A complete comparison of Essie Angora Cardi vs Island Hopping with swatches – two of the most popular fall Essie nail polishes in purple and mauve hues!
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As soon as fall comes around, our nails get darker – sometimes, not always: I’m the kind of person who will wear her white nail polish, and blues and greens all year round.
When it comes to fall Essie nail polish colors, Angora Cardi and Island Hopping are two of the most famous shades – gorgeous purple-ish mauve shades that look good on any given skin tone.
On my olive skin, I’ve always found that mauve nail polish looked especially gorgeous, and it’s the same with lipstick and eyeshadow: I’ll choose mauve or cool-toned pink over, say, a coral lipstick any day.
Since these can seem pretty close in hue and tone, here’s a new Essie nail polish comparison for you!
Purple Nails: Essie Angora Cardi vs Island Hopping Swatches
Here’s what Essie says about Angora Cardi:
brush on this lush, deep dusty rose nail polish and you’ll never want to take it off. it’s one stylish sweater for every fashion season.
And here’s what the brand says about Island Hopping:
villa today. spa tomorrow. this rich plum mauve nail polish creates a lovely laid-back manicure look that takes you anywhere you want to go.
Note: Island Hopping was apparently discontinued in the USA, but it can still be found easily – Zalando, Notino, Superdrug and Boots in the UK and various stores still carry this shade.
Essie Angora Cardi vs Island Hopping Nail Polish Bottles
Essie describes the Angora Cardi nail polish as a deep dusty rose, and we’re pretty much there – I would describe it as a soft burgundy.
Island Hopping is much cooler-toned, and described as a rich plum mauve shade – from what I’ve experienced on my nails, it is more of a desaturated purple.
It is true that in the bottle, these two can look pretty similar, but as you’ll see in the swatches below, the undertone really shows up on the nails.
Read: Comparison: Essie Ballet Slippers vs Mademoiselle Swatches
Comparison: Essie Angora Cardi vs Island Hopping Swatches
For some reason, I’ve found that both the Island Hopping nail polish and Angora Cardi showed up slightly darker on my nails than they seem in the bottle.
However, you can really see that Angora Cardi has a reddish undertone to it, while Island Hopping is almost a flat purple with a slight plum undertone.
Read: Comparison: Essie Lady Like vs Eternal Optimist Swatches
Both apply really well, and shown on the swatches are two coats for each.
One coat would almost be enough, but since they’re pretty dark (at least against my skin), I always wear two so I’ve really got the full color that the bottle promises.
Read: White Nails Aesthetic: Essie Blanc Nail Polish Swatches
Now, in terms of tastes, my favorite out of the two is Angora Cardi – I am quite difficult when it comes to purple on my nails, and would pick a burgundy nail polish over purple any day.
Actually, even if Island Hopping is a popular pick, Angora Cardi is, after all, one of the most famous Essie nail polishes for fall, and it’s easy to understand why.
Read: Sheer Nails Basics: Essie Mademoiselle Nail Polish Swatch
Its muted undertone, which almost boasts a bit of brown (but not as much as shades like Clothing Optional or Lady Like, two other popular albeit more mauve nail polishes), means that medium skin and dark skin can make Angora Cardi an all-year-round favorite.
Read: Clean Girl Aesthetic: Essie Ballet Slippers Nail Polish Swatch
Purple Nails: Essie Angora Cardi vs Island Hopping Swatches
You will hopefully, with this quick nail polish comparison, be able to make a more accurate choice if you’re looking to pick up Island Hopping or Angora Cardi.
With duochrome nail polish on top, they make for incredible base colors – but they’re just as striking on their own, and especially pop on pale and fair skin.
If you do choose to use a duochrome shade on top, I would apply the Nails Inc That Euphoria Life nail polish on top of Island Hopping to create mesmerizing purple and blue reflects.
If, however, you’re going to use duochrome on top of Angora Cardi, then one of the pink Barry M Glazed Sheer nail paints, So Serene or So Blissful, could be a great addition to your mani!
Until next time!
Other Essie Nail Polish
- Red Nails: Essie Russian Roulette Nail Polish Swatches
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- Blue Nails: Essie You Do Blue Nail Polish Swatch
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- Glitter Pink Nails: Essie Birthday Girl Nail Polish Swatches
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