Essie

Essie Spring 2022 Collection Nail Polish [833 - Flight of Fantasy] Review

By Maychiri's Thoughts - February 29, 2024

Oh my, what a lovely nail polish! And an Essie, to boot! Specifically, the Essie Spring 2022 Collection Nail Polish, in the shade 833/Flight of Fantasy!
 
 
Okay.. this might have been bought a tiiiny bit impulsively. I was shopping for Christmas presents at BIPA and they have this huge display that’s basically the clearance section, so old stuff more-or-less. But would you look at that – they had a respectable amount of various Essies at silly low prices (at least for Essie nail polishes)! I spent more than 15 minutes trying to decide which one to buy... they’re all so pretty! But this one stood out to me because it’s part of the Spring 2022 Collection, which featured gorgeous pastel shades perfect for spring – including this one, which seems to be an almost robin-egg teal! Oh yeah, I’m taking this one! And for only 4.30€! What a steal! So what if it is a bit older, it hasn’t been opened yet... and you don’t pass up on such cheap Essies! Flight of Fantasy... such a fanciful name, hope this nail polish will be just as good as the other Spring 2022 polish that I love so much (836/Keep Branching Out)! Well, let’s check it out! I, for one, cannot wait!
 
 
 
 
Packaging: ooh, so elegant! A large rectangular bottle that looks almost square-ish, with a quite tall white cap. This is the classic Essie bottle, and I love it! It looks so expensive! The cap closes extremely tightly, so much that I sometimes struggle to open it. I love the detailing around the bottle – it’s got an engraved Essie logo on two sides. This is so classy! And the white text is so pretty with this colour! All around classy bottle! 
 
 
 
 
 
Ingredients: nothing nourishing, but also 3-free (DBP, formaldehyde, toluene). However, it does have colophonium/rosin, which can cause allergies in some people. The scent is your typical nail polish scent, but much more intense. It’s seriously very intense! The expiration date is 24 months after opening.
 
 
 
Brush: elegant and long flat brush. It’s not very wide, but that only makes it more precise. It’s a fantastically precise brush, able to easily paint the nails without making a huge mess. And it also applies nail polish wonderfully at the cuticles! Each coat of polish is applied richly and perfectly evenly, for a truly professional finish! Just do remember to tap off excess nail polish because this brush does pick up a lot of it! What a fantastic brush!
 
 
 
 
Colour: how do I manage to underestimate just how good light blue looks on my skin?? Like, I look at the bottle and I’m like, ‘meh, I guess it’ll be okayish’, but then, when I see it on my skin I’m always blown away. It’s like that with this colour, see. I wasn’t too sure it would look good on me when I bought it, but now that I see it on my nails, I am in love with it! This is a muted teal that is light and very flattering on light or pale skin. I’ve been trying to figure what this reminds me... it’s on the tip of my tongue... right! Yeah! This is almost the same colour as robin eggs (they are more vibrantly teal, though). Aww, such a pretty, gentle colour! It’s got just the right blend of blue and green pigments so that it looks incredibly elegant, not gaudy. A really gorgeous colour, perfect for the end of winter or early spring! Ahh, I love it so much!
 
 
Okay, this formula is just divine! It definitely feels expensive. Like, it’s not at all gelly (not that gel nail polishes are bad, mind you, but cheap nail polishes often are gel-type), but it also isn’t watery either. It’s so very creamy and rich and extremely easy to work with! Ahh, I’m so in love with this formula! It’s just so perfect! The formula here is, interestingly, quite a bit thicker compared to 836/Keep Branching Out, which is part of the same collection. I actually prefer this type of formula to that thinner, slightly water one that 836 has. It’s so easy to use that, even if you use many strokes to paint the nail, it won’t look streaky at all, and it’s always perfectly even. I was literally giggling while I was painting my nails because of how enjoyable and fun it was thanks to this marvellous formula! 
 
 
 
This nail polish is pretty much completely opaque with one coat, so you could absolutely leave it at one coat. It looks perfectly even and the colour looks right. I wanted to see what would change if I applied a second coat, so I did. Answer: not a whole lot! It is still completely opaque and the colour didn’t really change much. But it does look richer, thicker now. But not in a bad way, because it looks almost creamy! So luxurious! The texture is glossy, but not as glossy as I thought it would be. It seems to have an almost muted shine from some angles. It may just be this colour that doesn’t show gloss too well... I don’t mind it at all because it actually looks like a robin’s egg!  So nice!
 
 
 
Longevity is extraordinary, for the most part. It lasted for 4 days before starting to chip, and even when it did chip it wasn’t bad. Well, I did chip off a large fragment but that’s because, me being the klutz I am, opened my cabinet while holding it with my nails... it’s really a miracle that it only chipped this little. But it’s really resistant to normal life, and it doesn’t get scratched up at all! And this is without any kind of base or top coat! Amazing! But, sadly, it started chipping significantly as I was washing my hair. Large chunks started chipping off, so, when I was done, it didn’t look pretty at all. This is a shame, but it’s awesome that it lasted this long before it did actually start to chip off! 
 
 
Oh my, the removal couldn’t be easier! Just a few swipes with nail polish remover and it is completely gone, no rubbing needed! And it doesn’t make my nails any yellower, yay!
 
 
 
In conclusion, a truly fantastic nail polish, like Essies ought to be. There’s little I dislike, honestly! It’s all very high-end and feels luxurious, from the brush, to the formula, to the longevity. The brush is long and flat, and it applies the polish perfectly evenly and richly. Like, only a few swipes and that’s it – it’s perfect! It’s such a precise brush that even painting the sides of nails is easy and doesn’t make a mess. The formula is so incredible, it truly feels very luxurious! It’s creamy but not at all too thick or watery. It’s literally the perfect consistency! Just right so that it applies perfectly even if you aren’t skilled with nail polishes. And you don’t even need two coats, as it’s already opaque and perfect with just one! It’s also quire glossy, but this gorgeous colour hides some of the gloss. It’s the perfect amount of gloss for this colour, so that it really looks like a robin’s egg! Just look at this colour! So pretty, yet muted and not very in-your-face. I think it’s very elegant, especially on pale skin like mine. Yep, I love this colour to bits! Even if I was initially skeptical. The longevity is another fantastic thing about this polish: it lasts for about 4-5 days without any chips or scratches or any sign of wear. It only started to chip at the end of day 4, and on day 5 as I was washing my hair. Okay, sure, it looked very bad after the hair wash, with huge pieces chipping off individual nails, but the fact that it lasted this long in pristine condition is astounding! I’m speechless... this nail polish is incredible! It really took me on a flight of fantasy, and showed me how good it can truly be! I would absolutely recommend it if it weren’t part of an old LE! But since it is, it’s going to be very hard to find it, sadly. But if you do, absolutely try it out – you won’t regret it!
 
 
 
Rating: 8.5/10
 
 
Would buy again? YES (sad that it’s an LE :( )





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