OPI ColorPaints Blendable Nail Lacquer

The OPI ColorPaints (keep wanting to write “ColourPaints”…) are a brilliant new arrival that I think are going to create quite a buzz when they launch later this year.  They’re a collection of eight sheer colours and one silver base coat, with the idea being that they lack the opacity, so they can blend and merge together to create all sorts of new and interesting nail looks.

The Silver Canvas Base Coat is another exciting element to the collection, as it works under the colours to make them pop (sorry to overuse the ‘pop’ cliche, but it’s true), however, unlike traditional white that’s usually used to create this effect, the silver instead gives the whole collection a bright and metallic finish which I really, really like.

 

For me, the best thing about the OPI ColorPaints is how accessible they make nail art; you can really have a play with these and try out all sorts of different things, with or without the use of the Silver Canvas beneath.  For example, I’ve used about five of them to dry brush a very quick nail look on the above nail (on the left, obviously, on the right is one coat of Silver Canvas) and I really like the effect! Regular readers will know that I am not a capable nail artist, so if I can do it, truly anyone can.

Creatively, the sky is the limit, as you can try all sorts of looks before the colours are all designed to blend together without cancelling each other out.  Off the top of my head I’m thinking ombre effects will be a lot easier and in the press pack there’s a great image of the colours layered partly across the silver shade that looks amazing yet very achievable.

Now on to the shades themselves! They’re mostly brights and jewel-tones, with three of the bottles looking almost black until you get swatching to reveal the gorgeous colour within – these are perfect examples of never judging a book by its cover.  The above swatches are without the silver base coat, whilst the below swatches are with the base coat.

Following the swatches from left to right, the shades are: Indigo Motif, Purple Perspective, Turquoise Aesthetic, Landscape Artist, Primarily Yellow, Chromatic Orange, Magenta Muse and Pen & Pink.  What I love about these is just how transformative the silver base coat is; just look at Turquoise Aesthetic – third from left – which, without the base coat, appears a mid teal shade, yet put it over the silver and it becomes a beautiful, chrome, truer turquoise shade.  As I write this I wonder what sort of effect could be created by applying the silver in parts of the nail or just near the base – there’s definitely lots of play potential with these.

As you can probably tell, I’m very excited by the new OPI ColorPaints and I can’t wait to see what sort of looks people start creating.  These will be available exclusively at Selfridges and salons for £12.50 a go and they land on the 1st July 2015.

*PR Samples