Tag Archives: Essie

Essie Bridal 2015 Collection Swatches, Photos & Press Release

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Essie Bridal 2015 CollectionToday’s post features a closer look at the Essie Bridal 2015 Collection with swatches, bottle shots, and the official press release!

I’ll also include some photos that I snapped from the pretty booklet that PR sent me along with the nail polishes.

There are six colours in the Essie Bridal 2015 Collection, most of which are soft shades.

The bold pops of colour come from the red and pink. (It reminds me of my sister-in-law. On her wedding day, she had pink nails with subtle nail art.)

While the rich shades are more my speed, I’m going to give the softer ones a go. (If you have a shade in particular that you’d like me to review first, let me know, and I’ll try to get around to it before the others. So far, I haven’t worn any yet!)

After I met Rita Remark (Essie’s Lead Nail Artist) on Friday night at World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto, I’m curious to try more nude polishes. I asked her how to choose a flattering nude, and she suggested looking for one that has a bit of pink and that’s two shades lighter than your skin tone. If you go darker, it could look muddy, and if you match your skin tone, it can look like a Band-Aid.

(See my Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ accounts for a few photos that I posted during Fashion Week. I may blog about it later, too, because I have plenty more photos and even some video clips.)

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Essie Petal Pushers Swatches & Review

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Essie Petal Pushers Swatches & ReviewEssie 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.

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World MasterCard Fashion Week Recap: Day 1 (Mikhael Kale)

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Mikhael Kale WMCFW 2015 ShowHere’s my second blog post for today – a fun recap! 🙂

Yesterday at David Pecaut Square in Toronto, fierce models were strutting their stuff in the upcoming Mikhael Kale Fall/Winter 2015 fashion featuring dresses with intricate beading, retro-circle mod themes, and lots of textures for Day 1 of World MasterCard Fashion Week!

In this show, he sought inspiration from eras with memorable looks: the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

Mikhael Kale started his own label in 2007 and has been featured in numerous prestigious publications including The New York Times Style Magazine, Nylon, and Wallpaper. He has also dressed A-list celebrities such as Beyonce and JLo!

The creative philosophy behind Mikhael Kale fashion is that garments move and breathe, acting like an extension of the person who wears the clothes. They flatter the body’s silhouette and express its strength and delicate nature.

Grace Lee is Maybelline’s Lead Makeup Artist, and she whipped up a fun look that incorporated a fun and unexpected bright pop of colour.

She gave the inner corner of the eye that “Wow Factor” by using an everyday product in a novel way. Grace Lee used a lipstick to create that brilliant orange that graced each model that walked the runway.

First, she started with a smoky eye using Eye Studio Color Molten Eyeshadow Duo in Midnight Morph and Eye Studio 24hr Color Tattoo in Barely Branded for a neutral tone.

Lashes were coated with Lash Sensational Mascara for a dramatic effect, and brows were shaped using Eye Studio Brow Drama (the clear version).

To add that punch of colour to the inner corner of the eyes, Grace Lee used Color Sensational Vivids Lip Color in Electric Orange. This created an unforgettable, head-turning look!

Since the orange accent was the focal point, she kept the lips simple and fresh with Color Sensational The Buffs Lip Color in Nude Lust.

On the face, she used Face Studio Master Prime to create a wonderful glow, followed by the Fit Me! Foundation Stick and Fit Me! Powder. Then, she highlighted skin with Baby Lips in Quenched and Eye Studio 24hr Color Tattoo in Barely Branded.

Mikhael Kale WMCFW Day 1 2015

On nails, Rita Remark, Essie Canada’s Lead Nail Artist used Sand Tropez and Blanc.

Rita Remark said, “I sought to redefine the typical ‘nude’, utilizing neutral polish colours to make a statement nail look. The result is versatile, yet strikingly unique at the same time.”

Mikhael Kale WMCFW 2015 Essie

Check out the rest of this post for tons of photos of the Mikhael Kale fashion, as well as the makeup and nail looks!

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Essie Garden Variety Swatches & Review

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Essie-Garden-Variety-Swatches-&-Review 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.

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Essie Flowerista Swatches & Review

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Essie Flowerista Swatches & ReviewWeeks ago, I wore Essie Flowerista, which comes from the Essie Spring 2015 Collection!

Let me tell you – I’ve had enough of winter and couldn’t be more excited about spring officially coming in a few days.

This pink-based purple is just what my nails needed back when winter had dreary mornings.

Thankfully, the mornings lately have been full of sunshine, which is like Mother Nature’s pep talk to begin the day! 🙂

Essie Flowerista is a great way to introduce colour to your nails – it’s easy to wear, but it adds a fun pop of colour to satisfy the craving.

P.S. Today is Friday the 13th, but it’s going to be a nailphile’s lucky day. It’s your last chance to enter my OPI Hawaii Collection Giveaway (open to Canadian and US residents) – Ends tonight at 11:59 pm EDT!

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Marsala: Pantone’s Colour of the Year

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Maybelline Essie MarsalaPantone’s Colour of the Year is Marsala, and no matter how many times people write about it, I always misread Marsala as Masala. (Perhaps it’s because I’m absolutely in love with Indian food.) 😉

Marsala is described as an earthy reddish brown that’s flattering on a variety of skin tones.

While dramatic, it’s also grounding because of its warmth and sophistication. This is why Marsala is a shade that’s so appealing to many people.

(I have been watching 90210 episodes, and I’m loving it! To clarify, I’m talking about the original 90210 episodes that I grew up with when I was in elementary school, not the new version. So while watching 90210, I’m more into the 1990s vibe than ever before.)

As I get older, I’m learning to appreciate classic hues that withstand the test of time. Marsala is definitely a shade that can be sported any time and anywhere.

Yes, I’m a green fiend, so I loved it when the colour of year was emerald, but surprisingly, I’m more into the Marsala trend. Why? More people can comfortably sport it, and there’s a wide arena of colour interpretation.

Marsala can be dark or neutral, which means that if you’re going for a vampy or natural look, it fits the bill.

In this post, I highlight a few makeup items that fall within the Marsala colour scheme.

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Essie New York Fashion Week Recap: Day 5

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Essie New York Fashion Week Carolina HerreraToday’s Essie New York Fashion Week Recap: Day 5 post features the fashion and complementary manicures from runway shows by the following designers: Veronica Beard, Brock, Heimstone, and Carolina Herrera!

The sophisticated off-the-shoulder dress by Carolina Herrera has my heart because I adore the asymmetrical detailing at the waist and bust.  The stormy-sky-like print takes the overall look to the next level. Plus the overall silhouette is strong and feminine – a statement dress.

Heimstone’s green dress comes in at a close second for me. It looks cozy and body-conscious with a playful edge. Plus you know how I feel about the colour green! 😉 Adore it!

As for the nail looks, the vampy Essie Shearling Darling pairs well with the Fall/Winter 2015 clothing collection by Veronica Beard. It’s my favourite manicure out of the bunch.

(Psst! I’ll be announcing a HUGE nail-polish giveaway in a few days. It’ll be open to Canada and US residents. You won’t want to miss it! More details to come.)

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