Experimental Layering Post

I've been meaning to do this post for ages, as I've accumulated requests for the last month or two. Anyways, finally it's here! 

Top to bottom we have Lynnderella Chocolotta Love over a white base, Ozotic 505 over black (which makes the colour shift look incredible!), Picture Polish Mask-a-rade over black, and Up Colors Beijo na Boca also over black. 

On the thumb you can see Nails Inc Cheyne Walk over black, which doesn't really discernibly change the look of it so much; with one more coat it would look the exact same as it would without any base colour.

I hope these layering swatches were helpful for you! Out of these, I think Ozotic 505 and Picture Polish Mask-a-rade benefit the most from being layered over black- it really brings out the colour shift.

UP Colors - Beijo na Boca (flakey topcoat)

After wearing a neutral base colour for a day (Oh My Gosh "Nude Champagne"), I decided to add a flakey topcoat to it to add some interest. I also find that layering a topcoat over an existing mani is a great way to extend wear time by an extra day or two. 

I decided to try "Beijo na Boca" by UP Colors. Beijo na Boca is a mixture of green, orange, and tiny blue flake glitter in a pink tinted base. While the pink tint shows up in the bottle, it's non-existent on the nail.

This is my first time trying a polish by UP Colors (I believe it's a Brazilian brand), and I'm pretty smitten with the bottle. It's like a little ice cube! Do keep in mind that it's not a full sized polish, though- this is only 10ml, instead of the usual 15ml.

I know it's pretty common to layer flakey glitter polishes over a black or other dark coloured polish in order to get the most impact, but I really like how subtle this looks over a neutral polish. It's very understated, but still quite interesting to look at.

Unfortunately, the brush on this was a little wonky. Not near as bad as the last Brazilian lacquer I tried, and easily fixed with some trimming, but still a bit of a let down.

I purchased this lacquer via Llarowe, and since I ordered this one they have expanded their stock to include a whole bunch of intriguing UP Colors shades (including a whole bunch of holographic polishes).

Do you like layering flakey topcoats over neutral colours? Or do you prefer layering them over something darker to create a more dramatic effect?