Zoya Color Lock System review

Zoya. Zoya. What can I say? You move me.

I finally got around to using the Zoya Color Lock System.

From the Zoya.com website.

Put perfect nail color on lock down. The Zoya Color Lock System surrounds polish with a protective barrier against moisture, bubbling, chipping and UV damage. This kit, which comes in a super-cute, zip-lock handle bag, has everything you need to perfect your polish and make it look better longer.

Zoya Color Lock System Kit Contains:

1 - 1oz Zoya Remove Plus
1 - 0.25oz Zoya Anchor Base Coat
1 - 0.25oz Zoya Zoya Armor Top Coat
1 - 0.25oz Zoya Fast Drops Polish Drying Drops

The idea of the system is one I'm sure everyone is familiar with if you've ever used any type of skin care/make up system. Use it in order for the best results, etc, etc. But in my opinion all the products in the system weren't created equal.

The Remove Plus smelled quite pleasant, though I didn't use it to remove my polish, just to prepare my nail. I didn't notice this step improving the application of the polish.

Next came the Anchor Base Coat. I'm of two-minds with this. One part of me really liked it. It really "anchored" the polish. I could tell while painting my nails that it seemed to "grip" the polish better. The thing I didn't like about it is that it didn't dry "smooth". When I ran my finger pad over my nail it created a different tactile sensation then what I was used to with my base coat. It wasn't unpleasent, just different.

Color was next. I was going to use a different brand, but I decided to follow the rules exactly and use a Zoya brand color. I used Megan which I got for free with the Color Lock System.

Finally Armor TC and the Fast Drops Polish Drying Drops.

I am used to Seche Vite which drys fast. What I found with the Armor top coat and Drying Drops was this: the Armor TC does not dry quickly. At all. The Drops have an oily feeling to it. Now if you can cover your entire nail with one drop of the oil, good for you! I was unable to and it ran down and missed my tips. Which later came back to bite me in the ass. My tips took FOREVER to dry and I wound up smudging the hell out of them and getting bubbles where the drops hadn't covered.

But despite all of the issues I had, the proof is in the swatches. They're unbelievable. Can you see how shiny that turned out? It's almost perfect.

My verdict is this: If you have the time to add a few more steps to your manicure, use the system. It really seemed to make a difference.

Now let's see how well it wears.