Here are my four picks from OPI's Brazil collection for Spring/ Summer 2014! As you can see, I went for a few of the warmer shades as well as the lightest neutral. Let's take a look!
First, here is the true coral, OPI- Live. Love. Carnaval:
Live. Love. Carnaval is a bright coral creme. It dries darker than bottle color, but also a little more vibrantly, somehow. In some light (dim), it borders on being a neon, but just looks like a normal punchy coral in most situations.
I have a crap-ton of coral cremes, and none that dupe this. It is similar to Essie- Cute As A Button, but Live. Love. Carnaval. is a little more vibrant. It's also vaguely similar to Misa- BubblePop, but BubblePop dries to a satin-matte finish, and is a touch lighter.
Artificial light, two coats:
Window-filtered daylight:
I don't think this is a totally unique coral shade, but it is pretty fabulous!
Outside, shade:
Formula: It's on the thicker side, and pigmented. Goes over nail surface easily and self-levels decently, although the first coat is slightly streaky. You have a lot of play time with this one. Very nice, mostly opaque in two coats!
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Next, here is OPI- Where Did Suzi's Man-go?:
Where Did Suzi's Man-go? is a tangerine orange sort of color with a creme finish. It's a very Spring type of orange: slightly faded, and not too eye-searing.
It's darker than Nubar- Orange Creme, and has more pink in it than Zoya- Arizona, although the color values are similar.
Artificial light, three coats:
This one also dries a lot darker than the liquid bottle color, but I'm not sure it's as obvious in photos as in person.
Window-filtered daylight:
Outside, shade:
Formula: It's slightly chalky, but really not too awful for a pastel-ish color like this. The first coat is streaky, but doesn't cuticle drag, and does self-level slightly. The second coat evens a lot of the streakiness, but I needed three for opaque coverage. Really not bad for this type of color: excellent result if you're willing to put in three coats.
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Next, OPI- Toucan Do It If You Try:
Toucan Do It If You Try is coral-orange creme. Kind of a sorbet color. Like the previous two, it also dries darker than its bottle color. Also, WHOA, all of these names are so groan-worthy, don't you think?!
It's similar to Orly- Truly Tangerine, but has noticeably more pink in it, and the Orly is darker. Essie- Braziliant is also a bit darker, and of course has shimmer.
Artificial light, three coats:
Window-filtered daylight:
Outside, shade:
Formula: It's maybe a little thinner than the first two, with about the same pigmentation level as Suzi's Man-go. The first coat is streaky, but self-levels better than the others, and you have a lot of play time during application. Second coat doesn't self level as well, but you can still see things starting to even out a lot. The third coat really doesn't want to level out (don't know why), and you can maybe see the result at the edges of my nails...
I probably could've used a fourth coat but I usually refuse to go there for a creme/ non-jelly finish on moral? grounds.
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Last, here is the neutral, OPI- Don't Bossa Nova Me Around:
Don't Bossa Nova Me Around is a subtly pink-toned nude creme. It reminds me of Urban Decay's Naked 3 color palette as well as the tones found in Zoya's recent Naturel collection- so, of course, I had to have it!
It' very similar to OPI- Steady As She Rose, but is lighter and not a dupe.
Artificial light, two coats:
I just think this is so lovely and flattering. It'll be super for people with cool undertones. I also think it's gonna make a great base for nail art- as an alternative to white.
I know I'm not alone when I say it's my surprise favorite out of these four!
Window-filtered daylight:
Outside, shade:
Formula: Medium viscosity, but not too sheer; the first coat is streaky, and this is the worst self-leveller of the bunch- BUT it's not as chalky as colors like this usually are. You might get cuticle drag if you go over an area too many times, but I mostly had no problems with that.
Unlike the rest of them, the second coat goes on more easily than the first, and gives opaque coverage! I really can't complain: very decent formula.
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Overall, I really liked the polishes that I tried from Brazil- but, then again, I am a total sucker for cremes! I was disappointed that the three warm, bright colors all dried darker than their liquid bottle colors. The bottle hues are so nice, so it's a bit like false advertising...
Most of the formulas here were very workable- not perfect- but there were no real beasts to struggle with, and the neutral especially had a surprisingly decent application.
What do you think?
Did you try any of the other shades from this collection?
Okay, that decides it, need Don't Bossa Nova Me Around!
ReplyGorgeous swatches!
ReplyWhat great picks from this collection. They look so pretty.
ReplyThanks! I am happy with my choices, and especially happy none are exact dupes to any of the other cremes I have!
ReplyThank you! :)
ReplyHaha, you DO! Especially with all the nail art/ gradienting you do!
ReplyAaaah, I kept telling myself I didn't need the two corals of the collection, I must have a million already...but I totally need them.
ReplyI'm DYING over Toucan and Carnaval! I really had no plans to pick up any of these but I might have to. I feel slightly obsessed with the teal, too, but I just know that one'll stain horrifically.
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