'I tried a nail polish advent calendar and it's saved me £100s on salon visits'

I was once a regular salon visitor, scheduling a professional nail appointment every month. However, this habit was costing me hundreds over the year and consuming hours of my time.

Unwilling to abandon my favourite manicure, I'm constantly searching for the best at-home nail polish products that deliver high-quality results without breaking the bank or requiring me to leave home.

In my view, OPI is arguably one of the most recognised names in the nail polish industry, with popular shades like Bubble Bath and Funny Bunny being household names among beauty enthusiasts. Building up a salon-level collection of polish colours at home can take some time, but I discovered a way to expedite this process for just over £50.

This year, OPI is offering customers a nail polish advent calendar, which I had the opportunity to try out for myself. As a beauty writer, I've used numerous nail polish brands over the years, so I was eager to see how the OPI Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar performed when I put it to the test.

The OPI nail varnish advent calendar is absolutely charming. Mini OPI nail polishes are concealed behind a gingerbread house design box, which opens up to reveal twelve doors, reports the Mirror. Each door contains a new colour to add to the collection, featuring seasonal shades such as Yuletide Sweetings, Ginger Snapped and OPI'm Frosted.

OPI has thoughtfully included Bubble Bath and Funny Bunny for those who prefer neutral nails, along with a top coat and a natural nail base coat. The discovery of these two clear coats was a significant victory for me, as the secret to achieving a salon-quality manicure at home often lies in the preparation. Regardless of the quality of the nail polish, without a base or top coat, it's still more likely to chip.

In my experience, OPI nail polishes can last up to a fortnight without chipping. The application is also incredibly smooth and straightforward - another crucial element in successfully achieving a professional manicure. Each polish comes with a broad brush, which sweeps the nail without exceeding the nail bed.

The OPI advent calendar includes a wide range of colours, from metallic gold and silver to lovely pastel pink and festive red. I also enjoyed some of the more unusual shades, such as Spread the Cherry - a glittery brown/red.

I had to use a nail file and buffer that I already owned since there are no tools included in the calendar, which was disappointing. Alternatively, the Manicurist All That Glitters Advent Calendar, available at Sephora for £139, comes with several nail tools. It's pricier than OPI's 12-day offering at £51.90.

Shoppers can also find the Essie Christmas Nail Polish Advent Calendar on Amazon for £59. It includes eight full-size products, 10 mini products, and four surprise treats.

The OPI advent calendar houses 12 mini nail polishes, which would cost you £18 each if you were to purchase a full size of the same colour. This calendar offers the perfect chance to sample the shade for essentially £4.30 per bottle.

Having several mini size nail polishes is ideal for slipping into a handbag for any emergency touch-ups needed whilst out and about, plus, they're very easy to store at home. I was thoroughly impressed with the manicure I achieved using the OPI advent calendar and even received compliments from friends on my nails.

From beginning to end, it took roughly 10 minutes to give myself a fresh set of nails - including drying time. For me, this is incredibly impressive considering the time it would usually take to get new nails at a salon, not to mention the cost.

Whilst it does require a bit of focus to achieve professional results, I can hardly spot the difference between using the OPI nail polish colours and going to the salon. Equipped with 12 new polish colours to last me through the party season and beyond, the OPI Good Enough to Treat Mini Nail Lacquer 12 Day Advent Calendar is a beauty enthusiast's solution to this season's best dressed nails.

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