Tutorial/Review: OPI Shatter Nailpolish (Black)

I was lucky enough to receive the OPI Shatter nailpolish in Black from a friend as a gift.  It is unlike anything I've tried before in the nailpolish realm and I really like it alot.  Perhaps not for everyone, this kind of effect is very edgy and fun.  Personally, it is something I really like as the latest addition to my nailpolish collection.

Want to start off more subtle?  Try doing a shatter French tip look.  This is also a great option for Spring if you want just a little black with a pop of bright color!

French Tip Style

Here is what I used:

Base coat, Base color, OPI Shatter (Black), Seche Vite Top Coat, Cuticle Oil

First start with your base coat.  I am using Sally Hansen's Maximum Growth Plus Top and Base Coat.  I prefer this as a base coat only.  I apply one coat.  Much like an eyeshadow primer helps eyeshadow color adhere to your eyelid, a base coat keeps nail color on the surface of your nail.  I find it makes a huge difference and do not paint my nails without it.  Allow to dry.

Then you want to apply your base color.  I used one of my favorite colors, Twisted Pink by Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Line.  I got mine at Target, but you kind find it in almost any drugstore or online.  Any color will do.  I usually apply two coats of my base color to prevent early chipping.  Allow to dry.

Now the fun part!  I take my OPI Shatter in black and just paint the top.  Simply sweep your brush horizontally using a light hand.  You can apply as thick of a line as you want.  The wider the tip, the more shatter effect you will see.  The consistency of this polish is quite thick, so only one coat is necessary.  In fact, if you add more than one coat, you risk covering up part of the base color that was coming through after the first coat.  You want to give this polish more time to dry due to its viscous texture.

Once your Shatter polish has dried, you should see that shatter effect happening.  Bits of your base color should peek through in random bits.  It's pretty cool!

Now, apply your top coat.  I use Seche Vite.  This will help seal all your work and keep your nails looking good for awhile.  One coat will do and I find my nails are shinier and chip less when I use this amazing product. What I love most about this product is that it makes your nails dry very quickly, which allows me to get on with my other day's activities.  It is the only top coat I'll ever use.  You can get yours at Sally's Beauty Supply stores or online.

Finally, you can apply your cuticle oil.  This step is optional.  I hardly ever do this step, but if your cuticles need extra moisture, you may want to implement cuticle oil into your regimen.  The one I purchased can be found at Sally's Beauty Supply.

All in all, I give it a thumb's up!  You can apply the Shatter polish over any color, so you can always change things up.  You can do just the tips or paint the entire nail.  So you have options.  Check out OPI's website for more colors.  I also love the "Try This Color" feature where you can simulate your skin tone and nail length and virtually try on different OPI colors, like Shatter in Black and other colors.

Have you tried OPI's Shatter collection?  What are your thoughts?