Today’s post is a relatively simple one.  I decided to go with something dark and more masculine today, so I chose Essie Armed and Ready – a vampy dark olive creme with very subtle gold shimmer.

Basically, this color looks like what would result if gunmetal grey and olive drab had a baby.

Another thing this color made me think of was the cold war, and all of the Soviet tanks that used to be seen on parade at what seemed like any given time over in Russia (hence today’s featured image).

QuantRate:  Essie “Armed and Ready”

Formula Subscore:  52.6/55

Brush Subscore:  30.925/36.5

Bottle Subscore:  6.8/8.5

TOTAL COMPOSITE SCORE:  90.325/100

Quality Rank:  Excellent

Basically, this Essie was a star compared to many of the other Essies I’ve tested since I got inna’ this game.  It was a one-coat wonder, but my application skills are still less-than-perfect, so it took me two coats to get an even finish.

The brush/handle carrier group is still the Essie standard issue, which I have mixed feelings about.  I won’t subject you to the litany again — feel free to read some of my earlier Essie reviews for those deets.

The color is very sleek looking, in my opinion, and “grungy” (in a cool way) in my fiancée’s opinion.  I really like the overall finish, and like I said, the application was far better than I’ve experienced with most other Essies so far.

I definitely recommend this one for your vampy category.

Base coat/topcoat:  Gelous/Seche