Zoya Wishes Gradients

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Hey y'all.  Quick post today!  While I was swatching the Zoya Wishes collection I thought I'd do gradients using the cream shade with its corresponding Pixie Dust shade. 

Haven & Thea

Prim & Nori

Willa & Imogen

This took all of a few minutes.  I just used 2 coats of each base color, top coat, then haphazardly slopped the PixieDust on the tips straight from the brush.  Proof that you can have cute nails without it taking a lot of time.

These are now currently available on Zoya.com for $9ea(standard colors) or $10(PixieDust colors)..... or $57 for the entire sampler set.

Zoya Wishes - Review & Swatches

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Hey y'all!  Today I have the Winter/Holiday collection from Zoya to show off.  With the stress of the holidays, and believe me I'm feeling it, I think it's appropriately named.  Who doesn't have a ton of Wishes around this time?

This collection has 3 basic shades and 3 Magical PixieDust shades.  The different textures work together as you can see in the collage above.  On Friday I'll have a post of them used together, but for now keep reading for more on these....

Haven - Can be best described as a true holiday plum liquid metal with a thin vein of orchid.  This is definitely a plum metallic.  It is amazing how it looks brighter where the light hits it & darker where it doesn't.  So pretty.

Thea - Can be best described as a deep amethyst Magical Pixie Dust with an orchid flash packed full of holographic hex glitters.  This is like sparkly grape Kool-Aid.  

 Willa - Can be best described as a full-coverage, densely pigmented onyx black cream.  Originally released as "Black Swan" during Zang Toi's NYFW SS15 show.  I don't have Raven to compare this to, but to me this is like a smokey black cream jelly hybrid (aka crelly).  Didn't think I'd really care for this, but I actually like it. 

Imogen - Can be best described as a black crystal Magical PixieDust with holographic hex glitter.  This would be cute to use as a gag "lump of coal" gift.  Because at least then it is sparkly!

Prim - Can be best described as a velvet blue metallic with a full coverage, high density pigment.  It makes me think of acid washed jeans.  It's totally wintery, icy, blue though.  

Nori - Can be best described as a sapphire blue Magical PixieDust with holographic hex glitter.  Makes me think of glassy blue water with floating holo glitters.  

I used 2 coats for each of these and only used top coat on the standard shades.  I was kinda sad that the PixieDusts didn't seem to mattify like they have in previous collections....or was it just me?  

I'd also like to apologize for the reflection of the lightbox on my pictures of Willa.  I realized later that was happening and switched back to my other box.  

These are now currently available on Zoya.com for $9ea(standard colors) or $10(PixieDust colors)..... or $57 for the entire sampler set.

China Glaze - Apocalypse of Colour

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Hey y'all!  Run for your life this Halloween as China Glaze unleashes the Apocalypse of Colour.  Design an immortal manicure fit for the undead with this mix of scary shimmers, ghoulish glitters and terrifying top coats.  Create a spine-chilling look with the six-piece limited edition collection, all the way down to your fingertips and toes.  Apocalypse of Colour features 5 new shimmers and glitters, and the re-release of Ghoulish Glow glow-in-the-dark top coat.

I didn't swatch Ghoulish Glow since I did that last year, along with some nail art.  You can see that post HERE.   SO lets get to the swatches. 

without top coat

with top coat

But of Corpse - 2 coats of this slimey metallic green with black specks of glitter.  It looks and feels textured, though it's not marketed as a texture polish, so you'll need a thick top coat if you want it smooth.  

Don't Let The Dead Bite - 3 coats were needed here.  This has a sheer, milky, almost pink base with red hex & bar glitters.  You may or may not, depending on your preferences, want to layer this over a base color.  I wanted to show it alone here, so I didn't.  I won't gross you out by saying what I think it looks like, but it's pretty awesome.

without top coat

with top coat

Getting To Gnaw You - Similar in texture to But of Corpse, this needed 2 coats.  It's a black base/texture slammed full of copper/orange glitters.  I want to say they've done something similar before, but I'm not 100% sure.  Though I don't think it had a textured feel to it.  I did use 2 layers of top coat on the bottom swatch, so you can look above and see what a difference it makes.

without top coat

with top coat

I Love Your Guts - 2 coats.  China Glaze calls this "blood red with specks of black", but to me it looks more metallic red.  You know how some metallic reds come off more pink?  Yeah, that's what this reminds me of.  This also has that "texture" look and feel to it that can be used with or without top coat.

Look at that holo with the blur.

Rest In Pieces - This is 1 coat layered over Naughty & Nice from a previous Holiday collection.  RIP has a clear base and is slammed full of copper, gold, and black hex & bar glitters.  There are also some silver holo glitters mixed in to make it interesting.  Because I used a darker base the black glitters are hidden, but they are in there.  

I want to apologize for not getting these up sooner, I just got them around the middle of last week & rushed to at least get them up before Halloween.  While I do like these, I'm a bit disappointed in all of them as well.  I feel like China Glaze could have used Ghoulish Glow as an addition to the collection rather than re-release it as part of it.  3 of the 6 have the texture feel to them, even though they aren't marketed that way, and require either a really thick top coat like Gelous or 2+ coats of any top coat to smooth them out.  Don't Let The Dead bite actually didn't look appealing at first, but once I put it on my nails I loved it.  

Have you bought any of these yet?

China Glaze® nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores
nationwide. For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on
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Pinterest (pinterest.com/chinaglaze).

Zoya Oswin vs Zoya Chyna

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Hey y'all!  So as I was swatching the Fall Ultra PixieDusts, I noticed that Oswin may be similar to Chyna, from a previous collection.  I couldn't have been more wrong....so I did a comparison for y'all. 

You can click on the links above to see swatches.  Other than the collage above, I'm going to just have macro shots in the remainder of this post.

Oswin - Not only does this have the "mega hex" glitters, which Chyna doesn't have, but it looks a little more of a berry red.  

Chyna - In the macro, this does look like Oswin minus the "mega hex" glitters.  However, if you look at the collage above you can see that this is almost a blackened red. 

I feel the differences are enough to warrant buying both, if you happen to want both.  I like Oswin, but I think I like Chyna better. :X

These are both available on Zoya.com for $10ea.

ZOYA Fall 2014 ULTRA PIXIEDUST - Swatches

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Hey y'all!  Today I have some new pixie dusts to share.  I will totally admit that I was initially skeptical and unsure as to how I would feel about these.  Even when I got them in the mail, I thought they looked super similar.  However as soon as I swatched them, and even when I started editing pictures, I noticed the HUGE differences.

While these are total vampy shades, they scream more "holiday" than "fall" to me.  so lets get a better look at them.  I've also included some macro's from my phone so you can see them up close & personal.

Arianna - Can be best described as a blue-toned red wine PixieDust with mega hex particles.  I don't think I came up with a complete description of this.  My notes read "raspberry pink wine jelly base with glitters & texture".  Either description works.  

Noir - Can be best described as a deep, vampy plum textured PixieDust with red mega hex particles.  The grape jelly base in this makes the glitters look more fuchsia than red.  

Oswin - Can be best described as a true red textured PixieDust with crimson mega hex sparkles.  Pretty basic, red base with red glitter and texture.  Though it seems that the texture is a little bit stronger in this one than the other two.

These were all 3 coaters, for me, without top coat as usual.  If you're unsure as how to apply, Zoya has a video up HERE showing you the best way.  These don't feel as chunky and thick as the previous PixieDusts with the larger glitters.  Arianna and Noir seem more wet, but I feel like I didn't wait any longer for Oswin to dry so I'm not sure why it looks drier than the others.  

You'd think Oswin is close to Chyna, but it's not.  I'll actually have a comparison of the two up soon.  

Do you have these yet?  Which ones do you want?

These are now currently available on Zoya.com for $10ea. or $30 for the trio

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