Mixing Glitter Textures: Matte, Metallic and now HOLO Too Yesssss

I'm the type of person whereby if I come up with a good idea for nails, I'll run that idea into the ground by doing it over and over again until we're all sick of it.  Well, as sick as one can get of awesome sparkly glitter.  I was really happy with how my mixed texture glitter mosaic came out a couple of weeks ago so I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I added holo glitter in there as well as metallic and matte, we might win.  Generally.  Let's see, shall we?

I didn't want to just use black again as a base colour so I cracked out my new Urban Outfitters polish, the slate grey creme Storm.  Usual consistency, three coats is better to make it nice and even.  Next was the hard part.  I don't have that much holo glitter - notably missing orange and green - so it was a challenge to get a nice rainbow gradient.  My first attempt was on my thumb with green - blue - purple - red but eh.  My ring finger was much more successful, nice and gradienty.  Usual technique to apply the glitter, starting with a line down the middle then offsetting down two, up three, down two, etc, to create the zig-zags.  Cos zig-zags are cool.  

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The Verdict: I miss my perfect square thumb nail :( Has anyone had, like, actual success with a basecoat to stop nails breaking?  Like OPI Nail Envy?  Anyway, sparkly at least.  Not 100% sure about the grey but I think I'll live :)