Clarins 230 over Clarins 209 Ocean/Bleu Abysse
If you are a vintage or indie nail polish enthusiast, it is very likely you have heard of the infamous pigment nicknamed “OG UP”; or OG Unicorn Pee. There is a lot of controversy concerning OG UP, from what it is, which polishes contain them (and how much is in said polishes), and finally, why it is no longer available?
Urban Decay Toxin
The term “unicorn pee” was coined to describe the distinctive red-to-green color-shifting sparkling shimmer in Clarins 230, a legendary nail polish from the early 2000s that has a sheer purple base. The term goes back to the Makeupalley Nail Board days, pre-2009. I’m not sure exactly when the term was shortened to “OG UP”, but my guess is after 2015 since this nickname isn’t mentioned by Simply Nailogical in her 2015 satirical take on the origin of Clarins 230. (Side note: The term “OG” originates from 1970s Los Angeles gang culture, meaning “original gangster”. The use of OG has evolved to its current use, typically something considered to be “old school” or “original”.) The term “OG UP” now refers to a specific pigment with a similar red-to-green color shift and signature sparkle. The term “UP sibling” also exists, in which instead of the red-to-green shift seen in OG UP, different color shifts occur (gold-to-green, green-to-blue, blue-to-purple) but exhibit the same bright sparkle.
Avon Morphing FX over OPI We’ll Always Have Paris
Now, what exactly IS OG UP? Y’all, I fell through a neurodivergent rabbit hole several times researching this. Just when I *thought* I had it figured out; something nagged at my conscience that it wasn’t the right product. After months of research, here it is: OG UP is a cholesteric liquid crystal polymer special effect pigment that was patented in the mid-1990s. The commercial name for this particular pigment was Helicone HC, originally manufactured by Wacker Chemie in Germany. I am admittedly not a science-oriented person, so I will paraphrase the countless research papers I’ve read. Basically, a polymer film is made from cholesteric liquid crystal molecules locked in a helical state; like a corkscrew of layers. Light hits these crystals and the different colors are reflected from the molecule layers; this color shift is known as “cholesteric effect”. This film is then pulverized down to the desired size, resulting in transparent flaky platelets. In powder form, this pigment looks off-white.
Urban Decay ID over Essie Glazed Days
In the early 2000s, this pigment was marketed as “chameleon paint” and was very popular in custom automotive circles. There were various paint companies selling the same product under different brand names. If you look and research hard enough, you can find some lingering supplies of these pigments online. For years, early nail enthusiasts were buying up supplies from automotive jobbers and distributors who would usually buy direct from the manufacturer. These pigments were then used to create custom nail polish. You don’t have money for the vaunted Clarins 230? Well, buy some pigment and voila, unicorn pee on demand! And you didn’t have to break the bank to get it!
Cirque Colors Coronation (2013)
Indie polish brands have since taken up the mantle of these early “frankenpolishes” and now release OG UP polishes on a limited basis, such as Cirque Colors’ Coronation. Coronation was initially released in 2013 as a collaboration with jewelry designer Jeannie Vianney; it was sold with a rose gold-plated ring for $48. I remember being skeptical about this polish but eventually I caved and bought my own bottle. Since this initial release, Cirque has brought it back 3 times (2015, 2017, 2023) and announced on 3/18/2024 that there will be a fourth re-release. There is controversy over the 2023 rendition not looking close enough to the other iterations and questioning the color-shifting pigment. In the years since OG UP was available, similar pigments with the same color-shift have been formulated such as aurora pigment which is mica-based (more on that later). Many nail enthusiasts in the online community are inquiring what pigment is the 2023 version, whether or not OG UP is used and if it is, how much of it is in the formula. I personally cannot confirm this on my own, since I only own the 2013 version, but there are pictures and videos out there that have a compelling case.
Pure Ice Heart Breaker over OPI Dance Teal Dawn
So, why isn’t OG UP commercially available anymore?
One important thing I’ve learned from these searches is that liquid crystal polymers are used for a lot more than just automotive and cosmetic pigment; it is also used for optical and photonic applications. OG UP as we know it became outdated technology; the platelets made from the polymer film were too thick for other applications, it was unstable for other uses such as security ink and was just overall too cumbersome to try to work with. Considering these problems, manufacturing Helicone HC was probably no longer financially feasible and was discontinued in 2012.
Bee’s Knees Lacquer The Royal Hunters (2021)
I want to address the persistent myth that OG UP was restricted due to its usage in various currencies: it’s not true. From my research, I cannot find any evidence of any such restrictions; if you have any proof, please let me know and I will correct the record. There are other color-shifting pigments produced by various companies that have a similar color shift (which is called a flop effect) that are used to create optically variable magnetic ink seen on currency such as the Euro. I feel like it’s not the specific pigment that is prohibited; it is the access to the technology to create the ink.
With that said, I don’t see a future where OG UP as we know it will come back. Unless us nail enthusiasts can pony up the money to buy a chemical manufacturing company with the means to produce it, we’re shit outta luck. (Although the thought of a nail enthusiast with a PhD in chemistry developing something similar in a Winnebago does makes me chuckle to myself.)
Sally Hansen Prisms Ruby Emerald over Chanel Rouge Noir
I’m not sure if most nail enthusiasts are aware, but this hobby of ours isn’t all sunshine, rainbows and unicorns. Like I said previously, the newer aurora pigment is made from mica, which is why the powder is white instead of off-white like OG UP. I won’t go deep into the production of mica, but the TL;DR is that mica mining isn’t sustainable, harms the environment and has horrendous working conditions. I’m not pointing any fingers for who is at fault because I’m just as guilty as any other nail enthusiast.
Bee’s Knees Lacquer Shoggoth (2020)
However, I do have some good news: there is ongoing research to produce more sustainable materials similar to OG UP. Due to the problems with producing other inference pigments such as the ones made with mica and synthetic metal oxides, cellulose is a natural alternative. Polymer films made from cellulose nanocrystals can produce the same optical color-shift seen in early-generation cholesteric liquid crystal polymer pigments such as OG UP. This technology is still in development as of 2023, so I don’t know when we’ll see a potential return of the distinctive sparkle and shift we all love, but I have hope that this isn’t the end.
If you’ve gotten to this point, thank you so much for reading! I’ve had a lot going on the last few years and I’m hoping to post more in the future.