Nicole by OPI For Gold Times Sake Comparisons

As promised last week when I noticed that the new NOPI For Gold Times Sake bore some resemblance to my new favorite Estée Lauder Explosif, I've done a comparison. I used three coats of each, no top coat. Left to right below—Estée Lauder, NOPI, Estée Lauder, NOPI.



Straight on in indirect light at a bit of a distance, like above, they look very similar. The NOPI is a little darker but definitely in the same color family. Closer up and at different angles, the duochrome factor starts to make a difference. The shimmer in both ranges from warm purple, almost pink to cool purple, almost blue depending on conditions, but the NOPI shift is more dramatic. I don't know if that's due to the darker base or having more of the shimmer particles or what, but I sure do notice it when they're side by side. See the shots below and judge for yourself:







They're both attractive to me, but the NOPI is more interesting to look at and thus has edged out the Estée Lauder for the position of my current nail polish crush. Sorry Explosif; you've still got the better bottle by far and if it's any consolation For Gold Times Sake will likely be supplanted by something else new and shiny before too long.

Because For Gold Times Sake leans green just like Explosif, I decided to compare it to OPI Number One Nemesis, which also leans green but from the cool side of neutral rather than the warm.



Here's three coats of each (left to right, it's OPI, NOPI, OPI, NOPI):



Closer (NOPI on the left, OPI on the right):



I'd say these are cousins rather than siblings. The NOPI is from the warm side of the family and the OPI from the cool. I like them both.