes, according to a beauty editor and qualified nail tech
Best light Chanel nail polish shades
If you're a minimalist nail polish lover, there's no brand doing it quite like Chanel. That neat, barely-there finish elevating any outfit or occasion. I like to think of these shades as a palate cleanser; I'm all for vibrant hues but in-between often find myself wanting a timeless shade like Ballerina.
Chanel's Ballerina was the 'clean girl' nail polish long before the sheer pink manicure was a trend. It's a classic if you want your nails to be painted and polished (pardon the pun) with minimal effort. Unlike many of Chanel's other polishes, you can get away with just a coat of this for a really sheer finish or two coats for a solid pink result.
As soon as I tried this, I knew it was going to be a favourite. It's the most perfect sheer off-white—just like silk. You need two coats with this one and it can be a little tricky to get an even finish; my tip is to make sure you've loaded enough polish onto the brush so that it doesn't leave drag lines on the nail.
Now for a bright white. There's nothing quite like a fresh white manicure or pedicure, particularly ahead of a holiday. It's a shade that looks especially wonderful on short square nails. Chanel's white shade—101 Insomniaque—has such impressive coverage and pigment, which makes it look expensive and elevated rather than a little Tipp-Ex-esque as some white nail polish shades can.
If you prefer a brown over a white or pink then you'll love Particulière. Chanel describes it as a brownish-grey but it definitely has more brown tones than grey. It's one of those shades I can see becoming someone's go-to, signature shade after the first wear. It's pretty similar to OPI's Over The Taupe but I prefer this formula and wear.
Best dark Chanel nail polish shades
A well-painted, glossy dark nail always looks incredibly chic. From reds to pinks and even deep purples, there are lots of rich Chanel hues to choose from. I adore a high-shine deep shade, particularly on short square nails so it's my go-to when I'm taking a break from my gels in my classic long, almond shape.
A beautiful raspberry red that is the perfect in-between a bright red and deep mahogany red. It's a particularly stunning colour as the weather turns cooler and I think looks great on longer nails (though of course you can wear it with any nail length). If you want something a little darker then, of course, the classic Rouge Noir is the way to go.
I adore shades that are almost black but not quite, like 141 Oiseau De Nuit, a gorgeous aubergine. It's much more purple with just one coat (yep, one coat is enough for full coverage) or near-black with two coats with the purple glimmering under sunlight. I can promise you, this is the chicest aubergine shade you've ever met. Make sure to wear a base coat, because this one will stain your nails otherwise.
This is a swoon-worthy blue. It's deep, rich and looks impossibly expensive. Just a single coat gives impressive pigment but two, with a high-shine top coat, delivers the perfect depth of the colour. It's similar to a limited-edition shade, Rhythm, which I am equally in love with.
You can't go wrong with a beautiful black nail polish shade and that's exactly what this is. It's hard to get a black hue that is deep enough to glide on without leaving streaks, but this delivers.
Best pastel Chanel nail polish shades
There's nothing like a bright, joyful manicure to boost your mood. Colourful nail polish can feel a little intimidating, particularly if you want to keep the look chic. But with the coverage of these Chanel formulas, the finish is neat yet playful rather than looking like a school art project.
One of the most beautiful shades for the summer has to be Première Dame. It is described as a bright pink coral and I'd say it's spot on; however, I'd say it's even brighter in person than the bottle shows (in the best way). In my collection, it's similar to the limited-edition '745 Cruise' but leans more pink than bright orange. It is beautiful for all skin tones and nail shapes, and is a shade I'll be reaching for all through spring and summer.
It's hard not to feel joyful wearing Ovni; a 'tangy' yellow, full of life. I adore a pastel yellow but some can read a little 'kid's nursery' rather than a punchy and playful—trust Chanel to get it spot-on. The shade is beautiful on its own but really comes to life when paired with 121 Première Dame or another coral or red hue.
Sage green is in for 2024 and Chanel's 131 Cavalier Seul is a sure winner if you want to try the hue. There's something that feels casual and laid-back about a sage green, and wearing it feels effortless. Take care painting this one, use enough coats to get good coverage and avoid flooding the cuticles—this gives an elegant finish.
I'm not typically a huge lilac nail polish lover; they can feel a little wishy-washy. This, however, feels both punchy and feminine. It takes two coats to get a clean opaque finish. Although it's a shade suiting everyone, I think it looks particularly beautiful on medium and dark skin tones. I'm also a fan of 125 Muse, which is similar but leans blue.
Now, Phénix doesn't fit into these categories but deserved a shout-out of its own as it's genuinely some of the best metallic nail polishes I've used. The coverage and pigment in just a single stroke is impressive.