This £11 nail polish is the perfect match for one of spring 2025's chicest trends

Sheer and timeless, essie's Matter Of Fiction is the nail polish to add to your collection this season...

A product shot of essie's Matter Of Fiction nail polish, which is a sheer, milky pink shade and is pictured on a white background/ and in a pink template
(Image credit: essie)

Sheer pink nails are proving to be this season's staple manicure and essie's Matter of Fiction is trending right alongside it - as the perfect and affordable way to achieve the look at home.

If you've been keeping an eye on the 2025 nail trends, as well as analysing this year's red carpet events - from the Oscars to the SAG Awards - you'll no doubt have noticed a certain milky pink manicure doing the rounds. 'Soap' nails - as the look is also known - were even a favourite among our beauty team's March nails, so it's safe to say they're a chic, no-brainer for spring. If you can't make it to the salon this month though, we do have another, reliable alternative for you and it can be found among essie's nail polishes.

Like the iconic Ballet Slippers and OPI's Put It In Neutral, this particular hue is gaining a lot of notice this season, thanks to its delicate, milky pink finish and classic appeal.

Why essie's Matter Of Fiction nail polish is a spring must-have

Essie, like many of OPI's nail colours, boasts a plethora of timeless and trendy shades, all of which are easy to apply and will set you back a fraction of what you would pay for a professional manicure. If you're going to invest in just one of their many shades though, let it be a certain pink, sheer polish that goes by the name of 'Matter Of Fiction.'

Similar to how OPI's Graffiti Sweetie is a great match for this year's must-have Lavender Milk manicure, this creamy, cool-toned pink is a match for the soapy look we've been seeing all over social media and the red carpet.


The beauty of this nail polish is how easy it is to apply. Though it promises a gel-like gleam, there's no LED curing involved. You can simply apply two to three coats (depending on the opacity you desire), add a glossy top coat - like essie's Gel Couture Top Coat - and call it a day.

This particular shade also happens to be a classic and very versatile neutral nail colour. It's clean and elegant, ideal for when you want a low-maintenance but luxe-looking manicure.

You can also wear it on its own or use it as a base coat for a stylish design, like French tip nails, for instance. It's one of those shades, like that of bright red, that never goes out of style and works for every season, setting and nail length. Though short square nails and short almond nails are proving to be the go-to shapes for spring.

Our other essie spring favourites

If you're looking for something a tad brighter or perhaps already own Matter Of Fiction and want to try a different hue, we've also rounded up a few of our other favourite essie shades.

Naomi Jamieson
Digital Beauty Writer

Naomi is a Digital Beauty Writer at woman&home, where she covers everything from makeup to skincare but specialises, particularly, in fragrance and nail trends. Through her work, Naomi shares her trend expertise and personal product recommendations. She is also a judge for woman&home's annual hair, skincare and beauty awards.

Previously, she worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products.

Before that, Naomi split her time between both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ, for which she earned a Distinction. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied Illustration at Plymouth University but leapt into the media world in 2020, to pursue her passion for writing. Now, when she isn’t reporting on the best perfumes and latest beauty releases, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee and probably online shopping...