You can now unlock Halo Infinite armor coatings… by buying nail polish

Microsoft and nail polish brand OPI are teaming up to offer themed colors that also unlock various in-game rewards in Xbox titles like Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5.

Announced on Xbox Wire, the promotion brings 12 Xbox-inspired colors to consumers, offering a wide palette to accompany the make-up company’s Spring 2022 collection. Purchases will also grant users in-game rewards, allowing players to match their fashions in the real and virtual world. This promotion will offer hue-matched, in-game content for Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite, both of which are available on Xbox Game Pass. 

Each of the colors is inspired by Xbox, or broader gamer culture. As a small taste, Achievement Unlocked is a lilac polish, N00berry brings a deep creme purple while You Had Me at Halo is a sparkly blue. There are a further nine colors, though, so there should be a shade for any gamer who also has an affinity for painting their nails.

Additional colors include:

Quest for QuartzPixel DustRacing for PinksSuzi is My AvatarTrading PaintHeart and Con-soulThe Pass is Always GreenerSage SimulationCan’t CTRL Me

How to get your hands on it all?

Polishes retail at $10.79 (around £7.97 or AU$14.90). For those looking to purchase new nail polish and reap the rewards, they can head over to ULTA’s website where they will have to spend over $20 as part of the cross-promotion. Redeeming the offer in-game is a little involved though. You’ll have to return to the ULTA website, take a picture of your receipt, then send that picture to ULTA. You’ll then need to wait to get further confirmation before being sent a registration form. After all that, you should get the redeemable code sent to you. 

The ULTA offer will be live until March 31, 2022, however, thankfully it’s not the only way to participate. The nail polish will be rolled out internationally and to additional retailers from February 1. On that same day, the offer will open up for Halo Infinite in-game rewards too. This means your Spartan or favorite set of wheels can soon sport the same hue as your nails.

This isn’t where this matching will end though. Another addition to the promotion means that some will be able to enter a competition to get matching Xbox controllers based on the hues Achievement Unlocked, Racing for Pinks, and Can’t CTRL Me. Further details on when or how to enter haven’t yet been shared, however, details will be released on OPI’s Instagram and Tiktok. 

There is certainly something rather appealing about the idea of matching your nails with a controller you’re using. It’s all wonderfully tidy. It’s also a fairly surprising duo, as beauty and video games brands don’t often pair. It’s not the only instance though. Memorably, the Final Fantasy character, Lightning, was used as a model for Louis Vuitton back in 2016.

That said, responses to the announcement on Instagram seem glowing, so it appears this might be a very clever promotion for an audience that is rarely catered to.

This is not the first time Xbox has surprised players with brand merchandising recently. The company has been expanding out past the traditional gaming sphere and into more lifestyle products. The Xbox Mini Fridge went on sale at the end of last year, cashing in on an internet joke equating the design of the Xbox Series X with… well, a fridge. This new partnership with OPI seems like a more sincere push into the lifestyle space though, going into a surprising, yet potentially effective world of beauty and fashion. 

After the holiday period, if you’re a new member of the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S family and want something to play while looking wonderful, check out this list of the best Xbox Series X/S games to start with.

Halo Infinite review: a masterful return for the Master Chief