OPI Russian Navy
Russian Navy was originally released by OPI as part of the Russian collection for fall 2007. This collection was and continues to be a popular source for vampy cremes, blackened shimmers and red jellies, but Russian Navy may very well be the most popular polish to come out of it and has long since been part of OPI's core line. Officially described as a "deep-sea indigo," this is a very deep pthalo or ultramarine blue bearing abundant pearly microfine particulate shimmers in red and dark blue. In the bottle, where the shimmers tend to adhere to the glass, it does indeed have a shimmery indigo purple appearance, but transforms on the nail to an inky ultramarine. The shimmers give it a silky "creme rinse" look in direct light, where it brightens to a deep blue-violet, but in low light and shade it reads as near black. Sleek and sophisticated, this is a gorgeous polish! The shimmers, which are a little secret squirrel on the nail, work within the polish to produce a subtle glowing dimensionality that is just understated enough to be profoundly glamorous.
Application was lovely. My bottle of Russian Navy is not vintage, but the formula has a certain pre-toxin-free vibe, an oily well-balanced viscosity that makes it eminently paintable. It has a velvety, self-leveling glide over the nail and is easy to manipulate with OPI's flattened pro-wide brush. Pigmentation is very good with completely even opaque coverage in two coats. Cleanup is easy and straightforward, with a bit of pigment travel and some residual staining as you'd expect from dark blue polish. Russian Navy dries naturally in average time to such a glossy finish that it feels redundant to apply topcoat over it.
Photos show two coats of Russian Navy over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Apologies for my cuticles, which look like they've been rode hard and put up wet. They're a little the worse for being manhandled with an orange stick. My intentions were good -- my execution not so much.
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This polish is timeless. Hard to believe it will be a decade old in a couple of years -- it's as beautiful and relevant now as it's ever been.
love,
Liz
I love Russian Navy. I can remember looking through a fashion magazine and being in utter shock that somebody was wearing BLUE nail polish. But...I was fascinated. I mean, it looked completely tasteful, but how? :) That was the defining moment that my ideas of polish went beyond pink and red.
ReplyDeleteYour nails are pretty much perfect. Do they ever break? They look strong enough to use as a box cutter!
I remember hearing about this polish from my first days of polish enthusiasm. It was one of those lacquers held up as paragons of what a nail polish should be, and someone was always mentioning it in a blog post or a comment. Hard to believe it took me so many years to actually get my hands on it, but I think its reputation was and is still well-deserved, even if it doesn't come up in conversation as much as it used to.
DeleteI know what you mean about blue polish. I was the same way. Outrageous! Unnatural! And yet, I cannot look away.... *lol* Now blue is one of my comfort colors. Especially darker blues.
My nails box cut in their spare time to supplement their allowance. Actually, they don't break, preferring instead to tear insidiously from low on the sides, forcing me to patch them with nail glue for months until the tear grows out. They are intact at the moment, but now that I've said that one of them will surely develop a tear. It's probably happening right now.
I literally just LOL'd.
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DeleteAhhh, Russian Navy. When I realized what a world of polish was out there and then discovered blogs, photos of that polish got my attention. Off to this newly-found, wonderland store called Ulta, I went. Saw it in person there, oohed and aawed over all the glowy, shimmery glints in its depths and bought it. Came home, put it on and ... where's the shimmer??? For me, it didn't translate to the nail. Or maybe I was expecting too much? Even under lights, it was just a dark navy that looked almost, but not quite black (and at that time, I strongly disliked any dark polish, except for total black). Since then, it has resided at the back of a container that holds other polishes that I hope to eventually re-visit for a second chance. Maybe now is the time.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love polish shopping at Ulta? I only go to Ulta when I visit my sis and her family in Charlottesville, VA. It's a special treat that way, and I can take my neice who loves to shop for beauty products.
DeleteI think many people shared your reaction to Russian Navy. It looks very different in the bottle because the shimmers adhere to the glass. They are much more subtle on the nail, but they help to create the delicious silky glow that makes this polish so glamorous. Really, the only time you'll actually see them on the nail is in direct sun, and who stands out in the sun all the time?
Your polish aesthetic has undoubtedly expanded and changed since you first tried this polish. Definitely revisit it! Put it on and live with it for a day and see how you feel. I'll bet that you'll find a new appreciation for its subtleties.
I'm definiteIy going to give Russian Navy another go. If it still doesn't move me, I'll dress it up with a topper of some sort. I'm thinking flakies!
DeleteLast year, I found another nail polish related thing - nail polish supply discount stores. They usually sell only to the trade, but there are some that will let the public buy from them. Finding them really fueled my passion for polish! There is one store that is my favorite - I nearly dropped to my knees when I first walked in. Sometimes, I wish I lived closer (it is a 40 to 45 minute drive across town, in good traffic). However, mostly, I am glad it is a special trip to go there. It gives me time to think about a polish in which I am interested - to make sure I want it - instead of immediately setting out to buy it. And to see reviews and swatches. I just keep up a Want list and go about every three or four months.
Yes, my aesthetic has grown a lot since I ventured down this rabbit hole. Some colors I thought I would never consider have grown on me. I even have grown fond of some olive green polishes!
If there are any nail polish discount stores in my area I have yet to find them -- jealous! I'd probably get completely overwhelmed and become unable to make a purchase. Hasn't happened to me yet in either Ulta or Sephora but it sounds like they're just not in the same league.
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