Essie Cocktail Bling Collection for Holiday 2011 (swatches & review)

As the weather begins to cool and the days become shorter, Essie has found a way of bringing some much welcomed warmth and light onto our nails. Their Holiday 2011 Collection, appropriately titled ‘Cocktail Bling’, ensures that there is a shade to cover you, no matter the occasion – be it a work party, or a swank soirée – with six ultra luscious and creamy shades to choose from. The following swatches are all with Deborah Lippmann’s 2-Second Nail Primer, Essie’s All In One Base Coat, two coats of each lacquer, and finished with Essie’s Good To Go top coat.

‘Brooch the Subject’ is that rarity for such a light shade: utterly smooth. A richly creamy nude, the formula was quite easy-flowing in application, being rather self-levelling, as well as leaving a very glossy shine at the finish. As there seems to be a hint of peach in its base, I feel that it will translate well across many skin tones, thereby avoiding ever looking dull, flat or boring.

I love how sunlight gives this shade the look of an ultra creamy café latté, a completely decadent indulgence!

Indirect light casts a much cooler vibe to ‘Brooch The Subject’, and seems to pick out any hints of grey that may be lurking in its base.

When seen in shaded light, the peachy undertones become more apparent, and throw an overall much warmer look to this shade.

A final view taken with flash, vividly displays how incredibly smooth looking and luxurious this edgy nude truly is.

‘Bangle Jangle’ is a pastel with a kick; this blue based lavender hue is the bearer of an amazingly well-balanced formula, that not only smooths itself out as if by magic, but leaves behind an incredibly glossy finish. I love hues like this, that look as though you’re seeing them through a diaphanous veil…stunning!

Sunlight definitely keep this shade firmly in purple territory, although its rather dusty tone serves to diffuse the overall colour.

Indirect lighting highlights the blue tones in ‘Bangle Jangle’s’ base hue, and gives it a more watered down countenance.

When seen in shaded light, the lilac tints in this shade’s base, seem to lend a unique warmth and overall creaminess to this lacquer.

A final view taken with flash, serves to lighten the overall colour, and spotlight its wonderfully smooth and reflective finish.

‘Cocktail Bling’, the namesake of this collection, is one of those shades that almost defies description; basically a pale grey hue, this is made so much more original by the addition of some purple and blue in its base, yet the somewhat muted looking finish merges all these colours into a gorgeous and rich varnish. With a formula that bears an excellent viscosity, its self levelling properties and super glossy shine simply add to its overall appeal.

Looking like a lavender-kissed raincloud, sunlight seems to hone your eye to the many subtle undertones of this shade.

With a hint of blue now appearing when seen in indirect light, ‘Cocktail Bling’ seems to take on a more cornflower-like semblance.

Shaded light casts a deeper, almost seductive glow to what would otherwise be a subtle pastel shade, lending this hue a new sophistication.

A final view taken with flash, gives this lacquer the creamy, yet cool look of something the Ice Queen would don, like twilight-hued icicles.

‘School of Hard Rocks’, a faded yet paradoxically vivid-looking teal hue, is the owner of an exceptionally colour saturated formula. Easily a one-coater if applied thickly enough, it also has the bonus of being so smooth that it basically applies itself, as well as finishing with an intensely glassy shine.

When seen in sunlight, the greyish-green leanings of this shade become more prominent, yet never detract from the unique dusty teal cast.

Indirect light appears to throw a rather silvery mantle over ‘School Of Hard Rocks’, and brings any hints of grey to the fore.

While shaded light naturally darkens this varnish, you can still clearly see the true teal shining through, enhancing its visual appeal.

A final view taken with flash, casts a spotlight on the faded-looking overtones of this shade, yet still manages to display its superior creaminess.

‘Bobbing for Baubles’ is 100% GORGEOUS! This is a deep blue lacquer done so completely right; a super pigmented formula, phenomenally smooth application, highly self-levelling, and leaving behind an über-glassy finish, you could certainly get away with applying one thicker coat that will look completely opaque, although I opted for two coats. With a unique, somewhat dusty tone to this lacquer, the hints of green in the base, really add to its lustrous depth. Bonus: zero staining left behind upon removal!

Sunlight seems to become absorbed in the intoxicating depths of this brooding navy hue, then reflect right back at you at full volume.

While indirect light darkens ‘Bobbing for Baubles’ with ebony highlights, you will never mistake this for a black colour, due to the midnight glints deep within.

Shaded light once more transforms this shade to something so much more darker & mysterious, yet still strays far enough away from “black” territory.

A final view taken with flash, displays the interesting dusty features of this shade, and gives a faint wash of grey atop the overall navy colour.

‘Size Matters’…..ahem…..(it’s true, it really does matter!), is beyond spectacular! A blue based red shade but with paradoxically warmer cerise leanings, the colour saturation of this lacquer was astounding, and once more, seemed to apply itself. Completely self-levelling and ending with a mirror-like shine at the finish, you could get away with one thick coat if you wished, and it would look perfectly opaque. As an added bonus, I was pleasantly surprised that a red this intense, left absolutely NO staining behind.

Sunlight seems to pull out a deep rose hue from this shade’s base tone, and gives it the look of absolutely plump & luscious maraschino cherries.

While indirect light takes ‘Size Matters’ into a much cooler realm, there still appears to be an overall warmth emitted from this shade’s core.

Shaded light gives this lacquer its most vivid “red” look, and yet still manages to focus on how perfectly glossy the finish truly is.

A final view taken with flash, brings out everything that is sultry and drop-dead sexy about this shade, albeit in a lighthearted and playful way.

Final thoughts: If my above descriptions haven’t indicated, the let me state here how impressed I was with every single lacquer of this collection, most particularly ‘Bobbing for Baubles’, as well as ‘Size Matters’ (and no, not only because of the name…but that didn’t hurt!). While the shades themselves are not newly invented versions or wild & extravagant, what makes them stand out for me, is the formula. Each lacquer bears a subtle twist to its basic hue, and in my opinion, that only adds to the appeal, making every single one a stand-alone shade. Available now, go ahead and indulge in some of Essie’s “bling”, and let your fingers be the envy of every socialite you encounter, dah-ling!