Essie Summer Collection Mini Set

Essie Summer Collection Mini Set

Ek and I went on a really quick Ulta shopping trip the other day. We arrived at the store at 8:40 and they closed at 9, but I still managed to grab $70 worth of stuff in less than 20 minutes LOL. One thing I picked up was the Essie Summer Collection Mini Set. Usually the mini sets kind of stink. They contain one OK color and 3 colors that no one wants. They almost NEVER include the best color in the collection. However, this time, the mini set had all the colors I was interested in! The mini set contains: Demure Vixen, Haute as Hello, Knockout Pout, and Pretty Edgy. The mini polishes are 5 ml each, whereas full-size Essies are 15 ml each. The set of four minis retails for around $17.

Essie Minis: Pretty Edgy, Knockout Pout, Haute as Hello, Demure Vixen

Essie Pretty Edgy, two coats, no flash

Let's start off with my obvious favorite from this collection- Pretty Edgy! It's funny, I was saying to EK when we were in Ulta that I'm kinda overwhelmed with the number of greens I own now and I didn't really even want Pretty Edgy. But that all changed when I put it on!! This is two coats, I did this super fast, so sorry about the mess. This is a unique green, even in my massive green collection. It's not too light, not too dark, just perfect and really bright. The formula on this one was good too, easy application and good drying time.

Essie Pretty Edgy, two coats, no flash

Essie Knockout Pout, three coats, with flash

Next up is a big surprise- Knockout Pout. This looks kind of pale and not exciting in the bottle. When you put it on the nail, it is actually pretty bright and a semi-neon! It's definitely not a true neon, but it dries to this weird plastic-y finish, so it must have some neon pigment in it. Pinks are never my favorite, but this one is very pretty. I did three coats and had a bit of VNL, but I could handle it. Formula was a little streaky, but not horrible, and looked fine with top coat.

Essie Knockout Pout, three coats, with flash

Essie Haute as Hello, three coats, no flash

Haute as Hello is my second favorite of this collection and another surprise. This is like Knockout Pout- boring in the bottle, HOT on the nail! It's another semi-neon that dries to that semi-matte finish. It's actually kind of a cool finish if you wanted to leave it without top coat. This is three coats and again, I had some VNL, but it wasn't hideous. Same formula as Knockout Pout, a little streaky, but fine with top coat. I LOVE this color!! So bright and gorgeous with a tan! (Not that I am ever tan, but I am going spray tanning today LOL). That first picture is probably the most color accurate of the bunch.

Essie Haute as Hello, three coats, no flash

Essie Haute as Hello, three coats, no flash

Essie Demure Vixen, three coats, with flash

Demure Vixen was my least favorite of the bunch. It's a cool concept, it just wasn't working out on my nails. Demure Vixen is a murky mauve jelly, with a kind of duochrome-like shimmer. You can see the shimmer in that first picture, but it's not very obvious the rest of the time. This is three coats, and I felt there was a LOT of VNL. Like an unattractive amount. I'll wear it occasionally, I'm sure, probably more towards the fall. It's not the most summer-y color IMO. But hey, every mini set has to have at least one dud, right? LOL. The formula was OK though, not too streaky.

Essie Demure Vixen, three coats, no flash

Overall, I think this mini set is definitely worth $17. Knockout Pout, Haute as Hello and Pretty Edgy are Must-Haves for any summer bright lover! Demure Vixen, ehhhhhh not so much.

The Essie Summer Collection mini set is available at an Ulta store near you.