Tag: zoya

My 2014 Holiday Manicures! | 3 Nail Polish Looks

Happy Tuesday! Today I wanted to show you the three manicures I’ve worn so far this holiday season. I’ve already reviewed some of these polishes, so I will leave links to those blog posts alongside each manicure. I hope these nail polish looks bring you some inspiration as we head into the New Year! That reminds me – stay tuned for an exciting announcement very soon about my Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest! For now, let me show you my 2014 holiday manicures.

NYC New York Color – Queen of the City

NYC New York Color – Queen of the City [REVIEW]

I started off the holidays with a red that isn’t so “in your face” Christmas. I really love Queen of the City because of its unique shade and shimmery formula. It looks amazing with my fair skin tone, and goes with a ton of different outfits as well. If you’re looking for an edgier manicure this holiday, grab a deep shade like this one.

Zoya – Giovanna Zoya – Giovanna [REVIEW]

Next I went for more of a true Christmas color with an emerald green polish. Giovanna is just perfect for this time of year! It’s festive but still really classy. You can also use Giovanna for nail art as well. I do recommend a nice layer of base coat with this polish, though, as it tends to stain a bit.

Glitzology – Island of Misfit Toys

Glitzology – Island of Misfit Toys 

Chrome Girl – Birthday Suit [REVIEW]

Finally, I am currently wearing a combination of Island of Misfit Toys and Birthday Suit. I got this Glitzology polish two years ago, but never used it! Unfortunately, this indie polish brand is now out of business, but to create a similar look use a glitter polish that contains fine silver glitters and larger multi-colored glitters. Feel free to use multiple glitter polishes if necessary! I decided to go with a pastel pink base so that all of the glitters would really stand out. It’s not quite your typical Christmas manicure, but I’m thrilled with the result!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my holiday manicures so far in 2014! Please let me know if you liked this post in the comments. I’d be happy to show off any more nail polish looks I put together through the holiday season. Of course, I want to see your holiday manicures as well. Please share a photo on my Facebook Page HERE or feel free to use the hashtag #PolishlandPresents so I can find your posts on any social media site. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!

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 Nail Polish Wishes Collection for Holiday 2014!

Happy Tuesday! I’m super excited to show all of you the Wishes Collection that Zoya is releasing for the 2014 Holiday season! I’m sure you all know by now that Zoya is one of my all-time favorites nail polish brands, so I always squeal with joy when a new package arrives for review. With the Holidays being my favorite time of year, that makes the Wishes Collection that much more special! This collection includes three traditional formulas and three corresponding Magical PixieDust polishes. I’ve swatched each polish with its corresponding shade as an accent so you can see how well they go together.

Zoya – Willa Zoya – WillaFirst up is Willa, a stunning black creme polish that was originally released as ‘Black Swan’ for fashion designer Zang Toi. Willa has an amazing formula that applies easily and is opaque in two coats. I think it is safe to say that black polish is in this season, so definitely grab Willa if you’re looking for the perfect black polish!

Zoya – Imogen Zoya – ImogenWilla goes perfectly with Imogen, a textured polish with a black base filled with silver glitters. Imogen is a really unique polish, and I love the chunky, hexagonal glitters. The formula is great, and the polish is opaque in two coats. Imogen’s finished effect reminds me a bit of coal, so if you’re a Katniss Everdeen fan you need this polish!

Zoya – Haven Zoya – HavenNext up is Haven, a rich plum shade with a metallic quality to it. Haven is so beautiful and has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. You won’t have to dream of sugarplums dancing in your head this holiday when you can wear them on your nails! But seriously, Haven is just a dreamy shade of polish.

Zoya – Thea Zoya – TheaMatching up with Haven is Thea, an amethyst textured polish with hints of orchid in the glitter. Thea applies really well, and is opaque in two coats. The combination of Haven and Thea is definitely my favorite in the Wishes Collection! I love the rich pigmentation and sparkle!

Zoya – Prim Zoya – PrimThe next polish is Prim, a velvet blue metallic shade. Prim’s formula is just fabulous, and opaque in two coats. I love the added dimension with the metallic formula, and the unique shade of polish. Plus, this polish also has a Hunger Games tie to it! I guess I just have Mockingjay on the mind!

Zoya – Nori Zoya – NoriLast but not least is Nori, a sapphire blue textured polish with holographic silver glitter. Nori is my favorite in the Wishes Collection, and I love the flawless formula. I do wish it was a better match with Prim, but I love it on its own any day! I bet this would make a fun manicure with Zoya Dream from last year’s holiday collection, too.

All in all, I think the Zoya Nail Polish Wishes Collection is just beautiful! It captures the sparkle of the holiday season perfectly, but includes traditional formulas for those who don’t love chunky glitter as well. You can purchase the Wishes Collection on Zoya’s website HERE. The polishes retail for $9-10 each, with the complete set for sale at $57. Please let me know which of these polishes is on your wish list this year!

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

Zoya Nail Polish MatteVelvet Collection

Happy Sunday! Today I’m bringing you a review of the complete MatteVelvet Collection from Zoya Nail Polish! I absolutely love matte nails, especially in the colder months of the year. This year Zoya re-released the brand’s six, best-selling matte polishes, and I was extremely lucky to receive them for review. I’ve never tried any of Zoya’s matte formulas before, so I couldn’t wait to test these out. Let me go ahead and show you the stunning MatteVelvet line!

Zoya – Loredana Zoya – Loredana First up is Loredana, a gunmetal grey polish with silver shimmer mixed throughout the base. Like all of the polishes in this collection, Loredana is opaque in two coats and has a perfect formula. The shimmer is quite pronounced in this polish, which gives it a cool metallic look. Loredana is great if you don’t want a super dark polish this fall.

Zoya – Savita Zoya – Savita Next up is Savita, my absolute favorite in the collection! Savita is a beautiful deep purple polish with a subtle red and gold shimmer. I am just beyond obsessed with this polish! It looks so classy and divine. I can’t wait to wear Savita a lot in the coming months!

Zoya – Posh Zoya – PoshPosh is up next, and it’s a red polish with red shimmer. Posh is definitely one of my favorite red polishes of all time. The matte finish compliments my fair skin tone really nicely, and the red shimmer gives the shade an added dimension. I can see Posh working for many Halloween looks, as well as Christmas manicures as well!

Zoya – Veruschka Zoya – Veruschka Next is Veruschka, an emerald green matte with green and gold shimmer. I love the rich pigmentation in this polish, and how flawless it looks on my nails. I’m not sure that I would wear Veruschka on a regular basis, but it’s perfect for the holiday season!

Zoya – HarlowZoya – HarlowNext up is Harlow, a polish that’s somewhere between pink and purple, and packed with silver shimmer. The shimmer is really vibrant in Harlow, and I actually wish it was more subdued. Nonetheless, this is a feminine polish that’s wearable in all seasons.

Zoya – Dovima Zoya – DovimaLast but not least is Dovima, a charcoal polish with silver shimmer. Dovima is definitely my second favorite in the MatteVelvet line after Savita. I love the deep shade, and the subtle shimmer. Plus, it is a manicure that can go with any outfit and it looks really cool. I’m wearing it as I type up this blog post!

All in all, I am loving the Zoya MatteVelvet Collection! Matte polishes are some of my favorites to wear, and I love when polish formulas in and of themselves are matte so I don’t need to apply a special top coat. Not only do these polishes dry quickly, but they don’t chip easily. I highly recommend each and every shade in the collection! You can purchase the MatteVelvet polishes directly from Zoya HERE for $9 each. Be sure to let me know which MatteVelvet is your favorite in the comments!

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

Zoya Matte Cloud Nail Art | Fall 2014

Happy Thursday! Today I have a fun fall manicure to show you that I created using some of the Fall 2014 Zoya Nail Polish colors. I’ve been wearing Margo a lot lately, and decided to add some bling to the beautiful creme by adding in the Ultra PixieDust shades. Let me show you how I combined these polishes!

Zoya Matte Cloud Nail Art Zoya Matte Cloud Nail ArtFirst, I started off with a base of Margo and let that dry. Then, I used each of the Ultra PixieDusts one at a time to create an ombré cloud. I began with Oswin, and then added on Arianna and Noir letting each coat dry in between. Finally, I used a matte top coat over the top to create a uniform finish. The ombré is subtle, but really pretty!

Zoya Matte Cloud Nail ArtAll in all, this manicure is super easy to create, but really nice for fall! You can learn more about the polishes I used in this post be reading my full reviews HERE and HERE. Let me know how you like to rock the Zoya polishes seen here in the comments!

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

September 2014 Favorites!

Happy Friday! September has come to a close and that means it’s time for my monthly favorites. I’ve been loving a lot of products this month, but I narrowed it down to a few that I want to recommend to all of you. Let me go ahead and show you my September favorites!

NAIL POLISH

Zoya Entice Collection | Adventures in PolishlandZoya Entice Collection [REVIEW] [BUY] 

I’ve worn the Zoya Entice Collection so much this past month that I decided to include all of the polishes in my favorites! Margo, Ryan, and Genevieve have been living on my nails, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

PRIMER

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer Smashbox Photo Finish Oil-Free Primer [BUY]

I pulled this primer sample out of my collection and haven’t been able to stop using it! It is so light, and really makes my foundation look amazing. Plus, the oil-free formula is perfect for preventing acne. This is an expensive product, but I highly recommend it!

LIP PRODUCT

Alima Pure Lip Tint in Holly BerryAlima Pure Lip Tint in Holly Berry [BUY]

I got this lip tint in a Birchbox a while back, and I’ve been loving it this fall. The main ingredient is organic cocoa bean, so it smells just like chocolate! Plus, it’s so hydrating!

BLUSH

Pür Minerals Hot Rocks BlushPür Minerals Hot Rocks [BUY]

My cousin gave me this blush as a gift, and I’ve worn it a lot recently! The shade is a gorgeous dusty rose. The cover of the product does get quite dirty-looking, as that’s where I dust off the excess product. If you’re looking for a beautiful blush, I definitely recommend this one!

MAKEUP REMOVER

Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes [BUY]

I decided to try a new brand of makeup remover wipes, and I’m loving these ones! They really do take off all makeup, including waterproof mascara, and they are so refreshing. Plus, there are 30 wipes in a pack and they are very affordable.

That’s it for my monthly favorites! I hope I introduced you to some new products! I noticed many of these products are high end this month, so it’s a bit of a change from my normal drugstore go-tos. It’s always good to change it up every now and then! Please let me know in the comments what you loved this September. Feel free to use the hashtag #PolishlandFaves on social media so I can see your photos!

This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Zoya Ultra PixieDust Collection for Fall 2014

Happy Wednesday! Zoya Nail Polish has done it again, and came out with an incredible trio of textured matte glitter polishes for fall. The Ultra PixieDust line has three red-toned shades perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. You can see full reviews of all the past Zoya PixieDust Collections HERE, but let me go ahead and show you the new goodies!

Zoya – Oswin Zoya – OswinFirst up is Oswin, a true red shade packed with chunky red glitters. Oswin has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. Make sure that you let each coat dry completely with these polishes to get the perfect textured finish. I found that Oswin lightened up a bit when dry, but I like the added dimension between the base and glitters. I don’t like such a bright red with my skin tone, but if you have a darker complexion it would look beautiful!

Zoya – Arianna Zoya – Arianna Next up is Arianna, a deeper red polish with a blue undertone. Arianna is also opaque in two coats, and I found that the finished product matches the bottle’s shade a bit more than Oswin does. If you enjoy wine shades, Arianna is perfect for you. Plus, this polish can work right through the holidays.

Zoya – Noir Zoya – NoirLast but not least is Noir, my favorite of the three! Noir is a stunning purple shade that is opaque in two coats. I found Noir to be the sparkliest of the bunch, as the glitter stood out even when the polish was completely dry. If you have very fair skin like I do, Noir is a great polish for you!

All in all, the Zoya Ultra PixieDust line is a fun bunch of polishes. I can guarantee you have nothing else like these in your collection! Zoya really creates a unique formula with these chunky glitters that dry matte, but each applies so smoothly and easily to the nail. You can purchase the Ultra PixieDusts on Zoya’s website HERE for $10 each. Buy them separately, or as a trio! Make sure to let me know in the comments which is your favorite as well.

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

Zoya Ignite Collection for Fall 2014

Happy Thursday! Earlier this week I reviewed the Zoya Entice Collection (full review HERE), which contains six creme polishes for fall. In addition to Entice, Zoya released a collection called Ignite. The Ignite Collection has six liquid metal polishes that are packed with shimmer and sparkle. If you love to rock a bit of glitz on your fingertips, the Ignite Collection is for you! Let me show you the six fiery polishes!

Zoya – Autumn Zoya – AutumnFirst up is Autumn, a copper shade with undertones of orange and gold. Autumn’s formula is great, and is opaque in two coats. I found that all of the Ignite polishes show a beautiful color payoff in one coat, but two coats were needed for opacity. Staying true to its name, I think Autumn is just perfect for this time of year!

Zoya – India Zoya – India Next up is India, a deep red with golden shimmer mixed throughout the base. India also has a great formula, and I found that it’s super pigmented. I think this polish is a great transitional shade from fall to winter as well.

Zoya – Teigan Zoya – TeiganTeigen is a beautiful cranberry shade with a copper shimmer, and is such a feminine polish. It looks flawless in two coats, too. I’d love to see this in a geometric manicure with it’s complimenting shade Veronica. Maybe I’ll do that in the future!

Zoya – Sansa Zoya – SansaSansa is the purple in this collection, and is what Zoya dubs “eggplant” with a gold shimmer. Sansa appears almost black, but the purple shade certainly shines through in the light. I think this polish would look great with one coat layered over a white base!

Zoya – Remy Zoya – RemyNext up is Remy, my favorite in the Ignite Collection! Remy is an indigo polish with gold and copper shimmer, but I love how blue-toned it is! The formula is flawless, and in two coats the finish is just stunning. I’m a bit obsessed with this one!

Zoya – Yuna Zoya – YunaLast but not least is Yuna, a grey polish copper and gold shimmer. Yuna is so sparkly that my camera had trouble focusing on it! Nonetheless, it’s a very rockstar polish, and is perfect to pair with your leather jacket this fall.

All in all, the Zoya Ignite Collection has six sparkly shades for fall! While cremes are much more my style, you can’t go wrong with any of these polishes! I’ll definitely be testing these out as accent nails and in nail art this fall. I can’t wait to put Remy back on very soon, in fact! You can purchase these polishes on the Zoya website HERE for $9 each. Which shades will you be purchasing?! Let me know in the comments!

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

Zoya Entice Collection for Fall 2014

Happy Tuesday! I am super excited to share the first of the Zoya Nail Polish Fall collections with you today! I absolutely love creme nail polishes, and the Entice Collection contains six beautiful fall shades. Whether you prefer neutrals or darks, the Entice Collection has a shade that is perfect for you. Let me show you these stunning polishes!

Zoya – Nyssa Zoya – NyssaFirst up is Nyssa, a brown polish that reminds me of a cappuccino! Nyssa has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. In fact, I’m super impressed with all of the formulas in this collection! Nyssa in particular is perfect for a fall day, and can work great in nail art as well. If you’re not comfortable wearing brown alone, try it in an ombré with purple or red!

Zoya – Claire Zoya – ClaireNext up is Claire, a deep burgundy polish that has brown undertones in it. Claire is quite vampy, but applies easily with it’s awesome formula. It reminds me of the oxblood shade that is always popular in the fall, but even darker. For some reason Claire screams “high fashion” to me!

Zoya – Veronica Zoya – VeronicaVeronica is a lighter burgundy shade that Zoya describes as “red wine.” Veronica’s formula is spot on and opaque in two coats as well. I can definitely see this is an every day shade, and is appropriate for the office. Veronica is great for those of us who don’t rock deep and dark polishes, but still want a burgundy!

Zoya – Margo Zoya – MargoIf you love purple, check out Margo! This is a beautiful plum shade with a wonderful formula. Margo is unlike any other purple polish in my collection. I love the rich pigmentation, and I think it works well for any skin tone!

Zoya – Ryan Zoya – RyanNext up is Ryan, a stunning indigo polish and my favorite in the collection! I reached for Ryan as soon as I opened my box from Zoya. The formula is a dream, and I’m truly obsessed with any deep blue shades. I know Ryan will be on my fingers a lot this season!

Zoya – Genevieve Zoya – GenevieveLast but not least is Genevieve, a titanium grey polish. Genevieve looks like I dipped my nails in liquid metal! There is just the slightest shimmer in this polish that makes the finished look multidimensional. Genevieve is my second favorite in this line, and I put it right back on as soon as I was finished swatching! In fact, I’m wearing it as I type up this blog post!

All in all, I am loving everything about the Zoya Entice Collection! This is definitely one of my favorite nail polish collections of all time! I can see myself wearing each and every shade, and the creme formulas are just perfection. I highly recommend each and every polish! You can purchase the Entice Collection directly from the Zoya website HERE for $9 each. It’s worth the price tag 100%! Let me know in the comments which of the Entice Collection is your personal favorite!

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 | Julep Nina vs Zoya Arizona

Happy Thursday! If you’ve Liked my Facebook Page, you’ll know that I’ve begun a new project dubbed The Great Polish Destash. I will be moving at some point this year, so I want to go through my entire nail polish collection and get rid of polishes that I no longer want or need. My first step was to roughly organize my polishes by color, and now I’m going through those color families to find any dupes (aka duplicates). I decided to start with the organges, since I only had 20 orange polishes before I started my destash. Julep Nina and Zoya Arizona looked nearly identical in the bottle, so I had to test them out side by side to see how they compare.Dare to Compare | Julep Nina vs Zoya Arizona

Julep – NinaFirst up is Julep Nina, a bright orange creme that dries to a satin finish. Nina is opaque in three coats, and has a tacky formula. I do love the color and the finish, but the formula is a bit difficult.

Zoya – Arizona Next up is Zoya Arizona. This is also a bright orange creme, but it dries to a glossy finish. The formula is good, but a bit thin so I needed three coats for opacity. I got this cute mini size in a promotion Zoya did a while back. In fact, my friend Princess Polish made a bulk order and included this in it for me.

Julep Nina vs Zoya Arizona Julep Nina vs Zoya Arizona Here are side-by-side swatches of Julep Nina and Zoya Arizona. Nina is on my pinky and ring fingers, with Arizona on my middle and pointer fingers. I can barely tell any difference at all between the two! Because these polishes are nearly identical, I knew it would be safe to destash one of them. I considered formula as the biggest deciding factor, and decided to keep…. Zoya Arizona! The glossy finish and smooth formula truly won me over!

All in all, while both Nina and Arizona are great, bright orange polishes, there is no need to have both in my collection. If you’re looking for an orange, I definitely recommend Zoya Arizona. Not only is it more affordable at $9 versus Julep’s $14 price tag, but it’s got a great formula. With Halloween around the corner, you’ll want this shade for your pumpkin nail art!

Do you have a favorite orange?! Let me know what it is in the comments!

 

Zoya Naturel Deux (2) Collection | Transitional 2014

Happy Monday! Earlier this year, Zoya Nail Polish released the Zoya Naturel Collection, complete with six neutral shades (see my review HERE). Today I’m here to show you six more neutral polishes in the new Naturel Deux (2) Collection transitioning us from summer to fall. Whether you’re heading back to work after summer vacation, or simply looking to put away the neons as the weather gets cooler, the Naturel Deux Collection is perfect for you!

Zoya – Spencer Zoya – Spencer First up is Spencer, a light brown polish that Zoya describes as caramel. Each of the polishes in this collection has a creme formula, and is opaque in two coats. Spencer’s formula is very good, and the shade is a bit darker than my light skin tone. I would have never picked out Spencer on my own, but it actually looks quite nice on me. I highly recommend it!

Zoya – Chanelle Zoya – ChanelleNext up is Chanelle, a medium brown polish Zoya describes as almond cream. I applied two coats for the manicure you see above, and I’m loving the result! Chanelle has a great formula that applies very smoothly. This is a perfect polish for nail art as well!

Zoya – Emilia Zoya – EmiliaThe last of the brown polishes is Emilia, a dark chocolate creme. Emilia looks so rich and is very pigmented. It looks beautiful in two, opaque coats, and would look great when combined with Chantelle in one manicure. I think Emilia would work well with any skin tone!

Zoya – Marnie Zoya – MarnieThe Naturel Deux Collection also has three purple-based shades. Marnie is first, and is a deep plum color that reminds of the ever-popular oxblood shade. Marnie screams “professional” to me, and is perfect for a fall day at the office. I’ll probably be wearing this quite a bit!

Zoya – Aubrey Zoya – AubreyNext up is Aubrey, the perfect mauve creme polish. Aubrey is one of those polishes that should be a staple in everyone’s polish collection, even if you don’t wear it often. It has a great formula, and applies really well in two coats.

Zoya – Madeline Zoya – MadelineLast but not least is my favorite polish in the collection, Madeline. Madeline is a dusty rose shade, and is absolutely stunning! The formula is great, and I love the high-shine finish. I love the pink and purple undertones, and the cool tone for fall.

All in all, I’m loving the Naturel Deux (2) Collection from Zoya! These are the perfect polishes to help you transition from summer to fall, and great for those of us that need neutral nail polish for our jobs. You can purchase the Naturel Deux (2) Collection on Zoya’s website HERE. Each polish is $9 or you can purchase the entire collection for $54. Which polish in this collection is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

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