Before & After: Miami Neon Vice

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Hello--

This hasn't been a good week, and today hasn't been much of a good day. I sort of just wanted the day to be over so I thought I'd write up with post in the morning, but I can't sleep, so I figured I'd write up the post now--nothing like some pretty polish to cheer a girl up.  Especially when it involves a gorgeous, office-wear holo. :)

Today's manicure is a combination of two challenge manis in one; this is the fourth week of my Nail Challenge Collaborative's neon theme, and it's 1980s week in my Llama Nails group. I didn't intent to combine these themes, but how could I not--what's more 80s than neon??

Plus, my lemming nail mail came, and I had a polish I just couldn't resist using...so all the stars aligned, and here it be.

But I'm getting ahead of myself! First, I started with a base of Ruby White Tips polish Kim, which I got as a thank-you from Laura, the owner, because there was a delay with my order. It was a very sweet surprise which she did NOT have to do, and it just goes to show how amazing her customer service is! Kim is a barely-pink taupe color with a subtle scattered holographic sparkle:

Ruby White Tips Kim, artificial light

Ruby White Tips Kim, artificial light

This polish is like the secretary that has a little secret--that touch of a wild side she keeps hidden at work. In inside light, this is a perfect office-wear polish; the holo goes away and you have a lovely neutral shade. When you go outside or into other types of artificial light, you get that small little glimmer of holo happy that changes it up and makes it fresh and pretty. And while regular taupes can be boring even with toppers, the pink lean to this makes it a great polish to layer under fun polishes; let me show you what I mean...

That lemming I mentioned earlier? It was a general lemming sort of thing, I've been dying to get my hands on one of those matte-neon clear-based toppers. I fell in love with Wicked Polish's Hung Over The Rainbow, but haven't been able to get my hands on it. So when I was shopping Llarowe's restock the other day getting the new a-Englands, I happened to notice that Lush Lacquer Clowning Around also restocked and I grabbed it up. Look at how pretty it looks over Kim:

Lush Lacquer Clowning Around over RWT Kim, direct sunlight

Lush Lacquer Clowning Around over RWT Kim, indirect sunlight

This is one of those polishes I think everyone should own, in some form. I was worried it would be too bright or too neony, but it isn't--it's just the right of amount of happy and smiles in a jar. The kind of thing that just makes your day a little brighter when you need it to. :) This was so pretty I wore it like this for a day by itself.

Yes, that's all well and good as it is, but for a 1980s theme? Not nearly over the top enough. So to build on my Miami-Vice neutral pastel and my 1980s neon glitter, I stamped a 1980s pattern over them, using Pueen 05 (click here to see my review of this collection) and a variety of bright Sally Hansen polishes (Brisk Blue, Lickety-Split Lime, Orange Impulse, Lightning):

I wear my sunglasses at night

So I can so I can...

Not be blinded by this crazy manicure!

I think it's safe to say that's pretty darn 80s. It might even out-80s the 80s, lol...But I'm pretty sure my friend had a sweater that looked just like one of those nails...Right around the same time my boyfriend was looking fine in his parachute pants. Wait, I mean...I'm clearly too young to have lived during that time...I saw it on a tv show! Yeah, that's the ticket! >.<

Thanks for reading, and please check out the other manis linked below. :)

Big hugs,
M.