Essie – Fall 2011 Collection (swatches & review)

With their Fall 2011 Collection, Essie has managed to perfectly capture all the splendour of the season in six beautifully autumnal shades. Drawing inspiration from the various forms of women’s handbags, these crème finish varnishes range in colour from a delicately dusty rose hue to a deeper, brooding maroon, and all available in an exceptionally smooth, high gloss formula. As stunning as these shades are on their own, I elected to show them 2 ways: by adding a coat of Essie’s ‘Matte About You’ top coat in the second set of images, I love how they are taken towards a fresh, almost grittier direction. All swatches are with Seche Natural base coat, two coats of lacquer, and Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat.

‘Glamour Purse’, a creamy milk-chocolate hue, bears hints of pink in its undertones that lend it a wonderful tonal warmth. Self-levelling and almost impossibly smooth, the slightly thin formula was effortless to apply, and the high gloss finish at the end gave the most perfect finish.

With sunlight reflecting off the surface, ‘Glamour Purse’s’ warmer, pinker tones peek through, showing the effortless neutrality of this polish.

Seen mattified, the finish becomes not only softer, but a silvery mantle appears thrown on top.

A view in shaded light takes this shade into a cooler realm, and seems to bring out the greyer tones found in its base.

Interestingly, the matte coat not only mutes the colour somewhat, but appears to actually add more warmth of hue.

Of course, a view taken with flash serves to emphasize the glassy overall look, as well as highlight the taupe-y nature of this polish.

Once mattified, the reflective finish of a flash shot is now absorbed in ‘Glamour Purse’s’ depths, giving it a more three dimensional feel.

‘Lady Like’, as prim & proper as the name implies, is not your grandmother’s pink hue; rather, this is a highly feminine dusty rose, made all the more modern by the inclusion of grey based undertones. The formula applied the most sheer from the six, yet was wonderfully opaque by the second coat.

Seen in sunlight, ‘Lady Like’s’ greyer leanings definitely make an appearance, adding to the sophistication of this hue.

With a matte layer on top, once more the tamped down satiny finish cools the overall look and adds a classical touch.

I love how shaded light spotlights the utter glossiness of this shade, and shows this to be such a highly wearable pink hue.

Once mattified, ‘Lady Like’ now takes on a more “ballet slipper pink” appearance, muted and slightly ethereal.

A final view taken with flash displays the delicately lovely rosebud pink heart of this polish.

The matte coat over this shade tempers its girly hue, and lends it a faded but beautifully washed out appearance.

‘Case Study’, an obviously more warm-toned shade, is a unique yellow-based tan that helps to make this colour wearable by many skin tones across the spectrum. Once more, Essie’s fabulous formula shines through, thin enough to spread effortlessly, coupled with a narrow yet flexible brush (that I love!) which allows for very precise application.

Seen in sunlight, the true tan nature of this shade is clearly visible, yet there is enough depth to keep this colour looking so alive.

The matte layer changes ‘Case Study’s’ nature only to a slight degree, adding a soft veil overall, which finely blurs the tone.

Taken into shaded light serves to add a cooler, grey touch to this polish, yet its brilliance is never diminished.

The silvery cast now apparent as a result of the mattifying coat, gives ‘Case Study’ its most urban look yet.

When seen with flash, this shade’s gloss is unbelievable, and the creaminess of this pale caramel hue is almost fathomless!

Even through an added matte layer, ‘Case Study’s’ warmth continues to be in evidence, taking its camel toned leanings down just a notch.

‘Very Structured’, another warm-toned shade, is a uniquely and highly reflective sienna brown hue. The red touches in its base add such depth, and give this lacquer enough “zing” to be worn as easily to work, as to an evening out after. Offering the same smooth formula and glassy look of the rest in this collection, it also appeared to dry the quickest of them all.

When viewed in full sun, ‘Very Structured’ bears such a creamy russet hue, with a paradoxically toned-down yet still vibrant semblance.

Even though its brilliance is reduced, the matte layer added here takes nothing away from the rich reddish-brown hue.

While shaded light adds a darker look overall, I love how the colour deepens to a gorgeously glossy, more ripe mahogany hue.

Something about adding a matte layer, and ‘Very Structured’ now appears to take on the patina of aged bricks…old-world glamour!

A final view taken with flash definitely lightens this shade to a more burnt umber tone, yet the gloss remains a constant.

The same flash view but with a matte coat, highlights the reddish side of this shade, but in a more neutral fashion.

‘Power Clutch’ has all the elements to anoint this shade the same mythical status of last year’s ‘Smokin’ Hot’ from Essie’s Winter 2010 Collection (reviewed here). A normally average colour, tweaked to a new & unique dimension, this shade is an almost undefinable mix of dark granite grey with deep evergreen leanings, giving it an overall aura of mysterious sophistication. Two coats were all that were needed for full opacity, despite the formula being on the thinner side, and the best part? Very effortless removal, absolutely no staining left behind, and a stunning mirror-like finish.

You would be correct in assuming that when seen in sunlight, this shade is your basic stone grey shade, but a closer look at the nail tips hints strongly at the greenish undertone at work.

When the matte coat is superimposed on top, it appears to add a wintry silver film over this shade, creating a unique new colour.

A photo taken in shaded light is the best indicator of the deep teal base of ‘Power Clutch’, and gives its truest bottle shade, coupled with an intense brilliance.

I love how the combination of a matte coat and shaded light add a slight gunmetal look to this shade, sophisticated & dangerous!

For some reason, a flash view seems to draw out some pale ochre tones from the base shade, further adding to its complex nature.

This final flash photo with the matte coat added, gives this shade an earthy slate grey appearance, but as though it were slightly frosted over.

The final shade of this collection, ‘Carry On’, is a deeply luxuriant currant shade, with equal hints of purple and magenta in its base that give it the look of a prized jewel. Easily the most opaque of the six, it was so incredibly pigmented as to be almost a one-coater, yet the formula was on par with the rest: self-levelling, incredibly creamy and intensely glossy. Removal was quite effortless, and while I did note the barest hint of staining, it was immediately resolved with a second swipe of polish remover.

Looking almost like a blackened prune hue in sunlight, ‘Carry On’ has about it an almost visually hedonistic depth of tone.

By adding a matte top coat, this shade now takes on a much cooler countenance, and comes off as more of a purple/raisin hue.

Shaded light appears to give this polish a slight cushiony, jelly-like appearance and brings out its more glossy, black currant side.

I love how ‘Carry On’ looks in shaded light with a matte layer: a mysterious & brooding deep aubergine, just brimming with secrets!

A final view taken with flash reveals the awe-inspiring glossiness of this shade and emphasizes its almost ruby-like depth of tone.

Seen with a matte overlay as well as with flash, ‘Carry On’ appears like a darkened berry hue, but as though enveloped by the evening sky…so dreamy!

Final thoughts: Essie continues to captivate me; since being acquired by cosmetics giant L’Oréal last year, their collections have been consistently spectacular, but it is their formula which is the true star. I cannot state enough how pleased I was with all six of these lacquers, how incredibly well they all performed, and how impressive the brilliant shine they all possess. I have been informed that Essie has amazing things in store for us in the coming months, and I for one cannot wait! With shades as beautiful as Essie’s Fall 2011 Collection, you wouldn’t be held responsible for wanting to let your manicure/pedicure take center stage!