Review & Swatches: essie Mirror Metallics Collection

While I’ve never owned foils on a personal level, I’ve long heard grumbles about them from fellow lacquer-lovers. Brush strokes, a somewhat flat appearance, and a lack of reflectivity were among some of the most common complaints. As a result, I’ve never really gone out of my way to buy them, I just didn’t want to deal with some of the issues associated with foils. New this month from essie, you’ll find the new Mirror Metallics Collection in stores—and it seems these are the exception to the rule!

“I was obsessed,” says Essie Weingarten, Chief Creative Officer. “The appearance of beautiful foils on the runway ignited a year-long search to realize that kind of overall, even reflectivity in a paintable polish.” Aluminum pearl coated in silver was Essie’s ticket to high-shine, helping her create this off-the-catwalk collection. Highly reflective, these metallics are the latest and greatest in the essie roster. Weingarten continues, “I am thrilled with my metallics!”

No Place Like Chrome, Blue Rhapsody, Penny Talk

More photos, swatches, and details…

Good as Gold, Nothing Else Metals

For me, it was love at first stroke! As I brushed Nothing Else Metals across my nails, I marveled at how it was like I was painting my nails with liquid metal, straight out of the Terminator movies. I thought, “What are people talking about? These are amazing!” But it seems after reading several other reviews from people who have more foil experience than I do, essie’s foils are better than most. So I’ve been spoiled with my first shot at them!

They’re available in a smaller collection of just five shades, and I think that was pretty smart. I think it’s better to create smaller collections that are perfect, instead of larger collections where some shades may be less than perfect—just because you’re trying to represent a wider scope of colors to please the masses. In the end, I think essie will satisfy more cravings this way.

Swatches…

No Place Like Chrome is a richly oxidized nickel.

Penny Talk is a fantastic rose-gold.

Good as Gold is a pale-blonde gold metallic.

Blue Rhapsody is a metallic medium blue.

Nothing Else Metals is a soft lilac alloy.

The only real downside I could see to wearing these, would be for those who have ridges. I think if you have a lot of imperfections in the surface of your nails, the Mirror Metallics may accentuate them. I have a few nails where the surface has been marred by the removal of gels in the past few weeks, and I could definitely see where those imperfections were. Aside from that, I thought these were fantastic!

Bottom Line…

These were easier to work with than I initially expected! In most of the polishes, one coat was sufficient, and many of the brush strokes were the result of applying the top coat. While they’re all gorgeous, I’m picking Penny Talk and No Place Like Chrome as my hot picks from the collection. Of all the brands to take this foil leap to mainstream first, I didn’t think it would be essie! But I’m so glad they did.