The Polish Addict’s Top 20 Polishes of All Time: #16 Chanel – Kaleidoscope
Some girls will trample innocent people to get their hands on Chanel Le Vernis. Me? Um… not so much. Chanel is overrated. 99.5% of their colors are boring and the wear is not exceptional for the price tag. Excluding the amazing but impossible-to-find Chanel Holographic (which wasn’t released in the U.S. because why would they ever release something actually worth buying in the U.S.), I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Chanel that made me jump out of my seat… until I saw Chanel Kaleidoscope.
Kaleidoscope is the quintessential non-glitter ultra-bling polish. It’s like ultra-bling all grown up. The blinginess is more subtle indoors, it becomes a mirrored greenish platinum in indirect lighting. If you only ever buy one Chanel, it has to be this one.
Of course, this color was ‘Limited Edition’ as per Chanel’s modus operandi of creating articifical hype for their polish -insert eye roll- so sadly, it’s probably no longer available in stores. If you want it, you’ll either have to turn to evilbay scalpers and shell out absurd amounts of money for it or you can settle for one of the very worthy alternatives.
December 6th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
I love this on you Steph! In fact, along with Eve, you were the reason I got Kaleidoscope in the first place. I was lucky that i had a $50 GC to a store that had tons left, so i ended up getting 2, 1 of which i swapped away to another NBer :)
December 6th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Chanel polish chips on me like within an hour (not joking here) of putting it on. Makes me CRAZY!!!!
December 6th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
There are moments I gaze upon my bottle of Kaleidoscope and consider erecting a shrine.
December 7th, 2008 at 3:05 am
I looks pretty on you, but I’m pretty sure it would be gross on me. I try very hard to stay away from Chanel, Guerlain, etc. I already buy the makeup with is incredibly overpriced. I really don’t need to “invest” in the np too!
December 7th, 2008 at 9:40 am
Coincidentally this is what I have on for the next 3 days. Although I love the formula and color, I am curious to know how well it will last. Kaleidoscope is also the only Chanel I own. I got it from a MUAer, which is how I could afford it. I looked on Ebay several times but the prices were enormous. Check my pictures out on the NB board.
Peace and light****
Kat
December 7th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I love kaleidoscope, it would also feature in my top 20! Apparently the new sping chanel polishes are called Django and Vendetta, one is going to be a vamp, the other a neutral but am not sure which is which. It was featured in tiny print in UK vogue, the chanel make up designer/artist did a feature showing them but it was difficult to see the models nails.
December 7th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
I eagerly await your Top 20 posts, just to see what polishes I have from your list.
So far, I only have two out of five. This one (Kaleidoscope) and #20, Tickle My France-y
December 8th, 2008 at 3:09 am
My nail technician tells me Chanel has the most wonderfully pigmented colours but finds the brushes terrible. I wouldn’t know since I never mustered enough courage (aka money) to buy one of those. Have you found that the case?
Integrate (by Shiseido, I think mostly only available in Japan) has a gold which looks like the sister of Kaleidoscope. Not sure if they have a silver too since I was never into silver.
December 8th, 2008 at 11:00 am
I looks so gorgeous on you!
December 8th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I love this color, but I just can’t do $10 or over for nail polish. SO I will just look at yours!
December 8th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I agree with your assessment– this is one of the best Chanel has ever put out. And your picture of it captures the sparkly chrome perfectly!
December 8th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
Michelle – lol. Mrs. Brightside caused my lemming. The minute I saw it on her I called Nordies.
Katee – I’ve heard that from a lot of people.
Diana – LOL!!!
Jinnzor – I agree – although I’m semi-lemming the new purple Chanel. *doh*
Katia – I saw your pics! I know I’ve told you 300000 times but I love your nail shape. : )
Alison – I saw ads for these, Vendetta is totally calling my name.
Melvel – I love comparing people’s choices too. : )
Geraldine – Yea, I would agree that they are highly pigmented they just don’t wear well. I don’t particularly mind the brushes.
Sanna – Thank you!
Brooke – LOL – did you see my alternatives? All under 10.
Lady Slatternly – Thank you! : )
December 9th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
I haven’t seen proper pics of these, is vendetta the vamp?
December 9th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
This is one of the RARE times that I’m glad I live in a relatively small city where I seem to be the only one who knows about “the newest and latest” and I go to the counters and snap it up first (I took only 1 of two bottles of Kaleidescope and Haute Chocolate that they had). Although before I discovered the beauty blogs, I missed out on that chanel LE shadow that was embossed like platinum sequins. That loss still stings a bit — but then I paint my nails Kaleidescope and feel much better!
December 9th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Just to let anyone else know, I went over to the Chanel counter at Dillard’s today and they still had Kaleidoscope! So if you want it, just give it another try at your department stores before you go to EvilBay. ;D
December 9th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Alison – Yup, Vendetta is the purple. I’m probably not going to be able to resist that one – which sucks cause I am SO broke right now lol.
Molly – You really are lucky. Unfortunately, my town is SO small we don’t even have a Chanel counter. *grumble grumble*
Ninisa – Awesome!
December 11th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Just gorgeous, Pretear! Thanks for the “Top 20″, this is fun!
December 11th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
: ) Glad you’re enjoying it.
December 13th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Katee — Chanel polishes are horribly chippy on me too, regardless of basecoat/topcoat used. I’ve stopped buying them for that reason.
Geraldine — I *hate* their brushes! I make an unholy mess with them.
I sound like such a negative Nancy :). Actually, a couple of my favorite polishes of all time are Chanel (Azur, and Shanghai Red for pedis)…I just think that there are a couple of things that they could improve on.
December 14th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Not negative at all. : P
December 24th, 2008 at 2:35 am
They sell this in the U.S. Bought it a few days after I saw it on fashionista.com and fell in love with it. They also have this Russian collection, colors are lovely! But their not available at Chanel counters, yet. Check it out on their website.
December 24th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Yea, I probably won’t be getting the Russians due to the hefty price tag.
January 18th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I think I am one of the few lucky ones that Chanel lasts the longest on, so I have no problem in indulging, because I type a lot for work and use my hands a lot…so I need a polish that can go the distance. I think a lot of it is proper application and maintenance, but sometimes the formula of the polish can override all of that and become a chippy mess. Chanel, followed by OPI (just not lately for some reason) last the longest on me. I’m kind of a Chanel np queen because now I have 30! (Yeah…………….)
January 19th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
Don’t worry, 30 isn’t that bad. : )