Falling Forward Nail Art Challenge: Day 5 - Fall Gradient/Ombre

TGIF, everyone! WOO! I'm headed on a cruise for the weekend (literally, to nowhere), so I'll be MIA through Sunday. But I hope you all are excited for two days off!

The final task of the challenge was the Fall Gradient/Ombre nails! I wanted to do something a little less traditional, so I went searching through my polish drawers and was inspired by my various Zoya reds and purples.

I decided to do almost a fish scale gradient using Zoya Julianne, Jem, Sarah, and Reva. Reva is the base color and Julianne is the the tip. Originally, I had used Valerie as the tip but it's so hard to distinguish it from Jem that it didn't make enough of a difference. This is the mani in sunlight.

I found it to be very interesting when seen in indoor light because Reva and Sarah blend into each other nicely and Julianne sticks out significantly more. It has a nice warm glow to it!

LOVE IT!

Would this be something you try?

Princess Polish

Falling Forward Nail Art Challenge: Day 2 - Beachy/Tropical

Happy Hump Day!

Today's post features Day 2 of the Falling Forward Nail Art Challenging. I struggled a bit with the idea for my mani because I kept taking the theme very literally.

And then looking through my stash, I landed on Maisie Shine Aquarium and came up with an idea that I wound up adoring: a blue glitter gradient with just TWO different polishes and NO mixing!

 

I used two coats of Piggy Polish It's All About Blue, a pale blue creme polish, as a base. Then, starting slightly above the half moons of my nails, I brushed on a thin coat of Aquarium. I repeated the process, starting closer to the tip each time. 

This created a light to dark blue gradient, as well as a glitter gradient with a greater concentration of glitter at the tips. I love how this glimmers in the light, reminding me of seaweed and bubbles and fish swimming around the ocean. I'm kind of obsessed with this right now.

The best part of all is that I didn't need cosmetic sponges or color mixing or a crazy amount of clean up. This literally took me all of twenty-five minutes to paint on. Seriously.

So what do you think? Have any jelly glitters you might want to try this out with?

Princess Polish

Falling Forward Challenge: Day 1 - Neons

Good morning, polishaholics! Today, I'm beginning the Falling Forward Nail Art Challenge and am very excited. This is my first nail art challenge!

As you can see above, today's theme is neons!

I'm not a big fan of neons, so I had to do something that I would be willing to rock on a daily basis.

I went with a pale green base in Julep Courteney and used It's So Easy Stripe Rite paints in neon colors to make a stringy French manicure.

I really like how it turned out. The stripes remind me a bit of ocean ripples. And the muted green of Julep Courteney makes it a little less in-your-face.

Before we bid farewell, to summer neons, be sure to check out the posts of my fellow bloggers who are undertaking the challenge!

College Polished
Tall Girl in Heels
Nail Polish Anonymous
Peace Love Lacquer
DIY Polish
XO, Noelle
Galactic Lacquer
Princess Polish
Munchy's Nails
Pishposh and Polish
Beyond Beauty Lounge
Beauty Dish
Jilltastic Nail Design

Have a great rest of your Monday!
Princess Polish

Day 29: Zoya Ginger

Hi, everyone! I know this was a little delayed, but I promise it's going to be worth it. For Day 29, I've brought you all another guest blogger. But I will allow her to introduce herself...

Hi I’m Lisa from Cosmetic Sanctuary and I am so excited to do a guest blog post for Princess Polish!!

Zoya is definitely my first love when it comes to nail polish, when I started out as a new blogger Zoya was the very first company to send me samples to review (they sent their True and Fleck collection!), not only that, they have amazing promos throughout the year! 

Okay, onto the polish!

I chose to swatch Zoya Ginger.  At the time that I bought Ginger, I had absolutely NO orange polish in my collection and I wanted to fix that!  When I put it on, I fell in LOVE with it (and orange is NOT a color I usually love)!  Zoya Ginger is a gorgeous fiery orange with amazing gold shimmer throughout.  This is not a neon orange, but it is very vibrant!

I really don’t think Ginger gets enough love, I hadn’t even heard of it until I went into Zoya’s orange selection on their website looking to fill that gap in my polish collection!

Thank you so much Princess Polish for giving me a moment to post as a guest on your blog!  And for being so patient with me while waiting for this post (tax season is BRUTAL on those of us who work in accounting firms!)

A big thank you to my fellow blogger, Lisa, for writing up a post. I know orange is so "on-trend" right now and with Zoya Arizona being touted as one of the hotter shades of the summer, Ginger is poised to make a surge.

Ginger is available at Zoya.com for $8 and may also be available at your local Ulta, depending on your selection!

While you should be sure to check out Day 28's post to vote for the final day of the 30 Days of Zoya Challenge, I still have to ask you one last question.

So tell me...what Zoya orange appeals to you most?

Until later!
Princess Polish

Day 26: Zoya Breezi

I cannot convey how much I love this color. Most of the blues I own are iridescent, glittery, and/or dark. But I picked Breezi right off the bat when the Sunshine and Sparkle collections were released last summer. Honestly, I made an awesome decision.

Zoya Breezi is a GORGEOUS Dodger blue creme. And seriously, Dodger blue is a real name for a web color, which is actually different than the color blue the LA Dodgers actually wear on the uniforms. Look it up... it's uncanny.

This was with just two coats and it was absolutely opaque right off the bat. (See what I did there?)

So in honor of the Zoya Go Braugh giveaway for St. Patrick's Day, Day 27 is going to be the battle of the greens part deux: Dree v. Veruschka! Remember to vote both here and on the Facebook group for a chance to win two mystery Zoya polishes!

And keep an eye out for a special guest editor for Day 28!

Day 25: Zoya Petra

When I received the Smoke and Mirrors collection, there were three polishes in there I figured only my roommate would wear. One of them was Petra. But when I saw the shade on her nails, I could not believe how deceiving the color looked in the bottle.

Petra is a dusky gray creme with heavy purple undertones. In fact, it's a pretty wearable color for me, especially considering she was going into my share pile. The funny thing is that in toying around with my recent discovery that layering OPI DS Shimmer over anything and everything makes great polishes even more amazing, I found out how to make Petra a total showstopper.

How drool-worthy is THAT?

For Day 26, let's have a good 'ol battle of the blues: Kristen v. Breezi. Get to voting!

And don't forget to enter the Peter Som Collection Giveaway. Just three days left!

Happy Thursday!
Princess Polish

Day 23: Zoya Dannii

Though I don't own Zoya Danielle (due to its sheer, ballet slipper-like appearance), I like to take some creative license and consider Dannii another namesake.

I'm not going to lie. I waited a really long time to buy Dannii. When the Intimate Collection came out last spring, I dragged my heels. I wasn't in the pastel mood, not even for the much-hyped Gemma. But when the Zoya 2012 promo came out, I finally pulled the trigger and caved.

And boy am I happy I did.

Day 20: Zoya Savita

I have to come clean. I am not a fan of mattes at all. I'm a fan of eye-catching manicures and for me, the mattes don't do it for me.

HOWEVER, it seems that a lot of the mattes are highly pigmented with shimmer to give them a more interesting glow. It is for that reason I have come to embrace them as a polish trend with a flaw that I can fix easily. Whether it's in the form of a french using a glossy topcoat over the tips or if I slap Seche Vite over the whole nail, it doesn't particularly matter to me. As long as I can morph it into my little fantasy shade, then so be it. The fact that it naturally dries quicker doesn't hurt either.

My first foray into the mattes/suedes was with an OPI Ink Suede pedicure and while it turned our pretty, it chipped in two days. So that may be the only bone I have to pick with the trend that can easily be molded to my own expectations. For a busy person, durability is key.

That being said, I have found my two Zoya mattes to be long-lasting.

And here is the first…Zoya Savita is a blue-toned purple, though I wouldn't quite call her a purple. She does have quite the lovely glow about her and I do love that. But God knows, all I wanted to do was throw on a topcoat. So I did. *Exhales deeply* Ahh, much better. You can see the index and middle finger have a coat of Seche Vite over them and I really love the end result. It's like my middle ground between Mimi and Julieanne. And it's perfect.

And remember to check out Rock it for Relay, where you can bid on various nail polishes and nail polish jewelry, including a soon-to-be posted ring of Savita, for the American Cancer Society! And trust me, she's gorgeous!

So what do you think, ladies? Are you on the matte train? Or are you letting the train pass through the station?

In honor of the Superbowl, with my Giants taking on the Patriots, are you going to pick Tart for Big Blue (Giants) or Anja for the Patriots for Day 21?

Princess P

Day 19: Zoya Mira

When the Summer 2011 Collections were released, I went back and forth as to whether or not I want to purchase Mira. I'm a big fan of the blurples and love sparkle explosions like Mimi. But I had yet to own (!) a single purple creme. So I took the plunge and ordered this shade and have yet to be disappointed.



What is there to say about Mira, aside from the fact that she is gorgeous? I'm not a huge fan of reddish-purples, so this cooler toned shade was perfect for me. The application is magical and the wear is fabulous, per usual. Over eight months later, she is still the only purple creme I own and it doesn't look like that is changing any time soon.

Day 20 is going to be the Attack of the Mattes. Are you Team Veruschka or Team Savita?

Stay tuned for a BIG announcement, one that I have been hinting at for a few days now.

Until then!
Princess P

Day 18: Zoya Valerie

Why don't you come on over, Vaaaaaalerieeeee?!?

I love that song. BUT not nearly as much as I love this polish. I mean, I love sparkles. I love vampy colors. And I love duochromes. So Valerie fits the bill on all three. With a smooth as butter application, Valerie is everything you could ask for in a polish. At first glance, she is a deep shade of fuchsia shimmer.Then, with the slightest movement of your fingers, she's more of a dark magenta glass-flecked. Here, it's more of a garnet color, with the slightest hint of gold.And in this final picture, you can see just how much of a color shift there is. There's garnet, gold, fuchsia, and magenta all in one, just like in the bottle.

A TOTAL stunner.

Valerie and Jem are definitely cousins, as you can see from {Day 2'}s post. However, Jem is not really a duochrome. Though, I do love them both and you'll have to pry them out of my hands.

For Day 19, we're going to look ahead a few months. I personally am experiencing cold and dreary weather out here in New Jersey, so we're breaking out the summer shades! So what bright polish will you vote for: Breezi or Mira?

Until tomorrow!
Princess P

Day 17: Zoya Jo

Day 17: Zoya Jo

Sorry for the delay, folks! Between my camera deciding to die immediately after I uploaded my vacation photos, law school applications (good news is, it looks like I will be at some law school in the Fall), work, and whatnot, I have been facing many obstacles leading up to this post. But thankfully, it has arrived and I can continue the 30 Days of Zoya.

To give you all ample time to vote, I'm going to post the rest of the write-ups in the challenge every other day. IE: Mon, Wed, Fri, etc. In the interim, I will post other swatches!

So here was the New Years Manicure you all voted on… Zoya Jo!As you can see, Jo is a stunning periwinkle color. But the biggest surprise is that she's got a big kerpow in the form of silver glitter. Amazingly, Jo turned out a lot darker on the nail than in the bottle itself. But it was a pleasant surprise.

As part of my new-found love of all things flakie (I'm hoping to get my hands on the Mylars soon), I threw on a coat of Essie Shine of the Times to see if it would change things up a little bit.And while it was really hard to capture in the harsh light of my dorm room, it turned out better when I took the flash off. You can really see how it morphs the effect.

So what do you think, ladies? Are you on the flakie train?!?

Day 18 is going to be full of purple-tones: Valerie, Nimue, or Petra?

Until tomorrow!
Princess P

PS Be sure to vote in the Theme Thursday challenge too!

Day 16: Zoya Reva

Oh, Reva... how you have earned this one! *Sigh* Now she gets to ride off into the sunset with Prince Charming. (Who, in my mind, is the Prince Charming/James from Once Upon a Time, but I digress...)I'm so glad that Reva finally got the love that she deserves because she is gorgeous. A hot pink with gold glass flecks, Zoya Reva is an absolute stunner.
And here she is in the shade!

I really considered using this color for my holiday manicure, but chose to go with something a little more representative of Chanukah. Don't get me wrong, it's sparkly (which you know, I'm all in favor of), but I wanted to go against the trend of bright pink and red sparkles.

On the subject of the holidays, this will be my last Zoya post until the New Year, as I am traveling with my family on vacation. Our first stop will be Florida to visit my grandmother and then we're heading out on our third annual cruise (technically, cruise #5 for us… but the other two were spaced further apart). We'll be making stops in St. Thomas (I have been once and it is LITERALLY paradise), Antigua, Tortola, and the Bahamas.

I'm going to schedule posts through New Years Eve, but none will be Zoya. They'll be a hodgepodge of various nail art and swatches I have been collecting over the past few months for the occasion. But I promise, it's going to be pretty cool. Keep an eye out for a special post tomorrow for a giveaway that will run while I am gone, as my holiday present to you all!

As a result of my absence, I'm going to give you options for a New Years Day-themed Zoya post and please pick the polish you would most like to wear for a New Years Party: Charla, Mimi, Jo, Jana, Petra, Dree, Nimue, Tao, Kristen, Jo, Breezi, Mira, Colbie, Kotori, or Valerie?

I hope you all have a great holiday, whether it be Christmas, Chanukah, or Kwaanza and enjoy your vacations. I'll try to post pictures while I'm gone, if my iPhone (and Verizon) cooperate.

Lots of love,
Princess Polish

Day 15: Zoya Ibiza

We're officially halfway through and Ibiza really ran away with this one! Then again, I don't blame you ladies.
Zoya Ibiza is a deep, rich blue that reminds me of the ocean in the moonlight. Just the slightest hint of shimmer blended with a metallic finish!

Hands down, Ibiza is my favorite blue and per usual, the wear was fantastic.

Tomorrow's theme is going to be called "Always the Bridesmaid…" and it will feature Tao and Reva going head to head for your vote!

So what do you say, ladies? Which bridesmaid is finally going to find her Prince Charming? And who else hopes he's the Charming from ABC's Once Upon a Time?

Day 14: Zoya Yara

It literally came down to ONE vote that put Kermit and Yara on top of Miss Piggy and Reva. Poor Reva... always the bridesmaid and never the bride.

But I do happen to love Yara. I never thought this olivey color green was for me. I thought it would make my skin look yellow.But I must say that this is a much more flattering shade for me than I thought it would be. This type of army green is actually nice with my skin tone.

The gold glass flecks are the exact same color as the flecks in Neeka and I really dig them. SPARKLE SHOT!

So what do you think, ladies? Is Yara your shade of green? Or is there another Zoya you like more?

Lady Winter has reared her ugly head here in New Jersey, so for Day 15, pick from Breezi, Tao, and Ibiza!

Day 12: Zoya Neeka

Hi everyone! Sorry for the delay in posting... been having MAJOR issues with my camera card, so I had to reswatch some polishes tonight. It was kind of sad. :-(

BUT, luckily, I only lost a few and we're still on schedule to complete the 30 Days of Zoya before 12/20! Woot!

Anyway, here is Neeka!

Neeka is a beautiful gold-flecked purple that is an absolute showstopper. The gold flecks are so prominent, but not overpowering. Per usual, Zoya got it exactly right.

Even from the side, she is to die for. And the formula was dreamy. Two coats is all you need. She's still perfect for the winter.

It feels so damn good to be back. Tomorrow, let's go for a holiday theme since we've kicked off the Christmas/Chanukah season. You can pick from Colbie for Christmas, Holly for Christmas, or Noel for Chanukah.

Thanks for sticking with me!
Princess Polish

Day 10: Zoya Indigo

We're one-third of the way through the 30 Days of Zoya Challenge! Can you believe it? I can't.

For Day 10, you all voted in Zoya Indigo. Poor Tao... always the bridesmaid, never the bride.


Zoya Indigo is absolutely gorgeous in the bottle, a deep royal blue with rainbow sparkles. Personally, I'm a sucker for a rich blue, but don't wear them too often due to the difficulty in removal from my nails. Blech, stains!


Even in the shade, indoors... the depth of the color comes through.


Now, I love the idea of these specks of rainbow glitter in the polish, a la Essie Starry Night. But I was slightly disappointed that it didn't show up much on my nails.


Even with a sparkle shot here, you can see that there is only a small smattering of the glitter on the nail. It's really a great shade, but it left me wanting a little more.

But tomorrow, there will be no want for glitter! More specifically, gold glitter! So choose from Yara, Neeka, and Reva, which all feature gorgeous gold glass flecks!

Until tomorrow,
Princess P

Day 9: Zoya Codie

By a PRETTY close margin, Team Jacob and Codie has come out on top!

Codie is a gorgeous rich chocolate brown with a buttery application. It was opaque in two moderate coats. I'm a big fan of the color for two reasons.



The first is that the shade is beautiful. I'm not normally a fan of browns, but this color looked like I had melted a Hershey bar on my nails and was the perfect shade. I'm not a big fan of tans and coffee colors, but this was just right.

Secondly, I have a Chocolate Labrador Retriever named Dakota, whom we all call Kody, and Zoya Codie looks just like her. See?




And both look like our couch!

Now that Princess Puppy has made her debut on the blog, it's time to get to voting!

With the weather outside turning cold after a few days in the mid-sixties, I think it's only appropriate to revert back to a winter theme. So embrace Lady Winter... and vote for Ibiza, Indigo, or Tao.

Day 8: Zoya Faye

Faye absolutely DOMINATED the competition this go around. WOW. You go, girl!

Faye is a dazzling lilac and gold glitter with a blush tone to it. It's very feminine and delicate, but much more sophisticated than wearing bubblegum pink glitter.

Originally, I had put on two coats of polish. But I found that it was a little two sheer and needed three coats. Above, you can see I only have two coats on the pinky and ring, but three on the middle and index. I definitely prefer three coats of Faye.

I couldn't resist a sparkle shot!

The wear on her is entirely impressive. I wore Faye for TWO WHOLE WEEKS over the summer with just some minor tip wear. And that is in spite of mornings in a pool and time spent at a ballpark.

In honor of the release of Breaking Dawn (I know, I know… but it's a really cute theme!), please vote whether you're Team Edward (Anja) or Team Jacob (Codie).

Day 7: Zoya Julieanne

Ding ding ding! The winner of glitter madness, by a healthy landslide, is officially Zoya Julieanne!




A dark, inky glass flecked purple, Julieanne is a gorgeous shade that packs all sorts of vampy goodness. It is also a dupe for Orly Out of this World from the Cosmic FX collection. You can see the punch of this deep grape in the bottle, long before you even put it on! The only complaint that I have is that unlike its Orly counterpart, Julieanne doesn't show off any duo-chrome sparkle on the nail.



I love how from some angles, she looks almost speckled. This would be under sunlight conditions.



This is Julieanne in the shade...



This is Julieanne overexposed to show just how many flecks there ACTUALLY are...



And lastly, this is Julianne at the beach...



GOTCHA!

With the warm weather making an appearance here in Jersey, let's go for a little Sunshine and Summertime. Zoya Breezi, Mira, Faye, and Reva are asking for your vote. So get to it!

Day 6: Zoya Marina

Oh man, was this an UPSET! Truth be told, I thought Charla was going to run away with the competition. But I was entirely wrong!



Instead, Marina, a metallic cadet blue won out the poll. I was surprised to find that I really liked this shade, in spite of my slight aversion to metallics. Some metallic polishes turn out super streaky, but I should have known Zoya would never fall into that category.

Marina was perfect for fall, but truthfully, this is a color you could very well wear throughout the winter. It has an iciness to it that will fit right in.

Okay, ladies... tomorrow's theme is glitter madness! So you can choose from Mimi, Charla, Julieanne, Valerie, Reva, or Faye. Get out there and vote!!!