China Glaze Diva Bride in their Gelaze formula might have dethroned as my go-to nude-pink nailcolor. I’d been wearing a lot of OPI Bubble Bath; it’s a nice, effortless neutral that looks good with everything. As it wears down/away/lifts/chips, it does so gracefully and without making it glaringly obvious that attention is required. I enjoyed it apart from three caveats
- Accessibility
- Price
- Coats to Opaque-Enough
The Caveats
OPI Gelcolor lacquers are technically pro-only – so getting your hands on one as a plebe is a difficult task if you don’t know a licensed beautician. I have no idea how much they cost a pro; I know on the diverted market I can get them for anywhere between $15-20, and then there’s the question of whether you’re getting legit product or not (I’ve lucked out so far). It requires three coats to the minimum level of opacity I prefer.
China Glaze Diva Bride Mitigates Bubble Bath’s Caveats
Diva Bride is very similarly toned but achieves my minimum opacity threshold in just two coats. Retailing at $12 at Sally Beauty but often on sale, it is cheaper AND more accessible than Bubble Bath. When I run out, I can replace it whenever I want; with common BOGO sales, it is effectively $6-7 per bottle; less than the price of a bottle of OPI’s regular formula!
Application and Wear
Gelaze is one of those awesome formulas that does not requiiiire a base gel before use. When you omit one, wear isn’t quite as long, but you can get a solid 5-8 days out of an application without. Application itself is on par with other formulas (better, IMO, than Gelish‘s color gels).
The Bottom Line
Right now and for the last several months, I’ve been of the opinion that once I use up the remainder of my bottle of Bubble Bath Gelcolor – that’s it. I will continue to purchase China Glaze Diva Bride in the Gelaze formula for my nude-pink polish needs.