When ESSIE’s new gel couture collection landed on my desk I couldn’t contain my excitement, mostly because of the new divine packaging. It gives it a really edgy look (excuse the pun) and is really nice to hold while getting the job done.
The new collection comes in a wide range of colours – nudes to navy, and everything in between. The collection also has it’s own top coat which promises to give you that gel look.
Sampling the products, I applied two coats of ‘Zip Me Up’ to my nails and one lashing of the top coat.
The first thing I noticed was the amazing pigmentation and how quickly it dried. A quick drying polish is always a winner in my books. Who has time to sit and literally watch paint dry? Not VIP.
This is my nails freshly painted. I loved the colour straight away it screamed tanned skin and cocktails. Perfect for my upcoming weekend away!
As the days went on the polish started to chip away and the colour seemed to look dirty. Even after I would wash my hands, any kind of make-up would almost stick to the polish. I found it really noticeable. As well as this, the shine had worn off and it was more like matte finish than a gel.
For a polish that averages at €10 I was disappointed with its longevity.
The following week, I decided to give a different colour in the collection a go and I was pleasantly surprised. I applied it on a Saturday and five days later it’s still looking good. The only difference in this application was that I didn’t use a top coat.
So do we really need the expensive top coats when it comes to nail polish? For me it was better without.
Have you tried it yet? Tweet us your thoughts @VIPmagaz.