Last month, I found a delightful surprise on my doorstep, essie’s Winter 2012 Collection. There was lots of ooh-ing and ahh-ing on my part when I opened the package and saw the bold and sparkly colors. Essie Weingarten, Founder and Global Creative Director of essie says of the new collection: “I just love the elegant simplicity of a saturated, vibrant look. It’s so luxe and yet, so easy to put together. It’s one part Queen Elizabeth, two parts Duchess of Cambridge. They don’t mince words and never mince color. There’s no arguing with regal color, it’s just divinely right.”
She’s Pampered, Leading Lady, Snap Happy
She’s Pampered is a “flagrantly luxe scarlet”. I wore this cool, cherry red on my toes for a couple of weeks for a classic look. Snap Happy is described as “incandescent vermillion”. I think of it as a warm, poppy-red shade that will be perfect for spring and summer. The hero color of the essie Winter 2012 collection, featured in all the ads, is Leading Lady, a “glittering crimson regalia”. What’s more perfect for the holidays than a sparkling red?
Leading Lady (apologies for the un-fresh manicure and flash-taken photo)
And while one does tend to think of red for the holidays, I love the three cooler shades of the essie collection. Butler Please is a “blue-blooded cobalt”. It’s similar to another blue polish I wore in the summer, but this version’s cooler tone is more appropriate for winter. Where’s My Chaffeur is close to a robin’s egg blue or as essie describes, a “driven, gorgeous turquoise”. Beyond Cozy is “high carat gold sparkle” but has a nice balance of silver.
Where’s My Chauffeur, Beyond Cozy, Butler Please
I thought it would be fun to combine those last two shades I described for a festive winter look. After painting my nails with two coats of Where’s My Chauffeur, I then painted Beyond Cozy in an ombré effect (well, I did the best I could), with the densest sparkle on the tips of my nails. I loved the effect, albeit a bit distracting to my dance partners in cha cha class. I could see myself glittering out my nails with Beyond Cozy throughout the year. I’ve already tried it on top of other polishes I own.
If any of these essie shades tickle your fancy, head to the store and pick one up. Each bottle typically runs $8. And if these shades don’t fit your personality, essie has created more than 900 shades to date, so I’m sure you’ll find one that suits.
Images: all photos are author’s own