Essie Cocktail Bling Collection Review, Photos, Swatches
Essie Nail Lacquers in Brooch the Subject, Cocktail Bling, Bangle Jangle
Essie Cocktail Bling Collection
Essie Cocktail Bling Collection ($8.00 for 0.46 fl. oz.) is comprised of six shades: Brooch the Subject (creamy cashmere cameo), Cocktail Bling (precious pale gray jewel), Bangle Jangle (lavender amethyst), School of Hard Rocks (midnight malachite), Bobbing for Baubles (deepest darkest sapphire), and Size Matters (blazing hot ruby red).
- Brooch the Subject is a neutral light-medium beige. This is one of my new favorites when it comes to nudes, because it doesn’t lean warm or cool. It’s opaque in two coats. It’s not as peach as Rescue Beauty Sheer Nude but not as cool-toned as MAC Quiet Time.
- Cocktail Bling is a really cool-toned gray lavender with a cream finish that’s opaque in two coats. Zoya Caitlin is similar in family but it is several shades darker.
- Bangle Jangle is a pink-lavender cream that’s opaque in two coats. It’s much warmer compared to Cocktail Bling. It’s darker than MAC Little Girl Type and Zoya Marley but not as pink as Essie Nice is Nice.
- School of Hard Rocks is a muted, almost gray-tinted, teal. It’s more of a dusty teal that leans green. It’s opaque in two coats and has a cream finish. MAC Blue India was the only comparable shade I could find, though it is bluer.
- Bobbing for Baubles is an inky deep, dark bluish purple cream. It’s opaque in almost one coat, though I did two for swatches. Despite tons of blue polishes swatched, I couldn’t think of a dupe for this one–it’s that purplish tint that makes it difficult I think!
- Size Matters is a deep red cream that’s opaque in two coats (though almost in one). China Glaze Winter Berry and MAC Get Noticed are a touch brighter and lighter.
Essie does cream polishes really, really well. It’s like if I want a certain color in a cream finish, I’ll look to Essie first. The winter collection is fab from start to finish, because every shade is a delight to work with–smooth, even application with polish that’s not too thick or too thin. It doesn’t streak, bubble, or later on, chip. I get minimal tip wear with Essie’s polishes, as it is a solid lacquer. I also loved that Cocktail Bling, School of Hard Rocks, and Bobbing for Baubles didn’t have any similar shades that I could think of–it’s tough to be original!
Essie Cocktail Bling Collection Review, Photos, Swatches
Essie Nail Lacquers in Brooch the Subject, Cocktail Bling, Bangle Jangle
Essie Nail Lacquers in Brooch the Subject, Cocktail Bling, Bangle Jangle
Essie Nail Lacquers in Brooch the Subject, Cocktail Bling, Bangle Jangle
Essie Nail Lacquers in School of Hard Rocks, Bobbing for Baubles, Size Matters
Essie Nail Lacquers in School of Hard Rocks, Bobbing for Baubles, Size Matters
Essie Nail Lacquers in School of Hard Rocks, Bobbing for Baubles, Size Matters
Essie Brooch the Subject Nail Lacquer
Essie Brooch the Subject Nail Lacquer
Essie Brooch the Subject Nail Lacquer
Essie Brooch the Subject Nail Lacquer
Essie Cocktail Bling Nail Lacquer
Essie Cocktail Bling Nail Lacquer
Essie Cocktail Bling Nail Lacquer
Essie Cocktail Bling Nail Lacquer
Essie Bangle Jangle Nail Lacquer
Essie Bangle Jangle Nail Lacquer
Essie Bangle Jangle Nail Lacquer
Essie Bangle Jangle Nail Lacquer
Essie School of Hard Rocks Nail Lacquer
Essie School of Hard Rocks Nail Lacquer
Essie School of Hard Rocks Nail Lacquer
Essie School of Hard Rocks Nail Lacquer
Essie Bobbing for Baubles Nail Lacquer
Essie Bobbing for Baubles Nail Lacquer
Essie Bobbing for Baubles Nail Lacquer
Essie Bobbing for Baubles Nail Lacquer
Essie Size Matters Nail Lacquer
Essie Size Matters Nail Lacquer
Essie Size Matters Nail Lacquer
Essie Size Matters Nail Lacquer
School of hard rocks really rocks 😉 Lovely and original.
Agreed!
As someone that normally loathes Essie polishes, I will be picking a few of these up! They’re just so beautiful and creamy and glossy that I can see your hand and some of your camera in a few of the shots ^^
How many coats did you put on?
Hi Julia,
I believe I specified in each write-up for the color, but if memory serves me correct, they were all two-coaters since none had pigmentation issues!
This collection is so soft and cute! Brooch the subject reminds me a bit of OPI Tickle my France-y. The soft pastels look way nice on you!
Thanks, Sunny!
Cream finishes are my favourite for polish! Must get some of these!
What’s your favorite brand for cream finishes?
I have School of Hard Rocks and it’s a very interesting shade. I adore it! It’s also my first Essie nail polish 🙂
YAY! Happy first Essie polish!
Cocktail Bling was the first Essie polish I ever bought, and I was really pleased at how easy it applied. I must get those darker colors because they’re gorgeous, even if over half of my collection is dark colors that I only wear during the colder months. Oh well lol
So glad you had a good experience with Essie!!
These also compare well to Zoya Feel Collection and one is a dupe.
Great collection! I bought Bobbing for Baubles.
What top coat do you use for your nail polish swatches? They’re so shiny!
Zoya’s Armor
I love all of those barr the reds. My faves are School of Hard Rocks and Cocktail bling .
I have brooch the subject and have been having streaking problems with it =( it’re really thick and it doesn’t even out easily like OPI does~ does anyone have any tips and tricks on getting such a nice and glossy look like Christine has up there?
I had the same problem. I just let a droplet on the middle of my nail and then wipe the brush and spread the drop as evely as possible. Still got really thick coats tough, but it was easier to apply this way. The “standard” wayto apply was weird, felt like the brush was sorta sticking to the nail, not gliding.