Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “regal purple.” It’s a cool-toned, medium-dark purple with pink-violet sparkle and shimmer. It has a Pixie Dust finish, so it has a matte, sparkling finish (and the sparkle always looks prettier in person than in a static image). It was mostly opaque after three thin coats of polish (I applied per Zoya’s PixieDust instructions). I felt like this one was less sparkly, though, than other shades. It seemed dull in comparison. I didn’t have anything similar to this shade in my stash, but if you’ve discovered a similar shade, please share it in the comments!

Tomoko Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is described as a “glowing silver.” It’s a sparkling champagne beige with dark and lighter champagne sparkle. It was mostly opaque after three thin coats of polish. These are similar shades in terms of color, but the finishes are quite different as they do not have that matte, sparkling finish. Revlon Gold Coin, Illamasqua Swinger, Chanel Diwali are all a golden beige/dirty gold kind of color with frosted, metallic finishes–Diwali is slightly warmer than the other two. China Glaze I’m Not Lion is more glittery but not as opaque. See comparison swatches.

The PixieDust formula is always fun, and I like it a lot. I wasn’t as impressed by the overall sparkle effect of Carter, as it seemed weak and looked gritty rather than sparkly half of the time. Tomoko was more in line with past iterations of the finish, as it sparkled and shimmered beautifully. If you prefer a glossier finish, you can apply a top coat over both. The formula wears well, even without a top or base coat, as it doesn’t even really have tip wear; instead, it’s like it gently sands away right at the edge, but it’s so minimal that it’s not even noticeable after a week.

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Carter Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer

Zoya Tomoko Nail Lacquer