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Essie Fall 2012 Collection - Mirror Metallics


Now Available: Essie Mirror Metallics

Step into a pristine and polished world of reflective metallics that will change your perception of nail color forever! Strike it rich with foolproof formulations that deliver reflection, sheen and a quantum leap forward in silvery chromes and incandescent golds. Metals apply like molten silk for seamless fluidity and a salon look – effortlessly.

“I was obsessed,” says Essie Weingarten, Chief Creative Officer. “The appearance of beautiful foils on the runway ignited a year-long search to realize that kind of overall, even reflectivity in a paintable polish.” Aluminum pearl coated in silver was Essie’s ticket for high-shine, helping her create this off-the-catwalk collection. Highly reflective, these metallics are the latest and greatest in the essie roster: “I am thrilled with my metallics!” Weingarten continues, “No one will metal around with you while wearing these babies!”

Amazing, high-impact effects add mesmerizing novelty to this luxurious palette of precious metals, but the shades were formulated with an eye on fashion and longevity. More than just the colors of the moment, they are carefully crafted classics of a mercurial nature – suitable for lunching ladies and newly launched rock stars alike. This is highshine nail fashion at its chicest!

This season, adorn yourself in a spectrum of metals from a to zinc and chart a course for futuristic fantasy in five fantabulous hues. Visionary color makes rocketing to the forefront of fashion a cinch, so don’t get left behind: select the mineral that casts you in a gorgeous light or mix them up for a French Manicure gilded in molten metal. No need to agonize over which to invest in – in this case a bright penny and rich nickel are worth their weight in gold!

  • No Place Like Chrome Richly oxidized nickel
  • Blue Rhapsody Heavy metal air force blue
  • Nothing Else Metals Ultramodern lilac alloy
  • Penny Talk Statement-making incandescent copper
  • Good as Gold Pure, rock-solid classic

Availability: Now at salons and beauty destinations worldwide, $8.00 each

See more photos!



63 Comments

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divinem1 Avatar

I got Penny Talk several weeks ago. It reminds me too much of the 90s. I’m going to see if one of my friends wants it because I know I’ll never use it. 

divinem1 Avatar

Christine-Temptalia Funny you should mention that. I did try a glitter top coat with it and then thought, “Why bother if I’m going to cover it up and modify what it was meant to be?” I don’t think it’s special enough to “make” it work. I remember one of your topics discussing having to make a beauty product “work” — that you tend not to waste your time on products that need high maintenance in order for them to perform the way you want them to; and this polish is a perfect example of that for me.

xamyx Avatar

Pretty colors, nice finish, but I despise the “punny” names, which is probably a big reason why I typically stick to certain brands of polish. I feel like a teenager when I pick these up.

xamyx Avatar

I can tolerate *some*, if they’re especially clever. I have a Revlon polish called Ballet Buff, and I actually kind of like the name, because it’s not so obvious (it’s the *exact* color of ballet slippers)

Jane Avatar

“No Place like Chrome” looks considerably less lilac when painted on the nails. I love Essie, but the polishes from this line start to peel off — rather than chip — within three or four days. I’m also curious about the blue, but it was sold out at my local beauty supply store.

Jane Avatar

Christine-Temptalia Yup, I always use NailTek ridge-filling basecoat and Seche Vite top coat. I painted my nails with Penny Talk last night. This one proved more tricky to apply because each brush stroke was very apparent, and the forumation was a on the thicker side (this particular bottle anyway).

Jane Avatar

Christine-Temptalia Yup, I always use NailTek ridge-filling basecoat and Seche Vite top coat. I painted my nails with Penny Talk last night. This one proved more tricky to apply because each brush stroke was very apparent, and the forumation was a on the thicker side (this particular bottle anyway).

divinem1 Avatar

wwendalynne Same here. Pretty much peeled off the next day and the ridges that I have only on my pinky fingers were magnified.  I just didn’t like it with the finish feeling dated and the longevity/flawed application issues. At least they’re not flying off the shelves and unavailable to those who like that look!

wwendalynne Avatar

divinem1  I completely forgot to mention that as well..  my finger next to my pinky has lots of ridges and the polish did magnify this as well.  Overall..a big disappointment.  After I applied, I was hoping I would fall in love, but I didn’t and was so indifferent.. then when my nails started getting these little holes I became annoyed!

divinem1 Avatar

wwendalynne If it were me, I would contact Essie to report what happened to your nails. There may be multiple adverse reactions like yours. If there is, they need to know that. One customer complaint typically represents ~15% of users experiencing the same reaction (most don’t bother to report it). I hope your nails grow out soon. Ridge filler may be your friend for a while. 

beachgal Avatar

@Jane I bought the blue Jane. It peeled and chipped off on me ASAP and also had horrible brushstrokes from it. I tried making it matte to get rid of the brush strokes – did not help much – then I did the saran wrap on another nail to rid the brush strokes – worked better. But I ended up taking my purchases from this collection all back. Very unhappy with not just the way too frosty look (I would never call these metallics) and the really bad wear/formulation.

divinem1 Avatar

beachgal No consumer should have to work that hard to make a nail polish’s finish acceptance. Heck no. I’m glad I only purchased one bottle!

Dinitchka Avatar

So funny as I just was talking about these in the Beautiful Beginnings with Essie. They do look lovely in the bottle but I need actual swatches.

wwendalynne Avatar

I purchased No Place Like Chrome and it certainly was not my favourite Essie polish.  I developed these little pinpoint chips in my nails after a couple of days.  It was very weird.  My nails are not as big or as hard as Christine’s and I typically show chips on the corners of my nail tips after 4 or 5 days with Essie.  But this was quite different.  Perhaps there were air bubbles trapped underneath my manicure job.. but the surface was flat.  Anyhow, I found the polish a little unwieldy for my taste.

Kafka Avatar

wwendalynne  Well, that …. sucks? Is good to know? Both?  Hm. The Chrome one caught my eye because you know my weird thing with any variation of grey, including greyed silver. But there is nothing I can’t abide more than air bubbles. I also haven’t had the greatest luck with Essie. A number of them have either chipped on me, were very streaky or both.  I guess I’ll stick to NARS or my new drugstore interest, L’Oreal.  I saw an imperial blue navy one today that I almost bought but I’d picked up some Lip Butters, L’Oreal Infallibles and some other things, so I thought I better cool it for the day. 

Dominique33 Avatar

I have the 5 nail polishes, they’re really great ! Very pretty matte finish and subtle colours.  They wear long and they go well with many looks and makeups. It’s a beautiful collection, I think purchasing the collection is a good thing, some girls apply one on each nail, why not !

kitalovessm Avatar

I bought these a while back because I really like the colors (despite some of them coming across as “dated”), and they were opaque within a coat for me.  I’ll have to do a test to see how long the colors actually last to give a final call.  There were brush strokes as well, but I’m not too worried about that.  One thing I noticed – if you have ridges on your nail beds, they will show up.

NicholeH Avatar

I have Penny Talk and found the formula horribly thick.  I’m not that big on polishing my nails, but this was very difficult to work with.  The brush would pull off color that I just put on.  The metallic was too over the top for my taste.  It has been downgraded to ‘feet only’.

beachgal Avatar

Not a fan of this collection at all. Everyone of them is far too frost looking for me to even call them metallics. And the brush strokes that come up on these is horrible. I bought 2 just to play with and took them back to Rite Aide and got my $ back. Huge disappointment.

EssieFan Avatar

My husband knows I’m a nail polish addict and purchased “Good As Gold”. Lovely color, but I too experienced chips the SAME DAY. I had base/top coat on as well. It was disappointing. 

Robba Avatar

I bought Penny Talk.  I tried painting it as normal and I had a base coat but the second layer, as many people have mentioned was pretty awful.  Then I used it as a stamping colour and that turned out wonderfully.  I bought the silver one and I may pick up the gold one.  Though the only reason for me to pick up additional is probably due to the olympics and I just wanted the copper, silver and gold colours.  Plus I had found a place that sold Essie 2 for $10, which isn’t bad for in Canada.  Usually it’s like $9.99 on sale!

jeneyg Avatar

I have penny talk and blue rhapsody. I wore penny talk for a week with essie feed me base coat and cnd speedey topcoat. I had very little chipping. By the end of the week one or two nails had chipped a small amount along the top edge of the nail. I’ve experienced much worse with other brands. I love these and want to get the lilac shade 🙂

SilentWhisper Avatar

All those negative posts here really surprise me. This collection was launched in Germany/Austria several weeks ago and everyone was absolutely raving about it (as regards longevity, lack of brush strokes, etc). I didn’t manage to get any of the polishes then because here in Vienna they were only sold in a few stores and when I got there they were all gone, but I now ordered two of them (Blue Rhapsody and Nothing Else Metals) with a store that imports their products from the US. But I have to admit I’m worried now – sounds like not only the brushes Essie uses are different here than those used in the US (here we have very wide brushes), but the formula of the actual polishes as well.

Noga Avatar

This particular collection was never released here, but I noticed that too, and thought I was imagining it or something.
I have to admit the European versions are far superior imho – the brush is much easier to use, and the formulas are usually a lot better.

xamyx Avatar

Now I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything, after reading most of these comments. I’m still willing to try the brand, at some point, but I think I’ll skip this formula. I have *enough* issues with chipping, even with a “solid” formula, and I think these would just be a big waste of time for me.

Donna Avatar

If I’m not losing my mind, chrome polish was all the rage about 15 years ago…it was a DS polish from Sally Hansen as I recall…It was like liquid metal.  It actually came in about 15 different shades.  All were silver but had different tones to them….LOL…wonder if I have them deep in my inactive stash….Sort of been there done that.  I don’t care for essie, so maybe I’ll try one of the Lippmann’s.

Shannon Avatar

You are not losing your mind – I had 3 of those polishes from Sally Hansen – and I loved them! Never any problems with application or chipping/ peeling..

JenL Avatar

I have No Place Like Chrome, Blue Rhapsody, and Nothing Else Metals.  The colors are gorgeous, but I had major trouble with application.  It pulled and streaked like crazy.  I’m no pro when it comes to doing my nails, but this formula was not forgiving AT ALL.

Helene Katz Avatar

I live in Florida and am try to buy Penny Talk in the new mirror metallics collection. Bed, Bath and Beyond plus two large beauty salons don’t have it. Where can I get it?

Shannon Avatar

I have Nothing Else Metals and I agree it’s a great color, but not very forgiving if you are not perfect with your application. I was very disappointed. I tried it with Essie Feed me base coat and Speedey topcoat, which normally make the Essie polishes last over a week for me, and this one chipped almost immediately after it dried (within an hour) this formula is a real dud. I think this one will be going back to CVS.

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