Zoya Perrie--A True Radiant Orchid

Today, I'd like to share my favorite Radiant Orchid polish: Zoya's Perrie. 

Zoya Perrie, outdoor, sun

Zoya Perrie, outdoor, shade

 My mother loves orchids. She is a member of several different orchid societies--national, international, and local. My neighbors probably thought we had some strange illegal growing operation because of the T5 light she had to assist in growing some of the currently 88 orchids she owns.

Zoya Perrie, indoor, natural light

Zoya Perrie, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Perrie, flash

This year, Pantone's color of the year is Radiant Orchid, so everyone and their mother is pushing the color. Even Zoya, my fave nail polish company, is including colors that can be considered "Radiant Orchid" in their collections. If you go on their site, Radiant Orchid is searchable within the color family groupings. I'm pretty sure that if a polish is purple, companies (Zoya included) are attempting to call it Radiant Orchid.

If I've learned anything by watching my mother's orchids bloom, it's that orchids come in almost every color. Lots are white, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, and purple. If you find a blue orchid in a store, it's usually dyed that color--you can get close to blue with some species of orchids, but they're usually a shade of purple. So, aside from black and blue, orchids show the rainbow of colors, so I sort of raised a skeptical eyebrow at there being a single "Radiant Orchid" shade. However, there is a particular shade of light purple with strong leanings towards pink that is most synonymous with orchids. That color is exactly mirrored by Zoya's shade, Perrie.

Zoya Perrie, indoor, artificial light, next to an orchid of the same shade.

I love this color. It always helps my opinion of a color when it actually looks fabulous on me, but Perrie is simply lovely on its own. Zoya calls is a beautiful, soft, and glossy lavender. I'm of the opinion that it's too pink to be lavender, but it's exactly what I think of as a classic orchid shade. I'd even call it lilac before I went to lavender, but that's just me. They bothered to add orchid to the description of Odette from the Naturel collection; I would have changed Perrie's description. It is beautiful, soft, and glossy, though, so they got that right. Zoya lists it as a 3 in intesity (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the most opaque) but the photos I took are all with only two coats, and I think it's perfectly opaque. The formula is perfect; it applies smoothly and without any hints of streaking.

Zoya Perrie, with an orchid with the same color, flash

Zoya Perrie, outdoor, sun, with an orchid

Perrie is one of my top 5 favorite polishes ever. Even though it's a trendy color, it earned top marks from me before Pantone's designation was issued. It's soft enough and close enough to pink for it to be considered office appropriate. It's elegant and refined, while being bright enough to be fun. It's perfect for spring and summer, but I also totally wore it during the winter when I first got it without a second thought. It's just a beautiful shade.

Seeing as my mom has so many orchids, I checked out some that she had in bloom currently. Lo and behold, a couple matched Perrie, so I snapped some pictures of them together. Even if the main part of the flower was white or yellow, it still had strong showings of that quintessential Radiant Orchid shade.

Zoya Perrie, with an orchid, indoor, natural light

Zoya Perrie with not one but TWO orchids with the same shade. Seriously.

If this isn't part of your polish stash yet, I suggest you remedy that shortly... perhaps during the 2014 Zoya Nail Polish Exchange. You can purchase from 6-24 bottles of Zoya's nail polishes for half their normal price (from $9-10 down to $4.50-5) until April 28. Just use the code ZDAY2014. In addition to getting an awesome deal on Zoya polish, you also then can send Zoya as many bottles of polish from other brands as you purchased, and they'll dispose of it in an environmentally friendly method. It's a total win in my opinion. Check out Zoya's blog for more details.

I'll see you soon, my friends. Until then, happy polishing.
Emily, the Manic Paintress

Zoya Naturel: Chantal, Taylor, Rue, Brigitte, Odette, and Normani

Today, I'm going to talk about a fabulous collection: Zoya's Naturel. This collection is all about the nude, natural, understated elegance. It debuted right around Christmas 2013, and was absolutely perfect for that time. It's split up into two main groups: dark and light. This is one of the only collections where I've honestly wondered why Zoya described some of the colors like they did--they don't all fit with what I think it is.

During fashion week, Zoya had a huge promo/contest called #NudeInNY, where you posted pics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram of your nude manicure for chances to win some pretty awesome prizes. It was generally a sampler of Spring 2014's Awaken collection, with prizes from other companies. Winners were chosen at random, and it was pretty fun to see what people around the country were wearing, especially the nail art that people were doing with the Naturel collection. I myself even got in the spirit, and tried some new nail art looks. I've posted some of the pictures on the bottom of this post.

Overall, I like this collection, though the three lightest shades don't quite work with my skin tone...not alone, at least. As accents to other colors in the collection, they can work, but other than that, I can't really pull them off. It makes me super sad, honestly. I told my neighbor recently that I have super pale and freakishly pink skin, and Chantal, Rue, and Taylor really heighten that fact. Here are swatches:

Chantal is described by Zoya as being a French Vanilla cream. It's probably pretty close to the color of most French Vanilla ice creams. It's a light beige, with lots of yellow in it. On my skin, as you can probably see, it really reads yellow. In some lights it makes my hands look a bit like lobsters. I wouldn't call this a failing on Zoya's part, though. Most people have a definite yellow cast to their nails, so Chantal is a great, skin flattering nude. It's just...not on me.

Zoya Chantal, outdoors in shade

Zoya Chantal, outdoors in sun

The formula on this was a bit on the streaky side for me. I've had to use Renew nail polish rejuvenator on it a few times, but I do think it tends to be on the clumpy side. To some extent, Taylor had the same problem, but not as bad. It was completely opaque in two coats, but it was really hard to get it to lay very smooth on the nail.

Zoya Chantal, indoor in natural light

Zoya Chantal, flash

Zoya Chantal, indoor in artificial light

Taylor is described as a light toffee cream. I think it's sort of like a heavily creamed coffee. It's just slightly browner than Chantal, and looks slightly better on my nails, as it doesn't quite look like I failed at matching my skin abysmally.  I still don't think I'll be wearing it on its own too frequently, but it's a bit better than Chantal.

Zoya Taylor, flash

Zoya Taylor, indoors in artificial light

Zoya Taylor, indoors in natural light

Zoya Taylor, outdoors in shade

Zoya Taylor, outdoors in sun

I actually took a couple pics of both Chantal and Taylor together. Please pardon the total crazy angle. I take these myself, and used my thumb to tap the camera button, so all I could catch were the first couple fingers on each hand. I think you can see the difference, though. Chantal is on the right, and Taylor on the left. I thought it might be helpful. They are really similar in color, but Taylor really is just a hair darker and more brown. I was a bit surprised that Zoya released two colors this close in value and color in the same collection, but they are distinct. I'm not sure if others will find that both work for them, or if, like me, one is slightly better against their skin than the other.

Zoya Taylor, left, and Zoya Chantal, right

Zoya Taylor, left, Zoya Chantal, right

Rue is described as a boudoir blush cream. It's a pink that is definitely not bubblegum. I actually like it for that reason. Personally, my hands have a tendency to have very little color in them, or they turn varying shades of red with heat, cold, and dryness. Because of this, even though Rue is pink, the particular color can clash a bit with my skin.

Zoya Rue, indoors in artificial light

Zoya Rue, outdoors in sun

I actually wore this right after Christmas, and found it quite lovely. It's subtle, which is something not many pale pinks can claim. When I put it on to swatch, I didn't like it as well. It reminds more a bit of silly putty. It's still nice, but in certain lights, I think it's less flattering. I really have very mixed feelings on Rue. I go from thinking it pretty to not, and it's highly dependent on light, time of year, state of my own hands, and my mood.

Zoya Rue, outdoors in shade

Zoya Rue, indoors in natural light.

Zoya Rue, flash

Brigitte is described by Zoya as a bombshell mauve cream. I call it a dusty pink, but that probably doesn't sound quite as attractive or risque. I don't really get much purple out of Brigitte, but it's a very flattering color, in my opinion. It is definitely pink, and in some lights, has hints of coral in it. I think it's meant to be pink with a hint of beige, really, to keep in theme. 

Zoya Brigitte, indoor in natural light

Zoya Brigitte, outdoor in sun

Brigitte manages to be dark enough to not appear too similar to my skin tone to be flattering. That being said, it does manage to remain neutral enough to still fit in with the nude theme. It's not bright or flashy, which is perfect for office settings and times when you want a more understated look. It's my second favorite of the collection.

Zoya Brigitte, flash

Zoya Brigitte, indoor in artificial light

Zoya Brigitte, outdoor in shade

Odette is by far my favorite of this collection. It's described by Zoya as a sultry orchid maroon cream. I'm not gonna lie, here--the orchid was added in more recently. As most of you probably know, Radiant Orchid is Pantone's color of the year, which makes anything that might fit that category pretty damn hot, though I don't think I'd apply it to Odette. I would call Odette a rich, understated mid-tone purple leaning towards gray and blue. I really don't know where the maroon came from, and Zoya has consistently billed it as maroon from the get-go. I think of maroon as dark red, leaning towards brown. I really don't read Odette as brown in any light, and it certainly isn't a deep red.

Zoya Odette, indoors in natural light

Zoya Odette, outdoors in shade

Zoya Odette, outdoors in sun

That being said, I think Odette is really lovely. The name evokes images of French coquettes shyly dancing and flirting in my mind. Actually, that's a lie. I sort of think of the little feather duster girl from Disney's Beauty and the Beast when I hear the name Odette. Lumiere would be macking on her for sure, even though I have no idea if that was the feather duster's name. It probably wasn't. Anyways, I think this Odette does have a bit of a flirt in her. She's easily the brightest of the collection. While it is bright and purple, Odette still has a hint of almost a taupe, which makes it not be too brazen. It's still office appropriate, and not too in-your-face as some purples are. It also happens to look gorgeous on me, which helps in my opinion of it. Every time I wear it, I get tons of compliments.

Zoya Odette, flash

Zoya Odette, indoors in artificial light

Normani is probably the most intriguing of the collection. It was the one I thought I'd like the least, but ended up sincerely liking. It's described as a sable mauve cream by Zoya. I think it's a dark taupe with a touch of purple. It could also be described as greige, which is totally a word someone made up to fit colors we can't really describe because we've never seen them before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zoya Normani, outdoors in sun

Zoya Normani, outdoors in shade

Zoya Normani, indoors in natural light

Normani is a sphinx, in that it's hard to pin down and describe. It really fits that niche for when you want to wear something earthy and neutral, but don't want to lean too warm, as it's a very cool toned polish. It's sort of that polish that you keep in your stash, knowing that with the right outfit, it would be perfect, even while you can admit it won't happen that often. I thought it was pretty perfect in late winter, early spring, because everything turns a bit gray, but Normani manages to keep your nails looking polished and sophisticated. It's an unusual color for me, but I ended up getting a number of compliments whenever I wore it. Definitely a sleeper hit.

Zoya Normani, indoors in artificial light

Zoya Normani, flash

I have to say, all of these photographed pretty beautifully. I think Rue probably is most improved by my camera, but as I said, it looks better to me some times more than others, so I could see that. Finally, here are those pics that I had done some nail art for the #NudeInNY contest. I highly suggest checking out @ZoyaNailPolish on Twitter, as they frequently have promos and contests throughout the year. Zoya's an awesome company like that. I'm not the best at nail art, but I sure had fun with these.

Zoya Brigitte with Rue sweep

Zoya Brigitte with Rue sweep

Zoya Chantal, Taylor, and Rue-left to right stripes

Zoya Odette with Rue accent heart

Zoya Rue, Taylor, and Chantal-left to right stripes (yes it is the same as above).

Until next time my darlings, go and play with your polish!
Emily, the Manic Paintress

Zoya Cosmo, Zoya Lux, and Zoya Vega: Spring 2014 Magical Pixie Collection

This post is dedicated to Zoya Nail Polish's 2014 Magical Pixie collection: Vega, Lux, and Cosmo.

These are a bit of a departure from the PixieDusts in Spring, Summer, and Fall of 2013. They have added mega hex glitter to the formula, and the glitter is holographic--both in the hex pieces, as well as the small glitter throughout the polish. The base is still technically matte, but it's hard to find light low enough to not catch any of the glitter--they're super sparkly. They are also significantly bumpier than their earlier PixieDust sisters. I think it's the hex glitter that doesn't lie as flat as the small glitter, and creates more bumps.

Personally, I've found that they tend to chip a bit easier than the regular PixieDust formulas. To combat this and the extra roughness, I like to press on them while they're still slightly tacky, and they smooth out a bit. This isn't a Zoya approved method by any imagination, but I think it increases the wear, without sacrificing the look.

Also, you should know that they're a bit hard to remove. If you let a bunch chip off, it actually helps a bit, but the best way I've found is to soak a cotton pad, and then press it onto your nail for about ten to fifteen seconds. Once that's done, I scrub up and down pretty vigorously until it's gone. I know it might seem a pain, but I honestly believe these are completely worth the potential extra hassle.

That said, here are the colors:

Zoya Cosmo, outdoor, shade

Zoya Cosmo, outdoor, sun

Zoya Cosmo is described by Zoya as a silver crystal sparkle in their matte, ultra-textured, sparkling Magical Pixie formula. It's a very pale silver, that looks just about white on my nails. The holographic glitter is amazing in it--it really shines and sparkles from any angle, and gives the color a lot of depth. It really elevates it.

Zoya Cosmo, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Cosmo, flash

It's been a crazy winter here in Massachusetts--we even had snow on the ground last week. This is totally a spring color, but I think it was really fabulous wearing Cosmo, since it sparkled a lot like fresh snow.

Zoya Cosmo, indoor, natural light

I personally like this color, and Lux, with only one layer. It's gorgeous with two to get full coverage, but it adds just a hint of sparkle with a thin coat. It's subtle, which is quite lovely. For example, here's Lux with only one coat (lighting is indoor, and a "natural light" Ott light lamp):

Zoya Lux, one coat

Lux is described as a rose quartz sparkle in the ultra-textured Magical Pixie, matte formula with mega hex holographic glitter. It's a beautiful pink that has some slight lavender/mauve undertones. It's a bit silvery, too. This is an absolutely stunning color. I can't even tell you how many compliments I get on this polish--it's super flattering for my skin tone, but I don't think you need to have very pale, cool pink skin to make this seem gorgeous.

Zoya Lux, outdoor, shade

Zoya Lux, outdoor, sun

It's almost Easter, and I'm currently wearing Lux, and I keep thinking it's a bit like wearing happy Easter eggs on my fingers. That said, it's also sophisticated for a glittery polish. It's a great pop of shimmery goodness, and a pink that won't make you feel like you should be a thirteen year old girl wearing it. Definitely not cloying. It really is quite lovely. It's probably my favorite from this collection, to be honest, even though I like all of them quite a bit.

Zoya Lux, indoor, natural light

Zoya Lux, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Lux, flash

Vega is described as a blue opal sparkle in the matte, ultra-textured Magical Pixie formula with mega hex holographic glitter. In person, it has quite a bit of a green tones to it, making it a couple steps away from aqua. Again, the holo glitter is amazing in this polish. The sparkle is pretty out of this world. It's definitely a spring-friendly color, as it's a bit like the Caribbean Ocean's sparkly blue waters.

Zoya Vega, outdoors, shade

Zoya Vega, outdoors, sun

 

Zoya Vega, indoor, artificial light

Zoya Vega, indoor, natural light

 I may be prone to hyperbole, but it's a pretty apt comparison. It would also be a nice icy color in the winter, and absolutely perfect in the summer. I don't know if I'd reach for it in the fall, but I'm also never one to base my colors solely on seasonal appropriateness. I tend to pick things out that suit my mood, and Vega will suit multiple moods of mine--to make me happy, calm me down, or really anything. I like blue. I like shiny. I like rainbows, which the holo provides. It's just a fun, sweet color, that is a neutral enough blue to flatter a lot of skin tones.

Zoya Vega, flash

I might be biased overall, because these all tend to look great on me, but I love this collection. I do like my method of smoothing it a bit in order to reduce chipping, as well as toning down the roughness. I particularly love Lux, but all three really are stunning on. I get compliments on them all the time, and I personally find them very lovely. I'm really looking forward for Arlo, Ginni, and Bar, too.

Soon, I'll have a post on Zoya's Naturel Collection (Late Winter, 2014). Until then, I seriously suggest you run out and get these three Magical Pixies. If you pressed me for a favorite, I'd have to say Lux, because it just looks amazing on me.

Until then,
Emily, the Manic Paintress