Ahh, got to love a fresh drop of Essie shades just in time for spring. Shying away from the usual washes of pales and pastels, this time their Fashion Playground Collection features bottles of brights, blues and nudes – it’s a good mix and there’s definitely something for everyone hidden amongst the six whatever your colour preferences. Time for a shade breakdown (in L-R order from top photo):
Hide & Go Chic – a dusky blue that I reckon is the most unique of the collection. It’s not quite navy or royal – it’s almost a ‘bliege’ like they’ve mixed a more typical blue with some kind of beige to tone it down. Update: I’ve just started at the bottle for about five minutes and still can’t find a coherent way to describe it, so I’ll leave it there.
Spin the Bottle – a fleshy nude that’s got that whole mannequin hand thing down. I have to say that this wasn’t my favourite formula-wise and took a good three coats to get opaque, but once it got there I could appreciate the colour. There’s something about this shade that makes me want to do a barely-there pedi with it. Could look awful, could look chic.
Fashion Playground – a subtler version of Mint Candy Apple, I can see this being a popular choice. Two things to be aware of first though: this was another three-coater (boo!) and there are flecks of silver shimmer when peeked at in the bottle, though like Bikini So Teeny it doesn’t transfer when swatched on the nail.
Truth or Flare – a lilacy grey, this by far my favourite of the six. It goes on well in two layers and though not your typical spring shade is a colour I think I’d happily rock all year round. If you’re going to limit yourself to one may I suggest this. For a bonus point it has the best name too.
Romper Room – think Fiji, but less white and more pink – in fact it’s sorta Fiji’s more wearable sister. It’s like strawberry milkshake for your nails; a little too sickly sweet for me, but a good one for toes perhaps?
Style Hunter – a bright fuchsia pink that I really, really like. I’ve never owned Watermelon but from swatches I’ve seen it’s very similar. It goes on nicely and if you’re generous in you application you can get away with just the one coat. Win.
The six will be making their way onto Essie counters in Boots and Superdrug sometime this month for the not-too-painful price of £7.99. Just be prepared to sharpen your elbows; things can get a little frenzied around the Essie stand. Or maybe that’s just me. Fight you to the front?
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