Coming in January: Zoya Naturel Satins

press release

ZOYA NATUREL SATINS

The next generation of Zoya Naturel is almost here! Introducing, Zoya Naturel Satins, a collection of six new, neutral nail polish colors in an ultra-wearable, low-sheen, chic satin finish. A hybrid between matte and glossy polishes, the new Zoya Satin* formula provides opaque coverage and is longer lasting than traditional matte shades. The flawlessly smooth finish hides imperfections and creates a luxurious, satin finish nail look.

Leah: Lavender tinged taupe, exclusive Zoya Satin* finish.
Rowan: Creamy suede taupe, exclusive Zoya Satin* finish.
Sage: Mossy sage green, exclusive Zoya Satin* finish.
Tove: Misty slate grey, exclusive Zoya Satin* finish.
Brittany: Rose mauve cream, exclusive Zoya Satin* finish.
Ana: Light toasted almond, exclusive Zoya Satin* finish.

*Zoya Satin is not intended to be worn with a top coat. For best results: Prep nail with Zoya Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover, apply base coat and finish with 2 thin coats of any Zoya Satin Nail Polish.

AVAILABLE 01/15/15!

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!
$9 (US), Available in top salons, spas and on zoya.com

WANT MORE?
COMING SOON -  Zoya Satin Seal Topcoat!
Turn any color into an elegant Satin finish beauty with just one coat!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing all of my readers and friends a happy holiday!

A sample stash from Santa!

gift from a friend

My Goodreads friend Youndy drew my name in our holiday swap, and sent me a treasure trove of goodies from New Beauty.

In addition to a copy of the magazine, there were samples.  Lots and lots of high-end samples!

Clockwise, beginning from top left: StriVectin Present Perfect face lotion, Jenna Hipp nail polish in Throwing Shade, supersmile whitening toothpaste and ergonomic toothbrush, Stila Smudge Stick eye liner in graphite, Tan Towel towelettes, balanced guru No Frizz Oil and Mally Beauty Undermakeup Perfector Duo in Peach Light.

Unlike my Ipsy bags, there is nothing in here I'm not going to use. :-)

Thank you, Youndy, for a perfect gift!

The 2014 blog sale I'm not having

nothing to disclose

Another year, another 18 cosmetic bags and 55 bottles of polish went to Good Neighbors for their holiday store.  One of these years I'm going to take a vacation day and work the store with my mom.

Barry M Silk Effects: Poppy

purchased by me

Poppy is the final polish I got from the Barry M Silk Effects collection, and she's a gorgeous pink-toned red.  She's also slightly shinier than her sisters Forest and Orchid, but still with more of a satin sheen than a diamond shine.  Poppy also has the same perfect formula as the other two I've tried from this collection and was opaque in two coats.

Indoors with flash:

In the sun:

If you agree with me that Barry M hit it out of the park with these polishes, you can find Poppy and all of her siblings at Llarowe for $8 each + shipping.

Barry M Silk Effects: Orchid

purchased by me

Next up in the British Polish Invasion is Orchid, from the Barry M Silk Effects collection.  The name is simple but perfect, as this is a radiant orchid color Pantone would be proud of!  The satin matte finish is beautiful, the formula is flawless, and it covered in two easy coats.

Indoors with flash:

In the sun:

You can find the Silk Effects collection at Llarowe for $8 each + shipping.

Barry M Silk Effects: Forest

purchased by me

Today's polish is a dreamy deep teal beauty from Barry M.  Forest is part of the Silk Effects collection and has a satin matte finish, a well-behaved formula and reaches bottle color in two coats.

Indoors with flash:

In the sun:

Forest and the other polishes in the Silk Effects collection are available at Llarowe for $8 each + shipping.

Butter London Stroppy

purchased by me

Continuing with the British (polish) Invasion, next up is Butter London Stroppy.  Stroppy is slang for cranky, but thankfully, the polish is anything but.  It's a bright, blue-shimmered purple (almost neon except that it doesn't dry matte) glassfleck which, like its Airy Fairy sister was opaque in two well-mannered coats.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun: 

Stroppy was part of the same limited edition summer collection as Airy Fairy, and it's still available at the Last Orders section of the Butter London website, but it won't be around long!

Butter London Airy Fairy

purchased by me

This week is a bit of a mini British Invasion, since I took advantage of the Butter London Black Friday sales and a re-stock on Llarowe to grab some polishes I've been wanting for a while.  First up is Airy Fairy, Brit slang for lightweight/frivolous.  This polish is frivolous in color but not a lightweight in terms of formula.  It's a gorgeous turquoise-leaning medium blue glassfleck with a perfect, easily controlled formula that was thin but pigmented enough to be opaque in two coats.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

Although this was part of a limited edition summer collection from Butter London, the color is also suitable as an icy winter blue.  If you like it, it's available at the Last Orders section of the Butter London website, which means it won't be around long!

Last chance for Zoya's Mystery Box!

press release

Due to the mind-blowing initial response to the Zoya Mystery for Cyber Monday, (the first group of ZOYA MYSTERY GIFTS have already SOLD OUT), the powers that be at Zoya have decided to extend the offer thru Wednesday, 12/03/14 (or while supplies last)… The Zoya warehouse is already busy assembling more mystery items to make sure everyone has a chance to participate – So hurry, at the rate they are selling, they won’t last long!

Also, to avoid spoiling the fun for everyone, we have also moved the reveal date of the Zoya Mystery Gift from tomorrow (Tuesday, 12/2/14) to the end of this week.

Keep an eye on Zoya Social Media (@ZoyaNailPolish) for more updates and details.

The best thing about a surprise is the anticipation that builds when you don’t know what it is – right? Ahhh… That wonderful feeling of knowing you have something really special coming your way and the excitement that builds as the contents are finally revealed.

Zoya captures that special feeling with…THE ZOYA CYBER MONDAY MYSTERY Bag & Box. A special mystery grouping of items from your friends here at Zoya for just $15 (plus FREE SHIPPING). We can’t tell you what it is except to say that when you see it your will say “Wow, that was one heck of a deal!” – we guarantee it! All we can say is that it is a bag and box in a box - we promise you won’t get any socks and we won’t send you a fox (no matter what he says)!

Formula X The X Look: Holiday Edition

purchased by me

The X Look: Holiday Edition is a set of 4 mini polishes Obsessed (opaque classic merlot), Impassioned (purple pearl), Thrilling (opaque heather grey), and Temptation (iridescent gold pearl).

Impassioned is definitely my favorite--it's a burgundy shimmer with blue and pink highlights which looks like more of a pinky-bronze in lower light.  The formula was great, opaque in two easy coats and very well-behaved.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

Obsessed is a nice, functional blue-toned red with an unfussy formula and a ton of shine.  It took two coats to reach bottle color.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

Thrilling must be one of them-there ironic names, because I don't find anything thrilling about a plain warm grey crème.  It's a nice, useful polish, with a smooth formula, opaque in two coats, but not really a thrill for me.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

Temptation is a very good gold foil.  It was almost opaque in one coat, although I did two for my swatches, and very reflective.  However, like most foils, it's also very revealing of nail flaws.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun and reflecting my green shirt:

The X Look: Holiday Edition is available at Sephora for $25.00 + applicable tax and shipping.  Obsessed and Thrilling are available on their own, but as far as I can tell, Impassioned and Temptation are only available in this set.

Zoya Dream Boxes are back!

press release

Zoya Dream Boxes have everything you need for a stress-free holiday season. 

Just add a bow and they’re ready to go! Choose from 9 specially curated trio sets, pre-packaged in a white luxury gift box – or customize your own. All Dream Boxes include FREE Standard Ground Shipping and a decorative  silver bow for just $20! Valid Friday, November 28th – Monday, December 1st (11:59pm EST). Exclusively on zoya.com

Special Black Friday – Cyber Monday Dream Box Deal*!
Valid Friday, November 28th – Monday, December 1st (11:59pm EST)

$20 - Pre-packaged Dream Box Trios: Free shipping & bow included!
$20 - Build Your Own Dream Box: Free shipping & bow included!

Use Code: DREAMS

*Terms & Conditions
Valid online at www.zoya.com 11/28/14 - 12/1/14 (11:59pm EST) or while supplies last. US Only. Not valid in conjunction with other coupons, codes or promotions.Art of Beauty is not responsible for incorrect addresses, credit card entry errors, web related issues or any errors associated with declined credit cards. Returns or exchanges of promotional items not permitted. Code must be entered at time of purchase. One code per account - code cannot be reinstated for canceled orders.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since my nail art skills are about on a par with a kindergarndner's, here's a hand turkey I made for you all:

I used all Zoya polishes.  Left to right:

Creamy, Jancyn, Rocha, Livingston and Louise

KB Shimmer: Leaf of Faith

purchased by me

By now I'm sure everyone has seen KB Shimmer's Fall 2014 collection, including the beautiful Leaf of Faith.  But I just got my hands on it, and I wanted to show you how I wound up wearing it.  Leaf is a gorgeous red jelly filled with red, gold, orange and holographic glitter.  The glitter spread is good, and the polish is thick enough to hold all that goodness but not so thick it clumps.

Two coats, indoors with flash:

And the way I wore it, one coat of Leaf of Faith over one coat of Orly Rage:

I love the way the copper base shimmers and simmers just under the surface of the red jelly!

Whether you wear it alone or with shimmery underwear, you can find Leaf of Faith on the KB Shimmer website for $8.75 + shipping

Glam It Up with Zoya Minis

press release

The ZOYA Mini Glam nail polishes are here. Our favorite holiday colors in mini Zoya bottles inside glossy black and silver gift boxes.  Each Zoya Mini Glam bottle is $5 ea or Get any 5 for $20 w/Free Shipping Through Wednesday 11:59 PM ET.  Exclusively at ZOYA.com. Use Code: GLAM. Click here to see all color options and holiday gift sets.

How it works:
1. Add as many Zoya Mini Glams to your cart that you like
2. Apply code and discount will be applied in quantities of 5 bottles

*Terms and Conditions
Valid online only at www.zoya.com through 11/26/14, 11:59pm EST. Not valid in conjunction with other coupons, codes or promotions. Shipping & Handling fees apply. Continental US only. Valid on open stock mini glam nail polish bottles only. Excludes Zoya Nail Treatments and Color Spoons. Valid Art of Beauty account required for purchase. Art of Beauty is not responsible for incorrect addresses, credit card entry errors, web related issues or any errors associated with declined credit cards. Returns or exchanges of promotional items not permitted. Code must be entered at time of purchase. One code per account. Code cannot be reinstated for canceled orders. Please allow up to 4 weeks for processing if volume warrants it.

Darling Diva Polish: Queen of the Night

purchased by me

Happy Blue Monday!  If you're feeling blue, I have a polish that will both express your mood and elevate it at the same time--Queen of the Night from Darling Diva.  It's a linear holographic navy blue with an exceptional formula that's smooth, well-behaved, opaque in two coats and dries shiny even before top coat.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

If you've been looking for a navy blue holo at a reasonable price, look no further, just get to Darling Diva and get Queen of the Night for $11.00 + shipping!

eos and Rachel Roy

purchased by me

eos (evolution of smooth) and Rachel Roy teamed up to create a limited edition collection of lip balms.  From the eos website:

Inspired by travel and the warm sun, this limited edition eos Smooth Sphere lip balm flavor trio was inspired by fashion designer Rachel Roy. Each pack includes brand-new, limited edition flavors Indian Summer, Orange Blossom, Aloha Hawaii Strawberry Kiwi, and St. Barth's Sunrise Pink Grapefruit. USDA-certified organic and 100% natural with a special design on each lip balm, this collection is sure to keep you smiling all season long. Makes a great holiday gift or stocking stuffer.

 The three-pack of lip balms can be found at Ulta and other retailers, but there's a four-pack that can be found at BJ's Wholesale stores and at their website.  The three-pack retails for $7.99 and the four-pack for $9.99, so you're saving quite a bit over the regular price ($3.49) for a single lip balm and getting a flavor that's not available in the three-pack.  I was so thrilled to see these at BJ's that I grabbed one first thing!

The three-pack contains Indian Summer (Orange Blossom), Aloha Hawaii (Strawberry Kiwi), and St. Barth's Sunrise (Pink Grapefruit) and the four-pack has those three plus Barbados Heat (Wildberry).  I'm very pleased with the purchase and I recommend grabbing it if you see it.

OPI Nordic collection: Do You Have This Color In Stock-holm?

purchased by me

Do You Have This Color In Stock-holm? is a pretty, vibrant purple crème.  The formula was smooth, easy to work with and opaque in two coats, plus it dries shiny even before top coat.  It's a good basic purple to add to any stash.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

You can find the Nordic collection at Ulta and Sally Beauty as well as at salons.

Darling Diva: The Alchemist

purchased by me

The Alchemist was my first purchase from Darling Diva, but it won't be my last.  I first saw this beauty on The Crumpet's nail blog and I swear violins were playing. :D  I've been trying to find a red holographic nail polish to love ever since Nubar Brilliant let me down, and finally, I have!

The Alchemist is a blue-toned red with a strong linear holo, and the formula is smooth, perfect and opaque in two coats.  This is love in a bottle, people.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

As you can see, it's still gorgeous in low lighting, and what are you waiting for?  Get thee to Darling Diva and buy a bottle for $11.00 plus shipping!

Incoco Fall 2014: Royal Flush

purchased by me

Royal Flush is part of Incoco's Fall 2014 collection, and it got me a ton of compliments.  With a black lace pattern on a red background, these polish strips are simple but stunning.  Application was a typical Incoco dream.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

Royal Flush and the rest of the fall collection are available at Incoco for $8.99 each plus shipping.

November Ipsy bag

purchased by me

This month's Ipsy bag is another slight improvement, but I wish Ipsy would ask what colors I like, because the eye pencil is intriguing but completely the wrong color for me!

My November bag included:

be Delectable from Cake Beauty Lemon & Cream Mini Hand Cream ($5.50)

Temptu S/B Highlighter pink pearl sample

J. Cat Beauty Wonder Lip Paint ($4.99)

clariSEA Sea Salt Solutions Instant Glow Powder Exfoliant sample

Starlooks Gem Eye Pencil Ultra Olive ($17.00)

The hand cream is very nice, moisturizing but non-greasy.  The scent is very sweet with only a tiny pop of lemon.

The facial exfoliant is one I'm excited to try, probably in tonight's shower.

The eye pencil is much too yellow of a green for me, so it will find a new home.

The Temptu sample is meant for an airbrush system, so I have to wonder WTF Ipsy was thinking.

I'm most excited about the Wonder Lip Paint, because it's been all over the beauty blogosphere of late, plus I've been meaning to see if I can rock a red lip!