Comparison: Chanel Black Satin and Zoya Raven

I mentioned in my post comparing blacks that Zoya Raven was the same color as Chanel Black Satin. Here's a comparison image:


Thumb to pinkie: (left) Raven (right) Black Satin, Raven, Raven, Black Satin, Black Satin.


Now, if I didn't say that they were different polishes, would you have been able to tell the difference? I wouldn't!

I ended up buying Black Satin a while back because someone had convinced me that it was the be-all end-all black polish of the gods. Sure, it's nice, but Zoya Raven is nicer.

I'm sure you all know this by now, but I'm not a fan of Chanel. I think their customer service is some of the worst I've ever experienced, and I don't think their polish is anything special. It's certainly not worth the price tag- it chips quicker than any polish I own (although, I hear buying Chanel's base coat will prevent this), the brushes are sometimes messed up and they don't apply as smoothly as a $20 polish should. I will buy the polish if the color is really special (Kaleidoscope!) but, still. I'd rather spend my money on Lippmann or Rescue Beauty Lounge.

Zoya, on the other hand, has rarely disappointed me. The formula of the polish is always smooth and manageable (with the exception of two colors- Bekka and Juicy), the price point is just right ($6, not $20!), and they really have a lot of great colors. I have only had to contact customer service once, so I can't really comment on the quality of customer service, but I have never had a problem with any of my orders- just a couple backordered polishes.

So, personally, when faced with the choice of two identical black shimmer polishes, of course I'm going to choose the less expensive one!