Anise Nail Polish

Anise Cosmetics is another great company that produces non-toxic nail polish (meaning free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP). They have been cruelty-free certified by both PETA and the Leaping Bunny Organization and conform to several green and eco-friendly standards.

The colors you see here are part of the Spring/Summer 2009 collection (they do not stock older colors, for better and for worse), which like other major lines this year, are all about bright colors from neon pink to sunny yellow. While my favorites are usually the more mellow shades (today I'm wearing the rosy bronze Fake'n Bake), I must admit falling in love with Thank Heavens, the creamy pale aqua. It's fabulous on one's toes and looks surprisingly flattering against my skin. Who would have thought?

The polish goes on easily and smoothly, and while I haven't tried all the colors yet, there was no streaking with those I applied. The texture is a bit thinner than I'm used to, but the coverage is good. You'll need two to three coats to achieve the color intensity you see in the bottle and the level of shimmer varies between the colors- while Fake'n Bake is almost glittery, the gorgeous tangerine of Club Tropicana is more mellow and office-friendly.

Anise Cosmetics nail polish is sold at Whole Foods Markets, DSW Shoes stores and Annie Sez stores. The colors I got were a PR freebie.

Model: Lizzy. All photos are mine.

Zoya Nail Polish Summer 2009- Cruel Summer

Zoya is bringing the 80s back with the Ooh-La-La collection for summer 2009. Four of the colors, the ultra-bright ones, have a distinct neon finish that calls to mind the matching socks, rubber bracelets and scrunchies of yore. The polish colors are as summery and fun as can get, but I'm getting the feeling those among us who've been there the first time around, might not be the target audience for Ooh-La-La. The other two colors, Dita and America, aren't exactly shy violets, either, but they are easier to wear. America, a deep watermelon shade is my favorite and the one I'm more likely to reach for. It's pretty and I can almost pull it off, but it's so strong and bright I ended up feeling a bit too self conscious wearing it in polite company.

La-Di-Da is the metallic option. Nobody does blue and green nail polish as well as Zoya. If that's your thing, you're going to enjoy Tallulah and Midori with their Mediterranean summer vibe. I pick the more conservative Emme and Ginessa for a pretty pedicure to go with fun sandals.

As always, Zoya nail polish is made without the big bad three: toluene, formaldehyde, and DBP (phthalates) , the worst of chemicals. The quality is wonderful: two coats give the exact color you see in the bottle, and even the cream formula dried up quickly and didn't budge for five days. I actually took it off before there were any signs of wear and tear.

And here are a couple of reasons to be wary of the 80s:




Zoya summer 2009 collection ($6 per bottle) is available online, from the company's web site. I received it as a PR freebie.