It is Hot Hot Pink Out There ! NOTD Braziliant Collection Super Bossa Nova

Above: Essie Nail Lacquer in Super Bossa Nova

I love a hot hot pink year round especially summer time. Most of the time Essie’s regular collection does not catch my eye because it is mainly neutrals and classics, colours that I already own and have enough. However, quite a few Essie summer limited collection colours have caught my eye the last few summers. This year Super Bossa Nova from the Brazilliant collection tickled my fancy.

Super Bossa Nova is bright magenta pink with hot pink shimmer. It is cool toned but I think this colour will suit both cool and warm toned people. Usually Essie polishes are very watery and thin, most of my Essie polishes require three to four coats; however, Super Bossa Nova surprised me. It is bright and pigmented in almost one coat but two coats will smooth out any patchiness and streakiness. The texture is smooth and buttery. Overall, I really like this colour and it is a fun and pretty colour for the summer.

Above: Essie Nail Lacquer Super Nova Bossa

Above: Essie Nail Lacquer Super Bossa Nova

Tickled “Pinkple” NOTD Essie Nail Lacquer Splash of Grenadine

A Splash of Grenadine is another pretty gem I picked up from Essie’s Resort 2010 collection. In previews it is described as a magenta. I am not sure why Essie calls this colour grenadine because grenadines are red, not pink nor purple. This colour reminds of purple orchids. To me it is the perfect mix of purple and pink: two of my favourite colours. I haven’t painted my nails pink or purple in a long while and I think this is the perfect purplish pink I have ever encountered. Growing up I have always tried to search for a colour like this or tried to mixed my own concoctions. The application is a dream, light but not runny and it goes on like butter. This is the most pigmented colour in the Resort collection because two medium thick coats create a flawless streak-free and opaque creme finish.  Just like Turquoise & Caicos and Lapis of Luxury, A Splash of Grenadine dries to high shine finish.  In fact, my nails look wet when I use polishes from this collection. A Splash of Grenadine is the perfect spring/summer “pinkple” for me and I will be wearing this a lot. LOVES IT.

Just Like Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream NOTD Essie Nail Lacquer in Mint Candy Apple

Although Essie’s Mint Candy Apple came out for the holiday 2009 Sweet Time of the Year collection, I can’t help but wear this for the spring. The mint green train is not stopping anytime soon. Thank you Chanel Jade and MAC Peppermint Patty! The colour is a true pastel. It has a white base with the perfect mix of mint green, reminiscent of chocolate chip mint ice cream with just a hint of blue. It is a creamy, glossy and opaque finish. The texture is thin but not runny. I find that Mint Candy Apple is one of the least streaky and more opaque Essie polishes I own. Two layers is almost just enough, but still a bit streaky. I end up using three layers. The colour coverage is perfectly opaque with three layers.

NOTD Essie Resort Collection Nail Lacquer in Lapis of Luxury

Lapis of Luxury is another goodie I picked up from Essie’s spring 2010 Resort Collection. The blue is rich and powdery. Lapis of Luxury does indeed feel and look very luxurious, as lapis is the same blue as lazurite gemstones used for jewelry making. This blue runs cool against by skin colour. Like many Essie nailpolishes, this is streaky and sheer. The polish’s texture is very thin and watery. Although the application is buttery smooth, I needed three coats of polish to achieve an opaque and pigmented finish. Just like Turquoise & Calcos from the same collection, the colour dries to a high gloss finish. I find the colour dries slightly darker than the bottle colour. I am pleasantly surprised by Essie’s Resort Collection because the majority of the colours are just so yummy! Especially the blues.

The Perfect Robins Egg Blue? NOTD Essie Resort Collection Nail Lacquer in Turquoise & Calcos

I normally stay away from Essie nail polishes because the consistency is very thin and very runny. Essie polishes are also extremely streaky, requiring 3-4 coats. However, once in a while Essie will create a few shades that I must have. When I saw Turquoise & Calcos, I was in awe. I love pinks and purples for nails but being a Pisces I have a soft spot for blues and greens. Especially, turquoises, teals and aqua. This colour is a stunning shade of robins’ egg blue and I have been receiving many compliments while wearing it. Although Turquoise & Calcos is labeled a “turquoise,” it has a lot of green it it making a across between a light turquoise and a light aqua blue.

The polish dries to a very smooth, creamy and glossy finish. In fact it is one of the glossiest polishes I own, being that it is very glossy even without a topcoat. The formula is very thin and runny, typical of Essie nailpolishes, thus making it very streaky. I used a total of four coats for a even and opaque finish. I start off with one thin coat and waited about two minutes to dry then follow by three thin coats and waiting five minutes between each coat to dry. I needed to wait until each layer is dry to the touch before proceeding with other layers to prevent dragging of the polish. This colour is so yummy, I can’t stop looking at my nails! This is definitely an item for all turquoise and aqua lovers. It is very popular too, as I grabbed the last one the store has in stock.