Get acquainted with CND Vinylux Aqua-intance from the Flirtation Collection that officially hits stores in March! (Click on the above link to see swatches of all 12 shades in the collection.)

It’s all blue skies, and things are looking up when your manicure or pedicure consists of this creamy, dreamy nail polish.

Wear it by itself for sweet simplicity, or add bedazzling glitter or elegant nail designs on top. No matter which way you choose to sport it, CND Vinylux Aqua-intance is a beautiful, versatile nail polish!

CND Vinylux Aqua-intance Pictures

CND Vinylux Aqua-intance Swatches

All swatches have:

• OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener – Maintenance version (Used as a base coat)
• 2 coats of CND Vinylux Aqua-intance
• CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat

Artificial Light Photos

Natural Light Photos

Claims: TRUSTED

• Aqua (Yes)
• Chip-resistant wear (Yes – I typically don’t experience problems with chipping in general, though.)
• Fast-drying (Yes – It dries faster than a regular nail polish, but it’s also not lightening fast.)
• Brilliant shine that lasts (Yes – I wore it with the CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat & it stayed glossy.)
• Nail-polish formula allows manicures/pedicures to last for 1 week (Not sure – I wore this polish for less than 7 days.)

Key Notes

• Name: CND Vinylux Aqua-intance
• Collection: CND Flirtation Collection 2016
• Press Release: Click here to see the official CND Flirtation Collection press release
• Quick Look: Click here to see my swatches & bottle shots of all 12 shades in the CND Flirtation Collection
• Colours Available in the Collection: Lavender Lace, Desert Poppy, Honey Darlin’, Pink Pursuit, Aqua-intance, Skin Tease, Date Night & Be Demure
• Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
• Retail Price: $12.50 CAD
• Disclosure: I purchased OPI Nail Envy. CND Vinylux Aqua-intance and CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat were provided as press samples by PR.
• Where to Buy: Trade Secrets, Nail Polish Canada & select beauty destinations (available worldwide officially in March 2016)

CND Vinylux Aqua-intance Review

Colour

Like a cloudless sky during a picnic, Aqua-intance by CND Vinylux brightens nails with summery charm.

Although some say that aqua pops most on those with tanned skin tones, I think it is complementary on nearly any skin tone. This is because it offers vivid contrast…unless you’re a Smurf! 😉

It’s a clean, vibrant aqua that makes you think of tropical waters and leisure days by the pool. However, it can also easily rotate 180 degrees and remind you of winter with its frosty icicles and crisp, cold air. That’s why I consider CND Vinylux Aqua-intance to be a very versatile and ‘season-defying’ nail polish – it doesn’t make you immediately think of just a certain time of year.

Finish

The creme finish is no-nonsense. It gets straight to the chase, gives a KO of colour, and then calls it a day.

As is typical of creme polishes, you won’t have to scrub your fingers raw like you might with a dense glittery lacquer.

Application & Formula

Two medium coats provided full coverage, and the formula’s consistency wasn’t too runny or thick, making it easy to use.

When you remove this polish, don’t freak out! At first, you’ll get a case of ‘Smurf Fingers’ – i.e. the aqua polish will get onto your cuticles and might look messy. However, all you have to do is remove as much as you can first with nail-polish remover, and then wash your hands a few times in a row to get the remaining blue off your skin.

I didn’t experience any staining from this on my nails, however, I used OPI Nail Envy (as usual), so that also helped to protect my nails.

With any nail polish (not just blues or colours that can potentially stain), I always recommend that you use a reliable base coat. In my case, I used a nail strengthener that I apply like a base coat because it consistently works better than the multitude of other base coats I’ve worn over the years.

Is It Available in CND Shellac?

Many (if not all) of the CND Vinylux shades are also offered in the CND Shellac formula.

If you fancy CND Vinylux Aqua-intance, but want your manicure mileage to realllly go the distance, you’ll be happy to know that you’ll be able to find this shade in CND Shellac, too.

I have never worn any CND Shellac nail polishes, so I can’t weigh in on the formulation difference.

Ingredients

Not only are CND Vinylux nail polishes (and CND Shellac nail polishes) Big-3-free, but they’re 7-free!

This means they don’t contain any Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Xylene, or MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone).

Pros Versatile, vivid aqua Shiny creme finish 2 medium coats for full opacity Dries slightly faster than a regular polish Also available in the CND Shellac formula No Toluene, Formaldehyde, DBP, Formaldehyde Resin, Camphor, Xylene, or MEK

Cons Removal can be messy, as the blue tends to get on your cuticles (However, it didn’t seem to stain when I wore a base coat. Also, to get the blue off your skin, just wash your hands a few times in a row during the removal process. It won’t stain your skin.)

Final Verdict: 8/10

Yes! This colour is what I needed to wear on those overcast days when the weather’s so gloomy. It perks up your nails, makes you think of sunshine and patio weather, and adds a fun blast of colour!

The only downside is that the blue tends to go all over your fingers when you remove it. Thankfully, I wasn’t left looking like Smurfette (even though she was my favourite Smurf when I was a kid. *Ahem* Yes, I’m a child of the 80s, so I grew up with the original Smurfs.)

What’s your go-to colour when you want a nail pick-me-up? Did you grow up with the original Smurfs, too? Are you an 80s child?