Ballet Slippers, Bordeaux, and More of the Best Essie Nail Polishes

Launched in 1981, Essie is a brand that not only we’re familiar with, but a generation or two before us are, too. I first discovered the brand as a single-digit-aged child, ogling my mom’s collection of nail polish bottles lined up in the medicine cabinet of our tiny apartment. Later, as a teen with a bit of saved allowance and birthday money, I’d exercise my style autonomy by walking to the nearest CVS Pharmacy and picking out shades like Wicked—a blood red that just as popular now than it was back then. Though I’m no longer enrolled at a Catholic all-girls school, I still use my nails as a display of individuality. Since my friend and go-to nail artist Katherine has moved back to London, I’ve had to take manicures into my own hands. Rather than keep my nails bare, I’ve turned back to my old faithful. The best Essie nail polishes have never let me down, after all.

45 years and counting, what are the best Essie nail polish shades? Truthfully, it’s a matter of opinion. With hundreds of shades, finishes, and opacities to choose from, the nail polish for you really comes down to preference. But rather than stop there, it’s fun to think of our nail color choices as more emblematic of our personalities—like an astrology big three. Are you more understated and hyper-femme, with sheer pinks and nudes? Or more moody and edgy, gravitating toward deeper, rich reds and plums (guilty!)? Or perhaps you’re more playful, opting for bold hues as bright as the Love Island villa’s neon lighting.

Now it’s your turn to choose. There’s certainly no lack of options—but if you’re looking for an at-a-glance scroll-and-shop guide, below are some personal favorites and other Vogue-loved shades.

When we test and review a product, we take a holistic approach to deliver well-rounded product recommendations. First, we lean on Vogue’s vast network of experts, like pro hair stylists (many of whom have a celebrity roster), to gain professional insight into the industry’s standout products—those these specialists would actually use on their clients. We pair their expertise with our editorial best practices to curate thoughtful edits.

When it comes to multi-stylers, we selected the best based on the following criteria: materials, settings, attachment variety, and the styles their able to achieve. To do this, we paired our tests of each formula with expert guidance and reviewer insights to determine which to recommend. Read more about our testing methodology.