Top Coat Challenge – Zoya Armor
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Zoya polishes. Not only because they are a local Cleveland family owned business but because they make an excellent polish with an incredible range of colors.
Unfortunately, not everyone shares my opinion. I’ve read complaints about wear. I’ve even heard it from my own nail tech and esthetician. The main issue is that the polish peels within a day or two of application. However, that seems to be that case more often when using a quick dry top coat like Seche Vite.
I guess I’ve been fortunate to never have this issue when using my usual combo of Creative Super Shiney top coat with Qtica 1/2 Time drying drops. Though I started thinking about this as it’s not just an issue for people using Seche Vite.
After speaking with reps from both Zoya and Nubar, it makes sense that using a non-Big 3 Free top and base coat with a Big 3 Free polish would cause peeling, bubbling or shrinkage (pre-mature pulling back from nail edge). So I decided to give the entire Zoya family of products a trial run to test the theory. I used Zoya Anchor base coat, Zoya Sweet nail lacquer, Zoya Armor top coat and Zoya Hurry Up quick drying drops. Here are the results after 5 days of wear.
As the pictures show, there was very little tip wear after 5 days and no chipping. Even though Armor took a little longer to dry than the popular quick dry top coats, I still didn’t have to wait more than 30 minutes before I could function. I may have even waited too long, I was just being cautious. In fact, I did this mani before bed and woke up with no sheet marks, just pure glossiness.
So for those of you out there that gave up on Zoya polishes or haven’t tried them because of performance reviews, I would suggest giving them a try with a Big 3 Free base and top coat of your choosing. I hope you get the same results I did.
**** UPDATE – After speaking with a rep from Zoya it turns out that ingredient that is causing peeling problems for people is CELLULOSE ACETATE BUTYRATE. “Zoya lacquer will not adhere to base coats containing it. Top coats containing it must be formulated carefully to not cause problems when used with Zoya lacquer.”
Additionally, I must make a correction. Poshe is Big 3 Free which is why I haven’t experienced peeling when using it.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Interesting results. I’ve never bought any zoyas just because I can’t seem to find them except at salons for very high prices.
By the way, Poshe quick dry topcoat is Big Bad 3 Free. It says it on the bottle. I believe the Poshe basecoat is as well.
So would zoyas work with these?
Where do you buy armour and anchor?
Will you be testing out Orly Bonder as well? This is my usual basecoat.
What do you mean “big,bad three”?
You can order zoya online for five and a half bucks.
ok. I have just discovered Hoofer’s Choice topcoat. it is actually used for horses. the only problem that i am wondering: is it really supposed to be that thick? i have returned like 3 bottles now, thinking it was really old sitting on the shelf. But, people that use it swear by it (sort of like udder crem and horse shampoo). if it works for horses, it should work for us too, right? please let me know about the consistency! thanks
I’ve been getting great wear from Zoya polish; I’ve only used Zoya base coat and top coat with it. I can go a full week with the same polish, but occasionally tiny chips happen at day 4-5, but the mani still looks very good overall for the entire week. When I change polish at the 3-4 day mark, I never had a chip. I have not tried Zoya with other base or top coats.
i’ve used rimmel’s “stronger” BC & “faster” TC successfully with zoya. i haven’t attempted it with all of the colours but they’ve worked w/ the ones i’ve tested thus far. the ingredients are not listed on rimmel’s bottles so i can not tell you what is in them. perhaps the ingredients are on their website?
Hello, here’s the ingredients list for
Rimmel STRONGER WITH LYCRA
BUTYL ACETATE, ETHYL ACETATE,
NITROCELLULOSE, ACETYL TRIBUTYL CITRATE,
ADIPIC ACID/NEOPENTYL GLYCOL/TRIMELLITIC
ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL,
POLYETHYLMETHACRYLATE, AMYL ACETATE,
STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE, POLYBUTYLENE
GLYCOL/MDI COPOLYMER, POLYVINYL BUTYRAL,
METHYL PYROLLIDONE, DIAMOND POWDER,
BENZOPHENONE-1, MEK, CALCIUM
PANTOTHENATE, PANTHENOL, TOCOPHERYL
ACETATE, RETINYL PALMITATE, PHOSPHORIC ACID,
WATER (AQUA). [+/- (MAY CONTAIN): MICA,
TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), D&C RED NO. 6
BARIUM LAKE (CI 15850), D&C VIOLET NO. 2
(CI 60725), FD&C YELLOW NO. 5 (CI 19140)].
INGREDIENTS
There is another formulation with Rimmel STRONGER WITH LYCRA + MINERALS
BUTYL ACETATE, ETHYL ACETATE,
NITROCELLULOSE, ACETYL TRIBUTYL CITRATE,
ADIPIC ACID/NEOPENTYL GLYCOL/TRIMELLITIC
ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL,
POLYETHYLMETHACRYLATE, AMYL ACETATE,
POLYBUTYLENE GLYCOL/MDI COPOLYMER,
POLYVINYL BUTYRAL, STEARALKONIUM
HECTORITE, METHYL PYRROLIDONE, DIAMOND
POWDER, BENZOPHENONE-1, MEK, CALCIUM
PANTOTHENATE, PANTHENOL, TOCOPHERYL
ACETATE, RETINYL PALMITATE, STYRENE/
ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, PHOSPHORIC ACID,
AQUA/WATER/EAU. [MAY CONTAIN/PEUT
CONTENIR/+/-: MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE ( CI 77891),
D&C RED NO.6 BARIUM LAKE (CI 15850), D&C
VIOLET NO.2 (CI 60725), FD&C YELLOW NO.5
(CI 19140)].
Taken from Rimmel UK website, downloadable ingredients sheet for their nail polishes.
Cincy,
I love Zoya polish and tried out the armor/anchor combo with terrible results. I painted my nails Morgan and when I removed the polish (after 6 days good wear) my nails are NEON orange!! What an AWFUL basecoat! I can’t even imagine what I would be facing if I were to paint Raven or god forbid something like Norra or Yasmeen!! I will suffer the peeling rather than have to walk around with NEON orange nails that will now have to be covered
Guess that ends any sheers for me for a while!
I know this is old, but I wanted to comment anyway – I’ve used Raven over the Zoya base coat and had no problems at all with staining. And that was actually after repeated manicures with Raven because I had my nails the same for a few weeks in a row. (Sports team thing.)
Poshe is NOT big 3 free (B3F) … only big 2 free. They contain Phthalate (plasticizers that can mimic hormones).
The only true B3F base I’ve found is Opi Nail Envy Sensitive & Peeling Formaldehyde free.
The only B3F top coats I’ve found are: Creative Nail Design Air Dry and Creative Nail Design Dry & Shine. Their SolarSpeed Spray is also B3F.
I’ve been unable to find any MSDS for Zoya, and their ingredients aren’t listed, so I have no idea if their base and tops are B3F. BUT: Orly, Poshe, most Opi, China Glaze, etc. are not B3F. Look for the following ingredients: xxxx Phthalate (there are a bunch of Phthalate compounds), toluene, Formaldehyde or Formaldehyde resin (especially in the nail treatment category, not so much in the lacquer category).
OMG Iknow I am sooo late on this but I have been using Zoya for almost 1 year now and I LOVE THEM!!! I get great wear! Here’s the thing…It depends on what color you use because with some shades it doesn’t last and I think I have to use restore drops maybe? With certain colors I can get over a week’s wear LITERALLY with the color lock system! The restore drops will save anyone, I need to order them but I have heard wonders about it. I also heard you can use poshe or out the door and essie with zoya no prob! I couldn’t believe my polish lasted over a week and I constantly wash my hands all day and I am a mother so you can only imagine…If you want your polish to last longer then if you notice a chip or some wear at the tips then this is what I do- I polish the tips with pixie dust and VOILA, another weeks wear! TBH I can’t even wear it for 2 weeks because your nails grow out and it doesn’t look right to me so I like painting 1-2 times a week but any more than that and I would be fed up. I noticed the zoya remover + doesn’t work well for me either! It makes my nails dry and peeling so if anyone can suggest something better then that’d be great. I heard great things about deborah lippmann’s remover and Karma organics remover that is non acetone. I am planning on buying out the door top coat to compare it with armor, or I might just apply it over armor to make it last even longer! My toes also last forever with zoya and I can literally wear it for a month or longer!