Zoya Astra Nail Polish ($7.00) is one of three shades of Ultra Glitter. Astra has a warm-toned pink jelly base with deeper red small, square glitter mixed in. It’s very sparkly and fun, but I kind of wish it had a more opaque base. I never thought I’d be such a fan of glitter polishes, but they’re such a nice way to add punch to your wardrobe without feeling like it’s ever too much. Zoya’s formula is always tops, and I always get great wear whenever I use their polish and Color Lock System (which is my go-to base/top/drying coat system).
Zoya also includes something I think is really handy on their website:
Tone: Warm Finish: Glitter Color Family: Pinks Intensity: 3 (1= Very Sheer to 5= Very Opaque) Original Collection: Ultra Glitter
I just think it’s informative, and it just shows that this isn’t designed to be ultra opaque but somewhere in-between sheer and opaque. I like that they let you know whether the shade runs cool or warm, because sometimes if you can’t buy in person, every extra detail they give you helps you make a better decision about whether to buy or not.
I didn’t find it too difficult to remove either, which is often a problem with glitter polishes. It’s not as quick and easy as a typical polish, but it really didn’t bother me or make me groan either. I always soak a cotton pad in remover, gently press against the nail, then I do the same for the others, and finally go back and start removing.
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Product: 27/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If you’re a fan of glitter polishes, Zoya’s Astra is a fun shade of pinky-red for the holidays.
Zoya Matte Velvet Collection ($6.00 each) consists of three matte-shimmer polishes. What’s nifty about these is that they look matte, but there is still a healthy dose of shimmer in it, so while it has that flat look, the shimmer adds depth and makes them more interesting. Keep in mind that matte-based polishes have a lot shorter wear time, particularly because a lot of top coats add shine/glossiness (which defeats the purpose of matte). Without a base or top coat, you’ll get chips pretty quickly. (Of the three nails I did, Loredana is half gone, while the other two show minor tip wear, and it’s been about 12 hours.) But, but… there is a benefit to these… they dry incredibly fast. Like insanely quickly. No quick-drying top coat required, these babies dry down completely within a few minutes (so work quickly).
Dovima is a grayish-black with silver shimmer. I didn’t find it to be a true black, but more of a subdued charcoal. This one was my favorite of the three.
Loredana is a silver with silver shimmer shade. It’s not a light bright silver base, but it’s noticeably bright without being too much so.
Posh is a rich, jewel-toned ruby red. It has a beautiful jewel-tone ruby red base with soft, silver shimmer. I really love this shade of red, and being able to wear it matte is fun.
Product: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 7/10
Packaging: 8/10
Recommendation: If you’ve always been curious about matte-finish nail polishes, these are for you. If you don’t mind re-doing your nails after a few days, I’d strongly urge you to sneak a peek at these lovelies. They’re fun, hip, and definitely a trend for fall.
The choice is yours… Truth, Dare or Both? Zoya Nail Polish lets you decide what fashion is right for you this fall. Will it be Truth or Dare? Should you? Would you? hmmmmmmmm…
Zoya Truth Collection | Classic, bright and straightforward
Penny (ZP492) Copper gold metallic
Kalmia (ZP493) Rose copper metallic
Salma (ZP494) Scarlet red metallic
Isla (ZP495) Venetian red metallic
Anaka (ZP496) Fuchsia metallic glimmer
Drew (ZP497) Mauve rose metallic
Zoya Dare Collection | Edgy, dark and mysterious
Vanessa (ZP486) Blue red cream
Ciara (ZP487) Burgundy plum cream
Demi (ZP488) Purple mauve cream
Pinta (ZP489) Inky violet cream
Envy (ZP490) Gleaming Jade green with subtle shimmer
Ibiza (ZP491) Gleaming Sapphire blue with subtle shimmer
To compliment the collections, six super glossy lip balms from Zoya Hot Lips are also available.
Availability: July 15, 2009. Each bottle retails for $6.00. www.zoya.com
Zoya’s Twist Collection debuted this spring season, and since spring is just officially starting… I’m really not late to review it, am I? Twist consists of six shades, ranging from gray to pink. Zoya polishes retail for $6 a pop, or you can get the set of six for $36.
Harley is a medium gray with golden shimmer.
Jo is a deep, medium sky blue on me. It comes out fairly bright, actually. I can definitely see this polish work well in the summer, too.
Malia is a neutral-cool violet purple color. It isn’t lavender, but it isn’t royal purple either. It’s a good cross between a dark shade and a light shade.
Barbie is a medium pink with some brightness and matching pink shimmer. It is a bit cool-toned, so it’s not the most flattering shade on me.
Cassi is a strawberry-coral with silvery-ish shimmer. I found this color to be much more flattering on my skin tone than Barbie, and I can see myself wearing it often.
Moxie is a deep, cream berry-red. I personally wish they’d come out with a shade more in line with the rest of the shades from Twist, because I feel it doesn’t match the trend the others set.
