OPI Gwen Stefani: Swatched, Reviewed and Comparison-Swatched Too

My geeky sister has flown the coop so it’s up to me to keep ya’ll entertained for a little while. That’s okay by me. I got stuff to show you! Check it out: It’s the OPI Gwen Stefani Collection of Standout Color in Breakthrough Finishes that’s launching next month. How’s THAT for entertainment? Plus, comparison swatches of similar shades from other brands.... Let’s do this!

In January, OPI and celebrity partner Gwen Stefani will release seven (I only have 6 of ’em to show you today) new limited edition nail lacquers for 2014, featuring standout color in breakthrough finishes…

OPI Gwen Stefani Love. Angel. Music. Baby A gold with silvery shimmer. This right here is tied for my favourite from this new collection. It goes on like a dream and dries to a semi-matte finish that is stunning. Love. Angel. Music. Baby looks incredibly glossy when you’re applying it but wait for it… oooh… satiny smooth matte finish.

OPI Gwen Stefani I Sing In Color Meh. It’s one of those vampy wintery blackened burgundy crème gloss shades that everyone has seen a million times before. Here, I’ll prove it:

OPI Gwen Stefani I Sing In Color comparison swatches

OPI Gwen Stefani 4 In The Morning My other favourite. Lookit that stunning satin finish! You’ll want to use a light touch with this particular shade as the polish consistency is a little thin. The first coat isn’t going to be pretty but keep going and your second coat will give you complete coverage like I’m showing you there. Gimmie that.

OPI Gwen Stefani 4 In The Morning with In True Stefani Fashion Glitter Coat If you’re not a fan of satin or semi-matte finishes, OPI has kindly built this fab top coat into the collection. In recent memory, I don’t recall seeing any glitter coat with squares in it like this – I dig it.

OPI Gwen Stefani Hey Baby with In True Stefani Fashion Glitter Coat Here again is In True Stefani Fashion Glitter Coat. I didn’t get any squares in it this time but that’s okay. Layered over Hey Baby, it makes me think of cupcakes ’n sugar.

OPI Gwen Stefani Hey Baby And then we should talk about Hey Baby by itself. It’s a glossy pink crème lacquer that’s not the best crème I’ve ever used - but it’s also not the worst. The self-leveling component is a little lacking so you’ll need two generous coats to get good coverage. Yes, it’s pretty. Yes, you’ve seen it before:

OPI Gwen Stefani Hey Baby comparison swatches

OPI Gwen Stefani Over & Over A-Gwen Ta Da! It’s the Gwen Stefani Signature Shade and it’s actually going to be available in a boxed set that, sadly, I don’t have to show you.

The OPI Gwen Stefani Over and Over A-Gwen nail art boxed set will include Swarovski black crystals and silver, gold and pewter studs in bar, square, diamond and circle shapes for creating unique nail designs. It’s also gonna have nail glue in there for easy application.

UPDATE: If you wanna see how it looks on nails (of course you do!), hop over to thepolishaholic.com forJenn Karr's OPI Gwen Stefani Nail Art show and tell.

Obviously, though, I do have the individual lacquer -- which by itself, is 100% nothing to write home about. The only important thing to note is that upon removal, it’ll stain your cuticles and side walls something shocking (as reds like this often do). With the addition of the nail art goodies in the boxed set, perhaps I’ll change my tune. As of now, I will say that I think Over & Over is a particularly apt name for this uninspired signature shade of red. See?

OPI Gwen Stefani Over & Over A-Gwen comparison swatches

At the time of posting, the OPI Gwen Stefani Push and Shove shade and OPI Gwen Stefani Lay Down that Base top coat are not yet available for preview. Push and Shove is apparently a bold chrome hue to be worn without a topcoat but requires a special complementary (and also complimentary with purchase of Push and Shove) base coat Lay Down that Base. Word on the virtual street is that one thin coat of Lay Down That Base topped with two thin coats of Push and Shove will yield an intense, mirrored finish – that’s something I’m really looking forward to playing with. I’ll keep ya’ll updated but in the meantime, anything here strike your fancy?

The OPI Gwen Stefani Limited Edition Lacquers ($10.95 each) will be available beginning January 2014 at professional salons and spas across Canada. The boxed set including Over & Over A-Gwen and Swarovski Elements will retail for $18.95.

Manis ’n photos by Karen Falcon (her hands are freezing cold) ©2013 BEAUTYGEEKS/imabeautygeek.com