Tag: shimmer

Zoya Nail Polish Party Girls Collection Review | Winter & Holiday 2017

Happy Monday! Today I have a full review of the Zoya Nail Polish Party Girls Collection. This 12-piece nail polish line was Zoya’s release for the 2017 Holiday and Winter season. I finally had a chance to try out the complete collection, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you. Party Girls contains a variety of polish formulas, finishes, and shades, so there will be a polish for everyone! Whether you are creating a fancy manicure for a night out, or looking for a classic red, Party Girls has you covered!

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

I am wearing each of these polishes with a base coat but not a top coat. Almost all of these polishes are opaque in two coats, but I will mention if I needed a third coat in each polish’s individual review. My swatches are photographed in natural light.

First up is Nadia, a glittery gold topper that leans towards orange. Nadia can be worn alone, or layered over other polishes. I am wearing three coats in these swatches to achieve an opaque manicure. I’m surprised with how much I love this polish! I would never pick it up on my own, but I think it looks great with my skin tone.

Next up is Solstice, an orange metallic polish with orange and gold shimmer. I’m really impressed with how pigmented this polish is! I like how smoothly Solstice applies to the nails, too.

Tawny is also a metallic polish, but it is a copper shade with a rosy undertone. While I really like how the shimmer in Tawny adds a lot of dimension, it can be a bit messy upon removal. I recommend taking off the shimmer polishes right before you get into the shower so the shimmer can wash off your hands well.

The first cream polish in the Party Girls Collection is Ming, a classic bright red shade. Ming applies beautifully, and I love how it dries down to a super glossy finish without the need of a top coat. This red shade is not unique, but it is a great staple to add to your collection if you are looking for a reliable red.

Next up is Fallon, a metallic magenta polish. Fallon looks quite a bit darker in person than it does on the Zoya website, and I think it leans more purple than pink, too. Nonetheless, this is a gorgeous nail polish, and I love the magenta shade.

Sheri is another cream nail polish in a red shade. I was quite surprised to see two reds in this collection, and think Ming and Sheri are quite similar. That being said Sheri is a bit darker in tone, so if you prefer a deeper red it is the polish for you. I definitely do not think you need to own both of these polishes, though.

One of my favorite polishes in the collection is Kelsey, a bright pink cream. If you want Barbie nails, you need Kelsey in your life! The formula is perfection, and I’m definitely a sucker for these fun pink shades.

Danielle is another one of my favorites, and it is a periwinkle cream polish. This polish photographs a bit more blue than it is in person. That being said, I’m loving the rich pigmentation in Danielle, and I think this color can work well during any season of the year.

The collection goes back to metallic formulas with Isadora, a deep purple polish with purple and magenta shimmer. I have owned many polishes like Isadora in the past, but I love having this vegan-friendly option available. Plus, I love how rich and dimensional this looks on the nails.

The next purple shade is Landon, a cream polish that Zoya compares to eggplants! While I own a lot of purple cream polishes, Landon is unique for me because of its deep shade. I really like how this polish looks on me, and think I will wear this a lot come the fall months.

Delaney is a metallic purple polish with a duochrome shift. I was a bit disappointed that the cool duochrome effect I see in the bottle did not translate on the nails at all. I will try to layer Delaney over a black and white polish in the future, and will report back if I get the duochrome to show up on my nails!

Last but not least is Blake, a deep sapphire blue polish with gold shimmer. Blake is a great off-black option. The formula is a bit messy, but it is really beautiful. If you are looking for a unique dark polish, Blake is a nice one!

All in all, I am really enjoying the Party Girls Collection from Zoya Nail Polish. I appreciate that there are a variety of shades and finishes available, so you can pick and choose the polishes that you like best. My favorites are definitely Kelsey, Danielle, and Landon, and I’m excited to test out Nadia and Isadora with other polishes! You can purchase the Party Girls Collection on Zoya’s website HERE. These vegan nail polishes retail for $10 each.

Which Party Girls polish is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

 

 

 

 

 

Zoya Nail Polish Urban Grunge Collection for Fall 2016 | Metallic Holos

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share with you the six metallic holographic polishes in Zoya Nail Polish’s new Urban Grunge Collection for Fall 2016. You can see my full review of the cream shades HERE, which I posted earlier this week. Now it’s all about the super trendy and unique polishes that make up the rest of this line. If you are looking for some edgier polishes to wear, the metallic holos are for you! Let me share my thoughts on these six shades!

Zoya Nail Polish Urban Grunge Collection for Fall 2016 | Metallic Holos

Zoya – Alicia Zoya – Alicia

First up is Alicia, a silver linear holographic polish. Alicia has an excellent formula, but it is a bit sheer, so I applied three coats to achieve opacity. I am beyond impressed with how stunning the holographic effect is on this polish. If you are a fan of holo nail polish, Alicia is a must for your collection.

Zoya – Finley Zoya – FinleyNext up is Finley, a deep purple polish with a scattered holo. Finley has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I am really loving this polish! It reminds me of Aurora from Zoya’s Ornate Collection (see review HERE), but in a purple color instead of pink. Finley also has a lot of dimension because of the scattered holo effect.

Zoya – Merida Zoya – Merida The other scattered holo in this collection is Merida, a deep green shade. Merida also has an awesome formula that is opaque in two coats. I am ready to wear this polish through to the holiday season! Merida is the perfect transitional shade from fall to winter.

Zoya – Britta Zoya – BrittaNext up is Britta, a berry red metallic polish with red and fuchsia shimmer. Britta has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I do find metallic polishes a bit messier to work with, but I’m happy that there are no brush strokes visible with this one. Britta is a really unique nail polish, and one I’m sure I don’t own anything else like in my collection!

Zoya – Ash Zoya – AshAsh is the other metallic shimmer in the collection, and is a cherry red shade with red and gold shimmer. If you are looking for a brighter version of Britta, this polish is for you! Ash has the same great formula that is opaque in two coats, and is super sparkly. I don’t wear a lot of metallic polishes, but Ash will certainly come into play during my holiday manicures!

Zoya – Troy Zoya – TroyLast but not least is Troy, a pewter shade with a foil finish and touch of black and gold shimmer. Troy has a good formula but I did find it to be a bit messy, so be prepared for a bit of clean up around the cuticles. I love this shade of polish for fall, as it pairs nicely with dark clothing and the soft texture of sweaters. It does remind me of last year’s polish called Tris (seen HERE), but contains that gold sparkle that makes it different.

All in all, the Zoya Urban Grunge Collection contains a nice selection of holo, shimmer, and metallic polishes. While I don’t wear these formulas often myself, I do highly recommend these based on the great quality. My favorites are definitely Alicia and Finley, so those are my top picks. You can shop the Urban Grunge polishes on Zoya’s website HERE. Each polish retails for $10, but keep your eye out for deals and coupons! Let me know in the comments what your top picks of the Urban Grunge collection are!

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

 

Dare to Compare | Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Miami Spirit vs Julep Lena

Happy Friday! Today’s Dare to Compare post is one featuring two nail polishes that I’ve absolutely loved for years. I never thought that they would be so similar until I held the bottles next to each other! Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Miami Spirit and Julep Lena are both teal polishes, and I knew they weren’t exact duplicates because one of these dries to a matte finish while the other does not. Nonetheless, I wanted to swatch them side-by-side to see if it was really necessary to keep both in my collection. Let me review each polish for you, and then share the comparison results!

Wet 'n Wild Fergie Miami Spirit Wet 'n Wild Fergie Miami SpiritFirst up is Wet ‘n Wild Fergie in Miami Spirit. This is a teal polish with teal and silver shimmer that dries to a matte finish. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and really like the result. This line of polishes comes with a wide, flat brush that I enjoy using. Miami Spirit is a fun and affordable polish!

Julep Lena Julep LenaNext up is Julep Lena, a teal polish with gold and green shimmer that dries to a glossy finish. Lena has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. I absolutely love this polish, and I even did a full wear test on the blog HERE a few years back. I’m so glad I rediscovered Lena, because I forgot how great is.

Wet 'n Wild Miami Spirit vs Julep Lena Wet 'n Wild Miami Spirit vs Julep LenaHere is a side-by-side look at Miami Spirit and Lena. I am wearing Miami Spirit on my pinky and ring fingers, and Lena on my middle and pointer fingers. I did apply a glossy top coat over Miami Spirit so I could really see how these polishes compare. The teal shade is almost identical, but I find that in person Miami Spirit has a much stronger shimmer effect than Lena. I prefer creme polishes, and so I’ve decided to keep Lena in my nail polish collection and destash Miami Spirit.

All in all, I’m so glad I tested out these polishes side-by-side, because I might not have discovered how similar they are otherwise. I highly recommend both of these polishes, and have worn them both many times over the years. There is just no reason for me to keep both of them, especially as I’m paring down my collection. I would love to know in the comments what your favorite teal polish is, or if you’ve tried either of these!

Zoya Petals Collection | Spring 2016

Happy Monday! I am always super excited when Zoya Nail Polish releases a new collection, and today I will be sharing with you the Petals Collection for spring 2016. The Petals Collection contains six floral-inspired shades, each containing a shimmer formula. I am so ready for bright colors and warm weather, and this collection is getting me really pumped! Let’s jump right into my swatches of the Petals Collection!

Zoya Petals Collection | Spring 2016

Zoya – LeiaZoya – LeiaFirst up is Leia, an opalescent white polish with flecks of fuchsia, green, and gold. Leia has an excellent formula, but this is a sheer polish. I’ve layered three coats on in the photos above, and you can see it is still not an opaque polish. Leia is not my usual cup of tea, but it is so beautiful, and I love the way it changes in the light. I’m going to experiment with this polish and layer it over other shades, so if you’d like to see more please let me know in the comments!

Zoya – Aster Zoya – AsterNext is Aster, a periwinkle polish with flecks of fuchsia, blue, and silver. Aster has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. I just love how dimensional this polish looks due to the strong shimmer effect. This shade is so beautiful for springtime, and I think it’s great to transition from the colder months especially.

Zoya – Azalea Zoya – AzaleaAzalea is the next polish, and my favorite in the Petals Collection! This is a bright pink shade with silver and fuchsia shimmer. Azalea also has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. This polish is just right up my alley! Pink is one of my favorite shades to wear, and this unique shimmery goodness makes it so much fun for the spring and summer. I think it would make a great pedicure polish as well!

Zoya – Zahara Zoya – Zahara

Next up is Zahara, a coral shade with silver and fuchsia shimmer. Zahara has a good formula, but I recommend three thin coats as it is a bit on the sheer side. This is a nail polish that I think will look good on everyone no matter the skin tone! I love a good coral polish in the warmer months, and Zahara is the perfect option.

Zoya – Tulip Zoya – TulipThe last two polishes in this collection still have shimmer formulas, but the shimmer effect is much lighter. Tulip is a peachy pink with a slight silver and fuchsia. I had a bit of trouble with the formula because it is quite watery. I recommend three very thin coats that you allow to dry completely before adding on another. The end result is just gorgeous! Tulip is a great everyday polish that can work professionally for sure.

Zoya – Laurel Zoya – LaurelLast but not least is Laurel, a bubblegum pink polish with a light shimmer of pink and silver. Laurel has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, and is super pretty. I like that this polish has just a hint of shimmer. In fact, it was difficult to capture it on camera even though I was photographing in natural light! Laurel is definitely one of my favorites in the collection.

All in all, I am absolutely loving the Zoya Nail Polish Petals Collection! As you all might know, I am typically not a big fan of shimmer nail polishes. However, I think Zoya has done a great job at creating some unique polishes in this collection. I will be wearing these a lot this spring and summer, and I think you should, too! You can purchase the Petals Collection directly from Zoya’s website HERE. Polishes retail for $10 each, but make sure to follow Zoya’s social media for sales and coupons! Please let me know in the comments if you’ll be picking up any of these polishes for your stash!

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

Manicure March | Julep in Janel

Happy Tuesday! It’s time to swatch the last Julep nail polish of Manicure March. This time it is a polish that doesn’t look too exciting in the bottle, but I still felt the need to swatch it before decluttering it right away. I do find that sometimes nail polish looks really different on the nails than it does in the bottle. That can be frustrating at times, but I do love when the polish is even better than I expected! Let me share my thoughts on Janel with all of you.

Julep in Janel Julep in JanelJanel is a berry red polish with a slight magenta shimmer. The formula is excellent, and opaque in two coats. I’m not usually a big fan of shimmer polishes, but because the shimmer in Janel isn’t very strong I really like it. I also noticed that Janel looks lighter on the nails than it does in the bottle. I’m glad about that, because otherwise I wouldn’t like it with my skin tone as much. I’m keeping Janel in my stash for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad I decided to give Janel a swatch. It is a stunning fall color, and I think I’ll get some use out of it in the summer, too. During Manicure March I kept two Julep polishes and destashed two as well. Please let me know in the comments if you still like Julep nail polish, or have you been decluttering it as well.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | NYC New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Empire State Blue

Happy Sunday! Today’s Manicure March post reviews another polish that I’ve been holding onto mainly for emotional reasons. You’re probably going to laugh, because it’s a super affordable polish from the brand NYC New York Color! I received Empire State Blue as a gift when I was graduating from college, and it meant a lot to me because it came from good friends and because I was moving to New York City. Nonetheless, I rarely wear this polish so I decided to test the formula out to see if I should keep it. Let me share this polish with all of you!

NYC New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Empire State Blue NYC New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Empire State Blue

Empire State Blue is a metallic blue polish with green and gold shimmer. The formula is good, but it does tend to get a bit goopy and thick. I applied two coats of Empire State Blue to get an opaque look, and I have to say it does look gorgeous. However, this is not a polish that I would wear on a regular basis. In fact, it’s been years since I’ve put it on. Since the formula isn’t perfect and I don’t wear this much, it’s time to say goodbye to Empire State Blue.

All in all, I’m so glad I tested out Empire State Blue again. While I do have great memories associated with the polish, it is silly to hold onto it just for that reason. This is the second polish of Manicure March that I’ve been able to destash after keeping it purely for emotional reasons. I see the light, people! My nail polish collection will soon only be filled with the best of the best.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | NYC New York Color In a New York Color Minute Quick Dry in Queen of the City

Happy Wednesday! Can you believe it’s week three of Manicure March? I hope you’ve enjoyed the posts thus far and find the individual reviews helpful. Today I have a swatch of a nail polish from the NYC New York Color In a New York Color Minute Quick Dry line. Phew! What a long name! Basically, this is the quick dry line from NYC New York Color. I love quick dry formulas, and reach for them quite often. However, I haven’t worn this particular nail polish since I first tried it on for the blog. Let me share Queen of the City with all of you!

NYC New York Color in a New York Color Minute Quick Dry in Queen of the City NYC New York Color in a New York Color Minute Quick Dry in Queen of the City

Queen of the City is a deep burgundy nail polish with burgundy shimmer. The formula is excellent, and applies smoothly to the nails in two opaque coats. I’m not typically a big fan of shimmer polishes, but Queen of the City is absolutely gorgeous! I can see myself wearing this polish in the fall for sure. I’m definitely a bit of a seasonal person when it comes to nail polish, so I think I’ll save Queen of the City for a while. I also want to share that this flawless formula is super glossy without a top coat!

All in all, I’m so in love with Queen of the City and will be keeping this in my stash. I always laugh when I see myself adoring dark nail polish. When I first began this blog I never wore a dark manicure. In fact, I was all about brights and neons. Oh, how my tastes have changed! I would love to know in the comments how your nail polish tastes have changed over the years, or if they haven’t. You can definitely see the evolution of my tastes on the blog!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | Julep in Bergen

Happy Monday! Today I am reviewing another nail polish from the brand Julep. I own so many Julep nail polishes that sometimes I can’t even remember if I’ve ever used them. Bergen is one of those polishes, but when I searched my blog I found that I used it back in 2014 (see that post HERE)! I was interested to give this nail polish another swatch to see why it wasn’t memorable. Let me share a review of Bergen with you!

Julep in Bergen Julep in BergenBergen is a really unique nail polish. The shade is a silvery blue, and there is a silver shimmer running throughout the base. Bergen has a really good formula that is opaque in two coats. I recommend letting each coat dry completely before adding on another, as the polish can bunch up when it’s still tacky on the nail. Bergen is not the polish shade I typically reach for when doing my nails, but I have to say I really love it! I’ve decided to keep this one in my collection in hopes that I’ll wear it more often.

All in all, sometimes a nail polish isn’t very memorable when it’s just one of many in your collection. While that can mean it’s got a bad formula or a boring color, other times it’s just that the polish isn’t your usual cup of tea. I’m so glad I rediscovered Bergen from Julep. I own nothing else like it in my stash, and I’m glad it has a great formula. I’d love to know in the comments if you’ve ever found a nail polish in your collection and had no recollection of using it. Please tell me I’m not alone in doing that!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

 

Manicure March | Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer in Ruby Stone

Happy Sunday! I have another Milani nail polish to review for all of you today. I really love Milani nail polishes, but not all of the colors I own are compatible with my skin tone. I very much appreciate receiving polishes for review, as I know it’s helpful for all of you to learn more about polishes before purchasing them. However, if the polishes aren’t ones I’m going to wear again, I should pass them onto another home. Let me share one such polish with all of you today!

Milani Color Statment Nail Lacquer in Ruby Stone Milani Color Statment Nail Lacquer in Ruby Stone

Ruby Stone is a red nail polish with a red shimmer. The formula is great, as it applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. Ruby Stone is definitely a beautiful nail polish, and I could envision myself wearing this during the holidays for sure. I almost kept this polish, but then I thought about it more and decided to declutter it. I’m much more of a creme polish fan, so if I were to wear a red nail polish, it wouldn’t be a shimmer like Ruby Stone.

All in all, Ruby Stone is a perfect example of how it can be difficult to destash nail polishes. Some polishes have a great formula, but they just aren’t polishes I would wear. There is no reason for me to keep those! Definitely let me know in the comments if you own any polishes that are beautiful, but may not look the best with your skin tone. Do you hold onto them, or pass them onto friends and family? I’d love to know!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | SinfulColors Professional in Cinderella

Happy Monday! Today rounds out my first week of Manicure March posts! I hope you’re enjoying this series as much as I am. I’m excited to review a cult favorite with all of you today. When I first starting blogging, everyone raved about SinfulColors Professional in the shade Cinderella. In fact, this polish was difficult to find at drugstores for a while. I can’t remember exactly where I got mine, but I rediscovered it in my collection and had a good laugh at the memory of how popular this $1.99 polish was. Despite it’s popularity, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep this polish, simply because I never wear it. Let me go ahead and share Cinderella with you, and let you know if I’m keeping it!

SinfulColors Professional in Cinderella SinfulColors Professional in CinderellaCinderella is a baby blue polish with a pink holographic shimmer. The formula is good, though can be a bit patchy. I applied three coats to achieve opacity. Cinderella is definitely a beautiful polish that truly lives up to its royal name. I can see why so many people love this nail polish, and I debated keeping it because it’s so well known. However, I’ve only worn this nail polish once before, and it’s just not a polish I would wear on a regular basis. I’ve decided to pass on Cinderella, and hope the next owner loves this polish!

All in all, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and purchase a polish that everyone else is talking about in the community. If the polish is super affordable like SinfulColors, then you can feel good trying out the favorite. However, if you’re about to splurge on an expensive polish just because it’s getting hyped, take a minute and think about whether you really want that shade. I’m glad I did try Cinderella, but I’m also ready to let it go. Definitely let me know in the comments if you own Cinderella!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!