I got a 4 pack of Essie minis from TJ Maxx before Christmas, and kept two of them for myself (shh, don't tell!). The colors I kept were unlike anything else in my collection, and I hadn't tried Essies before, so I figured it was an acceptable vice. Both these shades were limited edition (Resort '11), so I won't be giving them real grades, but I thought I should share my swatches and thoughts nonetheless. If either color catches your eye, you can still find them online, just ask Google.
Lion Around is a nude-pink with silver shimmer. It's actually really similar to Zoya Pandora, though I of course didn't know that at the time I got either of them. It is pinker than Pandora, though, making it less of a neutral. It took 3 coats to reach opacity, and much like Pandora, the shimmer in Lion Around is pretty subtle when it's on the nails, and I found myself bored with it and removed it less than 24 hours later. It's a nice staple, though, and I don't feel the need for any more pale neutral pinks!
Da Bush (the names are ridiculous) is a light green creme. It's not blue enough to be mint, but not yellow enough to be grass; it's kind of a faded khaki, I guess? I mostly kept it with the intention of wearing it under Milani Hi-Tech, though I've yet to do that combination on my nails. Like Lion Around, Da Bush needed 3 coats to be opaque.
The formula on these wasn't great; they were less opaque than I was expecting them to be, and I definitely had to do all 3 coats. Since I had mini bottles, I can't really speak to the brush that comes in the normal bottles, but the ones I used were fine, though a little blunt for my taste. Overall, I'm not super impressed, but part of that is just because the colors don't thrill me. I am glad I finally tried Essie polish, though, and can now be even more sure that I do not like cremes!
Have you tried any Essie polish? What colors do you like? How do you feel about cremes?
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| 3 coats Lion Around; ignore the smudge on my pinkie! |
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| 3 coats Da Bush |
The formula on these wasn't great; they were less opaque than I was expecting them to be, and I definitely had to do all 3 coats. Since I had mini bottles, I can't really speak to the brush that comes in the normal bottles, but the ones I used were fine, though a little blunt for my taste. Overall, I'm not super impressed, but part of that is just because the colors don't thrill me. I am glad I finally tried Essie polish, though, and can now be even more sure that I do not like cremes!
Have you tried any Essie polish? What colors do you like? How do you feel about cremes?
