This post contains a closer look at all the colours with bottle shots and swatches.
I included swatches with the white base and without the white base. Plus you’ll see how the lacquers intensify with two coats.
For further information and the colour story behind the Essie Silk Watercolor Collection, you can read the official press release that contains all the details.
Since PR was kind enough to not only send me this collection (and in a cute gift bag), but also the press booklet, I snapped photos of the booklet and bag, so that we can share the experience together. (It’s more fun this way!)
While flipping through the Essie Silk Watercolor Collection press booklet, I saw some playful nail-art looks plus a step-by-step tutorial for one, so I took photos of them in case you’d like to try your hand at them. (I may try the Ombre Nouveau nail art because I’m a fan of wearing rainbows on my nails! If I end up doing it, I’ll be sure to share my manicure with you on here and/or on my social media.)
There are nine shades in the Essie Silk Watercolor Collection:
The Essie Silk Watercolor Collection arrived in an elegant white gift bag!
Here’s what I saw when I peeked inside.
Essie Muse, Myself
Brilliant. Creative. Charismatic. This seductive citrus is all the inspiration you need.
Essie Art New-Beau
True love or pick-up artist? Who cares? You’ll fall for this eternally hot orange flame every time.
Essie Blush Stroke
Captivating charm. Masterful technique. This daring scarlet elevates flirting to an art.
Essie Love Sheen
Float away on a cloud of sweet love with this glowing shade of amorous rose. Sigh.
Essie Highest Bidder
Rich, assertive and relentlessly determined, this lavish deep crimson just loves to win – a lot.
Essie No Shrinking Violet
The sheer power of this fierce ultra violet proves delicate beauty is a force to be reckoned with.
Essie Point of Blue
View the world through the lens of this visionary blue iris and acquire a fashionable perspective.
Essie Pen & Inky
Want to create a signature look? Draw upon the cool reserve of this chic graphic teal.
Essie White Page
Anything is possible. Get ready to make your mark in this vivid bright white.
Essie Silk Watercolor Collection Swatches
2 Coats (No White Base) Left-Right: White Page, Muse, Myself, Art New-Beau, Blush Stroke, Love Sheen, Highest Bidder, Point of Blue, No Shrinking Violet & Pen & Inky
1 Coat (with White Base)
2 Coats (with White Base)
2 Coats (with White Base)
In the press booklet that PR gave me, there were some nail-art ideas, so I snapped photos to include them in this post.
A closer look!
How to recreate the look!
Below is the official press release provided to me by PR:
Unleash Your Creative Genius
Introducing Essie’s Silk Watercolor Collection
Delicate effects. Vivid hues. Sheer beauty. Essie is thrilled to announce the launch of the Silk Watercolor collection. As the fashion industry’s go-to nail color authority, these exquisite sheers embody Essie’s passion for artistry, trend and boundary-pushing creativity. Available exclusively in salons, this collection of layer able, buildable colors is a chic departure from traditional creams, adding soft dimension to every professional’s palette. Add an artistic touch to nail designs in the spirit of Cezanne and Van Gogh, with a whole new level of virtuosity. Translucent, bendable color makes watercolour effects a breeze; overlapping shades create a range of tonality and depth.
With a nod to fine, hand-painted skills and chiffons floating down the runways, this unprecedented collection of nine shades unlock the creative genius in every nail artist. The luminous formula encourages pros to expand their technique with intricate designs and new genres of embellishment. With shade names inspired by the fascinating collision of the worlds of art and fashion, these watercolours are sure to paint their way into nail art history.
I’m in love with an art new-beau: Essie’s Silk Watercolor collection. With every sheer blush stroke I create dazzling new effects and I a muse, myself. Museum-quality pen & inky designs are sure to spark a love sheen with even the most discerning highest bidder. An unapologetically chic point of blue is no shrinking violet. What’s my inspiration? All I need is a white page, Essie and my imagination.
The Silk Watercolor 2015 Collection will be available exclusively in salon as of July 2015 at a suggested retail price of $8.99.
If you’re a nailphile who keeps up-to-date on nail news like I do, you probably have heard about the OPI Color Paints Collection that was released a little while ago. Maybe you’re wondering how the Essie Silk Watercolor Collection compares to it.
Both have the same concept in that they include a wide range of translucent colours that are designed to be layered over a base.
The OPI collection has a silver base, so putting their colours on top yields a more metallic look, whereas the Essie collection has a white base, which makes layered colours look more like a creamy jelly. (You could definitely use the OPI shades over Essie’s white and Essie’s shades over OPI’s silver.)
I did a whole detailed post with bottle shots and swatches of the OPI Color Paints Collection earlier, so you can check it out if you want to compare the individual colours.
What designs would you create using the Essie Silk Watercolor Collection? If you could pick only one colour in this Essie collection that’s your favourite, which would it be?