{things i shopped} red nail polish cheat sheet

Essie has been my go-to brand (big three free!) for about four years now, with red polishes my color of choice for most of that time (why? I wear a lot of black and it matches well, plus I find it's the easiest formula to apply, which is important since I do all of my own mani/pedis). There have been many hits and misses along the way, but below I've run through my favorites only, in categories based on their subtle differences in shading.

clambake

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what essie says: "a creamy red-orange" // what i see: a neon red with lots of orange perfect for spring or summer

lollipop

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what essie says: "a candy cane red" // what i see: a very bright red with a gel-like finish, great for the holiday season

really red

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what essie says: "an award-winning truly rich red" // what i see: a classic but somewhat flat deep red that dulls slightly over time

russian roulette

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what essie says: "a classic bright red cream with subtle orange undertones" // what i see: my favorite of all essie's reds, a bright red with a rich, shiny finish that's ideal for everyday wear

fishnet stockings

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what essie says: "a spicy dark creme red" // what i see: a deep red with slightly purplish undertones that's prone to pooling

dressed to kilt

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what essie says: "a seductive red" // what i see: a subtle, magenta-like burgundy that's great for fall

skirting the issue

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what essie says: "an exquisite, fashionable burgundy wine" // what i see: an elegant velvety oxblood with lots of rich purple tones

wicked

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what essie says: "a deep and dark creamy sinister red" // what i see: a burgundy so dark that it's almost black, especially when layered in many coats