OPI

 

Available in over 100 countries worldwide, OPI is a nail care brand revered by individuals and salon professionals alike. Part of the Coty Incorporation, a global beauty brand that owns Covergirl, Rimmel, Max Factor, and Lancaster, but to name a few, OPI rubs shoulders with some of the most illustrious brands in the world. And as such, it offers one of the largest and finest nail polish collections.

The History Of OPI

The history of OPI dates back to 1981 when founder George Schaeffer established Odontorium Products Inc, a small dental supply company in Hollywood, California. He later joined forces with artistic director Suzi Weiss-Fischmann and biochemist R. Eric Montgomery to create an acrylic nail system for local nail salons. When he sold this door-to-door and achieved instant success, Schaeffer closed the dental sales side of the company and changed the name to OPI Products Inc.

In 1989, OPI added nail lacquers to its portfolio, adding over 200 colours in total, and sales soared. It became the leading supplier to nail salons in North America, and by the time Coty acquired the company in 2010, it was generating an estimated $300m in sales each year. Fast-forward a decade, and OPI is worth over £1 billion.

OPI Nail Care Products

Adored by women worldwide, OPI nail lacquers are luxurious, long-lasting, and chip-resistant. Heavily pigmented, they provide exceptional colour, yet they are gentle on the nails, even after weeks of wear. OPI currently offers over 240 different nail polish shades, with a veritable rainbow of colours in the range. This industry-leading nail polish brand updates its collections regularly to reflect current fashion trends and, it offers seasonal colours throughout the year inspired by special occasions and destinations.

Finding the perfect colour for any outfit or occasion is easy with OPI, current nail colour collections include: blacks, nudes, rose golds, purples, blues, glitters, shimmers, pinks, greens, reds, browns, oranges, metallics, greys, yellows, whites, pastels, darks, neon’s, and OPI iconic shades.

OPI offers three professional nail polish ranges, Infinite Shine, Nail Lacquer, and Gel Colour, along with an entire selection of finishing products, nail treatments, top and base coats, removers, drying agents, and manicure tools.

OPI Infinite Shine

OPI Infinite Shine is a high-definition gel polish that you can apply without an LED light and remove without the soak-off. It’s an at-home nail lacquer system for those who prefer to manicure themselves, yet it gives the same finish as gel polish.

OPI Infinite Shine nail polish comes in over 120 different colours, including OPI gel favourites, and a single application can last for up to 10-days. Here are our top application tips:

How To Apply OPI Infinite Shine  

1. Manicure your nails, push back cuticles, and cleanse to remove any oil or contaminates
2. Apply a thin coat of OPI Infinite Shine Primer Base Coat – taking sure to cap any free edges
3. Apply a thin coat of your chosen Infinite Shine Colour – cap free edges – allow to dry
4. Apply a second thin coat of Infinite Shine Colour – cap free edges – allow to dry
5. Apply a thin layer of Infinite Shine Gloss Top Coat – cap free edges – allow to dry
6. Remove any excess lacquer from the skin using a cuticle stick
7. Apply cuticle oil
8. You can remove it with regular nail polish remover

To achieve the best results, try to use as few strokes as possible when applying the nail polish, apply thin layers, and cap free edges. Leave your nails to dry between steps, and apply cuticle oil daily to extend wear-time.

OPI GelColor

OPI GelColor is the original gel nail polish and the number #1 choice for salon professionals worldwide. It offers up to three weeks of vibrant colour and shine, with no chipping or cracking, and it comes in endless colour choices to suit every taste.

Unlike OPI Infinite Colour, GelColor is designed exclusively for in-salon application by professional nail technicians as it requires curing with LED or UV light. Nails are cured between each coat to create a long-lasting seal, and this nail polish is only removable by soaking the nails in an acetone-base remover. Here are our application and removal tips:

How To Apply OPI GelColor  

1. Manicure your nails, push back cuticles, and cleanse to remove any oil or contaminates
2. Apply OPI Base Coat: vigorously shake the bottle, apply a thin layer of base coat taking care to cap the free edges, and cure with LED light (10 sec) or UV Light (1 min).
3. Apply First Coat of OPI GelColor: shake the bottle, remove excess product from the brush, apply a fine layer capping all free edges, and cure with LED light (30 sec) or UV Light (2 min).
4. Apply Second Coat of OPI GelColor: repeat step three.
5. Apply OPI Top Coat: shake the bottle and apply a thin coat, making sure to cap the free edges, before curing with LED light (30 sec) or UV Light (2 min).
6. Remove the sticky surface layer with a lint-free pad soaked in OPI nail cleanser.
7. Apply cuticle oil to rehydrate the nail bed.

As with Infinite Colour nail polish, you’ll achieve the best results if you apply thin layers of GelColor and cap any free edges to create an impenetrable seal. Apply cuticle oil regularly (daily) to keep your freshly painted nails in perfect condition.

How To Remove OPI GelColor 

1. Soak a cotton pad or remover wrap with acetone-based remover and wrap around the tip of the finger, making sure it sits on top of the gel. If, you are using cotton pads, secure in place with foil.
2. Leave the nails to soak for 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove the foil or wrap using a twisting motion to remove as much of the gel polish as possible and discard.
4. Gently remove the remaining gel with an orangewood stick, taking care not to scrape the nail plate.
5. Remove any leftover traces with a cotton pad soaked with nail polish remover.
6. Rinse the hands and apply cuticle oil.

Scraping OPI GelColor from the nails will cause damage. If it is not coming off as easy as it should, re-wrap the nails and soak them for a further 5-10 minutes, before repeating steps three and four.

OPI Nature Strong

OPI's brand new vegan nail polish is inspired by nature. Made from plant and mineral-based ingredients. Perfect for anyone who is looking to use vegan nail polish.

Why You Should Choose OPI

As a brand, OPI supports multiple charities and philanthropic initiatives and remains fully committed to corporate social responsibility. When you buy OPI nail polish and accessories, you can be confident that you will be helping other women through the #OPICares initiative, which finances a variety of health, education, and anti-violence organisations to empower women.

Some of our favourite OPI colours

OPI colours cover the entire rainbow but we have selected a few of our favourites from each selection

OPI Gel Colour

• Machu Peach-U - A beautiful soft peach that is perfect to brighten any outfit,
• Halo There - A glitter gel nail polish, that is basically a disco on your nails,
• Red Heads Ahead - This red looks like the auburn locks of a scot.

OPI Infinite Shine

• Your Dreams In Vending Machines - An electrifying pink that shines at every turn!
• Complimentary Wine - Who doesn't like complimentary wine, this burgundy gel nail polish is incredible,
• To The Finish Lime - A pastel lime green is a beautiful accompaniment to brighten a dark style.

OPI Nail Polish

• Berry Fairy Fun - This magical floral purple is an incredible colour that makes us want to go strawberry picking,
• Teal The Cows Come Home - A shimmering metallic teal that looks like an ocean wave,
• Violet Visionary - A warm purple colour, perfect for relaxing in the winter with a warm drink.

OPI Nature Strong

• Emflowered - A bright cheery pink that brightens the day before you even leave the house,
• Achieve Grapeness - This incredible rich shimmery purple colour is perfect for every situation,
• Strong As Shell - A stylish white that is the perfect tool for nail art or just as bright white nail polish.

We have the full range of OPI Gel Colour, OPI Infinite Shine, OPI Nail Polish and OPI Nature Strong along with free delivery as standard, so don't miss out!