Best Essie Nail Summer Shades

When Summer comes around I am all for bright nails. I am more of a neutral gal when it comes to nail shades but there is something about bold colourful nails at this time of year. After having a look at my collection to pick out my favourite Summer picks, I realised that all my favourites happened to come from Essie. No surprise really but they do have a great shade range and the formula of their range is always impressive.

SUNSHINE STATE OF MIND

A new shade from their current Summer 2016 range, a gorgeous orange-y coral shade that will look amazing with a tan.

CHILLATO

One from last Summers range, a gorgeous pistachio lime shade which is a super unique colour.

AVENUE MAINTAIN

What is better than a beautiful light sea blue for Summer! See my full post on this one here, funnily enough on a Winter related note.

HAUTE IN THE HEAT 

A bright fuchsia shade from a previous Summer collection.

FIFTH AVENUE

The perfect red that everyone needs in their collection. A versatile classic shade that would work all year round but the bold hue would be perfect in the Summer months.

ROARRANGE

A vivid orange shade that would look great on tanned/darker skin tones.

What is your favourite Summer nail shade?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Top 5 Essie Nail Shades

Essie are without a doubt up there as one of my top nail polish brands, or even probably the best. They offer such an incredible shade range with a reliable long-lasting formula yet at an affordable cost. I have collected quite a few nail polishes from the brand now and thought I would round up my top five favourite shades. If you are a newbie to Essie then these recommendations also build a perfect little Essie starter kit!

Bahama Mama

If you seen my ‘Perfect nail wardrobe’ post then you will know that a berry shade is a must in any nail collection. This shade is essentially my Autumn go-to, it  is a little unique from a standard red berry typical fall shade in that it has a rich plum-y tone to it and lies more in the purple side of things rather than red. If you like more darker intense shades then this is one to go for!

Fifth Avenue

Everyone needs a good staple bold red in their nail collection. It is one of those fail-safe options and fifth avenue is the perfect option. The shade is your typical fire-engine bright red that looks super sophisticated all year round.

Cocktail Bling

If I had to choose my favourite nail shade, I would always say a blue-y greige shade and Cocktail Bling is just one of those. A blue-y grey, this shade is perfect for Winter time and looks really sleek despite having a bit of colour to it.

Sand Tropez

Another must have is a good nude shade. The sandy beige-y tones of this shade make is a great staple neutral to have so it is great for any occasion!

Maximillian Strasse-Her

Another one of my all-time favourites, similar to Cocktail Bling however this shade offers a mix of green, blue and grey-ish tones. Again it offers that bit of colour without being too out there so makes a nice alternative to a boring neutral!

What is your favourite Essie shades?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Building The Perfect Nail Wardrobe

Whilst it took me some time to truly build a love for makeup, I have always been a good lover of nail polish. Nail polish was probably my original hoarding problem and it still continues to have a large presence in my beauty collection. I have built up a well loved collection through the years and also discovered those must-have shades and brands that I always go back to. Some people may not like to have every possible colour of the rainbow in nail polish form so I thought I would break it down and look at those essential shades you need in your collection.

THE NUDE

One of my favourite kind of shades, a simple pretty nude shade. If you are looking for something fuss-free then a nude beige/pink shade is the perfect go-to. Simple but chic, it goes with any outfit. A perfect option for weddings or a formal event with a pretty yet luxurious feel.

Favourite shades:  Essie Sand Tropez, Essie Ballet Slippers, Nails Inc x VB Bamboo White

THE CLASSIC RED

A shade that surprisingly took me a while to get a hold of but one that is an essential in everyone’s collection. A classic red will never go out of fashion, it is that fail-safe option you can always rely on. Red nails look uber sleek and add a simple but chic splash of colour to a neutral outfit.

Favourite shades: Essie Fifth Avenue, Illamasqua Aorta, OPI Guy Meets Gal-Veston

THE GLITTER

You either love a bit of glitter or you don’t but c’mon we all need a good glitter nail polish for those festive occasions. I mean it’s not quite Christmas without a layer of something gold and sparkly, right!? It may be a pain to remove but a layer of something sparkly is always worth the effort!

Favourite shades: Essie Summit of Style, Nails Inc x Alice & Olivia Gold Goddess

THE SOPHISTICATED GREY

Now when I say grey I mean those greige/grey-y blue toned shades, yup so not quite full on 50 shades of grey. These are some of my favourite shades, a touch of colour through the blue-y tones yet the grey means it remains fairly cool toned and neutral. Another one of those simple but chic looks.

Favourite shades: Essie Master Plan, Essie Parka Perfect, Essie Maximillian Strasse Her

THE SPRING PASTEL 

After the darkness of Winter, I am sure we all want to inject a little bit of life and colour into our lives. Whilst I may not be the most colourful person, a little pastel shade on the nails won’t hurt nobody. I find a pastel the perfect way to add colour as it’s light and happy yet not too in your face.

Favourite shades: Barry M Rose Hip, Accessorize Heavenly, Nails Inc Mayfair Lane

THE BRIGHT SUMMER SHADE

Speaking of colour, come sun shining Summer time, there is nothing better than a touch of colour to suit a warmer complexion. It doesn’t have to be over the top fluorescent type of shade but a touch of colour adds that summery feel.

Favourite shades: Essie Chillato, Barry M Coral, Essie Roarrrange

THE AUTUMN BERRY

Whilst a pop of colour adds such positive connotations of Summer and great memories, nothing will ever beat the dark shades of Autumn. Those dark berries and deep purples will always hold a dear place in my heart.

Favourite shades:Barry M Matte Crush, Essie Bahama Mama, Nails Inc Grosvenor Crescent

What are your favourite nail shades?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

The Autumn Nails Edit

Without a doubt dark nails are my thing. I always get really excited for this time of year when it’s completely acceptable to start bringing out the deeper and darker shades. It’s not all dark plums and berries though as I do love the neutrals and all of those shades that feel super cosy and warm, if that makes any sense? In line with all my autumnal inspired posts I thought it was about time to share my favourite nail shades for this time of year.

The Neutrals 

Barry M Matte Nail Paint Caramel – Matte nails were never really much my thing but I was so obsessed with this matte range from Barry M a few years back. The collection had the best lineup of fall shades and the shade Caramel is one of my favourites. A beautiful beige nude colour, this shade goes with anything and looks super sophisticated.

Essie Sand Tropez – A new shade in my collection, this nude shade sits more as a grey-ish shade to Caramel, think greige. The sand hued shade fits as a perfect nude and you can always rely on the formula of Essie.

The Warm Browns 

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint Cocoa – The shade name really sums this colour up. Think a deep warm brown that conjuncts images of drinking hot chocolate by a roasting fire. Sheer Bliss. A very autumnal shade in another one of my favourite formulas, expect a great finish with this one.

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Paint Paprika – Same formula, another brown based shade but a different hue. Paprika is such a typical Autumn like colour. An orange-y brown reminiscent of pumpkins and Halloween. I mean just imagine wearing this shade with a Pumpkin Spiced Latte in hand, Autumn goals right there!

The Berries and Plums 

Essie Bahama Mama – Another newbie in my collection, this gorgeous plum purple-y shade is currently chipping it’s way off my nails as we speak. No need to worry though as this has been on my nails for a little too long now! The colour though is gorgeous and pretty different from anything I’ve already got. It falls more into the purple side of things rather than the usual red which I love. A new favourite of mine for sure.

Nails Inc Grosvenor Crescent – I picked up this shade as part of the Nails Inc A/W collection from last year although I actually haven’t tried this shade out yet but I can’t wait to get this on my nails! This is such a perfect Autumn shade, a deep plum-y aubergine shade that appears to be the darkest shade in my lineup. I love a good dark nail and I am currently loving Nails Inc so this one I know I will love!

Essie Shearling Darling – I only have a little mini of this shade but it is one I definitely recommend. A must have fall shade, the perfect deep burgundy that everyone needs in their collection for this time of year. This is definitely one of my favourites.

Barry M Matte Nail Paint Crush – Another one from the matte range, this shade lies more on the red spectrum and is a fail safe deep berry shade. Again I really like the formula of these and the matte finish is a little different than the usual glossy style.

The Winter Blues

Essie Parka Perfect – Since wearing nail polish for many years I’ve took my time in realising the shades I truly love. Grey-ish blues are definitely one of my favourites, pretty specific there I know! Parka Perfect is a gorgeous blue-y grey shade that is slick and looks polished but still offers something more unique than a simple nude.

Essie Maximillian Strasse Her – One of my favourites, a similar shade to Parka Perfect although this runs a little lighter and appears to have a slight green-ish hue running though it. I spoke fully about this shade here but it’s a colour I will forever be coming back to no matter what season.

What are your favourite nail shades for Autumn? 

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Nails Inc x Alice & Olivia

I am having a bit of a Nails Inc moment. Previously I had a little thing for the Victoria Beckham collaboration which was all kinds of amazing and now my attention has diverted to the newer collaboration with quirky fashion brand Alice & Olivia. Excitement was an understatement when I heard about this new range as I totally admire the Alice & Olivia brand so I was excited to see what they would come up with. Inspired by her fall collection, the range has 70s boho and rock and roll vibes. Fall nail shades are definitely my favourite and all these shades have autumnal written all over them.

Unlike the VB set, there is more than two shades. To be exact 7 unique shades, 3 unique to the mini set and 3 other different shades released in the usual sized bottles with one shade being carried as both a mini and normal size. The price point is also much better! The individual polishes are the usual Nails Inc price while the set of 4 minis comes in at £25. Of course me being indecisive and not settling on one went for the mini set which includes four beautiful fall inspired shades. Being mini they are super cute too!

Starting from the top left, Next to Nothing is the lightest colour option in the range. It is a sophisticated milky nude pink which is such a classy shade and a great transition shade from the warmer season to the colder. On the complete other side of things, Ruby Night Sky is a much intenser shade. A deep burgundy purple-y shade that will be great as Autumn gets into full swing. Nothing beats a good berry red shade and Paris Rouge is the perfect example. With a sheen-y finish this deep berry toned shade will look great come Winter. Lastly, what’s this time of year without a bit of glitter? Gold Goddess is what it suggests. An intense gold glitter that looks great as an accent nail or for the whole shebang perfect for the festive season. I know this will be one I reach for come Christmas time.

The nail formula itself is also really good for each shade. Like most Nails Inc polishes, they are easy to apply and only need a couple of coats. The longevity is impressive too with all shades lasting really well on my nails especially the glitter shade which didn’t really want to leave my nails. Overall a beautiful fall nail range that I can’t wait to get more wear out of in the next few months. I now need to pick up those other shades particularly Rose and Poetry…heart-eyed emoji’s everywhere!

What is your favourite fall nail shade?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

 

Nails Inc x Victoria Beckham

If there was one collaboration that got me pretty darn excited this year it was Nails Inc teaming up with Victoria Beckham to launch a set of two nail polishes inspired by her Spring 2015 collection. The set includes two Japanese inspired shades Bamboo White and Judo Red. With a name like Victoria Beckham attached to these shades, you can imagine it being quite a pricey affair. Indeed at £25 a bottle or £45 for two it doesn’t come cheap and it did put me off. Although luckily after spotting a sweet deal on Feel Unique, I picked up the duo set for just around £20. Bargain? I think so!

Firstly, can we talk about how gorgeous the packaging is! The duo set came encased in a neat white box with a obvious minimalistic theme going on. Never did you think a bottle of nail polish could get so luxurious but the bottle designs have luxury written all over them. Both bottles carry the newer swish Nails Inc bottle design which I totally love although compared to the original range, these feel a lot more weighted. Mixing up the simple monochrome design, each bottle has a clear panel showing off the gorgeous colour packed inside as well as sporting a matte finish which I am all over!

Most importantly though is of course what is in the inside. The two shades are perfection. Simple, effortless and chic. A classic milky nude, Bamboo White and a bold orange-y red, Judo Red. The formula is also perfect. Judo Red had an opaque finish in 2 coats while Bamboo White needed another coat for full pigmentation. The brush is the perfect size to apply to the nail and each shade glides on easily and smoothly making it a doddle. I am well and truly obsessed with these two shades and I know they will become classic staples in my nail collection. Now did someone say Nails Inc and Alice & Olivia collection, here I go again…

Are you a fan of Nails Inc?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

Essie Chillato

When it comes to nail shades I always prefer going for something a little dark or neutral. Pretty much like my wardrobe eh. Bright colours can sometimes be a little too much and in your face kinda shades but my recent summer love has had me sporting a little colour. Essie Chillato had my heart beating since I first seen it in the line up for the Essie Summer 2015 collection. While the collection had a couple of pretty shades, this pistachio yellow-y green shade was pretty unique and added something different to my collection. The colour is just so perfect, its not too in your face but adds a little splash of colour and a summery vibe to a basic outfit. Yellow nail polishes are something I try to avoid but the paler colour of this makes it super wearable. Of course as you would expect from Essie the formula is also spot on. Long lasting and this shade only needs a couple of coats and you’re ready to go!

P.S Apologies for the shoddy nail selfie, this photo was taken after a double application and a couple of nail breakages. Typical eh!

What’s your go-to summer nail shade?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

 

 

 

 

The Summer Nails Edit

When July hits it finally feels like Summer. With warmer weather and holidays approaching it is time to get Summer ready. With my summer wardrobe a little on the neutral side, the best way to add a splash of colour to any outfit is through some brightly coloured nails. I have a small but sweet selection of great summer appropriate nail shades that will look super vibrant and help enhance a tan.

First row

Barry M Gelly High Shine Dragon Fruit – This is a super pretty light but bold pink shade. I actually bought this originally to go with an all white outfit and it adds a little pop of colour. Such a pretty shade and you really can’t go wrong with the Barry M Gelly formula!

Barry M Nail Paint Coral – You can’t have Summer without wearing a little bit of coral! The neon-like pink-y orange-y hue is so perfect for Summer and one of those shades that will make you look even more tanned, bonus!

Essie Avenue Maintain – Now blue is a shade that you may think is more of a colder season colour but a bold blue hue is perfect for Summer. A shade like Avenue Maintain which I talked about in more detail here is the perfect blue shade. It is basically the perfect blue sea in a bottle!

Bottom Row

OPI Guy Meets Gal-veston – A red is one of those shades that can work all year round. It adds a bold vibrant colour to any look but still manages to look uber chic. I talked about this shade before here but it really is a great colour and the formula is spot on too!

Barry M Gelly High Shine Key Lime – The name of this polish just gets me hungry, anyone else? Now this takes bright to the next level. I find green one of those tricky colours to work but this beautiful lime green works great at adding a little vibrancy. Either teamed with a neutral outfit for a pop of colour or with a Technicolor dream-coat look going on this brings it all together.

Barry M Gelly High Shine Grape Fruit – You might be able to tell by now that I am a fan of the Barry M Gelly polishes! Another one perfect for Summer is this bold pink shade that again will look great with a tan. The bright shade would be a great addition to any neutral outfit to give it a touch of colour.

What nail colours will be you wearing this Summer?

Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin

 

 

 

Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her

With a collection of every possible shade of nail polish you could imagine, is it possible to have a favourite? I think I may have found mine or at least one of my favourites. It comes in the form of Essie Maximillian Strasse-Her, a pretty unique shade with a very unusual name. I first heard of this polish from Lily Pebbles who always seems to rave on end about it so I had to pick it up. The colour is pretty difficult to describe. Its some sort of grey-ish minty green hybrid which is the perfect everyday shade. It adds a little something to a simple monochromatic outfit but also has a slight sophistication about it.

The formula like any other Essie polish is on point. It has a good wide brush that covers the nail so makes application easy. You only need a couple of coats too for a good colour pay off and it lasts pretty well too! Pretty good if you ask me!

Have you tried this shade? What is your favourite Essie shade?