Today I have a true Essie classic to show you! I’m talking about Essie Island hopping. It has been in Essie’s permanent collection for as long as I can remember. It came out in the same (summer) collection as Bahama Mama, which is of course also a true classic. I’ve had this shade in my hands for a couple of times, but I always put it back. Last week, I got it as an early birthday present and I couldn’t be happier. I really like that my collection of Essie classics is slowly growing.
Essie Island Hopping is a dusty pinkish purple shade. Doesn’t sound very positive right? I think a lot of people would describe this as a grandma shade. But trust me, the grandmothers that are wearing this shade are truly fashionable! Island Hopping is an understated shade with a twist. It is a neutral, but on the other hand it’s quite special. I don’t know if I’m making sense right now, but hopefully when you’re looking at the pictures it will.
The formula was amazing. It covered perfect in two coats. The formula was not too thick and not too thin, I barely had to do any clean up, and I think this shade also would look amazing with a matte topcoat!
When I was wearing Island Hopping, it reminded me of a color that I’ve worn not that long ago. Essence-Love me like you do! Above, you are seeing a comparison swatch of Essence – Love me like you do, Essie – Island Hopping and Catrice – Bed of flowers. In this picture they are looking quite different, but in real life, they are very similar. The Essence one is a little bit lighter and contains a little bit more brown. The Essie is the darkest and most purple. The Catrice one is in the same color family as Island Hopping but is a lot lighter. They all have a nice formula, but I prefer the shade of Island Hopping the most. That said, I think Love me like you do and Island Hopping are 90 percent similar and it’s hard to tell the difference.
Although I own already some polishes that are quite similar, as a true Essie collector I really enjoy Island Hopping. It is one of those work appropriate but still trendy shades, that never seem to go out of style! For as far as I know, Island Hopping is still in Essie’s permanent collection and easily available everywhere! For example here on Amazon (affiliate link).
Update November 2022: I just pulled out my bottle of Island Hopping again. The color has completely changed into a murky brown color. Of course, I know that my bottle is six years old now at this point and it was well-loved, but it is still a bit disappointing. Especially since I have always stored it in a dark, cool space and never put nail polish remover or anything in it. If I have time, I will also post a picture of the color it has now. If you decide to pick this shade up, please be aware that this might happen.
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