Chanel • Le Vernis Nail Colour in Paradoxal #509 • Polishes

Where To Buy?

7Out7 on 12/31/2012 4:28:00 AM more reviews by 7Out7

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Paradoxal launched a few years ago for the winter season. It is a dark, gray purple creme. Some describe it as a dusky purple. In the bottle it has glowy, lighter purple veins shot through, easy to see if you turn the bottle in sunlight. Alas, this interesting effect does not transfer to the nail itself. The shade you do get is quite nice if you like deep, almost black colors. In the sun you can see subtle red and violet micro-shimmer, something Chanel is famous for doing so well.

In previous comments many have said Chanel chips too fast. My experience is that with most Chanel polishes (and I admit to having many...maybe too much) I can expect a manicure to last five to eight days with nothing more egregious than slight tip wear. Not every "trick" works for every person but I will give you mine and hopefully something I share will help someone.

Just before you apply base coat, it is important to have on a clean, dry nail. Washing your hands in soap and water won't give you the right surface for polish. You have to remove all traces of oils and soaps. I use white vinegar, wiping down each nail (don't skip nail sides) with a lint-free cloth (paper towels work well here). I have used Chanel's base coat and others and they all work well. Let it dry thoroughly before putting on your Chanel color. I also like to allow a few minutes between coats, although there are many who don't want to spend the extra time on this. Anyway, make sure you seal the free edge too, if your nails are long enough, with each coat (including base, color and top coat).

Paradoxal gives excellent coverage in two coats. The first one is a bit streaky and uneven but all that is taken care of with one more coat.

I apply a top coat (not Seche Vite, which causes shrinkage if it is directly on top of any color). My favorite top coat is Barielle's Manicure Extender. If I have let all coats dry well between each, I don't normally even need Seche but if I do, now would be the time to get that on.

The next day I re-apply a coat of Manicure Extender. That is my "secret" trick. I might even re-apply it on random subsequent days.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* Andee on 12/27/2012 4:36:00 PM more reviews by Andee

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Red, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I would only buy this again because the color is gorgeous. Very sophisticated and becoming on my very pale yellowish toned skin. But, the lasting power is awful for me even with my usual base and top coats which keep other polishes for at least a few days without chips. Unfortunately, I tend to only use it for my toes because the chips come so fast.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

4Bella on 11/21/2012 12:05:00 AM more reviews by 4Bella

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I love the color: grey/purple but there is no dimension like in the bottle. Still worth of trying.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

merekat703 on 7/1/2012 6:08:00 PM more reviews by merekat703

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This is my favorite Chanel polish I have. The color is unusual (even though there are dupes) and the application is clean and easy. Subtle purple shimmer give the mani a nice glow. Lasts a few days. Its a must have and worth the money!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

dbfivegirl on 3/4/2012 2:02:00 AM more reviews by dbfivegirl

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

Just bought this last friday. An trying to use for first time. Appalling consistency. Absolutely awful application. So much thicker than Chanel polishes normally are. Will try thinning it down but certainly very unhappy with my wasted $40AUS purchase at this stage:(. Boo Chanel boo!!!

Update: ok whilst I'm still really annoyed at the thickness of this and the second coat was no more fun to apply than the first damn coat, it actually did dry very smooth and flat. It was as if it hadn't been thick and gloopey at all. Still not impressed with the consistency and will thin it down once my order of Restore arrives. But I must say I love the colour. So I've up the overall to 3 lippies from my original 1 lippy for the fact that it did dry ok and the colour is just gorgeous. Tip wear is ordinary but I'm finding that will every polish I wear. I've ordered some Gelous top coat in the hope that it may help with tip wear generally. I spend 12 hours a day on a computer so what do you do hey. As for buy again...begrudgingly unless I can find a great dupe.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

jann8 on 2/20/2012 11:59:00 PM more reviews by jann8

Age: 44-55   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

This color looks great when I'm tan. Applies smoothly, but this looks better in the bottle than on the nails. The shimmer which looks so beautiful doesn't show on the nails, unfortunately. Wears well with out chipping or peeling for a week.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

marybob on 1/28/2012 3:49:00 PM more reviews by marybob

Age: 44-55   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Silver, Straight, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

It's Chanel and a quality product. However my disappointment arises from the lack of excitement on my nails. It looks great in the bottle but the shimmer effect barely shows when its on. Its a very deep dusty purple that almost looks black in low light. If this were a ten dollar brand I would probably be happier. Its just that I expect so much from Chanel.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

silvermouse on 1/15/2012 8:23:00 AM more reviews by silvermouse

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I think the colour that this turns out to be on your nails depends on your skin tone. I've read a lot of reviews saying that it's 'muddy' but I think your skintone makes a lot of difference. I co-opted my poor husband (who is a pale, redhead) into lending me a finger for a swatch - on him, it's an unattractive muddy purple. On me (happily!), with my darker skin, it's a gorgeous rich purple with a hint of grey (maybe brown skin tones cancels out the muddiness).

In the bottle, it's an odd grey-purple with amazing purple shimmer. at arms length it appears to be a creme until you catch the light at a certain angle and you see the a very subtle flash of something deeper. The shimmer is almost invisible except in bright sunlight or very muted light. A good topcoat (I used an OPI topcoat) brings out a bit more of the shimmer.

Application is very smooth (as you'd expect from Chanel). One thick coat is almost opaque enough but there're a few gaps which a second coat eliminates. Not at all streaky. I did, however, get a few tiny bubles but only after applying the topcoat - the OPI formula is a bit thick so maybe that was it.

No chips after 1 day but we'll see what happens - I tend to be fairly abusive to my poor nails but i've found that a good topcoat keeps chips at bay and my other Chanel nail polishes usually last a few days before you see tip wear.

One lippy off for the price AUD$39 but it's a unique colour that I find flattering so I would buy it again if I ran out

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

empresslilah on 12/4/2011 9:02:00 AM more reviews by empresslilah

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This looks like something really special in the bottle, but looks like mud on the nails. Based on the color in the bottle, I was expecting a semi-dark grayish purple (more purple than gray) with a duo-tone shimmery purple effect in the light. What I got was a chocolatey gray, and you need a magnifying glass to see the purple effect even in direct sunlight. What a letdown. Thankfully, I kept the receipt because this bottle is going back to Bloomingdales.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

ana7mac on 11/2/2011 12:51:00 PM more reviews by ana7mac

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I love the colour, but the quality is horrible. It starts chipping off after just a few hours! Unbelievable if you consider its scandalous price. One of the worst price/quality relationships that I've ever experienced.
I only give it 2 lippies cause the purple greyish colour with subtle shimmer is really lovely and uncommon.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sunnyhu on 10/24/2011 4:45:00 PM more reviews by sunnyhu

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

I tried this on at the Chanel counter and the only thing I can say is "meh." It's a very flat grayish purple on me that has no dimension at all. It's not a creme, because if you look very closely you can see SOME shimmer, but unfortunately in this case that doesn't save the day. I don't dislike it just because grayish purple is not my color (it might suit cool-toned people just fine). I dislike it because for such a simple, basic, and DULL color Chanel expects people to pay so much for it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

LilLexy100 on 10/19/2011 3:21:00 PM more reviews by LilLexy100

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Chanel are innovators of the most beautiful, cutting edge colours....that is until Barry M release exact dupes of them and thus saving a frugal nation from spending £16 on a polish and spending £2.99 instead :-)

So let's face it, I bought this because Chanel were the first to do this colour.....and it's a Chanel bottle in my make up! A gorgeous colour on my super-pale skin, a kind of dirty gunmetal grey with shots of almost holographic purple though it when the light catches. Lovely. However, Chanel, I ask you - why, when your polishes are soooo expensive, do you insist of giving us nail varnishes that only last a couple of days before chipping, and WHY do you give us poor substandard brushes? If this colour was in an OPI bottle it would be 5 stars, but with a Barry M copy now available combined with the Chanel poor brush and poor lasting power, 3 stars I'm afraid. Shame, because it is one of the most flattering and unusual colours out there.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

haagendoss on 10/18/2011 7:19:00 PM more reviews by haagendoss

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This color is soooooooo cool. I usually only buy Chanel polish if the color is unique because of how pricey it is. But this color is definitely unique. It appears to change from a slate/purple/brown color, to a shimmery purple/grey color depending on the light.
The formula is the same as all the other Chanel polishes, which is decent at best. But yes, the color is amazing.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* niclyf on 9/3/2011 4:26:00 AM more reviews by niclyf

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Would i repurchase .. Absolutely! I already did (have a back up of this one). Paradoxal is along the lines of Essie Smokin' Hot, with the exception that this one has a smidge of shimmer/pearl/duochrome to it. Part grey, part purple, slight shimmer/iridescence .. it almost tries to be a duochrome flashing between the two shades, and depending on how the light hits it .. either appears to be a cream or a shimmer. It's not entirely unique because the shimmer is very subtle, but I'm a complete junkie for these deep dirty greyish purples, so despite the high price tag, I knew I had to have this one. While it is soft plum/purpleish ... I can definitely see getting a lot of use out of this because the shade in itself, it's something that I would consider a temporary 'trend'. It's different enough from your standard run-of-the-mill neutrals, without being so different that it would ever be unwearable IMO. I can see this flattering most skintones, and for me, this is a great shade for those transitional periods going from summer to fall or from fall to winter, when you're tired of neutrals, brights, etc., or is a great shade for the "I don't know what shade to wear" kind of times. Overall, a great shade that I can see getting a lot of use out of!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

candybunny88 on 7/23/2011 5:42:00 AM more reviews by candybunny88

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Tan, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

i was intrigued by this nail polish and how it was meant to be dual toned (sorta)...its super expensive to buy at full price especially here in NZ where makeup is extremely dear to start with. but somehow i found a full bottle of this at my local second hand store and it was 12 bucks! i mean hello! i have no problems with packaging etc but i do have issues with the color. it does look nice n purple in the bottle however when i put it on my nails its just plain dark dark dark purple with no shimmers or dual tone or anything...dont know why this thing is so hyped as the dark flat purple doesnt look good on me (granted that i do look better with bright lolly colors on my nails). will not repurchase....i mean seriously chanel...

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

nordavind on 7/21/2011 5:13:00 PM more reviews by nordavind

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

This polish is such a shame… The colour is amazing, but how can quality be so bad for such a high-brand product? I get tip wear and chips from day one, and I’m always wearing 2 coats of polish + base and top coat. I've never had this problem before with any of my polishes, even the ones that cost a quarter of the price. It is very frustrating because Chanel creates some of the most stunning polish shades so I’m often tempted to try again, but I don’t want to feel ripped off again.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* rebemdee on 7/17/2011 9:37:00 PM more reviews by rebemdee

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Cool   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Meh, it's a pretty purple, but I didn't see any shimmer and it looks muddled and dreary with enough coats to go opaque. It's very understated, so it looks more sophisticated, but there is just no wow to it. I can live without it.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* TacoFlavoredKisses on 7/17/2011 5:50:00 PM more reviews by TacoFlavoredKisses

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I love this color. It does look more purple-shimmery in the bottle than on the nails, but in the sunlight you can see the shimmer and purple a lot better. On the nails, after 2 coats, it is a deep, deep plum purple with almost a dark gray base. It's quite dark. But absolutely gorgeous. Nice alternative to the standard dark grey or black polish, and looks great on short nails (like mine- I keep mine very short).

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* MARmaladeJay on 6/11/2011 5:44:00 AM more reviews by MARmaladeJay

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Oily, Tan, Cool   Hair: Brown, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Reason for removing one lippie: The color looks amazing in the bottle, but I can't seem to get the purple shimmer on my nails, but I had to have it! Chanel, you are the Master at being subtle with the shimmer!

OK, so it could be a bit deceiving due to the fact that I enjoy doing my nails at night. Once I woke up the next morning and took the dog out to use the bathroom; sun shining, the purple/blue shimmer decided to join me. I was in awe with Paradoxal! Even in low lighting, it's a gorgeous deep grey-plum. I think this is stunning on short manicured nails.

If you're looking for a replacement of your typical vampy color, this is a beautiful alternative to your vampy red, black, green, brown, black, or blues. Don't be surprised when you don't see the shimmer. It'll make its appearance under the right lighting. I've noticed under the sun or fluorescent lighting that is when the shimmer likes to come out. In low lighting, it goes into hibernation.

It applies pretty opaque in one coat, but I used two coats just to even it out. It has very minimal streaking and feels like butter once it's dried; so smooth! Chanel polishes usually last me about 3-4 days before my first chip. I'm thinking of buying a back up bottle in case this doesn't become part of the permanent line.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* garstrieper on 6/10/2011 10:47:00 AM more reviews by garstrieper

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I am in love with this color....Chanel's wand is super easy to use also, as it is small and precise. The cons with this are the ridiculous price, the sheer color (I have to use three coats), the small brush (which is good for people who aren't good at painting their nails, but takes forever to paint each nail!), and the lasting power. This lasts about one week sans topcoat. I will repaint soon, and use a topcoat this time and see if that helps at all.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No