ALU’s 365 of Untrieds – Sephora by OPI 212-Sephora
365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to.When Sephora by OPI first launched it got its share of flack from the nail community. One, it was given the nickname $OPI, with a dollar sign, due to the fact that it costs more than regular OPI nail polishes. Second, a lot of us questioned whether the line would consist of just old, recycled OPI shades, or if it would truly have its own unique offerings. Third, would this water down the OPI brand?
Well, even though it still costs more than regular OPIs, I think we can safely say that the other two concerns were unwarranted. The SOPI line hasn’t affected the popularity of OPI and it has had its fair share of original colors and collections. One of those happens to be Sephora by OPI 212-Sephora. Named for the telephone number to Sephora’s Times Square location, this color was launched to celebrate the store’s opening. |
Formula & Application: Sephora by OPInail polishes are3-Free. The distinctive bottle shape is capped with a smooth, thick, rounded cap. The brush is thin and round and reminds me of the old OPI brushes (pre Pro-Wide era). Due to the amount of glitter packed into this polish, the base is semi-sheer so it takes at least three coats to become opaque. The glitter also leaves the surface rough so you will need either two layers of top coat or a thick quick-dry, like Seche Vite, to get it smooth.
212-Sephora is a black-based semi-sheer glitter. The base color takes on a dirty bronze color thanks to the multi-colored multi-shaped glitter particles. Sephora says the color was designed to emulated the “glitter and grit of NYC’s after-dark scene.” Interspersed amongst the colored, round glitter is flakie, fiery orange particles that look like burning embers that have fallen from a cigarette onto the dirty asphalt of the New York streets.
Something about this colors reminds me of “Glitter Puke” a parody of Ke$ha’s “Tik Tok” by Key of Awesome. I mean that in the most complimentary way of course. If I was going to translate “Glitter Puke” into a nail polish, 212-Sephora would be it.
Bottom Line: My glitter party doesn’t stop and I CAN’T believe I’ve let 212-Sephora sit, still in the wrapper, for all this time. It’s fun, edgy and definitely “gritty.” I love everything about it.
365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: No doubt, STASH.
Sephora by OPI 212-Sephora is no longer available on the Sephora website but since it was created exclusively for the Times Square store it may still be in stock there. Call 212-Sephora (212-737-4672) for availability. Sephora by OPI nail polishes retail for $9.50/ea for a .5oz bottle.
Did you pick up a bottle of 212-Sephora while it was still online? What do you think of it? Do you agree that it’s Glitter Puke-esque? Do you think Sephora should bring it back? NYCers have you spotted 212-Sephora recently?
Disclosure: i purchased 212-Sephora. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
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THIS IS TO DIE FOR! I need to own this for Halloween, at the very least.
I adore $OPI 212
I bought this in November or December last year. When Sephora sent around that gift certificate for like $10 or $15 or something. Anyway, I used the whole certificate on this polish and I have noo regrets.
It’s so pretty and unique. I love it on you too.
the name of the singer is Ke$ha, there is no s after the dollar sign.
great polish! I wish there were more sephoras up in Canada.
I love you blog and the 365 days of untriedes.
I have and LOVE this one!
1. I love 212.
2. Glitter Puke is on loop in my car for bad days.
My favorite: I don’t drink or pee in sinks it’s what I want my fans to think.
I love this color. I’ve almost bought it several times and now that is gone I’m kicking myself for not buying it! Gah!
I personally prefer $OPI brush & top. The top on the OPI are sometimes hard to grip. The main thing that sucks about $OPI, is most salons won’t carry it because of the “Sephora”. Anyway, I love your description of the color, very vivid.
I love it, you are totally right with ‘Glitter Puke’… it’s like glitter kitchen sink. You should try 212 with Sephora’s “Only Gold For Me” top coat. Glitter overload.
I’ve never tried $OPI’s polishes, because the colors never interested me. This color looks fantastically fun, though. I want to find me a bottle!
When I wore 212 for the first time, I couldn’t stop staring at my hands… it’s one of THOSE polishes. I happened to be visiting my parents for Xmas & I kept driving my mother crazy going, “Look at this polish. Omg, it’s so purty!” over & over.
Love it! Bought it ages ago and was searching ALU a few days ago for your thoughts. Stash!!!!!
i was slow to the SOPI bandwagon, mostly because i’m exclusive to OPI. [this was in part because i'm a fan and partly ocd to keep all the bottles the same & to limit my tendencies to hoard. ;-]
I AM SOOO JEALOUS you have 212!!! i have been trying to find anywhere online since before the holidays. i also want this because one of my bff’s lives in nyc!
This is by far one of my favorite colors! I just switched my nail color from that to something new & when I was getting my nails done I kept thinking how pretty 212 looked and how I wanted it on my nails again
I got this the year it came out as a christmas present and I love it. It is dark enough to be edgy but has those little hints of glitter that bring in those hints of girly-ness which I really love!
I love this color. How does it compare to Sally Hansen’s Midnight in New York?
lol, I love that parody too. That definitely describes it.
I can’t believe you hadn’t tried this!!!! SO amazing, I got it around Xmas this year, maybe they bring it back every holiday??? In any case, I LOVE it & got 2 bottles just in case
I don’t know if this is an exact dupe but China Glaze has a shade called Black Diamond that sounds similar and I actually prefer China Glaze over OPI. I find that there’s hardly any nail polish smell with China Glaze but it is noticeably more pongy with OPI. If you can’t get the Sephora 212 by OPI check out the China Glaze Black Diamond or if your looking for a black polish with glitter in it Black Diamond is lush.
I love watching your untrieds post
Also how funny is that video! Pure Awesome!
I think Topshop’s “Gypsy Night” might be a dupe for this.
Like Molly said, TO DIE FOR.
Love it!!!
I bought this as soon as it was available online…It is a favorite of mine.
I have 212-zephyrs and love it. It is perfect for Halloween with the black base and orange glitter. Also a perfect New Year’s Eve polish if you want dark but fun glitter. A great pediatric shade, too!!
I had a severe case of lemming-itis way back when, trying to get this color. I got myself on the Sephora wait list to be notified when it came back in stock, and I kept losing out on it, since it would sell out in minutes. I finally got a bottle of it, and after all that fuss, I don’t believe I have actually worn it. Silly me! I need to wear it sometime.
I’m so glad to see someone pay attention to this one. I think it’s pretty unique and has a great depth while somehow being a little subtle. I’m glad I scooped it up when it was around.
OH my god. This is amazing. Glitter puke, indeed.
212 was my first $OPI polish. LOVE!!!!
This is in my top polishes. Glitter, flakies… it’s AMAZING! I’m thankful every time I see it that I managed to stumble across it at Sephora, sadly I didn’t realize it was hard to find or I’d have bought extras!
I love 212-Sephora! One of the best $OPIs along with Worth My Weight – a gold glitter blingasm.
WOW. Simply WOW. I need to know more about finding this color because it looks so truly amazing. And I don’t even really like glitters that much!
This polish is so me. Will go look for it next time I’m in the city. Very pretty.
Ha! I still have this wrapped in a sephora bag on my desk untried…thanks for swatching! I definitely have to wear this soon
212 is one of my favourite polishes that I bought in 2010. I really liked the glitter & flakie combo and I don’t even like glitter that much!
Love this polish too! They repromoted this last Christmas, and I believe that they will be doing that for next Christmas as well. Although you can’t find it on the website, it is still in some of the stores hidden in the drawers beneath the display.
Btw, the last time I wore this polish, I was in the Chanel Boutique on 57th Street in New York, and the girls in the cosmetic department thought it was Illusion d’Or over Black Velvet with topcoat.
I love it, it IS Glitter Puke!
one of my all time favs…went through one bottle, so i bought another! glad you enjoy it, i was surprised, too, that you had not worn it and gloried in it’s awesomeness earlier! and PS…I adore the Sephora OPI line…i think they have quite a few really great colors and plus i LOVE Sephora!
Thanks for posting this one – I too have had this still in the wrapper. Looks like I know what polish to use next!
absolutely stunning!!!!!!!!! I love it!
Interesting. I love SOPI, but I remember trying this on when it first came out, and I thought it was the worst color of all time. Maybe I should have tried more coats! But really, I think the problem was that it just looked awful with my skin tone.
I remember when it first came out. I could’ve ordered it online but my friend was going to NYC and I made her grab me the color so I can say my bottle came from the NYC Sephora haha
Argh, I’m so bummed this color isn’t available anymore!! It’s so pretty. I feel like I got into nail polish after all these really cool polishes sold out and became “legends”… and I missed them!! I need to get to NYC.
Has anyone called to see if they still have it?
I love this colour and have always wondered why it’s called 212. I’m so happy to know now, thanks. This colour is exactly what I love about nail polish.
It has been my favorite $OPI so far- and they seriously need to BRING IT BACK!!!
When will these companies learn?
I was on holiday in New York before Christmas (I live in the UK) and got this from the Sephora in Times Square! I love it. If I’d known it was so rare I’d have purchased more and cleaned up on ebay!
Very cool color. You make it look so much better than other swatchers!
I was lusting after this as soon as it was released. I got my paws on it much later, last September during F&F, actually after some hemming and hawing…did I actually want it? It’s good if I’m too lazy to layer something similar up.
Nice! Reminds me of Topshop Nail Polish in Gypsy Night, which I own. I wonder why Topshop is such an underappreciated polish brand. Sometimes they have really nice colors, and they’re cheap – only $5!
I bought it last year and didn’t really fall in love. I passed it on to my 20-yo niece and it’s become her favorite color. Maybe now I want it back?
I love 212 but I really wish the amazing holographic glitter showed up more on the nail! when you look at the bottle in sunlight its so blindingly beautiful..but the flakies are much more visible than the glitter when its on your nails.
this is absolutely one of my faves. i got it late last year in store.. love it! in some yellow/low lights it looks sparkly and bronzey!
They still stock it at the Times Square Sephora (the one next to the ABC Studios, not the one on 42nd Street). Bought a bottle this week. Yay!
It’s available on the website again! Just picked up a bottle
ARGH!!!!!!! It’s out of stock again! I would die to get my hands on this one!
I’ve been looking for this polish since the day this post went up and I fell in love. I finally found a bottle in a Sephora I hardly ever visit and I had to snatch it up!