Zoya Yana Review and Swatches

So, Zoya Yana is getting its own post.

Zoya Yana, outside in sunlight

Why? Because I REALLY love this polish right now, and I want to. That, and I don't have any of her friends. She's part of the Sunning Collection from Summer 2013. I think I only have Tinsley from the sister Irresistible Collection. It was the early day's of my manic obsession with Zoya. I didn't really know that I would fall this hard. Honestly, I didn't even buy Yana until this past weekend, so I'm really out of excuses there...

Zoya Yana, outside in shade

Yana is beyond words, really. Zoya describes her as a "full coverage, Geranium pink cream." I don't really know if I've ever really seen a geranium before. I'm not into flowers on any level. I kill any plant that I come into contact with (I don't try to!) I'm just not good with them. I'd call it a pretty pink with a hint of coral. It actually reminds me of OPI's A Definite Mouse-t Have. There's a very subtle line of shimmer running through it that catches the light every now and again.

Zoya Yana, indoors in natural light

This was a two coats to opaque for me. I saw a definite visible nail line after one coat, but two coats took care of that, no problem. The formula was super smooth, and, as always, Zoya just nailed it. I really love their polish. So premium. I found a shop in the mall that sells Zoya (where I actually bought Yana), and there was a girl debating whether to buy a gold colored OPI or Zoya Ziv, and I inserted my opinion. Clearly, go with Zoya. Not only is it Big5Free (yay non-toxic!), but your mani will last a good week without any chipping, and OPI lasts MAYBE two days if you're lucky.

Zoya Yana, indoors in artificial light

If you think I'm exaggerating about Zoya's staying power, I'd like to draw your attention to these photos. I painted my nails on Monday. These were taken on Saturday. That's FIVE DAYS. Note the lack of tip wear. I didn't touch them up. I know some people like to reapply topcoat to keep the polish looking fresh, but I don't actually bother with that. Frankly, I even forget 99% of the time to wrap the tips. So yeah... Zoya lasts for a really long time. It's why it's all I ever really wear.

Zoya Yana, flash

(Except for the really cute bottles of Yves Rocher that my neighbors brought me back from their vacation in Paris, but that's because they're presents, and I'm not mean, and it's PARIS, people. That stuff lasted oddly well, too, actually...)

So, the moral of this post is to go to zoya.com and pick up a bottle of Yana. It's worth it. As always, hit up blog.zoya.com and zoya's twitter page to see if they have any promos going on, or just to see what is going on in the world of Zoya. It's a magical place, people. I promise you won't be disappointed.

I'm going to be posting a bunch for a while, I think. I have some pics of polish that I've been sitting on, and I should get them up for you all to see, so expect to see me fairly regularly. I also may have gotten my hands on the fall PixieDusts, and will try to preview them for you as soon as I get my hands on some press material from Zoya (like descriptions. We've had zero communication from Zoya about this, so I'll get this up as soon as I'm able. Suffice to say, they're incredible.)

Soon, my darlings,
Emily, the Manic Paintress

Zoya Rebel: Review and Swatches

Today is brought to you by the color blue... Zoya Rebel blue.

Zoya Rebel, shaded sunlight

I've said it a few times in recent posts: I find it very hard to find blue and green nail polishes that I'll actually wear. I love blue and green as actual colors, but when I put them on my nails, they just look sort of weird. And teal is generally the oddest. Notable exceptions include all other Zoya colors: Muse from the Bubbly collection, Tilda from the Tickled collection, and now, Rebel from the Spring 2014 Awaken collection.

Zoya describes it as a sky blue, which is pretty accurate, if not a bit vague, seeing as how variable the sky is. I'd also go for Robin Egg blue, or Spring blue, but life isn't a box of Crayola crayons, and that's why I take pictures in different color lighting. You can see it for yourself. It has a silvery shimmer to it that runs throughout the polish, picking up light without being too obtrusive.

Zoya Rebel, direct sunlight

To be really honest, I passed up Rebel even after seeing it in press releases. I ordered Hudson, Lux, Vega, and Cosmo, and didn't order Rebel. I also didn't order Dillon. As I said earlier, I frequently order blue and green polishes, only to be disappointed and not wear them. Rebel looked almost Tiffany blue on Zoya's site, and it reminded of a disastrous essie purchase, in the cabana... I still have nightmares. Then, my mom ordered some Get Even, Fast Drops, and a Minicure during a promo, and they sent her a set of Awaken color spoons, and I saw Dillon and Rebel, and was able to put them up against my skin. I don't even think it was an hour before they were in my cart.

Zoya Rebel, indoors in natural lighting

I'd like to say that this was NOT a press sample. I've done a few of those recently, so I wanted to let you know that while I did get Rebel, Dillon, and Dot on a $1 shipping promo through Zoya, I bought the polish myself. That way, when I rave about the polish, you know that I'm doing so because it's just that gorgeous. I actually bought Dot for my mother...my grandmother was named Dorothy, or Dot for short. It's a really sweet light pink that looks lovely--just not on me. It was a nostalgia purchase as much as anything else. I might swatch it if someone says they really want to see it on me, but I don't think it'll look good at all, and Zoya might beg me not to. I wouldn't even touch Cole with a ten-foot pole. Not my color. At all. I winced when I held it up to my skin.

Rebel is the opposite. It flatters my skin to no end, though I have a feeling that it would flatter most skin tones--the undertones are really well balanced, and it's fairly neutral. It's a bright blue that isn't too bright, too pale, or too shiny, though it has enough shimmer to let it get noticed.

Zoya Rebel, indoors in artificial lighting

I don't think I've ever received so many compliments on a nail polish in my life. I was at the mall on the third day of wear, and I had SEVEN people stop me to comment on it in three and a half hours. Three worked at Sephora, and two were at the nail polish section when they stopped me and asked what it was. A couple people actually stopped, got paper, and wrote the company name and shade down so they could buy it. I mean, it inspired more interest than I think any other color I've worn ever has. I love it myself, but it's not even my favorite Zoya.

Zoya Rebel, taken with a flash. Surprisingly accurate.

If you're like me, and love the color blue, but really think that blue nail polish is usually a waste of money, I think you might want to consider Rebel. Of course, if you're like me, you might find yourself singing "Rebel, Rebel" whenever you look at your hands (not that there's anything wrong with David Bowie), or even the Manicanparty song, "Rebels in the Light". I'm pretty sure they've already used Rebel Wilson as a Tune Tuesday clue over on Twitter, so those songs are probably safe for a little while yet...

Which reminds me. Follow @ZoyaNailPolish on Twitter if you don't already. And check out their blog. I got Dot, Rebel, and Dillon on promos, and saw them on the color spoons because my mom had received them after she got her own promo. They run a ton, and contests, and specials. Tune Tuesdays (#TuneTues) are a weekly contest where Zoya gives away free polish for knowing their colors and music. Zoya's all natural, Big5Free, and a great company to boot... Go, play. I'm telling you to.

Until next time, which will likely be a post on Dillon,
Emily, the Manic Paintress

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, outdoor shade

I have to admit that I first became addicted to textured nail polish when I tried an OPI Liquid Sand polish in their Mariah Carey collection. I loved the idea and the colors, so I bought all four of the textured polishes in that collection: Stay The Night, The Impossible, Can't Let Go, and Get Your Number. The only real misstep in the collection was The Impossible, as the star-shaped glitter pieces tended to chip off and ruin the look. It was a shame, because I really love the coral color.

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, outdoor sun

OPI continued to make Liquid Sands for the OZ the Great and Powerful collection, and the Bond Girls collection, which was made up exclusively of liquid sands. I have three of the Bond Girls polishes--Pussy Galore, Vesper, and Jinx. I have yet to try Vesper, as it screams fall/winter with how dark it is, and Jinx is fantastic beyond words, particularly on toes. Most recently, OPI included a liquid sand in their Couture de Minnie collection. Magazine Color Mouse is a very bright berry color. It is mostly red, with subtle glitter in gold and pink that give the polish a lot of depth in color.

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, indoor, artificial light

Compared to Zoya's PixieDust polishes, the OPI liquid sands are much more pronounced in their texture. The matte is quite evident in lower lighting, and you can visibly see the bumpy texture. It also feels a lot rougher than the PixieDusts.

I really have been impressed with the Couture de Minnie collection. I really like Magazine Cover Mouse, as I think it has a lot of dimension in and out of light, and it looks pretty fantastic against my skin, which is always nice. I have all of the collection aside from Chic From Ears To Tail, and really like all of them. Minnie Style is the polish that most screams Minnie Mouse to me, as it really looks like polka dots on the nail. All of them, however, are really quite pretty. They're girly, and make no apologies about that fact. Innie Minnie Mighty Bow and Magazine Cover Mouse are more red/berry colored, so they might appeal to those who don't truly love the pink.

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, indoor, natural light

I wear a base coat under every nail polish I have. OPI, like Zoya for the PixieDusts, recommends putting the liquid sand polishes on bare nails. They might last longer, but I really like how a good base coat will also strengthen your nails, so I just won't skip it. I'm using Zoya Anchor. Liquid sands tend to last for a long time, though. They can be difficult to actually remove, but I think that makes them excellent for pedicures. If the texture bothers you when it's on your fingernails for a manicure, toenails might be the option for you to wear this polish. I'm not bothered by the roughness, but I know people who are. If you do paint your fingernails, make sure you run a nail file along the edge of your nails, because some of the grit can be scratchy if left alone.

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, outdoor shade

I really love this polish. I think most of my current favorite polishes in my stash are textured, and this is no exception. It really boils down to the depth and dimension they create. The OPI liquid sands are much more sandy than the PixieDusts--sort of like comparing a salt scrub to a sugar scrub.

OPI Magazine Cover Mouse, flash

I'm going to be rocking the textured look for a while to come. I highly recommend doing the same.

Keep on painting, my fellow polish addicts. Until we meet again,
Emily, the Manic Paintress

Zoya Carter

Zoya Carter, outdoors, shade

This post is brought to you by the letters Z and C--to be specific Zoya's fabulous Pixie Dust polish, Carter. I absolutely love this color. It is described as "a royal purple in a matte, textured, sparkling metal finish." When I received the bottle, I was a bit nervous. The glitter in Carter is really almost fuchsia or magenta, and I wasn't sure how that would translate into a royal purple. Luckily, I gave the polish a chance to prove itself, and put it on my nails.

Zoya Carter, indoors, artificial light

The secret lies in Carter's base. The glitter is really bright, but the base is this incredibly dark purple. It almost looked black when it was still wet. When combined with the glitter, the end result really does read royal purple.

Zoya Carter, outdoors, sun

I have to admit that most of the purples in my collection are on the very blue side, or are very pale, so I was really happy to see a brighter and darker purple polish that was a true purple, if not leaning towards red-toned. It really is both, in a way. The glitter is red-toned, and the base is blue-toned. It's a really unique polish in that respect.

Zoya Carter, flash

I really do adore Zoya's PixieDust nail polishes. They're twinkly without being overdone or garish, and the texture isn't too grating. I am seriously happy that they came out with a fall collection. I just wish I hadn't cut myself off on polishes for the next couple months. I would love to have Sunshine and Chita. I'll put those on my wish list along with Storm for when I'm allowed to buy more.

Wishing I wasn't cut off,
Emily, the Manic Paintress

Zoya Pixie Dust Summer 2013 Collection (Luli Fama)

Zoya Luli Fama Collection: Summer 2013 Pixie Dust

 This post is about the second Zoya nail polish collection from Mercedes Benz Fashion Swim Week, for Luli Fama. This collection is all of the Summer 2013 Pixie Dust textured matte sparkle polishes. It came in a lovely black box, but you can also order all six right off of Zoya's website. This post is going to be very photo-heavy, just to warn you.

I'll break these down one by one:

Zoya Solange, outdoor, sun

Zoya Solange, outdoor, shade

Zoya Solange, flash

Zoya Solange, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Solange, indoor, natural light

Zoya Solange "can be best described as a gold metal foil sparkle featuring a Zoya EXCLUSIVE GOLD PIGMENT in the best-selling Zoya PixieDust Textured, Matte, Foil Twinkle formula," according to Zoya's website. Personally, I think it's pretty apt, but I would call it more lemon than gold. The glitter in it is on the gold side, but only when I took a photo with flash did I see it as a gold-hued shade.

Solange is actually really pretty. It's not one that I would wear very often, but I think a big part of that is because I have very fair skin that is pretty red-based, and yellow isn't really my color. It would probably look gorgeous on anyone with tanned skin, or someone like Blake Lively, who just seems like yellow works for. It would be great on African American skin, too. It sort of radiates sunshine and summer to me. I might rock it on my toes at some point, but I'm not sure how often this will come out to play in my rotation.

Zoya Beatrix, indoor, natural light

Zoya Beatrix, outdoor, shade

Zoya Beatrix, flash

Zoya Beatrix, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Beatrix, outdoor, sun

 Zoya Beatrix was probably one of the more surprising shades to me. Zoya describes it as"a tangerine metal sparkle in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Textured, Matte, Foil Twinkle formula." This is a really accurate description. It's definitely orange, but it manages to be a bit softer than expected. The gold foil glitter makes it really really shiny in the sunlight, or in direct artificial light.  Beatrix surprised me, I have to admit. It's one that I actually think would be fabulous in a pedicure, and it is really nice and cheery. I admit, I looked at it a couple of times, and had a craving for a clementine. It's really very pretty, even if it's not a polish I'd grab first. It's not at all subtle, but it's certainly happy, and good for making a bit more of a statement.

Zoya Destiny, outdoor, sun

Zoya Destiny, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Destiny, indoor, natural light

Zoya Destiny, flash

Zoya Destiny is described by Zoya as "a coral metal sparkle in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Textured, Matte, Foil Twinkle formula." I doubted the accuracy of that description when I first looked at the bottle. It looked, well, bright-assed orange. I think it was the abundance of gold glitter in the polish that made it lean towards orange in the bottle. When I put it on, however, I saw the coral aspects. It still leans orange, in my opinion, but it has reddish/pinkish overtones that verify the coral claims. It's actually really pretty. I have OPI's Jinx liquid sand, which is a bit similar to Destiny, but they are different enough to not be total dupes. I actually really like this much more than I thought I would. I've been all about the coral this summer, so I think it is a really appropriate shade. It's happy, really.

Zoya Miranda, outdoor, sun

Zoya Miranda, outdoor, shade

Zoya Miranda, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Miranda, indoor, natural light

Zoya Miranda, flash

Zoya Miranda is my favorite in the collection, and actually one of my all-time favorite nail polishes. I almost wish they made the exact same shade without the texture, but I know it wouldn't have quite the same character. Zoya calls it "a rose sparkle in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Textured, Matte, Sparkle formula." I would call it more raspberry than rose, but whatever you call it, it's beautiful. The glitter is silver, and it has definite mauve undertones. Even with the texture and glitter, I find it a very sophisticated color.

Miranda is a bit sheer when compared to the Pixie Dusts in the fall collection. This actually has allowed me to layer it over other colors in the past. I don't really have words for how lovely this color is. It's pretty unapologetically pink, which I know will make some people shy away from it, but it actually really doesn't read bubblegum or too young. I'm a huge fan of Miranda.

Zoya Stevie, indoor, natural light

Zoya Stevie, outdoor, shade

Zoya Stevie, outdoor, sun

Zoya Stevie, flash

Zoya Stevie, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Stevie is a bit of a chameleon in different lights, but is "a violet sparkle, in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Textured, Matte, Sparkle formula," according to the Zoya website. I would call it more of a lilac color, because it's a pretty light purple. It looks more mauve or pinky in artificial light, but in natural light, it's a very nice light purple. I wasn't enthusiastic about this polish when I ordered the collection, to be very honest. When it arrived, I still didn't find it too gripping. When I put it on my nails, I surprisingly found it very lovely. Because it is so pale, the silver sparkle is not as striking as in some of the other Pixie Dusts, but that's what attracts me. It's certainly sparkly, but unobtrusively so. It's not as flashy as the other polishes in the collection, but it is a very attractive and soft purple.

Zoya Liberty, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Liberty, indoor, natural light

Zoya Liberty, outdoor, shade

Zoya Liberty, outdoor, sun

Zoya Liberty, flash

The last polish in Zoya's Luli Fama/ Summer 2013 Pixie Dust collection is Zoya Liberty. Zoya describes it as "a blue sugary sparkle in the exclusive Zoya PixieDust Textured, Matte, Sparkle formula." It looked pretty dark in the bottle, so I was a bit wary, but on my nails, it is actually quite bright, and much lighter than in the bottle. The glitter is a lighter blue, which helps to lighten it, particularly in direct and natural lighting. The contrast between the shade in the bottle and on the nail is displayed really well in the outdoor sun picture.

I tried it on without Zoya Armor as a base coat, and it stained my nails. I have it on my toes right now, and I did use Armor to help with the staining. Liberty is a really fun shade. It's rather shocking and electric, but it actually appeals to me because of that. It actually is light enough for it to be summer appropriate, as well.

Overall, this collection is really amazing. The standouts for me are Miranda, Destiny, and Liberty, though I also really like Beatrix and Stevie. The only one I don't think I love is Solange. It's cheery, but not attractive with my skin tone. As far as cohesion, I think Solange, Beatrix, Destiny, and Miranda really progress into each other really well. Liberty and Stevie are complete departures in that respect, but still are very summery and cheery. I could almost see Stevie as perfect for spring, and have every intention to wear it next year. With colors like these, I have to say that I won't be moving away from the textured polishes for a while. I know that at some point, the trend has to end, but these colors are too beautiful to stop wearing. 

Until we meet again, my friends,
Emily, the Manic Paintress