OPI Gwen Stefani collection – review and swatches

I’ve never been a mainstream pop fan, so I’ve been lukewarm about the choices for OPI’s music collaborations so far (Katy Perry, Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj, and of course good ol’ concerned-selfie-face Biebs). But I’m a No Doubt fan from way back, so I was very excited when OPI announced that they were releasing a Gwen Stefani collection!

In True Stefani Fashion is a silvery holo glitter. It’s a twist on the standard hex/dust combo – instead of hexes, this shade has my current favourite glitter shape, squares! Not all of the dust is holographic, so it’s a relatively low-key holo glitter, as far as holo glitters go – it still flashes rainbows under regular indoor lighting though. Compared to the Oz collection’s Which Is Witch with its smashed-diamond effect, this is more laidback and versatile. Here’s a cotton bud gradient of In True Stefani Fashion over OPI Incognito in Sausolito:

I think cotton bud glitter gradients are my default nail art – they’re fail-safe!

Love.Angel.Music.Baby (which was a must-have for me, solely for the name!) is a satin-finish shade with fine gold and silver shimmer. I love the feel of the semi-matte texture and the dry time is fantastic. Like many mattes, this does tend to show up every bump on your nail though, so make sure you start with a smooth surface! The wear is pretty good too – there was just a bit of tip wear after 3 days and no chips.

Here’s two coats of In True Stefani Fashion over Love.Angel.Music.Baby. You can get an idea of how L.A.M.B. looks glossy – shimmery and pretty, but not particularly unique. In True Stefani Fashion isn’t dense enough to be worn by itself.

There are 5 other polishes in the collection:

Hey Baby – bright pink creme
I Sing in Color – deep berry creme
4 in the Morning – black, satin finish
Over & Over a-Gwen – bold red (Gwen’s signature lipstick colour), comes in a boxed set with nail art studs (black Swarovski crystals and gold, silver and pewter studs in circle, bar, square and diamond shapes)
Push & Shove – silver mirror chrome with special base coat. There’s been a lot of secrecy around this shade, but I hope to see it in person soon!

I think the collection does a great job of capturing Gwen’s wide range of style through the years, from the bright pink ska-punk 90s to her super glossy glam platinum blonde years, with a heavy dose of stark monochrome throughout. I always thought that I would be immune to being swayed by a celebrity endorsement, but I really can’t help myself this time! I love Gwen’s style, and now that she’s associated with bringing OPI firmly into the nail art fold, I love her even more.

This product was provided for review, which did not affect my opinion. For more information, see Disclosure Policy.