No unicorns were harmed in the making of this manicure

I was thrilled to choose this for review from Born Pretty Store. I’m calling it Opal Unicorn Skin, but it’s also known as glass paper, since you can make a cool shattered glass effect nail art with it.

I am still on a quest to create the perfect opal nails and I have tried opal nails once or twice before.  I’ll probably have another go too!


This is the finished look and it certainly has a lot of layers to it.

Polishes and tools

Chanel Attraction and Paradisio
OPI Pen and Pink
Lilypad Lacquer Fire in the sky
Orly Vintage
Essie Shine of the Times
Born Pretty Store Opal Unicorn Skin / Glass Paper option #4


I started with two coats of Attraction and then focused Paradisio in the centre of each nail. I’m not sure it’s given the illusion of depth I wanted because it’s quite sheer. A coat of flakies from Shine of the Times was next.

Next I dry brushed with three colours: Pen and Pink, Fire In The Sky, and Vintage. I topped it off with Seche Vite. Next I added the unicorn skin.

I had chopped off tiny little shards in advance (given the chance I will ruin a mani before I’m even done with it) which adhered easily to the slightly tacky surface.

Next I added a coat of Paradisio (it is sheer enough to blend it all together) and finally another coat of flakies. Because there’s always room for more flakies.

Ooh. Another topcoat too. Aaaaand relax!

Opal Unicorn Skin

This is my best attempt yet at opal nails. I don’t mind the little bubbles you can see in the macro because it felt so perfectly smooth, it just looks like a design feature.

The glass paper doesn’t look like much when you first see it but it has such a big impact once it is in place.