Essie | Bridal 2016 Collection | ommorphia beauty bar

What makes the Essie Bridal 2016 Collection so interesting, is not only the fact that this is a colourful group, albeit in a muted & soft kind of way, but that the formula on each shade is really amazing and so easy to work with. Then again, with the way my mind works, the appeal could also be attributed to the rather risqué names; Essie, I didn’t know you had it in you – but I’m totally loving it!

Essie | Bridal 2016 Collection

Between the Seats | A greyed-out lilac (dirty lilac?) that gives excellent coverage without streaking, even with the first coat – highly unusual for a shade in this colour group. Self-levelling, glossy and so totally in my white-loving wheelhouse (I’m going to absolutely wear this to death this Summer. Backup-worthy).

Coats: 2, plus top coat

Coming Together | A mid-sheer baby pink crème/hybrid jelly with that plush cushiony look, needing either ‘undies’ or three thin coats to reach full opacity (but it also has that ‘sea-glass’ translucency at 2 coats that I love). Super glossy natural finish.

Coats: 3 (thin), no top coat

Passport to Happiness | Can you even deal with all of this gorgeousness? A milky seafoam green with ultra fine pearly green shimmer in a formula that can’t be beat. You can easily reach full opacity by loading up your brush – application is that effortless. Self-levelling, glossy and with no visible brush strokes at the finish (never mind what the macro swatch shot might show; this appears even to the naked eye). So much LOVE.

Coats: 2, plus top coat

Essie | Passport to Happiness (detail), Bridal 2016 Collection

Groom Service | (this name…perfection!) A soft violet/lavender with blueish undertones but it’s a shade that will work on both cool and warm complexions equally. The formula is that crème/jelly hybrid that Essie does so well, with amazing coverage from the first coat (provided your brush is decently loaded up, that is). Glossy, plush, and smoothly applying.

Coats: 2, no top coat

Steal His Name | A sheerish peachy/pink hue in that same lush crème/jelly hybrid formula, that will definitely need either ‘undies’ or at least 3 coats for opacity. I can see this as the perfect flower girl shade, no? I can also see this as a ‘sandwich-ing’ type of shade (where you apply some type of glitter polish in between two layers). Warm leaning, this is the palest peach I have in my collection and I [surprisingly] absolutely love it!

Coats: 3 (thin), no top coat

Mrs Always-Right | Certainly can’t argue with this name, that’s for sure! Described as a ‘terracotta rose’, the formula here is nothing short of pure perfection: colour-saturated and with excellent opacity even with the first coat, self-levelling and glossy at the finish. Theres a vintage vibe to this crème hue that really appeals to me, and the best part? Non-staining upon removal. Sidebar note: my very first lipstick was in this shade – a colour I remember my grandmother describing as ‘rotten apple’, which actually sounds a lot better in Greek!

Coats: 2, plus top coat

I’m not always a pastel kind of girl, maybe because past iterations have always left much to be desired application-wise. That being said, Essie has done something to their formula which has basically eliminated that frustrating factor, and I for one couldn’t be happier. This collection surprised me; each and every shade is something I want to wear a lot of. I’m even going to say it here: Passport to Happiness is THE Summer shade and Between the Seats is probably the most unique white I’ve ever worn. Sadly, this is a limited edition collection, so I wouldn’t wait too long to pick up any faves.

The Essie Bridal 2016 Collection is available in salons. Find more info on the brand via www.essie.ca