Essie Dive Bar Swatches

Hey girlies :) Today I have an Essie retail exclusive shade, Dive Bar. I have mixed feelings about Essie going retail. I mean, it's great to be able to get Essie wherever I am but seriously, a high end polish in CVS? I don't know, maybe I'm a snob for it but I'm not comfortable with the idea of finding Essies at a drugstore. It kinda...waters down the brand, idk. Anyways, enough of my rambling and onto Dive Bar. I bought this shade because it looked AMAZING in the bottle. A darkened teal shimmer with a strong purple and green multichrome shift? Sign me up. I was excited until I got it on my nails. It's SO disappointing on the nail! That's why it's been sitting in my melmer getting no attention since the day I got it. I brought it out today because I had to file my nails down to nubbin size after a break, and I wanted a dark shimmer to hold me over until my two free Zoyas got here. (I picked Ki and Indigo, by the way!) Here are two coats of Dive Bar, followed by some Seche.

See that awesome purple in the bottle? It barely translates on the nail. I'm not sure if the purple shift is actually there or if it's my wishful thinking that makes me see it. Also, the application was so...annoying. As much as I love Essie, the formula on her polishes are a pain in the ass sometimes. I mean, this was thick yet watery at the same time! Trying to do 'thin' coats ended up in bald spots EVERYWHERE. I did one thin coat that looked HORRIBLE, then a thick coat to even everything out. I think it could have used a third coat but I didn't have the patience today. In any case, the color is nice, just not what I expected at all. I want some more duochrome polishes, damn it! Also, how are you guys digging my nubs this time around? I actually don't mind them this time. They're actually kinda...cute? Idk.

What do you think of Dive Bar? Do you have it? Were you disappointed too? Let me know, thanks for reading! :D