So let's start off with the hottest trend for 2014, which is pink-toned neutrals. Inspired in part by the runaway success of the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette (I have it and I LOVE it), nail polish manufacturers are following suit with their own collections of nudes and neutrals. One of those in the forefront is Zoya, which has just released their 2014 Spring Transitional collection, called Naturel - six new neutrals that are anything but boring. At first glance you'd wonder why anyone would want to wear plain ol' neutrals during the dreariest time of the year, but I have to say that after all the brights, multichromes, textures, and glitters we've seen lately, these are a breath of fresh air and just the thing when you want a nice little palate cleanser. I chose three shades from Naturel; Odette, Brigitte, and Rue. All swatches shown are three thin coats with no base or top coat.
First off is Odette, the next-to-darkest shade in the collection. With a name like that, I kind of had to get it, right? Zoya describes Odette as a "sultry maroon creme", but it's actually a red-toned purple with taupe undertones, what I've heard some people refer to as "mushroomy". There's a slight muddiness to Odette that keeps it from being a purple-purple, and it's very classy and office-friendly. The formula, like most Zoyas, is top-notch; while I saw some initial patchiness, it self-leveled beautifully and dried to a nice shine.
And finally we have Rue, describes as a "boudoir blush creme". I'd like to think it was inspired by Rue from The Hunger Games, but given the description maybe Rue McClanahan is a more appropriate guess. This was the one that piqued my interest from the moment the previews were first released; I'd been expecting a very soft, grayed-out pink. What Rue actually winds up being is a pale, desaturated tan-pink that reminds me of very, very diluted chocolate milk, or perhaps cafe-au-lait that's extra heavy on the lait. It's an excellent "mannequin hands" shade for women with fair, rosy-toned skin.
And here's something interesting I found out, quite by accident: Rue has a twin sister! Not to miss out on the trend, L'Oreal Colour Riche has brought out their own line of six Signature Nudes, each shade named for an actress or model who's been a "face" for L'Oreal at some point in time: Julianne Moore, Doutzen Kroes, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lopez, Liya Kebede, and Freida Pinto. ( Musings of a Muse has a look at the complete collection if you're curious.) I saw the display at a local Walgreens; none of the shades looked particularly groundbreaking, but I did like Doutzen's Nude and that was the one I purchased. Then I brought it home and surprise! It's an exact dupe for Zoya Rue!
Well, almost...
This is L'Oreal Doutzen's Nude and Zoya Rue side by side. (L to R: Doutzen, Rue, Doutzen, Rue.) As you can see, the L'Oreal was patchy even after three coats and the formula was streaky and difficult; the Zoya, meanwhile, flowed onto the nail, self-leveled, and was mostly opaque in three coats with a lovely shine. I've become a Zoya fanatic lately, and this illustrates why - their formulas are superb and they have an astounding range of colors to choose from. They're not easy to find, though, being only sold in salons, stores like ULTA (though not online), and at Zoya's own website. (A word of advice: if you see something you like on Zoyas site, check Google Images for more accurate color representations - I've found that Zoya's swatches aren't always color-true.)
And speaking of Zoya, if you don't have a free account at Zoya.com, create one - they have a VERY BIG PROMOTION coming up on January 2nd, and if it's anything like last year's 3-for-$10 it's a great way to stock up on some of the best polishes around, plus they have other fantastic promos throughout the year.
Will you be going Naturel in 2014?
*All polishes were purchased by me; all opinions are my own.
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