Have I mentioned that it’s still cold here in Chicago enough times yet? We had snow this week. SNOW. In APRIL. I think I’m allowed to keep mentioning that I want spring until it actually stays here for more than a week, okay.
As always, we’ll just soften our weather woes with nail polish. We can always pretend it’s spring with warm glowy spring tones on our fingers. And you know the best way to truly avoid the cold is to not go outside at all and just paint our nails. Modern solutions, and all that.
So let’s stay in the warmth and talk about some new nail polish!
This is the Essie ‘Blushin’ & Crushin’ collection, and it’s their newest seasonal release for Spring 2024. We have 3 creams, and then we have 3 gorgeous squishy shimmer shades. This is just a fun little color palette that really hits every sort of spring mood one could have throughout the season.
These shades are available on the Beyond Polish website where code: “GingerlyPolished” will get you 10% off individual items. It is affiliated which means I’ll get a small commission for each order, but as always no pressure to use it!
Alright, all of that starting information is out of the way, let’s get on into the swatches!
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I’m going by the official polish numbers for order, so sorry in advance that we’re flipping back and forth with the finishes. For example, with this first shade we’re starting out with the 1st of 3 shimmers. This is ‘Flirty Flutters’, and that name just gives me the flirty flutters in general, like I’m thinking about a new crush (I say as a happily engaged woman). It feels like I’m cozied up in a blanket, watching the most wholesome romcom.
Anyways, this is a softer fuchsia jelly pink base filled with a bright lilac purple shimmer. That shimmer just really brings it alive, like bright new flowers popping out of the dead ground (I swear I’ll stop with the metaphors and comparison). As mentioned, this shade has a jelly formula, so it is very squishy-looking and more sheer on the 1st coat. It does build up well on the 2nd coat and depending on your preferences you could be set here. However I did want to cover more of the visible nail line, so I added a 3rd coat to further build up the formula. It paints on smoothly, and I loved the overall glowy finish.
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And then we bounce on over to a cream finish, with ‘Blushin’ & Crushin’, the namesake of the set. This is a super bright, almost neon pink cream – for those moments you’re feeling more energetic after the sun actually comes out. It has definite warm tones to it, pulling it more coral, and I’ll be wearing this beautiful shade in the summer as well.
This also had a super easy 2 coat formula. It painted on so well, with that 2nd coat covering any last streaks and patches I had after the 1st coat. It’s a gorgeous cream formula from Essie, something I’m glad I can just automatically expect.
Blushin’ & Crushin’ – Live Swatch
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‘Tu-lips Touch’ (see, you can just hear the romance novel being written in these titles, I tell ya) is a beautiful dusky sky blue shade. It feels a touch more muted and soft, if you’re looking for something more toned down after ‘Blushin’ & Crushin’ above. Like those calm spring Sunday mornings, that are still a touch crisp, yet cozy.
This had another lovely and easy 2 coat formula. Once again that 2nd coat comes in and covers any last patches and ridges I had peeking through, and it was so smooth and lovely.
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Back to the shimmers, next up we have ‘Spring Fling’. This is a warm, coral pink base filled with an almost champagne-peachy shimmer all throughout.
Like ‘Flirty Flutters’, it has that same squishy, jelly formula, so it does have a more sheer 1st coat. It builds up well with that 2nd coat, and you could be set with just those 2. Once again I did choose to add a 3rd to further build up the color, but it’ll all be your application and preferences. The coats painted on smoothly and easily and if you go with thinner layers, they won’t take too much extra drying time.
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We finish out the final cream formula of the set with ‘First Kiss Bliss’. This one is a light, minty blue cream shade. It has that tiny drop of green to it, keeping it from a true sky blue and giving it some warmth. I can’t get enough of minty shades like this, and adding any sort of green to a shade guarantees I’ll love it just a little more.
This was streaky on the 1st coat, which I do expect from such white-based shades. But it built up surprisingly well with that 2nd coat and is pretty well opaque. I did go ahead and add a 3rd – I have very ridged nails that often require a 3rd coat, but most will be set with just 2.
First Kiss Bliss – Live Swatch
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And to finish out the shimmers and the collection itself, we have ‘Meet-Cute Moment’. This is a warm peachy-orange base with a stunning golden shimmer all throughout. It feels like a sunset on the nails, like a perfect spring evening. My brighter lights do really plus up this glow of the shimmer, but it’s still very noticeable even in indirect lighting.
Just like ‘Blushin & Crushin’ and ‘Spring Fling’, this had that more squishy jelly formula. So you know the drill, it’s more sheer on that 1st coat and builds up with 2-3 coats depending on your application and preferences.
Meet-Cute Moment – Live Swatch
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And that’s the set! It just feels warm and cozy somehow, like seeing the sun and feeling the warmth again after a long gray winter. Yes, maybe I’m assigning a lot of meaning here, but I swatch a lot of nail polish, I’m going to do that after a while. The colors all work well together, and they also make me even more excited for summer shades on the horizon as well.
Overall, the formulas were great, with all of the creams being fully opaque in just 2 coats. I did use 3 thinner coats for each of those jelly shimmers, but they painted on smoothly and I had no issues. They give a different sort of finish, and the glowy shimmer within just gets me, so it’s worth it for those 3 coats.
Are you interested in any of these shades?
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Holo Taco I Need Space collection • China Glaze Meadow Dreams Spring 2024 • Glam Polish I’ll Be There For You collection • Ella Mila Jeweled Elegance 10th Birthday collection
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