OPI in GoldenEye + Comparisons

Direct sunlight

So this is OPI in GoldenEye. GoldenEye was released with the Holiday 2012 "Skyfall" collection. OPI is composed of gold flake shimmers in a clear base with subtle red and green shimmers as well. It is a very blingy polish - if you want a Minx-like shine this would be a good alternative without the smooth finish.  The gold coloring is a moderately-deep warm gold that is just shy of old gold, but still has olive and yellow coloring in some lights; I would say it's a mix between harvest gold and antique gold. In different lighting and angles it varies from looking pretty yellow to slightly green to rather coppery. Although this does lean quite warm, to my eye it doesn't look unflattering on the cooler skin tones I've seen.

The formula needs to be built up, so I used 3 thin coats. You could use this as a layering polish with 1 very thin coat. It dries slightly dull, which I fixed with 1 coat of Seche Vite.

Worn December 15 - 19, 2012.

Indirect natural light

Direct sunlight - sunset

Indirect natural light

Direct sunlight

Direct sunlight - sunset

Indirect sunlight

GoldenEye does have a very close dupe in Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Gilded Lily, which is discontinued. Since I learned about this similarity, I didn't pick up Gilded Lily, but at the bottom of my post I have a link to a comparison. Nothing I own is close to GoldenEye, so I chose some golds to show where GoldenEye falls on the spectrum.

Orly in Solid Gold is a matte polish, but with top coat it is a darker, bronze-leaning gold, like a burnished gold or gold ochre. It is a matte shimmer polish that dries without brushstrokes. OPI in Dazzled by Gold is what I would call a neutral gold; the mix of warm GoldenEye colored shimmer and cool silver shimmer neutralize the tone. It's made of the same type of flake shimmers as GoldenEye but is much less saturated. Chanel in Gold Fiction is what I would categorize as a true gold. It is a shimmery metallic that doesn't show brushstrokes. Wet n Wild Craze in #232 Goldmine is a lighter yellow gold. It is a shimmer polish. Orly in Luxe is a white gold. It is a foil with gold and silver particles and is rather unflattering on my warm skintone.

These two pictures show the similar formula of GoldenEye and Dazzled by Gold. Although they are different colors, their composition is similar.

There is an abundance of GoldenEye pictures, but here are ones that I like: Lucy's Stash; KellieGonzo; Alizarine; Chalkboard Nails; Clumps of Mascara; Polish or Perish; The Nail Network; Ida Nails It; The PolishAholic swatches, nail comparisons (very bottom of the page), and bottle comparisons; Pretty Girl Science swatches and comparison; Ommorphia Beauty Bar (makes it look a bit more neutral than it is); Let Them Have Polish! (a bit blown out); and Frazzle and Aniploish comparisons.

Does GoldenEye appeal to you? What is your favorite kind of gold? Two of my favorites are Chanel in Gold Fiction and OPI in Dazzled by Gold as they're more neutral and flattering year-round.