Essie Fall 2010 Collection Review, Photos, Swatches
Nail Lacquers: Sew Psyched, Limited Addiction, In Stitches, Merino Cool, Velvet Voyeur, Little Brown Dress
Essie Gets It Just Right for Fall
Essie’s Fall Collection includes six new shades, which you can purchase individually for $8 a pop. You can also purchase all six together for $48 (which is still $8 each). Nordstrom also has a mini four-pack (includes Merino Cool, Limited Addiction, Little Brown Dress, and Sew Psyched) for $17. The shades are described as: Sew Psyched (cashmere-soft sage pewter), Limited Addiction (racy garnet red), In Stitches (cheeky blush pink), Merino Cool (sensuous autumn mulberry), Velvet Voyeur (intense chocolate amethyst), Little Brown Dress (beguiling black coffee).
- Sew Psyched is a muted sage green with silvered-gray micro-shimmer. Two coats. It reminded me of Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Diddy Mow, but it’s darker and less yellow–like cousins but not twins.
- Limited Addiction is a deep red cream that’s very opaque in one coat, though I found two coats to be perfect. It almost looked like a jelly lacquer, even though it’s a cream. Though the color may be similar to other shades of red, the application was flawless.
- In Stitches is a muted rose-berry cream. I love how it’s pink, but it’s not really pink–and it’s not plum either. I think this would be really lovely on cooler skin tones in particular.
- Merino Cool is a purple-tinged gray, or perhaps a very dull, darkened lilac? But not really. I think you have to go with gray as the primary descriptor, even though it is quite altered by the purple pull. I swatched it with two coats, but I think three would be better.
- Velvet Voyeur is an ultra vampy red-based purple burgundy cream. It has a very glossy, inky look. Make sure you get enough polish on the brush when you go to do a second coat–I didn’t get enough on one of my nails (you’ll notice in the swatch), and it layered rather streakily.
- Little Brown Dress is a deep, blackened chocolate brown cream. It’s dark, but it’s distinctly brown, even in natural light. I love that it doesn’t look black but definitively black-brown. Just two coats here, as it was incredibly pigmented.
The formula was really nice on these; not too thin, not too thick, and the majority were pigmented enough to use just two coats of polish. Merino Cool was the only one where I think three coats was necessary (though the swatch photos are with two, for reference). My personal favorites were Merino Cool and Sew Psyched, though I kind of dig Little Brown Dress.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: There’s no reason not to consider one of these shades, as they all performed quite well. I found Merino Cool and Sew Psyched to be the two that really grabbed me, but Little Brown Dress is a shade I wouldn’t normally consider wearing, so I liked getting the chance to try it!
AVAILABILITY: Essie
Nail Lacquers: Sew Psyched, Limited Addiction, In Stitches
Nail Lacquers: Sew Psyched, Limited Addiction, In Stitches
Nail Lacquers: Sew Psyched, Limited Addiction, In Stitches
Nail Lacquers: Merino Cool, Velvet Voyeur, Little Brown Dress
Nail Lacquers: Merino Cool, Velvet Voyeur, Little Brown Dress
Nail Lacquers: Merino Cool, Velvet Voyeur, Little Brown Dress
Essie Sew Psyched Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Sew Psyched Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Sew Psyched Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Sew Psyched Nail Lacquer (Flash)
Essie Limited Addiction Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Limited Addiction Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Limited Addiction Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Limited Addiction Nail Lacquer (Flash)
Essie In Stitches Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie In Stitches Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie In Stitches Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie In Stitches Nail Lacquer (Flash)
Essie Merino Cool Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Merino Cool Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Merino Cool Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Merino Cool Nail Lacquer (Flash)
Essie Velvet Voyeur Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Velvet Voyeur Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Velvet Voyeur Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Velvet Voyeur Nail Lacquer (Flash)
Essie Little Brown Dress Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Little Brown Dress Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Little Brown Dress Nail Lacquer (Natural Light)
Essie Little Brown Dress Nail Lacquer (Flash)
Loved Sew Psyched! Merino Cool reminds me A LOT of Sephora by OPI’s Metro Chic… Maybe a little more on the lilac side.
I totally agree and since I DROPPED my brand new IMPORTED Metro Chic and can get Essie here, I am calling it a dupe. lol
I’ve been wanting something like In Stitches! kinda red/ kinda pink/ kinda dusty rose- beautiful 🙂
I don’t think I have ever wanted an entire nail polish collection, but there’s a time for everything! =) That time starts now for sure.
I second that! I’m not a HUGE nail polish buyer/collector but wow, this collection is amazing. I really do want them all!
Merino cool looks very similar to Sephora by OPI Metro Chic… would you say so by seeing them in person?
I don’t own OPIs, sorry!
Is it that you just don’t like OPI or are you avoiding the brand for any particular reason?
They chose to use lawyers rather than a simple email to get promotional images removed (I have no issues removing a brand’s promotional images when and if they request to do so), and if a company uses strong arm tactics like that, I don’t believe they value or understand what blogs are about. I understand the practice, but this is blogging – and the fact that the same legal letters went out to both small and big blogs alike just shows a genuine lack of understanding of the blogging community. Their PR could have just as easily sent a quick note asking for images to be removed and that they’d follow-up with information when it could be released publicly. They could have apologized for not doing so, as well, but they chose not to.
There are a lot of brands out there, and I don’t think it’s necessary to work with brands that don’t get it. When you get 20 bloggers emailing you, frantic and freaking out, thinking they’re going to get sued or that OPI IS suing them (they weren’t – the letter puts you on notice, remove or THEN they will pursue further legal action, so if you remove, you’re fine). As a law student, I got the gist of the letter, its meaning and purpose, and ultimately that it was notice and not anything to freak out over. But many emailed me to ask if they needed to hire a lawyer! So many beauty bloggers do it out of love, they certainly don’t have a legal team on hand nor the funds to hire one, and a simple request to remove would have yielded the same results.
I’m not deeply offended by any means, and I don’t hate the brand (I get it – it’s business), but I don’t see any reason to feature them if they don’t appreciate the work and love that go into reviews and swatches and blogging in general when there are so many other brands to review.
Wow, I had no idea. I sensed that you had an underlying reason to avoid the brand but I was really curious b/c I buy OPI frequently and I like the product and wondered what could possibly be wrong with it. I can see where OPI didn’t use a sense of judgement and I don’t understand what they stood to gain from strong-arming ultimately. At best they would maintain a good relationship rather than totally alienating potential sales. Too bad – seems like the PR person probably is too removed from the brand to truly care about adversely affecting sales and probably also blind to the influence of the beauty blog community. Feeble management OPI. I hope you stumble upon this read.
Yup! 🙂 Again, no ill will to the brand, it doesn’t change that they do some awesome polishes (and it sucks, ’cause I was looking for to their fall/holiday launches!). I have no PR relationship with OPI (and never have), so I always bought them – which made it real easy to put the kibosh on them for now.
velvet voyer seems like a dupe for me for OPIs lincoln park after dark, they look the same when swatched. i love this collection and the esse resort one. it bought the cube mini set but know i want the rest. good thing ulta is having buy 2 get one free and a 3.50$ off coupon.
im sorry to hear about the legal issues w/ u and OPI, chrisine. i like their brand to. and i always looked forward to your collection and swatch reviews. they just didnt get it that this site would help their company. oh well their loss.
I’m sad, too, because I really wanted to check Burlesque!
Well I own Metro Chic and many other brownish/greyish/purplish shades.. I ordered merino online the other day, so unfortunately what i tell you is not based on “real life” comparison but comparison of my experience with metro chic and these swatches:
metro chic is one of my “brownest” shades in the brownish/greyish/purplish department. I doubt it is even close to Merino chic, at least on me Metro Chic is really dark. The brown is very dominant.
“Call your mother” SOPI could be closer, but that one is more rosy/purplish than merino looks.. if like me you love these colours and care for the differences a lot you ll find they have nothing in common 🙂
if you need only one or two that are very different I’d say get Metro chic if you like darker browner tones of this colour family, and merino if you prefer grey/purple. The colour this fall merino looks closer to is the one by Zoya. they have a grey/purple, but theirs looks darker than merino. hope that helps 😉
I think LBD and In Stitches might be fall must-haves for me!
Merino Cool is now on my list. I really need to venture out and start buying other colors. I’m always loving that one same range of color. Grrrrrr!
All the nail polishes look very jelly-like in natural light!
I’ve already bought Sew Psyched & it’s one of the best fall 2010 shades I’ve seen in any collection. Similar to a few greens but still unique. Absolutely LOVE it. I also planning on getting Limited Addiction because the more pictures I see of this red jelly-like creme the more I want it.
Omg I want this!!!
Sew Psyched, come to mommy!
I love most of these! Torn between the new Chanel and Essie ‘khaki’ colors but LBD will be mine, loving Merino Cool and I guarantee Revlon can dupe In Stitches because I grew up looking at that exact color on my mama’s nails!
Haha, I bet Revlon has a dupe!
want them all thanks christine!
I already got Sew Psyched and I think I want Merino Cool too now 🙂
I just ordered the mini 4-pack cube from Ulta. After seeing your swatches I’m even more excited for them to get here. Thanks!
definitely gonna buy In Stithes and Merino Cool!!! Great colors!!! Thanks Christine! :)))
wants middle 2 colour for my bedroom! Too pretty to put on my nails.
Hey…I love checking out your swatches…Very nice..
I was wondering which camera do you use?
oh my thank you christine for the swatches. i like this collection a lot. i’m usually interested in just one or two colors per collection but this is the first time i plan to get more than that.
These are ALL gorgeous… I need them all haha
I’ve never used Essie before, but I can’t wait to try them….now…to find them!
Merino Cool and OPI’s Metro Chic are very similar, but after trying them both Metro Chic is a bit darker and chips much easier than Essie’s Merino Cool.
I absolutely need In Stitches and Little Brown dress, though I really love Merino Cool as well. Thanks for all the swatches, this is a superb collection!
i need merlino cool!
Thanks for the review! I saw sew psyched in a store a couple of days ago but decided to wait until I could catch a review. I love it.
Little Brown Dress looks very similar to Revlon’s Hot for Chocolate. Thanks for the swatches, Christine!
Sew Psyched is really pretty! I haven’t seen anything quite like it this fall. Merino Cool did remind me of Metro Chic as well. I may have to grab a couple of these if I see them.
I thought I really liked In Stitches in the bottle, but on the nails.. its kind of a MEH shade, you know?
I REALLY like Little Brown Dress though! Didn’t expect that.. 🙂
Thanks for the swatches/photos Christine!
i love them all!! but Sew Psyched and Merino Cool are the two i’ll go for for sure!
Merino Cool… I know I have SO many taupe-purpley-grays but I think I need to pick this one up asap!
I’m getting Velvet Revolver!
It’s funny you posted this today 🙂 I just bought 5 of the 6 colors at Ulta a few hours ago. They’re all such great shades! The only one I didn’t get was Little Brown Dress. It’s nice, but I know I’d never wear it.
I didn’t realize that Merino Cool looks exactly like Metro Chic until I got home and put them side by side :\ I’m debating on whether or not to keep it.
Ugh, these nail polish reviews need to stop…I am spending too much money lately!!! 😉 First the Orly Cosmic FX, now this!!! I should just build a little nest at Ulta to live in.
I kind of like the more sophisticated, toned down form jewel tones are taking this season. when i heard jewel tones are in for fall/winter I wanted to barf, but if these polishes are any indication it’s not gonna be as Christmas-party as I was fearing.
alll are pretty most the green one and the last 3 black purple and taupe.
wow I think my jaw dropped to the floor. SO PRETTY!!! <3 In stitches
I love Velvet Yoyer and Little Brown Dress. These colors are resembling the ones from Kinetics Backstage collection for fall 2010. Anyway I’m crazy about dark colors. 🙂
I love all shades of this collection!!! Amazing!
Do you think Sew Psyched is similar to Chanel Khaki vert?
Definitely not! Soo much tealer/cooler.
Velvet Voyeur Nail Lacquer is my favourite. Very nice!
Oh I love all of them !! Especially Merino cool, I love those kinds of colours !!!
I love Sew Psyched and Stitches but I don’t know if I would wear them…
I am adoring Sew Psyched and Merino Cool. This has me totally looking forward to fall!
Wonderful collection! <3
I love all these colors, they are just perfect! I might get everything, but I have to have Merino Cool!
I’ve been wearing Sew Psyched all week and I am IN LOVE! It’s this cool grey green that is totally unique to my stash. I’m going to Ulta this weekend for Velvet Voyeur, Little Brown Dress and Limited Addiction. Ulta has Essie’s Buy 2, Get 1 free…and there’s a $3.50 coupon. SCORE!!!
Essie copying other brand color with small diffrence ,not good fall color ,too weak from essie .
I have Sew Psyched on my toes right now. I like it a lot, though from a distance it looks almost dark grey.
Christine,
Is there anywhere else that you know of where we can purchase these?
Local salons, maybe ULTA!
I’m wearing LBD right now…it’s become one of my favorite fall shades! Sew Psyched is similar to Diddy Mow by RBL. So if you have that I would skip. Also, In Stitches is similar to Smokey Rose by Diamond Cosmetics. And of course Merino Cool and Metro Chic are the same. I think LBD is the only must have out of the collection. You can always find a vampy purple shade and Limited Addiction didn’t tickle my fancy enough.
gotta love ulta. i bought the first 3 up top on a buy 2 get 1 and then i had a coupon for 3.50 off 🙂
Hi Christine,
I’ve been waiting for a blogger to do a good swatch review of this collection. But I couldnt wait so I order In Stiches first ( I am from Singapore, its takes about 3 weeks for me to get my hand on essie nail polish) but now since I found your blog looks like I have to order more colours …. THANKS!
No prob, Florence!
AHH I need Velvet Voyeur!
is it just me, or does limited addiction look really similar to chanel’s rouge fatal?
It’s blue-based, which makes it pretty different IMO — especially if you are warmer. Rouge Fatal has brown in it.
Oh. I see now, thanks. 🙂
Do you like Merino Cool better or Zoya’s Kelly?
Either, really, lol!
I picked up Sew Psyched and Merino Cool today. They were out of Little Brown Dress but I see I have to go back for Velvet Voyeur too. I’m still torn on In Stitches. I just think there’s probably a cheaper dupe out there and I already get my Essie’s cheap, lol.
I bought Sew Psyched and Limited Addiction..I was looking at In Stitches but Scrangie mentioned it being a bit of an old lady color so i decided against it. It looks really great in these photos though! I might have to order it now.. Love Merino Cool but I have SOPI Metro Chic which fulfills my need for that kind of purple/grey/beige/whatever color.
I could see it being a bit of an old lady color, but I like it, lol.
Out of principle I refuse to buy Essie nail polishes.
Every time I see a bottle I can’t help but think how ridiculously over priced they are for something that looks as though it’s made for a child’s play makeup purposes. I honestly cannot get past the fact it looks like it’s worth maybe $1? $2 at best.I’ve never found anything particularly unique about the colours either. They really look like something I can imagine sitting on a dollar store counter really cheap because they can’t get anyone to buy them.
Sorry >< I just don't understand this brand. Please excuse my ranting 🙂
I always find Essie a little too expensive for my taste. But I love this collection, especially the In Stiches. I found this website, http://www.nailbeauty4u.com, that sells each Essie for $3-4. Or you can buy the entire Fall 2010 collection for $27. I have heard good reviews about this site, but this is my first purchase. I hope my experience will be good, because the prices are wonderful.
I bought In Stitches and Limited Addiction. They are my first essie nailpolishs and im totally addicted to in Stitches! Its such a wonderful old-fashioned color. Thanks Christine, i would have never bought an essie lacquer if i havent seen it here 🙂
could you please tell me the ingredients of sew psyched please? thanx a lot!!!
I don’t have an ingredient list – I would contact Essie!
I. LOVE. THIS. COLLECTION. I especially love the reds and “In Stitches” and “Little Bad Dress.