Some things that are fast: Usain Bolt as he gloated towards the finish line, buttery popcorn that sounds like mini fireworks in the microwave, and Zoya Yves, a too-cool-for-school blue nail polish from the Matte Velvet Collection!
If you’re ever in a pinch and need to slap on some quick colour that dries quickly before you rush out the door, Zoya Yves is a good choice. (It’s designed to be worn without a top coat.)
There’s just one thing that you should be aware of. What’s that? Find out later in this post!
Zoya Yves Pictures
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Natural Light
Artificial Light
Natural Light
Zoya Yves Swatches
All swatches have:
- No base coat!
- 2 coats of Zoya Yves
- No top coat!
Artificial Light Photos
Natural Light Photos
Claims: TRUSTED
- Deep sapphire (Yes)
- Blue pearl fleck (No)
Key Notes
- Name: Zoya Yves
- Collection: Zoya Matte Velvet Collection Winter/Holiday 2015
- Press Release: Click here to see the official Zoya Matte Velvet Collection press release
- Colours Available in the Collection: Aspen, Sue, Amal, Iris, Yves & Honor
- Amount: 15 mL (0.5 fl. oz.)
- Retail Price: $10 USD
- Disclosure: This was provided as a press sample by Zoya.
- Where to Buy: Zoya’s website & Nail Polish Canada
Zoya Yves Review
Colour
Like a rockstar donning oversized shades and nonchalantly brushing a stray blue streak of hair from his face, Yves by Zoya has that too-cool-for-school vibe that makes you stop and stare.
The rich sapphire would flatter a wide variety of skin tones, and while it’s dark, it never appears black. There’s just the right saturation of blue to keep it from crossing over to the dark side.
Finish
When you forego a top coat and wear Yves by Zoya the way it was intended to be worn, it dries down to a satin finish that’s not flat and definitely not shiny.
There’s subtle blue shimmer sprinkled throughout, which adds a magical touch, like the Nail Polish Fairy flew in from the window and waved her wand over your manicure.
The matte finish gets duller over time, and, if you’re like me and wear long-lasting foundation like Estee Lauder Double Wear, keep in mind that if it gets on your nails, it can be tricky to remove it without leaving behind some residue.
Application & Formula
I applied it to my natural nails (without a base coat), since that’s how it was advertised to be worn.
The formula was extremely pigmented. With one coat, I got complete coverage, but I applied a second coat to enhance the wear time. (Zoya says that the Matte Velvets don’t last as long as their regular nail polishes, but I still found that I got a few days out of Yves before I noticed any tip wear.)
It dried very quickly, and the best way I can describe it is that it feels like sea glass – smooth and frosted.
You need to work really fast when you apply any Zoya Matte Velvet because of their fast dry time. If you go too slowly, they have a tendency to clump up.
Also, don’t paint over the same area. The finish won’t be smooth.
By the time I was ready to do my second coat, I found that the first layer was almost completely dry, so you can easily whiz through the manicure process.
Does It Stain?
I was nervous about applying such a bold blue onto my naked nails without a base coat to help prevent potential staining.
When it was the moment of truth and I went to remove it, the blue smeared all over my fingers. I looked like I had been using a Smurf as finger paint! 😉 My nails, cuticles, and the skin even further up had a noticeable blue tint!
After washing my hands several times with soap, more of the blue came off with the suds. But there was still some lingering in the crevices around my cuticles, and my nails were still tinted slightly blue.
I recommend that you wear a base coat and that you remove the polish only when you have more time to devote to cleaning it up. (While the application is fast, the removal is slow.) Also, if you aren’t planning to polish your nails again soon after removing this, I don’t recommend reaching for Zoya Yves because the slight blue tint will make your hands look like they belong in Roswell. 😉
After removing this polish and wearing another fresh manicure, you’ll be pleased to know that the blue doesn’t stay on your nails permanently (at least in my experience). When I removed my second manicure (with another shade), I notice that it also lifted more of the blue that was previously on my nails from Yves.
Ingredients & Vegan-Friendly
Zoya’s vegan-friendly nail polishes don’t contain any Toluene, Camphor, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, or DBP.
Pros
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Cons
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Final Verdict: 7/10
I really enjoyed wearing Zoya Yves, and if it didn’t tint my nails and skin as much, I would’ve given it a higher Final Verdict score.
Make sure that you set aside enough time when you remove it, and plan to polish your nails again soon.
What are some of your tricks or tips for removing nail stains? Do you wear some polishes that are notorious for staining, or do you avoid them?
I’m loving this color but I think I’ll pass. I’ve had to deal with the Curse of the Smurf before with other blue polishes and it just isn’t worth the aggravation. I am curious about one thing-do you still have staining if you use a base coat? or even 2 layers of base coat? Just curious. Thanks for sharing. It looks great on you! 🙂
Hey Melissa!
Haha…the Curse of the Smurf! 😛
I’ve only worn this polish for one manicure, and that time, I didn’t use a base coat because I wanted to follow Zoya’s instructions and see what the results would be. If you use a base coat, or even double-up on it, it should technically help minimize or avoid any potential staining. However, I still think that it could stain a bit around the cuticles, since it tends to like clinging onto the skin.
This is such a pretty polish! Too bad about the staining though!
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Hey Sasha!
I hear ya! The staining was a major letdown. I love blue nail polish, but whenever I wear a saturated blue, I can’t help but feel a bit nervous as to whether I’ll spend a lot of time trying to get rid of Smurf Hands. 😉