Comparison: Revlon Posh VS. Essie Pretty Edgy

Finally! I was able to get some decent pictures of Essie Pretty Edgy (Summer 2010 collection) next to Revlon Posh (and a comparison with CND Green Scene will be up tomorrow, which is definitely not a dupe.) We've had some dreary weather (overcast, rain and then snow!) here in DC after so many incredibly beautiful days, but we had a few hours of sunshine and I was able to take comparison shots.

These are the bottles side-by-side, in the bottle I can't tell much difference between the two. Both are medium leafy-greens.

On the nail the difference is extremely subtle, too. See for yourself: Pretty Edgy is a bit lighter, and Posh might have a drop more yellow (maybe? In some lights.) The formulas are even extremely similar. I can barely tell them apart! 3 coats of each in these pictures, and no basecoat or topcoat.

Sunlight

Flash

Closeup: Sunshine

 

Flash

 Price:

• Revlon $4-5 but it's easy to find a coupon or a sale, I paid only $2.50 (Walgreens, Rite Aid, grocers & drugstores, Drugstore.com)
• Essie $8 (Ulta, Head2Toe Beauty, Amazon) (Pretty Edgy is not part of the Essie selection available in mass retailers and drugstores)

Application, Formula & Bottle:

• Revlon's bottles are tapered glass with a round base and a long, round, black cap with a flat top, and gold accents. The bottles look a bit dated to me, but they aren't so bad (the new ColorStay bottles are much sleeker, though.) The cap is tall, but comfortable to hold though it can be slippery because of its glossy plastic finish. The stem is on the longer side too, and the brush is long, flexible, and of medium width and narrow thickness. It can seem a little floppy because of the longer length and it could be a tad denser as well. Posh's formula is a nice squishy creme--the pigmentation isn't intense but it covers well in 3 thin coats and dries with a nice shine without topcoat. Application was fine, the brush didn't cause me any problems or dragging. Bonus: No staining with removal!
• Essie has the cutest bottles, square glass embossed with "essie" on 2 sides. They have a white plastic cap, on the shorter side, with a medium-length stem. The cap is smaller and has a slick shiny finish, so I have to mind that I keep a good hold of it as it can be slippery and easier to drop or fumble. The brush is petite and thin and flexible. I like Essie's brush because it makes it easy for me to control & position the polish just where I want it. Pretty Edgy has Essie's typical creme formula: somewhere in between a jelly and a creme. The finish is shiny without topcoat, and on the translucent side but it is fully opaque in 3 thin coats. Application was easy with no dragging as long as I was patient between coats. Bonus: No staining with removal!

Cruelty/Animal Testing:

• Revlon is certified by PETA as a company that does not test on animals, and their publicly available information says that their ingredient and component suppliers do not perform animal testing on the materials.
• Essie themselves do not test on animals; however, their parent company L'Oreal (the guys who own them) does test on animals. This is what I consider a gray area in terms of how to vote no-cruelty with polish dollars.

Final Thoughts:

• Revlon Posh looks like a perfect cheaper substitution for Essie Pretty Edgy. They are very, very nearly dupes - I don't even know if I can tell the difference, and the formulas are extremely similar too. Posh is easier to find, as well. I do like the Essie bottle better but not $5 better! I myself prefer the animal testing policy of Revlon overall as a company too. Even as a lover of greens I can't find a reason to keep both!