Baked by Melissa Partners with essie for Its First Beauty Brand Collaboration

The cupcake and nail brands join forces to celebrate self-expression with a limited-edition assortment inspired by essie’s Gourmet Grocery Collection.

Baked by Melissa, the New York-based dessert company famous for bite-size cupcakes, and essie, America's leading nail brand since 1981, have 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 crossover where iconic colors meet confection.

Food Meets Beauty

This launch marks 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 consumers to indulge their senses through both vibrant nail color and delicious dessert.

Melissa Ben-Ishay, CEO and Cofounder of Baked by Melissa, explained the personal significance of the partnership. "Essie has been my go-to nail polish for as long as I can remember," Ben-Ishay said. "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."

The collaboration features two of essie's most iconic and best-selling shades: Marshmallow and 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.

Three Cupcake Flavors

Baked by Melissa and essie have reimagined the Gourmet Grocery shades, transforming each polish into an irresistible bite-size cupcake. Marshmallow features vanilla cake stuffed with marshmallow fluff, vanilla icing, and topped with a mini marshmallow.

Berry Naughty includes vanilla cake stuffed with dark chocolate raspberry ganache, dark chocolate icing, and topped with a freeze-dried raspberry. Unsalted offers vanilla cake stuffed with Bavarian cream, sugar cookie icing, and topped with a butter cookie piece.

Color as Self-Expression

Yasmin Dastmalchi, President of essie US, emphasized the brand's philosophy on color. "As a brand, essie has always believed that color is a powerful form of self-expression and play," Dastmalchi said. "We are always looking for ways to engage consumers and meet them where they are at."

Dastmalchi described the collaboration as bringing essie's 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."

Design Philosophy

Isabelle Marlow, Director, Color Designer & Product Development for essie Global, detailed the design approach behind the Gourmet Grocery Collection. "The Gourmet Grocery Collection was designed to transform everyday gourmet delights into a rich, sensory experience through our unique 3-Note Color System," Marlow said.

The collection balances familiar primary notes, dimensional depth, and unexpected pearls and pigments to create craveable shades. "We've created craveable shades that do more than just sit on the nail; they send a message and invite conversation," Marlow explained. "It's about bringing the vibrancy of the farmer's market to your fingertips, ensuring every mani is a delicious statement."

Limited Availability

Only available Sunday, March 8 through Monday, March 23, the cupcakes can be purchased in packs of 25 for $37 online at BakedbyMelissa.com with nationwide shipping. Packs of 12 are exclusively available for $19 at any of Baked by Melissa's retail locations.

The two-week availability window creates urgency for consumers interested in experiencing the collaboration. The limited-edition nature of the launch aligns with both brands' strategies for creating special moments and exclusive offerings.

Cross-Category Collaboration Trend

The Baked by Melissa and essie partnership reflects a broader trend of cross-category brand collaborations in the beauty and food sectors. These partnerships create multisensory experiences that extend beyond traditional product launches.

By combining essie's expertise in nail color with Baked by Melissa's reputation for innovative dessert flavors, the collaboration offers consumers a novel way to engage with both brands. The cupcakes serve as edible representations of the nail polish shades, creating a tangible connection between beauty and confection.

The collaboration demonstrates how established brands can reach new audiences and create memorable experiences through unexpected partnerships. Both companies leverage their respective expertise to create products that appeal to consumers seeking playful, Instagram-worthy moments.

More information and ordering details are available at BakedbyMelissa.com during the limited launch window from March 8-23, 2026.

Related Stories