ZOYA Beachy Brights 2 Summer Nail Polish Collection Swatches + Review {Part 1}

Y'all, I literally gasped when I unboxed ZOYA's Beachy Brights 2 Summer Nail Polish Collection. This collection is stunning and literally has a shade for every single personality whether you're into funky brights or strawberry-esque shades that bring summer picnic vibes. As to be expected, the formula on all of the shades is elite {so on brand for ZOYA}. This collection contains 12 colors, so I'm splitting this review up into two parts - six colors in each. Prepare to swoon babes!

Marisol is a Bold Turquoise Blue Creme. A thousand times yes for this temptress right here! Marisol is a bold turquoise blue creme that is, quite possibly, one of my favorite blue turquoise shades of all time - I mean, just look at that brightness...I literally cannot get over it! Formula here is so good. This one literally dries in seconds, and has such intense opacity, I can't. Truly one of the best vacay shades ever! This is 2 coats.

Taji is a Vibrant Lemon Yellow Creme. I do love a good yellow, and Taji is bringing it! Taji is a vibrant lemon yellow creme that is bright enough for your summer excursions, but would fit seamlessly with your fall fashions. This one is slightly darker IRL {think egg-yolk yellow} but is so intense and fun. If you don't have a yellow in your collection, I highly recommend grabbing this gorgeous girl! This is 2 coats.

Avani is a Bright Lemon Lime Creme. Y'all, this shade is essentially summer in a bottle. Avani is a super bright lemon lime creme that is legit a step away from requiring sunglasses just to look at it. True story. This shade is so, so fun for summer - I literally cannot. Formula here is fantastic. It looks semi-sheer after one coat; but whoa does it build to this gorgeous, creamy consistency on coat two. Avani is such a unique bright; so if that's what you're looking for for summer 2024, you need her! This is 2 coats.

Vita is a Deep Pink w/ Shimmering Holo Finish. For my ladies who love a side of sparkle with their pink, look no further than this pretty. Vita is a deep pink w/ shimmering holo finish that is v reminiscent of bubbles laughing in champagne. This one is deep enough that it feels like it would seamlessly fit into your fall wardrobe; but the holo finish makes it feel just flirty enough for the summer months. If you're looking for a playful pink for vacay, you can't go wrong with this bad boy! This is 2 coats.

Cove is a Tropical Teal Holo w/ Flashes of Green. OMG babes the mermaid vibes have arrived! Cove is a tropical teal holo w/ flashes of green that will have you feeling like a cast member of H20: Just Add Water. #iykyk. And if you don't know, you need to get on that ASAP. Trust. This color y'all...ZOYA outdid themselves because it is per-fec-tion. You def need two coats with this beauty because one is super sheer; but just look how it builds! If you're looking to channel your inner mermaid you cannot be without this shade. This is 2 coats.

Bohdi is a Neon Portland Orange Creme. I wish I could have captured the bright of this bad boy because the neon is intense; but I digress...Bohdi is a searing neon Portland Orange creme that has one of the most intense brightness levels I have ever seen in a polish! Babes, this color is gorgeous and will catch the eye of everyone you encounter. It does dry matte {neon obvi}, so you need top coat to make it shine; but you will not be disappointed with this beauty on your tips and toes! This is 2 coats.

AVAILABILITY: ZOYA.

NOTD: ZOYA Beachy Brights 2 Collection Nail Lacquer in Avani

Two coats of ZOYA Nail Polish in Avani. Bright Lemon Lime Creme.

Y'all, this shade is essentially summer in a bottle.

Avani is a super bright lemon lime creme that is legit a step away from requiring sunglasses just to look at it. True story. This shade is so, so fun for summer - I literally cannot. Formula here is fantastic. It looks semi-sheer after one coat; but whoa does it build to this gorgeous, creamy consistency on coat two. Avani is such a unique bright; so if that's what you're looking for for summer 2024, you need her!

xx

Disclaimer: Cat Eyes & Skinny Jeans occasionally receives vendor/ brand sponsorships for mentioning their products and services.

BOOK REVIEW: Iron Flame {The Empyrean, Book 2} by Rebecca Yarros

"I waited six hundred and fifty years to hatch. Waited until your eighteenth summer, when I heard our elders talk of the weakling daughter of their general, the girl forecasted to become the head of the scribes, and I knew. You would have the mind of a scribe and the heart of a rider. You would be mine."
It is so, so rare for me to leap into a sequel immediately following the completion of book one; but in the case of Rebecca Yarros' Iron Flame, it was a non-neogtiable. You guys, the impact these characters had on me in Fourth Wing was something I was so not ready to leave behind; thus, I dove directly in, and OMG all I can say is how on earth am I supposed to wait until January for Onyx Storm?

Now twenty-one-years-old, Violet Sorrengail accomplished the unthinkable during her first year in the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College: she survived. And not just survived...she thrived - bonding to not one, but two dragons during Threshing {the standouts Tairn and Andarna}; finding a mate in the unlikely {yet oh so swoon-worthy} Xaden Riorson; and coming into her own, showing her classmates just how badass she truly is. But Year One is done. Everyone knows that the true time to weed out the weak, the vulnerable, the unworthy...isn't during the torturous time of Threshing. No, it's during Year Two - when you've developed a sense of cockiness, confidence, and the incorrect feeling that you are untouchable that the true weeding out process begins. Welcome to Year Two.

Violet is known for being weaker and frailer than her fellow Dragon Riders; she's also known for not allowing those things to stop her. Strong of mind, and incredibly determined, Violet is entering Year Two ready for anything training has to throw at her. After all, she has seen what it's like on the outside, borne witness to the terror that lies outside of Navarre. While it's a knowledge that haunts her every sleeping {and waking} moment, it's also the driving force behind her will to succeed. Yes, it's grueling; yes, it's brutal; yes, it will test tolerance of pain and torture...but it's not impossible. The new Vice Commandant, Varrish, however, is hellbent on making it so. At least for Violet. From the moment of his arrival, Varrish develops a hyper-fixation on Violet, Tairn, and Andarna - issuing threats, torment, and persecution all in the name of showing Vi how utterly powerless she is. But he's wrong. Vi is anything but powerless. And even if it kills her, Vi is dead set on protecting her friends and exposing the true secret that has been hidden at Basgiath War College for centuries.

Yarros had better start churning out novellas from all of the POVs because let me tell you this is a cast of characters that I cannot get enough of, and I will shell out cash for each and every one of them - especially if we get one from my sassy sweetheart Andarna and my hilarious teddy bear Tairn because they are two of my all-time favorite characters in literature and I would die for them. Yes, if you hadn't already surmised, I'm here for the dragons, the rest of the characters are just a very welcome bonus. But I digress...

Iron Flame gutted me in ways I never thought possible. Multiple hallucinations {or were they?} from a character I'm still mourning from Fourth Wing; the return of a villain I hoped never to see again; all of the questions surrounding Andarna's sleep for the first half of the book {ngl I suffered severe anxiety during this period}...I mean, it was gut-wrenching. Not since J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter have I felt such a strong pull to a fictional world and the characters therein, but Yarros has just nailed it. Despite the fact that there are loads of characters throughout, they are so distinguishable based on their traits and personalities that, love them of loathe them, they are unforgettable. Most unforgettable, at least for me, are the dragons - I absolutely cannot get enough of them. The way that they communicate telepathically is just brilliant and something I look forward to as I turn each page. And Violet? I liked her in Fourth Wing; but she just blew me away in Iron Flame. Like, she has literally cemented herself in my top 3 of favorite fictional female characters.

Kudos to you Ms. Yarros...you are a true queen. I am eagerly awaiting Onyx Storm.



Star Rating: *****


xx

NOTD: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Trolls Nail Polish Collection in Viva Power

Two coats of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Trolls Nail Polish Collection in Viva Power. Golden Yellow Shimmer.

Okay, but this color is so cutie for the warmer months!

Viva Power is a sunshiney golden yellow shimmer that brings all of the bright, beachy vibes. What's fun about this one is that the shimmer gives an unexpected twinkle that is absolutely stunning when sunlight hits it. I was hyper-impressed with Viva Power because it lasted for more than a week with zero chips or tipwear, which is practically unheard of when it comes to shimmers. Highly recommend!

xx

NOTD: ZOYA Bloom Spring 2024 Collection Nail Lacquer in Phoebe

Two coats of ZOYA Nail Polish in Phoebe. Watermelon Creme.

Found your perfect pedi shade for summer 2024, ladies!

Phoebe is a watermelon creme that is deep and decadent but manages to maintain a bright undertone that makes it perfect for spring to summer manis or pedis. This one is v full-coverage in depth, so you can go with one coat, but I opted for two. Staying power is strong with this one - I wore it for 6 days with no tipwear, so it's the perfect polish to accompany you on vacay!

xx

Disclaimer: Cat Eyes & Skinny Jeans occasionally receives vendor/ brand sponsorships for mentioning their products and services.

NOTD: OPI Your Way Nail Lacquer Collection in Apricot AF

Two coats of OPI Your Way Nail Lacquer Collection in Apricot AF. Apricot Creme.

This shade for spring into summer is such a vibe.

Apricot AF is a peach sorbet inspired apricot creme that was made for poolside afternoons and warm weather. As opposed to being a bright apricot, this one is more muted, giving it a neutral touch that will please my nude nail girlies. Formula here was good - it's fast dry and reaches opacity quickly. Not sure if I would repeat-wear; but it's a nice transition shade.

xx