Essie Garden Variety is the type of teal that pretty much everyone can pull off because this flattering shade provides a great contrast against many skin tones from the fairest to the richest.
It’s from the Essie Spring 2015 Collection, which I did a Quick Look post on back in early February to give you a sneak peek with swatches of all the colours.
In person, Essie Garden Variety is more green and less blue than my photos in this post would suggest.
(The day I photographed this was overcast and dark, so the quality of the pictures isn’t optimal. But I’m still showing you it because at least it gives you an idea of the polish. Thank goodness that these days, the sun is coming out more!)
I also found that in real life, this polish is more vibrant and not as muted as it translated on camera. So please keep all this in mind as you read my review.
Essie Garden Variety Pictures
Natural Light
Flash
Natural Light
Flash
Essie Garden Variety Swatches
All swatches have:
- OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener (Used as a base coat)
- 2 coats of Essie Garden Variety
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
Natural Light Photos
Flash Photos
Claim: TRUSTED
- Teal (Yes)
Key Notes
- Name: Essie Garden Variety
- Collection: Essie Spring 2015 Collection
- Press Release: Click here to see the official Essie Spring 2015 Collection press release!
- Quick Look: Click here to see my Quick Look post on the Essie Spring 2015 Collection with lots of swatches!
- Colours Available in the Collection: Flowerista, Petal Pushers, Garden Variety, Blossom Dandy, Picked Perfect & Perennial Chic
- Amount: 13.5 mL (0.5 oz)
- Retail Price: $9.99 CAD (I paid nothing, as this was provided by PR.)
- Where to Buy: NailPolishCanada, Trade Secrets stores & select spas, salons & beauty-supply stores
Essie Garden Variety Review
Colour
Garden Variety by Essie is a medium teal that has quite a lot of green in it, which is probably why I felt totally comfortable sporting it! 😉
It’s a vivid teal, not a wimpy or subtle one, so it’s great for creating statement nail looks.
Finish
The finish is matte, but there seems to be a little jellyish-ness to it because it doesn’t look flat. Rather, it has a lot of shine and goes on so easily!
Application & Formula
Application was a breeze, and to reach full opacity, I used two generous coats. The formula is smooth, and I didn’t have any noticeable streaks after two coats.
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 8/10
Garden Variety by Essie is so beautiful, and if you’re like me and enjoy greens and teals because they’re in your ‘comfort zone’, you will snuggle up to this shade in seconds.
Heck, even if you tend to shy away from these colours, give it a shot! Sometimes you’ll never know how much you like a nail polish until you wear it. (That’s how I discovered that I enjoyed peach-toned polishes.) It just takes that first polish to make you reconsider an entire colour family!
What are you looking forward to this spring? If you could choose one colour to represent spring, what would it be? What are you wearing on your nails today?
That color looks amazing on you! I usually run from these types of colors so I can’t wait until that collection gets here to try it out on myself. I’m currently wearing a blobbicure that didn’t quite turn out how I was expecting it to using Eden & Lillian form the Zoya Delight 2015 Collection.
Hey Sasha!
A blobbicure sounds like a lot of fun to paint! I should try one sometime!
I am really liking this collection by Essie. I think I may have to pick this beauty up. It is such a fun happy shade.
Hey Cindi!
Definitely a happy shade, and it reminds you that spring is right around the corner. 🙂
I got Blossom Dandy and absolutely love it. The more I look at swatches of this one, the more I like it. I think I might have to buy this one too. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Melissa!
Blossom Dandy is really pretty, and I remember it being very opaque! Good choice! If you get Garden Variety, maybe you can use them in a nail look. I feel like they complement each other nicely.
Oh what a stunning color! I really like it! 😀 Great swatch as usual 😛
Gelic’ nail art recently posted: HM – Capri Breeze, swatch
Hey Gelic’nail art!
It’s even more vibrant in person. Hope you really enjoy it!
Gorgeous colour – but does it stain?
Hey Liana!
When I removed it, some got on my cuticles, but I just had to wash my hands thoroughly a few times to get it off.
It didn’t stain my nails, but it could be because I use OPI Nail Envy as my base coat, even though it’s not designed as a base coat.
When it comes to staining, there are a lot of factors that can contribute to how badly a polish can stain: how dry or porous your natural nails are, which base coat you use, if you double up on a base coat or not, and even how your base coat interacts with your top coat.
I find that staining the nail is a personal thing, so while this Essie polish didn’t stain my nails yellow, it could do that to a different person with a different nail chemistry and base coat. (For instance, Orly Bonder is a base coat that doesn’t work for me well at all. I once wore it under an Orly yellow polish, and I had the worst Cheetos-orange nail staining ever! Yet that is a favourite base coat among many nailphiles. Some even noticed that using the base coat stained their nails! I did an in-depth review on here years ago. It pretty much explains why I don’t use that base coat and don’t like it.)
My favourite combination is the OPI Nail Envy nail strengthener that I use as a base coat and Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.
If you’re really worried about staining, it doesn’t hurt to wear two coats of your base coat for added insurance. Albeit, if your base coat isn’t strong enough, staining can still occur.
Hope that helps a bit! 🙂
Beautiful color! I love this collection. So far I’ve got Blossom Dandy and Flowerista. I need to get Garden Variety, Petal Pushers and Perennial Chic. Do you know how Garden Variety compares to Sinful Colors Savage? They look very similar in color. I already own Savage. Is it a good dupe for Garden Variety?
Hey Annalea!
Aww, sorry – I don’t own any Sinful Colors nail polishes.
A dupe for Garden Variety? Hmm, I can’t think of one off the top of my head, sadly. They all are either too blue or too green. Hmm…