The History of Zoya Nail Polish

In 1979, Zoya and Michael Reyzis immigrated to the United States as refugees from the USSR. Born and educated in Odesa and Kiev, Zoya was a classical pianist and Michael was a chemist. Upon getting settled in the United States, Zoya earned her Cosmetology license since there wasn’t much work for her as a pianist. In 1986, the two started a small nail salon which eventually evolved into a spa that offered nail and skin care, often using natural alternatives like European herbal treatments. Eventually, the two realized there was a need for high-quality nail polish and related products that utilized safer ingredients. Zoya and Michael pooled their knowledge to create one of the earliest lines of spa-quality, safer-ingredient nail polish, which they named Zoya. Through their Art of Beauty company, they began manufacturing Zoya nail polish as well as other treatments, like anti-wrinkle creams and specialty shampoos. Zoya was notably among the first brands to remove toxic ingredients such as toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, and DBP (dibutyl phthalate) from its formulations, and is now free of 12 different harmful chemicals. Today, Zoya has evolved into an immensely popular nail polish brand that offers a wide array of colors and is available in many stores and spas.