Before & After: Studded Liberty

Hello!!

This is 3D week in my Hobby Polish Bloggers group, so I# put together a 3D manicure for you for today. I love a touch of 3D here and there, although I don't go quite as far as some people--there is some amazing 3D stuff out there that's just encrusted with jewels and the like. One of these days I'll try that out, but for today I wanted to do a little bit more along the everyday wear sort of 3D.

First, I am going to whine for a second, as today was a bad nail day. My dog broke one of my nails on my good hand (the one that had the longer nails still). Every manicure I did turned out crap. A perfectly harmless-looking polish stained my nails and cuticles a shade of yellow-green that made me look like I was septic. I tried to make my first from-scratch franken (from pigments, glitters, and base, rather than combining existing polishes), and it was...not good. I got a little pouty for a bit about it all, then decided to put on my big-girl panties and try again. And this is what I came up with. :)

I started with one of my current favorite things--a textured polish, which seems to me like the perfect foundation for a 3D manicure. The Zoya Pixies win my vote for best textured polishes out there, and this is one of the best of the bunch, Liberty, a deep teal blue:

Zoya Liberty, artificial light

Zoya Liberty, artificial light

Zoya Liberty, artificial light

Next, I used some nail tape to box off some stripes, which I painted in black with Ebony Hates Chris. Then I finished it off with silver square studs on the accent fingers:

I know these polishes are meant to be worn without topcoat, but I just love the way they sparkle and shine with topcoat on, so here's what it looks like after I topcoated it:

Which do you like better? I love them both, truth be told. And even though I know I shouldn't...I'll probably buy one or two of the Fall Pixies when they come out. Don't judge me...

Thanks for taking a look! Hugs and loves,
M.