Essie Just Launched a Quick-Dry Polish That Doesn't Require Topcoat and—Good News—It Lives Up to Its Name

When you think of nail polish, a few brands immediately come to mind, and one of them is likely Essie. The iconic brand has been around since 1981 and, fun fact, it’s named after an actual person, founder Essie Weingarten.  

All this to say that as long as I’ve been painting my nails, I’ve been using those familiar square bottles with memorable names. (Special shout-out to Bikini So Teeny and Topless & Barefoot.) So when I saw they had launched an entire new line of polishes—the first in two years—I was intrigued and had to try it.

Meet Expressie, a quick-dry, single-step polish that negates the need for base and top coats. And no, your eyes aren’t deceiving you: The bottles are slightly different, longer and slimmer than their square counterparts. (That was intentional to make them easier to grip in your hand.)

The first thing that stood out to me when I opened the bottle was that the brush is slightly angled. This is to make it easier to paint your nondominant hand. (I’m not going to lie: It took a little getting used to at first, but after a few swipes I got the hang of it.) The other thing I noticed about the brush is that it’s pretty wide so it covers most (if not all) of your nail in one stroke.

The best part about Expressie—apart from the name—is that it really does speed up the nail painting process. Without the need for a base or top coat, and the formula itself being fast-drying, I was able to do a full mani in just under ten minutes. That’s including dry time, folks.

Will this replace my other polishes for good? No. (Um, hello, what about gel couture?) But I’ll definitely keep a few bottles handy for whenever I need a quick color change (like when I’m traveling or need to do a last-minute paint job at my desk before a meeting).

This new line has a wide range of 40 shades, from neutral creams and pinks to muted blues and bright greens. I’m currently wearing Seize the Minute, a festive cherry red for the holidays. On that note, a bottle or two of Expressie would make a great stocking stuffer. Just saying.