When I first saw OPI’s Funny Bunny and Essie’s Marshmallow, I couldn’t choose one because they looked similar.
They look like classic white polish when you see them through the bottle. Furthermore, the nail swatches that I saw didn’t do anything to help me differentiate their color either.
I decided to buy them both because there’s no harm in having too many neutrals In your collection, right? I tried them out and noted a few similarities and differences that stood out.
So here’s a detailed comparison between OPI Funny Bunny and Essie Marshmallow to help you choose what works for you.
What is OPI Funny Bunny?
OPI Funny Bunny is a sheer white nail polish that remains see-through even as you layer on more coats. This relentless sheerness makes it a gorgeous color to wear alone or as a base for nail art or a French manicure. In addition, you can wear this soft white nail color on top of your favorite opaque OPI nail colors to create a personalized mani.
The other thing I noticed about OPI Funny Bunny is its gentle whiteness. Unlike the standard stark white nail polish, Funny Bunny does not reflect too much light and therefore doesn’t appear too bright. For this reason, OPI Funny Bunny blends well with all outfit colors and subtle and heavy makeup looks.
You can find OPI Funny Bunny in the brand’s regular lacquer formula, gel color, dip powder, or infinite shine, their long-wear lacquer formula. The regular lacquer formula lasts a week before chipping, while the infinite shine long-wear formula lasts up to 11 days.
The biggest problem with OPI Funny bunny is its thick consistency, which makes it prone to bubbling. However, this problem mainly affects manicurists who haven’t mastered the correct application techniques.
So, let me show you the correct way to apply OPI Funny Bunny nail polish.
- Remove existing nail lacquer, then trim and file your nails.
- Apply an OPI base coat to prime the nail surface and increase the adhesion of the nail polish. If using Infinite shine, apply OPI nail primer instead of a regular base coat.
- Apple 2-3 coats of OPI Funny Bunny using the three-stroke method – first down the middle of the nail bed, then on each side for complete coverage.
- Apply an OPI top coat to seal the manicure and keep the color from chipping prematurely.
Pros and Cons of OPI Funny Bunny
Pros
- It lasts a week, but the brand has a long-wear formula that remains crisp for up to 11 days.
- This nail polish remains sheer white even if you apply three coats.
- OPI Funny Bunny complements all skin tones, and you can wear it on all occasions.
- The nail polish doesn’t leave streaks due to its self-leveling properties.
- The sheerness of this white nail polish makes it perfect for layering over any opaque nail polish.
Cons
- OPI Funny Bunny is too thick and prone to bubbling if applied incorrectly.
- The nail polish takes too long to dry between coats.
What is Essie Marshmallow?
Essie Marshmallow is also a sheer white nail polish, and it looks very similar to OPI Funny Bunny at first glance. However, Essie Marshmallow is slightly more opaque, offering more coverage than Funny Bunny at two coats.
Due to its impeccable sheer-opaque appearance, this white polish is a great stand-alone color. It does not work as nicely as OPI Funny Bunny when it comes to layering, so it is best to avoid it.
The best thing about Essie Marshmallow is that you only need two coats to reach the perfect milky white color. Furthermore, this formula contains ingredients that strengthen the nails, a feature that OPI Funny Bunny lacks.
Unfortunately, Essie’s Marshmallow has a thick, jelly-like consistency, even thicker than OPI’s Funny Bunny. As a result, it is harder to apply without leaving streaks or bubbles in the manicure. So, here’s how to apply Essie Marshmallow without streaks or bubbles.
- Clean the nail bed and then apply one coat of any Essie base coat.
- Let that dry, and then follow with 2-3 coats of Essie Marshmallow, depending on how opaque and white you want the manicure to appear. Ensure you apply thin coats to avoid streaks and drying problems during application.
- Finish with one layer of any Essie top coat to lock in the color and give the manicure a little shine.
Pros and Cons of Essie Marshmallow
Pros
- It contains ingredients that help strengthen nails.
- It offers perfect coverage in just two coats, but you can apply three if you love a stark white neutral polish.
- This polish shade is perfect to wear with any outfit on any occasion.
- You can use it with any Essie base coat and top coat.
Cons
- Due to its thick consistency, Essie’s Marshmallow is prone to bubbling and streaking.
- The shade is classified as a sheer white color; however, it is too cloudy for layering over other colors.
- Some people find this shade of white a little too bright, especially when the skin tans during the summer.
OPI Funny Bunny Vs. Essie Marshmallow: Similarities and differences
Color
OPI Funny Bunny and Essie Marshmallow are gorgeous sheer white nail polishes. However, Marshmallow is more opaque than Funny Bunny and therefore appears more like a classic white nail polish.
In addition, their undertones vary slightly; Marshmallow is more of a warm, bright white, while funny bunny is a softer and cooler shade of white.
Number of Coats
OPI Funny Bunny and Essie Marshmallow are both sheer polishes, but their level of coverage varies depending on how many coats you apply.
Essie Marshmallow is slightly more opaque than OPI Funny Bunny at two coats. The Essie formula is slightly more pigmented than the OPI formula hence the superior opaqueness.
If you have OPI Funny bunny and want to reach Essie Marshmallow’s full coverage, I recommend applying 3-4 coats.
However, remember that the OPI formula is also thick, so if you put on too many coats, your mani will chip and peel quickly.
Skin Tone
Essie Marshmallow has a slightly warm tone, while OPI Funny Bunny is a cooler pillowy shade of white. Despite the slight difference, both polishes are versatile and complement all skin tones.
However, Essie Marshmallow tends to be a little too bright for people with dark or brown tones, especially during the summer. The skin tans slightly during this time, making the semi-opaque Marshmallow “shout” more than usual.
So, OPI Funny Bunny is the perfect nail polish to wear all year round. Essie’s Marshmallow is also great but overwhelms dark and brown skin tones during the summer.
Ease of Application
OPI Funny Bunny and Essie Marshmallow are thick formulas with a jelly-like consistency that makes them hard to spread. If you don’t use the proper techniques to apply them, you will likely end up with bubbles and streaks in your manicure.
Nevertheless, there’s a little difference in the formula of both polish brands. OPI Funny Bunny has self-leveling properties; hence it flows out evenly on the nail bed as you apply it.
This property reduces the chances of having a streaky manicure when you apply OPI Funny Bunny. However, you still have bubbles to worry about, so don’t neglect your application techniques.
If you notice either of the shades bubbling during application:
- Increase the duration between coats to 20 minutes instead of 6-10 minutes. Sometimes, when polish bubbles, it is a sign that you applied a fresh coat before the previous one appropriately dried. So, leaving more time between coats allows the nail polish to dry better.
- Wait until the least humid time of day to do your manicure because humidity interferes with the drying process. If waiting for a less humid day is not an option, I recommend using a manicure fan to speed up the drying process.
Layering
OPI Funny Bunny is the best nail color for layering because it is sheer and stays sheer even if you apply 2-3 coats. Wear it over your favorite opaque OPI nail colors, or layer it with another favorite neutral to create a DIY custom color.
I love wearing two coats of funny bunny over OPI’s bubble bath or OPI Incognito Mode to give the neutral white a slightly pink-purple tone.
I don’t recommend using Essie Marshmallow for layering because it is a little more opaque than OPI Funny Bunny. I tried it on top of one of my favorite Essie Reds, but the color turned out a little too muted – I didn’t like it.
Nevertheless, both nail colors make a gorgeous base for nail art and a French manicure. Moreover, you can wear them alone for an effortlessly chic look.
Durability
In OPI’s regular lacquer formula, Funny Bunny lasts up to one week without peeling or chipping. If you want something that lasts longer, you can find this shade in their infinite shine long-wear formula, which lasts up to 11 days.
If you don’t like changing nail colors too often, I recommend purchasing OPI Funny Bunny in gel color or dip powder, as they last twice as long.
On the other hand, Essie Marshmallow only lasts 5-6 days before showing signs of wear. Unfortunately, Essie does not produce this white shade in their gel couture, long-wear formula. So, You have to settle for a short-lived manicure with this gorgeous color.
Best Occasions to Wear the Nail Polish Shade
Both OPI Funny Bunny and Essie Marshmallow are highly versatile because they are white nail polishes. They are perfect to wear to weddings, dinner dates, parties, or even formal settings like your office.
Moreover, both shades blend well with any color, but I especially recommend wearing them with red, black, pink, orange, or green outfits.
Conclusion: Which One is Better for you?
Essie Marshmallow and OPI Funny Bunny are classic neutral nail polishes that are excellent dupes of each other. They are sheer white nail colors that pair well with every outfit and complement all skin tones.
However, Essie Marshmallow is more pigmented than OPI Funny Bunny; therefore, it is more opaque in two coats. It is not the perfect choice if you want to layer your nail polish, but it looks gorgeous if you wear it alone.
OPI Funny Bunny is the perfect white sheer nail polish for layering your mani, and it looks even better when worn alone on bare nails. Just apply a base coat before applying the nail lacquer and follow with a top coat to lock in the color for a lasting mani.