Baked by Melissa Launches First-Ever Beauty Brand Collaboration With essie

Baked by Melissa, the New York-based dessert company famous for its handcrafted bite-size cupcakes and treats, and essie, America’s leading nail brand and salon expert since 1981, today announced their first-ever collaboration. The limited-edition launch brings essie’s new Gourmet Grocery nail polish collection to life in bite-size cupcakes, creating a playful crossover where iconic colors meet confection.

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Baked by Melissa and essie Gourmet Grocery-inspired cupcakes

From fingertips to frosting, the collaboration features two of essie’s most iconic and best-selling shades: Marshmallow + Berry Naughty, alongside a new, limited-edition shade, Unsalted, a buttery yellow hue celebrating the continued dominance of the butter yellow trend across fashion and beauty.

This launch will mark Baked by Melissa’s first-ever major beauty brand collaboration and taps into the growing cultural crossover between food and beauty, where playful, sensory driven experiences are redefining brand partnerships. Together, Baked by Melissa and essie invite everyone to indulge their senses — because whether it’s a vibrant nail color or delicious dessert, a little color makes everything more fun.

“Essie has been my go-to nail polish for as long as I can remember,” said Melissa Ben-Ishay, CEO and Cofounder of Baked by Melissa. “Different colors represent different chapters and special moments in my life, forever tied to some of my most cherished memories, from my first ballet recital to my wedding day. Collaborating with my favorite nail polish brand on this limited-edition launch feels incredibly special, and I hope you love it as much as we do.”

Together, Baked by Melissa and essie have reimagined the Gourmet Grocery shades, transforming each polish into an irresistible bite-size cupcake in the following flavors:

• Marshmallow - Vanilla cake stuffed with marshmallow fluff, vanilla icing, and topped with a mini marshmallow.
• Berry Naughty - Vanilla cake stuffed with dark chocolate raspberry ganache, dark chocolate icing, and topped with a freeze-dried raspberry.
• Unsalted - Vanilla cake stuffed with Bavarian cream, sugar cookie icing, and topped with a butter cookie piece.

“As a brand, essie has always believed that color is a powerful form of self-expression and play,” said Yasmin Dastmalchi, President of essie US. “We are always looking for ways to engage consumers and meet them where they are at. This collaboration is just that — bringing our Gourmet Grocery collection to life in an unexpected, multisensory way. Partnering with Baked by Melissa allows us to uniquely connect with a brand that uses color differently and create a moment that inspires and brings beauty, culture and experience together.”

“The Gourmet Grocery Collection was designed to transform everyday gourmet delights into a rich, sensory experience through our unique 3-Note Color System,” said Isabelle Marlow, Director, Color Designer & Product Development for essie Global. “By balancing familiar primary notes, dimensional depth, and unexpected pearls and pigments, we’ve created craveable shades that do more than just sit on the nail; they send a message and invite conversation. It’s about bringing the vibrancy of the farmer’s market to your fingertips, ensuring every mani is a delicious statement.”

Only available Sunday, March 8 through Monday, March 23, the cupcakes can be purchased in packs of 25 ($37) online at BakedbyMelissa.com with nationwide shipping, or packs of 12 ($19) exclusively available at any of Baked by Melissa’s store locations, while supplies last. Essie's Gourmet Grocery polishes can be purchased online at key retailers including Target.com, Ulta.com, and Amazon.com.

For more information, please visit Baked by Melissa’s website at bakedbymelissa.com and follow @bakedbymelissa and @essie on Instagram and TikTok.

About Baked by Melissa

Founded by Melissa Ben-Ishay in 2008, Baked by Melissa is the New York-based dessert company famous for its handcrafted bite-size cupcakes and treats in a wide variety of flavors. The brand operates 11 retail locations in the NYC area, and an online storefront offering nationwide shipping. With its highly acclaimed assortment of flavors, gift boxes for every occasion, and freshness guaranteed, Baked by Melissa has become a go-to brand to celebrate all of life’s moments across the U.S. In 2020, Melissa went viral on TikTok with videos of her salads and everyday meals. Today, her 5 million followers recreate her recipes at home, each designed to deliver the perfect bite just like her namesake cupcakes. Following her instant New York Times bestselling cookbook Come Hungry (2024), she returns with her newest cookbook, Come Eat, hitting shelves April 21, 2026. For cupcakes, recipes and more, visit bakedbymelissa.com.

About essie

America's nail salon expert, essie aims to inspire a love for the manicure experience with a wit and style that touches people everywhere. The salon-quality formula and catchy, whimsical names have led to the creation of thousands of shades. For more than 40 years, essie has been a color authority and leader in nail luxury, committed to high-quality standards with an award-winning line of nail polishes and nail care products. Started in 1981 by our namesake Essie Weingarten, essie continues to delight the color-obsessed with a love shared all over the world.

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