Lacquer or Leave Her!: Review: Zoya's Satin Naturel 2015 transitional collection

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Review: Zoya's Satin Naturel 2015 transitional collection

(Press Sample)

Hello!!

I am doing a crazy happy dance over the collection I have to show you today: the Zoya Satin Naturel 2015 transitional collection. I can explain to you why I love it in two words--neutral mattes.

I love matte/satin/wax finish polishes. There's something about them that just looks chic and elegant, adds a little class to any manicure, I think. And neutrals also tend to have an elegant, classy feel, so this is a match made in heaven.

This collection is a satin finish, so they are not a pure matte; they're a little glossier than a traditional matte, and that allows them to last longer on the nail. Which is excellent, because that's the only downside to most mattes in my mind--they chip very quickly.

Diving right in, first up is Zoya Ana. Ana is a very soft pink, almost a pink-tinted white, which gives neutral a feminine touch:

Zoya Ana

These pictures, and all pictures in this review, show two coats, with no topcoat, since these finishes are not meant to be worn with topcoat. Application on this was smooth and easy, no hiccups at all. Pure matte finishes tend to dry almost as soon as you put them on; these weren't quite that fast, but they were pretty darn quick, regardless. Any of the polishes in this collection are great for any situations where you have limited time to do your nails before heading out the door.

Next up is Zoya Brittany, a light mauve neutral, with a gentle floral feel to it:

Zoya Brittany

This was the only polish in the collection that gave me a smidgen of trouble, and it was only a smidgen. This seemed to dry just a little faster than the others, and so I had just a hint of of ridging on a couple of nails, until I adapted. It was barely worth mentioning, however, and the second coat made it disappear at normal size.

Zoya Brittany

Zoya Leah is a light gray with a hint of smoky lavender to it:

Zoya Leah

This is the epitome of a transitional polish to me; the smokiness holds on to the feel of deep winter colors while bringing in the lavender of spring. I had no issue with application on this, the formula went on smooth as silk and and I was happy as could be with it.

Zoya Rowan hits the most winter-y note with a brownish taupe:

Zoya Rowan

Application was perfect again here. I think this is the most universal polish in the collection; it complements a wide variety of skin tones, and I loved the way it looked on me. An excellent polish for a job interview or an important meeting, or when you're wearing a bold outfit and want a polish that will make it sing rather than detract.

Next is my favorite of the collection, Zoya Sage, a creamy sage green (go figure):

Zoya Sage

This applied like silk and looked like a million dollars. This is another wonderful example of a transitional polish, pulling a little bit of winter into a pastel feel--it's absolutely stunning and I'd build a wardrobe around this if I needed an excuse to wear it.

Also, I wore this polish for about three days to test the wear. I didn't have any chipping before had to remove it for my next swatch. I don't know how much more wear I would have gotten out of it, but that alone is pretty darn good.

And finally, we have Zoya Tove. This is a dove gray, with just a hint of blue:

Zoya Tove

Grays can be tricky if you want to wear them as neutrals; if they go to light or to dark, they make a dramatic statement. This is a beautiful shade for a neutral nail, and the hint of blue gives it a subtle spring feel without going to bright.

I have a number of matte polishes that stamp well, so I decided to check to see how these would function as stamping polishes. Here is each polish stamped over a white base:

Zoya Ana

Zoya Brittany

Zoya Leah

Zoya Rowan

Zoya Sage

Zoya Tove

The white base really makes the colors in these polishes pop; these would be successful over a range of light polishes. They also stamp over black, but the differences in color between them becomes much more subtle.

My overall impression of the collection: This is a lovely collection of neutrals, especially to help you transition from winter to spring. The collection runs the gamut from winter feel (Rowan) through to most typically spring (Ana), and hits beautiful notes in between. If you're not a big pastel lover, this collection will also function as a perfect spring collection for you--there is enough smoky, dusty, muted color to go with a spring palette without screaming 'pastel!'. Every shade here is classy, sophisticated, work appropriate. They are quick drying and wear better than typical matte finishes. All would be an excellent addition to any polish collection.

You can find these polishes on Zoya's website, and anywhere else that Zoya polishes are sold in stores or online. You can also buy them here through Amazon.

Happy polishing!
M.