OPI San Francisco Collection Fall 2013 – part 1 (the warmth)

While Summer may be my favourite time of the year (living in a climate with brutal Winters will do that to a person), Fall collections are my absolute favourites – I love the intensity of deeper tones as well the complexities & layering possibilities, in fashion as well as cosmetics. Visiting San Francisco has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember, so when I learned that for Fall 2013 OPI would be creating a collection inspired by this iconic city, I knew without a doubt, that it would be so totally up my alley. And yes, I was right.

I’ve decided to split up this 12-bottle collection into two distinct groups, as I see them: “the warmth” as represented by the 6 shades here, and “the coolness” in the post to follow. Enjoy!

The Golden Gate Bridge – one of San Francisco’s most iconic symbols (source)

OPI The San Francisco Collection – part 1

A-piers To Be Tan – a warm umber/sienna crème hue with hints of mustard in the base, in a smoothly applying formula that lays down in a self-levelling way and with excellent pigmentation, leaving behind a true glossy shine. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

OPI San Francisco Collection – A-piers To Be Tan

I Knead Sour Dough – a raisin/plum hue filled with pearlized ultra-fine shimmer in varying pink tones, bearing an excellent flow and a glossy shine at the finish. The shimmer adds such an interesting overall depth, that the final look becomes uniquely multi-tonal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

OPI San Francisco Collection – I Knead Sour Dough

Lost On Lombard – a blue-based rich berry red crème hue that appear paradoxically both cool & warm leaning. Bearing a superb flow (no pooling at the cuticle line or nail edges) and intense colour saturation, the finish is insanely glossy. Bonus: non-staining upon removal. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

OPI San Francisco Collection – Lost On Lombard

In The Cable Car-Pool Lane – a deep violet crème hue with bordeaux wine undertones, in a formula that bears a superior flow and application, laying down in a completely self-levelling way and ending in a mirror-like shine. Super colour-saturated and non-staining upon removal – a major plus! Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

OPI San Francisco Collection – In The Cable Car-Pool Lane

First Date At The Golden Gate – a warm-leaning strawberry red crème hue in a jelly-esque formula that is not only super easy to apply, but bears a ridiculous gloss at the finish and is yet another non-staining shade – not sure how OPI has managed to do that, but I love it! Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

OPI San Francisco Collection – First Date At The Golden Gate

Embarca-Dare Ya! – a pale magenta/berry hue filled with gold, silver and pink finely ground glass-flecked shimmer that seems to simmer at the surface level of the nails – very, very pretty! Super easy to apply with no visible brush strokes & non-staining upon removal, there’s a beautiful natural gloss at the finish as well. Coats applied: 2, plus top coat

OPI San Francisco Collection – Embarca-Dare Ya!

Last word: The lushness of these shades, as well as the incredible formula on EACH AND EVERY ONE (yes, that deserves capitals – shades of red that don’t stain? Hello!) makes them all winners, even if for the most part, they are not colours we haven’t already seen before – that being said, I must add that there does seem to be a slight new twist to each hue nonetheless. My personal favourites are hands-down ‘In The Cable Car-Pool Lane’ (yeah…a mouthful) and ‘Lost on Lombard’, but I was surprised by how much I liked ‘I Knead Sour Dough’ on my nails as well. Stay tuned for the cooler tones of the second half … to follow!

The OPI San Francisco Collection should have already started trickling into stores – you can follow via their website, twitter/facebook for all updates.