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Essie
In 1981, Essie Weingarten created 12 stylish nail colors and began selling them in Las Vegas. Almost four decades later, Essie is one of the most recognized nail polish brands in the country. Beloved for its massive and always current shade range, matchless staying power, chip resistance, and unforgettably whimsical color names, Essie has won over the hearts of nail painters everywhere.
It's now fall-mani season, but with over 300 Essie polishes on the market, choosing the perfect hue can be difficult. Some Essie colors have outdone the others in terms of their iconic-ness, and since we know Byrdie readers are connoisseurs of the brand, we wanted to get their take. So we posted in Byrdie’s secret Facebook group, The Beauty Line, and asked our readers to tell us their holy-grail Essie colors. Let’s just say they had strong opinions.
Keep scrolling to see what they said. Is your favorite Essie color below?
Essie Nail Polish in Ballet Slippers
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Courtesy of Essie
Works for any occasion
Vegan
Sheer color
Some may prefer something more opaque
No single Essie shade has stolen readers' hearts like the soft pink Ballet Slippers. The color is "always my simple go-to," says a reader named McKenzie. Joey agrees: "Ballet Slippers is a perfect sheer for when you want a little something, but not too much color." As a third reader named Kate adds, "even if it makes me the most boring person alive, [Ballet Slippers] always makes me feel like A Real Adult."
Price at time of publish: $10
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Clambake
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Great color payoff
Ideal for summer
Doesn't stain nails
More like jelly polish than a creme
“The only red I feel I can take myself seriously in,” says Byrdie reader Erika of this vibrant shade, which a different reader named Joey calls “the perfect jelly orange.”
Price at time of publish: $12
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Midnight Cami
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Great color payoff
Opaque in one coat
Messy removal
This deep midnight blue punctuated with bright blue shimmer is another of Emily’s favorites. "It resembles the night sky and reminds me of my connection to the universe," she says.
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Bikini So Teeny
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Courtesy of Amazon
Ideal for summer and spring
Long-lasting
Slightly runny
Mariana calls this flirty pastel shade "a fun blue color that’s very cute."
Price at time of publish: $11
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Big Spender
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Works for any occasion
Great color payoff
Color doesn't match online images
This one's "a great magenta color that can be worn year-round," says Emily.
Price at time of publish: $9
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Wicked
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Ideal for fall and winter
Great color payoff
Can apply streaky
This deep burgundy is a top pick for multiple Byrdie readers, who call it "vampy but classic" and "a great deep red for fall and winter."
Price at time of publish: $10
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish
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Courtesy of Amazon
Works for any occasion
Great color payoff
Can apply streaky
Lovers of neutral colors are in agreement about this timeless shade. As Joey says, it's "the perfect, opaque nude without having any pink. Very classic."
Price at time of publish: $10
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Bordeaux
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Ideal for fall and winter
Doesn't apply streaky
Chips easily
Another one on the vampier side, Bordeaux is "a deep wine which is a great alternative to black, and it's more grown-up and sophisticated," Joey says.
Price at time of publish: $17
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Lace Me Up
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Courtesy of Essie
Long-lasting
Works for any occasion
Some may prefer something more opaque
This dainty shade is "the most amazing pinky white color, which is great for year-round wear, and it lasts forever," says a reader named Mollie. "Simply gorgeous!"
Price at time of publish: $9
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: Yes
Essie Nail Polish in After School Boy Blazer
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Courtesy of Walmart
Great color payoff
Ideal for fall and winter
Opaque in one coat
Chips easily
Multiple readers mention this classic deep blue as a favorite. As one reader named Susan describes, the shade "is such a dark, beautiful navy, when you put it on you can't tell if its navy or black."
Price at time of publish: $11
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Glossy | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
Essie Nail Polish in Au Natural
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Elongates fingers
Long-lasting
Some may prefer something more opaque
A Byrdie reader named Melanie calls this "a gorgeous sheer nude with a hint of sheen/glitter. So pretty and elongating for the fingers!"
Size: 0.46 ounces | Finish: Iridescent | Cruelty-Free: No | Byrdie Clean: No
What to Look For in an Essie Nail Polish
Color
It’s all about the color when choosing between different Essie nail polishes. Remember that there’s no hard and fast rule about what colors you can wear throughout the year. Some people sport nude nails every season, while others are constantly experimenting with vibrant hues. Choose whatever color speaks to you!
Finish
If you want a solid, glossy finish opt for opaque nail lacquer. If you want your nails to look translucent, opt for a sheer polish. Shimmery polishes often come in either an opaque or translucent base, whereas glitter polish is often meant to be worn over an opaque color or on its own.
Dry Time
Essie nail polishes typically dry quickly, but if you lack patience or don’t have the time to wait, look for a quick-dry formula. Additionally, you can apply any quick-dry topcoat over your nails to speed the process up.