opi ds couture (designer series 04)

couture is one of the first polishes in opi's designer series collection (4th, to be exact), which means it was probably launched in 2007. so far i swatched illuminate, extravagance, fantasy, tapestry, mystery and radiance.

couture is one of those shades that is almost impossible to describe. it is pink and coral and bronze and peach at the same time. it is maybe a bit underwhelming, but a safe choice. 

i remember these early holos to be thin and hard to work with, but i think i exaggerated it in my head as it was fairly regular. two coats were enough. it is not a polish i dream of wearing, but it is  neutral one that can blend in.

opi ds illuminate (designer series 33)

illuminate is the 33rd polish in opi's designer series, released at the end of 2008. i've already shown extravagance, fantasy, tapestry, mystery and radiance.

illuminate is described as "a brilliant sparkle of rich, burnished gold". it is kind of a light brown/dark nude, with dence holographic particles, that are kind of a signature for this collection.

even though it is millions of years old, the formula is still amazing, didn't change in the slightest. the day i wore it wasn't the sunniest, so i will update the post at some point

opi ds extravagance (designer series 26)

extravagance was 26th polish in opi's designer series, and it blew my mind that it was released in 2008. time really flies! i already showed fantasy, tapestry, mystery and radiance.

extravagance is a gorgeous berry-type of purple scattered holo. i have to admit that i completely neglected it, but i plan to wear it a lot this summer!

even though it is ancient, the formula is still amazing. it has a slightly jelly vibe, but i am not sure if that's formula or just the colour itself!

opi fantasy (designer series 22)

the polish of the day is fantasy from opi's designer series collection of fall 2008.

opi's designer series has a lot of real gems, and fantasy is among them. it is a deep, royal blue with fine silvery particles that give the scattered holo effect. formula is easy to work with, definitely a recommendation from me.

natural light:

opi tapestry (designer series 29)

i am showing one of the older opi designer series polishes, tapestry.

i had a soft spot for opi's designer series, since back in the days there was not that many holos.

tapestry is a soft shade with a colour that is hard to explain (well, for me, reds are problematic). it's mostly a red shade, with a lot of pink and even orangey undertones. formula is really nice.

natural light:

opi ds mystery (designer series 37)

remember those days when opi's designer series was the most exotic type of nailpolish you could find? one of those is mystery, back in 2010.

i love mystery, it is kind of vampy with a twist. i know it may be underwhelming with all the bling we can get nowadays, but there is something in its colour combination that really strucks a cord with me. 

it is described as deep purple with golden flakes, but it's more leaning to the eggpant side. the flakes are somewhat duochromatic, but it depends on light. i should definitely try it with a matte top coat, i believe it would make this effect more prominent. formula is still quite solid.

opi ds radiance (designer series 38)

i am a huge fan of opi's designer series polishes, and i tried to get every bottle i came across. one of my favourites is radiance, released back in fall 2010.

i love silver metallics, and maybe own a bottle or two too many, but radiance is one of the best ever. it is made out of ultra fine metallic particles, it is a super true silver and applies like butter. definitely a must have, no doubt there.