Zoya Awaken Collection & Monet - Spring 2014

Hi, you guys! Hope your week is going well. :) Is it me or is this month just flying by so fast? I love this time of the year, with all the flowers and trees blooming, and the extended amount of day light every day. I think my hubby, who does all the mowing, disagrees with my love of spring. We get just the perfect mixture of rain and sun so that the grass is growing like crazy weeds this time of the year lol.

Today, I've got Zoya's Spring 2014 offerings—the Awaken Collection and Monet special effects topper—to share with you. I always look forward to Zoya's spring collections with their fresh, understated colors and soft finishes, so I was super excited for this.


Dot

Dot is a light ballerina pink with a creme finish. The formula is a little on the thin side, patchy and somewhat hard to control. I did three coats for the swatches, and for that final third coat, I had to dollop on the polish to fill in the uneven spots. It's a pretty shade, but not very unique, so you can probably find a similar color with better formula.

Cole

Cole is a peachy orange with a creme finish. It was originally released under the name "Stella" as part of the limited edition Peter Som NYFW SS14 trio late last year. The formula is similar to Dot, though thankfully a lot better. It's still a little patchy and uneven, so I did three coats for the swatches. It dries to a squishy, glossy shine that, combined with the color, reminds me of a ripe cantaloupe.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is a pale golden yellow with a shimmery metallic finish. The formula is smooth and easy to apply, and I needed just two coats for total coverage. With this type of finish, it's typical to see some visible brush strokes, especially in macro pictures. In person, if you're careful to use a light touch, the brush strokes will be minimal and they look even less noticeable after the polish dries. I know yellows tend not to be a universally loved color, and they can be a bit tricky to wear, but I love this one! It's soft with just the right amount of color, and against my skin tone, it pulls gold enough that it looks surprisingly sophisticated. It's definitely a surprise favorite of the collection for me. :D

Dillon

Dillon is a mint green with silver and gold shimmers in a foil finish. I did two coats for the swatches, which is about 95% of the way there in terms of coverage, and that's how I would wear it. Maybe you would need a third coat if you want that last 5% for total coverage. This is another standout from the collection! I haven't seen another foil with this color. I love mint, and to have this be a foil and a warmer mint shade... well it's obvious that I was going to love this from the start. :)

Rebel

Rebel is a medium sky blue with silver shimmers in a foil finish. It has a great formula that is easy to apply and, two coats is all you need for opaque coverage. This is such a pretty blue, so intense and saturated... one of those perfect tropical vacation blues.

Hudson

Hudson is a medium lilac-purple with silver and gold shimmers in a foil finish. This is a two-coater. The first coat is a little thin, but the second coat filled in everything nicely. This is another beautiful foil from the collection, a must-have for purple-lovers.

Monet

Monet is a special effects topper filled with medium-sized hexagon-shaped holographic glitters in a pink-tinted sheer base. In the swatches, I'm showing it over Cole. The formula for Monet was really thick, so application was pretty hard. The base was so thick and goopy that it felt almost like a gel, so all the glitters kind of clumped together. I would gently dab it on and then try to brush it out to distribute everything, but it still looks really clumpy and thick on the nails. I think some drops of thinner would probably help make this more workable. The holographic glitters seem like they would be really pretty in concept and they do sparkle like the rainbow, so it's too bad that it's so difficult to work with.

Overall, there are a few standouts for me from Zoya's spring offerings. Brooklyn is the clear winner in my book. The yellow is subtle and pretty, with enough gold tones to look elegant and posh. It's a color I would wear again and again. Dillon is a close second... I can never pass up a good mint, especially one with a foil finish. Rebel and Hudson are also gorgeous. Really, I think Zoya can do no wrong with its foil finishes. :)

Now that you know my thoughts on this collection, I'd love to know what you think. Which colors jump out at you? And will you be taking any home? Currently, Zoya's annual Earth Day polish exchange promo is going on, so it's a great time to pick up the spring colors you've been eyeing.

You can find the Awaken shades on Zoya.com for $9 and the Monet special effects topper for $10 for each 0.5 fl oz bottle.

** This post contains product(s) provided for honest consideration.