A Blue Ravaged By Brush Strokes

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.

Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer

Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer

Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer

Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer

Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer

Essie Blue Rhapsody Nail Lacquer