Swatches of OPI Summer make the rules (summer 2023)

I actually somehow managed to get my hands on the crème part of the OPI Summer make the rules collection. So a short rewind if you forgot about the Summer make the rules collection: it’s one of the two OPI collections that is going to be released this summer. The other collection is the OPI Barbie the movie collection. The summer make the rules collection is going to be released a bit earlier (May) than the Barbie collection (July).

The summer make the rules collection consist of 12 new shades that are a mix of crèmes and shimmers. I managed to get my hands on some shades early through “the internet”. I didn’t buy these in any store, nor did OPI send them to me, but I’m very happy I got them early!

Before we start, I would just like to mention that these shades all contain some neon pigment (except for the shimmers). This means that all shades dry to a semi-matte finish. It goes away when you apply a glossy topcoat, which is what I usually end up doing anyway. For the swatches, I didn’t use top coat so you can see how they dry that way.

OPI I quit my day job

OPI I quit my day job is the warmer toned pink crème from the collection. I was expecting that this one would have a terrible formula (because that’s what I’m used to with these lighter pinks), but the formula is actually really good. I only had to do two coats to reach full opacity. I was quite surprised by the subtle neon-ness of these shades. It’s giving really nice pastel neon vibes and I’m into it!

Because the two new pinks are so close, I decided to compare them. OPI Makeout-side is a cool toned, while I quit my day job is warm toned (or at least warmer toned than Makeout-side). I’ve also included OPI Racing for pinks and OPI Suzi nails new Orleans in this comparison, but they contain a lot more yellow than I quit my day job and aren’t as bright.

OPI Summer Monday-Fridays

OPI Summer Monday-Fridays was quite the surprise for me. It’s a pastel neon green, but in a shade that of green that I have never really seen before in nail polish. I’m actually really into this! The formula was a bit more difficult than I quit my day job, but it was actually still really easy to apply. I did three coats on most nails n this picture, but some only required two coats! I guess that if you paint with slightly thicker coats, you can get this polish opaque in two coats.

This is OPI Summer monday-fridays compared to OPI The pass is always greener, OPI Clear your cash, OPI Pear-adise cove. I think it’s clear by just looking at the picture that OPI Summer monday-fridays is much more a neon than the other shades here. Besides from this, the other shades are quite yellow-based.

OPI Makeout-side

OPI Makeout-side is another pink creme. It is slight more cool toned than I quit my day job, but it’s closer to that one then I initually expected. The formula of this shade is again nice, and I only had to do two coats for full opacity. I feel like this shade could have come straight out of the Barbie 2023 collection.

I’ve compared Makeout-side to OPI Telenovela me about it, Suzi will quechua later, and No turning back from Pink street. It is clear that none of these shades are dupes for Makeout-side. Telenovela me bout it and No turning back from Pink street are darker. Suzi will quechua later contains more purple.

OPI Flex on the beach

OPI Flex on the beach is the shade I’m probably the least excited about. It’s a very nice orange-coral, but I have the feeling that we have seen shades like this before. It’s also not as bright as most other colors in this collection. I again did two coats on some nails, and on other three. If you’re painting with thicker coats than me you might get away with two coats on all nails.

I’ve compared Flex on the beach to OPI Silicon valley girl, Got myself into a jam-balaya and Suzi is my avatar. Silicon valley girl (from this year’s spring collection) contains quite a bit more orange. Got myself into a jam-balaya and Suzi is my avatar contain more pink and are not as bright as Flex on the beach.

OPI Charge it to their room

OPI Charge it to their room is the bright blue from the collection. I’ve never really seen a neon blue, but this one does contain some neon pigment because it also dries to a semi-matte finish. It’s very easy to apply and it only took two coats to reach the level of opacity that you’re seeing in the picture.

I definitely have some shades that are in the same color range as Charge it to their room, but none of those colors is an exact dupe for Charge it to their room. OPI Oh you sing, act, dance and produce? is obviously darker. OPI Can’t CTRL me is lighter and contains a bit of shimmer. OPI Show us your tips is kind of close, but contains a lot more shimmer (very pretty shade though!).

OPI Stay up all bright

OPI Stay up all bright is one of the yellows from the Summer make the rules collection. Stay up all bright is a neon crème while the other is a shimmer. Stay up all bright is a neon yellow, without the green undertones that some neon yellows have. I was fearing the application of this one, because most neon yellows do not apply that great, but Stay up all bright was actually quite easy to apply. I did three coats in the picture above, but I know that some people will be able to get away with one coat. A really nice color in my opinion!

OPI Bikini Boardroom

OPI Bikini boardroom is the shimmery purple from the collection. All shimmery colors in this collection seem to contain the same, very fine shimmer. Because the shimmer is so fine, you can really see the brushstrokes in this polish. When it dries, they become a little bit less obvious, but you still see them when you look carefully. It’s for this reason that I have mixed feelings about the shimmer polishes.

Bikini boardroom was opaque in two coats and was easy to apply. As you can see, this polish also dries to a matte finish when no top coat is applied.

OPI Surf naked

OPI Surf naked is a light blue shimmer similar to Bikini boardroom. The polish also dries semimatte, and you can also see the brushstrokes. However, the color is very cute! It only took me two coats to reach opacity, so no problems there!

OPI Sunscreening my calls

Sunscreening my calls is a yellow pearl. The shade is definitely a cool-toned yellow, but it doesn’t lean green. I was already prepared that this one might be difficult to apply, but it wasn’t too bad actually. It was maybe a little bit more difficult than the other pearl shades, but it still reached opacity in three coats.

Conclusion

Surprise, surprise, I actually really like the crème part of the Summer make the rules collection! This initially wasn’t the part I was excited for, but I’m really glad that I was able to buy it early because “wow”! These shades are really great if you’re looking for yellow pastels that are not too bright and have a great formula.

As stated before, this collection will be officially available on the 1st of May.