The Essie Neons 2013 Collection: My Top Picks

The moment I learned about the new Essie Neons 2013 Collection, my heart was all aflutter. I'm a sucker for bright nail polish come warmer months, and this collection certainly delivers. A few of the colors from the collection stood out for me, and I decided to create a manicure with all of them simultaneously! Check out my top picks.

DJ Play That Song: the purple seen on my thumb and forefinger
Bouncer, It's Me!: the blue seen on my middle finger
Shake Your $$ Maker: the green seen on my ring and pinky fingers

I love that all three of these colors are rich, bright and bold. They're neon but not screaming, in-your-face, eye-searing neon. I also like that they have almost a jelly-like finish -- one coat of each is thin and a bit matte, but two plus a top coat make them glossy and completely opaque. I'm especially drawn to the green -- it's just the exact color of new spring grass. And the purple will look excellent for a summer pedicure!

If you want the colors to pop even more, you can start with one layer of a white nail polish, such as Essie Blanc. I actually tried this first, and while it did make the colors brighter, I actually preferred them without the white underneath. To each her own!

The nail polishes in the Essie Neons 2013 Collection retail for $8 each at ulta.com.