Product Review: OPI Nail Lacquer

What with all the sandals and peep-toe shoes out there, pedicure season is upon us! I've resisted the idea of a pedi for the longest time, thinking that it was a high-maintenance bit of nonsense. Lately, however, seeing how much better pampered tootsies look in sandals has made me rethink my resistance, especially since my feet are in rough shape from dancing.

I deferred to the pedi advice of my friend Megan, who swears by home manis/pedis and trash TV as the ultimate relaxation therapy, and picked up a bottle of OPI Nail Lacquer in Rosy Future from a little makeup place on Robson for less than $9. I figured the shimmery light pink hue was pretty neutral and a good starter nail polish. I also bought a bottle of Revlon basecoat/topcoat, toe separators, and a pumice stone from London Drugs.

After the prep work, I got to the part that I was most excited about: applying the actual lacquer. The wide brush that OPI boasts is superior to standard brushes actually annoyed me. The nailbed on my toenails isn't that big and the brush fanned out too wide. I ended up getting lacquer on the skin around the nail. In fact, in the shower the next day, I was peeling little bits of pink off my toes to conceal my pedi skill deficiencies. The next time I do my toes, I'm going to have to use a lighter touch so the brush doesn't fan out as much. On the plus side, it worked a lot better on my fingernails, creating a smooth coat of colour.

I was also surprised at how sheer the colour was; it left a translucent hint of pink on my nails with the faintest bit of bluish shimmer. It took two coats before I noticed a distinct difference. This is good and bad: it doesn't stand out as much as a bright opaque shade, but when it eventually starts to peel, the peeling polish won't be as noticeable.

Overall, though, I'm pretty pleased with the polish's texture and hue, and a quick gander at all of the fun pretty colour collections on their website confirmed why OPI is the cream of the crop when it comes to nail polish. The bottle will last ages if it doesn't dry out first. I'm already contemplating the purchase of a second shade that's more opaque and distinctive, just to switch things up a bit. These are the winners from the current collections on the website, although seeing the collection of colours at that store again might make me pick a different colour entirely on a whim:

• Sea Ya Later, Sailor! (Retro Fun in the Sun collection; a shimmery medium teal)
• Charmed by a Snake (India collection; a shimmery bronze)
• Brights Power (Mod about Brights collection; a bright orange)

Do you have any nail polish shades or brands you swear by? Please share your recommendations in the comments!