＊Products marked with * are gifted by the brand with no strings attached. Opinions are my own.
A little late to the party but I have something exciting to share today. It is the OPI Nature Strong line! This new product line was launched last year (2021) with 30 new shades and a top coat. This summer, 6 nicely curated summer shades as well as the top coat are finally available in Taiwan! I was gifted 3 of the 6 shades to try, and my beauty blogger buddy Wendy @wendy.door kindly sent me hers so I can swatch all 6 for you at once. Make sure you check Wendy out on her Instagram if you enjoy beauty, skin care, and/or nail contents.
I don’t think it’s possible not knowing the brand OPI? OPI is (one of) the biggest nail polish brand in the world. I assume everyone must have at least heard of it, even if you don’t wear nail polish. Although this is my first article about the brand, I’ve bought from them several times before, be it nail polishes or nail care items. Being the biggest brand is not without reason. The quality of their products is constantly superb, with a great variety of color choices, and a wide range of professional nail care items. It is safe to say that OPI is a great choice of brand for beginners. However, the one thing about them that is constantly on the back of my mind is that they are not cruelty free. It may not be the brand itself that conducts the animal testing, but considering the fact that they still sell in countries that requires animal testing, China for example, it is almost guaranteed that they paid a third party lab to do so. Therefore, if being cruelty free or not is an important factor for you when making purchase decision, the OPI Nature Strong line would be a great choice for you!
OPI Nature Strong is the brand’s latest product line, featuring products that are vegan, cruelty free, and 9 free. The nail lacquers in this line are made with 75% of natural, non-GMO ingredients, including sugarcanes, wheats, corns, potatoes, and more. Other than what’s inside the bottle, the outside is also improved to be more eco-friendly. 20% of the ingredients used to manufacture the cap and the bottle are recycled materials. This can help reducing the carbon emission in product production. Now that we’ve learned some feature of this product line, let’s get into the swatches!
Strong as a Shell
First up we have a seashell white crème that has a slight grey tint. It is warm leaning comparing to a straight up white. The tints make it much softer and easier to wear alone without looking like you’ve just put white-out on your nails. White nail polish is just so perfect for summer! Such a palette cleanser! Opaqued in 2 coats, which is a bonus for white nail polishes. I’m so happy to have another favorite white in my collection.
Strong as a Shell｜US$11.50｜15ml
A Clay in the Life
The second one we have is a warm-leaning light peach crème, a neutral day-to-day color for me. This is a light and bright color, very spring-y and summer-y. It might be a great nude if you have a fair skin tone, but it is a bit too light for me as well as most asian skins, I suppose. I don’t really mind looking tan during summer thought, so I will still wear it! Opaqued in 3 coats.
A Clay in the Life｜US$11.50｜15ml
Make My Daisy
In my opinion, yellow is one of the most understated nail polish color. I love yellow polishes so much; the bright yellows can always lighten up my mood! This one is a bright butter yellow crème, not a CYMK yellow, but instead is a little pale. I thought it was going to be a 3 coater, but 2 coats is enough to reach full opacity.
Make My Daisy｜US$11.50｜15ml
Cactus What You Preach＊
This is the shade that caught my eye the most. It is a bright aqua crème, giving me such a calming vibe. Opaqued in 2 coats. One thing to keep in mind is that this one may stain your nails. I recommend wearing it on top of 2 coats of base coat. If it does stain upon removal, you can apply some cuticle softener on the stains, wait for 30 seconds, then gently scrub them off by with a wooden stick and some cotton ball. Despite being a stainer, it is still my favorite color of the six.
Cactus What You Preach｜US$11.50｜15ml
Spring into Action＊
Next up we have a super spring-y lilac crème, that is also warm-leaning. I like that it looks pretty flattering in my skin tone! I think it can be a great everyday color, not too flashy for school or for work. Opaqued in 2 coats.
Spring into Action｜US$11.50｜15ml
For What It’s Earth＊
Last but not least, we have a warm rose pink that is super elegant, suitable for most occasion. A warm pink like this one looks more flattering to asian skin tone as suppose to those with cooler undertone. Opaqued in 2 coats.
For What It’s Earth｜US$11.50｜15ml
Nature Strong Top Coat＊
Throwing in my review of the Nature Strong top coat for anyone who is interested. Top coat is the last step of a manicure. Applying one coat of top coat after your nail color is dried can smooth out the surface, making the color pop, and prolong the wear time. I’ve used this top coat a few time since receiving it, and well… it has its pros and cons. The pros are, a) it is fast drying enough if you are looking for a quick touch up before leaving the house, and b) the smell is considerably less stronger than most of the regular top coats. However, for me, it lack the plumping “gel-like” effect that I love, and it does not harden the polish underneath. Another thing is that it is very prone to smudging; brush strokes are easily visible even if I already “float” the top coat carefully. Simply put, this is not my favorite top coat. If you want to try some top coats from OPI, I would recommend the good ol’ “Top Coat” from their nail lacquer line. The overall performance of the latter is more or less the same with this one.
Nature Strong Top Coat｜US$11.50｜15ml
Overall, I really like the color that was introduced this time; my favorites are “Strong as a Shell” and “Cactus What you Preach”. Being plant-based makes the fume much less stronger than regular lacquer. For me, they have a light smell of rubbing alcohol, cucumber, and kale. All of the colors from the Nature Strong line can be worn without a base coat, and they actually self-levels pretty well! However, I would still recommend putting on a couple coats of base coat first if you are wearing “Cactus What You Preach” so that your nails will not be stained so much.
The “Clean Beauty” idea of this Nature Strong line resonate with me very much. I believe that while expressing our creativities through manicures, finding better product options to reduce the harm done to our environment and the creatures living in it, is a goal we as consumer should be actively pursuing. Hoping that more and more of these well-known nail polish and beauty brands will continue to join in on making their products better for the world!
Lastly, I would like to share a swirly gradient nail art I made using some of the shades shared today. If you enjoy nail art contents, feel free to follow me on Instagram for more nail art ideas and tutorials.
That’s it for the swatch and review! You’re welcome to share with me your favorite color, or tag me on Instagram if you end up getting some of the shade. As always, you can subscribe to my blog for more nail related articles in the future. See you next time!
About OPI｜Official Website
OPI is a mainstream nail polish brand established in LA, USA. They are a leading nail brand in the world with multiple different product lines, including regular nail lacquer, long-lasting lacquer (Infinite Shine), plant-based lacquer (Nature Strong), gel nail polish, and dip powder (Powder Perfection).
Jemima's Nail Room 
Leave a Reply