Dior in #504 Waterlily

Dior in #504 Waterlily

Sorry for the interruption in posting. My only excuse is that it's summer, and #YOLO.

Dior in #504 Waterlily is a warm mint green with green shimmer. The shimmer is definitely in a creme base - it's not a predominantly shimmery polish. However, the shimmer is always apparent, in comparison to the famous subtle shimmer in Chanel's Jade. Waterlily is from the Spring 2012 "Garden Party" collection and is rose-scented. All nail pictures were taken in direct sunlight after a few days of wear; comparison pictures were taken in indirect natural light. Worn June 18 - June 22, 2012.

If you're observant, you've probably noted that I don't mind spending high-end prices on polish. However, despite Dior's formula, which is usually on-point, I typically avoid purchasing polishes from the brand unless I feel they're must-haves. It's all boils down to the brush. It's the paddle-style brush that can be seen in polishes like Sally Hansen's Insta-Dry and Complete Salon Manicure lines. Here are brush pictures from Ommorphia Beauty Bar, Indigo Kir Royale, and Natural n Chic Makeup. The last link illustrates one of the two reasons I dislike these brushes - the brush stem. Look at this comparison picture from Time 4 Beauty! When you look at the picture, you can see how much polish pools up on the stem, and since it's flat, not curved, it's impossible to really wipe it off on the edge of the bottle, so you never know whether more polish is going to come rushing down and flood your application as you apply the polish. The first two links show my other problem with the brush - the bristles. I don't mind that the brush is very wide (wider than OPI's Pro-Wide), but I don't like the tapered cut, which makes it very hard to get all the way to my cuticles at the base of my nails by the sides. I prefer a straight-edge brush, so I have more control over manipulating the curve of my nail bed, rather than having what the curve should be pre-determined for me. I end up having to paint over my skin in some areas, resulting in more cleanup than I like to do. It's kind of like those tattoo-transfer eyeliners that assume they know the curve of your eyelid - it just doesn't work for me.

I purchased Waterlily because I'm a sucker for mint greens, and I felt the scent factor made it unique enough to justify. The rose scent is very strong for the first 12 hours (some would say too strong; I would agree if it had lasted the duration of wear), but after that it fades so that you have to hold your fingers right up to your nose to smell it, and after a few days I can't smell it at all. I used 2 coats, but it probably could have used 3.

I felt this formula was a bit more chippy than is normal for me with any brand. There were no big chips, but I wrap my tips, and between when I applied this at night and woke up in the morning, the wrapped polish on my left index finger had already chipped off.

Waterlily has no dupes in my collection. It is similar to Chanel in #407 Jade, but more yellow-toned and more shimmery. I also compared it with OPI in Damone Roberts 1968 and Claire's in Dream Catcher. Damone Roberts 1968 is most tonally similar, but it's a creme. Dream Catcher is lighter and more neutral with a subtle shimmer, whereas Jade sits on the other side and is more blue-based. The three shimmer polishes are still similar enough that I would choose one based on skin tone.

Top to bottom: Dior in #504 Waterlily, OPI in Damone Roberts1968, Claire's in Dream Catcher, Chanel in #407 Jade

Top to bottom: Dior in #504 Waterlily, OPI in Damone Roberts1968, Claire's in Dream Catcher, Chanel in #407 Jade

Top to bottom: Chanel in #407 Jade, Dior in #504 Waterlily

Other comparisons and swatches can be found at Café Makeup, Frazzle and Aniploish, The Swatchaholic, Indigo Kir Royale, Vampy Varnish, Front Row Beauty, Messy Wands, Polish Police,  Ommorphia Beauty Bar, and The Beauty Look Book.

What do you think of Waterlily - is it unique enough for you? Do you like scented polishes?