You may remember that a while ago, I wore a CND Vinylux nail polish and blogged about my experience using it in conjunction with the matching Weekly Top Coat.
This time, thanks to Trade Secrets, I was able to try CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve!
It’s a creme polish with a dusty, greyish mauve hue that I really think is sophisticated, but still interesting and fun.
Now, CND recommends that you skip the base coat because it’s built into the coloured polish and use the CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat, but this time, I decided to see what would happen if I rebelled! 😉 Hehe, yes, that’s right, I wore my usual base coat and my favourite shiny, fast-drying top coat. Check out the rest of my post to learn the results!
Note: My camera captured CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve as more of a dark purple. In real life it’s lighter and has more noticeable grey tones mixed in with the mauve.
CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve Pictures
Natural Light
Flash
Natural Light
Flash
CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve Swatches
All swatches have:
- OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener (Used as a base coat)
- 2 coats of CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
Natural Light Photos
[Whoops! I forgot to snap a photo of my thumbnail in natural light – sorry!]
Flash Photos
Claims: TRUSTED
- Mauve (Yes)
- Lasts for a week (Not sure – I wore it for a few days.)
Key Notes
- Name: CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve
- Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
- What I Paid: Nothing! (This was provided by Trade Secrets.)
- Where to Buy: Trade Secrets stores
CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve Review
Colour
CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve is a dusty purple with pink and grey undertones that give it a sophisticated appearance.
I love how it’s still a fun purple, but it’s muted for a more grown-up feel.
Finish
The creme finish makes it easy to apply and simple to remove. No hassles, which makes it ideal for those who lead busy lifestyles and can’t be bothered with a fussy nail polish.
Application & Formula
I found CND Vinylux Married to the Mauve to be very creamy and pigmented. One coat covered so well, but I added a second to make sure there was zero patchiness.
Now, you’re supposed to forego the base coat because it’s built right into Married to the Mauve, which is nice, and then to use the CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat.
However, I was a curious nailphile and wanted to see what would happen if I used my own base coat and top coat. Yeah, what a rebel I am! Haha!
I used OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener as my base coat and then Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. I’m pleased to report that I noticed it wore just as well as when I followed CND’s advice for the few days I wore it.
I didn’t wear this manicure for a full week, though, so this is based on about 3-4 days, which is still a pretty good test.
Since I didn’t notice a dramatic difference between using all CND versus my own combination, I think it’s safe to say that you don’t necessarily have to use the Weekly Top Coat to get the best results.
Of course, because CND’s polishes are designed to be worn together, you’ll have better chances that it’ll improve the wear. After all, some base and top coats don’t play well together.
It’s just that over the years I’ve been wearing polishes, I’ve found the combinations that work for me. Everyone’s nails are different, so you may have to experiment to find your ideal combination.
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 8/10
I really loved the colour and creaminess of this nail polish. And I was very happy to discover that even if I used my own base and top coats, it still held up nicely on my nails. This is great news if you don’t have money to spend on another top coat and want to use what you already own.
Have you tried any of the CND Vinylux nail polishes? If so, what was your experience? And if not, what shades would you be curious to try?
Edit: Yay! I love it when big companies take the time out of their busy schedules to interact with their fans and customers!
So you used OPI nail envy as a base coat? I remember you used to use Nail Tek but stopped because it contained formaldehyde (if I’m not mistaken)…but I’ve heard nail envy also uses formaldehyde. Do you know if this is true or not?
Hey Norma!
Yes, I’ve been using OPI Nail Envy these days. I had a lot of base coats – around 7 bottles. Through the months, I’ve been working through my stash. Tried CND Stickey, Essie First Base, Seche’s base coat, and others.
Oh, I didn’t stop using Nail Tek because it has formaldehyde. I actually used up the entire bottle and didn’t repurchase it because I wanted to finish all the base coats I owned before buying any new ones.
There are different versions of OPI Nail Envy, and I think I remember seeing one that was a formaldehyde-free formula. The one I’m using (the original) isn’t it, though. I just looked at the ingredients, and there’s Formaldehyde Resin.
Ahh thanks Mary! Would you say there’s a bottle of basecoat you prefer? I only have three Orly Bonder which I love but doesn’t prevent staining, Orly Ridge Filler which prevents staining but isn’t clear and Essie First Base which I love!!
Hey Norma!
I’ve tried so many base coats, and my favourite is actually a nail strengthener that I use as a base coat. It’s the original formulation of OPI Nail Envy (green packaging).
It prevents most stains (better than many base coats I’ve tried). It also gives your nails a lovely shine, if you want to wear it solo.
Also, I’ve found that it makes my nails less dry. After removing polish, my mails don’t look as dry as when I’ve used other base coats.
Hope that helps!
Very nice color. ^_^
Lizzy recently posted: Polish Yer Hooves: Friday, Angus Friday
Hey Lizzy!
Trade Secrets was generous to let me pick any 2 colours from the CND Vinylux collection. I’m really pleased with this and Daring Escape (the 2 I chose).
I’m still on the fence about this polish. I just don’t know about the whole no top coat or base coat thing.
Hey Melissa!
CND still recommends a top coat with this, but they suggest using their own CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat. They just say to skip the base coat. I didn’t notice any staining from either polish, but maybe it’d be better to test out the vampy shades, reds, or deep blues to check for staining.