Why I Keep Reaching for Gel by Essie Nail Polish
Published 2026-05-20. This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Essie’s “gel couture” is now being called Gel by Essie.
And whatever it is called, it is one of the nail polish lines I reach for the most. It lasts.
You do not need a base coat - just the color and the top coat. So it is more economical as you are cutting out one expense with the omission of a base coat.
The color is the primer and color in one.
I also love that the top coat is plumping and imperfection blurring.
I’ve been wearing and working with “Gel by Essie” for years, and until fairly recently it was called gel couture.
You do not need a UV light to use it. This is an air-dry nail polish line that has gel-like qualities.
Mostly, it’s long-wearing and it’s plumping.
To get the benefits of this line, you have to pair the color and the top coat.
One thing to note with the top coat is that it is also quick drying. When you have a quick drying top coat, it will usually shrink down as it dries.
So with this top coat you want to make sure that you completely coat all areas where you have color, the sides and tips especially, or you will see a line of gloss on the nail, marking where the top coat was not placed.
I just turn my nail to either side as I’m applying the top coat to make sure I have covered everywhere that the nail color is.
If you have ridges and a creamy or sheer nail color didn’t sit right, or there are some bubbles or lines in the polish, just paint the gel couture top coat over it and see how you feel.
A lot of times, it covers all those little surface or texture issues right up.
The Gel Couture, or Gel by Essie, top coat is the best in show - I will stock up on it when I find it for a good price.
The colors from the Gel by Essie line are also diverse - there are fun, party shades, professional, interview friendly shades, creams, glitters, and everything in between.
Below we’re going to look at a bunch of different swatches from the Gel by Essie line.
All shown in 2 coats with the Gel Couture Top Coat.
Essie Gossamer Garments
This is a beauty. It’s a milky pink sheer nail color with subtle beige undertones. If Fairy Tailor and Sheer Fantasy had a baby, this shade would probably be it.
Essie Inside Scoop
This sheer, long-wearing pink is the perfect palette-cleansing pink that goes with literally anything. If you’ve been loving the soap nails trend, this one’s for you.
Essie Bodice Goddess
This sheer, cool lilac purple is a perfect “your nails but better shade.” It has both mauve and pink tones, giving it a subtle light orchid tint.
Essie Polished and Poised
This is a warm light pink cream that is perfect for professional nails and everyday wear. It’s subtle with just the right amount of color.
Essie Stitch By Stitch
This is a sweet, creamy pink.
What I love about this shade most is that you can’t really tell when the tipwear starts to set in so it is a good one to wear when you’re not sure the next time you’ll be doing your nails.
Essie Last Nightie
This is a sparkling beige neutral that absolutely shimmers in the sun. If you’re looking for a cool, sandy nude, with just a glistening touch of silver shimmer, this is it. Such a flattering shade!
Essie Sheer Silhouette
This is a sheer, warm, rosy chestnut neutral nail color. It’s a lovely tan nude with caramel undertones.
Essie Pinned Up
This is a warm, rosy neutral nail color.
For the most even coverage with this shade, I found applying a healthy bead of color on the top center of the nail and then pulling it down the middle, right and left on the nail worked best.
Essie Once Upon A Time
This is a creamy, icy blue nail color with slate undertones. I really love this one in the winter.
All in all, we have shown you many nail colors from the Gel by Essie, formerly called the essie gel couture line.
The transition to this new branding hasn’t fully been made - so you’ll still see “gel couture” on many of the bottles and on all the older posts here.
So you can find other swatches and shades by searching “essie gel couture,” in the search bar in the footer.
No matter what you call it - look for the twisted essie bottle for this collection - that visual marker has remained a constant.
And the reason we show you so many colors from this line is that it’s reliable, economical and it looks good, especially when you pair each color with the top coat.
It is a “gel-like” nail polish line that is not a gimmick - it works, it lasts and that’s why we keep coming back to it.
Also, make sure to prep your nails for maximum adhesion since there is no base coat needed - dry them with isopropyl alcohol, file the tips to prevent snags - before your color and this will give you even longer wear.
Add any of these colors to your collection using the links above!
Other Articles You May Enjoy:
As an Ulta Affiliate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
