Chanel Rouge Noir Dupe?

My favourite nail colour ever is the cult Chanel polish, Rouge Noir.  I have been wearing it since I was around 15 and for me it beats any other Chanel shade that has ever been released since.  As a teenager I had a poster on the inside of my wardrobe simply of a rouge noir adorned hand cupping a white rose - that's how much I obsessed over this polish.

To be honest I am not a fan of the consistency or quality of Chanel polish.  I find it chips easily and can be a little on the gloopy side, however I can put up with these insignificant details when it comes to achieving this delectable hue.

I don't like the price of Chanel nail polish so I am always after a cheaper alternative.  Lots of brands have tried to emulate the red based black of rouge noir for many years but none have managed to get that exact shade of dried blood that inspired the cult classic. Either too red or too purple, sometime just too black.

After repeated disappointment I stopped actively seeking out a dupe many moons ago and stayed faithful to my pricey Chanel.  However, a few nights ago I was rooting through my jungle of nail colour when I stumbled across this shade from drugstore brand N.Y.C.  I had completely forgotten I owned this colour ... obviously purchased then somehow lost it in the plethora of colours in my hidey hole. 

N.Y.C in Lincoln Center is pretty much an exact match for rouge noir.  You can see how similar they are sitting side by side in the bottle and even on the nails, to the untrained eye they are the same polish. 

Differences I notice on application is that N.Y.C formulation is thinner and a little runny.  It takes 2 coats to get the opaque gorgeousness of rouge noir but I went the extra mile and put a 3rd coat on.  I have not had even a hint of a chip and best of all, this polish seems to make my nails feel really hard and strong.  Something my nails are definitely not.  It dries super fast hence the name 'Quick Dry Nail Polish' ... promising to dry 'in a New York minute'.

On the other hand Chanel is a lot thicker to the point of gloopiness.  You can get away with one coat but I usually apply 2.  It isn't the quickest drying and also stays tacky for a while after, which i put down to the thick consistency.  As mentioned before, chipping comes thick and fast sometimes after just a few hours.

Chanel bottom, NYC top

 So how does this measure up price wise?

Chanel £17

N.Y.C £2.59

Ah this is a no brainer for me.  Despite being in love with Chanel on a whole even I can't justify the price against with the dissatisfaction of the products performance when I can get the colour I love so much for a fraction of the cost.

Even if rouge noir isn't your thing, I would definitely recommend you try an N.Y.C polish.  I will certainly be investigating the rest of their colour spectrum and at such a bargain price I can afford to pick up a few at the same time :)

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