Aharrr me hearties! Yes, you’ve guessed it; I’m still slowly making my way through OPI’s Pirates Of The Caribbean Collection and today it’s the turn of OPI Steady As She Rose to join her mates Stranger Tides, Mermaid’s Tears and Planks-A-Lot on-board the good ship Through The Looking Glass!
The Pirates Of The Caribbean set is one of my favourite OPI collections… well, ever, really. I know a lot of people out there weren’t impressed that the colours were so un-Jack Sparrow like, but its range of dusty creamy pastels totally did the business for me – pirate-appropriate or not!
Steady As She Rose is no exception – although I’ll admit I didn’t expect to fall in love with it quite as much as I did! Pink has never been my favourite nail polish colour and I assumed this would be yet another boring pastel designed for the French mani and blushing brides market… but instead, what I got was an unexpectedly-beautiful and delicate lilac-leaning pale pink that had me smitten in seconds.
The other reason Steady As She Rose made quite such a speedy pirouette into my heart was its formula. OPIs can be a bit hit or miss in my books yet there is no denying how wonderful Steady As She Rose was; a beautiful glossy smooth finish, a stunning self-levelling formula and a dreamy opacity in two quick and easy coats. It’s worth noting that this was pretty much the case with all the Pirates polishes – scarily streaky first coat turns into lush creamy even colour by the second… so don’t be fooled by first impressions!
This is absolutely the kind of nail polish I love encountering – one that not only looks utterly gorgeous but actually surpasses your expectations. It’s a versatile mainstream colour, but thanks to that pretty lilac-leaning hue and dreamy dusty quality, just a touch unusual too.
Steady As She Rose is a delicate dusty delight, the colour of purple sweet peas or phloxs blowing in the breeze. Feminine but not overly girlie, this is the kind of pink I could definitely get on-board with! Who’s a Pretty Polly, then?!
Looks good with: florals, dusty pastels, ballerinas
Drying time: 3-5 mins
Coats required: 2
Chips: +5 days
OPI Steady As She Rose, Summer 2011 Pirates Of The Caribbean Collection, $70, Cher2
Through The Looking Glass 
The ultimate nail polish place, Cher 2, in Causeway Bay is moving next door, so they’re having a mini-sale now. Should go and check it out!
They are?! I was there last night – I saw no sale! Are they hiding it from me?!
Rach, thanks for reminding me of what a gorgeous pink/nude shade this really is! Sometimes it’s so difficult for me to remember specific shades that I fell in love with (you don’t want to know how many bottles of polish I have – I don’t even know how many I have, lol!) and seeing it on you here, made me remember how much I loved it too! It looks stunning on you (what doesn’t?!) ….fab swatches!
Awww thanks Eugenia!
I have a huge collection as well and writing these reviews often helps me to remember a few forgotten favourites too! Glad it reminded you about Steady As She Rose – it’s much prettier than I ever expected it to be!