Essie Spring 2016 swatches and review

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For Spring 2016, Essie heads to Florida. This collection pays homage to the fashion and fabulosity of Palm Beach, so grab your biggest sun hat and meet me at the convertible for a mani road trip!

As the weather warms up I want sunny, optimistic nail colors, but I also crave pastels. The shades here satisfy those cravings; the majority of them have a delightful Ladurée macaron vibe, but there are also several dark horse kind of colors, unexpected for the season.

Essie Spring 2016 Swatches

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First up is Sunshine State of Mind, a bright and juicy crème that might just be Florida in a bottle. The citrusy warmth is a mixture of coral and orange, but it doesn’t read as too hot or too neon.

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Lounge Lover reminds me of gummy peach candy; it’s a warm yet subtle mix of peach and pink. This is a nice one for a subdued hit of springiness.

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High Class Affair is the color of an under ripe apricot, a soft nude with a faint blush of pinky peach. It took me three thin coats to reach opacity, but it was worth it—there’s just something very clean and wearable about this shade.

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Shade On is a stunner: a lush purple that leans cool and makes me think of orchids and heather. This looks beautiful in just one coat. Bonus: I have a ton of purples in my polish stash, but I couldn’t find a close alternative for this one—it feels unique.

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And now, we come to the dark horses of the collection: a storm-darkened blue and a green that feels like jungle foliage. Poolside Service is cerulean, according to Essie. It calls to mind stormy seas and pebbly beaches; there are tones of gray and green present within the blue. This shade doesn’t scream spring, but it’s a very soothing color with creamy opaque coverage. I’d wear this one year round, actually.

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Off Tropic, described as a “lush grove green,” is the shade I side-eyed, just a little. It’s a lush green, for sure (think a glossy banana leaf) but it feels like an offbeat choice for spring. Once I had it on my nails, though, the one-coat opacity won me over, and it is a really rich and striking green. You could embrace the Palm Beach theme and do some palm-frond nail art for spring, but I think I’ll be breaking this one out come fall.

we heartsters: Any of these shades on your spring wish list?

Author

  • Amity

    Amity teaches rhetoric, composition, and creative writing in Central PA. Her non-fiction has appeared in xojane and Story, as well as on Snap Judgement and This American Life; her fiction has appeared in Hobart. She is the cohost of Bone Palace Ballet, a true crime podcast focusing on murder, mysteries, and the macabre.

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5 Comments

  1. Sunshine State of Mind is calling my name, but I’m also kind of digging Off Tropic. I wouldn’t usually think dark green right now, but I love green, so I’m willing to make an exception :)

    1. It is unusual for spring, but a really pretty green–I think you’ll like it!

  2. What a pretty collection. I’m going to track down Shade On at the very least. You’re right, @amity— it’s such a unique purple, and I need it! Off Tropic is really interesting, too.

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