I USUALLY get my nails done in the run-up to Christmas, but this year I’ve been looking for a cheaper alternative.
OPI nail polishes are my latest find, and its festive gift sets have everything I need without splurging.
OPI Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar, £51.90
OPI is a premium nail polish brand with a huge range of shades — and it’s now launched its gifting range ahead of Christmas.
OPI Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar
The OPI Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar features mini nail polishes behind 12 doors, each with the shade name on the back in case you want to buy the full-size in future.
O.P.I 12 day Advent calendar: Quickfire Q&A
How much is it? The calendar costs £51.90, meaning each mini-varnish costs around £4.30. That doesn’t actually present much of a cash saving in the same way as other beauty Advents, but its allure is more in the variety of colours you get to try.
Who’s it best for? Nail polish fans who want to test out lots of different OPI nail polish shades without committing to buying full-size.
What we loved: The variety of shades, which included both festive and everyday colours, the quality and quick-drying properties of the nail polishes, and the cute Christmas design.
What we didn’t: The price is slightly steep, though it is still cheaper than many other beauty Advent calendars.
- O.P.I Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar, £51.90 – buy here
The Advent mimics a gingerbread house, and if you’re a nail polish fan, it’s a fun way to start each day — plus there’s a beautiful array of colours.
I like that alongside five shimmery shades, you also get five more classic ones — including reds, a neutral pink and white for French manicures — plus a base coat and top coat to seal your polish in place.
In the past, I’ve found that glittery nail polishes can be clumpy and hard to apply, or result in a rough surface, but these glided on smoothly.
OPI Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar, £51.90
The biggest surprise was how quickly the nail polishes dried — I was stunned to find each layer was dry to the touch within about 15 seconds.
The quick-drying is ideal for December, when you’re painting your nails on the tube on the way to a party.
The biggest surprise was how quickly the nail polishes dried — I was stunned to find each layer was dry to the touch within about 15 seconds.
The staying power is good too — I tend to re-paint my nails every five to seven days anyway, and it’s nice to have lots of colours to choose from when you want to switch it up.
O.P.I 12 day Advent calendar: What’s inside?
12 mini O.P.I nail polishes — shades below:
- O.P.I’m Frosted
- Spread the Cherry
- Ginger Snapped
- Nougat by Nature
- Berry and Bright
- Funny Bunny
- Yuletide Sweetings
- Bubble Bath
- Big Apple Red
- Lincoln Park after Dark
- Top Coat
- Natural Nail Base Coat
£25 Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 4-Piece Gift Set
Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 4-Piece Gift Set, £25
If you’re ticking off your Christmas shopping, the £25 Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 4-Piece Gift Set is an affordable option for Secret Santa or family gift budgets.
It contains four aptly named festive shades — OPI’m Frosted (a classic silver), Ginger Snapped (a unique brown shimmer), Nougat by Nature (a sparkly gold) and Havin’ a Candy Ol’ Time (a deep blue colour).
They are minis, but I personally would only wear shimmery shades at this time of year, so full-sized bottles are unnecessary, plus you can switch between four different shades.
The Verdict: Are OPIs gift sets worth it?
OPIs festive sets are a great intro to the brand’s nail polishes and they’re perfect for the festive season.
The selection of colours, especially in the Advent calendar, is a win for me — especially because you can create a French manicure one day, and a sparkly festive look the next.
The polishes are mini, but because of the high qualit,y a little goes a long way — the design is really nice too.
