Purchased by me, affiliate links used
Hi friends! For whatever reason, after several days Autumn appropriate weather (I pulled out a sweater for mornings!) whoever is in charge of the weather in Connecticut decided to pretend that today it should be in the 80s with high humidity to boot. Not cool.
Anyhoo, continuing on with my posting of the Fall 2023 nail polish collections (I’ve done China Glaze and Essie so far) today I have the OPI collection. This year the collection is called Big Zodiac Energy and if you couldn’t tell by the name this is a Zodiac inspired collection.
Not to spoil the review but OPI is stepping a little outside of their usual Fall collection box and I am 10000% here for it! If you would like to see these polishes in a variety of light sources, be sure to check out my live swatch video.
This collection is available right now in all of the places where OPI is sold. I have seen it up on Amazon, Target, Ulta, Walmart and Sally Beauty. If you would like to pick this collection up as well as support my blog, consider using any of these affiliate links. If you want to save some coins, check out Beyond Polish, with my affiliate code NicoleLovesNails it brings the price point down from MSRP.
Live Swatch Video
OPI is a US based mainstream brand. Their polishes are in 15ml bottles and 3 free.
Aquarius Renegade
Description: a navy blue pearl
Aquarius Renegade as an Aquarius, I almost always hate the polish that is supposed to be for my sign. This polish might be the exception.
This polish was very opaque! It was opaque on me in just one coat but my swatches do show it in two. Both formula and application were perfect the only complaint I have is that since this is an OPI pearl there are some brush strokes.
If you ask me, this is more of a metallic shade than a pearl shade but I fully recognize that OPI uses the term pearl for a variety of finishes.
My photos show Aquarius Renegade in 2 coats plus glossy top coat. I didn’t experience any staining with this one but I would still recommend wearing base coat.
Big Sagittarius Energy
Description: a burgundy pearl
Big Sagittarius Energy is the first of two reds in this release. This one has a cranberry red vibe to it which I didn’t realize that I was in to until I got it on my nails.
I found this had the exact same opaque formula and application as Aquarius Renegade. It was a one coater on me but my swatches do show it two coats. Like Aquarius Renegade, there are some brush strokes through the pearl/metallic finish.
My photos show Big Sagittarius Energy in 2 coats plus glossy top coat. I had a hard time scrubbing all of the red pigment off of my nails so make sure to wear base coat and double up on base coat if your nails are prone to staining.
Feelin’ Capricorn-y
Description: a sage green shimmer
Feelin’ Capricorn-y the shimmer in this polish was so pretty and color shifty. I actually think the shimmer might be a combinations of was different color shimmers. I was seeing pink, gold, blue and purple shimmers. Think the shimmers in Zoya’s Daydreaming collection.
This is another one that will need to be build up to gain opacity but is pretty sheer. Both the formula and application were perfect. I felt very underwhelmed by this one.
My photos show Feelin’ Capricorn-y in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. Removal for this polish won’t be difficult but it will be messy.
Feelin’ Libra-ted
Description: a shimmery violet
Feelin’ Libra-ted this was a major disappointment for me from this release. In the bottle, it is a beautiful warm purpley berry color with some very pretty flakies. On the nail, it’s a patchy uneven warm not purpley berry color with very pretty flakies.
I expected Feelin’ Libra-ted to be sheer but I didn’t expect it to be so patchy. The patchiness levels out once you get to the third coat. Other than patchiness, it was ok formula wise.
My photos show Feelin’ Libra-ted in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. Removal won’t be overly difficult but it will be messy.
Gemini and I
Description: a soft white shimmer
Gemini and I surprised me because I didn’t think that I was going to like this one at all and as it turns out, the soft delicate-ness of it was really pretty!
This is what I think of when I think of the pearl finish OPI loves to do. It’s frosty, it’s shimmery and pearlescent-y. On the first coat, you get sheer soft shimmery finish. I think you could probably wear this one in 1-3 coats depending on your own personal preferences.
My photos show Gemini and I in 3 coats plus glossy top coat.
I Cancer-tainly Shine
Description: a holographic silver
I Cancer-tainly Shine I am so damn happy that OPI released a GOOD holographic!
The holo in here appears to be some micro flakies. They do not dry down textured but do need to be built up as the base appears to be clear. The flakies are fairly dense so while you could use this as a topper, you have to really try to go in for a very thin coat as the flakies will hide your base.
This was a little bit on the patchy side. Nothing terrible but a little patchier than I expected it to be.
My photos show I Cancer-tainly Shine in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. Removal will be very messy but not difficult like a glitter.
Kiss My Aries
Description: a fiery red shimmer
Kiss My Aries talk about opaque! While I wouldn’t call this a solid one coater, it’s like a 98% opaque in one coater.
This is a brighter more ‘is this a holiday red?’ shade of red than the previous red in the release. The shimmery-ness does add to the feeling of this being a holiday red to me.
My photos show Kiss My Aries in 2 coats plus glossy top coat. I didn’t experience any staining with it but make sure to wear base coat anyway. Removal won’t be difficult.
Pisces The Future
Description: a light blue pearl
Pisces The Future this was a color shifty surprise! I was initially annoyed by yet another pearl but once I realized that I was seeing pink, purple and hints of gold on my nails I was very happy.
This is another sheerer polish so you will want to build it up for opacity. Due to the pearl finish, you will have some brush strokes on the nails.
My photos show Pisces The Future in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. This will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on your level of pickiness.
Scorpio Seduction
Description: a navy blue pearl
Scorpio Seduction as someone who actively hates the pearl finish OPI does so often, this “pearl” is more shimmery than the brush strokey metallic I usually think when I think pearl finish.
Between jewel toned blue base and the blue to purple shimmer? I loved how this one looked. Coverage was a little bit uneven for me so I did need to build this one up in 3 coats to reach full opacity.
My photos show Scorpio Seduction in 3 coats plus glossy top coat.
Taurus-t Me
Description: a mint green shimmer
Taurus-t Me this was the other disappointment in the release for me. I didn’t go in with high expectations because I knew the shade of green wasn’t my thing but I hated how sheer this poilish was.
The formula, application and base were all perfect, it’s just a very sheer polish that would probably work better as a topper. This is one of those shimmers that you can see little specs of what I think are pigment in it.
My photos show Taurus-t Me in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. Nothing in here will dry down texture and removal will be messy.
The Leo-nly One
Description: a bold gold pearl
The Leo-nly One this was the second of the colors on this release that I was praying hard that it wouldn’t be a fail. And other than my bottle coming with a wonky brush it was PERFECT.
This is a saturated, vibrant gold. I’m not sure if jewel toned gold is a thing or something I just made up BUT that’s what I think of when I see this color.
It is a metallic/pearl shade so you do get some brush strokes once the polish is fully dry.
My photos show The Leo-nly One in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. This will be a 2-3 coater depending on how you feel about VNL.
#Virgoals
Description: a bronze pearl
#Virgoals the official description on this polish doesn’t do it justice. You get brownish bronzey base with some shimmer that has green, gold and blue colors in it. It’s not a crazy shifty shimmer but it has some shiftiness happening.
Like many of the other shimmers, this one does start off very sheer and needs to be built up. You do get some slight brush strokes through the shimmer but nothing like the true pearls in this release.
My photos show #Virgoals in 3 coats plus glossy top coat.
Final Thoughts
I went in to swatching this collection hoping for the best. OPI has had an interesting year as far as formulations go. Thankfully I was really happy with this release, in ft out of all of the fall collection that I have swatched this year, this is my favorite one so far!
I always appreciate when a release can make a rainbow and I even more appreciate it when a release has a variety of finishes. I loved that we had several in this release.
Without a doubt, I Cancer-tainly Shine is going to be my favorite from the whole collection. The Leo-nly One, #Virgoals and Pisces The Future are my honorable mentions.
OPI
15ml, 3 Free
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Sale Information
The Big Zodcac Energy collection is available in the regular nail polish, gel polish, infinite shine and dip powder lines. It’s available now i nplaces where OPI is sold.
I have seen it up on Amazon, Target, Ulta, Walmart and Sally Beauty. If you would like to pick this collection up as well as support my blog, consider using any of these affiliate links. If you want to save some coins, check out Beyond Polish, with my affiliate code NicoleLovesNails it brings the price point down from MSRP.
