Zoya MatteVelvets are coming back!

press release

GET BACK IN MATTE! RE-RELEASE!!!

All of the color, none of the shine! Meet your perfect matte with MATTEVELVET* **, Zoya’s exclusive shine-free formula. Choose from six best-selling matte nail polish shades with a luxurious crushed velvet finish and subtle shimmer. 
Right on trend, these exclusive shades are being reintroduced for a limited time only!

ZP499 - DOVIMA: Shimmering Black MatteVelvet*.

ZP500 - POSH: Shimmering Crimson MatteVelvet*.

ZP505 - HARLOW: Shimmering Wine MatteVelvet*.

ZP504 - SAVITA: Shimmering Plum MatteVelvet*.

ZP506 - VERUSCHKA: Shimmering Evergreen MatteVelvet*.

ZP498 - LOREDANA: Shimmering Gunmetal Gray MatteVelvet*.

*MATTEVELVET nail color by Zoya is not intended to be worn with a base coat, top coat or speed dryer of any kind. Due to the unique matte formulation, color is not as long-wearing as traditional nail color. A completely clean, dry nail surface yields the best results for matte nail color wear.

COLLECTION PRE-ORDER STARTS SOON!

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!
$9 (US)

Zoya MATTEVELVET* colors are available exclusively on Zoya.com and in ULTA beauty stores (ask for them). 

Color Club Seven Deadly Sins: Fierce

purchased by me

For Fall 2014, Color Club has created seven textured polishes inspired by the seven deadly sins.  For those of you who didn't have a medievalist college professor who was also the product of 17 years of Catholic schools, you just remember PEWSAG L.  Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony, Lust.

As far as I can tell, the Color Club polishes correspond to the sins like this:

Pride  -  You're So Vain

Envy  -  Obsessed

Wrath  -  Fierce

Sloth  -  Under Your Spell (I don't think this one works very well, but the others make sense, so the last polish had to go with the last sin!)

Avarice  -  Dirty Money

Gluttony  -  Indulge Me

Lust  -  Friends with Benefits

Fierce is a plummy brown with multicolored mini-glitter.  It's opaque in two easy coats, but somewhat slow to dry.  There's a hint of green duochrome in the bottle, but it doesn't really show up on the nail.

Indoors with flash:

If you like textured polishes with a deep base and multicolored sparkle, you can find Fierce at many e-tailers.  I got my bottle at Head2Toe Beauty.

Color Club Riviera

purchased by me

Riviera is the textured twin of Deborah Lippman's Mermaid's Dream, a cool mint green shimmery base studded with blue, green and silver glitter.  The formula is a bit runny, but it's opaque in two coats, dries quickly, doesn't stain and removes easily.  If you still love textures, as I do, you'll want to grab this beauty!

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

Riviera is part of the Sea Salt collection, which debuted in December, 2013.  It's still available at many e-tailers, and I got my bottle at Head2Toe Beauty.

Sinful Colors Silk + Satin: Real Teal

purchased by me

Despite the name, Real Teal is more of a light emerald green than a teal.  It has a satin matte finish, tiny little blue micro-glitter, and a very well-behaved formula.  Real Teal was opaque in three quick-drying coats and looked lovely both with and without top coat.  I fell in love with this beauty and couldn't stop looking at my nails when I wore it!

Without top coat, indoors without flash:

Without top coat, indoors with flash:

With top coat, indoors without flash:

With top coat, indoors with flash:

 

The Silk + Satin collection is limited edition, but I am still seeing parts of it at local Rite-Aid and Walgreens, so if you are interested, check all the displays for stragglers!

OPI, Clark + Kensington paint, Ace Hardware and Piet Mondrian

purchased by me

A couple of weeks ago, the lovely G of Nouveau Cheap posted that there was a trio of OPI mini polishes available at Ace Hardware.  My dad's second post-retirement job was as one of Ace's Helpful Hardware folks, a job he was good at and where I loved to visit him, so I knew I had to have it!  Clark + Kensington have collaborated with OPI to bring OPI colors to interior paint, and the only fault I find with the collection is that there's no C+K version of Espresso Yourself!  So I zipped into Ace, asked where the nail polish was, giggled, bought the trio, and came home with this cute little box:

Can't Find My Czechbook is a turquoise crème from the Euro Centrale collection, I Eat Mainely lobster is a red-coral crème from the Touring America collection and My Vampire is Buff is an off-white crème also from the Euro Centrale collection.  You've all seen them dozens of times, so I decided not to swatch them on their own, but to try for some nail art.  

Even though there is no yellow in the mini-collection, I immediately thought of Piet Mondrian's lozenge works, and starting with a base of My Vampire is Buff, I added black lines with my Migi nail art pen and filled in random rectangles with I Eat Mainely Lobster and Can't Find My Czechbook.

My lines are terrible because of how much my hands were shaking, but it's a fun mani and I'm glad I did it.  I even wore blue & coral today to match!

My first Ipsy bag was a bust. :(

purchased by me

I finally got off the wait list and onto the monthly bag list, just in time to get a bag full of nothing I could use.

The be a bombshell face powder is made is China, and given the multiple cases of contamination of food products we've seen from there, I'm certainly not putting it on my face!

The Cailyn Art Touch Tinted Lip Gloss is slightly sticky, lightly moisturizing and gets points for being made in the US.  However, it loses points for being much too orange for me and for the fact that it doesn't come safety-sealed.

The Briogeo Don't Despair Hair Repair is too heavy for my fine hair.

The Pacifica Waterproof Eye Pencil was such a light brown, I thought it was an eyebrow pencil for a blonde!

I am reluctant to try the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, both because of my experience with the Revlon Color Stay polish and because of the color.  Piggy Pink is a coral-pink crème, and honestly, if I'm going to be stuck with a polish that long, it's not going to be boring.

What I do love is the bag.  It's a soft gunmetal imitation leather with four little pewter-colored studs.  It seems reasonably well-constructed, and the pyramidal studs give it a bit of a steampunk edge, which I am a complete sucker for.  So, one out of six.  If next month's bag isn't a whole lot better, I'm going to cancel.

Zoya Ultra Pixies!

press sample

Swatches and reviews after the jump!

Espionage Cosmetics Nailed It! Kickstarter

press release

Please feel free to join me in contributing!

Geeky nail wraps?  Yes please, especially since they include tentacles and the backdrop for Mira Grant's Newsflesh series!

My new jelly undies!

purchased by me

Not underwear made of jelly/plastic, but the polish I will forever wear underneath jelly polishes--OPI Push and Shove.

Push and Shove is a silver chrome which was part of the first Gwen Stefani/OPI collaboration, and it was sold with a mini bottle of Lay Down That Base, a base coat supposedly designed especially for chrome polishes.  Honestly, I didn't find that it was any different from a regular base coat, and it's definitely not a ridge-filling one.  Push and Shove was opaque in two coats, blindingly shiny, and showcased every flaw in my nails.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

And following are comparison pictures, with Push and Shove on my middle and pinkie fingers, femme couture Savvy in Chrome on my index finger and OPI My Signature is "DC" on my ring finger.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

 And finally, Push and Shove under one of my favorite jellies, Oceanic Forces by Emily de Molly.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

I just love how Push and Shove sets off the jelly polish!  Push and Shove is technically limited edition, but you can still find it on ebay, drugstore.com, HSN and Walgreens.com.

Urban Decay Nail Lacquers for $5 each!

affiliate link

They're on Hautelook right now!

Coca-Cola by OPI 10-Pack of Style

purchased by me

The OPI and Coke collaboration came out a bit ago, but it took me a while to get all 8 colors swatches.  Yes, that's correct, the collection has 9 colors, but the mini-pack has 8 colors plus base and top coat.  Pictures and reviews after the jump!

photo courtesy of Ulta

New fall shades from Incoco!

press release

Sinful Colors Beaches and Cream

purchased by me

Beaches and Cream was a limited edition color that came out in July with the Practice Your Accent collection.  I swatched it and then gave it away because it was much too yellow-toned to flatter me.  So here are some late swatches--three coats, no top coat.

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

Beaches and Cream is no longer available in stores, but you can still find it on ebay.

Zoya Ultra Pixie Dust!

press release

Oswin:

Arianna: 

Noir: 

Meet the next generation of our best-selling textured, matte and sparkling Zoya PixieDust formula. ­ Zoya Ultra PixieDust! Three shades featuring both fine micro glitter and mega hex particles for tone on tone 3D effects. This easy glam nail is available in 3 shades in a gradient of red, wine and plum hues. No base or top coat required.

NEW for FALL 2014:  ZOYA ULTRA PIXIEDUST!

ZP765 ­ NOIR: Deep vampy plum, textured PixieDust with red Mega Hex Particles.

ZP764 ­ ARIANNA: Blue-toned red wine, textured PixieDust with Mega Hex Particles

ZP729 ­ OSWIN: True red, textured PixieDust with Mega Hex Particles

Zoya PixieDust Application:
For BEST RESULTS apply 2-3 thin coats of polish for full coverage to clean (oil free) nail surface. Allow product to dry completely for full effect. Do not use a base coat or top coat. Top coat can be applied for additional glossy effects.

See the Zoya How to apply Zoya PixieDustTM Video for more great beauty tips and tricks to use when applying Zoya PixieDustTM.

COLLECTION PRE-ORDER STARTS September 9^th, SHIPPING BEGINS September 15^th or Sooner

ZOYA IS THE HEALTHY COLOR OF FASHION!
$10 (US) Available on Zoya.com and at finer salons and spas.

Sally Hansen Color Foil in Cobalt Chrome

purchased by me

Cobalt Chrome came home with me long after the others did, because it was all by itself on the display and Sally Hansens were BOGO 1/2 off that week.  It's got the same formula as all the others--slightly thick, not noticeably quick-drying, needs a good shake before use and super-duper-shiny.  Cobalt Chrome is a slightly green-toned light blue, far from what I think of as cobalt but still pretty. My swatches are one coat with no top coat.

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

The Color Foil polishes were limited edition, but a quick search turns up a lot of them on ebay!

InDecisiveLacquer: Denim

purchased by me

Denim is a gorgeous blue scattered holo.  The formula was smooth and well-behaved, very shiny without top coat, opaque in two coats and dried quickly.  It even looks like denim!

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

In the sun:

If you love scattered holo polishes, this is a don't miss selection!  Denim can be purchased at the InDecisiveLacquer Etsy shop, for $5.75 + shipping for a mini bottle or $9.50 + shipping for a regular size bottle.

Zoya Textured polish BOGO

press release

What's one thing that never goes out of style? SPARKLE! Textured nail polish is still on the top of our must-have list this (and every) season - there's just something about that shiny, sugary, look we are MAD about. As if the gorgeous finish wasn't enough, textured nail polish is also extremely functional!
Here's why:
  -  No base or top coat needed
  -  Super quick dry time
  -  Easy touch ups
  -  Long lasting
We love these glimmering gals so much that we want you to have MORE texture in your life. That's why we're giving you a special BOGO sale on all Zoya PixieDust and Magical PixieDust shades!
Offer valid NOW - 9/7/14 (11:59pm EST)
Buy one, get one FREE* on any PixieDust or Magical PixieDust shade from this page HERE.
PLUS spend $25 or more and get FREE Standard Ground Shipping!
Use Code: TEXTUES
 

How it Works
1. Add at least two shades from the Textured Nail Polish Page to your shopping bag along with any additional items you would like to purchase.
2. Enter code TEXTUES into the coupon code field and press "Apply Code".
3. Complete check out, review, and submit order.
Get your SPARKLE on! Be sure to send in your mani and pedi pictures through our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using #ZoyaNailPolish!
*Terms and Conditions
Available while supplies last. Valid online only at www.zoya.com through 8/24/14, 11:59pm EST. Not valid in conjunction with other coupons, codes or promotions. Shipping & Handling fees apply. Continental US only. Free items will be those of equal or lesser value. Excludes Zoya Nail Treatments and Color Spoons. 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.

Revlon ColorStay Gel Envy: Hold 'Em

purchased by me

Save yourself the $15.98 + tax.  The color is decent, but the formula is nowhere near the promise Revlon makes of "Salon-quality color with life-resistant wear"  I didn't have the bubbling problem the Ice Queen did, but I also got less than 48 hours of wear!  I used two coats of color and the special top coat and you can see what happened here:

Twelve hours after application:

Thirty-six hours after application:

No.  Just no.  Run far, far away from this product!

Bonita Colors Pear Me Up

purchased by me

It's pretty dim and grey out there, so I am cheering myself up with a lime green polish.  Pear Me Up is a very nice two-coat polish, bright and almost neon, except that it dries shiny without top coat.  It gives me lobster hands like whoa, but I don't care when the polish is this pretty!

Indoors with flash:

Indoors without flash:

Pear Me Up was part of a seasonal display at my local Rite Aid, but there are lots of pretty Bonita polishes available on their website for $3.99 each.