zoya twila nail lacquer

Kissy, Rina, Twila layered over MAC Nocturnelle

Zoya Gems & Jewels: Layering Fun

As promised, here are several different layering combinations using Zoya’s Gems & Jewels Collection.  I also layered the bar glitter shades over gold, silver, and black.  I like the shades layered best over Izzy from the holiday collection, but overall, I prefer it over silver!

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Izzy, Kissy, Holly

Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection for Holiday 2011

Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection includes three shimmery shades along with three glittery shades. Each color retails for $8.00.

• Izzy is a darkened pink with bright fuchsia-pink shimmer and a metallic-like finish. I used two coats for opaque color. China Glaze Endurance is similar but has silvery-white micro-glitter so the finishes are quite different. It’s not as red-based as Zoya Gilda.
• Holly is a luxurious emerald green with lighter green shimmer. Really rich and decadent–opaque in nearly one coat but I used two for swatches. Very Christmas-y green. It’s not like China Glaze Mistletoe Kisses, which has a lot of silvery-white glitter, nor China Glaze Emerald Sparkle, which has a much darker base. It is darker and smoother compared to Zoya Ivanka.
• Noel is a metallic medium-dark silvered blue with silver shimmer. It was opaque in two coats. The base color seems similar to Zoya Crystal, but Crystal has gold sparkle in it.
• Kissy is a pink and ruby red glittery layering coat with holographic bar glitter. I used two coats, and it was mostly opaque.
• Rina is an emerald green shimmered base with emerald green and teal bar glitter. I used two coats, and it was more opaque than not but you could see some nail visible in spots.
• Twila is a medium-dark blue shimmered base with brighter blue bar glitter.

The formula on the shimmery shades (Izzy, Holly, and Noel) is beyond phenomenal. I don’t know if I’ve ever used such a perfectly applying polish before. Each coat is extremely pigmented (I used two for all six shades here, but one is almost enough on the shimmery shades), but the consistency is fluid and flowing without being watery nor thick. I had really good wear out of Holly layered with Twila (seven days with minimal tip wear and no chips).

I was surprised at how opaque the layering shades were, actually. You could easily wear them alone, though I think they work really well layered, too. The only downside is removal is a bit messy–you can see as I swatch through more and more combinations using the glittery shades how I still have residue on my skin. It’s not impossible, but they take a little more work and time than a cream finish (which is par for the course).

I found the bar glitter to be fun and something I’ve personally never tried before, so I had some experimenting to do (will have a whole post up next with various combinations and layering, so stay tuned!). It’s perfect for the holidays, and it reminds me of tinsel.  You’ll need to make sure to take care of the edges so you don’t have any stray glitter pieces extending past the edge of your nail, but the glitter spreads evenly without trouble.  I can’t wait to rock these closer to the holidays!

The Glossover

	Zoya Gems & Jewels Collection Swatches, Photos, Reviews A+
	The glitter shades are the most unique out of the bunch, but I still think the way the shimmery shades came out is great--and not necessarily shades I have dupes of. The formula is so easy to work with. I knew when I saw these at Cosmoprof, they would be good, but they're even better.
	Product 10/10 Pigmentation 10/10 Texture 10/10 Longevity 10/10 Application 5/5
	Where to Buy
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