Parka Perfect

One of the worst polishes I've ever had to use, I'm glad it was only £1 as I'd be returning had I paid full price. It Chips real bad, not just little chips, I don't use ,y hands a lot during the day and I had nails were half of the polish had chopped off before one day was out, I don't think it would even last for a night out so I've passed this one to a neice who is experimenting with nail art. It's a shame because the colour is pretty, but formula and the shape of mini bottle are horrid

This was a great little polish released in the Shearling Darling winter collection for 2013. This is a pretty blue gray creme with a subtle silver microshimmer. The shimmer is not really visible in the dried polish but it is there. This is actually one of the better polish formulas that I have from Essie. This applies like you expect a salon formula polish to, nice easy even application that glides right on self leveling and without streaks, running, patchiness, or balding. This was opaque in 1 coat, but 2 gave it a richness and the depth of color I wanted. This came out true to the bottle shade. This has a small thin brush with a flat squared off head, but it applies the polish easily and you can get precision placement with this small flat ended brush. It is actually easier to get a more crisp edge with this smaller thinner brush and easier to get a thinner coat as well with this brush. I especially appreciated it's more compact fit when in came to painting my pinky nails. This polish was cool toned and actually worked well for a transition shade from winter to early spring with the blue gray color. I got several compliments on this color from people who aren't my usual "nail people" you know the circle of nail polish/mani loving acquaintances who always look to see what you have on? Yeah, not them, but outsiders were commenting on this shade, that's when you know it's a great polish on your nails! I really enjoyed wearing this polish a lot more than I thought I would. I expected it would be a little boring and too neutral/businesslike for me, but I was wrong. This has just enough color to make it pop against my fair skin, and it has that hidden magic of the shimmer that gives this not quite a creme polish that something special and gets this one noticed. I wore this for 4 days and enjoyed it. I actually was not tired of the color as it does remind of me those gray blue wintery skies - perfect for a February manicure! This did not chip at all on me and the tip wear was minimal. As always, I used a protein nail treatment base coat, 2 coats of polish, and a fast drying top coat. This was a really nice polish and I've enjoyed working with it, wearing it, and removal was simple, fast, and best of all non-staining! Good job on this blue gray polish, Essie - it was almost perfect!

I normally gravitate toward dark blues in the winter, saving pale blue for spring and summer. This, however, is a very unique shade of muted grey-blue with very subtle shimmer. Essie describes it as a "serene alpine gray," but to my eye it has a definite aqua blue tone. This color stood out to me so much that I ran out to get it when I saw the first pics of the collection (for Winter 2014), even though I'm not a huge Essie fan in general. I absolutely love this for winter. I find it a very wearable shade on it's own or with a glitter topper. It's a very calming color. The formula is the only imperfect aspect of this polish, but honestly I don't find it to be that bad (am normally not a fan of Essie formulas). It goes on a bit streaky but it self levels quickly. I did also thin it out a bit and found that helped the application. 3 coats to opacity on my ridgey nails, but some may be able to get away with two coats. It lasts very well on me also - at least 5 days before any wear! I would absolutely buy this color again.

I got this on clearance at rite aid for $2.18. It's ok. Started to crack and chip after 3 days. Nice blue gray color. I wore on fingers and toes. Got compliments.

Parka Perfect is a gorgeous baby blue shade with a hint of gray. It's perfect on my skin tone and looks like it would look good on everyone. It's opaque with only one coat but I applied two. It lasts a full week and still looks great.

From magazine pictures and looking at the bottle, I was expecting a light sky blue shimmery color. Not at all! It's more like a grey cloudy sky. Not what I wanted at all!

Essie's winter 2013 collection is great, and Parka Perfect might be my favorite shade. It's a dark, gray-ed out teal. It's somewhere between dark teal and navy - less navy than Essie's Bobbing for Baubles. Really flattering, and the formula covers nicely. I've had it on for a week with very little chipping.