It’s been a little while since I’ve done a Mani Monday post, but today I am back at it, with this rather gorgeous winter collection from Essie! Winter creeped up on me a little bit because I feel like I sort of skipped autumn! Between work and travelling, its seems like yesterday it was March and the leaves were still green and I blinked for a second and now its June and the trees are bare! I find myself spending these chilly winter weekends by the fireplace with a good book, a cup of tea and a woolly jersey. This winter collection from Essie is the perfect companion for those ‘fireplace Friday’ nights!

Whether you’re feeling luxe or low-key, your après-ski ensemble will be completed to perfection with this collection of 6 wintery wonderland shades consisting of seductive reds, pretty pastels and shimmery metallics. It’s a tightly edited collection sure to melt hearts- and a winters chill! At first glance it might not look very wintery, but when you think about the real European winter and its white ski slopes and dark starry nights, this collection makes perfect sense!

Lets start out with the pretty pastels, which wouldn’t look out of place in a spring or summer collection but bring a snowy softness to the Winter collection.

Virgin Snow

Growing up in Russia, I still remember the excitement I would feel every December when I saw the first snowflakes touch the ground. This icy lavender is the perfect reminder of that virgin snow, so pure and fresh. This is one of two shades that required two coats for full coverage and while it was a little streaky on application, once dried and covered with a top coat, it was a winter wonderland dream.

Peak Snow

This is a beautiful powder pink, which comes out almost white on your nails. This also required two coats for full coverage, and I love this shade for embracing the lovely “winter whites” trend on your nails.

Now onto the seductive reds

Altitude, Altitude

A gorgeous cherry red that will give your winter outfit that perfect pop of colour! This only needed one coat for full coverage (I only used one coat in the picture) and complete with the Gel Setter top coat it lasted a full 5 days chip free and fashion forward!

Shall We Chalet?

My favorite shade in the collection, this seductive ruby shade is full of color and full of gorgeousness! It paints like and absolute dream onto the nails and makes me feel like winter wont be so bad, if I have this color on my nails!

Lastly, the 2 gorgeous metallics in the collection

Après-Chic

This platinum metallic number reminds me very much of my favorite shade from the Winter 2015 collection– Jiggle High, Jiggle Lo. The only difference between them is that this has a full on silver undertone while Jiggle High, Jiggle Lo is very gold. Together they make a perfect duo and are a must in any nail polish loving girls cupboard(PS this is the coverage with just 1 coat!)

Haute Tub

This jet black number with amethyst sparkles in it finishes off this dreamy collection. The little sparkles in it are really gorgeous, especially when they catch light and it’s a great polish for someone that wants to experiment with black nails, but with a little twist.

This gorgeous winter collection is in stores now and the polishes retail for R125 each