OPI is usually my nail polish of choice, but I recently tried Chimera, a brand that is fairly comparable in terms of price, and am so far pretty happy with the result.

While OPI retails for around $20 per bottle, Chimera sells for $14.95 per bottle and although the price is cheaper, the performance seems to be just as good.

I tried shade 129, Bronze Me Up, which doesn’t come out a true bronze, nor is it similar to the photo. It’s a very pale gold with a hint of silver. I don’t usually like metallic/glittery polishes, but this one is quite pleasing and doesn’t look too out there. Keep the rest of your jewellery and outfit simple and you can get away with it. I also notice it’s reduced to $7.50 on the site, which is a bit of a bargain.

In terms of longevity, I painted my nails on Sunday night and they’re still going well today, with only a couple of chips at the end. This is pretty good for someone who spends a lot of their day on a computer.

You can buy Chimera nail polish online, or alternatively find stockists in selected Australian states (also available at the website).

By Caroline Warnes