Essie

Lilacism, Neo Whimsical, Pop Art Pink, Nouveau Red, Tart Deco, Van D’go

Essie The Art of Spring Collection for Spring 2010

I spotted this lovely collection of pastels on Pink Melon, and I do hope it is Essie’s spring collection and not just exclusive to Germany.

Shades

• Lilacism
• Neo Whimsical
• Pop Art Pink
• Nouveau Red
• Tart Deco
• Van D’go

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Essie Sweet Time of the Year Collection for Winter 2009

For winter, Essie put out a trio of shades: Mint Candy Apple, Rock Candy, and Lollipop. A sweet lil’ treat–something I’d consider putting in someone’s stocking this year. Two of the three are distinct creme finishes, while one is more of a sheer, though still creamy looking. The only shade I really liked was Mint Candy Apple; it’s unique enough to merit a purchase, and it’s fun and wearable as well. The other two just seem like shades I’ve seen before, so they’re must-haves.

All swatches shown are two-coats with a China Glaze base coat and Zoya top coat.

• Mint Candy Apple is a creamy aqua. I know there’s supposed to be green in it, but it’s quite faint. It really just reads aqua to me–maybe a smidgen of green at best. I applied one thin (streaky!) coat as my first coat, and then I layered on a medium-thick second coat and away we went. I just didn’t really have any trouble with the application like I had heard from others. This is much paler, lighter, and more aqua than For Audrey (which is much bluer), nor is it remotely close to MAC’s Peppermint Patti (which is much greener). Against China Glaze’s Re-Fresh Mint, it’s also not a dupe — it’s significantly bluer, actually — though they have the same lightness/paleness, just one runs more aqua and the other more of a minty green.
• Rock Candy is a sheer, lightly creamy pink. It’s not opaque, and it has a milky pink look to it. This is definitely what comes to mind when I think of Essie–it’s nice, and it’s certainly flattering (even my Dad would like it, probably–because he wouldn’t even notice it!, just not terribly unique to me.
• Lollipop is a bright red creme. It’s incredibly bright and bold! It’s more of an orange-based red than a blue-based red, which is nice to see, as many holiday reds run cooler (or bluer, if you’d like). It also has this nice kind of punchy sheen/glow to it that’s interesting.

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• Product: 28/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

Recommendation:  Three sweet treats from Essie for winter — if any of these shades grab you, they’re all worthy of a peek–it’s just a matter of your color tastes!

Availability: 8ty8beauty.com, Head2ToeBeauty.com, Transdesign.com

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Essie Matte About You Finisher for Fall 2009

It’s a matte matte world. The no-luster polish look is taking center stage in today’s fashion. Essie, the ultimate nail color authority, gives you that high-impact fashion statement with any of your favorite nail colors. Introducing Matte About You Matte Finisher – the perfect solution to mattifying any color.

Matte About You is the only product you’ll need to achieve the look – this innovative new product leaves a matte finish on any nail color you choose. From light sheer colors to dark crème, Matte About You creates a smooth matte finish and adds new dimension and texture to any essie nail color. The exclusive, advanced formula instantly transforms any polish from high gloss to matte in seconds.

“A matte finish is very fashion-forward,” explains Essie Weingarten, founder and president of Essie Cosmetics. “We developed Matte About You so you can still wear the colors you love – classics and hot-right-now – but with a striking matte finish. A totally unique approach to wearing color.”

Matte About You achieves the matte color look with the same salon-proven, long-lasting durability as our stable of colors and nail treatments. Start with an essie base coat, followed by two coats of your favorite essie nail polish. Finish by applying a thin layer of Matte About You in place of a top coat.

Available: August 2009 at www.essie.com and fine spas, salons and beauty destinations nationwide. Contains no formaldehyde, no toluene and no DBP. Each bottle will retail for $10.00.

Essie’s North Fork Collection features three summery colors in Sag Harbor, a cool silver blue; Shelter Island, a sky blue radiance; and Greenport, a dreamy aquamarine paradise. Each bottle retails for $9.00, and you can find ‘em at Essie.com (or click the link in the beginning). I’ve always been a fan of Essie’s polish formula, because it’s long-wearing and reliable. I’m more of a color fan, so I don’t always align with their collections, but I’m so happy to see these three hues join me for the season!

Sag Harbor is a cool, pale blue-gray with silver shimmer. Two coats was just right with this baby, but you need to make sure you have nice, even coats that aren’t too thin to ensure a streak-free finish.

Shelter Island is a creamy sky blue that’s not overly bright, but it isn’t pastel or pale either. It reminds me of an inviting swimming pool.

Greenport is a pale aquamarine color with a creamy finish. It has a lot of glossiness to it, and it’s really opaque.

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Essie Cosmetics is offering 15% off everything at Essie.com. Just enter coupon code HLDY15 at checkout and receive a discount off your entire order.

Essie’s Winter 2008 Collection features six stunning shades of rich jewel-toned polishes.  Each polish goes for $8, but you can snag all six as a set for $45.  My favorites were Sexy Divide, a gorgeous, deep dark royal purple; and It’s Genius for its softer, lighter magenta-purple tone.  Essie polishes have always worked well for me, and this set is no different overall.  All of the polishes are pigmented and go on smoothly with the exception of Shifting Power, which I’d probably do three coats of.  Because Shifting Power has a more metallic finish, it’s easier to see the stroke lines, too.

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