Upon Further Reflection...
Essie Mochacino
I saw someone wearing Essie Mochacino last year and I really liked the color so I made a mental note to pick it up the next time I came across it. Not only did I pick it up for myself, I grabbed a bottle for my bff when I came across it on sale because I thought she would love the color. That was a couple of months ago so when I spotted it still sitting beside my computer last night I made up my mind to wear it. I was quite surprised by how thin it was and it took me three coats for opacity. The formula was thin but not to the point where I was worried about flooding my cuticles, however I would recommend being a little careful not to overload your brush during application. I added a layer of top coat to give it a nice gloss and wore it for a while. I couldn't decide how I felt about this color... in some lights I caught myself thinking it was a very pretty neutral, and other times I felt it just was not working for my skin tone. It's a bown/taupe neutral with a strong silver shimmer.
I had worn it on it's own but before I changed my manicure I thought I would play a little to see if I would have a change of heart. I think that maybe I am so used to adding nail art to my manicures that I almost feel naked without it. That's really funny coming from me because I used to be quite the opposite and very rarely did I ever add anything extra to my manicure. I liked just the simple color on my nails, so I could appreciate the polish and maybe it's time to get back to that a little bit more often. Mochacino is a good neutral color, provided it works for your complexion. Since I apply my polish fairly thin you might get away with just two coats. Finding the right neutral is like shopping for a pair of jeans. It can take a bit to find the right fit and I know we have all been there! My most frequently asked question by you guys is still about what top coat I use. I am still rocking Essie Gel Setter. It is not a gel so you do not need any special light to cure it or soaking to remove it. It has a cushy consistency so it helps to smooth out flaws and imperfections. It dries way faster than your polish would without top coat, with a brilliantly glossy finish. I have not experienced any shrinkage the way I have when I have used Seche Vite and it does not smudge my stamping polish. If you have not tried it yet you really should.
