Holo Topcoat Comparison: The Glitters

Hey everyone, I'm temporarily back from hiatus to give you the first of three major holo topcoat comparisons. I appreciate your patience as this has taken me much longer than originally anticipated. It has really become a gigantic undertaking. This post goes over everything glitter, which accounts for 17 polishes. Scattered and linear holo topcoats will be featured in future posts, which will include another 70 or so polishes between them. I've tried to do my best in splitting the polishes up into categories. You may see some polishes appear again in later posts because they just are too close to keep in only one category. 

I've split the glitter comparison into three parts just because it's is extremely picture heavy. In each part you can also jump to a link for a feature on each individual polish which has a bunch more pictures and some macros.

I hope you all enjoy! I can't wait to hear which polishes are your favorites.

Part One - The Flakies
Part Two - The Chunky Glitters
Part Three - The Holo Glitters

Short Zoya A Day Hiatus Announcement

Hey Everyone. I'm going to be taking about two weeks off from these Zoya A Day posts. I absolutely hate to do it, but my other commitments are catching up with me between work, my sister coming to visit me in a few days and staying for a week, and trying to get the ball rolling on my gigantic holo topcoat comparison (over 40 polishes to be included).

Hopefully during the hiatus I can get ahead on my swatches again. I was down to painting the swatches and writing up the descriptions each day where I prefer to swatch an entire month at once and then work through the descriptions in batches. I've still got over 200 Zoyas left to feature, so you can be sure I'll be back soon with more! I'm still going to be around the polish groups and Instagram. I just won't be making the Zoya A Day posts until I get caught back up. I can't believe I made it well over 200 days straight with this before missing a day.

Thanks for understanding!

-Rachel

Zoya A Day - August 21, 2015 - Roxy

Zoya Roxy

It is from the Winter (2003?)  Masquerade collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats. This is a jelly style polish, so it may not be fully opaque.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Roxy by Zoya can be best described as a sheer red-toned purple base loaded with bright purple glitter. Great as an accent nail or layering over other colors to add an instant touch of glam!

Color Family - Purple

Finish - Glitter

Intensity - 4 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Izen ProShaker 2.0 Quick Review

While I was getting ready for a round of Zoya swatching today, I saw my old glitter polishes had sunken quite a bit and thought this would be a great opportunity to show how my Izen Pro Shaker 2.0 works. 

This product cost $99 with free shipping directly from the company. It can't fit all bottle shapes, so keep that in mind when considering it. It fits Zoya perfectly, and that makes up 2/3 of my collection at least. So I knew it would be perfect for me. 

The cycle runs for 1 minute at a time. The before and after here are one cycle. I've had a few polishes that took up to 3 cycles to fully return to their best consistently. But those were very thick flakie and texture polishes. 

If glitter is completely stuck to the sides of he bottle, I've found this machine doesn't really help that. But otherwise does a great job mixing polish and is completely worth the price.

Before

After

See a video of it in action on my Instagram as well: https://instagram.com/p/6vLcSKw1VQ/

Here are some bottles that fit when I tried them. 

Here are some ones that did not fit. 

Caps that are too large, based too small, and caps that are too tall are all reasons a polish might not fit. I've seen some people turn their shaker upside down and unscrew the polish cap to then basically screw the bottle onto the shaker, but I don't recommend that method. 

Zoya A Day - August 20, 2015 - Goldie

Zoya Goldie

It is from the Summer 2009 Ooh-la-la collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Goldie by Zoya can be best described as a bright, reflective yellow-toned gold metallic with fine golden shimmer. Liquid gold for the nails that's more affordable than the real thing.

Color Family - Yellow

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 4 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 19, 2015 - Neve

Zoya Neve

It is from the Fall 2013 Satins collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2 coats to be opaque.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Neve by Zoya can be best described as sapphire blue metallic (Originally designed for Zang Toi/AW13)

Color Family - Blue

Color Finish - Metallic

Color Intensity - 5 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 18, 2015 - Monica

Zoya Monica

It is from the Fall 2012 Designer collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2 coats to be opaque.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Monica by Zoya can be best described as a dark, soft blue-toned purple with a glossy cream finish. A bit of vibrant couture color, darkened for a bold, dramatic nail look.

Color Family - Purple

Finish - Cream

Intensity - 5 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 16, 2015 - Violet

Zoya Violet

This polish was released as part of the Spring/Summer 2015 mystery mini trio.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2 coats to be opaque. Note that this polish has not been released as a full size. I bought doubles of the mini sets and transferred the polish into a full size bottle. Minis just don’t look right in my collection.

This was a limited release polish, but you can still find it on eBay and from some resellers.

No official description for this one. I would call it a cool toned grayish purple creme. Nice formula. Zoya has so few purple cremes compared to other brands that I was very excited to see this one.  

Zoya A Day - August 17, 2015 - Piper

Zoya Piper

It is an open stock polish and not from a collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque. I found the formula to be a bit streaky even at three coats.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Piper by Zoya can be best described as a warm medium soft pink with subtle mauve and tan undertones in a pigmented creme base. A soft nude that isn't too sheer for a natural look that's especially pretty on dark skin tones.

Color Family - Pink, Nude

Finish - Cream

Intensity - 4 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Warm

Zoya A Day - August 15. 2015 - Ibiza

Zoya Ibiza

It is from the Fall 2009 Dare collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2 coats to be opaque.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Ibiza by Zoya can be best described as a blackened indigo-blue brightened slightly by subtle metallic blue shimmer. This bold blue is the new black for nails.

Color Family - Blue

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 5 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Giveaway time! Ends 8/18/2015

To celebrate over 1,000 followers on my Instagram account and over 8,000 blog views, I'm hosting a giveaway inspired by what I post most about: dragon eggs, Zoya polish, and nail art. That you all for the support!

Giveaway Prize Pack

Complete list of items:

• Handmade Dragon Egg with stand (learn how to make your own with my tutorial here)

• Zoya Brooke (discontinued polish)

• Two mini polishes from Parrot Polish

• 2oz. bottle of Zoya Remove+

• 4 sheets of Nail Vinyls from Polished Vino:

• Raindrops Keep Falling

• Zoo Kids On The Block

• On The Boarder

• Chevron Variety Sheet

• 2 full size mani bombs and one sampler crumble

• Samples of KBShimmer soap and lotion

• Elf Concealer brush for cleanup

• 2 small soaps from Parrot Polish

• Nail file and 5 cuticle sticks

• Foam separator for pedicures

• Mini cup for water marbling

• Foam makeup sponges for gradients

• Cuticle oil brush pen (homemade mixture)

Now, how can you win these prizes? There are a few things you need to do. Please note all requirements must be met for a valid entry. US Only. 

1. Follow me (@PolishedNailsAndDragonScales) on Instagram 
2. Follow @PolishedVino on Instagram 
3. Send an email to PolishedNailsAndDragonScales@gmail.com with the subject "1k Giveaway" and include your Instagram name in the email. This email address is how you will be contacted if you win and allows me to validate your entry.

Bonus: You can earn an additional entry by reposting my giveaway on Instagram (see post here) using the hashtag #NailsAndScalesGiveaway (must meet requirements 1-3 as well). Please note I will only be able to see this to verify if the user account is Public.

Only one entry per Instagram account (excluding the bonus entry). The same account cannot be used with multiple email addresses for additional entries. Only public IG accounts can be used, as I need to verify whether the user has followed both indicated sponsors. All entries must be received by 8/18/2015 11:59 Central Time. A winner will be announced by 8/21/2015. If the winner does not respond by 8/24/2015, the prize will be forfeit and a new winner will be chosen. If I can get the winner's address in time for shipping Saturday morning, the package should go out by 8/22/15. Otherwise, it will be shipped by 8/29/2015. Tracking will be provided. Please allow about a week after shipping for the prize pack to arrive USPS has been oddly slow lately. Items come from a pet friendly home.

Zoya A Day - August 14, 2015 - Blyss

Zoya Blyss

It is an open stock polish and not from a collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 4+ coats to be opaque. This is a rather thin polish. Expect visible nail line or use another polish under it.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Blyss by Zoya can be best described as a bright deep pink-leaning magenta with subtle blue-purple duochrome and faint iridescent shimmer. A fun, bold pink for a flirty look.

Color Family - Pink

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 3 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 13, 2015 - Beyonnce

Zoya Beyonnce

It is from the Winter 2004 Divas collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque. This one actually appears to be a multichrome. It shifts from an orangey red to yellow-orange to strawberry pink. It’s very subtle though.

This is a discontinued polish and is no longer available from Zoya.

Official Description:

Beyonnce is a medium red-orange based coral frost with yellow-gold metallic duochrome.

Color Family - Coral

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 3 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Warm

Zoya A Day - August 12, 2015 - Harper

Zoya Harper

It is from the Summer 2014 Bubbly collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque but expect possible visible nail line. This also makes a great topper.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Harper by Zoya can be best described as a cotton candy pink with a spun gold shimmer. Featuring the exclusive liquid-metal holographic jelly formula, this shade is opaque in 2 coats.

Color Family - Pink

Finish - Glitter, Jelly

Intensity - 3 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 11, 2015 - Akyra

Zoya Akyra

It is from the Winter 2007 Utopia collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3-4 coats to be opaque. The formula is very thin. This one is probably best used over black or a dark blue for best effect.

This is a discontinued polish and is no longer available from Zoya.

Official Description:

Akyra is a medium metallic teal shimmer in a dark smoky blue base.

Color Family - Blue

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 3 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 10, 2015 - Lexi

Zoya Lexi

It is from the Winter 2005 Romantic collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque. This is one of the few multichrome polishes Zoya has released, though I don’t find the change to be very obvious as with ones we see released now 10 years after this one came out.

This is a discontinued polish and is no longer available from Zoya.

Official Description:

Lexi is a soft-toned shimmering multichromatic shade that combines mauve, silver, pink and hints of blue.

Color Family - Mauve

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 3 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 9, 2015 - Amanda

Zoya Amanda

It is an open stock polish and not from a collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2 coats to be opaque.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Amanda by Zoya can be best described as a medium muted peach creme with pink, brown and mauve undertones. A warm skin tone shade for a very natural look.

Color Family - Nude

Finish - Cream

Intensity - 4 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Warm

Zoya A Day - August 8, 2015 - Cheri

Zoya Cheri

It is an open stock polish and not from a collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2-3 coats to be opaque. This polish really surprised me when I swatched it. Absolutely beautiful. The gold shimmer is just perfect. The older Zoyas can be hit or miss, and I’d call this one a hit.

This is a discontinued polish and is no longer available from Zoya.

Official Description:

Cheri is a rich rose-mauve with warm red undertones and strong golden shimmer.

Color Family - Mauve

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 4 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Warm

Zoya A Day - August 7, 2015 - Binx

Zoya Binx

It is from the Summer 2014 Bubbly collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque but expect possible visible nail line. One very important thing to note about this polish is that there are drastic color variations between bottles. I’m not sure which version you would actually get when buying from Zoya right now. One is more pink and the other purple. I hope to track down the other one so I can do a better comparison here and shed more light on which one to expect to get now.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Binx by Zoya can best be described as a spicy orchid purple dappled with gold metallic and holo sparkles. The exclusive liquid-metal holographic jelly formula is full-coverage in 2 coats.

Color Family - Purple

Finish - Glitter, Jelly

Intensity - 3 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 6, 2015 - Burke

Zoya Burke

It is from the Fall 2010 Wonderful collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2-3 coats to be opaque.

This is a discontinued polish and is no longer available from Zoya.

Official Description:

Burke is a Soft, dusty light red mulberry with very subtle brick and mauve tones.

Color Family - Red

Finish - Cream

Intensity - 5 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Warm

Zoya A Day - August 5, 2015 - Noel

Zoya Noel

It is from the Winter 2012 Jems & Jewels collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 3 coats to be opaque.

This is a discontinued polish and is no longer available from Zoya.

Official Description:

Noel is a faded denim blue with subtle hints of gold and silver in a dense foil finish

Color Family - Blue

Finish - Metallic

Intensity - 5 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool

Zoya A Day - August 4, 2015 - Reagan

Zoya Reagan

It is from the Summer 2012 Beach collection.

Pictures are 3 coats with Seche Vite topcoat. I suggest 2 coats to be opaque. I mentioned before that Brie is one of my favorite Zoya polishes, but that it’s discontinued. If you can’t find it, you should really pick this one up instead.

This is a currently available polish from Zoya.

Official Description:

Reagan by Zoya can be best described as a deep, cool fuchsia pink with subtle blue undertone and an opaque cream finish. Reagan packs a lot of color without being excessively bright and is soft but not overly muted.

Color Family - Pink

Finish - Cream

Intensity - 4 ( 1 = Sheer - 5 = Opaque )

Tone - Cool