I had such a bummer day today. There are certain days when I can tolerate my job better than others, and today was one of those days when I was just incredibly sad about being at a job that slowly kills my soul every day. After work, I decided to go get my newest lemming: Tom Ford Black Sugar. When I stopped at Bloomingdales, they didn’t have the Fall collection yet so I went to Saks. They didn’t have it either. I was totally defeated and decided that it wasn’t meant to be. I guess I saved myself the $32 for now, but I can’t guarantee I won’t be back there next week. I am instead consoling myself with some Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey.
Anyway, today I have the Essie Shearling Darling Collection for Winter 2013 to show you. Before I get into the swatches, I wanted to remind you that these are three finger swatches due to the breakage of my pointer finger nail.
Oh the humanity! That is a total nubbin, and I pretty much lost the entire free edge. I won’t really get into HOW i broke the nail but let’s just say that a very hard chicharron was involved. Ok, I know that sounds super dumb so let me elaborate: If you don’t know what a chicharron is, it’s basically a pork rind. It was a special chicharron with the meat attached, and I was trying to break off a piece. When it snapped off, it also snapped off my nail. Nice. My gluttony has once again punished me. So now that that I have shared that dumb story, let me show you my swatches of the Shearling Darling Collection.
Haven’t we seen tons of these darkened blues this Fall/Winter? It doesn’t matter to me because Essie Mind Your Mittens is absolutely gorgeous. I can’t get over how glossy this looks–and this is without top coat!!! The formula was nice and opaque so I only needed two coat for full opacity.
Where to start with this color? Essie Parka Perfect is a beautiful greyed dusty blue with hidden shimmer that only becomes apparent at certain angles. The formula was a little streaky so I used three very thin coats which worked out well for me.
I think that Essie Sable Collar is the absolute winner in this collection. It’s so beautiful!!!!! The microshimmer really comes out in sunlight and depending on the angle, you see some brown, grey and burgundy. Seriously gorgeous! The formula was nice and needed two coats.
While being the collection’s namesake, Essie Shearling Darling is nice but not exactly exciting. The reason why I really like this polish is because it is amazingly shiny and smooth and as we all know, I can’t resist a gorgeous creme. It almost has a squishy crelly quality to it. The formula is great and it just SCREAMS Fall.
Essie Toggle To The Top is a unique polish in my collection–I don’t think I have anything similar to this. At first I thought that this polish was pretty close to Essie Leading Lady, but there are some differences. I think Toggle To The Top has a darker jelly base but the glitter is pretty similar. The formula was kind of gritty which is to be expected. I got some dragging when I didn’t let each coat dry. I ended up applying 3 thin coats for even coverage.
And lastly, here we have Essie Warm & Toasty Turtleneck which is the token lilac/purple in so many Essie collections. This one, however, is one that I can get on board with because it’s more of a gray purple which makes it look dusty and absolutely gorgeous. The formula was nice, and I needed two coats for my swatches above.
Overall, I am very happy with this collection. After a few disappointing collections, I am glad that Essie is bringing us interesting collections again. Best of all, I feel that the formula on their polishes isn’t so problematic anymore nor so hit and miss. This is a solid collection with beautiful colors that perfectly go with the cooling temperatures. One thing I did want to mention is that there seems to be some confusion about two polishes and that they might be mislabeled. Apparently the labels on Mind Your Mittens and Parka Perfect are switched on some polishes. I have no idea which is the correct labeling so I guess we will just have to wait and hear the official word from Essie.
Let me know what you think about this collection. Do you have any favorites? Thanks for stopping by today!
I’m in love with this collection but I’m sure if I bought them these colors would not look as good with my dark skin as they look on your nails. My favorites are Mittens, Parka, Shearling and Turtleneck!!!!!
I’m pretty tan and always look at swatches and wonder how they will look on my skin tone. You can totally rock these!
Normally I would feel bad for you that your nail broke so bad…however all your other nails look freaking amazing naked. WTF woman…mine feel so inferior. You’re like the hand version of those girls who can just roll out of bed with no makeup and look naturally gorgeous. Bitch… 😛
Btw…the first three total win and totally coming home with me.
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“You’re like the hand version of those girls who can just roll out of bed with no makeup and look naturally gorgeous. Bitch… :P” I’ve seen these nails in person and can confirm that this is entirely accurate.
Don’t tell them about my mutant thumb! lol
I’m glad I enabled. My job here is done. And thanks for the nail compliment despite the bitch part. 😛 Yous so mean!
Sable Collar looks frigging gorgeous. Need!
Totally! It’s my favorite one.
I am loving the first three polishes – Mind Your Mittens, Parka Perfect, Sable Collar – they are freakin’ gorgeous. Like, I want to run to Ulta in my pajamas and buy them. 😛 haha!
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LOL…do it!!! I don’t think I’ve seen people in PJ’s at Ulta. Ulta is not Walmart. hahaha
OH my GOSH! I think if I did that, all the ladies at Ulta would be all “WTF, lady, this isn’t Walmart!!” bwahahaha
Hmmmm…..Shearling Darling looks like Essie Wicked. Are they dupes? I think I would pretty much wear everything in this collection. And yes, there is something totally sexy about Sable Collar.
Don’t worry about your nubbins 😉 Dark colors are made for nubbins! Fall is the perfect time for nubbins 😀
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I don’t have Wicked but I think they are VERY similar. I’m glad Essie is making an awesome collection comeback because I was feeling really let down by their previous offerings. I feel so sad with nubbins, though! There are some people who wear them well but I just don’t. I need a little length.
Nice colors, but doesn’t feel new to me. Nah, I probably wont buy any of them.
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I know what you mean. I think most of these aren’t super unique but they are pretty nonetheless. 🙂
I always like dark colours on shorter nails anyway 😉
Toggle To The Top is amazing, but I’m not sure if I should buy that one or Leading Lady…
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I don’t have leading lady, but I think I prefer Toggle To The Top.
How does Sable Collar compare to OPI’s I Knead Sourdough? Also, were there any staining issues with Mind Your Mittens? I’m always scared of that with dark blues, but I looove them.
I haven’t swatched them side by side, but I think I Knead Sourdough is a lot more coppery/red and doesn’t have those dark flashes. You know what? None of these stained and I always swatch on my bare nails. 🙂
Smiling at your broken nail story because, yes, I know exactly what a chicharron is. I hope it grows back soon and I am eager to see what happens with the Tom Ford Black Sugar. That man must have a deal with the devil to be making us all lose our minds with his polishes. I have been there, and I sometimes I think I would swap my firstborn for a bottle of Burnished Rouge. Love all your swatches, and I swear the 3 finger doesn’t make a bit of difference. They are all super beautiful and making me want these polishes to magically appear in my Walgreens now, today!
I hate going to the mall but I didn’t mind going yesterday because I was keeping my eye on the prize. I was so disappointed. I especially hate it when the people at the counter don’t even know anything about when the products will be in or even know about upcoming collections. Uhm, hello! The lady at Saks said to check back in about another week so I guess I will call next time. I love/hate Tom Ford because the prices are outrageous but oh boy his line is drool worthy. One of my favorite fragrances on the planet is Black Orchid…it’s just SEXY!
Aw, man! Sorry about the bummer day, but I can relate to all of it…a bad day at work, wanting to buy a polish (no matter how ridiculous the cost, lol) and not being able to find it, consoling yourself with ice cream. I’m not certain that I’ve broken a nail in a food related incident, but that sounds like something I would do, too.
On the plus side, this collection is pretty damn nice! I like Mind Your Mittens, Parka Perfect, Sable Collar, and Shearling Darling the best. I like Warm & Toasty Turtleneck, too (although not the name…*side eyes turtlenecks*), but it is 1. another lilac from Essie and 2. kind of similar to that OPI Miss Universe one, no?
I hope you perk up when you give that shameless bastard your $32. He should really be sending you press samples for supporting his ego in the manner to which he is accustomed. 😉 I’m sure he doesn’t *do* press samples, but if he did, you should be the one to get them!
Hahaha on turtlenecks. I actually like turtlenecks but I have a short neck so I never thought they looked good on me. Why couldn’t I have that long swan neck a la audrey hepburn? And isn’t Essie like the queen of lilacs? Seriously. You are so right…the OPI Miss Universe one is super similar so I didn’t feel so bad getting rid of it. lol Tom Ford press samples? I would di-e. DUH-EYE!!!!
FINALLY Essie redeems themselves!
Not every colour is unique (navy) but I must say, I actually like each colour! They’re stunning!!!!
Ps: relatable: “I had such a bummer day today. There are certain days when I can tolerate my job better than others, and today was one of those days when I was just incredibly sad about being at a job that slowly kills my soul every day.”
It gets me through some days to know you know well how I feel!
*Hugs* Yes, are both in the work shithole, but we will make it out and we will come out even better!
I am so jealous that you can get these collections so early! I am in love, especially Parka Perfect. I love blue. I already Pinned a few to my wishlist…
Your swatches still look PERFECT even with three fingers. I have a weird break on my thumbnail right now, but I paint it anyway. It’s just one finger… right?
I still paint my broken nail. Yep, just one finger. 🙂
I’m glad you liked these! I really liked this collection overall and was beyond pleased with the great formula.
Just wanted to let you know that your ID sends people to blogpost.com instead of blogspot.
Huh, didn’t realize it linked my name. I think I got it right this time, thanks!
Parka Perfect is really perfect 😀
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Mind your mittens is gorgeous!!
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It really is! I really liked this collection overall.
I agree with you on the shearling darling I just used this color and I honestly dont knowwhat made me buy it because I feel like I have seen them all before nothing really excited me :/
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well HELLOOO after more than a month of being gone (i just stopped reading my mail) i’m back..
the blue one on this collection is gorgeous, it reminds me of opi incognito in sausalito we loved so much..
did you know i lost the polish? every wednesday i go to a friends’ and while we mani-pedi ourselves, we watch a national reailty show.. so one day she asked if she could borrow the polish.. i was reluctant at first because it was new (i know, i am the selfish kid of the neighborhood), but then i gave it to her.. and she lost it in a very comprehensible way, along with her dotting tools, neon new polishes she bought in LA and other nail art thingies.
we bought again online few weeks ago! thanks God.
i forgot to add that i LOL so much reading about the chicharron thing.. real chicharrones break hard things.. like nails or teeth.