Hello again! It’s time for another round of Testing the Allure Editor’s Favorite. Unfortunately, I missed April due to life just getting a little busy. And, of course, shopping takes a little more planning in advance right now because of coronavirus. Luckily, I already happened to own one of the items recommended for the month of May. I’ll cut this intro short and get right into it.
The Recommendation: OPI Nail Lacquer Mexico City Collection
Price: $10.50 per bottle
What the Editor Says: “The blue walls of Frida Kahlo’s home, the flamingo pink architecture of Luis Barragan–Mexico City vibrates with color. OPI’s new 12-shade collection bottles the bright hues of Mexico’s capital (one of our favorites: Coral-ing Your Spirit Animal).” -Allure
My Experience
Let me preface this by saying, I’m really bad at doing nails. Like, really bad. I require a highly user-friendly polish formula and brush shape in order to achieve some semblance of a pretty manicure. So, please keep that in mind as I express my thoughts on this polish.
The color I own from OPI’s Mexico City Collection is Don’t Tell a Sol. It is my favorite color, a bright and cheery yellow. Perfect for the sunny summer days ahead. So, shade-wise, this polish is an A+.
The problem is, it’s not the easiest formula to work with. It takes three coats to achieve a rich, even yellow. The first application is incredibly streaky. Now, I know that yellows and other light colors typically do take more than one coat, but I personally prefer to top it off at two, not three. Then, there’s the brush. It’s the same as every OPI brush, with it’s long, blunt-cut bristles. I’ve come to realize I don’t like this shape. I find it difficult to use and more prone to streaking. My favorite shape is actually a flat paddle brush, sort of like Sally Hansen Inst-Dry nail polish has. Maybe this all comes down to my lack of skill, but if you also struggle to apply nail polish, this might not be the easiest to work with.
So, really, this comes down to preference. I will continue to use this polish because I LOVE the color. It’s beautiful. I just wish that OPI had a better delivery system for depositing it on my nails. I’ve known for some time that OPI wasn’t a favorite when it comes to it’s brush design, but they do suck me in with their colors!
The only other thing I want to point out is that when I first opened my polish, a bunch of black flecks from the cap deposited down onto the opening of the bottle (see the photo below). This has caused some issues, as every once in a while the brush will pick up a fleck that then ends up on my nail. I think this is likely just a fluke. I’ve never had this issue with OPI polishes before. But, still, frustrating nonetheless.
But, again, the color. Can’t get enough of that sunny yellow. What is your favorite nail polish brand, and what do you think of OPI? I know it’s like the gold standard of polish (at least it seems that way), but maybe that’s not accurate to say anymore with all the lovely new brands on the market.
xo Kelli
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