Comparison: Zoya Nyx vs. Julep Tracy + Textured Gradient

When I got Zoya Nyx for my birthday, I hadn't noticed before, but it looked really similar to Julep Tracy. So of course I had to compare them! It ended up that they actually looked a lot more similar in the bottle than on the nail. Index and ring fingers are Zoya, middle and pinky are Julep.

They are somewhat close, but nowhere near dupes! Julep Tracy is a little darker than Zoya Nyx. 

Unfortunately, I have to say the Julep is a tad better when it comes to opacity. It only required two coats for full coverage, while Nyx needed three. Application and formula were great on both, though! 

Since they are so similar, I thought maybe they would work well together in a gradient. Just ask Heather. I have been fighting with making a textured gradient forever and it is driving me crazy! I know it can be done. I've seen it done, dammit! And I am great at gradients, truth be told. But it just has not worked at all for me yet (especially trying to sponge)!

Until now. I finally was able to make my first successful textured gradient, and I am so excited about it!!! ^.^

I put down Nyx first, then got most of the polish of my Tracy brush and put it halfway up my nail. A little more Tracy a bit further down, then went back over the middle with a super thin layer of Nyx. 

See it? Huh? Do ya? Yea. I made a freakin textured gradient. FINALLY!!! After like a century (read: 6-12 months) of trying!!! 

I don't know if it worked so well because the colors are really similar, or if it was the technique, or what. But I don't care. I'm just glad I was finally about to do it! =D