I don’t know about you but I am so ready for Spring. Lighter evenings, leaving scarves at home for the first time in (what feels like) forever and, more excitingly, COLOUR. I don’t tend to follow the rules of shades in certain seasons but I am already finding myself leaning towards the brighter and lighter side of things. Which is why the new essie Spring 2016 Collection* has made such an impact on me.
Read on for my thoughts on the collection and your chance to win the whole set…
Essie Spring 2016 Collection Swatches
Rebecca Minkoff (the new Global Colour Designer for essie) has been overseeing some seriously amazing collections and the essie Spring 2016 collection is really special. She’s taken inspiration from Palm Beach and the women who hang out there: all colour and style.
Let’s go lightest to darkest, shall we? Starting with ‘high class affair‘, a sandy peach nude that gives full opacity in 2 coats. I’ve found myself more drawn to nudes recently, I think they make you look so put together and polished (nail varnish puns FTW) and this is opaque enough that my visible nail line doesn’t bother me.
I’ve pulled some similar colours from my collection so that you can see how ‘high class affair’ compares. As you can see below, I don’t have anything that’s an exact match but there are some high street versions that are close.
Next up is ‘lounge lover‘, the collection’s hero shade. It’s a bright baby pink-peach that would look brilliant on all skin tones and I think will definitely be the first to sell out.
The most summery of the bunch is ‘sunshine state of mind‘, a stunning coral that is the perfect step towards sunnier days. This kind of shade isn’t new to my collection – I tend to gravitate towards these types of colours in the warmer months – but this is a seriously pretty addition.
As you can see from the swatches below, I have quite a few similar shades. However, essie finishes are some of my favourites so I don’t mind adding a new colour to the collection!
Moving away from the pinky-red shades, we have ‘pool side service‘: this is described as a ‘refreshing cerulean blue’ but I’d say it’s on the dusty side of cerulean, which adds a really unusual and (for me) appealing aspect to it. It’s like nothing else I own and I can’t wait to wear this more.
When I said it’s like nothing I own, I wasn’t lying! The closest I could find were two dusty blues, but neither has the grey/green tone of ‘pool side service’. So pleased I’m adding this unique shade to my collection.
‘Shades on‘ is another colour that is rare in my collection: although I like purple, it’s not a shade I tend to gravitate towards for my nails. But this is a lovely polish that is somehow pastel and vibrant, which means it makes a lovely alternative to the usual polishes floating around at this time of year.
I only had 2 vaguely similar shades and, like the previous colour, they aren’t quite dusty enough to be perfect matches. ‘shades on’ has a grey tone to it that makes it such an eye-catching colour, which I love.
And the last polish is my current favourite: ‘off tropic‘. When I first saw this colour in the collection I was a bit baffled as to how this was a spring shade but as soon as I put it on I fell in love. essie describe it as a ‘lush grove green’ and when you look at it with that in mind you can totally see why it’s in this launch: I’m thinking tropical palm trees and prints…
I didn’t realise I had so many dark greens until I collected them all together! ‘off tropic’ is still a stand out shade, as it’s so vibrant and more of a true green than any of the others I own.
The competition has now closed, thanks to everyone who entered!
Would you like to win the entire essie Spring 2016 collection? Click through to Rafflecopter below to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway. It’s open until midnight on the 25th of April, UK only. Good luck!
Lex
*Products provided as PR samples. Links may be affiliate. For more information please see my disclaimer page.
Poolside Service / Off Topic! I love them both!
Dribbling over Poolside Service and Shade On. Last time you did an Essie review I *accidentally* spent £30 and I fear it’s about to happen again…
I LOVE these, such gorgeous and unique spring shades! I particularly like high class affair as my own peach polish has gone a bit gloopy, similarly with off tropic. I have Essie’s stylenomics which is a darker green but I love the look of this one, it looks lovely and fresh 🙂
Hi, I am entering the competition but can’t decide between lounge lover which I would wear all summer or pool side service for something different!!
In awe of all your comparison swatches! Thank you. 🙂 High Class Affair and Pool Side Service are simply gorgeous.
Lounge lover is my favourite!
You are the QUEEN of nails! Seriously, how do you get them to look so damn good?! x
Shades On is my favourite colour. 🙂
The top one is perfect for work. Very classy and professional looking.
I absolutely love ALL of these colours, but I must say I am coveting ‘pool side envy’ the most! Such beautiful colours and a very well written blog post!
Totally Lounge Lover. I’ve been after a colour like that for a while and never quite achieving it…
I love them all but I think Pool Side Service is my favourite.
Pool side service definitely! But they’re all so lovely 🙂
High Class Affair!
I usually play it very subdued with nail colour but this is tempting me to try Sunshine State of Mind. Looks lovely. Also, how do I get a job naming nail varnish colours? I reckon it could be my calling.
Wow, so many great colours here! I am going to say ‘shades on’ and ‘pool side service’ (may I have two?). I love your posts btw, always so informative!
http://www.curvesandcurl.co.uk
Definitely off tropic.
Definitely off tropic – the bane us also awesome.
Ooo I love ‘Lounge Lover’ – most probably I don’t need it at all and have 5 shades the same but…new nail polishes!
Faye x
i wish i could wink
Oh my, Sunshine State of Mind is amazing. I’ve just bought a 1960s cape which is deep pink with an orange lining, which would go wonderfully with that coral.
Ooh Pool Side Service is beautiful! The whole collection is stunning! X
I love off tropic 😀 xx
I love the purple shades on.
I love High Class Affair
Off Tropic is my absolute favourite – not one I would usually consider a spring shade but I think it looks gorgeous!
I love the High class Affair
I need the lavender colour in my life! So so badly!
all these shades are lovely! xx
That’s an exciting collection! I really love the nicely purple nail polish. 🙂
That dark green is faaaab! I’ve been struggling to find a dark green shade that isn’t too murky or emerald-y and that looks perfect! 😀 xx
Little Miss Katy | Lifestyle, Food + Fashion
The dark greens are best… so off Tropic for me please
(@juliemrb)
love the nudes x
Poolside service is absolutely gorgeous! Might have to treat myself…
i love off tropic!
They’re all beautiful but the Alpine Green is definitely my favourite!
Poolside Service is my favourite I think but it’s hard to choose between the last three! All great colours 🙂 x
Off Tropic and Poolside service are divine! xx
Omg they’re all so gorgeous! Lounge Lover wins me over though, I live for all things pink
Pool Side Service is my favourite
Definitely Pool Side Service!
Love the comparison swatches. This collection is beautiful
I really like Pool Side Service, it’s so unusual. But they’re all great, it’s hard to pick a favourite.
Shades On!
All day long.
There are some gorgeous colours in here.
Waah, I love all of them! Don’t make me choose a favourite! Drawn to sunshine state of mind because it’s such an amazing coral shade
I love lounge lover! So me 🙂 x