OPI - Berlin There, Done That

Taupe creme  

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Oh OPI - you and your amusing polish names.  Though I suppose with the number of polishes that OPI have released (more than any other modern brand?) they would've likely run out of names if they'd stuck to anything more themed or traditional!

And don't get me started on Nails Inc's annoying habit of reusing polish names, sometimes 3 times...

So Berlin There, Done That is a mid-toned taupe creme, it looks purple-ish in shade and milky coffee in sun.  BTDT is unsurprisingly from the Germany Collection back in 2012.

Application was good, swatches are 2 coats, no top coat.

OPI - Oy-Another Polish Joke!

Sheerish shimmery gold  

Oy-Another Polish Joke! is a sheer(ish) shimmery gold.

I had read it was sheer so I tried one coat layered over yesterdays Can't Find My Czechbook

It turns out OAPJ is actually a bit too dense for layering but I did end up with this pretty almost verdigris look which I love.

OPI - Can't Find My Czechbook

Muted blue creme  

Can't Find My Czechbook (I do groan at some of these OPI polish names, perhaps that's the point?!) is a muted turquoise leaning blue creme.  IRL this was slightly more green than the pictures show.

Swatch shown is 2 coats with no top coat and you can see it's not super shiny.

Application was slightly streaky but it ended up ok.  And it's a mini bottle from the Euro Minis collection of four shades.

OPI - Planks A Lot and Top Shop - Firework

Dusky lilac creme  and holo glitter  

I'm sure you've all seen this one before...

Planks A Lot is a dusky lilac creme from the Pirates of the Caribbean collection from a few years back.

Swatch is 2 coats with no top coat.

I decided to use this as the base coat for a lovely holo glitter I picked up in TopShop that was a bit too sheer to wear alone.

So here is PAL again topped with 2 coats Topshop Firework

Blurry close-up to show the holo goodness

And a bottle close up (and a random oversized blue glitter?!)

Firework is a sheer pinky lilac fine holo glitter

Application was good but it doesn't dry v. shiny and leaves a slightly bumpy finish so this is one that would definitely benefit from a nice thick gel-type topcoat.

But it's such a pretty polish I can forgive it!

OPI Mariah Carey Liquid Sand - Can't Let Go

Purple glitter/sand finish  

I hadn't planned on picking up any of the textured polishes that have been released this year, I was totally 'meh' about crackle and had ruled these out as similar.

But I spotted the mini collection of OPI Mariah Carey Liquid Sand polishes for a nice price on a business trip to the US and decided to give them a try.

And hey, hands up, I was too hasty.  I really like them!

Can't Let Go (I know very little about Mariah Carey - I'm assuming these are song names?) is purple and packed with largish glitter pieces and with an underlying 'sand' base.  I'm sure it isn't actual sand in there but it definitely gives the impression of you having thrown a big handful of fine sand into a bottle of polish.

Because of the 'sandy' finish there's no shine although to me it's a sheen off being a true matte.  And I love the way the big glitter catches the light.

For me this swatch was 2 coats, although I possibly could've done with 3.

I really liked the finish and shine and wore this without topcoat.  And it wore like iron - very impressed.

OPI - Suzi's Hungary Again

Coral creme 

Another mini bottle, this time an OPI.


Suzi's Hungary Again is a coral creme.

And if you look really closely in the last full sun picture (click to enlarge) there are tiny, sparse silvery microsparkles in there too.  Although really too small and sparse to be of much interest...

For me this took 3 coats to be opaque

OPI - You're Such A Budapest

Lilac creme with secret sparkles  

Continuing the Spring-like colours (we even have sunshine in the my part of the UK today, even if the temperatures are still Arctic!)

You're Such a Budapest is from the Euro Centrale collection.  My lovely friend Kristy bought me the mini set for my Birthday last month.

You're Such a Budapest is at first glance a pretty lilac creme, but look a little closer and there are fine silvery microsparkles in there too.

Swatch shown is 3 coats, I couldn't get this to level on my nails.  I don't usually have problems with mini bottles/brushes as I have tiny hands/nails but perhaps that was the issue?

OPI - Mermaids Tears

Pale jade green creme 

Mermaids Tears is a pale jade green creme

I struggled a bit with the application with this one, it has the pro-wide brush which I generally find tricky.

The pro-wide style brushes are just too big and unweildly for my teeny nails.

Also you can see in the photos that it dried a bit brushstrokey, like it didn't level properly. Anyone else had this problem with Mermaids Tears?

Swatch is 2 coats with no topcoat.

Overall I like the colour, love the name but am a bit meh about the application and brush....

OPI - Don't mess with OPI

Dusky pine green creme

Regular readers will know I'm not a huge fan of OPI, I had some bad experiences with the first OPI's I bought and I still find the quality a bit variable.  Which means they don't get a lot of love on this blog.

Plus they're kinda pricey in the UK.

But of course I'm a sucker for a bargain so when some interesting colours popped up for £5 on the OPI UK sale I snapped a few up.

First up is Don't Mess With OPI

Absolutely love this colour!

Don't Mess with OPI is a slightly dusky blue toned deep green creme

Swatch is 2 coats with no top coat and the polish consistency and application was great.

This polish has put a big tick in the plus column for OPI.

Are there any brands that you have taken a dislike to?  (even if it's slightly irrational!)

Models Own - Beetlejuice 2012 - Indian Ocean

Sheer blue/grey duochrome

Upfront warning, this is a sheer polish.  This is a duochrome/multichrome polish.  I took pictures both sheer and layered.  There are *lots* of pictures!

Last year Models Own launched a very successful collection of 5 polishes (which I haven't yet posted swatches of but I know you've all seen them already!)

This year, as a Spring/Summer 2012 Collection, they announced the addition of 3 new Beetlejuice polishes  Indian Ocean, Copper Pot and Tropical Summer. 

First up is Indian Ocean, in my view the prettiest and most duochrome of the three.  And the most sheer.

First up I tried it alone - these swatches are 3 coats with no top coat.  As you can see it's pretty sheer with loads of visible nail line.  And I think my delightfully stained nails may make it look greener than it is.  I've seen other blogs that went up to 5 coats, but it was not fully opaque.

Oooooh, but look at the pretties...

To me, Indian Ocean is a sheer grey toned blue with masses of pink/gold duochrome shimmer.  Models Own describe it as "a calming iridescent blue with soft pink undertones"

So then I thought I'd try layering it.  First over a mid blue, OPI What's With the Cattitude.  In hindsight this blue was a bit too bright and strong.

This is 2 coats over 3 coats of What's With the Cattitude.

Then I tried it over a more muted, but slightly too dark blue - Nails Inc Queensgate Terrace, a slighty dusky, mildy periwinkle mid blue creme

Again two coats over 2 coats of Queensgate Terrace.

Finally I thought I'd give it some underwear and try it over a nude base, Nails Inc Instyle Bare

Again 2 coats, over 2 coats of Bare.  I think this is close to the bottle colour but not quite there, perhaps a pale grey would work...?


But what can I say, it's gorgeous, if a little tricky!


The duochrome is fantastic, sparkly, foily with a strong colour change and it's looks gorgeous in sunlight and shade.

Make sure you pick this one up, just don't bother with it alone, layer it up!

What do you think of Indian Ocean?