OPI Holland Collection - in stores starting February 8, 2012

For the first time since 2007 when the Australia collection was released, I actually purchased an entire OPI collection. Since then not one collection has appealed to me as strongly as did both Australia and Holland. This time around it's for a lot of reasons. When I think of Holland, I don't just think of the things everyone else does, like windmills and tulips. Being a nailie, you can't avoid the fact that some of the most talented nail bloggers and nail artists come from Holland. I don't know why this stuck in my mind, but I thought since I admire Dutch nailies so much, I wanted to pay homage to them all and buy the whole damned collection. Another reason I wanted the whole shebang is that while this collection is color-wise just more quintessentially OPI than any recent collections, it also has some interesting finishes and slightly "off" shades. There were a couple shades I could take or leave in the end, but overall this is the only collection I've even come close to going mad over for a long time.

Did You Ear About Van Gogh? - I'd describe this as a khaki creme. It's sort of nude, but it's got a touch of olive drab in there to make it interesting. It reminds me of a safari hat. The application is standard OPI, sort of thick and sticky, but honestly more pigmented than I think a lot of other recent OPI cremes have been. Excellent dense pigmentation, two coats are sufficient.

A Roll in the Hague - this polish is INTENSE! It's almost a one-coater, and the color is beyond gorgeous. It's not really neon, but it is crazy bright. It also has a touch of earthiness to it that is unexpected. It's got more substance than a neon. It's like a more grown up neon, almost. Sophisticated. The formula on this one feels like pre-3-free formula, it almost applies itself. Buttery and perfect. It's my favorite of the whole bunch.

Thanks a Wind-million - is a dusty, earthy, relaxing seafoam shade. It's unique to my inventory but there are similar shades out there, I believe they're even OPI. Mermaids Tears seems to be close if memory serves. The formula is good, not streaky and decently pigmented, though not as amazing a consistency as it's fellow Holland cremes. Definitely a solid polish.

Red Lights Ahead... Where? - in the same vein as Hey Vito... and Cajun Shrimp, this is another coral-tinged red. It's very crisp against my skin and I like it. There are any number of similar polishes from any brand you can name, but one thing this one has going for it is the consistency. Like A Roll in the Hague, it feels like it applies itself, it's almost a one-coater and is smooth and buttery.

Kiss Me On My Tulips - pretty standard midtoned blue-based pink. The consistency is flawless, however. Two-coater, cute name. I like this one.

Vampsterdam - is a dark washed out browny-eggplant. The finish is strange, a sort of anemic pearl that falls just short of being a frost. It gives it an almost milky look in most lights. It's somewhat sheer, so I used three coats, but overall it's nice. Not my favorite, but nice. I was sort of hoping for a finish like Lincoln Park at Midnight or Light My Sapphire, but it's somewhere between that hard candy ribbon finish and a frost.

Pedal Faster Suzi - this one is like a more opaque Princesses Rule. It's a sheer pink with silver flecks of shimmer, and even with three coats it's a bit sheer. For those who like sheer washes of girly color, it's nice, but you have to be careful as it's a bit streaky. The color is pretty and delicate but nothing outstanding.

Wooden Shoe Like to Know? - is a dark taupe with both brown and plum leanings and the addition of a bit of copper shimmer. In most lights it's a creme, but in the flash of the camera and in the sun the shimmer will show. I used three coats here.

Dutch'Ya Just Love OPI? - This is the purple cousin of Wooden Shoe and Gouda Gouda, it's a warm purple that appears as a creme in a lot of lights but has hidden copper shimmer. I used three coats here, I believe. It's pigmented but not mind-bogglingly so. Pretty.

Gouda Gouda Two Shoes - oooh a fleshy, browny salmon. Weird. It's got cool copper shimmer and though midtone warm peachy colors give me the heebs, I really like this one. It is so old school OPI that it's comforting. Three coats here.

I Don't Give a Rotterdam - I will be using this phrase often, just like "shut the front door" and "son of a mitch." Anyway, this is a light periwinkle with golden flecks of shimmer. Sadly quite sheer, but worth the three coats it took for these photos. I love it.

I Have a Herring Problem - snort. cute name. This is the slightly darker and more green brother to I Don't Give a Rotterdam. Three coats for coverage, but again, worth it. Gorgeous shade.

Overall, what a cool collection! I'm super happy with most of them. My favorites are A Roll in the Hague, Did You Ear About Van Gogh? and I Have a Herring Problem. The ones that I liked the least were Pedal Faster Suzi, Wooden Shoe Like to Know and Vampsterdam.