Originally published by Ladybud Magazine

Admittedly, I am a little late jumping onto the nail polish bandwagon. Last year,total U.S. nail polish sails spiked to $768 million, a 32% spike over 2011,with no sign of slowing in 2013. Essie Nail Polish is my newest beauty obsession.

I have rationally never been one for nail polishes, I can’t sit still for long enough after getting my nails painted to not completely fuck them up and I am not pushy enough to run back in the salon and demand they repaint the nails I messed up. Inspired by a nail-obsessed coworker and my wasted hours pinning nail polish designs I will probably never try on my Pinterest boards, I caved and bought some nail supplies.

The worst celebrities have been cashing in on this trend en masse; from the Kardashians to Jessica Simpson. Nail polish is the new nose stud, and far less painful.

Multiple friends have insisted that Essie is the absolute best—because it is. It goes on thick, rarely needing multiple coats. The colors are unique and hip without being overtly trendy. It is so thick it almost looks like an expensive shellac nail job, but easier to switch out for your outfits and definitely much cheaper.

I used to get flesh-toned manicures so it was hard for me to break into colors, luckily Essie runs the gamut from bold to demure and I was able to start with nail polish training wheels like Ballet Slippers and Lady Like. I have since graduated to bolder colors like Where’s My Chauffer? and Silver Bullions.

If you are ready to jump on the bandwagon as well, I strongly suggest collecting Essie products. These days, I usually pick up a new color every time I go to the drugstore. It’s a cheap thrill and the highest quality you will find at Walgreens. Nail polish is the perfect activity for spending a night in drinking wine with your girlfriends, you know, after the pillow fights and before dishing on your boy-crushes.