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:
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| Zoya Cosmo, outdoor, shade |
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| 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.
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| Zoya Cosmo, indoor, artificial light |
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| 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.
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| 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):
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| 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.
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| Zoya Lux, outdoor, shade |
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| 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.
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| Zoya Lux, indoor, natural light |
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| Zoya Lux, indoor, artificial light |
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| 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.
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| Zoya Vega, outdoors, shade |
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| Zoya Vega, outdoors, sun |
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| Zoya Vega, indoor, artificial light |
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| 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.
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| 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
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