Purchased, affiliate links used

Hi friends! I know you saw the title of this blog post and said “Nicole what on earth is going on that you’re reviewing a summer nail polish collection in the middle of APRIL??”. To that, I say, you shouldn’t be surprised that summer collections are dropping already. So buckle up because, at the time of posting, I have 3 summer collections already on my desk to be swatched.

On the Ulta website, this collection appears to be called Summer Trends but I am seeing it in other places as being called Sol Searching. Based on the promotional images on Amazon, I think Sol Searching is the actual name for this release. From what I can find this release is inspired by “the latest fashion and cultural trends to make your manicure possibilities endless” and features “6 soothing shades inspired by an inner check-in, these glow-worthy shades will remind you to breathe in, breathe out“.

I purchased this collection from the  Ulta website but it’s also available on Amazon. It will be popping up at Essie’s other retailers, Target, Rite Aide and Walmart soon. You can also purchase Essie and other brands at Beyond Polish. With my affiliate code, NicoleLovesNails you can save an additional 10%. 

If you would like to see how these look in other light sources, be sure to check out my live swatch video!

Live Swatch Video

Essie is a US based mainstream brand. Their polishes are in 13.5ml bottles, 8 free vegan and cruelty free.

Breathe In, Breathe Out

Description: a soft, dusty purple with white undertones

Breathe In, Breathe Out had a fantastic formula, coverage was amazing on that first coat. Not a one coater but it still really great coverage.

In person, this color is a bit more pink leaning that the description would lead you to believe. It has a dash of grey so I think color wise it’s more of an orchid.

This polish does dry down a little bit darker than it looks in the bottle. I had some issues with my top coat making the polish appear lighter but once the top coat dried fully, the polish was back to the color it dried down to be.

My photos show Breathe In, Breathe Out in 2 coats plus glossy top coat.

I thought this would be a bit more similar to Essie’s Bizarre You Ready (Imagine That). This is a bit more subdued and dusty.

Glisten To Your Heart

Description: a soft, sand neutral

Glisten To Your Heart has a really pretty but subtle shimmer that isn’t included in the description. I still haven’t decided if the shimmer is a pale yellow or orange but it’s there. The shimmer does show some brush strokes when wet but they disappear as the polish dries down.

This polish had a good formula, a little bit thinner than I was expecting but not at all watery or too thin. This one of two polishes in the release that I will call 2-3 coaters depending on your personal preference. I was committed to making this a two coater but in hindsight, I really think I should have added a third coat. There are some very obvious dark spots across all of my nails.

While I do think my camera picked up on them a bit more than my eyes could, when I went to remove this polish I did have the thought where I should have added a third coat.

My photos show Glisten To Your Heart in 2 coats plus glossy top coat. Removal is going to be pretty easy but the shimmer will give you some mess on removal.

It’s All Bright

Description: a deep champagne metallic

It’s All Bright between the color, finish, and name of this polish, it gave me very strong Holiday/Winter vibes. I was pleasantly surprised by how pretty it looks on the nail.

The formula was fantastic, this has a very foil/metallic look. It’s also pretty reflective, I was surprised that I was able to see myself on my nails when I was getting my natural light shots.

My photos show It’s All Bright in 2 coats plus glossy top coat. Removal will be very easy but messy as the metallic particles will stick to your skin and nails.

Meditation Haven

Description: a soft, yellow with neutral undertones

Meditation Haven is a shade of yellow that manages to be both a pale yellow and a vibrant yellow at the same time. It’s not pale enough to be a (in my opinion) boring pastel yellow but it’s not a bright in your face yellow either.

This had a pretty ok formula, a little bit streaky but that’s to be expected from a yellow creme. While I did still have some dark spots after two coats, I found doing a third coat on my thumb the overall look of the polish didn’t change any.

This is one of those cremes that you see darks spots up until you add top coat and through the magic of science, the layer of top coat fixes the issues you were seeing previously.

My photos show Meditation Haven in 2 coats plus glossy top coat.

Sol Searching

Description: a midtone terracotta orange with red undertones

Sol Searching also had that fantastic creme formula, that I have come to expect from Essie. This could potentially be a one coater with a thick coat.

This is very orange leaning terracotta shade. There’s something about terracotta that always makes me think of the desert. While this is a warm toned shade, I didn’t find it gave me lobster hands.

My photos show Sol Searching in 2 coats plus glossy top coat.

Sun-Renity

Description: a deep pink with yellow undertones

Sun-Renity is one of those shades of pink that while isn’t my preferred shade of pink, I was really happy with how it looked on me.

Once again, really great formula that wasn’t too thick or too thin. This was just shy of being a solid one coater on me. Essie description of this color was spot on.

My photos show Sun-Renity in 2 coats plus glossy top coat.

Final Thoughts

For a summer collection, I was honestly expecting a little bit more brightness. The color story however is really cohesive and I do like how it all looks together.

I do think this is a bit of an upgrade from last year’s Push Play collection. The colors in this release I can buy as a late summer early fall color story where Push Play just felt very back to school to me.

My top pick from this collection is going to be Sol Searching. Apparently I’m a sucker for terracottas now!

Essie
13.5ml, 8 Free, Not Tested On Animals & Vegan
Website | Instagram

Sale Information

The Sol Searching collection is starting to pop up at retailers now. Currently, I am seeing it on Amazon and Ulta. These polishes retail for $10 USD for 13.5ml bottles.

If you would like to shop Essie at a discount, do check out Beyond Polish. With my affiliate code, NicoleLovesNails you can save an additional 10%. 

Essie is also sold at the following retailers: Ulta, Target, Rite Aide, Walmart and Amazon. These links are affiliate links. Using my affiliate links/codes helps me keep purchasing all of these collections to review but as always, no pressure to use them!

Leave me a comment to share your thoughts on this release!