1. Base Coat
Apply 1 coat to bare nails to prime for color while strengthening.
Original Nail Polish Frequently Asked Questions:
Discover essie's original professional nail polish
As the color authority since 1981, all essie original nail polishes offer vivid, streak-free color. Get saturated payoff and shine in every coat with our billion pigment formula and patented camel-stem brush for precise, controlled application.
Find your perfect shade, with 1 bottle sold every 5 seconds.
Color with a Reputation
Anyone can create color, but only essie earns a reputation worth keeping. Discover our collection of instantly recognized, impossible-to-imitate shades that always make a statement.
Master a salon-quality nail look
2. Color
Apply 2 coats for optimal opacity.
3. Top Coat
Apply 1 coat for up to 7-day wear.
Shop your essential essie routine
"essie original color is iconic. I love the brush, the hundreds of colors to choose from, and the fact that it was my first favorite." - Rita Remark, essie Global Brand Ambassador
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1 to 8 of 12 reviews .
1 – 8 of 12 reviews
most recent
5 out of 5 stars.
Cuteness for mom and daughter.
8 months ago
Packaging was great very nice color. My wife loved it very smooth looking great even did my daughter’s nails with it and she loved it just as much as mom did.
helpful?
5 out of 5 stars.
Youthful and dynamic color.
a year ago
Nice colour. Youthful and dynamic color. Good nail adhesion, dries quickly. Color is more beautiful after 3 coats. I will buy it for my self and like a gift for my friends.
helpful?
5 out of 5 stars.
Very sheer
a year ago
Super pretty spring/summer color! This picture is after 3 coats, you can wear it sheer or build up like I did. The scent doesn’t bother me, just smells regular. The drying town is medium, since I did 3 coats it did take a little longer. I really like Essie’s polishes!
helpful?
2 out of 5 stars.
Not worth it
a year ago
The color is beautiful but it takes forever to dry. It took at least three applications to show up vibrant. It felt sticky for at least 12 hrs. This brand isn’t my favorite.
helpful?
response from essie:
a year ago
Consumer Care Center
Hello paciak! We are so happy to hear that you loved the color of our cactus jelly! We just wish you were seeing all the results you should. Even with 4 coats, your color should be dry in minutes! a jelly gloss is different from a classic nail enamel. It’s made to go on in thin, buildable layers to customize your look. Use it alone or with up to 4 coats depending on the look you're going for, or layer over your favorite essie nail enamel for a unique finish!
5 out of 5 stars.
Great nail polish!
a year ago
What a beautiful color! This polish goes on smooth and only takes 2 coats. There is minimal scent to the polish, and this polish dries within 5 minutes.
helpful?
2 out of 5 stars.
Darker shade of green and shows blemises easily
a year ago
I wanted to love this nail polish, but it just was too difficult for me to apply. It went on weird, showed every blemish and honestly wasn’t even close to the color I thought it would be by the image provided. I immediately took off the polish after applying
helpful?
response from essie:
a year ago
Consumer Care Center
Hi madelineb90, we wish you could see the results you were hoping for with the nail art studio jelly gloss color 'cactus jelly'. A jelly gloss is different from a classic nail enamel. Its made to go on in thin, buildable layers to customize your look. Use it alone in up to 4 coats depending on the look you're going for, or layer over your favorite essie nail enamel for a unique finish!
4 out of 5 stars.
Great nail polish!!!
a year ago
The Essie nail polish I received came packaged well and all nail polish was intact. Love the simplicity of the bottles and easy to open to apply. The scent wasn’t too fragrant which I liked. The polishes were a little more shear than anticipated, but still beautiful once added more layers. Drying time was pretty on par for most nail polishes. All in all, the polish was great to try and I’m sure I will try some of the shades again soon!
helpful?
4 out of 5 stars.
Wonderful product; takes time to dry
a year ago
This Essie Jelly gloss nail polish came safely packaged in the mail with multiple layers of bubble wrap. All 3 of the nail polishes in my package were in perfect condition when they arrived at my door step! The cactus jelly color is absolutely beautiful and is a great color for summer! It is green with a blue-ish hue to it. I applied 2 layers of nail polish in the image. It covered great and didn’t need any extra layers.
This was very easy to apply and was easy to correct any mistakes. The brush it comes with is good quality and is easy to control. This nail polish does not feel “thick” like others I have used in the past.
After several days I have not had any chips occur. This is a great quality product. The gloss finish is a nice touch.
The only downside is it took around 15-20 minutes for the nail polish to fully dry. So if you are like me and get antsy, it can be a struggle to wait that long and you risk causing imperfections in the nail polish. However, I was able to add a layer of nail polish to the I perfections I accidentally caused; and it still turned out wonderful!
helpful?
1 – 8 of 12 reviews