The chances of Zoya releasing a lackluster collection are about as slim as Twiggy's legs at the height of her modeling career. Whether toying with summery neons, jewel-toned metallics, or rocker-flavored matte shades, the Zoya team excels at developing long-lasting, largely chip-resistant nail lacquers in elegant, nuanced colors with unexpected undertones and finishes. And while we can count on Zoya to hit the right notes with the consistency of a seasoned soul diva, it occasionally exceeds even our highest expectations, as is the case with the Spring 2011 Zoya Intimate collection.
Inspired by the color palette seen on Spring 2011 fashion runways, the intimate collection features six polishes that are as demure, seductive, and sweet as ballerina tutus and lacy, coquettish undergarments. Standout shades, for example, include Dove, an ashy gray color with a creamy, mostly opaque finish, and Caitlin, a creamy, medium gray with cornflower blue and lavender undertones that seems to change color ever so slightly depending on the light source. The last of the muted, creamy colors is Marley, a soft lilac with a creamy but pearly finish. While lovely, Marley is perhaps my least favorite shade in the collection, as it's the least innovative in terms of its color and finish (it reminds me a bit of Illamasqua's Wink Varnish).
The remaining three colors are equally astounding – particularly Gemma, a creamy olive with light blue and lilac shimmer that add a green opal-like luminosity. Jules, meanwhile, is billed as a neutral taupe saturated with gold, silver and champagne shimmer, but I'd describe it as more of a tarnished, grungy, vintage gold. Last, there's Dannii, a Jetsons-worthy purple with gold and silver shimmer particles that lend the punchy color a futuristic, space-aged vibe.
Though you're likely to swoon over all six shades, we'd suggest getting intimately acquainted with Dove (which we spotted quite often while backstage during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2011 in NYC), Gemma (it's pitch-perfect for the season's military fashion trend), and Caitlin (which fits right in with the '70s-inspired pieces seen at the ADAM Spring/Summer 2011 show, among others).
Check out swatches of all the shades after the jump!
Zoya Caitlin Nail Lacquer
Zoya Gemma Nail Lacquer
Zoya Dannii Nail Lacquer
Zoya Dove Nail Lacquer
Zoya Marley Nail Lacquer
Zoya Intimate collection nail lacquers, $7 each. Available at Zoya.com
