The Mystery of Zoya or How I Learned to Love

I had a love/hate relationship with Zoya. The formula is wonderful and the color selection is great. They are always putting out codes and having sales. Love all that. They just never dried on me and when they did dry I got maybe 10 hours of wear before major tip wear and chips. Hate all that. I tried numerous basecoats, no basecoat, numerous topcoats and no topcoat. I really, really, really didn't want to have to purchase something just to use with Zoya.

Well, I did. I took advantage of the lippy code and the special they had where you bought the Color Lock system and got a big old bottle of Remove+ free. Hell yeah! I love that remover. I tried out the system and finally, finally got a Zoya to dry on me within 10 minutes. I thought I was going to weep.

The best product from the system, for me, is Armor. That is what made a difference for me. I applied it over the polish and I applied Nubar Diamont over that. I did this with Astra, which I LOVE, and applying Armor first kept me from having to apply two or three coats of Diamont to keep the glitter sparkly. You know how glitter can sometimes dry dull looking and need a number of coats of topcoat? Well Armor prevented that. Wonderful! I also got three days of wear from doing this. From a Zoya! Hallelujah!

Do I like that I seem to have to use a specific topcoat with Zoya? No. I would suggest Armor to everyone though - especially for glitter - as a really nice non quick drying topcoat that can go before a quick dry. The rest of the system - eh. Except for Remove+ - that stuff rocks.

Here is Astra after almost three days of wearing it. Not bad Zoya, not bad. I feel like I can love you again.

Pardon the state of my hands - I'm so rough with them!









Now to remove it. Blah!

7 comments

Eva June 5, 2010 at 11:14 AM

pretty color!

peripatetic33 June 5, 2010 at 12:06 PM

made a note to try armor with my next zoya order - we all love remove so much Zoya could just keep moving nail polish with the buy x amount and get free remove special - who could turn down that - it's better than free shipping

The Phalanges Friend June 5, 2010 at 12:34 PM

I heard that in order to get maximum wear from Zoya without buying their color lock system, you should use only base coats and top coats without cellulose acetate butyrate.

But I want to try Remove+...if they have a good deal on it, I might try some. It's just the price that puts me off. :(

LB June 5, 2010 at 2:00 PM

It's a gorgeous color but those photos do not do it justice.

Oo, free remover! That would be a good thing! Except I still want free shipping. Ha!

I tried a basecoat/topcoat without cellulose acetate butyrate and it dried but it took an hour or so to dry completely. I found using Armor is working really, really well for me. *shrug* Hence the mystery of Zoya!

Ria June 5, 2010 at 2:24 PM

I don't know why but this reminds me of Christmas...lol
Love it though!

jbrobeck June 5, 2010 at 11:55 PM

i haven't bought armor yet but i did buy the CC topcoat that doesn't have the nlskjdfwoendlnvc stuff in it and used it on my toes over Charla... worked great! your idea of the astra + armor + diamont made me think that would also work over the nubar glitters... i bought the whole set but they need sooooo much topcoat!

LB June 6, 2010 at 5:56 AM

I tried the Armor/Diamont combo out over one of the Nubar glitters and it worked wonderfully. I am sure you can use any non quick dry topcoat and not Armor and it will work. The funny thing is - Zoya give me no issues on my toes no matter what basecoat and topcoat I wear. Weird!

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