NOTD: Essie Peak Show

With winter lingering around for another month or so, I thought it was the perfect time to write a review of one of the polishes released this season.

NOTD: Zoya Kennedy

 

When Zoya’s Feel collection (Winter 2011) first came out, I told myself that I didn’t need it. After all, I already had lots of creamy pastel shades.

This collection features pigmented neutrals that look opaque after only a coat or two. Each time I saw swatches of the polishes, I admired their smooth creamy colours and shiny finishes. The blues, greys, and nudes were pretty but one shade, Kennedy, was my favourite of the group.

In most photos, it looked like the typical pastel pink shade with maybe a hint of pink. I debated whether I needed another polish like this and eventually forgot about Kennedy as new collections were released. 

Recently, I purchased some Zoya polishes and remembered to add Kennedy to my shopping basket. I’m really glad that I did as this shade offers so much more than I expected.

Kennedy is not just a pastel pink. Zoya describes it as a “pale, french beige cream”, but, on my nails, it looks like a creamy mocha latte with a splash of lilac. The pictures in this post really do the colour justice and show the unique shade of this polish. It looks great against my cool toned skin and doesn’t pull any red or ruddy tones.

Zoya gives Kennedy a rating of 5/5 for opacity, and accurately so. After two coats, this polish was perfectly opaque. I added a third coat for the photos but it was not necessary. Despite being a bit thick like all Zoya polishes, Kennedy applied very smoothly and did not streak. It also dried quickly and lasted for six days without chipping.

While Kennedy is marketed as a “winter neutral,” I have no doubts that it will be a perfect shade to wear year round.

Gorgeous Glitter Polishes: China Glaze Snow Globe & Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe

With the winter holidays just around the corner, everyone’s looking for a little sparkle. Snow Globe from China Glaze and Deborah Lippmann’s Across the Universe are perfect glitter polishes for the holiday season and year round.



Snow Globe
Snow Globe is exactly as its name implies. Pastel pink, blue, purple, green, and yellow glitter particles float in a clear jelly base. The result is a magical composition that looks great on bare nails, over a white base, and overtop a dark polish (see photos below).

My favourite aspect of this polish is the way that it is the perfect shade to wear for many different holidays, not just the ones that take place in December. Aside from their resemblance to a glimmering snow globe, the multi-coloured glitters look like the sweet sprinkles in a funfetti cake mix that is always a popular birthday treat. The pastel shades also remind me of Easter eggs and Valentine’s Day heart candies.

The glitter in this polish is not only eye-catching; it applies smoothly and looks great after one coat or many. It’s a great compliment to any nail polish collection in need of something unique, and, with its neutral base, Snow Globe looks great over many other colours.



Snow Globe (3 coats)


Snow Globe (2 coats) over Zoya Snow White (2 coats)


Snow Globe (2 coats) over China Glaze VIII (2 coats)


Across the Universe

Where I live, it has become popular to incorporate shades of blue into strings of red, white, and green outdoor Christmas lights. This primary colour gives a modern accent to traditional colours, as well as an unexpected twist. Across the Universe, with its sky blue and green hexagonal glitter particles, is glimmering Christmas lights at their finest. The mini blue glitters give the shade depth and add texture to the navy-tinted jelly base.

This shade is very versatile as the polish takes on a new look after each coat (see photos below). The glitter particles look like shiny sea glass in crystal blue water after just one coat. The second coat adds a bit of dimension and a touch of darkness. After three coats, the polish on the nails is identical to the colour in the bottle. It looks rich and glassy like twinkling Christmas lights on a December evening.

The formula of this polish is truly luxurious. It glides on like silk and looks even and finished after only one coat. Across the Universe also contains nail-loving ingredients such as Aucoumea, Biotin, and Green Tea, and is not tested on animals.



Across the Universe (1 coat)


Across the Universe ( 2 coats)


Across the Universe (3 coats)


Where to buy: Nail Polish Canada carries polishes from China Glaze, Deborah Lippmann, and many other brands.

Find Snow Globe here: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/products/snow-globe-by-china-glaze.html
Find Across the Universe here: http://www.nailpolishcanada.com/products/across-the-universe-by-deborah-lippmann.html

Please note that nailpolishcanada.com ships to the USA as well. They currently offer free shipping on Canadian orders over $25 and US orders over $50.

~Beauty Writer

*Although I was sent these products to try out and write a review on, all opinions are honest and are my own*

NOTD: Zoya Jaime

Zoya Jaime is my new favourite light pink polish. It’s unique because it’s not the typical light pink cream-finish polish; it has a bit of shimmer and is categorized by Zoya as a metallic polish. It’s also fairly opaque despite its light colour and shimmery finish. In fact, Zoya gives it a 3/5 for opacity. I used three coats of this colour in the photos below but could have gotten away with two.  Zoya describes this colour as a pale light milky rose pink with lilac tones and a strong pink pearl duochrome shimmer. I wouldn’t say that the duochrome is particularly strong but the polish does flash a lilac sheen in certain lights. It is a milky colour that almost looks jelly-like, giving the nails that squishy, marshmallow effect. Overall, it’s a perfect colour for Spring, Summer, and year round!

*click photos to enlarge*