Tag: manicure

Holo Taco Combo | Zoya Nail Polish West and Holo Taco Freezer Burn

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

This week I wasn’t sure what nail polish I wanted to wear, so I looked through my recent packages from Zoya Nail Polish and noticed a beautiful green shade from the Fall 2025 Muse Collection that I hadn’t yet tried. I decided to pair it with Holo Taco Freezer Burn, and I was so pleasantly surprised with the results! I thought I would share a review of Zoya West with you, and also show you how a nail polish topper can really transform any manicure into a new and unique shade.

Zoya West

Zoya Nail Polish West | Fall 2025 Muse Collection

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I began my manicure with Zoya West, described as a dusky pine cream polish. This is a very dark green shade with blue undertones. West has a great formula that applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. I really like the shade of green in this polish, and I like how shiny it is even without a top coat. You can purchase West on Zoya’s website for $14.00. You can save $5.00 off your first purchase from Zoya if you use my referral link.

Holo Taco Freezer Burn

Holo Taco Freezer Review

Next up I added one coat of Holo Taco Freezer Burn. This is a special effects topper that is a blue iridescent shimmer. I am absolutely loving how my nails are now a deep blue shade with blue and purple shimmer. Freezer Burn is so fun to use, because although I never know what the end result will look like, it always ends up being so cool (pun not intended)! You can purchase Freezer Burn on the Holo Taco website for $14.00. I also used the Zoya Ultra Glossy Top Coat to seal in the look, which is available at Ulta for $17.00.

I am so happy with my nail polish combination this week! Adding a few special effects toppers to your nail polish collection can help you create so many fun manicures, and I love reaching for Freezer Burn in particular. If you would like to see how Freezer Burn looks over some other shades of nail polish, I have a post where you can see it over purple, and a post where I use it in a holiday themed manicure.

What is your favorite nail polish topper? Let me know in the comments!

Zoya Nail Polish Tempest | October Color of the Month

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy October! Today I have swatches and a review of the Zoya Nail Polish Color of the Month for October, Tempest. If you are new to Zoya, it is a cruelty free brand with vegan nail polishes. Most months, they release a Color of the Month that is a seasonal shade only available for purchase during the month of its release. I really enjoy this feature because it is not a subscription service, so you can choose to purchase the Color of the Month if you like the polish, but you do not have to sign up for anything. I often really enjoy the monthly polish, and that is true of the October shade. I wanted to put it on my nails as soon as it arrived in the mail!

Zoya Tempest

Zoya Nail Polish October Color of the Month Tempest

The product in this post was provided for my unbiased review. This post includes an affiliate and referral link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Tempest is described as a deep blackened green polish with golden shimmer. It has an excellent formula that applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. Similar to Octavia from the Muse Collection, Tempest looks very sparkly, but it does not have a gritty or textured formula like a glitter polish would. I really love the dimension in this nail polish, and love that is applies so easily. To complete the look, I used the Zoya Ultra Glossy Top Coat.

Zoya Tempest | October Color of the Month

Tempest is such a great pick for the October Color of the Month. The deep green shade is very autumnal, and works well for the Halloween season, but it is perfect for the holiday season, too. I really like the combination of very dark green with the shimmer mixed in, as when the light hits my nails the color is transformed. If you like shimmer polishes, Tempest is a great option! It is available on Zoya’s website for $14.00. You can use my referral link to save $5.00 on your first purchase.

Musical Manicures | Movin’ Out Inspired Nails

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Welcome back to Musical Manicures, the series where I create a nail polish look inspired by a Broadway show I’ve seen in the past. This is the eighth installment of this series, and I am really enjoying revisiting so many of the amazing shows I’ve seen all while using polishes from my collection that I may not reach for on a regular basis. This week I picked Movin’ Out from the jar of musicals, which brings me back to January 2004. This is the second show I ever saw on Broadway, and I got to visit with my dance class on our first trip together to New York City. Not only did we get to see the Movin’ Out, but we also got to take a master dance class with one of the Broadway dancers, who taught us choreography from the show. I wish I could remember which performer it was, and I also wish I had photos to show you from the time. Alas, this was over 20 years ago before I had a digital camera!

Movin’ Out is a jukebox musical set to songs by Billy Joel and with choreography by Twyla Tharp. Although there is a Piano Man who sat above the stage and performed all the music, the show is otherwise told through dance. I remember that we did not have the best seats in the Richard Rogers Theatre, and I also remember that the show was definitely a bit too mature for us at the time. Looking back, I think Movin’ Out it a musical I would appreciate a lot more now as an adult than I did as a middle school student!

The products in this post were originally provided for my unbiased review. Some links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

For my manicure, I decided to do an abstract take on the Movin’ Out street sign logo. I began with a bright blue shade as the primary color using Zoya Sia, one of my all time favorite nail polishes. For my accent nail, I used LVX Fantom, which is a white nail polish, as the base. I let the white nail polish dry completely before I sectioned off my nail using striping tape. I then used Zoya Soko, a bright red nail polish, to act as the top of the street sign, along with more of Zoya Sia as the bottom of it. Make sure to let your nail polish dry completely before adding a top coat! Unfortunately, I wasn’t patient enough and smudged the nail art when I added Zoya Ultra Glossy Top Coat to seal in the look. Luckily, the Movin’ Out street sign is a bit banged up, so I don’t think my manicure needs to be perfect!

Overall, it was really fun to revisit a Broadway show that I saw over 20 years ago with this Musical Manicures installment! I feel like Movin’ Out is a more niche show that you may not have heard of before this post. It will be interesting to see if this musical ever gets revived on Broadway. Musicals that are primarily dance revues are not as popular, but they can be really beautiful to experience. You will have to let me know in the comments if you’ve seen or heard of Movin’ Out, as I would love to know!

Join me on Instagram to see the behind-the-scenes of this manicure HERE!

Musical Manicures | American Idiot Inspired Nails

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Today I am excited to begin a new series that has lived in my brain for a while. It’s called Musical Manicures, and combines my love for nail polish with my love for musical theatre. I wrote down every Broadway musical I’ve ever seen (that’s 45 unique shows!) and put them in a jar. Each round, I will randomly pick a show from the jar and create a nail polish look inspired by the musical. I think this will be a really fun way to look back on shows I’ve seen years ago, all while challenging myself to create manicures using polishes from my stash that I might not grab for on a regular basis. For this first round, I picked American Idiot out of the jar!

Image courtesy of Playbill

American Idiot is a rock opera based on the concept album of the same name by the band Green Day. I saw the show back in April 2011. I remember I wasn’t a huge fan of the show, but was excited to see the band’s frontman Billie Joe Armstrong live, as well as Justin Guarini from American Idol fame. I found my old blog review from 2011, and it’s honestly quite funny. These are my thoughts as a 21-year-old after seeing the show.

Despite my snarky post, I’m so glad I preserved my thoughts on the show! I really miss in-person ticket lotteries, and I can’t believe I got a seat in the orchestra for only $37.00. That being said, I think I agree with my younger self, as I don’t know that I would go see American Idiot again if the show gets a revival. Nonetheless, I’m excited to create a nail polish look based on the red, black, and white cover art of the Playbill.

The products used were originally sent for my unbiased review. Some links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I decided to use a red nail polish as the main color, and then do an accent nail of white with black stars. I used Zoya Soko for the red polish, but you can use any true red shade you have. For the accent nail, I began with LVX Fantom, which is a white polish. I let that dry completely, and then used an old Born Pretty Store stamping plate to add the stars with Zoya Willa, a black polish. I don’t think this stamping plate is for sale anymore, but I found one with a similar design on Amazon. I completed the look with Holo Taco Glossy Taco.

I am really happy with how this first round of Musical Manicures came together! I think the nail polish really matches the vibe of the Playbill, and I definitely went outside of my comfort zone with the look. Of course, it was also fun to take a trip down memory lane and revisit a Broadway show I saw over a decade ago now. I hope you also enjoy this series. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Each blog post will be accompanied by an Instagram Reel with an inside look of the Playbill and the manicure process! See this post’s reel HERE.

Purple Iridescent Nails featuring Zoya Nail Polish Soraya and Holo Taco Freezer Burn

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I recently discovered that I have a go-to nail polish look, so I’m trying to step outside of my comfort zone and try out some new-to-me combinations. I love using glitter nail polish toppers, but I realized I rarely reach for the shimmery top coats in my collection. I decided to pair Holo Taco Freezer Burn with Soraya from the Zoya Nail Polish Beachy Brights 2 Collection. It turns out these nail polishes go amazingly well together!

Zoya Soraya
Zoya Nail Polish Soraya

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I began my manicure with Soraya, which is a vibrant fuchsia polish that dries to a matte finish. Soraya has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. This is such a beautiful purple shade, and I love how it looks matte. Soraya reminds me Charisma, which is one of my all-time favorite Zoya nail polishes, but leans a bit more pink.

Zoya Soraya and Holo Taco Freezer Burn

I then added one coat of Holo Taco Freezer Burn to my manicure. This is a blue iridescent shimmer polish in a clear base. Not only does Freezer Burn apply evenly and easily, but it is so stunning! I could not believe how well this special effects topper goes with Soraya. It really adds so much dimension and shine. To compete the look, I added one coat of the Zoya Naked Manicure Glossy Seal Top Coat.

Zoya Soraya and Holo Taco Freezer Burn

I absolutely love this combination of Zoya Soraya and Holo Taco Freezer Burn, and I know others do, too because I got multiple compliments on my nails at work. I’m glad I reached into my nail polish collection to switch things up a bit, as special effects top coats can really make a big difference. I am even thinking about buying another topper from Holo Taco soon because I just love how they can transform any manicure. If you are interested in recreating this look, you can buy Soraya for $12.00 on Zoya’s website, and Freezer Burn for $13.00 on Holo Taco’s website.

My Go-To Manicure Look featuring Zoya Nail Polish Brinkley

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I apparently have a type when it comes to nail polish. In fact, I almost titled this blog post “I Duped My Own Manicure” because when I was putting together the photos I realized I’ve seen this look on more than one occasion. As I discussed last week, I’m currently trying out the polishes in the Zoya Nail Polish Beachy Brights 2 Collection. This week I grabbed Brinkley and knew I would add a glitter topper to complete the look. Funnily enough, the result has definitely been seen before here on Adventures in Polishland.

Zoya Brinkley
Zoya Nail Polish Brinkley

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Zoya Brinkley is described as a raspberry magenta cream polish. It is opaque in two coats, and has an excellent formula that applies evenly. Brinkley has a very subtle purple shimmer throughout, which adds dimension to the nails. This polish actually reminds me of a nail polish I owned and loved as a kid. I remember it was scented, and after some Googling I’m pretty sure it was from the brand Lip Smackers!

Zoya Brinkley and Holo Taco Flakie Holo Taco
My Go-To Manicure Look

To complete my manicure, I added one coat of Holo Taco Flakie Holo Taco and two coats of Zoya Naked Manicure Glossy Seal Top Coat. I love how fun, bright, and sparkly my nails look, especially in the sunlight. Sure enough, I’ve created a similar look very recently using Zoya Soraya, and not too long ago I created a similar look using Holo Taco High Tea Hibiscus. Plus, when scrolling through my Instagram, I see multiple posts where I’m wearing a bright pink or magenta base with a glitter topper. I guess I truly have a go-to manicure!

As I type this post, I’m laughing at myself for being a bit predictable and formulaic when it comes to my nails. I do love a wide variety of nail polish shades and formulas, but at the end of the day I often reach for a pink and a sparkly glitter. I’m very happy to be adding Zoya Brinkley to my collection, but I think I need to compare some magenta polishes soon to see if there are any I can declutter. Please be sure to let me know in the comments if you also have a go-to manicure!

Springing into March with Zoya Nail Polish Blu

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

With the official start of spring just a couple weeks away, I’m ready to transition into more pastel colors when it comes to my nails. I looked at my nail polish collection and immediately spotted Zoya Nail Polish Blu from the 2013 Lovely Collection. This is one of the first collections I received from Zoya to review, and it’s hard to believe that was 11 years ago now! I decided to pair Blu with an indie glitter polish from my collection for a fun, springtime manicure.

Zoya Nail Polish Blu

The products in this post were originally provided to me for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Blu is a baby blue cream polish. It has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. I’m impressed with how easily it applies, especially considering my bottle is over a decade old! While there were a few minor streaks when the polish dried, as soon as I applied one coat of the Zoya Naked Glossy Seal Top Coat I got a super smooth and glasslike result!

Blue Spring Manicure

To complete the manicure, I added an accent nail of KBShimmer Toying Around on my ring finger. This polish has a clear base and is packed with multicolored glitters of all different shapes and sizes. Toying Around was part of the Winter 2015 Collection and is no longer available. However, you can certainly use any glitter topper in your nail polish stash for a similar result!

Zoya Blu and KBShimmer Toying Around

I am really enjoying how my manicure turned out this week! It’s rather simple, but the glitter accent nail dresses it up a bit. Plus, sometimes it can be nice to wear a classic, cream nail polish shade for a change. I do love all of the fancy glitters, shimmers, etc., but Zoya Blu is reminding me how polished a cream can look!

Purple Party Nails featuring Zoya Soraya and Holo Taco Everything Taco

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Whenever I have time off from work, I like to paint my nails with the brightest colors and sparkliest glitters. That almost always means I’m grabbing for Holo Taco Everything Taco, which has easily become my favorite special effects top coat. I do mix up the base color, and this week I reached for Zoya Nail Polish Soraya from the Summer 2023 Beachy Brights Collection. As expected, I am absolutely loving this nail polish combination!

Zoya Soraya
Zoya Soraya

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes a referral link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Zoya Soraya is a bright fuchsia cream polish. It has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, and it dries to a matte finish. Soraya looks much more purple in real life than it does in the photos. The swatches are photographed in natural light, but for some reason the camera did not capture the beautiful purple shade. Please keep that in mind if you are interested in purchasing Soraya.

Purple Party Nails

I then completed the look by adding one coat of Everything Taco, and two coats of the Zoya Naked Seal Glossy Top Coat. I just love how Everything Taco is so easy to apply, and really transforms any manicure! It contains six Unicorn Skin iridescent flakies, and three holographic toppers. I definitely think it is worth the $13.00 price tag on the Holo Taco website! I could easily use this polish on a weekly basis!

Zoya Soraya and Holo Taco Everything Taco

Overall, I’m loving my bright purple and sparkly nails! I definitely look and feel ready for a vacation. You can purchase Soraya from Zoya’s website for $8.00. Use my referral link to save $5.00 off your first Zoya purchase. Also, let me know in the comments what your go to manicure is when you go on vacation!

Blue Ombré Skittle Manicure featuring Holo Taco Everything Taco

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

After missing out on the first two launches, I finally snagged a bottle of the coveted Everything Taco from Holo Taco. I placed my order on a Monday, and to my happy surprise my new nail polish arrived that Thursday. Of course, I had to get this unique, special effects topper on my nails as soon as possible. What better way to wear it with than my favorite nail polish color, blue. I grabbed five blue nail polishes from Zoya Nail Polish in my collection, and came up with a blue ombré skittle manicure that I’m excited to share with you today.

Zoya Nail Polish Blue Cream Nail Polishes

The Zoya polishes in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My first step in creating this manicure was choosing the blue nail polishes for the ombré. Unsurprisingly, I had many options in my collection. I decided to go with more muted blue shades. From left to right, I chose Zoya Blu, Zoya Val, Zoya Austin, Zoya Brett, and Zoya Ryan. It looks like Brett is no longer available for sale, but you can use whatever polishes you have on hand as long as you get an ombré effect.

Blue Ombré Manicure featuring Holo Taco Everything Taco

To create my manicure, I began with Holo Taco Long Lasting Base. I then applied two coats of each cream polish, and let my nails dry. Next up I added one coat of Holo Taco Everything Taco. This nail polish topper is so much fun! It has a mix of iridescent flakie Unicorn Skins, as well as holographic glitters. It truly combines everything that Holo Taco has to offer when it comes to special effects toppers!

Holo Taco Everything Taco Review by Adventures in Polishland

Not only do I love how blingy Everything Taco looks on the nails, but I love how user friendly it is. I remember back when I started this blog, one thing often discussed in the nail polish community was “fishing for glitters.” There is absolutely no fishing with Everything Taco. All of the glitters apply easily onto the nails without any effort during application. Holo Taco has truly perfected the glitter nail polish topper!

Blue Ombre Manicure with Everything Taco

Last but not least, I applied two coats of Holo Taco Super Glossy Taco to seal in my manicure. I like using one coat to even out all the glitters, and the second for that smooth, glass-like shine. I am absolutely loving the result! I may have missed Everything Taco during its first two releases, but third time was the charm, and I cannot wait to use this polish over and over again.

Follow me on Instagram @adventuresinpolishland for more!

Northern Lights Nails featuring Zoya Lou and Holo Taco Aurora Unicorn Skin

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

After my recent purchase from Holo Taco, I’ve really enjoyed trying out the Aurora Unicorn Skin special effects topper on different manicures. I decided to test it over a beautiful blue nail polish shade from Zoya Nail Polish called Lou. The result is a stunning northern lights inspired manicure that is perfect for fighting the winter blues!

Zoya Lou

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I began by applying two coats of Zoya Lou over the Holo Taco Long-Lasting Base. This polish was released in the Luscious Collection of Fall 2020, and is described as a deep spruce blue cream with a hint of green. Lou is opaque in two coats and has a fantastic formula.

Northern Lights Nails by Adventures in Polishland

I then completed the look by adding one coat of Holo Taco Aurora Unicorn Skin, and sealed in the manicure with two coats of Holo Taco Super Glossy Taco. I love how the flakes in Aurora really shift from blue to purple to pink in different lighting! This topper really compliments the blue base color well.

Aurora Unicorn Skin over Zoya Lou

As someone who loves nail polish but isn’t that great at nail art, I really love having special effects toppers in my nail polish collection. Iridescent flakies like Aurora Unicorn Skin really help to add dimension to any manicure. I’m excited to continue building my collection of glitters and toppers so that the manicure combos can be seemingly endless!

What’s your favorite nail polish topper? Let me know in the comments!