As much as we’d like to say spring is in the air, it certainly doesn’t feel like it. So while we pile on the jumpers, cardigans and coats, wishfully thinking of warmer weather, we’re secretly searching for things to brighten what remains of the cold winter days.

Of course, there are Easter eggs – including the incredibly cute Curly the cockapoo – Aldi’s great new range of garden furniture and Mother’s Day gifts to get us excited for the season ahead. But there’s nothing quite like a beauty buy to transport you to brighter days and sunnier skies. Enter Chanel’s SS23 cosmetics collection...

The luxury label is a favourite for those who like the finer things in life, with perfumes, mascara and more all adding a little elegance to our make-up bags. But coming in at a much lower cost than the couture coats, shoes and bags the brand is famous for, the beauty aisle holds more budget-friendly finds, including the fan-favourite nail varnish.

Launching two new shades of the beloved les varnis in its newest collection, Chanel has dubbed red the colour of the season – though not in the shade you would immediately think of. Perching more on the pink-end of the colour spectrum, they’re bold, bright and have an incredibly high shine, and we’ve selected one as the standout star for spring.

Instantly brightening up dull days, this playful nail polish is pretty, punchy and perfect for putting a spring in your step (pardon the pun). Keep reading below to find out why we’ll be wearing it on repeat and why it caused so many compliments.

How we tested

Our tester ditched gel and went back to OG nail polishes a little while ago, favouring their ease of application, cheaper cost and how they’re often healthier for your nails. Looking at bottle design, brush size, product consistency, colour and the final result, no stone was left unturned when scrutinising this polish. We even went without a top coat, to see just how well it held up on its own, but opted for the OPI infinte shine prostay primer base coat (£16.90, Fenwick.co.uk) to protect from any nail discolouration.

Chanel le vernis longwear nail colour, watermelon

Best: Chanel spring nail varnish

Shade: Watermelon

Number of shades available: 36

Size: 13ml

Chanel’s le vernis has sat on the brand’s beauty shelves since 1994. Spanning a huge range of seasonal colours from classic black to punchy pinks, blues, greens and reds, there are 36 shades currently sitting on the Chanel website. And any beauty buff is sure to have their favourite.

As part of the new season “the definition of red” collection, two new le vernis shades sit alongside a punchy pink mascara, rogue baume essentiel blush and a four pan eyeshadow palette, putting the shade back into the spotlight.

Design

In a clear glass bottle with Chanel lettering at the base and a white interlocking ‘C’ logo on the lid, it brandishes the brand’s marks from all angles, making it a little luxury that’s still fundamentally Chanel.

In an instantly recognisable shape, the cube-like bottle is different to the regular round bottles from other brands but makes them incredibly easy to store. And if lining up on a shelf, they look quite lovely in a set of three or more, because, of course, we have to have a shade for every occasion.

Formula

Chanel’s nail polishes are famous for their strong pigment, and this one was no exception. Just one coat was enough to have an even layer of colour, but two coats really gave it that solid shade. And, for an insider beauty hack, if you use a white polish as the base coat, it will give a boost the other colours you layer on top.

Sitting somewhere between red, pink and orange, we’d class the shade as more of a coral than its namesake watermelon, but instantly fell in love with the look. It’s bright, bold and works well on any skin tone, nail size or shape and gave our tester the pop of colour they were craving during these dull days. In fact, they received so many compliments on the colour, they won’t be taking it off anytime soon.

It’s also seriously shiny. So much so, the brand doesn’t recommend using a top coat, claiming just a base coat and two layers of the chosen nail lacquer are enough to keep a long-lasting high-shine colour, which our tester found to be true.

The full list of ingredients can be found on the Chanel website or on the back of the box, but its formula is known to be “five-free”. This means the polish has no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, toluene, formaldehyde resin or camphor, which have been known to trigger asthma and are counted by many as toxic ingredients. So it’s only a good thing that these are gone from this formula.

Ceramides and bioceramics are also included, to help strengthen the natural nail, lengthen the wear time of the product and prevent the polish from chipping. Could we ask for much more?

The application

As with all Chanel le vernis, the square lid easily pulls off to reveal a rounded, ridged brush handle underneath. This makes it easier to hold, even with sweaty hands, as our tester knows all too well.

The brush is thin and long, covering between half and a third of each nail (depending on size) in one go and can be easily moved to reach small areas and line the tips of the nails too.

As for the polish, it’s thin enough to easily apply yet leaves a streak-free finish that really wowed our tester. We didn’t bother with a top coat, and Chanel claims you don’t really need one, although it will help keep the colour from chipping or wearing away. And as the colour for this nail varnish is so strong, the brand recommends using a bottom coat to stop any staining too.

Drying time was around 5-10 minutes for the first coat, and we left the second coat for around 20 minutes, just to be sure it was completely dry before running the risk of smudging. The longer you leave it, the better.

The result

Our tester has been using the polish for around one week now and has received a huge number of compliments on the colour. In fact, without sounding too much like a winter weather hater, they’re sure the shade lifted their mood every time they looked down at their hands.

It’s incredibly easy to apply – even for those who aren’t well-versed at painting their own nails – thanks to the consistency and the punchy pigment.

At around three days, we did have to add another coat, to keep it looking fresh and shiny but were surprised to see no chips. That took us to around one week’s worth of wear before needing to remove and start again, so we can’t really complain about the length of wear. Although, a top coat is sure to stretch this out even further.

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The verdict: Chanel le vernis nail colour watermelon

We’re willing to bet most of us could do with a little pick-me-up purchase, and whether you’re shopping for yourself or giving a gift to a lucky recipient, we’re dubbing the Chanel le vernis nail colour watermelon one of the best things to buy this season for beauty buffs.

Of course, it’s not a penny-pinching product – and there are countless low-cost options out there to choose from in just as striking a shade – but it is a little luxury that some people are sure to find special. And if anyone spots our beauty writer walking around, best believe this is the shade she’ll be wearing.

Looking for more at-home manicure products? Take a look at our guide to the best at-home gel kits to buy