OPI Dark Side of the Mood is part of the OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection, which will be released in January 2015.
(I did a Quick Look post on the OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection, so head there if you want to see swatches of all six colours and bottle shots.)
Dark Side of the Mood makes me think of my first full-time job straight out of university because one of our account passwords was based on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon!
While grey isn’t the first colour that’s on my radar, I did very much enjoy wearing OPI Dark Side of the Mood because it’s dramatic and offers a lot of contrast against my skin tone. As you know, the bolder the colour, the happier this nailphile is! 😉
OPI Dark Side of the Mood Pictures
Natural Light
Flash
Natural Light
Flash
OPI Dark Side of the Mood Swatches
All swatches have:
- OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener (Used as a base coat)
- 3 coats of OPI Dark Side of the Mood
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
Natural Light Photos
Flash Photos
Claim: TRUSTED
- Stormy charcoal (Yes)
Key Notes
- Name: OPI Dark Side of the Mood
- Collection: OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection 2015
- Press Release: Click here to see the OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Collection Press Release
- Quick Look: Click here to see my OPI Fifty Shades of Grey Quick Look Post featuring swatches and bottle shots
- Colours Available in the Collection: Dark Side of the Mood, Cement the Deal, Shine for Me, My Silk Tie, Romantically Involved & Embrace the Gray
- Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
- What I Paid: Nothing! (This was provided by PR. It retails for $9.95 CAD.)
- Where to Buy: Trade Secrets, NailPolishCanada & select spa, salon & beauty-supply stores (Officially released in January 2015)
OPI Dark Side of the Mood Review
Colour
Even if you don’t go ga-ga over grey nail polish, this might be an entry-level one that gets you hooked into experimenting with more in the colour family.
I say this because it’s indeed stormy as the press release suggests. It’s this deep, smoky blue that gives this grey undeniable flair. And it’s responsible for the departure from the typical concrete-sidewalk greys that you may have seen before and tried.
Finish
Dark Side of the Mood by OPI almost had a jellyish quality to it because of the wonderful shine, but it has enough of a creaminess, so you won’t need to layer a million coats to get good coverage.
Application & Formula
When I applied the first coat, I was concerned because it looked extremely streaky, and the formula was very watery and thin (which is why I was also reminded of a jelly finish).
However, with a second coat, it covered the nail better. And, out of curiosity, I added a third coat because I wanted to get the colour to look as rich as possible. (I preferred the way my manicure looked with three.)
Since the formula is on the watery side, you’ll have to be careful not to flood your cuticles. If you’re expecting that consistency, then you’ll be fine.
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 7/10
Dark Side of the Mood by OPI is unlike any other grey I own because of the finish. That being said, I also don’t have a lot of greys in my collection to begin with.
Do you prefer blue-based greys or concrete-sidewalk greys? Did you also think of Pink Floyd when you saw this nail polish’s name? Will you be watching the Fifty Shades of Grey movie? (I won’t, but I’ll enjoy the polishes!)
The first swatches I saw of this polish did not wow me, but now that I’ve seen it by itself and read your comments about it, I find it much more dramatic and appealing. As much as I love seeing whole collections swatched, some of the colors are bound to be shortchanged by this approach. Posts like yours, featuring one polish with full commentary, are much more engaging and, I think, serve as the best introduction to a lacquer short of trying it myself. Thank you, Mary, for the way you give polishes their due deserts. Your blog has always been among my favorites for the attention you give to individual polishes like you did in this post.
Liz recently posted: ILNP Gaia
Hey Liz!
Thank you so much for encouraging me! (It means so much, especially on those days when I’m feeling down and need a pick-me-up.)
I really enjoy preparing in-depth reviews because I love putting the spotlight on just one polish. Plus sometimes one photograph doesn’t do a polish justice. You have to shift your nails this way or that way…or sometimes show it in natural light or under the flash to help translate the beauty that you see in real life into the photograph as much as possible.
The commentary is what I enjoy the most because writing is my number-one passion, exceeding my love for nail polish by leaps and bounds! 🙂 Glad that you read what I write! That makes me tremendously happy! 🙂
While I admire and respect other bloggers who do major swatchfests, I just can’t see myself doing that ever. The “Quick Look” posts with swatches done on nail wheels are as close to it as I’ll get, since I prefer to paint all my nails and wear the manicure.
Thanks again for taking the time to leave such an encouraging comment. I am so honoured that Swatch And Learn is among your favourite blogs, as there are so many talented bloggers out there who I look up to and have learned so much from all the time.
You put a spring in my step, and I’m so grateful to have the love and support from readers like you!
This was one of the few colors in the collection that looked interesting to me because most of them look like something that I’ve already got. It’s a bit disappointing to find out that the consistancy is a bit thin. Although the color is gorgeous, that could be a deal breaker.
Hey Karen!
Yes, I was surprised that the formula was so thin and watery. You can build it up, but it’s not one of those carefree polishes. You have to concentrate more during the application. That being said, it’s wonderfully shiny, and the colour is more interesting than a typical grey.
I HAVE TO BUY THIS POLISH! As a fan of 50 and Floyd, this color is screaming my name. LOL I know I’ll be getting a bottle of this as soon as I can find it. The fact that it’s gray (and gray is one of my favorite colors) doesn’t hurt either. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Hey Melissa!
Yeah, for you, this combines two favourites, so it’s highly collectible! 🙂 Enjoy!
I know! LOL 🙂
Hey Melissa!
Haha, as always, HAPPY PAINTING! 🙂
Hey Mary…I love the way it looks on you..Its darker than I thought it would be.Personally,I love its shine. As usual,A great job by you!
Hey Ray!
Yes, it’s the edgy one in the collection.
Although I was drawn most to the way Shine for Me looked in the bottle, I ended up reaching first for this one. It’s so different than any other grey I have in terms of the formula, so I’m glad to have it in the mix.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and show your support! 🙂
I was drawn to Shine for me for another reason my self. It reminds me of the Depeche Mode song Shine off of the album Exciter ^_^ Most of those silvery, holo glitter combos have some element of yellow shimmer or sheen so I get disappointed… i can’t quite tell if Shine has that same thing going on…BUT ANYWAY lol Dark side of the Mood has me on the fence but after seeing it swatched on you I’m closer to falling off on the side that says you need it lol. It looks awesome for those ” I wanna wear black days but kinda only so much ” also by the ever ever so slightly purple aura (I’m not sure if that’s the right word) that the flash from the camera gives, I would love to see a purple shimmer over this color I thing it would look amazing lol. I think the only actual grey I own is Ysl Gris Deco… i wore it alot 2 years ago lol and now I’m not so in love with it anymore lol. Some of the concrete greys here look nice aswell but again I remain on that fence until I see em swatched lol
Good point! Yeah, I totally get that feeling sometimes when you want something dark without going extremely vampy.
Aww, unfortunately any purple you see is from the flash. This has no shimmer or purple in it, but it would be cool to see a colour with that effect!
It’s a simple color yet so catchy and sexy. i super like it 🙂
Hey Kurtish!
Glad you dig it, too! 🙂
Mary that is a droooling grey alert, pretty
Hey Icequeen81!
Hehe, thank you! Glad you like it!