Essie • Chinchilly • Polishes

avazq8 on 9/1/2012 10:02:00 PM more reviews by avazq8

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

If I ever finish a bottle of nail polish (I never have), I would certainly buy Essie Chinchilly again. A lot of women prefer to wear this color in the cooler months of fall and winter, but I've worn it year round and I still love it. Between this color and Allure, they are my two most worn Essie polishes. I also prefer Essie's square bottles; they are, in my opinion, a lot easier to store and line up neater (if you're anal about those things like I am and you prefer they stand flush next to one another, ha ha) than my China Glaze and OPI polishes.

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periwinklebow on 8/3/2012 10:28:00 PM more reviews by periwinklebow

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Sensitive   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I have been an Essie fanatic for a long time, and I currently own over 30 colours of theirs. Chinchilly had been on my short list for ages, but I just recently purchased it. This has definitely become one of my favourite shades! The first coat is a little streaky, but the second coat made it completely opaque. It is a slate grey, with the slightest hue of lavender. The formula was not too thick, I had alot of control while applying it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* ceen on 7/22/2012 7:01:00 AM more reviews by ceen

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

Chic, understated slate grey, with lavender undertones and fabulous shine finish. Medium consistency aids even, fool-proof application. One coat might suffice when you're on the run, but two will deliver a depth of pigment and enhanced finish that lasts for some days. Grown-up and demure.

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heyjoni on 7/18/2012 5:55:00 PM more reviews by heyjoni

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Love this gray. In some lighting, it sort of has a lilac tinge to it, but otherwise it's a creamy, mousy gray that can be paired with almost anything clothing-wise. For me, it works all year round, but I suppose it's especially nice for the cold months. Like most of the Essie polishes I've tried, the formula is thin. In this case, three coats brings out the best look, but I find that it builds up nicely, smoothly, and it dries fairly quickly. I'm pleased with the quality and the color is fantastic, but if your budget is tight, I'm sure there's a similar shade for a cheaper price.

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d1d1 on 7/17/2012 12:02:00 AM more reviews by d1d1

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

The taupe shade "Chinchilly" is one of my favorites shades for any occasion. It's modern, smart, and unexpected.

I had no trouble with application, it wasn't streaky at all and two coats were enough to achieve the opaque look. It was super easy to clean up any mess around my cuticles and the two coats dried quick. Applied on clean, treated nails it will last up to a week with mild wear.

Love at first sight!! <3

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Melli098 on 7/6/2012 7:33:00 PM more reviews by Melli098

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Relaxed, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

One of my favs from Essie!!! The perfect shade of gray for those with warmer complexions due to its slight lilac/purple undertone....LOVEEEE <3. I prefer pastel or bright colors on my nails but I always opt for this color regardless when I am doing my nails :)

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bionicbigjames on 4/24/2012 4:26:00 PM more reviews by bionicbigjames

Age: 30-35   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I absolutely adore this shade! It is my "go to" shade and I wear it more often than any other nail polish. It is a beautiful grey with lavender/purple and taupe undertones. To me, this is griege done right! My only *small* complaint is that its consistency is quite thin, requiring several coats to achieve the proper results. If you only use one coat, it will look too pale. After the second or third, the outcome is gorgeous! I've deducted one lippie for its thin consistency, but it isn't enough to ever deter me from buying it again. I've already went through several bottles of Chinchilly and plan to purchase many more in the future. Word of advice: give your nails ample time to fully dry, as Essie nail polish doesn't dry as quickly as other brands. This is a good thing, in my opinion, because it allows me to take my time with each nail. I definitely recommend Chinchilly to anyone & everyone! :-)

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

hiy0hiy0 on 4/17/2012 2:09:00 PM more reviews by hiy0hiy0

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is a Gray with a Taupe untone, I think it's a great Fall/Winter color. I start with a base coat, then 2 coat of polish and finsh off with a top coat to keep my color and for extra shine. Generally, Essie polishes are watery (especially the lighter shades), Chinchilly is thicker in comparsion and doesn't streak. Essie's brush head is smaller compare to OPI. Keep in mind there products aren't "fast-drying" so make sure you give it enough time to dry. A bottle will last me a while and I will repurchase again.

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dawneaoi on 3/11/2012 11:44:00 AM more reviews by dawneaoi

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I wanted a gray shade for the winter and picked this up at the local drug store. I love it! It's a really warm almost purplish gray and goes great with everything.

I worried about it being too dark looking since my skin is so white, but actually the warm undertone kept it from looking like I was going through a goth faze.

Anyone who wants a really opaque gray, this is for you!

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kysma03 on 3/1/2012 7:27:00 PM more reviews by kysma03

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Other    

Just discovered this polish at a local CVS and it really is gorgeous. It does require more than a few coats to get a nice even color but it is such a pretty color. A staple!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Chester99 on 2/27/2012 9:13:00 AM more reviews by Chester99

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Chinchilly is a warm-toned grey creme on me. Warm-toned because it has a brown hint to it on my NW15-20 skin. it applies nicely but usually needs 3 coats for streak-free opacity. Overall it's a nice color that's very suitable to lots of clothing styles and colors.

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uponbluemoon on 1/20/2012 4:13:00 PM more reviews by uponbluemoon

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I find myself reaching for this all the time and have to literally slap my hands away from the bottle. It's an office-friendly griege color that's ultra chic. The application is quite smooth and two coats is opaque enough.

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dauncey07 on 1/9/2012 1:57:00 PM more reviews by dauncey07

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I just love this colour ... It's a staple bottle in my nail polish collection. And have repurchased a few times. It looks fantastic in the winter .. may be a bit too dark for summer for some, but I am more of a grey/brown kind of person when it comes to nail colour, so I wear it year round. I like neutral, so it goes with every thing. Great job Essie!

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Allyxx on 1/1/2012 7:11:00 AM more reviews by Allyxx

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I adore this colour! Its such a gorgeous taupe/grey and it looks classy without being too boring or too over the top. Perfect shade for my Nc25 skintone. Get loads of compliments on it

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kerrismile87 on 11/12/2011 11:15:00 PM more reviews by kerrismile87

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Olive, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

My favorite shade for fall! It's a muted purple/gray and I like it because it's a fall color, but I don't like to wear dark fall colors considering they stain my cuticles. This is such a pretty color on any skin tone (I'm NC35) and it's a cream finish which I look for in most polishes. I'm wearing it right now, and I love the name too!

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sjmuns on 11/9/2011 3:09:00 PM more reviews by sjmuns

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

My all-time favorite nail polish! Creamy, neutral yet a little sexy, versatile, opaque at 2 coats, long wearing. Personally I like Essie's small brush, I have really small hands & nails. Perfection.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ashleyanders on 11/2/2011 12:53:00 AM more reviews by ashleyanders

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

*This is primarily a first-impressions review, which I will edit once I've used the polish for a longer period of time.


What it Claims:
"A sleek granite gray. DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free. For best results first apply a base coat to clean, bare nails. Then apply 2-3 coats of colored polish (depending on its consistency and thickness). For long lasting wear finish with a top coat."


Packaging:
Very aesthetically pleasing. Simple design consisting of a clear glass container, an embossed logo on the sides, and a sticker with the name of the polish on the top of the brush cap. There is no real information about the polish or brand, which can be seen as a downside to buyers; there is no sticker disclosing ingredients. The cap is easy to twist on and off, although the shape and size of the bottle makes cap removal a bit awkward for me. The brush is longer, thin and rounded, and does not spread/separate that much on the nail - this can be a bit annoying on wider nails.


Consistency:
I personally find this formula to be on the thinner, runnier side. I was able to get a completely opaque finish with three coats, so it's still one of the thicker formulas for the brand, but doesn't not feel thick on the nails. I didn't get any real flooding issues into the cuticles, and I didn't really notice any initial streakiness, even with the first thinner coat. Not a super fast-drying polish, but dried quick enough - maybe 3-5 minutes. A completely creamy shade without any sparkle or shimmer. Creates a nice shiny finish, but not over-the-top, which I prefer. It definitely has a warmer undertone to it against my skin tone, kind of a taupey dark grey. I'm not sure how this would work against cooler skin tones, but since it is a neutral it's probably worth checking out, as it may pull cooler against cooler skin tones versus warmer on warmer skin tones.


Wear time:
I only wore it for a few days, but after those few days I saw some minor wear and one chip (although the chip might have actually been the nail itself, not the polish).


Bang for your Buck:
13.5ml or 0.46 oz at $11.00CAD at Shoppers Drug Mart. Definitely pricey, especially for such a small amount of polish. I do see this shade as being dupe-able, but the formula is quite nice, so I do feel like the price was worth it.


Final Consensus:
With initial application, I really like this shade. It's a nice fall shade, but doesn't feel completely gloomy. It works nice as a dark neutral, it can work well for casual or dressy attire, and overall it just seems quite versatile. Based on finish and formula, I'd repurchase; it is, however, a dupe-able colour (as greys are not uncommon among brands), so if the price seems too steep then hold off and check out cheaper/higher quantity brands.
- Pros: nice packaging, beautiful colour and finish, no visible streaking, dries nicely, easy to apply.
- Cons: Pricey for a drug-store brand, brush can be a bit small, takes 3 coats for opacity


Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Price: 2/5
Packaging Quality: 4/5
Would you buy this product again: Yes.

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*TOP REVIEWER* pinkfrost52 on 10/25/2011 4:48:00 PM more reviews by pinkfrost52

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I love grey earthy shades of polish and 'Chinchilly' is a good example of that. This is a cool toned medium grey with a slight hint of taupe. It's very chic and would flatter many skintones. The formula is a little thicker than usual. I used two thin coats and it was opaque.

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milkandtaxes on 10/25/2011 12:15:00 PM more reviews by milkandtaxes

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Yes. My favorite nail polish. Go buy it. That is all.

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KiKiDisney on 9/28/2011 2:20:00 AM more reviews by KiKiDisney

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

This is my all time favorite nail polish. It's a gorgeous grey with purple undertones or the other way around. something like that. anyway this color is so pretty. it also lasts a long time. it has very good staying power. my favorite thing about this color is that is season neutral. it looks good any time of year and it always looks good. i absolutely love it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No