OPI Fall 2009 - Spanish Collection

 

 Ate Berries In the Canaries 

Indoors, no flash; incandescent lighting (L), Outdoors, overcast (R)

Can't you tell from the blurriness? Wasn't too thrilled with this color...to be honest, not thrilled with the whole collection aside from Gimme Moor!, Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees and Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow. The whole collection looks pretty awful on me. It clearly wasn't made with an Asian in mind! But that's ok. Us yellow folk are used to it! :p I jest, I jest...sort of. I also had a look over at the Essie Fall 2009 Collection as well. WTF is up with brights for fall? This is when I get my dark on, ya know? Despite it being overcast, this color sure did shine through in the freakin' bright department. I swear, I think I took out the entire neighborhood with my bright color collection!

I had some difficulty with this whole line in general...I found I needed three coats of all the colors I've swatched. That is rather odd, don't you think? But the formula also dried fast enough, but overall I found it so very odd.

 

 Bullish on OPI 

Indoors with flash (L); Outdoors in sunlight

I kind of liked this color, but not enough to wear it again. It's not quite red, it's not quite brown...but with the flash it almost looks like a polish I used to wear back in high school from the Sation line called Brick Red.

Conquistadorable Color 

Indoors no flash (L); Outdoors overcast (R)

On me, this was too similar to Bullish on OPI. It's just a bit more red. It's a pretty enough color, but like BOO it's not enough to tempt me into keeping it in my collection. Some lucky friend just may find it in a nailpolish care package...and you will never know who you are! Muahahaha. In the outdoors shot it looks more pinky red...again, not me. When it comes down to it, I'm a black nail polish wearing, Nine Inch Nails listening, Doc Martin wearing goth girl at heart who hates vampires that dazzle. Dazzling vampires? What kind of fuckery is that shit, anyway?

 

 Pamplona Purple 

Indoors, with flash, standing near a luminescent lamp and a window (L);  outdoors, setting sun light (R)

I have never been a very big purple nail polish kind of girl, but somewhere along the way I started falling for the color. First it was a deep eggplant color, then a soft seduction by a lighter shade by way of royal purple, working its way up to this. I know I complained about the brightness of this collection, but I have to admit that I am smitten with this color. I have dubbed it my "It can make Carina happy in a flash" color (when deep fried food won't do it). I think my husband shall take note. ;) Much as I did love the color, again...it's the formula. I had to do three coats and even three applications you can still see my nail underneath if you look at the ring finger. Grrr...

 

  Pink Flamenco 

Indoors, flash and luminescent lighting (L); Outdoors, overcast (R)

Can I just tell you how badly I cringed at this? I mean REALLY cringed. I was embarrassed to even swatch this color. It was way out of my comfort zone and I think my skin tone agreed with me. There is a reason why I stay away from bright things like this...especially neons. *shakes head* I'm sorry I damaged you all with this picture. I think my retinas are burning, despite me typing and wearing sunglasses to shield my delicate eyes from retinal burn. Remember how, as a child you were told to never look/stare directly into/at the sun? I think this is why you don't - you will get blinded. This color is like staring at the sun. Not even an overcast sky could deter the brightness of this color that was bound and determined to shine through. Are your eyes still burning? Mine are...and I swatched this last week. UGH

  

Barefoot In Barcelona 

Indoors, Combo Flash and Luminescent lighting (L); Outdoors, overcast (R)

I hated this color. From the moment the brush came out of the bottle, I hated it. I hated it so much that I even messed up on the index finger and couldn't give a flying crap about fixing it. I hoped the topcoat would mask it. I only did this to swatch it. This color was a bit too close to my skin color and it just looked freakin' awful. It just made my whole hand look washed out. Couldn't get it off my nails fast enough. 

Yea, this color doesn't look any better outside. *spits* I HATE this color. I have never had an intense dislike for a nail polish color, but this sure is it.

  

Manicurist of Seville 

Indoors, no flash, near a window with luminescent lighting (L); Outdoors, overcast (R)

This looked very berry-ish in the bottle, but once I put it on it did surprise me...in a good way. Two coat application and the color wasn't so bad. Once outside, it was a pleasant surprise that I liked this color. It appears more red than berry and it makes me appreciate it. It's good enough to keep in my collection...for now or until I re-evaluate it at a later date.

  

No Spain, No Gain 

Indoors with flash (L); Outdoors, overcast (R)

I am not a fan of pink berry colors, but this made me think this was cute. Not sure if it's something I would keep though. It was all right. This held up pretty well outdoors as well. It's not bad, eh?

Can You Tapas This? 

Indoors with flash (L); Sunlight (R)

Love this color - it's not quite brown, it's not quite red. It's also not a brick red. Application was smooth and wonderful. A friend sent me the colors I was missing for the rest of this collection and I'll be swatching them soon. They are...a bit...bright for fall. But this is a great fall color, don't you think?  When outdoors, it's a bit more brown, but I do like this color a lot.

  

Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow 

Indoors, luminescent light(L); Sunlight (R)

Sorry for the blurriness...I am trying to get used to macro mode.

This color took my breath away. As most of you know, or haven't guessed by now, I have an unholy love for dark nail polish...and this is one that is just as cool as Suzi Skis In The Pyrenees. While Suzi was charcoal grey, this is a mega deep moss that looks black but when in light, hints at green. So again, they've totally got it for me.

My camera couldn't do this color justice - it's one of those colors you've got to see to believe. Seriously! I keep staring at the color on my nails - it actually distracts me from the typing I do.

Maybe it's because I'm easily distracted, but in any case, this color is gorgeous.

FYI - this color took 3 coats to get an even finish.

Suzi Skis In the Pyrenees 

Indoors artificial lighting (L); Sunlight (R)

I'll be taking a pic in natural sunlight. It's a gorgeous mega dark charcoal grey. It almost looks black!

Please pardon the blue splotch on my middle finger - my fountain pen exploded and I spent a good 30 mins scrubbing all the color off - that was the one area that I had difficulty in removing Noodler's Ink's "Navajo Turquoise". They said the ink was archival quality - they weren't kidding. When outside, loving the charcoal aspects of this color! And that ink splotch...urrrgh. It's been three days with a lot of OCD scrubbing!

 

Gimme Moor! 

Indoors with Flash (L); Outdoors, overcast (R)

I saved what I thought was the best color for last...it's gorgeous, but it needed three coats. I do like it, but I feel like I've seen this color before. I love that deep eggplant purple that's been captured with the flash, though. Overall the formula for this entire line was just a bit too much for me to deal with - you could afford to be a bit careless, but you really needed to pay attention or you'd turn out with something like...well, this.

I don't know why, but since the day was overcast, this reminded me of an eggplant version of Chanel's Vamp from ten years ago. Don't mistake it for the newer version of Vamp.

No real stand out colors from the line so far. Only one that stands out is in a bad way and you've seen it above - Pink Flamenco. Trust me, you can't freakin' miss that hideous monstrosity.

The formula is a bit too temperamental for a newbie like me, I guess.

Other than that, I did like this color.