Hi lovelies,
I hope you had a brilliant week. Luckily it is Friday which means it is a good day, no matter how your week was. 😉
I am so excited about this post. I have waited a while for this and I know some of you probably has too. This is a going to be a long post so I will get right to it.
First of all let me just say, Essence has outdone themselves. I am super impressed. There was one miss but all the others are definite hits.
Essence Sand effect – Hey, Nude
Hey, Nude is the Essence textured polish. This one is a nude shade. This one was a bit of a miss for me. This is 3 coats with no topcoat. As you can see it is still quite sheer even after 3 coats. I also found the formula on this one being a bit on the thick side. That being said, the glitter / sparkle on it is quite nice. The glitter is bigger as well. I actually think this layered over another colour might actually make this one work.
Essence Sand Effect – Me & my Lover
This one! This one is a hit! This is another one of the sand effect polishes. If you look at the bottle you can see that it has subtle gold shimmer. This is 2 coats with no topcoat. This polish is very opaque and the texture is also quite obvious. I think this is absolutely gorgeous. Formula on Me & My Lover is amazing. This is a definite winner in my books. If you are a red polish fan, go get this now!
Essence Sand Effect – Here’s My Number
Another definite winner. Here’s My Number is a black textured polish but this one actually has holographic glitter in it. The first photo above is slightly blurred so the holo glitter is a bit more visible. Absolutely gorgeous. This is also 2 coats with no topcoat. Formula on this one is also great. It is quite opaque even though not quite as much as Me & My Lover. 2 coats is perfect though. The photo doesn’t do the sparkle on this justice though. between the normal shimmer and the holo it is amazing!
Essence Colour & Go – Ciao Oliviera
Ciao Oliviera impressed me so much. It is an olive green creme and this is 2 coats with no topcoat. Formula was amazing. I had no streaking and no balding. The colour is quite pigmented. I absolutely loved this one. I am also very fond of this colour. I can’t wait to wear this one again.
Essence – Crazy Fancy Love
Crazy Fancy Love is a duochrome and is amazing! This polish appears gold but flashes copper and a pinkish, almost rose gold. Formula on this was also great! You can see by the photos that there is hardly a sign of brushstrokes. I did bump my ring and middle fingers close to the tips and didn’t really notice until after taking photos. This is 2 coats with no topcoat and is really quite gorgeous. It’s subtle enough to wear on it’s own but because of the duochrome is actually quite extraordinary.
Essence – Red Ahead
Don’t let the name fool you on this one. This is a very dark, almost blackened, burgundy creme. It looks almost brown in certain lights. This is 2 coats with no topcoat and again the formula is great. This polish is also very pigmented. Just to give you a better idea about the colour, here is a bit of polish on my skin. You can see it has a more reddish brown (burgundy) than brown tint to it.
Essence – Mister Rusty
Mister Rusty is a little more ‘rusty’ than in the photos. This is 2 coats with no topcoat. Mister Rusty is a copper colour packed with gold shimmer. It was also very pigmented and formula was a dream as well. I am sure you have noticed I have said that with almost every one. This is another colour I am strangely attracted to. It is different but very pretty. Also, the shimmer in this one is just lovely.
Last but not least I have the paper print goodies.
Here I have the paper print transfer solution and a box of the paper print. There are I think 3 or 4 different boxes with different designs. Each box comes with 6 different designs. This is the one I have:
I decided to layer it over Essence – Free Hugs and this is what I ended up with.
As I mentioned the box comes with 6 designs. I used 4 here. On my pinky is the one second from left. My ring finger is third from the right. My middle finger is the one on the very right. My index finger is the one on the very left. This was my first attempt at using it and even though the process is simple and easy and works quite well there is one thing I have to mention. On my ring finger you can see the little blob of mess in the middle? The instructions say to leave it on for 15 seconds and this is proof that you don’t go a second over that time. I had a piece of the paper get stuck to my polish as well and I didn’t want to dig it out and actually pull off the polish. I simply pressed onto my nail a second or two too long.
The paper that it comes with feel exactly like newspaper. I am pretty sure if you buy the transfer liquid and use normal newspaper it will work just as well BUT the designs from Essence are really cute and they are so well priced that you may as well get it. If you would like for me to test if it will work with normal newspaper just let me know. I was really excited about this and it didn’t disappoint.
My overall thoughts
I am so impressed with these new Essence products. They have really upped their game. I have always been a huge Essence fan but these are just so amazing. Formula wise they are amazing and the colour are unique and different. I am really very impressed. Well done Essence! You have my vote.
If you would like to see any of these polishes compared to something else please let me know. I am happy to do comparison posts if anyone is interested. I know the polishes are quite unique but I can compare the textures as well.
What do you think of these? Have you fallen in love with any of them? Please feel free to ask any questions. I am sure in my excitement I have left out something. I can’t wait to get my hands on the other new shades available and when I do I will show you those as well. Happy shopping and you’re welcome 😉
Thanks for reading
WOW – love the nude one – where did you get it – I must have it!!!!
This is all from Dischem. Not sure if Clicks will have it. Thanks my friend
Essence is one of my favourite brands too! The quality and range of products really is impressive for such an affordable brand.
I’m surprised how well the newspaper print thingies worked for you, I’ve read so many horrible reviews! I think real newspaper works just as well, as does rubbing alcohol instead of the transfer solution 🙂
I have to agree with you. Essence has a great range and here in SA it is one of the only places we can get some nail art goodies easily. I have always been fan but with these new polishes they have really upped their game.
Besides pressing down for a second or two too long, it was really easy and quick to use. I do like the designs they have available in the paper prints but I will definitely be trying normal newspaper as well.
Thanks!
Me and My Lover looks cool! Here’s my number is nice, but similar to something I already have 🙂
Both are very gorgeous. I also have something similar to both (and hoping someone will ask me for a comparison to the pixies :P) For the price, Definite bargains.
I am going to get the red and black texture and paper print!
Thanks!
I am so glad you got these. You will have a lot of fun I am sure 🙂
Wow Michelle more gorgeous polishes. I love the newspaper transfers. Did you get them at Clicks or Deschem stands ? And the prices on the transfer stuffies? Sorry about the million questions lol
Haha no problem at all. I knew I left stuff out :/
The transfer solution is R23.95. The paper print is R18.95.
These are all available at Dischem (not sure about clicks)
Ahhh I have been checking Dischem every chance I get for these, FINALLY! I just hope mine already has them too! I am loving Here’s my number.
Hope your Dischem had. I just saw someone say on Twiiter that their Dischem doesn’t have it :/
That paper print!
Isn’t it gorgeous!
I’ve got Hey, Nude and Here’s My Number as well (I skipped Me & My Lover because I already have 2 red textured polishes), but I might have to get Ciao Oliviera now! Don’t think I have a green like that yet!
Thanks Brethil. I thought that green is so unique. I actually really like it.
Wow, the textures are so nice! I hope Hey, Nude looks better over a base because it has potential!
I’m not sure on the other colors…they’re sort of unusual…but that at least means we don’t have a bunch of dupes in our collection already! 😉
That newspaper kit is so cool! I’ve heard of this method before, but it’s nice to have it all in one little set.
The textures are really nice. My friend went and bought Hey Nude after this post and it actually looks great on her. I am going to have to give it another try and see if it was maybe just bad luck. I love that the other colours are so unusual. I agree, no chance of dupes….yet 😛
Love the newspaper print. I have seen tons of tutorials and ways to do it but it is great to have a set that is made for it. 😉
I love Hey Nude. Drawn to that.
On you, that dark one looks HOT N TOTS! The red looks good too actually! Ok both.
None of the plain colours are doing it for me though.
The paper print I think you did a fab job showing off. I’m interested to know if you could use ordinary newspaper or other paper maybe seeing as there’s a paper transfer liquid??????
I was also very drawn to Hey Nude but was disappointed. I am going to give it another try though.
I love that the plain colours are so unique. Crazy Fancy Love is so gorgeous but the photo doesn’t do it justice.
I am going to try the liquid with normal newspaper (or a variety of papers) and see how it comes out.
My dischem is so useless – their essence stand is always empty! Grr! Now I must go traveling to other dischems to find the paper print manicure! It looks so interesting and I also want to play with it 🙂 haha As always, your nails are beautiful 🙂 x
All our Essence stands are always quite empty. Unless it’s new stock day. I’ve asked my stores when they get new stock and go on those days or the day after. Generally end up lucky.
And thank you for the compliment lovely 🙂
This is an awesome post M! And thanks to this and your other “Hot off the shelves” post, I am R100 poorer! Grrrr…pshhh, who am I kidding, I don’t mind! New polish babies! I love Here’s my Number! It looks like happy sparkly tar! Nice!
Funnily enough, my favorite is a shimmer plain polish though! Okay, so technically it’s a duochrome but you get my drift. Crazy Fancy Love is so gorgeous and classy looking! I like it!
Bwahahahahaha you’re welcome 😛
Yay!!!!!!! I am so glad to hear you say that. No one has liked Crazy Fancy Love so far and I think it might be the most gorgeous polish in the post. She’s a beaut!!
I’ve been really getting into texture polishes recently, so those first few are right up my alley. That nude is just gorgeous, although it’s a bummer the formula’s so sheer.
~ Yun
I am also really enjoying the textures and so many different types of textures too. I also love the nude but the sheerness *sigh* I am going to layer it over another polish and see how it works out.
I really need to get to a store ASAP! it seems I have been missing out on a lot of fab stuff. Bye bye money on pay day! Also, great gifts for Christmas!
Hahahahaha I do apologise. But you won’t regret it. I mean it when I say they’ve upped their game. Gorgeous stuff. Yes great gifts for Christmas
Essence’s Sand Effect Me and my Lover | For The Love of Nail art
[…] Essence’s Sand Effect polishes come in three colours and retail for R20: The gorgeous red (Me and My Lover), A nude (Hey, Nude), A black with silver, holo shimmer (Here’s my Number). If you’d like to see swatches of ALL the colours, visit Ordinary Misfit’s post HERE. […]