ALU’s 365 of Untrieds – Zoya Kimmy from the Sunshine Collection for Summer 2011
365 of Untrieds is my personal challenge to weed through the polishes in the ALU stash that I’ve been wanting to try but just haven’t gotten around to.
“We’re having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave” I don’t know what the weather is like in your part of the world but right now if feels like Cleveland is on fire! Maybe I’m overreacting just a touch, or a LOT, but I don’t work well with extreme temps. You know how most people either fall into two categories, “freeze baby” or “little heater”, I’m neither. I think I’m part reptile or something though heat effects me more drastically than the cold. I turn the color of a beet in high heat. I even have to ask for cool water to be added to the pedicure tub to avoid my feet turning the color of cooked lobsters. Since I’ll undoubtedly be a crimson, not golden, goddess while these extreme temps continue, I may as well join the fiery party with a scorching hot nail polish shade. Today’s selection is Zoya Kimmy from the Summer 2011 Sunshine collection. |
Formula & Application: Zoya is a 4-Free brand (including formaldehyde resin) plus they leave out camphor, which can be an irritant. Their signature Italian glass bottles have a tapered, shiny black plastic cap that rests comfortably between the thumb and index finger while polishing. The brush is short, round and medium in girth with flexible bristles that allow for ease of control.
Zoya Kimmy is a foil glitter so the formula is thin, slightly jelly-ish and semi-sheer to keep the particles suspended. Though in spite of all that it gives great coverage. I used two coats and while I could see my smile line if I REALLY looked for it, no one else would ever notice.
Zoya Kimmy has a bright red-orange base with gold and red foil glitter. It has this intensity to it that’s like molten lava with the little gold sparkles representing the random bursts of flame that rise from the surface. What’s funny is that even though I’m enamored with this color I assumed that with all the reds living in my stash, there HAS to be a dupe.
We’ve seen foil glitters from everyone and their mother in the past couple years. And you would think that OPI has produced just about every red imaginable between their core line and dozens of holiday collections. Alas, I came up empty handed. Like I couldn’t even come up with anything close. If a dupe exists, I either gave it away or never owned it.
Bottom Line: It takes a rare red to surprise me. Most of them are so been there, done that. Cherry, tomato, wine, crimson. Creme, shimmer, glitter, etc. One of the reasons I’m generally not a red fan is because I feel like I’ve seen them all. Then along comes a color like Kimmy and I promptly insert pedicured foot in mouth. What I love about Kimmy is that it’s a great summer bright that isn’t, you know, BRIGHT, and it’s a foil that doesn’t take 3-4 coats. You hit this one out of the ball park Zoya. Well done!
365 of Untrieds Stash/Share Verdict: This one is so Unsolved Mysteries, isn’t it? STASH!
Zoya Kimmy is available as part of the Zoya Sunshine collection at salons and spas nationwide including ULTA and online at Zoya.com. Zoya nail polishes retail for $8/ea for a .5oz bottle. Don’t forget, you can try before you buy with the Zoya Color Spoon program.
Thoughts on our girl Kimmy here? What was the last nail polish outside your preferred color range that surprised you? Do you plan to add Kimmy to your own stash?
Disclosure: A product sample was provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Pretty! I wish I’d had money when the Color Lock promo was out. I LOVE this collection!
That’s when I did without going to the grocery store for more than a week and sent in my $ to get the Color Lock and my free 6 bottle set!!!!! What a great offer. I always figure I have a month’s worth of food in the cupboard anyway if I really WANTED to eat what is there! This is a great collection and you need it for yours!
This colour is wonderful! Perfect for hot summers… which we’re missing here in France
I am not complaining at all – I hate hot weather…we are missing it on the northern coast of CA as well – high and low fog – but some days getting muggy temps at 67.
I totally would’ve bought this earlier if I had known it worked the red and gold so well together, instead of one being dominated by the other.
The heat’s hitting us hard down here in the Mid-Atlanic as well. I’ve put on China Glaze Sun Worshipper to embrace it.
I am super obsessed with Kimmy…it’s gorgeous.
I did find that Hard Candy Lava was pretty close, although not a dupe.
This is why I need swatches of polish colors; pictures of the bottle often make me think, “eh, nice, but not fantastic”. This is amazing!
I know you’re usually not a reds and pinks person, BUT the foil here reminded me: you need to get l’Oreal’s “Pink Shells” from the summer collection. It is a fantastically eye-searing hot fuchsia foil. Even a pink-hating friend loved my nails.
I feel in love with this entire collection when Zoya sent out their complimentary spoons of the current collection like they do always with an order I had put in. After I saw the Sunshine collection I was totally obsessed!
i love zoya kimmy! i was wary of purchasing because I, too, thought “surely there must be a dupe” and I also came up with nothing
it’s one of my favorite reds.
I really like this color! I need some more reds in my stash.
So pretty…reminds me of OPI Dear Santa, my favorite red ever! I think that one may be a bit darker though, maybe.
That’s a gorgeous colour!
Is Zoya really at ULTA now?
I don’t know that they are at every ULTA but they are in some. I think it depends on what collections they decide to pick up.
Since I don’t even KNOW where there IS an Ulta store – I guess San Francisco would have one that would be the closest – but a good 3.5 hr drive and tons and tons of traffic. I have yet to visit an Ulta store…but I had no idea Zoya was carried anywhere but high end beauty supply stores (rare) and direct order.
Looooove this one.
How funny… I am leaning towards wearing Kimmy for a concert on friday. I think Kimmy and Reva have the best formulas out of this collection.
Oh, and a note on Loreal… They test on animals so I refuse to buy their products.
Zoya Kimmy is very pretty! It’s hard to find a unique red!
Oh! That is a gorgeous red! I’ve been really into reds lately. A loooooooong time ago I had a similar one to this one from Sally Hansen. And I’ve never been able to find it’s equal. Not sure this is it, but it’s darn close.
Love this color!
We get like 2 displays of Zoya at our Ulta store. So very few colors at a time.
Also we have had like 15 days of sun all summer here in Seattle, I know its always rainy, but at least it usually gets sunny in July. Its slightly depressing
This definitely is a fiery red! Here in NYC, the heat is maddening. I myself suffered from heat exhaustion just a couple of days ago.
I’m so glad I got the Zoya Sunshine collection. I love them all, except Reva doesn’t float my boat. Zoya’s foils make for fun summer pedi’s.
Unsolved Mysteries? That’s dating myself that I know that show! And loved it!
I own this beauty, and I absolutely ADORE it!
I’m tickled you’re STASHING my namesake, which I pronounce KIMMMAAAAAAAAY. It really is a special red– I love love LOVE it so much!
Have you considered OPI Dear Santa as a dupe?
That is really quite pretty!
Damn you, nail polish siren!
I never tried Zoya until I started reading your blog, but I now have several colors and overall, I think it might be my favorite brand–unless you count Glitter Gal–but for “regular” polish, I have been pleased with the way Zoya goes on and the lasting power of it.
I’m not a fan of reds but I like this one!
We can use a little bit of sun in the Netherlands!
I have Kimmy and I love it! So pretty!
I don’t own this one and have just seen it but it reminds me lots of Hard Candy Just Nails in Lava, which I do own and love! By the looks of your picture, Kimmy seems more glittery than Lava (Lava has distinctive flecks). But I think the base colour on both is very similar.
Very very nice. Waiting for this one…
Kimmy is my FAVORITE from the summer 2011 collection. i’m not so much a red girl myself but oh wow this one is stunning! and i’ve worn it several times already which is HUGE for me.
Such a pretty color, such a fun spin on traditional red/orange !
What a gorgeous colour!
The last color outside my preferred color range that surprised me was actually Zoya Rica. I’m not much for pinks/corals but… WOW! I love the way it looks and I’ve gotten SO many compliments with it.
Ah! I just ordered Kimmy and it arrived yesterday I love it! Though I admit originally I bought it for the name, but I’m loving this red.
I have this on my toes right now! I have been loving it big time! Just the right red for as you say, scorching hot summertime! I also have nothing like it in my HUGE stash of reds and knew right off when I saw it, that it was unique. Best of all I got the entire Sunshine set for free from Zoya when they had their one day first day of summer buy our color-lock system and pick one of our 6 bottle summer collections for FREE! I jumped on that offer! I put one in the collection on and think it’s my fav in the collection, then change my mind when I change to another shade in the same collection. It’s a goodie!
Love this color, love the entire Sunshine Collection!! Favorite collection of the summer– far and away!! Got the collection for half price when they did their half price promo… great buy, great polish!!
I really love the new colors and just NEED to have all of them
xoxo, Yen
Usually I am really not into red polish, at least not when worn solo… But this one looks so nice and just summer-like. Have to put it on my list for my next haul
Kimmy and Reva are my 2 first Zoyas in my collection, and I cannot stop admiring them!! I have Kimmy on my toes and I think I took off my shoes about five times today (I forgot my peep toe heels) to show coworkers and rave about how much I love it!