Making a Splash with Dior’s Spring 2012 Vernis Nail Lacquer in Waterlily 504
Last week, I walked into a Sephora store with the intention of killing time before a morning meeting but, as tends to happen with us beauty junkies, what started out as an innocent store visit turned into a pocket-hurtin’ experience. For weeks, I had been scoping out the Dior “Garden Party” Spring 2012 makeup collection and lusting after the two new nail lacquer colors — especially the Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer in Waterlily ($23 at Sephora and fine department stores) — and once I saw the lustrous soft green lacquer inside its sleek bottle, I caved into temptation.
Normally, paying $23 for a nail lacquer would seem utterly senseless, but this shade of pastel green was unlike any polish hue I’d ever encountered. Plus, the lacquer was billed as having a romantic rose aroma and, even if the “scented polish” bit was a gimmick, I was determined to experience it for myself.
Having visited Sephora.com and Nordstrom.com only to discover that the Waterlily 504 lacquer was out of stock on both sites, I knew that if I walked into a department store or a Sephora boutique and found the limited-edition hue on display, I’d most likely snatch it up (and rue the damage to my bank account later!). Sure enough, when faced with the alluring nail lacquer, I barely batted an eyelash before grabbing that silver box and walking directly to the cash register.
Rather than regret my purchase, I’ve been surprisingly proud of the investment. After all, the Dior Vernis in Waterlily is positively enchanting, the type of ethereal, blue-based, slightly minty green we might associate with magical forests, fairy wings, and fresh bouquets of green carnations and hydrangeas. In addition to the pigments used to create this hue, the lacquer features mother of pearl and fine glitter bits that lend the color a sophisticated sparkle and an almost dewy finish, along with resins that boost shine and the anti-aging ingredient silicium, which strengthens and protects your nails by restructuring its protein composition.
I’ve been wearing the color practically non-stop and have gotten countless compliments (including accolades from very, very straight men who don’t typically take notice of women’s manis!), plus the color has held up rather well in terms of chip resistance.
In terms of the fragrance, I personally did not detect the scent at all. Theoretically, when the polish dries on your nails, you should be able to detect the rose aroma (very reminiscent of scratch-and-sniff stickers, but without the scratching part!). When housed in the bottle or when first applied to nails (while still wet), however, it will smell like your ordinary, run-of-the-mill lacquer. That being said, then, it’s possible that when the polish dried, I didn’t pay close enough attention to detect the rose aroma but, truth be told, I detected nothing. Then again, if there had been a rose aroma, it would have been overpowered once I applied a top coat, so that was never the strongest selling point for me.
Overall, this is one of the few nail lacquers I’ve ever encountered worth the hefty price tag. To see for yourself, just check out how the color looks in the photos of my mani (after the jump).
Below, you’ll find photos showing how the Waterlily nail polish shade looks on my nails. Hopefully, you’ll see how the color seems to blur the line between pistachio, mint, honeydew, and seafoam green, making it seem that much more unique. And, as I stated, the ultra-fine shimmer makes the color appear as if it had been coated with sea spray and was sparkling in the light. Delicious!
