Essie Haute Tub from the Winter 2015 Collection is a jet black with amethyst shimmer, and when I look at it, the first thing that comes to mind is an alley cat.

No, cats aren’t purple. (Too bad, right?) The reason why this popped into my head is because when I was little, my brother used to play with marbles at school (before it was banned after a reckless kid decided to throw marbles at someone’s head and a new school policy went into effect because marbles were considered ‘weapons.’).

My brother borrowed a few marbles from his friends, and with perhaps just three small marbles, he was so good at the recess competitions that he ended up winning an entire collection of them – several huge tubs full of marbles!

I was so proud of him because he won a wide variety of marbles at the games including boulders that looked like pearls, gigantic ones they called ‘King Kong,’ Beach Balls, Salt & Pepper, and many more, including the kind that I think were called Alley Cats or Cat’s Eyes.

I specifically remember him having a large version of this obsidian-like marble with a rich-purple middle. Although it wasn’t the rarest one in his collection, it caught my attention because it looked like the type of toy that had a mysterious story buried in its history.

P.S. My friends and I played with marbles when it was popular. My brother gave me a few of his least valuable ones, and for good reason. Haha, I was terrible at the game, and yes, I lost them all. Apparently he was the marble champion, and that was A-okay with me, because I loved cheering him onto victory. 🙂 You don’t always have to be the star to be happy!

Essie Haute Tub Pictures

Essie Haute Tub Swatches

All swatches have:

• OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener – Maintenance version (Used as a base coat)
• 2 coats of Essie Haute Tub
• Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Artificial Light Photos

Natural Light Photos

Claim: TRUSTED

• Black with amethyst fire (Yes)

Key Notes

• Name: Essie Haute Tub
• Collection: Essie Winter 2015 Collection
• Colours Available in the Collection: Haute Tub, Peak Show, Shall We Chalet?, Virgin Snow, Apres-Chic & Altitude Attitude
• Amount: 13.5ml (0.5 fl. oz.)
• Retail Price: $7.95 CAD
• Disclosure: This was provided as a press sample by PR.
• Where to Buy: Nail Polish Canada, Trade Secrets & select beauty-supply stores

Essie Haute Tub Review

Colour

Black like an evil villain’s heart, Haute Tub by Essie is cloaked in darkness. However, the shimmer sprinkled throughout is purple, and it brings a mystical characteristic.

When I first saw this nail polish, in the bottle, it looked like there were purple, blue, and maybe even green shimmer. Apparently, it was only the light reflecting on the glass bottle. When you use it, only the purple translates onto your nails.

If you’re craving a brooding black nail polish (like I sometimes do), this one fits the bill nicely. However, I’ll admit that I was a bit disappointed that the purple shimmer is very subtle on the nail, compared to how sparkly it looks when you gaze at it in the bottle.

Finish

The base is solid – it’s not translucent. You get a jet black, and the purple shimmer throughout adds a subtle touch of light to the mix. The finish is mainly a creme with some shimmer. It’s not scratchy, so those who aren’t fans of texture on their nails won’t have concerns about this one.

Application & Formula

Haute Tub by Essie goes on extremely pigmented. One coat covered beautifully, but I applied a second coat out of sheer habit.

It’s opaque and dramatic! If you’re looking for a saturated black polish that isn’t wimpy, this one will stand up in the nail-polish army and fight until its last breath!

I found it easy to paint with, since the brush allowed me to control where the polish flowed very well. Also, I could go over certain areas several times to achieve an even appearance without much effort.

Pros Jet black with amethyst shimmer Very opaque Easy-to-control formula

Cons Mainly looks black (shimmer is very subtle on the nail, compared to what it looks like in the bottle)

Final Verdict: 7/10

Although Haute Tub by Essie is pigmented and a joy to paint with, the only reason I didn’t give it a glowing Final Verdict score is because I wish that the shimmer was more visible on the nail like it is in the bottle. It would add that extra ‘oomph.’ Instead, the shimmer is more like a secret that only the wearer is privy to knowing. (From a normal viewing distance, your manicure will just appear black.)

Do you wish that the shimmer was more prominent in this polish, or do you actually like how it’s on the subtle side? What’s your go-to black nail polish?