My Recent Nail Polish Purchase from Essie and OPI

Eternal Optimist from Essie's Spring 2009 Collection (Right)
Trickle My Francey from OPI Fall 2008 France Collection (Left)

I always think nail polish is one of the easiest way to change the mood and transition into the change of seasons. As spring is just around the corner, I would like to share with you two spring-like nail colors I bought from Essie and OPI recently.

Eternal Optimist from Essie's Spring 2009 Collection

The color is a light pinky nude with a crème finish.The nude pigment tones down the brightness of pink (commonly found in true pinks) to a softer and more appealing shade that suits my skin tone. The color has a girly, romantic and classy vibe.

Eternal Optimist
Nail Swatch with Three Coats (Right)
Nail Swatch with One Coat (Left)

One of the things I like about this nail color is its quick-drying formula. The color pay-off is good, and the lasting power is amazing.

The biggest downside for this nail color is its texture. Compared to most of the nail polishes I have used, Eternal Optimist from Essie spring 2009 has a thick and dense texture. With this kind of texture, I found the application for a smooth and even finish is not easy. I usually apply three coats or more of nail polish. First of all, it is difficult to apply Eternal Optimist smoothly and evenly due to its thick and gooey consistency. Second, the color dries relatively quickly, which makes it harder to spread the color evenly. It requires a quick and mature skill to make sure the finish is nice and even.

Trickle My Francey from OPI Fall 2008 France Collection

I have been in love with the predominantly gray/taupe-based purples, reds and browns from OPI fall 2008 France Collection since it was released last year. The colors are so elegant and wearable. I bought two shades from the collection, Baguette Me Not and Parlez-Vous OPI?, last fall. Trickle My Francey is my recent purchase from this collection. I still keep my eyes on other deep colors in France Collection. I think my stash of OPI France Collection will continue to expand.

Trickle My Francey
Nail Swatch with One Coat (Right)
Nail Swatch with Three Coats (Left)

Trickle My Francey is a beige nude with pale gray and lilac undertones. The color is crème-based without shimmer.

It has a sheer and smooth consistency, but it is buildable. It can be layered for light to medium intensity. With one to two coats, it gives a semi-opaque beige nude finish with hints of pink and gray undertones. With three coats or more, it imparts an opaque grayish and lilac beige finish with a high glossy shine. The gray and lilac undertones are intensified as more coats are applied. It is a very unique color. It has the feminess of pinky lilac and the character of gray and beige. The color is simply chic and trendy.

The application is fuzz-free. I like the fact that the bristle has good extendability to spread the color very smoothly. I personally think OPI does a better job on the bristle design than Essie.

The lasting power is fairly good. The only drawback is it takes time for this nail polish to dry if I apply three layers of more.

	Eternal Optimist	Trickle My Francey
Color	Light pinky nude	Beige nude with gray and lilac undertones
Texture	Relatively thick	Sheer and smooth
Ease of Application	Difficult	Easy
Drying Time	Quick	Long (for three coats or more)
Finish	Crème	Crème
Lasting Power	Very good	Good

Related posts:
"Parlez-Vous OPI?" and "Baguette Me Not" from OPI Fall 2008 France Collection

"Peach-a-Boo!" from OPI Summer 2008 Retro Fun in the Sun Collection

"Lunch at the Delhi" form OPI Spring 2008 India Collection