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!

Revlon Posh: swatches & quick review

I picked up this beautiful green Revlon during a recent drugstore sale. It's one of the new shades (not the new Colorstay ones, though) and it was in a display with Naughty, Smoldering, Popular (Starry Pink repromote) etc.

Revlon is a favorite drugstore brand of mine. I don't often buy any of their products at retail just because it's so easy to get them on sale! This polish retails for $4-6 depending where you are shopping; I only paid $2.50 thanks to a coupon and a sale. I won't pay $6 for a Revlon or Sally Hansen when I get 2 China Glaze for that much!

Anyway, Posh is a vivid medium leafy-green creme. It is saturated but not too bright or anywhere close to neon. The color is definitely on the yellow side of the green spectrum and not the blue side, but I think it's pretty in-the-middle for a medium green. The formula was on the squishy side, meaning this polish required 3 thin coats to full opacity but it was easy to apply, no dragging or streaking or balding. It dried very shiny without topcoat and quickly too. I'm a sucker for a nice green and even though I have similar shades (more on that in a moment) I just couldn't leave this pretty one behind.

These pictures are as color-accurate as I could get them (which is why my cuticles look gross and yellow in some, ha ha.)

Sunlight

Sunlight

Flash, indoors (getting better!)

Looks familar huh? Even when I was buying this I knew it would be close to Essie Pretty Edgy, but I wasn't sure how close, so I did a side-by-side swatch and took comparison shots. Posh is close to CND Green Scene as well, so I included that in some comparison shots too. Those will be up tomorrow, with a full on 3 way VS with details on how bottles/brushes/formulas stack up.

Comparison: L'Oreal Safari Chic VS Essie Sew Psyched

Good afternoon! Here I have the 2nd of my L'Oreal Safari Chic comparisons. I have placed Safari Chic next to Essie Sew Psyched. Being as L'Oreal is the parent company of Essie, I was fully expecting dupes--and I got what I expected. I can't tell a smidge of difference between the two. 

Shown is 3 thin coats of each (you could easily get by with 2 medium coats) and no topcoat, no basecoat.

The formulas were approximately the same, though the L'Oreal brush is much larger & wider. Application with both was easy, no problems to be noted. So what are the differences between the two polishes? The L'Oreal is $4-5, and the Essie is $8, nearly double the price. If one is only choosing between these 2, I would recommend the Essie as Essie itself does not test on animals, though its parent company does. Plus, I love Essie's bottles & brushes and I think the L'Oreal style is kind of tacky. However, I think that Sonia Kashuk Fatigued is a great choice too- $4-5, cute bottle & good brush, barely distinguishable from either of these two, and from a cruelty-free company. Nice!

Comparison: L'Oreal Safari Chic VS Sonia Kashuk Fatigued

Good morning! Today, I have 2 comparisons with L'Oreal Safari Chic. This, the first one, compares it with Sonia Kashuk Fatigued. Safari Chic is one of the new Colour Riche offerings. I borrowed a few of these Colour Riche lacquers to swatch in hopes of finding alternates: L'Oreal is a perpetrator of animal testing. I am always excited to search for alternatives from cruelty-free companies, thus the purpose of these swatches.

I am glad to say that I think that Fatigued is an excellent substitute.

Both are murky, greyed sage greens shot through with subtle shimmer which is unnoticeable except in sunlight. Their shades are approximately the same: I would say that I can't find more than 1/2 shade difference between the two. The shimmer in Fatigued, however, is slightly more prominent, although this difference is only visible in the sun, and even then only slightly.

Application is similar, though I prefer the formula of the Sonia Kashuk. I do think the L'Oreal brush is OK, but the formula is rather thick. 2 coats to opacity, though I did 3.

For clarity's sake I pronounce them very-near dupes. Even if Safari Chic were made by a cruelty-free company I could not justify owning both.

These swatches are 3 coats of each lacquer, no topcoat. Pictures taken in direct sunlight.