No Lack Of Lacquer

OPI Deutsch You Want Me Baby?

Most of the notes I took on this varnish are just gushing about how beautiful it is, and really, it is. I’m a total sucker for a good metallic orange and Deutsch might just be the best one around. The pigmentation is so rich, with such depth that it seems as if it’s lit from within. I had minimal issues with brushstrokes despite the metallic finish, and the polish flowed off the brush so easily that it almost applied itself. Depending on how thickly you apply coats, you’ll need either two or three. I used three and I absolutely love it. The shade is just so autumnal and gorgeous; it’s perfect for the season and I highly recommend picking up a bottle.

OPI Berlin There Done That

Oh, OPI, I missed your puns. I really like Berlin There; it’s in one of the colour families that I’m just generally fond of and is, I suspect, a cousin of Essie’s Chinchilly, though that leans a little more grey. The formula was about what I expect from OPI polishes, so no surprises there. My only complaint is something that I’ve noticed a lot in more recent OPI creams, which is that they often don’t hide the flaws on your nails, no matter how many coats you use. I needed three coats for full opacity and it dried slightly darker than the bottle shade.

OPI It’s My Year

For a foil, this is a surprisingly sheer varnish. I used three coats for these photos, but I don’t think a fourth would have hurt. The formula is quite thin, but not so thin it becomes tricky to work with. It’s also a gold-based foil, unlike most of the others I own, which have a silver base. The main colour is a very pretty pink-purple that contrasts well with the foil base. The exact colours that show up depend entirely on the light hitting your nail, which makes it a lot nicer for me than a plain pink.

OPI Red Lights Ahead…Where?

As I slowly accustom myself to wearing red after a lifetime of avoiding it wherever possible, I’m always surprised when I like one as much as I do this polish, especially considering how bright it is. It pulls a little more orange in photos than it does in real life, though it looks just as neon. I used two coats and it was perfect, with a great formula.

OPI Wooden Shoe Like To Know?

I thought at first that this might be a dupe of one of the Cult Nails Get Nekkid collection, and while I was wrong about that, it would definitely fit right in with them, even if Wooden Shoe is slightly less sparkly. The formula was nice and thick, but easy to apply. I only needed two coats here.

OPI I Don’t Give A Rotterdam!

This may be a long-term favourite in the making. Rotterdam is a pale blue denim colour, with silver and a few black flecks running through it. The effect is almost like a bird’s egg; I really like it. Three coats used here for best opacity, though I think you could get away with two if you apply them a little thicker than I do.

OPI Pedal Faster Suzi!
11/03/12

I keep accidentally calling this Petal Faster, thanks to the flowery pink colour. And as far as pinks go, this isn’t a bad one. It’s quite soft and babyish, but the silver shimmer gives it a frosty appearance that I like. It gives very good coverage with each coat, but I used three just to make sure I wouldn’t get any VNL.

OPI Did You ‘Ear About Van Gogh?
10/03/12

I really wish this was more… anything than it actually is. More brown, more grey, more something. I actually like it now more, after I haven’t had it on my hands for a while, than I did when I was wearing it, but my point stands. This colour is too bland and too harsh in equal measures. It’s not even that I dislike it - it just does absolutely nothing for me and the strongest feeling I can muster is “meh”. The formula was good and it was opaque in two coats. That’s all I really have to say.

OPI Gouda Gouda Two Shoes
9/03/12

I wish it had been a sunny day when I swatched Gouda Gouda Two Shoes* so the gold shimmer had a chance to shine. It’s still very pretty without it, though not quite as unique. That actually seems to be a fairly common thread in the Holland collection. There aren’t really any amazing, stand-out colours, but most of them have a little twist that makes them that much more interesting.

The formula was, again, a little thin but entirely manageable, and I used three coats for opacity. It doesn’t do much to hide any flaws you might have in your nails, at least not from up close. If you’re a fan of muted rose shades, this is a good addition to your stash.

*incidentally, the name pun here just doesn’t work as well for a Brit as it does an American - we pronounce “gouda” differently.

OPI A Roll In The Hague
8/03/12

Oranges, like pale greens, are another staple of the season and this may well have the best name of them all. It might not be the most classic colour, but it’s definitely the brightest. A Roll In The Hague is a highly pigmented, pure orange jelly-like polish - I don’t think it’s a true jelly but it has the same glossy, squishy-looking finish. It looks neon in some lights and just like a regular orange in others, and I also suspect skin tone will strongly affect its appearance.

The formula is on the thicker side of things and slightly tricky to work with if you’re not careful about how much polish you get on the brush. I found there was a tiny bit of visible nail line from some angles after three coats, though so little of it that it isn’t worth worrying about. It’s as good as opaque.