Collection: L’Oréal Summer 2007, Pro Manicure Nail Polish [Launch]
L’Oréal’s current core nail polish line, Colour Riche Nail Colour, first came into being back in 2007, when the company totally revamped its nail polish (do you remember how the old bottles used to look?) and went 3-free, as well. The line was called Pro Manicure Nail Polish, even though the bottle only said “L’Oréal Paris Nail Polish”.
Since then, the polish has gone through a few renamings, repackagings, and probably reformulations, but the general look remains similar: a rectangular bottle with a squashed-square cap that’s been a L’Oréal signature for quite some time. The lipsticks still have this squashed square shape, and I actually recall that some of their old foundations had this cap-shape, too. I’ve never really liked it, but I suppose any signature is better than none at all.
I actually own more from the original Pro Manicure line than I do from the newer lines: somehow I fell off purchasing L’Oréal at the drugstore. There’s barely a L’Oréal product I use anymore—even my old reliable True Match liquid foundation has been surpassed by Revlon’s Nearly Naked.
In any case, I still quite like the old Pro Manicure line, and here’s a pretty standard red from the original 45-shade launch: Apple of My Eye, a slightly jelly-finish red that’s the perfect, clean, neutral shade of Snow White apple red.
The formula is slightly sheer with a jellyish tendency, but it is pretty much opaque with two coats. Application in excellent: really smooth. The brush is a bit wide, flat, and squared-off. I think this was L’Oréal’s response to OPI’s Pro-Wide brush (which I personally dislike since it’s too big), but it’s a bit narrower, a touch shorter, and sparser by comparison.
The polish dries to a pretty, glossy shine. I remember it wearing reasonably well, too, with a good base and top coat. My only real quibble is that if you close the cap more tightly, it often doesn’t line up properly with the bottle (two square shapes, sigh!).
Pro Manicure Nail Polish was 0.39 US fl oz / 11.7 mL. The polish was free of toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate (DBP). It was made in the USA.
L’Oréal was founded in 1909 and is the largest cosmetics company in the world. It is based in Clichy (a suburb of Paris), France. Its first product was a hair dye called Auréale, which presumably led to the development of the company’s present name. The company currently owns a number of brands, including Biotherm, The Body Shop, Clarisonic, Decléor, Essie, Garnier, Kérastase, Kiehl’s, La Roche-Posay, Lancôme, Maybelline, NYX, Redken, Shu Uemura, Urban Decay, Vichy, and YSL Beauté.
That is a perfect red and I have similar shade from Rimmel London Double Decker red
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Ooh, I feel like hunting down that Rimmel 🙂 One of my fave reds is OPI Double Decker Red, which is sadly discontinued.
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The new bottles are WAY better! I was really impressed with the orange L’Oreal polish that I got on clearance – I’d definitely consider buying more L’Oreal polishes. But I hear you about the makeup – I’m stumped to think what I use from L’Oreal in terms of makeup anymore…
I love a jelly red polish! It’s kind of my weakness. This is so pretty – I think it’s slightly brighter and cooler than my favourite red jelly, Essie Jelly Apple.
Haha the cap alignment thing is mildly annoying – like the Illamasquas!
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I really don’t know why I haven’t picked up more of the new Colour Riche shades! It’s probably because I get cheap at the d/s and Revlon sales are better, LOL! And yeah, the weird thing is that I used to really like L’Oréal makeup back in the day: I had a bunch of nail polish, some Soft Effects eyeshadows (Satin Taupe duo was actually repuchased because I used it up!!!), Voluminous mascara, and the automatic lipliners (hey it was the 90s). I don’t think I ever loved their lipstick too much, though…but I did buy one last year, one of the special celebrity reds. Zoe Saldana’s, I think.
I think you’re right – Essie Jelly Apple is a bit warmer! It’s a lovely one, a real classic.
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YOU USED UP AN ENTIRE EYE SHADOW?!! 😮
I’ve NEVER ever accomplished this. I’ve dropped and broken eye shadows and had to toss them, but never FINISHED it up. Wow. A medal for you. My greatest achievement was using up a blush way back when… when I only owned ONE blush in my collection. 😛
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LOL I know! But back then, I think it was literally my ONLY eyeshadow. And to be fair, I used the taupe most so I had to replace when I finished that, but there was still some left of the lighter shade. Which blush did you use up?
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I used up MAC Angel, which is now discontinued! 😦
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I just found an old bottle and amazingly I still have some left. I’ve forgotten how much I loved this colour. I see it’s been discontinued. Do you know of any polish that has a shade like it?
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Wasn’t it a great shade? I’ll have to look through some of my other red creams to see if I have anything dupe-y. It’s a bit tough as part of what made it so great was the consistency, too!
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I’ll never understand why they discontinue classic shades like this.
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Update on the search. After looking at Revlon’s Fearless and Sally Hansen’s Colour Therapy Red-iance, I’ve decided on L’Oreal’s Plaid Please as the closest match. I’ll let you know how it goes!
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