Zoya Tove
Not long ago Zoya ran a promotion where you could basically get four polishes for $15, which is how I wish they would describe it instead of advertising "four polishes for free!" and then sticking you with a $15 so-called promotional shipping fee. I mean, what's up with that? Nobody wants to pay $15 to ship anything unless it's, like, a big leather ottoman or a set of tires or some other bulky thing. Seems like four polishes for $15 is deal enough without trying to disguise it by saying four for free and, oh, btw, that'll be $15 to ship.
Promotional hoo-ha aside, it really was a sweet deal since Zoyas go for $9-10 apiece nowadays. As you probably have seen, Zoya recently released their winter/spring transitional Naturel Satins collection for 2016, but sadly this new collection was not included in the promotion. So I ordered three Naturel Satins from last year's transitional collection instead, along with Jace from the Island Fun summer 2015 collection.
Today's polish is Tove from Naturel Satins 2015. Zoya currently calls the satin finish on these polishes a matte/glossy hybrid, which is just sort of weird and not very intuitive. I liked it better when they simply described it as "low sheen." It's very much like the low-luster or satin finish you find in interior paints. In fact, it kind of has the feel of a freshly painted room, clean and smooth with a soft, glowy sort of radiance to it. I usually prefer glossy when it comes to polish finishes, for the look and for the convenience of using a quick-dry topcoat like Seche Vite, but I find this satin finish immensely appealing, especially paired with the soft, muted colors that Zoya offers. Tove is officially described as a "misty slate grey," but reads as more of a cadet grey to my eye. It's a light blue-grey tint, or white-based color, muted but quite chic with its becoming low sheen finish.
I was worried that I'd have problems with application and that the polish wouldn't self-level well enough to camo my nail ridges, but application went much better than I anticipated. The consistency is fluid and creamy, with a plush glide over the nail. It sets up and surface dries a little more quickly than a regular creme, and I found that an amply loaded brush made for the most even application. It actually self-levels fairly well, just not enough to disguise my furrows. Pigmentation is very good, with evenly opaque coverage in two coats. I debated about whether to add a third, just to see if it made a difference with the ridge camo, but decided that three coats would take too long to dry and I'd surely dent, scrape or mar the polish in the meantime. Just going without a quick-dry topcoat is pushing it for me. Cleanup is a breeze. Tove dries naturally in good time to a silky satin finish.
Photos show two coats of Tove over treatment and basecoat, no topcoat.
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
 |
| Zoya Tove |
As you can see, the satin finish will not hide nail bed irregularities. It's less noticeable in person and curiously didn't really bother me at all, but getting decent photos of this polish was a bear. I love Tove's soft blue-grey with this low-sheen finish, it's a wonderful pairing and very flattering on the nail.
Have you tried any of Zoya's Naturel Satins? What do you think of this finish?
hasta,
Liz
I haven't tried any of these but that gray is gorgeous
ReplyDeleteI think so too! :)
DeleteThat gray leaves me cold. Heheh, cool gray = cold. Yep, as lame and clichéd as it gets!!! But seriously, for some reason, that color is just not doing it for me. Strange since I like most blues and grays in polish. Maybe it's the finish? I'm not a big fan of the cashmere type finish. But I do like a lot of the matte polish I see. Oh, well, who knows - the heart wants what the heart wants.
ReplyDeleteI almost took advantage of that promotion. However, there are no Zoyas I particularly want now. I have been seeing so many sales and promotions over the last month or few weeks that I have let pass me by even while feeling I may regret that later in the year when I suddenly want those polishes! I know there will be more sales throughout the year but around Christmas seems to be prime time sale time. And the most dangerous part of the polish year is coming for me - I love spring pastels and it is time for them to be brought out. I am going to try to be strong! Hahah, I have a feeling I will be running to my rainbow wall racks to be reassuring myself that, Yes!, I have that color already, or, Yes, I have one so similar it's not worth getting another! Sigh, it's so hard to keep down and contained that inside greedy dragon that wants All The Polish. :D
Wow, I'd forgotten completely about Essie's cashmere matte polishes! I don't know why but this sort of finish is like catnip to me. I'm surprised it took me so long to try it. I passed on Essie's offerings after reading about tricky application. And while I love this Zoya and will probably wear the other two satin mattes I got, I doubt I will feature them here on the blog because in spite of how much I like them in person, I don't like posting photos that show my nail ridges.
DeleteI am easily overwhelmed by sales so I usually avoid them, the exceptions being where a polish that I've admired goes on sale and brands that I haven't tried before.
So pastels are a weakness, eh? Luckily you have your rainbow racks to keep that dragon in check, otherwise I'd have to send a team to monitor your purchases this spring!
I've been thinking about this post ever since you put it up, mostly because it was only days after I'd had an intense craving for this color- for Tove particularly! I was rummaging through my Zoya drawer, and when I came across my bottle I was powerfully reminded of a weekend on the Oregon coast with Kellen and his cousins last January. It was a very happy weekend- my problems and worries were distant, fuzzy, muted, and indistinct, and time was slow, carefree, and peaceful. Those two days were an island in a sea of anxiety and stress, and this color took me right back there. I've been wearing Fair Maiden "Winter Moon" as an extension of my coastal bliss theme. It's times like these that I suspect our brainwaves must have crossed mid-air somewhere :)
ReplyDeleteI can see how this polish could easily be coupled with a memory, particularly one as lovely as your weekend at the coast with Kellen and his cousins. Besides the dreamy, gentle color, the wonderful texture of the finish does it for me. Have you seen Blue-Eyed Girl Lacquer's newest Siren polish, Snowbunny Siren? It's a greyed periwinkle holo with glass flecks and flakies, very much up your alley -- I though of you when I saw it and made sure to order a bottle.
DeleteI hope that life after graduate school, in your little house with Kellen and your sweet pup in a pile on the floor, is treating you well!