As I’m sure you’ve figured out, I’m a sucker for greens, blues and purples. Even before I became the full fledged polish fanatic that I am today, those were always the shades I gavitated to. I grew up in a purple bedroom with purple shag carpet that remained until my parents moved 12 years ago. For the majority of my life the only jewelry I wore contained my birthstone, emerald. And my first car was a white convertible with slate blue leather. I’ve had two electric blue cars since.

So you can imagine my joy when I laid eyes on the Zoya True nail polish collection for Spring 2012. They couldn’t make it any more “me” if they tried. Not unless they can make an emerald green holo happen, ha!

A fresh bloom of dewy color. Inspired by the runway looks of top designers this collection features slightly muted and unexpected spring shades in six easy to wear, full-coverage creams and metallics.

I’m sure like a lot of you, I feel programmed to expect Spring to be all a flutter with sheers, pastels and brights. So much so that anytime a brand releases anything outside that color box, I get excited. The True collection certainly gives me butterflies.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant. Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing. The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

The Zoya formula tends to feel a bit watery and that can lead to coverage issues. For the most part I was able to get away with two thin coats but on some nails I had to throw on an extra layer to make up for dragging near my cuticle. As I shared in my Zoya Ivanka Wear Test, Zoya nail polishes wear best with the full Zoya Color Lock System or top coats that exclude Cellulose Acetate Butyrate.

Zoya Bevin is a sage green creme. There was a point in my life where I was obsessed with the color sage. I battled with the boyfriend to paint a room in our old condo sage (I lost) and ended up buying every sage colored accessory I could find instead. This version of sage is a bit more energized. Not quite as diffused as what I typically think of as sage.

Zoya Cho is the D’Artagnan to the Three Musketeers that are the Zoya Touch collection. A full coverage French vanilla with a subtle silver shimmer. If any of the neutrals in the Touch collection were too peach, pink or yellow, your inner Goldilocks will be satiated with Cho.

Zoya Farah is one of those, would you like some coffee with all that cream, kind of shades. It’s a great, work-friendly neutral that doesn’t lean so far towards yellow to make it unwearable for cooler skin tones.

Zoya Lotus is a smoked-out, deep violet sprinkled with magenta metallic flecks. It’s an edgier twsit on those smokey purples that were so popular a few years back (eg OPI Parlez Vous OPI?).

Looking at slate blue shimmer, Zoya Skylar, for the first time I couldn’t help but think, “RBL Catherine H?” They are definitely cut from the same cloth but Skylar is lighter and doesn’t have as much royal in its base. It’s more like if you mixed some butter LONDON Victoriana and a drop of white in Catherine H. The gold, blue and light pink flecks really set this one apart from its competitors.

Zoya Tru is a grape-y shimmer packed with reddish bronze micro-shimmer. Zoya is calling this an “orchid” shade but I always think of orchids as having more pink to their base color than this. It actually matches a sweater I bought recently in a color named “The Grape Cape” so there you have it.

Bottom Line: Even though I don’t pull out the neutrals that often, there isn’t a color in this collection I would label as a “pass” or one I plan to pass on to friends. If I just HAD to pick a top three, they would be Skylar, Bevin and Lotus.

Zoya True for Spring 2012 is on sale now. Zoya nail polishes are available online at Zoya.com and at salons nationwide including ULTA. Visit the Zoya Salon Locator for a retailer near you. Zoya nail polishes retail for$8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Are these colors ringing TRUE to you? Which ones will make it into your spring nail wardrobe? What if you had to pick just ONE?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

It’s giveaway time Fanatics! Thanks to the people at Zoya, I have a set of Zoya Gems & Jewels for one lucky reader.

To Win: Leave a comment on this post telling me what Zoya nail polish shade you can’t LIVE without (it can be any Zoya color ever made).  Make sure you include your email address on the email address line in the form, not the comment body (for privacy reasons).

Rules: Giveaway is open to US Residents only and no P.O. Boxes (sorry International Fanatics).  One entry per person.  Winner will be selected via random draw.  Winner must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen. Prize will ship after the launch date, September 15th, 2011.

End Date: Entries will be accepted until Tuesday September 13th at 11:59pm EST.  Any entries after that time will not count.

Check out my Zoya Gems & Jewels Holiday 2011 Nail Polish Collection review to see swatches of what you could win.

***This giveaway is now closed. A winner has been chosen at random. Please check your email for notification.***

Good luck Fanatics! And thank you to Zoya for offering this exciting giveaway.

Zoya Holiday/Winter 2011 Gems & Jewels Collection – Jewelry for Nails! Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new jewel toned metallic shimmer polishes and 3 glitzy, glitter glazes (featuring unique bar glitter) for an extra special holiday and winter 2011 season! I know it’s barely September and it seems too early to be talking Holiday but when I saw these beauties at Cosmoprof North America I just KNEW you would adore them as much as I do. Zoya is upping the ante in terms of glitter and glam this season by introducing three bold jewel tone polishes with three coordinating glitters that contain fun, fringe-like particles. Thanks to my friends at Zoya we have an early look at the collection and later today you will have a chance to win a full set Gems & Jewels.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant. Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing. The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

The three metallic shimmers are all nice and thin but filled with pigment. They are such a dream to apply. I barely needed two coats of each color to get them opaque. The metallic pigment does mean the polish can show some brush marks but if you have a steady hand and use thin coats, that shouldn’t be an issue.

The three glitter glazes are all clear based glitters that need multiple (3-4 coats) to become opaque which makes them perfect for layering. The glitters do dry with a LOT of texture so be prepared to apply multiple coats of top coat or deal with some bumpiness. Application Tip: The bar glitter applies randomly and can hang over the edge of the nail. Run the pad of your finger at an angle under the nail to push back the particles and prevent rough edges. Removal Tip: All glitters are a bother no matter which method you use (foil, felt, etc) but I find that applying a coat of clear polish or top coat helps liquefy the layers.

Zoya Holly is an electric evergreen shimmer. This is a green for the girl who wants to stand out because this color will certainly get you noticed. You know how I feel about greens and anything in the emerald family captures my heart. Holly has shade siblings in Sally Hansen Emerald City and Sinful San Francisco though Holly has more richness and depth of color. Plus neither one has half the opacity.

Glitter Glazes over Zoya Holly (top to bottom): Zoya Kissy, Zoya Rina and Zoya Twila. Zoya Rina has a clear base that is packed with bright green micro-glitter that looks like dust mixed with straight, tinsel-esque glitter that flashes both blue and green.

Rina is the obvious choice to layer over Holly but Twila makes for a really unique combination. My mom actually has this Christmas tree that she decorates with blue lights and ornaments and that combo reminds me of it. Rina over Holly doesn’t really jazz me. It feels like Christmas threw up on my nail.

Zoya Izzy is a hot raspberry pink shimmer. Think of it as a darker version of OPI Kinky in Helsinki. On its own the color didn’t do much for me. I appreciate the vibrancy but don’t really gravitate towards these types of shades. However, once I added the Kissy glitter top coat, I was into it.

Glitter Glazes over Zoya Izzy (top to bottom): Zoya Twila, Zoya Kissy and Zoya Rina. Zoya Kissy has a clear base that is packed with bright pink micro-glitter that looks like dust mixed with straight, tinsel-esque pink & holographic glitter.

Kissy and Izzy were made for each other and using them together is the best combo either color could be a part of. The holo glitter really stands out in this layering combination and Izzy comes alive thanks to the pink micro-glitter. It makes it look as though Izzy is a glitter polish with holo tinsel glitter layered on top. It’s a seamless partnership.

I’m convinced that Twila looks good over everything being that I really dig it over Izzy. Rina looks better over Izzy than Kissy looked over Holly so if you’re going for a pink/green combo, I would opt for this combo.

Zoya Noel is a moody blue that made me immediately think of Zoya Crystal from the Holiday/Winter 2010 Flame collection. Outside of the finish differences and the gold flakes, Crystal’s base is a little more icy than Noel but they are definitely in the same denim blue color family.

Glitter Glazes over Zoya Noel (top to bottom): Zoya Rina, Zoya Twila and Zoya Kissy. Zoya Twila has a clear base that is packed with bright blue micro-glitter that looks like dust mixed with straight, tinsel-esque glitter that flashes both green and blue.

Twila over Noel amps up the smoky base color while Rina creates a mermaid-esque effect. Kissy looks out of place which leads me to think that Kissy is really best over its partner shade Izzy or something not part of this collection, like silver, black, etc.

I also layered all three glitters over a silver foil so you can see the composition of the glitter glazes better. Apparently my Zoya Trixie, a silver foil, has gone missing so I used Orly Shine.

Glitter Glazes over Orly Shine (top to bottom): Zoya Twila, Zoya Rina and Zoya Kissy. Twila over silver has a very wintry look that would be perfect for New Year’s Eve or Chanukkah. Rina doesn’t stand out as much with a silver background and Kissy reminds me of peppermint candy.

Bottom Line: Loving Holly is a no-brainer for me and Noel definitely get two thumbs up. I raved over Crystal last season because of the gold flakes but just as much because of its cool base color. Noel is like the non-glittery version of that. Izzy doesn’t make me jump up in down except when paried with Kissy. The top coats are all very fun and a departure from what other salon and prestige brands have been doing and I like that Zoya took the guesswork out of layering by putting together a collection of shades that work well together. The texture of the glitters can feel a little odd, especially if you love high gloss shine, but that’s the nature of the beast.

Zoya Gems & Jewels for Holiday/Winter 2011 launches on September 15th, 2011 but you can secure your shades during the pre-order that starts today. Zoya nail polishes are available online at Zoya.com and at salons nationwide including ULTA. Visit the Zoya Salon Locator for a retailer near you. Zoya nail polishes retail for$8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

What do we think of the Gems & Jewels polishes? Which base color is your favorite? Are you loving the bar glitter in the glitter glazes? What is your favorite layering combo? Do you plan to get the whole set or just pieces?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

From olive to hunter, military inspired designs and colors dominated the Fall 2011 runway shows. Those shades came straight off the models and into nail polish bottles in a number of the fall collections.

Over the next couple weeks I’ll be walking you through the big nail polish trends for the season, showing you the newest shades to hit the market and the old school colors you may already own that will get your nail style ready for fall.

The New Class (Fall 2011 Release) – all polishes are shown using two coats

Laying down: MAC Fatigues & Deborah Lippmann Billionaire. Standing: China Glaze Westside Warrior, Color Club Artsy Crafty, Finger Paints Military Green, Butter London Wallis, OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window & Cult Nails In A Trance. Top Row: Zoya Yara & Zoya Dree

Butter London Wallis ($14, butterLondon.com, Beauty.com, ULTA, Nordstrom) is a metallic olive green that leans heavily towards gold. The base is a dark olive but the green-gold flakes floating on the surface give this colors a foil-like finish.

China Glaze Westside Warrior ($3, Head2ToeBeauty, TransDesign. $6, Sally Beauty) reminds me of castelvetrano olives. I only recently discovered these buttery gems through a friend and I’m obsessed. My only complaint with Westside Warrior is that the formula wasn’t up to par. It was pigmented but a little goopy and hard to work with.

Color Club Artsy Crafty ($8, ShopColorClub.com) is a lush forest green with a greyed underbelly that gives it some grit.

Cult Nails In A Trance ($10, CultNails.com) is a browned olive green shimmer. The satiny finish and old world charm hearkens back to medieval tapestries or royal gowns.

Deborah Lippmann Billionaire ($16, DeborahLippmann.com, Barneys, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom) is the darkest of the fall green offerings. It’s as if you took a vivid hunter green and drabbed it out with a touch of brown and black. The color was used at the Lela Rose F/W 2011 show and it’s got this great jelly consistency that is packed with pigment.

Finger Paints Military Green ($4.99, SallyBeauty.com) honestly looks terrible in the bottle. It was kind of yellowish, like baby poo or something but on the nail, LOVE! It’s reminiscent of Essie Sew Psyched or Chanel Khaki Vert and applies flawlessly on the nail.

MAC Fatigues ($15, MACCosmetics.com) is part of the MAC Me Over! collection and what I love about it is that it’s not as yellow based as the other colors in this category. It’s more cool tone friendly.

OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window ($8.50,OPI.com for locations) is a vivid olive hue. I know the words feel wrong together but I’ve been calling it a bright drab. The name is the only thing that bothers me. Even though, at my core, I’m a 12 year old boy with a love for potty humor, mixing that with something in the beauty world doesn’t sit right with me.

Zoya Dree ($8, Zoya.com) is the darkened version of OPI Uh-Oh. They definitely live in the same neighborhood, go to the same school and may even share some classes together.

Zoya Yara ($8, Zoya.com) – Okay so I have this sweater that I refuse to get rid of even though it’s so out of style it’s not even funny. The reason I keep it, it looks exactly like Yara! It’s this yellow-based green knit hoodie that has small golden threads woven throughout. Now that I have a polish to match it, why would I donate it?

The OG’s – The “Original (Military) Greens” in my stash

Not all of these shades are still available but if you have them in your nail wardrobe, now is the time to rock ‘em.

Laying down: NARS Mash & Rescue Beauty Lounge No More War Standing: Essie Sew Psyched, Chanel Khaki Vert, American Apparel Hunter, Zoya Gemma, Rescue Beauty Lounge Diddy Mow, Illamasqua Hectic, NARS Platoon

Best colors to pair with Military Greens – Berry, gold, pewter, camel

Thoughts on the Military Green nail color trend? Did your faves make the cut? Which new colors do you plan to pick up? Are there any readily available shades that I missed that we should know about?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for butter LONDON, China Glaze, Color Club, Cult Nails, Deborah Lippmann, Finger Paints, MAC, OPI and Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. “We’re having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave” I don’t know what the weather is like in your part of the world but right now if feels like Cleveland is on fire! Maybe I’m overreacting just a touch, or a LOT, but I don’t work well with extreme temps. You know how most people either fall into two categories, “freeze baby” or “little heater”, I’m neither. I think I’m part reptile or something though heat effects me more drastically than the cold. I turn the color of a beet in high heat. I even have to ask for cool water to be added to the pedicure tub to avoid my feet turning the color of cooked lobsters. Since I’ll undoubtedly be a crimson, not golden, goddess while these extreme temps continue, I may as well join the fiery party with a scorching hot nail polish shade. Today’s selection is Zoya Kimmy from the Summer 2011 Sunshine collection.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant.  Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

Zoya Kimmy is a foil glitter so the formula is thin, slightly jelly-ish and semi-sheer to keep the particles suspended. Though in spite of all that it gives great coverage. I used two coats and while I could see my smile line if I REALLY looked for it, no one else would ever notice.

Zoya Kimmy has a bright red-orange base with gold and red foil glitter. It has this intensity to it that’s like molten lava with the little gold sparkles representing the random bursts of flame that rise from the surface. What’s funny is that even though I’m enamored with this color I assumed that with all the reds living in my stash, there HAS to be a dupe.

We’ve seen foil glitters from everyone and their mother in the  past couple years. And you would think that OPI has produced just about every red imaginable between their core line and dozens of holiday collections. Alas, I came up empty handed. Like I couldn’t even come up with anything close. If a dupe exists, I either gave it away or never owned it.

Bottom Line: It takes a rare red to surprise me. Most of them are so been there, done that. Cherry, tomato, wine, crimson. Creme, shimmer, glitter, etc. One of the reasons I’m generally not a red fan is because I feel like I’ve seen them all. Then along comes a color like Kimmy and I promptly insert pedicured foot in mouth. What I love about Kimmy is that it’s a great summer bright that isn’t, you know, BRIGHT, and it’s a foil that doesn’t take 3-4 coats. You hit this one out of the ball park Zoya. Well done!

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: This one is so Unsolved Mysteries, isn’t it? STASH!

Zoya Kimmy is available as part of the Zoya Sunshine collection at salons and spas nationwide including ULTA and online at Zoya.com. Zoya nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Thoughts on our girl Kimmy here? What was the last nail polish outside your preferred color range that surprised you? Do you plan to add Kimmy to your own stash?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Independence Day is on Monday so it’s a holiday weekend here in the US and one of my favorite holidays of the year. It’s not that I’m ultra-patriotic, though I do love my country, I just love the fireworks, cookouts and parties that the weekend tends to bring. One of my blends (blog friends) is having a birthday/housewarming/4th of July party and my neighborhood is having a block party so the weekend should be lots of fun. I’m sure the boyfriend and I will catch a movie at some point as well. I REALLY want to see Midnight In Paris. I recently purchased a grey jersey top with some lace details on the sleeves that I adore so I decided to pair it with a fun purple polish. I’ve been curious about Zoya Mira from the Zoya Summertime collection and since I’ve been on such a glitter kick of late, I thought a gorgeous, glossy creme would make for a nice change of pace.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant.  Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

The consistency of Zoya polishes tends to lean more towards watery than creamy but Mira fell somewhere in the middle. It is a well pigmented purple that provides full coverage in two coats. And while it has a nice flow I must note that it doesn’t self level. I left an uneven stroke on my middle finger and I had to add a third layer of polish to achieve a smooth finish.

Zoya Mira is mid-range grape creme. It walks the line between those “too red” and “too blue” purples and, to my eye, is a lighter version of my signature color, Rescue Beauty Lounge Mismas. I’ll call it Mismas Lite.

Of course being the purple fanatic that I am, I had to go in search of its stash cousins and came up with Barielle Grape Escape and the aforementioned RBL Mismas.

As you can see Mismas is quite a bit darker than Mira but definitely of the same breeding stock. Grape Escape is as close a relative as I could find though it has just a slight bit more red in its base. They are similar enough to not need both though Zoya definitely has one up on this Barielle in terms of formula and opacity.

Bottom Line: Mira gives great coverage and the formula is good despite the leveling issue. If you are looking for a bright, true purple creme, this will satiate you. Though if you already own Barielle Grape Escape I would give Mira a pass unless GE was a bit too red for your taste.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I’m STASHing Mira and sending Grape Escape to the SHARE bin.

Zoya Mira is available now as part of the Zoya Summertime collection. Zoya nail polishes are available online at Zoya.com and at salons and spas nationwide including national chains like ULTA. Seasonal collection availability will vary by location. Nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Thoughts on Mira? Do you prefer the cremes of Zoya Summertime or the glitters of Zoya Sunshine? What was the last purple nail polish you wore? Do you have any fun plans for the weekend?

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. I’ve been on this odd beige neutrals kick lately. It all started with CND Perfectly Bare and Deborah Lippmann’s Naked and now Zoya comes out with the Touch collection, a specialty set of three undertone-matching beige polishes with a subtle shimmer. Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new, full coverage nude creams – softly kissed with a bit of metallic to make them ultra wearable. It’s so not my color personality but there’s just something about wearing a full coverage neutral that feels so fresh and clean in this sticky summer heat. I honestly don’t know what’s become of me but I don’t see this trend of mine dying off anytime soon.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant.  Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

While the Zoya formula can be somewhat watery, the Touch collection polishes are all very creamy and thick with pigment. They are still spreadable and self leveling so the thickness isn’t an issue. I was able to get all three colors opaque in two coats which is impressive for such light colors.

Zoya Minka is a yellow based beige with silvery micro-shimmer. Think of it as a light sand. The same shimmer appears in all three polishes and it isn’t overly visible. It gives the polish a sheen and adds depth to the color. Minka is intended for warmer complexions and olive skin tones.

Zoya Pandora is a blush toned beige with silver micro-shimmer. This color reads more pink than beige and will work well with cool skin tones.

Zoya Shay is a peachy beige with silver micro-shimmer. I consider peach a neutral in that it blends both cool pink and warm orange. Yes, some peach colors can lean too far either way to make them unwearable for certain skin tones but Shay fall nicely in the middle. It’s a color that will flatter a majority of people.

Bottom Line: Zoya Minka did absolutely nothing for my coloring but the other two are quite lovely. I appreciate that Zoya took undertones into consideration and created polishes that coordinate with our coloring rather than trying to match every conceivable skin tone. Also, I love the great coverage these polishes give and the way the micro-shimmer adds a sheen but doesn’t cross over into frosty/pearly territory. If you’re looking for the perfect beige neutral, you should definitely check these out.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: Minka made me look too sallow so SHARE. And while Pandora is pretty, I know my beige phase will pass so I’m only STASHing one of the three and that’s Shay.

The Zoya Touch collection is available now on Zoya.com. Zoya nail polish is carried at salons and spas nationwide and at chains like ULTA. Seasonal collection availability will vary by location. Nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Am I the only one that has recently fallen victim of the neutrals trend? Thoughts on the Touch collection colors? Which one do you think would work best with your skin tone? Do you prefer to compliment your skin tone or match it perfectly (ie Mannequin Hands)?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Matte nail polish reemerged on the nail polish scene in 2009 and regardless of how you feel about the gloss-less look, I’ve always said there is one major benefit to matte; dry time. If you’re a girl on the go, the super speedy drying power of mattes can save you from leaving the house with naked nails. Before you even hit the door, your nails are smudge-proof. I’m genetically predisposed to being fifteen minutes late wherever I go thanks to my perpetually late mother. Okay so lateness isn’t an inherited trait, it’s a case of nurture not nature, but I consistently find myself grabbing for a matte minutes before I dash out of the house. Even if it’s only to cover up my swatching nails, creating what I call “nail blogger skittles.” Such was the case when I applied Zoya Phoebe from the recently released ModMatte collection.

Formula & Application: Zoya matte nail polish is 4-Free (including formaldehyde resin) and does not contain camphor which can be an irritant. The ModMattes come in a brushed glass bottle with a tapered, frosted black cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

I was sent the set of mini ModMattes and while they are half the size of regular Zoya bottles, the cap is almost as big as its full size sibling. The major difference is the brush. It’s about a quarter inch longer and thinner than the regular Zoya brush. What I found interesting is that as you wipe the brush against the bottle neck, it becomes flat which makes for an easy application. Considering that a lot of minis don’t apply as well as their full size counterparts, this was a happy discovery.

The formula of matte polishes can make them unforgiving in regards to application. Any uneven brush strokes or nail imperfections (ie ridges) will be reflected in the final product. The ModMatte polishes apply pretty thin but for me that meant an extra coat. While I can normally get away with two coats with matte polish, I ended up needing three coats of Phoebe. A thicker application would fix that but it could result in a lumpy finish.

Matte nail polish application tips: Apply on a dry, bare nail. Base coat can prolong wear but you must wait until it is completely dry to avoid streaking. To maintain the matte finish, avoid hand lotion and oils. Add a glossy top coat to change up the look and extend wear.

Zoya Phoebe is an electrified blue shimmer that comes about as close to neon you can get without entering DayGlo territory. The subtle shimmer gives the polish a more satin finish and prevents it from looking like flat wall paint.

Adding a layer of glossy top coat really brings the shimmer to life. Though a thin top coat, like Out The Door, doesn’t dry as high gloss as usual. It has a slight satin edge, as if you buffed the finish a bit. A second layer or a thick top coat like Seche Vite would remedy this but I kind of like it without the wet look of a traditional top coat.

Bottom Line: Considering that the majority of matte polishes have been dark and moody, the fun, summery ModMatte brights are refreshing. Phoebe is unique and vivid with a lot of depth which makes it a great buy whether or not you love a matte nail. Wear it matte when you’re in a rush and add a glossy top coat later to change up your look without having to drag out the remover.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: I don’t have a matte anything like this color so I’m STASHing it.

Zoya Phoebe and the rest of the ModMatte collection is available at salons and spas nationwide. Locate a salon near you or purchase online at Zoya.com. Zoya ModMatte nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle or pick up the ModMatte Mini Trio for $15 for three .25oz bottles. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.

Thoughts on Phoebe and the ModMattes? Are you still wearing matte nail polishes? If so, are you wearing them matte or with a glossy top coat? Has anyone tried a matte pedicure? I would love to know how long it lasted.

Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.

Don’t miss your chance to try the Zoya “French Twist” manicure I posted about yesterday for FREE.

Try the Zoya “French Twist” manicure created by Haven Spa for the Joy Cioci presentation at NYFW! For a limited time with any** purchase (excluding Zoya Color Spoons) on Zoya.com you get Zoya Nail Polish in Caitlin and Zoya Nail Polish in Dove for free!! Just enter the code ZB52 when you check out! These trend setting spring colors are MUST have in any collection! This offer is only good until Monday May 23 (11:59PM EST)! Act now and try the “twist” everyone is talking about!

*Online only, cannot be combined with any other offer , promotion or coupon. US ONLY. Promotion ends Monday May 23 at 11:59 PM EST. Offer good for 1(one) open stock .5 oz bottle of Zoya Caitlin and 1(one) .5oz bottle Zoya Dove with the purchase of any NON-SPOON item on Zoya.com. Art of Beauty Inc. will not honor promotions that are submitted after promotion has ended – No exceptions. No exchanges. No returns. Worst case scenario please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Comments, videos and pictures posted about this Zoya Nail Polish Exchange outside of Zoya.com or zoyanailpolish.blogger.com are not representative of the opinions of Zoya Nail Polish, Art of Beauty, Inc., Qtica and Qtica Smart Spa and we do not confirm the accuracy of any postings. Customers are responsible for maintaining active accounts. If username or password have been lost we (Art of Beauty, Inc.) are not responsible for restoring accounts or giving out any account information. S/H not included.

**offer excludes Zoya Color Spoons.

365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to. Today I’m recreating a look straight from the NYFW runways. Over the past few years Zoya has become quite a presence at Fashion Week and during the Fall 2011 shows they came up with a look they’re calling the “French Twist.” Using two polishes from the Spring 2011 Intimate Collection, I tested my freehand skills polishing a French tip.  Keep reading to see how it turned out.

Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant.  Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing.  The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.

The Zoya formula is thin with a good self-leveling flow. Both shades were pigmented enough that I only needed two medium coats to achieve full coverage. One thing to consider with Zoya nail polishes is that they do not play well with top coats containing CELLULOSE ACETATE BUTYRATE (e.g. Seche Vite) so I’ve found the best wear comes from using their Color Lock System.  For other top coats that contain ingredient, refer to my Zoya Ivanka Wear Test post.

At Fall 2011 Fashion Week, Zoya partnered with Haven Spa in NYC to sponsor the Joy Cioci show. The nail team created a “French Twist” manicure using Zoya Caitlin as the base color with Zoya Dove for the French tip. As we discussed last week, I’m not on board with traditional French manicures but a colored French like this one gets my stamp of approval. I decided to put my own “twist” on the French Twist by alternating Dove and Caitlin on my nails.

Zoya Caitlin is a purple based medium grey creme. I like to think of it as a greyed periwinkle. Compared to all those dark purple/grey/taupe mixes we saw last fall, Caitlin is a breath of fresh air. It has depth and character and feels spring-y without being a typical pastel or bright. I know everyone raved about Zoya Kelly from the Wonderful collection but I much prefer Caitlin for its uniqueness.

Zoya Dove is just as the name implies, a dove grey creme though to my eye it has a bit of a putty-ish undertone. It feels somewhat industrial because it reminds me of rubber coated electric cords. Back when I reviewed RGB Dove someone suggested Zoya Dove as a possible dupe. Zoya’s version isn’t as light as RGB’s. I’d say it falls somewhere between RGB Dove and Orly Mirror Mirror.

Now you’re going to have to give me a little leeway with my French tip skills as I rarely use them. I could have, and probably should have, used scotch tape or guides but I wasn’t feeling patient enough to wait for the polish to completely dry before adding the tip color. I would show you my index and thumb fingers but they were my guinea pig nails and the smile lines are all sorts of messed up.

Bottom Line: Zoya Caitlin is a total must-have in my opinion. The formula, pigmentation and color are all A+ worthy. Dove is also a beauty and well formulated but not as unique. If you’ve been all over the grey trend for the past few years you probably have something similar in your stash.

365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: There’s no question I’m STASHing Caitlin but I’m on the fence about Dove. I’ll probably keep it for the simple fact that it pairs so well with Caitlin. Together they’re kind of a mani/pedi dream team.

Zoya Caitlin and Dove are available now on Zoya.com as part of the Spring 2011 Intimate Collection. You can also find Zoya at salons like ULTA. Zoya nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Also, if you aren’t following Zoya on Facebook and Twitter, get on it. They offer giveaways and specials to their fans on a pretty regular basis.

***EDITED TO ADD – PROMO ALERT!!! From now through Monday May 23rd at 11:59PM EST you can get FREE bottles of Caitlin and Dove with any purchase (excluding Color Spoons) on Zoya.com.  Use code ZB52 at checkout. ***

Are  you loving Caitlin and Dove? If you don’t already own them, do you plan to pick up either one? What do you think of the “French Twist” manicure? What is your favorite colored French combo?

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.