With Essie’s last 2 collections (Fall & Winter respectively), there were a lot of you out there that wondered if Essie wasn’t simply tweaking past shades into new collections. I wondered as well. So….with that in mind, I made a few comparisons ( here, here and here !). Today I may have found another close match between 2 more: Silken Cord (Winter 2010) and Lollipop (released Winter 2009).
While the bottle shade shows them to be very close, there’s still enough tonal discrepancies between them; they also applied completely differently as well. All pictures are: pinkie & middle fingers: Lollipop, ring & index fingers: Silken Cord over base coat.
Lollipop has a jelly-like finish but applies more like a creme. It is of thinner consistency than Silken Cord, but it becomes fairly opaque by the 2nd coat. The first coat shows their base tone to be quite similar, but note how much more opaque Silken Cord is even with this 1st layer.
1st coat, natural light
The second coat brings out the differences between the two; whereas Silken Cord has that bright maraschino cherry pop to it, Lollipop seems to veer just a touch more to the orangey red (you can still see the nail line slightly).
2nd coat, natural light
By the 3rd coat and if you’re in deeper or indoor lighting, you can tell that Lollipop has somewhat more translucency (trust me!), while Silken Cord displays both a creamier vibrancy and depth (nail line is just faintly visible on the nails with Lollipop).
3rd coat, natural light
Final thoughts: if you had purchased Lollipop in winter 2009, then you may wish to pass on Silken Cord, as they are almost identical, however……my advice is — don’t !. In my opinion, Silken Cord is one of the most remarkable reds I have ever come across, and I’m not even known for being red’s biggest fan….that’s how much it stands out to me. From the formula, to the application, to the high gloss finish, to how flattering it is to wear, there is absolutely nothing that I don’t love about this shade. As I stated in an earlier post, Silken Cord is also one of those colours that will translate exceptionally well as a Spring/Summer shade…..a true multi-tasker indeed! So………can you tell which is which?!
*Silken Cord is pictured on the left!
