Ok, so when I heard the name of this collection – tropical lights – I was like, is it going to be something acid and neon looking? And nineties feeling? Something super duper bright? Like Pacific Coast Highway by ORLY? ORLY PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) summer 2016 swatched  That’s what it sounded like to me. On the other hand, it could be something earth tones like and khaki like. Something jungle like, maybe. When I saw this collection by Essie though, I could tell right away it’s very different than that. It’s fun, yes. Bright to a certain point. But acid, neon, jungle, khaki – no, it’s nothing like that. It’s a mix of bold and modern classic like shades and artsy like shades. I’ve got to tell you, it looks good. The signature shades of the collection are purple and green. Green? I love that. And then there are a couple more shades diluting the purple and green pool. When I hear ‘tropical lights’, I can’t even tell you what I picture, I can see ‘tropics’ and ‘lights’ separately in my mind’s eye, but I can’t put those together efficiently. It piques my interest though. Something new? Something exciting? Something special? I’m all for it 🙂

 

Before we get to the shades here, let me tell you real quick that some of those shades proved to be on the clumpy side. I’d say they aren’t radically clumpy but have a little bit of a tendency to go that way. So, before you do go for any of those colours, be sure to pull out not just any base and top coat, but like your most trusted and best proven base and top coat that never lets you down. I believe it will be enough for you to avoid any kind of application issues in this collection. It’s important though that you do. You wanna avoid any kind of negative emotions here, when it comes to these Tropical Lights, because of… well, because of the shades. Do not undermine your impression by grabbing the first base and/or top coat that’s out there. We all have those that we know work best for us. So, do yourself a favour and go for those ones in this case. Just a tip 🙂

 

Let’s see those six shades.

 

First we have this purple here.

 

Jewel in the Crown

 

Jewel in the Crown? I certainly hope so 🙂

 

This shade is purple. There’s something warm about it though. I’d say this shade is a very modern and very edgy plum. Or else it’s a mix of good old plum and metallic purple.

 

I like that. You get two in one here. You get a darker plum shade, that is, you get a vampy classic. That’s modernized in a great way. It means, you can wear it anywhere you want knowing that this sexy plum feel about it is softened up by all the metallic pearl. It’s still hot though. But in a different way.

 

At the same time, you run no risk whatsoever of your manicure being perceived as old fashioned.

 

And if you wanna try something new, something hip, something out of your usual range in manicure, this shade is a good way to go. Because it’s not all the way out there, so you’ll be more comfortable trying it on your nails than trying, say, metallic green or blue or yellow, well, you know.

 

Whatever your own personal story is with manicure, I’ll tell you one thing, this purple here rocks 🙂

 

Green. Oh, I’m so happy. I love green nail colour.

 

Classical Cliché

 

Uh, who said this shade is cliché? It’s nothing like that. For starters, it’s green. Green nails? How much of a cliché is that? Not much, not by my count. And then it’s a metallic. So, not only it’s green, it’s a pearly green.

 

And then the green shade itself is not an overused green. It’s a fresh and cutting edge and beautiful green. I freeze in awe for a moment. And then resume swatching 🙂

 

Classical Cliché is a soft and cool green with a yellowish pearl and sheen to it. As a result, it looks warmer or cooler, depending on the light you’re in.

 

This green is complex and sweet and all the good things. It’s not too bright, and even though it’s green, there’s something soft about this shade, something womanly, I dare say, something romantic. It’s not pastel though, there’s so much more to it than pastel.

 

Its softness makes it very accommodating and very wearable. To the point where you can try it even though you don’t wear green on your nails too often.

 

Wow, Essie, this green is so not cliché, and it makes me so happy. It’s a very rare shade and a very pretty one.

 

Next shade. We’re going to get a little bit of a distraction here from green and purple, Ok? But we’ll be back to those soon enough.

 

Funships

 

Funships is a fun shade name. The shade proves to be fun too.

 

It’s coral. And I’m ever so tired of corals by now. I mean, it’s August, and we’ve had a constant stream of coral and orange nail colour in all kind of seasonal collections. Also, I’m no coral nail colour fan to begin with. This shade here is an exclusion to the rule though. Here’s why.

 

For starters, it’s metallic. It’s bright but it’s not orange, it’s actually coral, a darker coral, a sultry coral. This coral is womanly in a very modern way. And it’s as hot as summer itself.

 

It’s a coral that stands out. It’s bright, so it’s a bold enough statement in manicure department, but I think it’s worth it.

 

This shade looks like it’s going to tip into red colour, and I’m glad it doesn’t. If it did, it would be one of those red corals that we started seeing this spring and still see now and again. It’s still summer, you know, so we might as well swap all those red and orange and red orange 🙂 nail shades we do wear for Funships.

 

This shade is a boost of energy and a perfect mood lifter. Makes you feel like you’re on vacation wherever you are.

 

Another one that’s neither green nor purple.

 

Sizzling Hot

 

Honestly, of all shades in this collection this is the last one I’d, personally, call sizzling hot. It’s a pink shade. And not a super bright pink on top of that.

 

When I think pink, I think elegant, romantic, I think girly, I just don’t generally think hot. Especially as this shade is not full coverage. It’s actually diluted even, and it looks metallic in a way. In an understated way.

 

I love this pink. And I say it only rarely now that I’ve seen and swatched dozens and dozens of pink nail shades 🙂

 

Just like the rest of the shades in this collection, this pink is complex in a good way. It’s special. It’s original. It’s fresh. There’s air in this pink and a gorgeous glow.

 

The result is bolder than usual pinks, it’s so flattering though. I think everyone should try it. If you come to love it, it will be love forever kind of thing.

 

This pink is in the day, it’s not the kind of pink that’s designed to look like a classic and be inconspicuous. Instead this shade sings on your nails winking at people around you and showing off just a little. Not too much though. It doesn’t scream in people’s face, it lures them into seeing how great it is.

 

More purple is coming your way 🙂

 

Can’t Filmfest

 

I can’t tell you how much I love this shade name. It’s ever so cool.

 

The shade is, well, purple. There’s nothing plum like about it. It’s just purple and it’s obviously proud to be that. It’s flaunting its purple self all around. So, be prepared, it’s not going to go unnoticed.

 

It’s a great way to go purple and go trendy – or artsy, you could say – all in one manicure.

 

There’s something very vigorous about this purple shade. It’s the kind of shade that you want to throw on your nails, when you know you’re going to need to be very very active. Believe it or not, manicure can help to get you there, among other things.

 

Can’t Filmfest is metallic too. So, it’s full of light and full of glory. It shines not in an intrusive way but in a powerful way. It’s the kind of nail shade that makes me think about night clubs and disco lights, because I think in those lights it will look awesome.

 

This shade is a rock this town kind of shade. Still, it’s not neon, not bright to the point where you can’t wear it anywhere else other than a beach and that disco 🙂 And that’s a big plus.

 

And the last shade in the collection. Green shade. 🙂 🙂 🙂

 

Reggae and Rum

 

Reggae. That’s what these shades look like. All of them 🙂

 

Let’s talk about this green though. It’s metallic, pearly. And it’s green. Only this green is warm. That is, it’s a yellow green kind of thing with green taking a lead over yellow and beating it by the finish line.

 

This shade also looks kind of romantic, a little bit, just like that other green, but it’s a very up-to-date romance.

 

There’s something soft and appealing about this shade even though it’s green, that is, not the most common and worn nail shade in the world. Still, just like in case of that other green, if you have to try green on your nails, any of these two would be good.

 

You know how this green is great too? Do you like lime nail shades? You know, the kinds that get released in summer and cruise collections? If you do, you can’t miss Reggae and Rum. I think it might become your new favourite.

 

This shade is just so pretty. And fresh. And it’s so soothing that it almost looks… elegant. Elegant green nail colour? Well, I guess, here’s one 🙂 Why not? Elegance evolves, elegance transforms, elegance is your way of playing it. And if you – Ok, Ok, if I – want to play it green, there must be a way to do it. I think this is it 🙂

 

These are Tropical Lights by Essie. Ok, I can see now how those greens and purples with a touch of bold coral and pink can be tropical lights. It’s hard to explain it, because it’s more on the level of sensation than logic, but the name of this collection works.

 

And those shades, man, they are like a breath of fresh air. A whole new world. This collection is nothing like what I’ve seen this summer. And I do appreciate Essie coming up with those shades that are layered and have so much more in them than just colour, that are put together so cleverly. It’s always great to have a collection like this one here that doesn’t try to follow trends but is built around a vision instead.

 

It’s so well put together too. I can’t believe I actually like all six shades in a nail colour collection. Six out of six is an incredible result. This collection is daring and soft, artsy and womanly, original and wearable. It’s an easy way to do accent on the manicure look. And an easy way to avoid getting bored of all those nail shades we love but see very often. These Tropical Lights are simply beautiful and special. You know what else they are? Chic.