Essie In the Cab-ana Nail Lacquer ($8.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “self-assured aqua azure.” It’s a brightened, light-medium blue with a hint of aqua in it with a cream finish. The color reminds me of swimming pools! OCC Pool Boy is bluer but was the only possible dupe I could think of.
This was a little streaky on the initial coat, and the second covered and smoothed out the majority of the polish, but there were a couple places I could see issues with at a distance. It was mostly opaque after two coats, except where the streaks were not covered entirely. The polish itself was somewhat thick, so it was a bit harder to control the thickness to get even coats of the shade. The drying time was slightly longer than average due to the thicker consistency. I typically get a week of wear out of Essie’s formula with minor tip wear but no chipping.
P.S. — And if my bottle looks tiny, it’s because I bought the mini version since you and I both know I’ll never finish a full-sized bottle so I thought the minis would suffice for review purposes!
This was a little streaky on the initial coat, and the second covered and smoothed out the majority of the polish, but there were a couple places I could see issues with at a distance.
Product
8.5/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
7.5/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
4/5
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Essie First Timer Nail Lacquer ($8.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as an “adorable newbie green.” It’s a more vibrant take on mint green–there’s a little green and aqua mixed together to create something deeper and richer than your typical pastel mint green, but it’s not neon or a medium-colored shade either. Dior Samba is a bit darker, not quite as bright. Illamasqua Nomad is similar, perhaps a bit less green.
The consistency was slightly thicker than average but the thickness did not impede application. First Timer applied beautifully with full color coverage in two quotes, no streaking or bubbling, and the polish didn’t pool along the edges. The drying time was average and had a slightly shiny finish when all was said and done. I normally get a week of wear out of Essie’s formula with minor tip wear but no chipping.
P.S. — And if my bottle looks tiny, it’s because I bought the mini version since you and I both know I’ll never finish a full-sized bottle so I thought the minis would suffice for review purposes!
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Do you break out the pastels come springtime? I picked five of my favorite shades for spring, some punchier than others, and nothing too light/pale. I’d love to hear yours!
Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer ($8.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “jazzy blue metallic.” It’s a subdued bluish-silver with a frosted, metallic finish. The dry down is a shiny matte; it has a flat look, but it’s not truly matte and there’s a sheen there. Out of the blue nail polishes I’ve reviewed, I couldn’t find or think of a dupe.
Blue Rhapsody wasn’t thin, but it wasn’t so thick that it was goopy or difficult to use because of the consistency. What made it harder to apply was actually how quickly it dried down; it had a tendency to very nearly dry before you finished applying a single coat, and this is where streakiness and drag happened more readily. With the strong metallic finish, there are noticeable brushstrokes, and the worst part about them is that they look a bit raised, too. It was opaque after two coats.
In regards to wear, this wore well on me. I tested it without a base/top coat (so just two coats of the polish itself), and it wore for seven days with minor tip wear (a little more than I see with Essie’s creams/shimmers but barely more) and no chipping. It was the same amount of wear with a base and top coat. However, it’s worth noting that some Temptalia readers had notable problems with wear when it came to Essie’s Mirror Metallics.
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Essie She’s Picture Perfect Nail Lacquer ($8.00 for 0.46 fl. oz.) is described as an “iridescent, reflective lilac.” It’s a medium lilac purple shot through with ultra-fine fuchsia-pink iridescent shimmer. I can’t emphasize enough how subtle the shimmer is and how little it really reflects–it takes a lot of direct light and shifting to see it. Cult Nails Charming is warmer, less blue-based. Zoya Caitlin is much darker and bluer. Essie Lilacism is much lighter.
I’ve been having some good experiences with recent Essies–this one was a little less stellar. Good, just not perfect. The formula on this particular shade was a little thick, so getting even coats that don’t take too long to dry was more difficult. The drying time still seemed a little long, and it’s not at all forgiving if you move to apply your second coat too early–you’ll definitely get drag. The color itself is opaque after two coats.
As long as you're aware that the reflective shimmer is very subtle, it's worth a look. It's not a color I could easily find dupes of, even of just the base color. It looks prettier in the bottle, because the iridescence is more pronounced.
Product
8.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
8.5/10
Longevity
9.5/10
Application
4/5
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Get zen with a clean slate of refreshing, monochromatic nail colors that will be as at home on the yoga mat as they are in the boardroom. From modern neutrals to smoky grays and distinctive taupes, this natural palette is a breath of fresh air. “Colors move me in many ways,” says Essie Weingarten, Chief Creative Officer. “Inspired by the simplicity of shades and the nuances in tones, I spin from one hue to the next every single day and sometimes there is no substitute for a pristine neutral shade that can be worn absolutely anywhere and with anything.” Enter Yogaga, a collection of enlightened neutrals that embody everything that is easy and fool-proof about nail color. While on the flip side, the shades are squarely on trend, coinciding with several consecutive seasons that have seen runway designers embracing an astonishing array of neutral and natural shades for both hands and feet.
When it comes to neutrals, there are fifty thousand shades of gray! Let the perfect neutral carry you flawlessly from spin class to lunch with your best friend, to a night out in your favorite little black dress. The trick is color mixology at its finest. Classic neutral base shades are awakened and transformed with subtle infusions of color. From a lilac that shows off notes of pink, brown, cream and purple, to a rose that appears bright and subdued all at once, to a taupe that looks cream, gray or brown depending on what else is nearby, these shades are all about fine distinction. And proving once again essie’s favorite law of nature — color is truly infinite.
So make like Switzerland and go neutral with an om-tastic new wardrobe of the season’s freshest go-to shades.
Spinning Again Nuanced, neutral brick
Marathin Fresh, universal rose
Gym Dandy Neutral brown with a hint of gray
Pilates Hottie Subdued, pinky, taupy lilac
Boxer Shorts Cool yet classic purple
Yogaga Creamy, icy taupe
Availability: August 2012 at salons and beauty destinations worldwide, $8.00 each
