One-Coat Wonder: CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss

On this side of the Beautygeeks screen, we're geeking out about these new, smart, nod-to-Chanel bottles, 27 on-trend shades, plus crazy high-shine and punchy full-coverage colour in one coat. Nail colour addicts, meet your newest obsession: CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss. No top coat (or credit card) required.

According to Dr. Sarah Vickery, CoverGirl Principal Scientist, nail polish now rivals mascara when it comes to sales. Funny how a nasty recession turned inexpensive fun into a trend so massive that it pretty much hip-checked lipstick out as a spending measure.

CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss nail polish features a new technology that allows a whack of pigment and super-high shine to co-exist happily. Usually, says Dr. Vickery, you get one or the other.

"The pigments are suspended in a clay resin, which is fairly common, but this has been processed differently," Vickery explains. "Usually you can fit only so many particles into a suspension, but the way this has been processed, we can get an incredibly high level of colour payoff and an incredibly high level of shine payout in the same formula." (Shown: CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Go Go Mango)

"When you see that single stroke, how much colour that is, it's pretty unusual," says Vickery. "And then the biggest thing is getting super high-shine and maintaining it for seven days without the need for a top coat." (Shown: CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Grape Vine)

You'll quickly find that Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss delivers exactly the colour and shine it says it will. (The insanely glossy finish reminds me of the exceptional shine of L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Nail Color.) And you can count on its one-coat promise -- amazing.

This is Diana; she's wearing a coat of the most delicious nail polish colour.

This is CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Wine Stain. *swoon*

CoverGirl Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss ($8.49 each) is sneaking out in limited distribution on November 25th -- no details on exact locations, I'm sorry -- and hits most drugstores and mass retailers in January 2013.

What do you think of the packaging? The colours? The claims?

UPDATE, Nov 27: If you're concerned about the maneuverability of the square cap, worry not.