Essie Petal Pushers from the Spring 2015 Collection isn’t the colour I’m normally drawn to first, but I enjoy trying out a whole smorgasbord of colours because when you venture to new territory, it could open up doors.

This grey nail polish has a smidgeon of purple mixed in, which is more evident when you see the polish in person and in certain lighting.

Although it can slightly shift based on the lighting, it is predominantly a grey-based nail polish. But I wouldn’t say that it’s a concrete-slab grey because the purple undertone gives it that little extra.

P.S. Did you see yesterday’s second blog post that I snuck in here in the evening? 😉 Check it out! It features makeup, nails, and fashion looks from Mikhael Kale’s show during World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto.

Essie Petal Pushers Pictures

Essie Petal Pushers Swatches

All swatches have:

• OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener (Used as a base coat)
• 2 coats of Essie Petal Pushers
• Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Natural Light Photos

Flash Photos

Claims: TRUSTED (The ‘smoky stone’ part is accurate.)

• Smoky stone (Yes)
• Rose (No – When I think of rose, I think of pinks and reds)

Key Notes

• Name: Essie Petal Pushers
• Collection: Essie Spring Collection 2015
• Press Release: Click here to see the Essie Spring 2015 Collection Press Release
• Quick Look: Click here to see my Quick Look post on the Essie Spring 2015 Collection
• 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: $9.95 CAD (This nail polish was provided by PR.)
• Where to Buy: Trade Secrets, NailPolishCanada & select beauty-supply stores

Essie Petal Pushers Review

Colour

Petal Pushers by Essie is a grey that isn’t so harsh or dark. It has a softer edgy that’s ‘smoky’ as the press release suggests.

The softness comes from the purple undertone, which is easier to see in person than it is in photographs. It’s not a strong purple, but you can tell that it influences the grey so that it’s less like a straight-up concrete-slab grey.

Finish

The creme finish of Petal Pushers by Essie is simple, pretty, and not flat or boring. It’s also easy to remove.

Application & Formula

Painting with Petal Pushers by Essie was a breeze because it reaches opacity quickly. I could’ve used just two coats to achieve full opacity, but I tried a third layer to see if the colour would intensify. It looks pretty similar with two and three medium coats.

Pros Purple-tinged grey Smooth formulation Reaches opacity in 2 coats

Cons Grey nail polishes aren’t my favourite, so I didn’t go crazy over this colour. However, if you’re a fan of grey, I could see you really enjoying it!

Final Verdict: 6.5/10

There’s nothing inherently bad about Essie Petal Pushers, but since greys don’t usually move me or make my nailphile heart sing, I couldn’t give it a high score.

The formula is easy enough to work with, and you don’t need to do a bazillion coats to achieve opacity, so that’s always a plus. However, this grey didn’t ‘wow’ me. It’s soft and the tinge of purple is a nice touch, though. I can see that grey fans would really enjoy this one!

If you are a grey fan, which is your favourite grey nail polish and why? Do you like wearing grey by itself or pairing it with other colours? Which Essie Spring 2015 Collection shade would you like to see next?