Zoya Intimate Nail Polish Collection Swatches and Review

Here are some swatches of the new Zoya Spring '11 collection, Intimate. I like the color collection because it's very soft, subtle, and the collection describes itself perfectly: intimate. I like how the shades remind me of curling up on a sofa while watching TV or reading a book, sipping hot cocoa.  I especially like the fact that these are not your usual pastel-hued spring colors. Glad Zoya veered away from that route.


Caitlin, 4 coats



See rest of the swatches after the jump



Caitlin is described as a smoky purple-tinged medium gray with smooth, opaque creme finish. Love this!  It's my absolute favorite of the bunch.  I love the greyish purple.  I love any greyish-tinged purples and pinks (my favorite lipstick shade is a greyish pink), so this is definitely up my alley.  It is a creme formula but I like the subtle shimmer it gives.


Jules, 3 coats



Jules is described as a sparkling neutral light taupe with gold, silver and champagne metallic shimmer. This is beautiful. I love the colors taupe, gold, silver and champagne individually, and a blend of each in a nail polish is simply gorgeous. I like that it's not too blingy. It's shimmery but in a subdued way. I also like that it's not too yellow gold, not too garish silver, and not too plain taupe either.


Dove, 3 coats



Dove is a light dove grey that looks too simple for my taste. I do like how it looks so clean on the nails, though. It has good opaque coverage and very pretty shimmer. This would look great Konadified with a silver, black or white image.


Marley, 3 coats



Marley is described on the Zoya site as the lightest baby lavender touched with a hint of gray-silver and a subtle pearl finish. I love the pearl finish! It prevents this polish from becoming one of those light lavender cream shades that came out in various brands' spring collections last year. The grey-silver nuances also make it quite unique.


Gemma, 3 coats



Gemma is described as a light muted olive green with an overlay of blue and violet duochrome shimmer. Now what I really love about these new Zoyas is the very unique overlays. In Gemma, the olive green seems boring to my eyes but the blue and violet overlay totally changes the finish. It makes the shade more complex and eye-catching. The pearly shimmer is also a plus in my book.


Dannii, 3 coats





Dannii is my top favorite along with Caitlin. It is the brightest shade in the collection, and is described as a medium orchid purple with pink and champagne highlights and flecks of silver metallic shimmer. If you don't like metallic sheen, this is not for you. I am such a sucker for purples so of course this is one of my faves. The metallic sheen also gives this shade character, as well as the pink and champagne highlights when light hits it.

All in all, I love the complexity of this new collection from Zoya. By themselves, dove grey and olive green polish shades would probably not catch my eye, but the subtle nuances, the different duochrome, pearly or metallic finishes give each shade its personality. I personally like Dannii, Caitlin and Jules the best, and if you can only pick three, those are the ones I recommend. Dove is also a lovely dove grey with interesting nuances. Marly is a must if you like light, springy lilacs, and Gemma lends a sort of jade feel to it.

The Shades Of U Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Note: Media samples were sent by a representative of the company for consideration. All opinions are completely mine.