Essie Celebrates Spring With A New Florida-Inspired Collection (PLUS WIN The Opportunity To Be Shot By Rankin!)

I've had an emotional attachment to Essie for as long as I can remember. During my younger years, when booking in for a fortnightly manicure seemed like the height of luxury, Essie's multi-coloured offering was always the polish that ended up on my talons; it was the brand I always turned to when I needed cheering up, and it was where I found my 'signature shade' that I continue to pick up year after year. (The classic burgundy red 'Luxedo', in case you're wondering.) I'm always intrigued to see what they have up their sleeves and what unexpected story or colour portfolio will be next - and with their newest offering they continue to surprise and delight in equal measure. To celebrate the dawn of spring, Essie have launched a six piece collection inspired by the Sunshine State of Florida - because nothing says holiday season more than sunshine, sandy beaches and the thought of Mickey Mouse on his surfboard. Rather than sticking to the usual pastels and neon tones of orange that you may expect from such a background story, Essie have chosen six muted brights that are actually wearable pretty much all year round. The mix of nude, pink and orange with the more unusual green, blue and lilac isn't necessarily what you'd expect of a spring-summer collection, but somehow it kind of works.


The six shades work together, but also individually, to tell a sunshine-saturated story. Here's the lowdown on each:
High Class Affair: A blush nude that will go with any outfit, regardless of season. A classic and an investment.
Lounge Lover: This hero shade of pretty pink peach is almost impossible to resist. It'll appeal to your inner Barbie.
Sunshine State Of Mind: A blazing coral to leave you feeling sun-kissed, it's the perfect shade to complement a tan.
Off Tropic: The unusual choice of green takes its inspiration from the everglades, matching the tropics perfectly.
Pool Side Service: A refreshing cerulean blue that's just the wrong side of pastel, in a good way.
Shades On: A super chic and mysteriously deep violet that you'll either love or loathe. I love.

Beautifully painted nails have the power to make you feel full of confidence, giving you a touch of star quality worth celebrating, and all six of these will undoubtedly put a smile on your face. Because colour is such a fundamental part of the Essie brand, this spring they've teamed up with the world-famous Rankin to bring even more colour into the lives of a very lucky few. If you love nail varnish, have a soft spot for Essie, or simply like the sound of having your photo taken by one of the most iconic and celebrated photographers, then read on… This coming May 17th Essie are opening up their Colour Portrait Studio for one day only, giving women across the country the chance to feel like a star. Attendees at this coveted event will be treated like VIPs from start to finish, having their nails polished by Essie manicurists, and their hair and make-up perfected ahead of their very own once-in-a-lifetime photo shoot. The Colour Portraits campaign will not only celebrate the beautiful colours within Essie's portfolio, but the colour confident women who wear them; a lucky few will be able to treasure a Rankin-captured stunning high fashion close-up shot forever. (If you're not familiar with Rankin, then it's good to know that he's shot everyone from Cate Blanchett, Beth Ditto and The Queen, to Kate Moss, Adele, The Rolling Stones and Madonna - so you'll be in good company!)

Rankin explains his role in this fab partnership: "Colour plays an important role in my photography, as does making the subject feel confident in front of the camera. Essie's Colour Portrait Studio is the ultimate expression of both of these." It's such an incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you'd be a fool to miss it! With only a select number of slots available, if you want to enter the competition it couldn’t be easier. Simply follow Essie on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and upload your best nail selfie using the hashtag #essiexrankin, tagging in @essieuk so they won't miss it. That’s it! Essie will pick their faves and you’ll be whisked into London for a day you’ll never forget. But you have to be quick - it's only open until 28th April, so you've not got long to get in your entry. If you need a little inspiration, check out the hashtag to see some of the pictures that have already be uploaded (as well as some of the shots Rankin has already taken!) I'll be there on May 17th getting snapped (I can't wait!) so I hope to see a few lucky readers there too...

If you want to create a flawless nail look ahead of snapping your pic, then Essie’s Global Lead Educator, Rita Remark, has provided me with some top tips to give you a helping hand:
1. Before painting your nails, clean them thoroughly. Moisten a lint-free pad with acetone-based polish remover and scrub, scrub, scrub.
2. Always use an Essie base coat, such as First Base. Not only does it create a foundation for your polish, but it also helps protect your nails. This is an essential first step for a perfect mani.
3. Remember nobody’s perfect! If you colour outside of the lines, just take a make-up brush dipped in a little bit of nail polish remover and it wipes away like it never happened.
4. Try choosing a new, on-trend Essie colour you haven’t worn before (or forgot you had!) - it’s the perfect way to express your personality!
5. To maintain your perfect mani, it's recommended that you re-apply your top coat every 2-3 days, guaranteeing a flawless colour and shine. Additionally, to keep cuticles and nails hydrated, apply a touch of Essie’s apricot cuticle oil daily.

What do you think of this new six piece collection by Essie? Will you be uploading your photo and entering to win a coveted slot at Rankin's studio this May?


The new Essie spring shades are available now, priced £7.99 each.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Essie; all opinions are my own. 
Full terms and conditions of the competition can be found here. 
Image may be NSFW.
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