OPI Pamplona Purple
I own a measly three OPI nailpolishes. In the nailpolish-lovers community, this makes me feel a bit like the poor cousin.
Or barely a member at all.
But there's a few reasons why I haven't jumped on the OPI bandwagon.
1. Price
The stores with the best OPI range in Australia are nothing more than low-down-knife-in-your-back-hand-over-your-wallet-and-other-valuables dirty thieves.
One bottle costs $20. In the US, they're $3-$4.
I know you can get them online for that price but minimum orders are around $50. Sometimes I'll fill up my cart, look at my 150-ish bottle collection, look back at my cart… and empty it.
Occasionally, if I really, really love a colour, I'll buy it off ebay for $8-$10.
2. Quality
I'm not convinced OPI quality is really that superior to many other brands. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of rubbish nailpolish out there, but there's also a lot of great stuff too. I've never noticed OPI lasting any longer, or chipping less, than most of my other nailpolishes.
3. Conservative
I'm not particularly adventurous in my polish preferences. How often have I lamented my long nail beds and fast growing nails? I personally think the rainbow colours – blues, greens, yellows – holos, flakies, some glitters, pastels, shimmers, etc. look trailer park trashy on my long nails.
Just add some orange tan, hair bleached beyond redemption and call me Tahleighah.
That said, I do obsessively look up colours online and keep a running list of Wants (not just OPI, but including).
One colour I fell in love with was Pamplona Purple.
In the sunlight, this looks like a deep magenta.
I adore magenta.
Indoors it's more the purple of its name.
I took these pictures in my mother's garden, where – I didn't realise – she has my absolute favourite purple daisies.
Perfect match.
So of course, I had to take some for my desk. Nothing brightens up my day more than the happy faces of daisies.
I just remembered one thing that OPI does better than any brand. Their brushes.
They've got that down pat. As you'd expect from the undisputed leading nailpolish brand, I guess.
If you struggle to paint your nails evenly and haven't tried OPI, the Pro Wide brush could help improve your application.
xx Kiki
I missed your other two recent blog posts! I didn’t realise you’re back!
I agree, i struggle to buy opi nowadays unless i absolutely love it. I did buy a few Essie’s a few months ago and really loved them. But for now I’m happy to buy an ulta3 every now and then to satisfy my nail polish purchasing needs.
That purple is fantastic! Is the opi red you have chick flick cherry or big apple red? They’re my two fave opi red’s.
Good to see you back x
ballet flats – I bought my first Essie a while back – Alligator Purse – and it’s very lovely. I’m more drawn to Essie, actually. Chick Flick Cherry looks sensational! I adore cremes like that. I have a China Glaze called Bing Cherry which is similar. My OPI is O’Hare and Nails Look Great.
When I was in the USA last year bottles of OPI were $6-9 depending on location and tax. Definitely not $3 (or was I shopping in the wrong spots?), but that still doesn’t justify the highway robbery we experience in Australia. Pamplona Purpke is stunning!
Annie – Oh, I assumed the online price from US stores were the same as their retail prices. $6-9 would be wonderful, though, wouldn’t it?
OPI was the brand that made me fall in love with nail polish, and I cringe at how many I bought retail from DJs before I wised up that they are a quarter of the price online!
Unfortunately OPI isn’t that cheap in the US, it’s about $8-9 a bottle, so online is even cheaper than that. Still, half the price of Australia definitely stings!
Pamplona Purple is such a gorgeous colour, I should wear it more often! x
aelie – It’s probably a good thing they’re so expensive here – it stops my nailpolish habit getting out of control
Glad to hear you have Pamplona Purple too. I think it’s actually a good one for summer, because it truly comes into its own in the sunshine.
Pamplona Purple is gorgeous! That’s going on my nail polish list ASAP
I went through a bit of an obsession with OPI (I’m not sure how many bottles I have) but while their colours are pretty, I agree with you – their formulas are nothing special.
I really love Orly and China Glaze. The formulas are usually pretty good and their are so many amazing colours!
Melinda – I haven’t tried any Orly yet, but I do like China Glaze. I have an extensive lists of wants, and recently made a new friend who orders from head2toe, so we’re going to share orders from now on. This could be dangerous!
I’ve got some really great OPI shades and some reeeeeeaaallly crappy ones. I’ve found the pale pinks are so streaky and horrible it’s not worth trying to apply two or three coats to get it right.
But the purple shades I have….Hoo boy, they’re awesome. I think I have Miami Beet and….something else. Love them both.
I tend to buy a couple when they’re $13 on ozsale.com.au or a similar website. Otherwise I don’t bother.
Julia – Miami Beet is just gorgeous. I need to get into deep pinky purples like that next winter. If you ever want to share an online order, let me know
You think of OPI like I think of MAC. Love makeup but I find that I’m becoming rather conservative too with colour. I do like OPI though and find it hard to get quality nail polishes out here in Perth. The purple looks gorgeous on you!
Sassandspice – I’m not a makeup person because anything other than a very natural face makes me look like a street walker, but even if I was I couldn’t justify paying MAC prices like they’re a premium brand when they’re a cheap drugstore brand in the states.