top coat – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: top coat

Zoya Nail Polish Kisses Collection | Special Edition Pastel Jellies

Posted on January 19, 2018 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have a full review of the Kisses Collection from Zoya Nail Polish to share with you. This Special Edition Collection contains three nail polishes that Zoya calls Pastel Jellies. Each polish is a pastel shade with a jelly formula – a sheer, milky color with a super shiny finish. Jellies are perfect polishes for layering, and wear well with other polishes, such as glitters and top coats. When you purchase a polish from the Kisses Collection, Zoya will provide its polish Leia for free! This post will share swatches of each polish in the Kisses Collection on its own, and paired with Leia.

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

The swatches in this blog post are worn with a base coat and no top coat. I wore three coats of nail polish in each swatch. The polishes have the same great formula, and apply very smoothly to the nails. I find that the jelly formula dries quite quickly and evenly. Please note that these polishes are designed to be sheer, and you will not get an opaque finish on the nails.

First up is Vickie, a light purple nail polish that leans towards a cool grey. I’m not a big fan of how Vickie looks on its own with my skin tone, as it almost looks as if my nails have turned purple after being freezing cold! That being said, I think Vickie would look stunning on deeper skin tones. I also love how it looks when combined with Leia! You can really see the purple shift in Leia when it is layered over Vickie.

Next up is Libby, a lavender polish with pink undertones. I really like how Libby looks on my nails. This is the perfect color to transition from winter to spring! Of course, Leia also looks beautiful when layered over Libby. I love how you get a ton of sparkle with just one layer of Leia.

Last but not least is Princess, a bright pink jelly polish. Princess is definitely my favorite polish in the Kisses Collection. The bright pink is a ton of fun on its own, and really comes to life when Leia is layered on top. In fact, the finished result reminds me of a non-vegan polish I used to adore in college!

That wraps up my swatches and review of the Zoya Nail Polish Kisses Collection. Overall, I think this is a fun line if you are looking for some high quality and vegan jelly nail polishes. I think it is great that every Kisses purchase comes with a free Leia, too. You can purchase the Kisses Collection on Zoya’s website HERE. Each polish retails for $10, but keep your eye on Zoya’s social media for coupon codes and specials.

Will you be purchasing any polishes from the Kisses Collection? Let me know in the comments!

Manicure March | Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition Nail Color in LCD

Posted on March 6, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Manicure March is going strong! I hope you’ve been enjoying my nail polish reviews thus far. Today I’m sharing a really fun review on one of the discontinued collections from Sally Hansen. If you’re like me and you still have a bunch of Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition polishes in your stash, here is your chance to see the magic within the bottle. Let me share my swatches of LCD, and the specific way I wear it.

First things first, here is LCD on its own. LCD is a pink metallic polish with a very sheer formula. It is packed with blue and purple shimmer as well. LCD has a good formula that applies nicely to the nail. However, it’s very underwhelming on its own. I layered three coats onto my nails, and my manicure is still really sheer. I really did not like LCD on my nails, but because it is so sheer I decided to do an experiment.

Next, I painted my pointer and middle fingers with a white base and my ring and pinky fingers with a black base. I layered LCD over the top, and that’s when the magic happened. Well, LCD looked like a pink mess over the white, but look at it layered over black nail polish! I got an instant galaxy manicure!

As soon as I finished my swatches for the day, I did a full manicure with LCD layered over a black nail polish. I am so obsessed with this! I can’t believe the magic that was living inside this nail polish bottle for years. I own several other bottles of Sally Hansen HD polish, and I’m now ready to experiment with all of them. Needless to say, I’m keeping LCD in my stash because it is amazing.

All in all, I am so glad I tested out LCD as a layering polish. The directions on the bottle simply say to apply 2-3 coats to the nail, so I’m not sure Sally Hansen even designed this polish to work well in layering. If you own this polish definitely let me know how you wear it in the comments. Did you know how LCD looks over black?! I know I’ve said the word ‘magic’ too often in this blog post, but I’m excited about this one! It’s always nice to discover a nail polish that you already own.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

DIY Travel Nail Kit

Posted on November 18, 2015November 18, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Now that we are headed into the holiday season, I thought it was the perfect time to put together a DIY Travel Nail Kit! Whether you need a touch up on a weekend getaway, or some manicure options during a longer trip, I’ve got you (and your nails!) covered. I never used to travel with nail polish until college. During my winter break I was away from my nail polish collection for a few weeks, so I wanted to make sure I had a few options on hand. Let me show you everything I pack with me to keep my manicure in shape!

First things first, I highly recommend dedicating a small makeup bag to your nail kit. That way if things go wrong and your nail polish bottles break or spill, nothing else will get ruined. That being said, I always keep a spare piece of bubble wrap in my nail kit so I can keep everything secure. Don’t forget that if you are flying, you’ll need to put your nail polish in your checked luggage, or abide by the 3-1-1 rule (more on that HERE).

As for the items inside my kit, I make sure to have at least five things with me, four of which are pictured above for you:

Sally Hansen Double Duty – This is a base coat and a top coat in one! I’ve used it for years, and while it’s not my favorite top coat option, it’s a great one both for the price and the convenience. I often use it at home as a base coat, and it’s the logical choice for travel. Find it at your local drugstore, or online HERE.
Neutral or Pink Nail Polish – When traveling, it is best to find a nail polish that will work for any occasion and any outfit. I recommend a neutral shade, such as a beige or tan, or my go to polish color – pink! I love Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Peachy Breeze because it can work for a professional event, but is also fun for your beach vacation. Plus, a fast-dry formula is perfect for on the go.
Glitter Top Coat – Your manicure options will double with a glitter top coat! Keep one on hand for a night out, holiday party, or simply a change of pace. This can layer right over your other nail polish so you don’t need to worry about remover or touch ups. I grabbed Milani Color Statement in Club Lights, but choose any glitter you love for your kit!
Mini Emery Boards – I always keep an emery board in my purse, and I, of course, keep at least two in my travel nail kit. You never know when your nails will break, especially with the drying atmosphere of an airplane! I’ve used some of the tiny emery boards before, and those just don’t cut it. I received these black ones for review, and am in love! They are the perfect size at 3.5 inches long – they fit easily in my makeup bag, but are still big enough to hold easily. Plus, you can get a 50 pack for just $10 on Amazon HERE. I highly recommend grabbing a pack to keep you stocked up. They even make a great stocking stuffer!
Nail Polish Remover Pads – I don’t have any on hand to show you, but nail polish remover pads are perfect for travel! Who wants to carry a bottle of nail polish remover?! I’ve had great luck with the butterLONDON Scrubbers, which I think is worth splurging on for special occasions. I usually wait to take off my nail polish once I’m back at home, but these are a great option for those of you who want to switch it up on the road!

All in all, taking care of your nails while traveling can be super easy and non-stressful with a DIY Travel Nail Kit! This kit makes the perfect holiday gift for your friends and family, but don’t forget to create one for yourself! You can also feel free to add in hand cream for some added moisture during the winter months. It all depends on your personal needs! I hope this post brought you some inspiration, and I’m wishing you safe travels!

What’s in your Travel Nail Kit? Let me know in the comments!

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer | Quick Dry Top Coat Review

Posted on August 11, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! You’ve now seen all of the new nail polish shades in the Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer line, but I saved the Quick Dry Top Coat for last. I’m always on the hunt for the perfect top coat, especially one that is fabulous and affordable. I made sure to thoroughly test out the Quick Dry Top Coat so I could let you know if it’s worth the buy, even at just $3.99. Let’s go ahead and take a look at the top coat!

The Quick Dry Top Coat stays true to its name – the formula is amazing, glides on with ease, and dries really quickly! I really love the high gloss finish, and appreciate how fast this top coat dries. I’m wearing it over Hot Pink Rage in the photos above, and I think it looks like I got a professional manicure done! You can also see the sizable dent I’ve made in this bottle already. I’ve been testing it a lot for all of you!

I wore this top coat for two manicures, one with a Milani polish and one with another brand, to see how it lasted. Unfortunately, with both manicures I got tip wear on the second day of wear, and chipping on the third day of wear. Once the polish starts chipping, it doesn’t stop either! So while the Quick Dry Top Coat is perfect if you’re rushing out the door and need your nails dry, it’s not a long-lasting top coat. In that sense, I would only recommend it if you are looking for that high gloss finish.

All in all, I’m a bit disappointed that the Quick Dry Top Coat does not preserve my manicure for longer than a few days. I do love how fast it dries and how the finish looks on my nails, though. In that way, it’s definitely up to you to decide if the Quick Dry Top Coat fits your needs. If you change your nail polish as often as I do, this might be a great option for you! You can purchase this top coat at your local CVS store, or directly from Milani’s website HERE. In the comments, let me know if you’d buy this top coat!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My New Must Have Top Coat | Essie Good to Go

Posted on March 31, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you my new, must have top coat. My friend Gina of charmnomgo gave me her bottle of Essie’s Good to Go to try out, and I loved it so much I purchased my own bottle. Many of you mentioned on Facebook that you’d like to see a full review of Good to Go, and that’s what I’m here to do!

Essie’s Good to Go is a top coat designed to give you brilliant shine in seconds. I’ve had terrible luck with other fast-dry top coats in the past, so I was definitely hesitant to try this one out. For some reason, many fast-dry top coats chip within just one day of being on my nails. Despite the beautiful shine they give, I just can’t depend on them if I want a long-lasting manicure. Thankfully, Good to Go is unlike those other top coats! I don’t know what the difference is formulaically, but it sure does the trick. It dries quickly, applies with ease, and gives my nails a shine that says “I bet you think I went to the salon today!”

Here is my manicure after three days of wear. I have Zoya Dot on as my color, and just one coat of Good to Go on top. As you can see, my nails still look amazing! Okay, so my cuticles are still in winter mode, but my polish is chip-free and super shiny. I’m beyond happy with the results!

All in all, I am so thankful that Gina made me try out Essie’s Good to Go! It retails for $8.50, which is a bit more than I typically like to spend, but because of its amazingness, I think it is worth every penny. I grabbed mine at Duane Reade, but you can shop on Amazon HERE or at your local drugstore. Let me know if you’ve tried Good to Go in the comments!

This post contains an affiliate link. Product purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.