Even if you have a trust fund to pull from (how nice for you), there are likely some beauty products you'd still never consider spending more than $7 on. Maybe it's mascara or lip balm — perhaps body wash or shampoo. Me? I will never understand the woman who buys fancy base and topcoats. (Even the ones that claim to give a "gel effect" have never made my manicure last any longer than the cheap, diluted stuff at my corner nail place.) A shiny sealant is a shiny sealant.
Unless, I found out, it's Chanel. And black. Then, it's a whole lot more. See, this new topcoat (out in January) lets you cut your nail polish collection in half without feeling any loss, which is great news for those who want to live like Marie Kondo in the new year, but also try to claim that every last Q-tip, hole-y sock, and dried-up polish sparks some sort of joy. But how? Because a coat of it over the brightest colors instantly turns them dark and moody.
Just see below: Bare nails turn to gray; hot pink to plum; navy to black; cherry-red to ruby-red; and white to, well, I'm not sure...that one wasn't great.
Every year, editors write — and you read — stories about how to change up your beauty routine for the season. Add in more hyaluronic acid! You need a weekly hair mask! Get these must-have shades from the runway! All that stuff adds up fast. But consider this a way to save a lot more money in the new year: Drop $28 on a black topcoat now (while ignoring the haters — formerly me — who say a $28 topcoat is insanity); then, delight in how it transforms all the summery shades you already own into the trendy winter ones your friends are running out to buy.
Chanel Le Top Coat Tinted Top Coat, $28, available January 2017 at Chanel.