OPI Liquid Sand - Can't Let Go

When I first saw that OPI was coming out with this new Liquid Sand stuff, I wasn't sure I wanted to get on board. I'm not much on textured nails--I managed accent nails of a caviar mani for about 4 or 5 days a while back, and every time I try a glitter bomb, I end up using two or three times more top coat than any normal person would bother with. Texture gives me a reason to touch and poke and pick at any imperfections. They make me a little crazy.

But I picked one up anyway. It was purple (hello, favorite color!) and sparkly and so pretty in the bottle. I brought it home and ignored it for a couple of weeks. When the Ibiza went wrong, I decided I'd give the Liquid Sand a spin. First up, two coats in bright sun, then in natural, indirect light.

 

Hello, glitter! I didn't realize how much glitter there could be in a matte polish. Also, apparently I paid no attention to the contents of the bottle beyond the color, because I was completely surprised by the hex glitter bits. And...it doesn't show so much in these little pictures, but click through to the larger size and look at the texture. Go ahead, I'll wait!

Day 1, that was the texture. It was rough. Pointy. Like a heavy 30-grit sandpaper, for those of you who have ever had to deal with sandpaper before. It was scratchy and annoying. I hated it.

Day 2 was...different. It was still textured, don't get me wrong. But it was textured the way an orange peel is textured. It was a softer surface. Not as pointy and rough. Still obviously textured, but it was almost like being shoved in and out of pockets and through repeated hand washings and dryings and a trip through the shower had sanded down the grittiness. And I kind of, sort of...loved it. Enough that I'm considering picking up a couple of the other colors.

Here's what happened, though. Four days later:

The left hand was ok. A little tip wear, but there was no way I could deal with wrapping the tips on a textured mani. I have a hard enough time with it on a regular old plain creme polish (but that's another story altogether). The right hand, though? Yikes. Chipping, major tip wear, and also more chipping. Sigh. And removal had me swearing at all the tiny glitter EVERYWHERE. Including on my kitten's head, because I didn't really notice it until after he'd demanded a mid-removal ear scratchin'.

One hex left right on the end of his nose. Aww!

 

Still. SO PRETTY! =oD

Definitely pick this up, kids. If texture doesn't bother you, you'll love it.