Inglot #966 – Black Pearl dupe?

While I wait to receive my bottle of CHANEL’s Black Pearl, I have been on the hunt to find a suitable duplicate…..Inglot #966 comes darn near close, and at basically half the cost! I won’t be able to confirm how close until I swatch the two to compare, but based on pictures and other bloggers’ swatches I’ve seen online, there is quite a resemblance between them. Compared to Sephora by Opi’s ‘Absinthe Makes The Heart’ which I reviewed here, you can see that Inglot #966 is not as grey or as frosty and has more of a pearly look to it.

#966 is a metallic deep pine green but with subtle pearly hints and black undertones in its base. The formula flowed very easily and the brush is long, tapered and quite flexible. The only downside is that you do have to wait perhaps a minute or so between coats to avoid brush marks (which I obviously didn’t, as you can see). Depending on the light, the colour shifts from warm to cool which I find really amazing, but the green tone is always present and never looks black, as so many other darker shades can. All swatches are with base coat, 3 coats of lacquer and Sèche Vite top coat.

in sunlight

in bright indirect light

with flash

Final thoughts: this is a beautiful shade and needs to stand on its own recognition and not just because it resembles another. I believe it leans a touch greener than Black Pearl, but it still has that same dusty, mysterious look to it. Another major plus in its favour is the cost; Inglot polishes retail for CAD $12.00 for 15 ml and can be purchased at any Inglot boutique or on their website. This particular shade was released Fall 2010 as part of their Grey Collection and I believe it will be part of their permanent lineup of colours (of which they have over 250 at last count!). I highly recommend this not only for the colour, but for the quality as well; Inglot polishes do take somewhat longer to dry but that’s only because they use premium acrylics in their formula, which makes for longer lasting & chip-free lacquer….you definitely get a bang for your buck here!