You know that one nail polish? The one that looks like oil slick on pavement or a beetle’s wing? That’s basically the vibe of essie for the twill of it. It isn’t just another metallic. Honestly, it’s a bit of a shapeshifter. Depending on how the light hits your hand while you’re grabbing a coffee or typing at your desk, it flips from a moody, deep purple to a murky forest green. Sometimes you even catch a flash of grey or gold. It’s chaotic in the best way possible.
Released originally as part of the 2013 Fall collection—back when we were all obsessed with chunky knit sweaters and Pinterest-perfect infinity scarves—it’s managed to survive the brutal cycle of discontinued shades. Why? Because it’s a dupe-slayer. For years, people compared it to the legendary Chanel Peridot or Peace & Love & OPI, but Essie’s version has this specific grittiness and depth that feels more wearable for everyday life. It isn’t "screaming" green. It’s more of a "maybe I’m a forest witch, maybe I’m a corporate accountant" type of color.
The multi-chrome magic of for the twill of it
Let’s talk about the formula. Most duochrome or multichrome polishes are notoriously thin. You end up painting four or five coats just to cover the whites of your nails, and by the time you’re done, the polish is so thick it never actually dries. essie for the twill of it is different. It’s surprisingly opaque. You can usually get away with two coats, though a third really brings out that oil-slick shift.
The base is a medium-to-dark greyish plum. But the shimmer—that’s where the money is. It’s a very fine, non-gritty shimmer that leans heavily into olive green. If you’re in a dimly lit room, your nails just look dark and sophisticated. Step under a halogen light or into the direct sun, and suddenly you’ve got a galaxy on your fingertips. It’s the kind of polish that makes you stare at your own hands way too much.
I’ve noticed that people with cooler undertones tend to see more of the purple and grey. If you’ve got warm or olive skin, the green reflects tend to pop much harder. It’s a versatile little monster.
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Comparing it to the icons
If you’ve been in the nail world for a minute, you’ve heard of the "For the Twill of It vs. Peace & Love & OPI" debate. They are nearly identical. Seriously, if you put one on your index finger and the other on your middle finger, most people couldn't tell the difference from a foot away. However, the Essie brush—especially the newer wide paddle brush—makes the application significantly easier than the older, skinnier brushes.
- Chanel Peridot: More yellow-gold and green. Far more "blingy."
- OPI Peace & Love & OPI: Almost a dead ringer, but slightly more fluid/runny in the bottle.
- Urban Decay Addiction: More sheer, requires more layering.
Application tips that actually work
Listen, we've all been there. You paint your nails, they look great, and then you wake up the next morning with "sheet marks" because the polish didn't cure properly. Because essie for the twill of it has that metallic, shimmery finish, it can show brush strokes if you aren't careful.
Don't overwork it.
That’s the secret. Most people keep dragging the brush over the nail to get it perfect, but with metallics, that just creates lines. Swipe down the center, swipe the left, swipe the right, and leave it alone. The formula has a decent self-leveling quality that disappears as it dries.
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Also, use a high-shine top coat. A matte top coat actually looks incredibly cool with this shade—it turns it into something that looks like brushed metal or oxidized copper—but if you want the "wow" factor, you need that glass-like finish. Something like Essie Gel Setter or Seche Vite works wonders here. It "lifts" the shimmer off the base color and makes the green-to-purple transition look way more dramatic.
Is it still relevant in 2026?
Trends move fast. We went through the "clean girl" aesthetic with sheer pinks, and then we had the "glazed donut" chrome powder craze. But there's something about a bottle of essie for the twill of it that feels timeless. It fits the "dark academia" vibe that keeps coming back every autumn. It's moody. It's sophisticated.
It’s also a great transitional color. You know that weird time in late August when you’re tired of neon corals but it’s too hot for black polish? This is the answer. It bridges the gap between seasons perfectly because it pulls colors from both ends of the spectrum.
What to watch out for: The wear and tear
No polish is perfect. One thing to keep in mind with this specific shade is that because it’s so pigmented and "metallic," it can be a bit of a bear to remove. You might find some of those tiny green shimmers sticking to your cuticles after you've swiped with acetone. The trick is to soak a cotton ball, let it sit on the nail for 30 seconds, and then pull away in one firm motion. Don't scrub back and forth, or you'll just be spreading the "oil slick" all over your fingers.
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As for chipping? It holds up pretty well. Usually, I get about five days of solid wear before the tips start to show some silver. If you cap your edges (running the brush along the very tip of the nail), you can probably stretch that to a full week.
Actionable steps for your next manicure
If you’re ready to dust off your bottle or go hunt one down, here is the best way to make it look professional:
- Buff first: Metallics highlight every bump and ridge on your nail. Use a fine buffer to smooth the surface before you even touch the base coat.
- Thin layers are king: Do not go in heavy on the first coat. It will look streaky and gross. Trust the process; the second coat is where the magic happens.
- The "Flashlight Test": Once you're done, use your phone's flashlight to check the shift. It’s the best way to see if you missed any spots near the cuticles where the green shimmer might not have settled evenly.
- Try a Matte experiment: If you're bored of the shine, apply a matte top coat. It completely transforms the polish into a velvet-like texture that looks like expensive Italian fabric.
Essentially, for the twill of it is a staple for a reason. It’s complex without being difficult, and it’s edgy without being un-professional. It’s one of those rare shades that actually lives up to the hype on the bottle. Just paint it on, wait for the sun to hit, and enjoy the show.