Like many other brands Essence too came out with a new Essence nail polish collection for spring 2014.
Not only does this collection feature new Colour & Go nail shades.
It also came with a complete new collection of effect nail polishes.
"The effect nail polishes offer great coverage and are super easy to apply for a 3D wow-manicure you can touch!"
Available in 14 colours with four different effects.
All these beauties will be joining the permanent Essence collection.
And, oh my, I have swatched this whole collection of effect nail polishes for you :D
01 Pixie Dust
Pearly base filled with multi colour micro glitters.
It's hard to find out which colours because the pinkish micro glitter is very dominating.
It says holo shimmer on the cap but for me this is not holo.
It looks more like a duochrome or iridescent shimmer.
Nothing wrong with this polish but not what I expected.
I'm pretty sure this would make a beautiful shimmer topcoat.
02 Baby, you're a firework
Clear base filled with white sand, pink micro and small glitter.
A drop dead gorgeous soft pink sand polish.
Subtle texture.
This polish can't get opaque enough to not have any see through but my nails are a bit yellow and this polish makes the pink pinker and the white whiter.
My nails looked very femenine and healthy.
Definitely a keeper.
03 Glitz & glam
Up front: this picture doesn't do this polish any justice.
It's a clear base filled with green/gold almost teal micro glitter and small and larger (antique) pink hexes.
It's hard to get it opaqua and it does require fishing and placement for the largest hexes.
However this doesn't really seem to bother me as it's just such a perfect and unique color combo!
04 Skyfall
A teal base filled with silver sand.
Subtle sand texture and two coats is enough for good coverage.
How can you not like a teal sand polish?
06 Party in a bottle
Clear base filled with teal micro glitter and larger teal hexes.
If you're already a fan of Model's Own Emerald City this could be a nice cheap dupe for you.
It needs the dabbing method to be opaque but so does Emerald City.
I love it, I love it! This will need to be forever in their collection!
This is the most perfect color/polish for summer.
07 Blue-jeaned
Dark blue base filled with silver sand.
Two coats gives good coverage.
I think it does give a jeans look and the subtle texture is fine by me.
Definitely a keeper.
08 Heart explosion
Red base with white sand and larger gold hexes.
One coat makes the polish look more like a pink.
More coats builds up the colour.
Two coats is enough for good coverage.
To my surprise it had a kind of jelly effect and the glitters got a bit sandwiched and still there is sand texture as well.
I'm not sure if the textured finish suits this polish. I would probably even things out with a topcoat.
However I do like that this polish is different.
09 Hey mister sandman
Pink base filled with white sand and larger silver hexes.
Good coverage with 2 coats.
What can I say: It's bright, it's pink, it's glitter, it's girly, nothing wrong with this polish.
10 Glitterbomb
Clear base filled with antique pink micro glitter, a bit larger round glitters and larger hexes.
The polish needs more layers to build up for opaqueness and I found the dabbing method working best as the bigger hexes needed some fishing and placement on the nail.
I believe antique pink will be a colour much seen this spring.
11 Party crasher
Clear base filled with lavender micro glitter and just a bit larger purple glitters.
Needs more layers to build up for good coverage.
Purple is my favorite color but this polish didn't really wow me.
It's a quite common glitter polish.
12 Bejeweled
Pearly watery base filled with holographic micro, small and larger glitters.
I've used the dabbing method to get it this opaque.
Perhaps it works better as a topcoat.
13 Laser show
Clear base filled with teal and pink micro glitter which gives it a holographic look.
One size bigger white hexes and larger black hexes.
Up close you can really see the beauty of all the glitters, however on a distance it looks more like a pearly glitter base filled with black hexes.
Sadly I couldn't get this polish opaque. Perhaps it works better as a topcoat.
Although it looks like the polish didn't cover the whole nail and leaving open spaces (image), this is not the case. Where sunlight hit the nail my camera just happened to catch that part the best.
14 Flash powder
Clear base filled with black sand and silver micro glitter.
Dries fast and 2 coats is enough for good coverage.
Surprisingly I really liked the edgy and still classy look it gives.
101 Jewels in the pool
A blue watery base filled with small round blue glitters.
I could only get the polish this opaque by using the dabbing method.
This polish would work better as a topcoat.
Although I didn't like applying it...it is a gorgeous polish.
In conclusion:
I think Essence did a very good job with this collection.
Beautiful shimmers, glitters, sands and colours.
Some unique, others less unique but still desirable.
I do think they could have done a better job with the coverage as they claim to "offer great coverage". Especially with the glitters as most of them required the dabbing method.
Personally this collection isn't that interesting for me as my priority is still with nail art and nail arting on textures like sand and glitters isn't really easy.
But looking at the low budget price of these polishes and the fun finishes, it offers lots of opportunities for people who like to paint their nails with one polish but still want something fun to look at.
Very appealing towards the younger public I think.
My keepers:
- 02 Baby, you're a firework
- 03 Glitz & glam
- 04 Skyfall
- 06 Party in a bottle
- 07 Blue-jeaned
- 08 Heart explosion
- 14 Flash powder
- 101 Jewels in the pool
.jpg "Swatch China Glaze 544 Liquid Leather (artificial light)")
.jpg "Swatch China Glaze 544 Liquid Leather (natural light)")
