I’m Sorry Essence, Can We Be Friends Again?

Stop the world, I wanna get off!!  I am so incredibly confused right now.
Remember my rant about stamping not working?
Then how I got a Konad set for my birthday?
… and how excited I got when the Konad stamping worked?
Well today I saw this post over at Mirannie’s Nails and once again I was wondering why other people seem to get the Essence set to work and I don’t.  So I was on a mission.  I was going to try every combination of Essence / Konad paint, plates and stamps until I narrowed down the culprit.  I wanted to know what exactly was making it not work for me!

Above: Essence plate with Konad paint and stamp.
I tried the Konad paint and stamp with the Essence plate – IT WORKED!
I tried the Essence paint and Plate with the Konad stamp – IT WORKED!
I tried the Essence paint and stamp with the ESSENCE plate – WTF IS GOING ON?! IT WORKED!!

Above: Essence plate, paint and stamper. ALL Essence and it worked!! *Bewildered*
I think the world is playing an evil trick on me. How can this be?!  I spent weeks, no that is not an exaggeration, literally WEEKS and multiple bottles of polish trying to get the Essence set to work with the most meager of results.  Before I couldn’t even get the stamp to pick up the paint!
THEN I get the Konad set and it works so I’m convinced, ok that’s it… the Essence Stampy Set just sucks balls.
THEN I try the Essence set again, just for shits and giggles, and it works?!!
*Smacks forehead against table repeatedly*
I just do not get it…
I’m not complaining, I just don’t get it.  I’m happy that I may be able to use some of the Essence designs now but I DO NOT GET IT! hahaha
Oh Essence, I’m so sorry! I’ve spoken so badly about you but here is solid proof that you do work!
Why though?  Why have you been so stubborn for me and why do you decide to work now when you never did before??
I am so completely and utterly stumped by this.