Thursday, March 24, 2011

Zoya Sunshine Collection Swatches & Review


Part Deux of Zoya's Summer Collection: Sunshine: Sparkles


sparkle money shot! :)




Strawberry red with golden sparkle

SO pretty! This cool-toned red is gorgeous- the gold sparkle really sets off what COULD be a boring color. 

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.75

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Metallic/Sparkle, 2-3 coats to be opaque, depending on how thickly you apply it








Flamin' orangish red with golden sparkle

Regardless of whether or not you like reds, you can't say this is NOT a hot color. The gold sparkle marries very well with the warm, saturated red. Great color for a fiery personality!

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Stamps ok on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Metallic/Sparkle, 3 coats to be opaque








Green (apple?!) with golden sparkle

Starting to sense a theme here with the gold sparkle?  I love how the golden sparkle plays across the surface of this polish, making it look like a sun dappled Granny Smith! This one totally looks opaque in person, but for some reason the camera picked up some translucence. 

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.25

Use for Konad: Don't stamp well on light or dark colors.

Finish: Metallic/Sparkle, 4 coats to be opaque






Coppery orange with golden sparkle

Still cold where you live? Snowing?! This color'll be sure to warm up your tips, I mean, look at the flakes of awesome in that bottle picture!!  For orange & sparkle lovers, it probably doesn't get better than this!

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Metallic/Sparkle, 3 coats to be opaque








Coral with tons of golden sparkle!

This was definitely one of the sparkliest of the collection - and (though I haven't compared them in real life, so please don't fault me) it seems like a highly intensified version of the beloved China Glaze Strawberry Fields. (think Strawberry Fields on sparkle crack!)

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.25

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Metallic/Sparkle, 3 coats to be opaque, could have done another coat.







Plum with intense golden sparkle

Why yes, I did save the best for last (doin' it all Vanessa Williams up in this place). Faye was an unexpected love. I must admit, while I do like weirdish variations on purples, etc., I wasn't all gaga over this polish when I saw it in the bottle. Don't get me wrong, it's obviously a pretty color in the bottle, but didn't personally excite me that much. Boy, was I wrong. This color is super sparkle city on the nail. Seriously, look at that sparkle shot- insane! While it doesn't feel like a 'summer' collection color to me so much, I still dig it, and will definitely get some wear out of it!  Go ZOYA!

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Metallic/Sparkle, 3 coats to be opaque


This half of the collection is definitely reminiscent of last year's Sparkle collection, I think the colors are beautiful, and even though I'm usually a diehard creme finish lover, the sparkle polishes take the cake in this collection, one hundred percent. The one thing I wasn't too stoked on is that they seemed to be a lot more translucent than the Sparkle collection, but perhaps that's all in my head.

All in all, this half of the collection is definitely a win in my book. Faye and Kimmy stand out as my favorites, with Rica and Reva as a close second, and pulling in last (but certainly not least) are Tanzy and Apple! There really aren't any so-so colors in this half- I'm diggin' all 6!

Disclosure: Products in this post were sent to me by the manufacturer for review. My opinions are my own.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Zoya Summertime Collection Swatches & Review


Part One of the ZOYA Summer Collections: Summertime - Cremes





Cherry red creme

Basic red creme, I like its brightness and ease of application, but we've seen better & more opaque reds in recent collections. Nothing too stand-out about it, but it's a nice red if you dig 'em. I know it's spelled differently, but I can't get Bill Compton's voice out of my head... :-D

Opacity scale (1-5): 3.25

Use for Konad: Stamps well on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Creme, 2 coats to be opaque, but still shows a visible nail line.





Bright, warm, red creme

A much warmer red than Sooki, but not really what I'd consider a 'brick red' as they describe it on the Zoya website. I DO, however, kinda dig this one, since it does have that warmer base, it seems more flattering on me. Application was the same as Sooki though. Looks similar to Sooki in the photo, but they're different looking in real life.

Opacity scale (1-5): 3.25

Use for Konad: Stamps well on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Creme, 2 coats to be opaque, still have a visible nail line.






Fuchsia creme

A pretty fuchsia creme that borders on hot pink. Pretty because it is so bright and vibrant, but as with Sooki, not terribly unique.

Opacity scale (1-5): 3.5

Use for Konad: Stamps well on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Creme, 2 coats to be opaque.






Red-based purple creme

I actually like this purple. It's girly without being pink, and it actually a relatively flattering color I think. 

Opacity scale (1-5): 4

Use for Konad: Stamps well on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Creme, 2 coats to be opaque.






Blue-based royal purple creme

I think I'm partial to this color because it bears the same name as my 'niece' (I use quotation marks because my niece is actually an Australian Shepherd), but I think it's a cute color, and was easy to apply. 

Opacity scale (1-5): 4

Use for Konad: Stamps well on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Creme, 2 coats to be opaque.






Dusty teal creme

I heart this color. Maybe it's because I'm big on blues, but there is just something lovely about the semi-muted quality of this color. Deeper and richer than Robyn, with more awesome added in. 

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.75

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on lighter colors, but isn't terribly effective on dark colors.

Finish: Creme, 2-3 coats to be opaque depending how thickly you apply.


Overall,while this part of the Summer Collection isn't terribly unique, it's still lovely. These cremes are well-executed for the most part, and the colors sing true on the nail. Application was an ease, with 5 of the 6 polishes only requiring 2 coats to be opaque. I can definitely see myself using these in some of my designs!!


Disclosure: Products in this post were sent to me by the manufacturer for consideration. 


Friday, March 18, 2011

ZOYA Intimate Collection


Sorry it took me so long to get this collection swatched and reviewed- my computer was down, so I couldn't easily get stuff posted. Here is the first of many catching up posts! :)

I give to you..... Zoya Intimate! (Feel free to click on the images to make them larger)





Pale lavender creme with a touch of pearl finish.

On par with most lavenders we've seen, but the subtle shimmer adds that little somethin' to make it stand out among the rest. 

Opacity scale (1-5): 3

Use for Konad: Stamps well on darker colors, but isn't terribly effective on light colors.

Finish: Pearl, 2 coats to be opaque.






Pale, neutral grey.

I love grays, and this one is no different, a simple pale grey that might not be super unique, but I still love it!

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Only stamps so-so on both darker and lighter colors. 

Finish: Creme, 2-3 coats to be opaque, depending how thickly it is applied.






Slate toned grey creme(at least to my eye- Zoya describes it as a purple-tinged grey)

I. LOVE. THIS. COLOR. Seriously. Though greys are fairly commonplace these days- this grey sticks out for it's unique tinge of slate blue. It's an AMAZING grey, and totally one of my favorites of this collection (and of all my numerous greys!!)

Opacity scale (1-5): 3

Use for Konad: Only stamps so-so on both darker and lighter colors. 

Finish: Creme, 2 coats to reach opaque, glossy goodness!






Red/pink based purple shimmer with hints of pink and gold shimmer- sparkletastic!

For not being a glitter based polish- this one is super sparkly! For color saturation alone, this one totally stands out in the collection, as it's a vivid pinkish purple among relatively muted colors. A super pretty color, this one is sure to satisfy you purple lovers out there! Surprisingly doesn't look horrible with my skintone, so it wins with me. :)  Pedicure, anyone?

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Only stamps so-so on both darker and lighter colors. 

Finish: Shimmer, 3 coats to be opaque






Dusty greyish taupe with TONS of gold shimmer.

Love this color, it's definitely a great shimmery neutral, it almost takes on a greenish metallic tinge in some lights. It's definitely a unique color, and I knew when I saw pictures that it would be one of my favorites of this collection, and it totally didn't disappoint!

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on darker colors, but isn't very noticeable on lighter colors.

Finish: Shimmer, 3 coats to be opaque







Avocado/Olive-y green with purple/blue duochrome

This is my favorite color in this collection- and one of my favorite greens....EVER. This polish seriously GLOWS from within, and I totally adore the juxtaposition of the creamy green with the cool flash of the blue and violet. I really can't seem to capture this color's true awesome-nosity in a photo, you'll have to see it for yourself. Trust me though, you won't regret it! Amazing color, polish, everything. Bravo, Zoya!! :)

Opacity scale (1-5): 2.5

Use for Konad: Stamps so-so on lighter colors, but when stamped on darker colors, the blue & violet duochrome are very evident.

Finish: Shimmer, 3 coats to be opaque


Overall, this collection isn't what I'd consider to be a typical Spring collection, but I consider that to be a good thing! I like the muted, neutral tones instead of the typical pastels, Zoya definitely doesn't disappoint. The finishes evoke thoughts of silky unmentionables, which is why I'm thinking they named it the Intimate collection. :-D

Zoya is available from www.zoya.com for $8 a bottle.  You can also follow Zoya on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: Products in this post were sent to me by the manufacturer for review. My opinions are my own and not influenced by the company.