Uh, can’t believe it’s already March. LA is finally having winter, which gets my seasons all turned around in my head…because body says winter, but my mind is on spring (and summer)! Today I’m bringing you an Essie Gel Couture review of longwearing, spring-ready, and transitional nail polish shades.

Nail polish collabs are my favorite because I’ve been doing my own nails every week ever since my mom allowed me to wear nail polish (age 6). I prefer painting my own nails because it’s fun, creative, and cathartic, so it’s always interesting when I get to try new products in the process. The new Essie Gel Couture Enchanted Collection, a line of sweet and charming shades, promises longwear with an easy two-step process.

I first tried the Essie Gel Couture for our pre-Valentine’s date night (February 13) and the polish lasted for 15 days (until February 28). Not bad, right? See pics below!

ESSIE GEL COUTURE ENCHANTED COLLECTION

Enchanted Collection shades: Good Knight, Princess Charming, Once Upon A Time, Spellbound, Daring Damsel, Matter of Fiction, Top Coat

Most of the colors of the Enchanted Collection are light and airy matches for most spring wardrobes. I immediately gravitated toward Spellbound, which is gray with a tint of shimmery green, and the pretty pink shade, Princess Charming.

I also loved the gold shade, Daring Damsel. It’s an incredibly bright and smooth metallic gold. Good Knight is a luscious, vampy shade of dark burgundy and a great complement to the rest of the breezy colors in the collection. I still have to try the rest!

Essie Daring Damsel. Love this gold shade and the fan-shaped brush.

STEP 1: TWO COATS OF ESSIE GEL COUTURE

I have had trouble with some Essie formulas in the past. They seemed to run a little thin in pigmentation, and no matter how many coats I slathered on, the color still appeared a bit sheer. Not so with the shades I have tried so far from the Enchanted Collection. The color goes on thick and smooth, and the fan-shaped brush makes it so easy to apply the polish in 2 to 3 strokes per nail.

The color is super rich and easy to apply. Two coats is all you need.

STEP 2: ESSIE GEL COUTURE TOP COAT

Even though I love doing my own nails at home, I still love how a professional gel manicure looks. It’s always so perfect and soooo shiny! I even bought a UV lamp to do gel manicures at home, but when I discovered how hard it was to remove gel polish (you have to soak in acetone for minutes…and scrape…), I decided to stick with the regular stuff.

You don’t need a UV lamp with the Essie Gel Couture polish, just gotta make sure you put on the top coat.

Don’t forget Step 2: The amazing top coat!

The Essie Gel Couture Top Coat is “platinum-grade,” which I’m assuming it means it’s tough stuff. It glides on super shiny, and one can’t help but hope that the shine will remain once it dries.

It pretty much does.

I’ll clean up the edges later. ?

LASTING POWER

Gel manicures can last two weeks, compared to the usual one week that my “regular” polish lasts. The Essie Gel Couture resisted a lot of chipping and peeling, and I didn’t have to repaint until after 15 days.

Day 1. Spellbound x Princess Charming.

Day 15. Light chipping, peeling, and mostly grow-out with dry cuticles.

Also, the Essie Gel Couture was super easy to remove with normal acetone-based nail polish remover. Didn’t have to soak or scrub.

I’m pretty happy with this nail polish and I’m glad there are over 100 Essie Gel Couture shades to shop! Major thanks to Essie for sponsoring this post!

Do you do your own nails or get them done in the salon?