Zoya Stunning Summer 2013 Nail Polish Swatches & Review

If the whole texture trend is giving you hives, Zoya has the cure with its summer nail polish collection of six cremes, Zoya Stunning. A rainbow of rich, creamy hues that can be worn together or on their own.

Zoya Stunning

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This type of candy-colored collection always brings back memories of the first Skittles manicure I showed you, using the Zoya Candy collection, or how we debated whether multi-colored manicures were trendy or tacky. Now, that wouldn’t even be a question. Oh how times have changed since I launched this site, over six years ago.

Formula & Application: Zoya nail polish is 5-Free (free of Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP, Formaldehyde Resin & Camphor). 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.

The Zoya creme formula feels a bit watery, similar to Essie. It spreads easily and self levels but can vary in terms of coverage. For the most part I was able to get away with two thin coats but on some nails I had to throw on an extra layer. And, of course, Darcy needed three coats being that yellows are notoriously difficult to work with. As I shared in my Zoya Ivanka Wear Test, Zoya nail polishes wear best with the full Zoya Color Lock System or top coats that exclude Cellulose Acetate Butyrate.

Zoya Darcy is a bright, golden yellow creme. It shows some pearl in the bottle but, on the nail, it just adds depth. It reminds me of the Man with the Yellow Hat from Curious George. It’s that kind of electrifying yellow party. While I’m always hesitant to use the term dupe, it’s VERY hard to see the difference between Darcy and NARS Amchoor (Thakoon by NARS).

Zoya Darcy

Zoya Josie is a dark minty green creme, more like the color of a mint leaf than the confectionery, pastel color we normally associate with the word mint. It’s a cool, blue-leaning hue but not so much that it loses its green essence. Now you guys know I own a lot of greens but nothing quite like this. Colors like Orly Mint Mojito or Clinique Hula Skirt are too light. Shades like China Glaze Gaga for Green and Barielle Green with Envy, too yellow.

Zoya Josie

Zoya Micky is described as a coral creme but, to my eye, it’s a rosy pink. Definitely warm but not coral. A darker version of OPI Elephantastic Pink, if you will. Like Darcy, it contains micro-fine pearl that isn’t visible on the nail.

Zoya Micky

Zoya Rocky is an intense sky blue creme. It dries a bit darker than the bottle color suggests and is a cousin to OPI Can’t Find My Czechbook. CFMC is a bit lighter but not to the point that you need both shades.

Zoya Rocky

Zoya Thandie is a deep, sun-ripened peach cream. It toes the line between orange and peach and is just slightly darker than Nails Inc Porchester Square. I honestly don’t feel like this photo does it justice. It’s much richer in person.

Zoya Thandie

Zoya Yana is a hot, raspberry pink. Of the three shades with pearl, it’s most noticeable in Yana though only under close inspection. It reminds me a lot of OPI A Definite Moust-Have (Couture de Minnie), just not quite as red. They’re close enough to only need one, though a color dissector will see the negligible difference.

Zoya Yana

Bottom Line: The formula and coverage this collection provides is excellent so if the colors grab you, you won’t be let down. For me personally, Josie makes my heart flutter. It’s unique, gorgeous and wearable thanks to its cool base color. Green lovers, jump on it!  Rocky is beautiful as well but if you own its OPI relative, there’s no need to double up. As far as golden yellows go, Darcy is one of the better ones in terms of quality. Yana, Thandie and Micky are nice but not unique enough for me to deem them must-haves.

The Zoya Stunning collection is available now. Zoya nail polishes are available online at Zoya.com and at salons nationwide including ULTA. Visit the Zoya Salon Locator for a retailer near you. 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.

Which if these are jumping off the screen and into your stash? Do you tend to wear more creme or sparkle polishes in the summer? 

Oh and if you are looking for a cool nail art idea, Sarah from Chalkboard Nails created a gorgeous water marble manicure using the collection that looks just like Fruit Stripe Gum. If water marbling didn’t give me the hives, I’d totally try it.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided by Zoya. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.