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Essie Starter Kit

Just a quick open and close of my nail polish drawer reveals a new level of ridiculousness. Let’s just say I own way more polishes than I do nails, have upteen shades that fit the sheer pink category and posses all the cult favourites from Essie. It’s not a proud moment. But when it comes to nail lacquer I just can’t help myself, there’s something about the feeling of an at home mani with a new colour to luxe-up your outfit – I think I need to take some of my own advice, Beauty Spring Clean anyone? However in reality only a small selection enter my everyday polish rotation and my Essie-centric collection got me thinking whether I could whittle it down to a mere ‘Starter Kit-esque’ edit. And you know what with some careful colour deduction, I just about can…

My thinking behind these four choices were that every gal needs a pink, red, a slightly dirty nude and a fruity choice to see her through the nail polish cycle. Starting from the left allow me to introduce Merino Cool, a shade that I will recommend to anyone if they allow me to gas on about polish for long enough. It fits the ‘dirty, grey, heather, murky neutral’ category perfectly (that category exists, right?), and has been a bit of a go-to colour for myself over the past few years. Then to fill the sheer pink bill, Ballet Slippers is the ultimate. A milky white-based pink that looks just as chic on the nails with one coat as it does three. For occasions when you’re feeling a little experimental and a shade that looks especially good when the sun finally decides to make an appearance is Mint Candy Apple. Easily the most blabbed about shade from Essie’s offering and one that will have you peering down at your pinkies all day. Aperitif is what I like to call my ‘one-stop-red’, even just a single layer on the nail of this cherry rouge will have you sorted. The only red you need, and that’s sayin’ somethin’.

So there you have it – my top pickings of those white-lidded cuties for any Essie virgins out there and a nice beginners quad for you. Now I’m off to heed my own advice and get rifling through my own stash. I’m not quite sure how I can justify my possession of five pink glitter polishes…

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