I wore Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint from the Gumdrops Collection quite a while ago. And let me tell you something – it is now on my list of Top 3 Favourite Textured Nail Polishes! (OPI Get Your Number still remains in first place.)
Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint is a medium teal, which you don’t see too often in textured lacquers. I highly recommend this shade because I think it would be flattering on soooo many diverse skin tones!
It’s like The Little Mermaid was swept ashore, and she started sunbathing. I can picture the sun beating down and making the scales on her tail glimmer. It would be like That’s What I Mint.
Canadians, you’ll also be so happy to know that it’s a Shoppers Drug Mart exclusive shade! A lot of times, Canadians get the short end of the stick, but this time, we can celebrate having this gorgeous polish readily available! YAY!
Edit: According to my US readers, apparently this polish can be found exclusively at CVS! 🙂
Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint Pictures
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Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint Swatches
All swatches have:
- OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener (Used as a base coat)
- 2 coats of Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint
- No top coat!
Natural Light Photos
Flash Photos
Claim: BUSTED, but Product: TRUSTED & HOLY GRAIL STATUS!
- Mint (No)
Key Notes
- Name: Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint
- Collection: Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Collection 2013
- Press Release: Click here to see the Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Collection press release
- Colours Available in the Collection: Lemon Lolly, That’s What I Mint, I Lilac Gumdrops, My Cherry Amour, Candy is Dandy, Cinna-man of My Dreams, Blue-Berry Sweet on You & A-Nise Treat
- Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
- What I Paid: Nothing! (This was provided by PR.)
- Where to Buy: Shoppers Drug Mart (This is a colour exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart.) Edit: According to my US readers this shade can be found exclusively at CVS!
Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint Review
Colour
Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint is the perfect medium teal that I’ve been lusting after. It’s not too light, not too blue, not too green (err, wait a minute! Am I sick? Haha!), and not too dark. It’s as though the baby bear from Goldilocks mixed this colour himself because it’s jusssst right! (Prodigy? Hehe!)
I didn’t want to take this polish off, so I wore it literally until it chipped after several days.
It’s definitely one of those shades you can call a ‘mermaid shade’ because it reminds you of seaweed, the ocean, and fish.
While that alone is enough to warrant a mad dash to Shoppers Drug Mart to get your paws on it, there’s actually icing on this nail-polish cake: golden glitter!
Yes, that’s right! At first, I thought it was only turquoise, but when I looked at it closer, I saw noticeable golden glitter sprinkled throughout. The turquoise is clearly dominant, but there’s also a gold accent! This takes the polish to a whole other level, and it’s completely unique in my collection of textured polishes.
I tried hard to capture this gold, but you can’t only faintly see it in my photos. So, if you’re able to swing by Shoppers Drug Mart, go check out the bottle in person. You will see what I’m talking about. And when you wear it in the sunlight, the gold comes out more! (I thought it was a fun touch for the wearer!)
Finish
Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint has a textured finish that has obvious grittiness, but it’s not sharp. You can add a top coat to smooth it out and bring out the glitter, but be prepared to apply multiple coats because this polish eats up top coat.
I prefer wearing textured polishes as-is because I’m enjoying the trend and the novelty.
The great thing about textured polishes is that they dry lightning fast – they’re my go-to choice for when I’m rushing.
As long as you have a good nail-polish remover, removal is a cinch. You’d expect textured polishes to be difficult to get off, but surprisingly, they’re not nearly as difficult as a typical glitter.
Application & Formula
I adored how easy it was to apply this. I got great pigmentation with even a single medium coat. However, I applied a second coat to intensify the colour and to maximize opacity. You shouldn’t need 3 coats, unless you’ve used thin layers.
The formula goes on evenly, which was really nice, and it dries soooooo fast! By the time I finished painting the last finger on my second hand, I just went right ahead and did a second coat on my first hand. After you finish painting, it doesn’t take long at all for the polish to be ‘cured’ enough for you to feel comfortable running your fingers through your hair!
This polish wore well on me (and I am pretty hard on my hands and nails), but of course, it can react different depending on your body’s chemistry. If it chips early, just know that it’s the type of polish where you can literally paint over the chipped part, and it dries down seamlessly. I don’t tend to do any nail-polish touch-ups, but if you do, this polish is fantastic for that, I’ve heard!
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 10/10
Yes, Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint got a perfect score! Yes, HOLY GRAIL STATUS, too! If you buy only one of the Nicole by OPI Gumdrops Collection, I recommend you get this. It’s very unique for a textured polish, and you won’t find lots of dupes around (hehe, at least not yet)! 😉
What is a textured nail polish you’re loving? Do you own a lacquer that you’ve given ‘Holy Grail Status’ to? What’s on your nails today?
Edit: Yay! Nicole by OPI retweeted this blog post to their followers – what an honour!
I knew as soon as I saw the thumbnail that this would be a holy grail item! Dayum, this polish! I don’t have much more to say other than I probably love this color almost as much as you do (and only “almost” because I don’t have it myself)
Hey Fedoraharp!
I’ve just gotta say this: you sure do have great taste in nail polish! 😉 Hehe!
Wwhoaaaa!! Loveat first sight! ♥_♥ Definitely looking forward to this collection here in my country! Might wanna get my hands on that one! Btw, is okay to request for ‘Nicole That’s What I Mint’ to be swatched side by side with ‘OPI Alcatraz Rocks’? For quick comparison, since I do find the colours similar, maybe one leaning cool side and the other warm side.. but I think it’d help me decide better if I wanted both or I would be fine with either 1. hehe. thanks in advance!
Hey Lacqueerisa!
Hmm, I’m not sure if this will make it to other countries, since this specific shade is exclusive to one of the drugstores here in Canada.
Okay, I’ve made a note to swatch this side-by-side with OPI Alcatraz…Rocks. Most likely I’ll post it on Instagram and then share the link with you here. These two polishes are completely different. This ones’s teal with gold sparkles and Alcatraz…Rocks has a navy-blue base with multicoloured glitter. (You could totally justify owning both because they’re extremely different.)
Wooow, it is SO pretty! I purchased the lilac and the red polish from this collection. Still waiting for them though, bought them online since Nicole by OPI isn’t very easy to get your hands on the shops here (the Netherlands) and if they are, they are way more expensive. I kinda regret not picking this shade haha. But hey, gives me a good excuse to buy some more next month or so 😉
Hey Renee!
Haha! “gives me a good excuse to buy some more” I love it! 😉 You’re a true nailphile, through and through!
It looks really nice. I’m very fond of teal. Too bad I won’t be able to get my hands on it (I’m Belgian).
Laure recently posted: Swatches | Metallic Pomegranate Color Tattoo
Hey Laure!
Aww, that’s too bad. But, maybe there’ll be other shades you’ll love that you can get more readily. Or who knows? Maybe there’ll be a dupe available soon.
*dies* So pretty!!!!
Lizzy recently posted: 3D Glue Mani Fail
Hey Lizzy!
Haha, I’ll resuscitate you! You need to be alive to wear the pretty polish!
AHHHH. It’s so beautiful. You do such a great job of loving on your favourite polishes. I’ve been drooling over this one, but didn’t want to buy it cuz I dislike NOPI bottles so much (and this would be my first one). But, really, it is such a stunning colour. I’m tempted to go out and get it this morning! I love your textured polish posts. You’re just so excited and its fun to read! And, you have not steered me wrong! So, I’m pretty sure I will love this polish, the teal lover that I am.
Which other textured polish rounds out your top 3 now? Which one did this bump out?
Hey Candice!
You’re not alone. I know lots of people who don’t like the shape of the Nicole by OPI bottles. I can’t say that I’m fond of them, but I don’t dislike them, either. If anything, they’re uniquely shaped, so you’ll always know it’s a NOPI.
Haha, yeah, I can’t contain my excitement about textured polishes, especially when it’s a teal! 🙂
Okay, so now my Top 3 Favourite Textured Polishes are 1) OPI Get Your Number, 2) Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint, and 3) OPI Alcatraz…Rocks. Clearly, I have a thing for blues and teals when it comes to textured polishes! I think this bumped out OPI Jinx.
I picked this up that day and wore it this last weekend. LOVE IT! At first, I wasn’t sure I liked it, as it seemed a bit bluer than I prefer. However, as I wore it, the more it grew on me. It is so amazing in the sun! Another win for me! I just changed polish, and I was sad to see it go. 🙂 Thanks for the review, Mary.
Glad that it grew on you! Hehe, since I have a soft spot for greens and teals, I loved it right from the get-go. 😉
Sharing my reviews with readers is my pleasure!
Just saw in your Q & A post that this is one of your top 5 desert island polishes and I remembered this post being the one that tipped me over to getting this polish. I still love it! I love combining it with Zoya Carter (fabulous textured purple) on a few fingers and this one on the others. It makes for a stunning combination, and a great go-to when I don’t have much time for a mani. 🙂
Hey Candice!
Oh, pairing it with Zoya Carter sounds incredible! (Purple and green are my two favourites!)
Just purchased it today after seeing your swatches! Wahooo!!! I love the liquid sands (Get Your Number is my all time favorite!). This is so gorgeous though!
Hey Katerina!
YAY! Sounds like our tastes are really similar. Great nailphiles think alike, right? 😉 Hope you’re totally loving Nicole by OPI That’s What I Mint as much as I am!
Aaah what a beauty! I snapped this lovely lady up, too, at my local Shoppers. Can’t wait to wear her!!
Hey Norma!
You’ll enjoy it soooo much! Please do stop by again and let me know how you liked it after you’ve taken it out for a spin. 🙂
When I first saw this post I thought it was pretty, but I didn’t feel I needed it. But now that I know there’s golden glitter in it I think I’ve changed my mind.
Hey Tanya!
Definitely it’s the gold glitter sprinkled throughout that make this one unique. But, even without it, I love this teal!
I’ve seen this polish on a few blogs including yours and was sure I’d have to live without it. So I was so happy when I stumbled across this in a CVS in Southern California today! It wasn’t with the full display, in fact there wasn’t even a space for it, it was with the regular NOPI polishes! Now, if I could just find lemon lolly too!
Love your reviews and swatches! You make me want everything!!
Hey Anne!
Oh, that’s cool you found it. I only got the Canadian information that it was exclusively available at Shoppers Drug Mart. I guess in the U.S., it’s exclusively at CVS. Thanks for letting me know. I’ve updated this blog post to reflect the new information.
Haha, thanks for the high praise! 😉 I feel a little guilty about being an enabler, but hopefully I also help you save money, too! 🙂
I found mine in a CVS in Kissimmee, Florida while on vacation last week, so I guess it is safe to say that this shade is also available in the US. I found it right next to the rest of the gumdrop collection, so if you’re in the US and lemming this be sure to check your local CVS soon. Good Luck!
Hey Sol!
After hearing from awesome readers like you, it looks like this shade is exclusive to Shoppers Drug Mart (in Canada) and CVS (in the US). I’ve revised this post to reflect this new information. Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
I just saw this today at Target and love it! I’m not a texture fan, but this is this beautiful glitter is so unique, I would totally buy it and wear it with topcoat. It’s an amazing polish, even your great pics don’t do it justice compared to what it looks like in real life. 🙂
another Cristina recently posted: 31 Day Challenge, Day 2: Orange Nails, featuring neon flames
Hey Another Cristina!
Interesting that you spotted it at Target. My American readers told me before that it was probably exclusive to CVS – maybe that was just initially. In any case, I’m so happy that it’s also at Target so that more people can get hold of this. It’s amazing, especially if you love teal as much as I do!
I agree – this polish needs to be seen to be truly appreciated. No matter how hard I tried to capture its beauty, it just didn’t look as sparkly or as amazing as in person!