OPI Dating a Royal & Silver Shatter

I love OPI nail polish. I don't think words can sufficiently express how much I love it. Yes, it's more expensive than some brands, but as far as I'm concerned it's worth the price tag. One of my current favourites is Dating a Royal, a bright blue that really pops and suits most skin tones. When I first saw this colour it reminded me of Kate Middleton's dress when she announced her engagement to Prince William:

I don't know whether the polish was intended to match her dress, but given how similar the two colours are - and the polish's name - it seems quite likely.

Anyway, I wanted to paint my nails with a bright colour but I also wanted something a bit more fun than Dating a Royal on its own - which is where OPI's Silver Shatter comes in. Part of the Pirates of the Caribbean collection (and my favourite of the six, although Mermaids' Tears, a mint creme, comes a close second), as the name suggests it's part of the recent craze for crackle polishes. It's silver with tiny glittery specks that catch the light beautifully.

Look how sparkly it is!

First, I used a base coat to prevent staining (my go-to one is Nails Inc Soho Silk because it creates a white base, which means your chosen polish goes on more opaque), then two coats of Dating a Royal. This was followed by a light coat of Silver Shatter. There are numerous instructional videos for applying crackle polishes, but to be honest it's not hard to figure out for yourself. The main thing to remember when applying it is the thicker the coat, the fewer cracks there will actually be in it. Wait for it to do its thing and dry, then followed with a top coat. Voilà!

Okay, my photography sucks (practice will hopefully make perfect) but you can still see quite well how it turned out. I got a lot of compliments when I wore it, including from several strangers.