While it’s not really new, the flakie nail-polish craze is still going on strong.
Although I didn’t pick up any of the popular FingerPaints ones, I did rummage through my nail-polish stash for a pretty flakie.
I found Nubar Opulent Pearl! Oddly, this is the first time that I’ve worn it. It was in a drawer at the back of my Ikea Helmer. (You can run, but you can’t hide!)
At that time, I was still enjoying Zoya Yasmeen as a manicure. After a little while, I decided to slap on 2 coats of Nubar Opulent Pearl to see how it would look.
Here’s the result!
Nubar Opulent Pearl Pictures
Sunlight
Flash
Natural Light
Sunlight
Flash
Nubar Opulent Pearl Swatches
All swatches have:
- OPI Natural Nail Base Coat
- 2 coats of Zoya Yasmeen
- 2 coats of Nubar Opulent Pearl
- Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
Natural Light Photos
Sunlight Photos
Flash Photos
Claim: TRUSTED
√ Flakie polish
Key Notes
- Name: Nubar Opulent Pearl
- Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
- What I Paid: $4.25 CAD (on special-discount sale. Retails for $7.49 USD)
- Where to Buy: Possible eBay. (If you live in Ontario, Fernanda’s may have it.)
Nubar Opulent Pearl Review
Colour
Opulent Pearl by Nubar has a milky base with silvery micro-flakies. The polish has large opalescent flakies that appear green, orange, purple, yellow, red, and blue, depending on the angle.
Keep the cloudy base in mind because when used as a layering polish, it will significantly lighten up a dark polish.
I put it over my existing manicure, Zoya Yasmeen, which was a dark purple. As you can see, the result is a muted purple with a pearly effect.
Actually, I preferred the dramatic look of Zoya Yasmeen by itself. The next time I wear Opulent Pearl, I’ll remember to layer it over a light polish. I think that a pastel shade would’ve yielded more pleasing results.
Finish
The flakies are irregular in size and lay flat on your nails, so the end result is fairly smooth.
Application & Formula
Applying Nubar Opulent was really easy. The formula is smooth and not goopy. I think because there’s a lot of the base polish and that coats the flakies, it makes it easier to apply.
A single coat looked okay if you just want sparse flakies. But, when I sport flakies, I want them to be really in your face, so I used 2 coats.
Cruelty-Free
Nubar is a cruelty-free brand, so animal lovers and vegans will be pleased to know this!
How Does Opulent Pearl Compare to Nubar 2010?
Nubar 2010 is a denser flakie polish and in a clear base, so you can literally layer it over any base colour without altering the shade. I found that Nubar 2010 tends to show mostly red, orange, yellow, and green. Opulent Pearl shows all those hues and more.
Pros
|
Cons
|
Final Verdict: 8.5/10
Nubar Opulent Pearl is a very special polish in my collection. Unfortunately, I don’t feel that I did it any justice by layering it over a dark lacquer. If I blog about it again, I’ll be sure to show you what it looks like over a pastel or a soft shade, since I think it’s more suitable for that because of the milky base.
What’s the most recent flakie polish you wore? Do you always layer your flakies, or have you worn them solo? What was your first flakie polish?
Nubar polishes are so nice. They apply like a dream and the flakies have a way of expanding your polish wardrobe, as it were. I only have 2010 right now, but this one looks like it would be a nice addition to the family.
Hey karen!
They certainly are – just wish they were easier to get hold of. Nubar is yet another brand that’s hard for Canadians to find. And their website doesn’t ship to Canada. *Sniff sniff*
This looks pretty Mary!! I typically layer with glitter or flakies. The last one I wore was Shine of the Times, which also happens to be the first flaky I ever purchased.
Marisa recently posted: Maybelline – Sultry Siren
Hey Marisa!
Excellent choice – Shine of the Times is gorgeous!
I think this looks great! I’ve only layered Opulent Pearl over white because I was trying to get an opalescent look…FAIL. I really need to give it another chance.
I got mine on a website called BeautyBay.com only a few months ago – it’s very professional and reliable, and although it’s a British website I believe they ship internationally.
Sophie recently posted: OPI I Don’t Give a Rotterdam
Hey Sophie!
Maybe try a baby blue or a pastel colour underneath. Or how about an off-white?
Is this similar to any other flakies? It looks more comples than Nubar 2010 and the like… Maybe more like Finger Paints Twisted?
Hey Leisel!
I don’t have any other flakies like this in my collection. It’s definitely more complex than Nubar 2010 because Opulent Pearl has the tiny silver micro-glitter and the flakies show more than just orange, yellow, red, and green.
Hmm…I don’t have any of the Finger Paints polishes, but from what I’ve seen online, they don’t look like they have a cloudy base like Opulent Pearl does. But, yes, it does seem closer to Twisted.
I have to agree with you, I think it would look better over a pastel or at least a lighter, frostier color. The pearly base mutes the richness of the purple. I love all those multicolored flakies though! Are flakie polishes just as easy to remove as creme polishes, or are they more difficult to remove, like glitters?
Hey Jessica!
They’re relatively easy to remove – not as difficult as glitters, but also not as easy as a creme polish. It also depends on how many coats you use. If you’re layering with them, they very easy to remove. But if you’re trying to wear it solo (which I don’t recommend), it’s significantly more difficult with 3+ coats.
I like having one flakie that does lighten up the base color. I get tired of so many all being the same or having a tint to the base that limits what shade base often you can use it over. This I think was the 2nd flakie I bought after Nubar 2010.
Hey beachgal!
Tired of flakies? Hehe, I didn’t know that was possible! 😉
Very pretty look! However, I would prefer a clear base just because of the way the pearly base changes the original nail polish color. Still, I think this polish has its place! 🙂
lacquerloon recently posted: Blue’s After My Heart
Hey lacquerloon!
Need to try it over a pastel. Hopefully it’ll look better than over this dark base. *Fingers crossed*
nailpolishcanada.com carries Nubar polishes. I believe they are based in Vancouver and they ship for free across Canada once your order is over $29. Which isn’t hard for me once I start surfing through their offerings!!!
Hey Rachel!
Yes, they’re a great source for Nubar polishes, but I didn’t see Opulent Pearl offered at the time I wrote this post. Is it there now? Did they just add it?
How was this polish NOT on my radar yet?
I really really am intrigued by the pearly shimmer in it!
I believe Unicorn Puke was my very first real flakie polish! And since then the flakie bug has bitten me… Me thinks it is a lifelong disease;) and I’m ok with it!
I love how, when layered, flakies transform any polish and make it magical! 🙂
Marta recently posted: Drawn towards the Magnet
Hey Marta!
First the Nail Polish Bug bites you. And then the Flakie Bug gets you. After that, you cannot be saved…not that you’d want to be. 😉