Some exciting news! A couple of days ago, I purchased a DSLR camera (my first one ever). All this time, I’ve been using a really ancient Sony Cyber-shot DSC W200 point-and-shoot camera, so it’s a huge upgrade. 🙂 The Sony was good, but it’s been dying on me a lot lately.
I’ll be playing around with the new toy for a couple of weeks or so before I introduce photos I take with it on here.
Hopefully you’ll all notice a big quality increase when I make the switch. I’m mostly curious about how well it works in dim light, since my current camera can’t handle it. (When I use the DSLR on the first post, I’ll announce it.)
Today I have for you OPI Grape…Set…Match, which is part of the OPI Grand Slam England Duo Set.
OPI Grape…Set…Match Pictures
Natural Light
OPI Grape…Set…Match Swatches
All swatches have:
- OPI Natural Nail Base Coat
- 3 coats of OPI Grape…Set…Match
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Sunlight
Natural Light
Natural Light
Natural Light
Flash
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Sunlight
Natural Light
Flash - I actually forgot to take a separate 'thumb' photo with flash! *Gasp* So I just used this blurry photo of when I was holding the bottle.
Claims: OK, but Product: TRUSTED
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- Purple
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- Metallic
Key Notes
- Name: OPI Grape…Set…Match
- Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
- What I Paid: $9.50 USD (on sale) for the OPI Grand Slam England Duo Set featuring 2 nail polishes
- Where to Buy: Victoria Nail Supply, some Trade Secrets & select beauty-supply stores
OPI Grape…Set…Match Review
Colour
OPI Grape…Set…Match is a saturated jewel-tone purple that definitely reminds me of a cartoon grape. I think this colour would be flattering on people of differing skin tones, too. It’s an easy-to-wear shade that’s pretty and not flashy.
What I especially love about it is that while the dominant colour is a rich purple, there’s micro-shimmer in pink. Sometimes you can also see blue.
This is a sexy colour, but not one that reinvents the colour wheel. But, really, not every polish has to be creative and innovative, right? If it’s a wearable, gorgeous shade, it’s good in my book.
Finish
Now, I don’t know what kind of Kool-Aid OPI was drinking, but I wouldn’t consider this finish metallic at all. If anything, it’s a micro-shimmer polish. And what a beautiful one at that!
It looks like a witch’s spell on your nails in most lighting. The little particles catch the light and help it twinkle or ‘dance’ as I prefer to say.
And you won’t be dealing with any grittiness, either. It feels nice and smooth. Plus when you remove it, it’s a cinch – no struggling and no staining, either. (Of course, I used a base coat underneath to protect my natural nails, though, and I’d recommend that you do the same.)
Application & Formula
I wore this for 4 days straight, and it still looked great on the last day. But I was itching to try a new colour, so that’s why I took it off.
The formula is very easy to work with – it goes exactly where you want it to. It’s not thick, and it’s not too watery. It’s right in the middle.
You could probably get away with 2 coats, but I applied 3 to see if it would deepen the colour. It doesn’t really get much deeper from the 2nd to the 3rd coat…at least not that I noticed.
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 8.5/10
Grape…Set…Match by OPI is a nice purple to have if you don’t have many purples. It’s nothing crazy, but it’s all kinds of gorgeous! 🙂
Do you like deep or pastel purples best? What outfit would you wear with purple nails? Do you prefer OPI’s OPI Ink over OPI Grape…Set…Match?
I have searched this one but couldn’t find it 🙁 Its a pretty color..
Hey preciouspearl!
Were you looking for this individually? If so, that could be why you couldn’t find it. It should be in a package of two. The other one’s a chunky glitter. I’ve seen a few at a Trade Secrets a couple of months ago, but yeah, it’s getting trickier to find.
Edit: Okay, I just read maddy’s comment (see above), and apparently you CAN get it separately! 😀
I have this one and it’s amazing! I got it at Trade Secrets (Eaton Centre) for $5.99 CAD because it was on sale. They had a clearance basket so while I was looking through, this bottle caught my eye! Your new camera is great, love the pictures!
Hey maddy!
Oh, haha, I haven’t used my new camera for the blog yet. All the photos you’ve seen so far are from my OLD camera. But I’m glad that you still think that my old camera’s good.
Awesome score with this polish for that price, and it’s great that you were able to find it solo, too!
Oops! My bad, anyways your old camera still works well. I have both Servin’ Up Sparkle and Grape… Set… Match! I’m wearing the Servin’ Up Sparkle over the Grape… Set… Match and it’s really pretty!
That’s okay. 🙂 Well, my old camera keeps dying after about every 5 photos I take. I have to remove the battery to get it to work again. Plus they no longer make the cable that hooks the camera up to the computer so that I can download pictures. I’ve had to buy memory-card adapters (which broke after so much use) and multiple cables (which also broke because they were cheap knock-offs and the only ones that work with my camera’s model). So, after all these hang-ups, a new camera was needed. Hope I can transition to it easily! 🙂
This one is still in my untrieds stash, I can’t believe it! I know what my next mani is going to be. 😀
Hey Mnemo!
Hehe, I know the feeling of the untrieds stash growing and growing. So many pretties. So few nails. 😉 Hope you love it!
Yaaaay for the camera purchase! That is awesome news and I can’t wait to see you in action with it! Kleenex on hand 😉
You make every shade sooo pretty! How do you do it! I’ll take a bottle of Grape Set Match oh and a set of those nails too 😉
LOL, I like how this shade reminds you of a “cartoon grape” rather than a real grape… I’ve only come in contact with real grapes… those cartoon ones are so elusive… I’ve yet to spot one 😉
Hey Marta!
Hahaha – your Kleenex comment cracks me up! I needed the laugh! 😀 (On a more serious note…*plays classical music in the background*…thank you very much for you and your husband suggesting for me to invest in a DSLR instead of going for a replacement point-and-shoot like I was initially thinking about doing. I feel like I definitely made the right choice.
*Plucks off my nails and hands them to Marta* There ya go! Enjoy! Disregard all the blood. :S Haha, eww! (P.S. My secret is sprinkling my camera with pixie dust. I’m not sure where you can buy it because it’s the Cheshire Cat who supplies it for me. :P)
Hehe, yeah, now that I think about it, it should remind me of a real grape, right? I guess I should live in the real world more often. But…can I bring my cartoon grape with me? Please?
How gorgeous is this polish on you, Mary?? No wonder you have a predisposition towards purples; they look stellar on you! These deep purples are the bomb for me. They easily give you a nice vampy look without looking too dreary with just the right amount of oomph to add some edge or color to an otherwise drab outfit. For a minute there, I actually thought you were already using photos from the new camera. 😀 So excited for you AND to see what awesomeness you have in store for all of us!
Carmela recently posted: Nail Art Wednesday: Movember Moustache Nails with a Gaming Geek Twist
Hey Carmela!
YAY for another fan of purples! 😀 I agree with you – deep purples are a great way to spice up even a boring outfit.
Hehe, oh my, I hope that when I DO use my DSLR that my photos will look even better. I’m still reading through the manual – a few pages at a time or it makes me fall asleep. 😛 (This is the first time I’ve ever wanted to read a manual from cover to cover.)
I love this color!! It is so interesting! Shimmery deep purple without looking too dark (I’m not a fan of colors that are so dark that they look black most of the time).
Hey Jessica!
Yeah, sometimes when a colour is so dark and looks black most of the time, I think, “Why didn’t I just wear black? Then it would be more dramatic.” It’s only been the rare time when I’ve loved a near-black shade. I have to be in that mood.
Gorgeous purple!! And a big congratulations on your new camera! I was so happy when I got mine. ^-^
Ashesela recently posted: China Glaze Icicle Swatch and Manicure
Hey Ashesela!
Thank you (on both counts)! 😀 Which camera did you get?
My all time favourite purple. I adore it. Have you also tried it’s friend, Servin Up Sparkle? That is a kickass top coat.
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Hey Kelsy!
Nope, haven’t tried it out yet, but just looking at it in the bottle, I’m excited about layering it over something dark. 🙂
I love purple, and this is amazing! However, I probably need another one, like I need a hole in the head, so I will probably pass for now. It does look stunning on your nails, though!
mellinail recently posted: Orly, I Am Disappoint
Hey mellinail!
Thanks! 🙂 I really need to revisit my purple-polish drawer in the Helmer. I feel like they’ve been neglected.
I have both Grape…Set..Match! and OPI Ink, and am actually wearing them both on my nails as we speak (Type. lol) I have Grape layered over Ink on my index fingers, it’s a very subtle difference between my nails, but looks very pretty when caught right in the light
Hey TrumpetChic!
Oh, that’s pretty interesting – I never thought to layer this over OPI Ink! 🙂 I’m picturing it now, and I bet it looks gorgeous.
I own this color and agree with a lot about what you say. It’s not an earth-shattering color, but it’s so darn pretty! I’m a purple fan and initially talked myself out of purchasing this one, but the more pictures I saw of it online, the more gorgeous I thought it was. I’m really happy that I purchased it and was admiring my nails constantly while I wore it.
BTW, I finally have a (very amateurish) blog going with one whole post! I managed to mention your website in it, though it was not my original plan. http://impoverishedbypolish.blogspot.com/2011/11/starting-with-bang-essie-shine-of-times.html
another Cristina recently posted: Starting with a bang-Essie Shine of the Times 1
Hey another Cristina!
I just checked out your new blog – awesome layering combination! And I’m proud to be your first Google Friend Connect follower – can’t wait to see more posts from you. 🙂
And thanks for mentioning Swatch And Learn in your post! 🙂 You linked to one of Fiona’s posts back when she used to blog on Swatch And Learn. I’m sure that if she sees it, she’ll be over the moon.
I have this but mine looks a little lighter than yours. I really love this color but I’ve heard there are two formulations of Servin’ Up Sparkle (one has more dense glitter, one less) and I sadly seem to have the thinner version. It’s pretty enough, but when it’s on my nails I’m lucky to get 1 or 2 of the chunky holo pieces on each nail. It’s so disappointing. Hopefully you got the more glitterific version! Also- I’m so jealous of your new camera!! 😀 I can’t wait for you to start using it here!
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Hey Nicole!
Maybe it’s the angle? I found that this shade went from looking really dark to a bit lighter depending on the lighting and the angle of my nails. (Plus my nails are curved, so light mainly hits the middle and the edges look darker.)
Oh, I didn’t know that there are two different versions of Servin’ Up Sparkle. I haven’t tried mine out yet. In the bottle, it looks pretty thick, though. When you turn it upside down, it takes a while for the liquid to move…and then it’s slow like molasses.
I can’t wait to start using it, either! 🙂 I’ve been reading the manual, which is longer than any camera manual I’ve ever seen. There are so many new-to-me functions that I want to try out.