To mark Essie’s 35th birthday, the brand is releasing six of it’s best loved, most missed shades. From inky navies which have inspired bidding wars on Ebay, to the perfect nudes and neutrals, the Retro Revival collection is one you seriously have to check out!
Probably the most talked about shade from the collection is Starry Starry Night. First released back in 1985, the original formula contained real diamond dust for the most delicate of shimmers. Once Essie ran out of the diamonds, the polish was no more, and you can still (sometimes) find bottles of the stuff on Ebay going for hundreds of pounds! This reincarnation is slightly less glamorous in the fact that it just has regular glitter in it, but it’s no less pretty.
Two coats give a beautifully rich, jelly-like finish to the polish which dries to a deep navy. Since the glitter particles are a little bigger than before, you will need a thicker top coat to achieve a perfect, gel-like look, but it’s really worth it! Starry Starry Night glitters and glints in the light, and is a really fun way to wear a dark nail.
Life of the Party is an absolute stunner of a deep ruby. Shot through with the perfect does of shimmer, the polish is the absolute embodiment of glamour.
With perfectly even coverage, I could almost get away with a single coat. To achieve a beautifully rich finish, I stuck with two. It has an even finish, and I can’t wait until the Festive season where I think it will come into it’s own!
In a Bikini with a Martini might be the nail polish with the all time greatest name, and it’s a seriously pretty polish to match! Described as a frosted, iridescent pink, it’s definitely the girlies choice of the bunch, and it is a really beautiful, Barbie pink!
With a subtle touch of iridescence, In a Bikini with a Martini can do double duty, both as a polish and as a top coat. When finishing off a regular pink manicure, In a Bikini with a Martini gives a perfect amount of sheen and glitz. On bare nails, they brighten them up, leaving them looking so pretty and glossy.
Sequin Sash is the polish which is probably the biggest surprise of the bunch, as it looks so different on the nail than it does in the bottle.
Probably the thinnest of the six varnishes, Sequin Sash is a super delicate peachy pink which is shot through with the finest silver glitter. One coat of the polish gives nails a fairy-like sparkle whilst three coats gives an almost-opaque covering.
Essie’s Cabana Boy dates back to 2005 and is probably the shade that launched a million neutral nail shades. I love the super-cool taupe/mushroom shade which feels super current despite being over a decade old!
Somewhat surprisingly for such a light shade, Cabana Boy applies like an absolute dream. It’s super smooth, and is almost opaque in a single coat. It looks like moonlight on nails, and it’s a gorgeous Spring-time shade!
Probably my most reached-for shade from the line up is Birthday Suit, a must-have super nude, which is one of those polishes every girl should have.
Three coats turned it into a super shiny, peach-toned nude which made my fingers look super long and thin (always good!) It’s the perfect choice if you’re looking for a no-brainer manicure look that’s going to keep you looking smart and polished.
Essie’s Retro Revival Collection is full of real keepers, and the bottles are priced at £7.99 each, and are available here (UK) and here (US)
