July 2015 – Adventures in Polishland

Month: July 2015

Skincare Sample Reviews | Laura Mercier, Jurlique & Sumbody

Posted on July 30, 2015August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I recently announced on my Facebook Page that I cancelled my Birchbox after over two years. I really, really love Birchbox, but I was getting tired of receiving the same types of products over and over and not using them on a regular basis. It was time for me to save that $10 a month and focus on using all of the products I accumulated in my collection. Whenever I use up a product, I reach into my sample drawer in my makeup collection (see a tour of that collection HERE). That way I save money by not purchasing new products, and I get the opportunity to use what I already have. I thought it would be fun to share my thoughts on a few skincare samples I’ve been using lately. Let’s jump right into the reviews!

Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish

$32.00 [BUY]

This facial exfoliant from Laura Mercier is just as divine as the price tag suggests! I love the microbeads in this product, as they are gentle yet scrub hard enough to make sure my skin is smooth. I’ve gotten a lot of use out of this deluxe sample, and it definitely makes me want to save up and purchase the full size. My skin looks and feels so much more even and radiant after using this product! I highly recommend it!

Jurlique Herbal Recovery Advanced Serum

$56.00 [BUY]

My skin is also loving this serum from Jurlique. Serum is one product that I always use, but never have to buy. I have gotten so many samples of serum that I’m constantly testing out new brands. I really like this one at the moment, as it’s very different from other serums I’ve tried. It is more on the thicker side, and is nearly a full face lotion. I love how my skin looks and feels after using this serum, but the scent is a bit on the funky side, probably due to the herbal nature of this product. Because of the price tag, I doubt I will repurchase this in the full size, but I am really glad I got the opportunity to test it out. If you have the means, I definitely think you should check out this serum!

Sumbody Salt Scrub

$18.95 [BUY]

Last but not least, I have a skincare product for the body as well. I’ve never tried a salt scrub before, so I was interested to see how it would differ compared with the sugar scrubs I typically use. This Sumbody scrub is definitely more abrasive than a sugar scrub, so if you have sensitive skin I wouldn’t reach for this. This scrub really intrigues me – it appears to dissolve as soon as I apply it, and leaves my skin moisturized despite the main ingredient being sea salt. The combination of salt with shea butter and cocoa butter must make for the perfect product! I’m not sure I will repurchase this as it is a bit rough on my skin, but if you’re not sensitive I highly recommend it.

I hope you all enjoyed these mini reviews of mini products! I hope to be using up a lot of my samples in the coming months to save money and try new things. If you’d like to see sample reviews every once in a while, please let me know in the comments! I would love to share what I’ve been using with all of you. Also, let me know what samples you’re currently trying in the comments!

Manicure Monday | OPI Your Web or Mine

Posted on July 27, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Manicure Monday! I’m back this week to continue the Alphabet Challenge. Last week I didn’t participate because I just couldn’t find a brand or polish that began with the letter X. Luckily, I found an OPI polish this week that begins with Y. Your Web or Mine from the Spiderman collection is another polish that I got when I first began blogging, but haven’t worn in years. Let me show you this pretty pink!

Your Web or Mine is a frosty pink with a metallic finish. This polish has a good formula that is opaque in two coats, but brush strokes are visible because of the metallic quality. I’m not usually a fan of frosty polishes, but Your Web or Mine is really wearable. I think it goes really well with my skin tone, and is definitely office appropriate. I highly recommend it!

The OPI Spiderman Collection was limited edition, but I found the same mini polish set that I own on Amazon HERE for just $8.99! You get four mini polishes and a collector’s box with the set. That is such a great deal for this OPI set!

What OPI Collection is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

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

How to Use the Erin Condren Perpetual Calendar | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on July 25, 2015July 25, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I am excited to bring you another #PlanWithPolishland post featuring my Erin Condren Life Planner. Every Life Planner comes with a Perpetual Calendar, which is a little book with a line for every day of the year. The calendar was originally designed to mark down birthdays, anniversaries, and other dates that reoccur every year. That way, you can mark down these special days once in your Perpetual Calendar and carry it in your planner from year to year. I wanted to put my Perpetual Calendar to use, but I didn’t think its traditional purpose would work for me. Let me go ahead and show you how I’m using the Erin Condren Perpetual Calendar, and share some other ideas I have with you!

Here is a quick peek at the Perpetual Calendar. You can find it in the Keep it Together folder at the back of your Erin Condren Life Planner. I love this year’s cute design, and was inspired by the “Celebrate Someone or Something Everyday,” headline. I’ve decided to use my Perpetual Calendar as a happiness journal, in which I write down one thing every day, no matter how big or small, that made me happy. Here is a peek inside my journal for the month of June – I started as soon as my Erin Condren order arrived!

I really like how my happiness journal is turning out, and you can definitely feel free to use your Perpetual Calendar in the same way. I often see people in the We Love EC group on Facebook asking others for inspiration on how to use the calendar, so I thought I would share some more ideas with you. Let’s jump right in!

Gratitude Journal
Fitness Journal / Meal Planner / Weight Tracker
Quote Journal
Reading List
Weather Log
Budget Book
Fun & Silly Holidays (i.e. National Donut Day)
Top News Story of the Day
Song of the Day List
Cleaning Log / Chore List
…any combination of the above!

These are just some of the ways you can put your Erin Condren Perpetual Calendar to use! I hope these gave you a bit of inspiration. Even if you don’t use any of these ideas, perhaps they helped you think of another use for your Perpetual Calendar. I’m really loving my happiness journal, but maybe that’s not the right system for you, and that’s okay! Find what works, and don’t be afraid to experiment! If you’d like to get a Perpetual Calendar separate from the Life Planner, they are only $5 on the Erin Condren website! Please sign-up using my referral link HERE to score $10 off your first purchase!

Show me how you use your Perpetual Calendar with the hashtag #PlanWithPolishland! You can also follow my NEW planner Instagram @PlanWithPolishland HERE.

Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare | Close Up Instant Wrinkle Reducer and Treatment Review

Posted on July 23, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a review of a high end skincare product from Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare. I was excited when I got the opportunity to try this luxurious product, as I’ve been looking for a great eye cream that is anti-aging. Although I’m only in my mid-twenties, I can see fine lines forming under my eyes already. I’ll thank law school and hours of studying for that! The Close Up Instant Wrinkle Reducer and Treatment is designed to instantly reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles in two minutes, so I was eager to test out these results myself. Let me go ahead and share more about this product with you!

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

The Close Up Instant Wrinkle Reducer and Treatment is designed to work as both an anti-aging product and a primer in one. I’m going to share the brand’s claims with you below, so you can read them word for word.

“Be camera ready in a flash! This instant treatment tightens the look of skin while firming and smoothing the appearance of crow’s feet & fine lines. Softens the look of under-eye puffiness. Use around eyes, mouth and on forehead to erase years from your appearance…. It also starts working on contact for immediately tighter and smoother skin, erasing fine lines and wrinkles, reducing under-eye puffiness and blurring imperfections all under two minutes. And the 30 minute and 4 hour results were proven to be even better. It’s one of my secret weapons; the results get better with time.” – Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare

As for the directions on the product itself, Close Up is to be applied after moisturizer like any other primer. It requires two minutes to set before applying makeup.

MY EXPERIENCE

With such impressive claims, I think I was bound to be disappointed with Close Up. First, let me talk about what I do like about this product. After it is set, my skin feels very soft and smooth, and it makes a great base for applying foundation. Unfortunately, I did not find the product to reduce wrinkles at all. In fact, the fine lines under my eyes are more pronounced upon using this product. I was a bit shocked and disappointed with this result. While I love that Close Up is so smoothing, I find that the formula just doesn’t work for me. I think this is a product that would bring about good results over an extended period of time, but because my first few tests were so off-putting, there is no incentive for my to keep using Close Up.

FINAL THOUGHTS

All in all, I am going to have to recommend you pass on this product. The price tag is $79.99 on the brand’s website HERE. That steep amount is way too much for a product that only lives up to half of its claims. That being said, just because this product didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you – we all have different skin types! Nonetheless, I’m going to remain on the hunt for a better wrinkle-reducer, and I’ll report back when I find one!

This product was provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

ELF Studio Blush Palette in Light | Review & Swatches

Posted on July 20, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! We are taking a detour from Manicure Monday this week so I can show you the gorgeous blush palette I picked up at the ELF Studio here in NYC (see my haul post HERE). I’ve been loving this palette, and wanted to rave about the gorgeous pigmentation in each blush. I am still amazed that this palette of four blushes only cost me $6.00! Let’s jump right in and look at these fabulous and affordable blushes!

First and foremost, I want to take a quick look at the packaging. I love the sleek black packaging, and how sturdy it is. The palette closes well and, at the same time, is easy to open. Plus, the inside contains a huge mirror that is very useful, especially if you are traveling. You can definitely pay upwards of $6 just for the mirror alone! Here are swatches of the four blushes inside. I did label them in the photos because I, of course, had to swatch them out of order (whoops!). I will take a second and describe each blush below, but I do want to mention that each blush has an amazing formula. They are extremely pigmented, but you can easily control the application. They blend out beautifully as well. I like to use the ELF Blush Brush to apply them, but any blush brush you already own will be just fine! Now, let’s talk about these colors.

This is my favorite shade in the quad! It is a matte rosy pink, and it goes really well with my fair complexion. This blush can easily be worn any time of year, and I’m loving it at the moment for sure.
If you love pink, this is the blush for you! It may seem scary in the swatch above, but trust me, it blends out really well. This is a great blush for spring and summer, and will work with a multitude of skin tones. I would pair this with a nude lip color, as it’s definitely quite bright!
This is the one shimmer blush in the quad, and is a red-orange shade with gold shimmer. It’s definitely the more intimidating blush for me, but I’ve worn it once or twice and really liked it. I suggest a light hand with this one! I can’t wait to wear it during the holiday season!
Finally, we have a brownish-orange matte blush. I thought I could use this as a bronzer at first, but it is really too orange-toned for that. However, with a light hand it makes a beautiful blush. It adds warmth to my face without being overdone. I’m going to experiment more with it for sure!

All in all, I’m very impressed with this blush palette from ELF. I highly recommend picking it up if you are looking for some blushes that won’t break the bank, but are still great quality. I purchased the palette in Light, but there is also a quad with darker shades if you’re looking for that as well. You can buy this palette on ELF’s website HERE. I will continue to check out more of ELF’s products in the future, so please leave me your recommendations in the comments!

TRESemmé Fresh Start Dry Shampoo Review

Posted on July 18, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! A few weeks ago I posted a review of the drugstore dry shampoo Batiste (read that review HERE). That review did really well views wise, so I thought I would share my thoughts on another dry shampoo that I just used up. As I mentioned in my Batiste review, I am currently on the hunt for the best dry shampoo from the drugstore. I found the TRESemmé Fresh Start on sale at Rite Aid for $4.99 a couple months back, so I decided to put it to the test. Let me share my thoughts on this product with you!

The TRESemmé Fresh Start is a very interesting dry shampoo. Usually I find that a dry shampoo either zaps oil or adds texture, but the Fresh Start did a little bit of both. While my oil did disappear quite a bit, this product left behind a lot of residue and left my hair feeling really gunky. My hair looked clean, but I felt gross. It was a weird dichotomy, and I couldn’t decide if I liked the product or not!

The more I used Fresh Start, the more I disliked it. I found the product difficult to wash out in the shower, and it tended to flake as well. If you have thick hair, this product would probably work better for you, but my thin hair felt weighed down. Despite the great price point, I don’t think I’ll be purchasing this dry shampoo again.

Alas, my hunt for the perfect drugstore dry shampoo continues! While TRESemmé Fresh Start was okay, it just didn’t measure up to my beloved Klorane dry shampoo. I’m not giving up, though! I will find a fabulous and affordable dry shampoo that I love at some point!

What dry shampoo is your favorite? Do you splurge on it?

Maybelline Brow Precise in Blonde | Drugstore Fail?!

Posted on July 16, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a review of a new drugstore brow product from Maybelline called the Brow Precise. I was on the hunt for a new brow product, and decided to grab this one at my local Rite Aid about a month ago. I couldn’t wait to test out this product – it looked fancy with a spoolie brush on one end and the brow pencil on the other. Sometimes, looks are deceiving! Let me go ahead and share my thoughts on the Brow Precise with you.

I purchased the Brow Precise in the lightest shade, which is 250 Blonde. This product only comes in four shades, and I have to say I’m disappointed that this is the lightest shade. I have light brown hair, but even this blonde was too dark for me. I made it work by applying this shade with a light hand and using the spoolie to blend out the color, but I definitely need a shade lighter. If you have very light hair, this product will not work for you!

The Brow Precise is also a very soft pencil, which makes it apply easily, but that also means the pencil is prone to breaking, and that it runs out very quickly. I wore this off and on for about a month, and I’m nearly out of product already. I need to sharpen it at least twice each time I use it as well. That being said, I think this is just the wrong product for me. I have very sparse eyebrows that need a lot of filling in, so I used a lot of product with each use. I also found that this product does not look the most natural for me – it was pretty obvious I penciled in my brows (not cute!). Alas, as much as I loved that spoolie being on the end, that doesn’t justify a repurchase in my book.

All in all, the Maybelline Brow Precise was a bit of a fail for me. I wore it on days where I wanted to be out the door in a matter of minutes, and where I didn’t care too much about having perfect brows. I think this product will work really well for those of you that only need small touch-ups with your brows, and not a big overhaul like I do. You can find the Maybelline Brow Precise at your local drugstore for about $7.99. I will be sticking with my beloved Milani Brow Kit for now!

What is your favorite brow product?! Let me know in the comments!

Manicure Monday | Wet ‘n Wild Chrome Stay Outta My Bismuth

Posted on July 13, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Manicure Monday! There are only a few more weeks in the Alphabet Challenge – I can’t believe it! For the letter W this week I had to grab a Wet ‘n Wild polish. Wet ‘n Wild is one of the most affordable brands at the drugstore, but I’ve never been disappointed with any of its polishes. When I first moved to New York three years ago, I found a bunch of the Wet ‘n Wild Chrome polishes in a clearance bin at Rite Aid for $1.00. I just had to purchase one! I wore it back when I first got it, but it’s been sitting in my collection ever since. I was excited to give it another wear!

Stay Outta My Bismuth is a metallic polish with a mix of blue and silver. The formula is awesome – it applies evenly and is opaque in two coats. Stay Outta My Bismuth is a really unique polish. It is both blue and silver at the same time, and almost gives off an ombré effect. I’m not usually a big fan of metallic polishes, but this one is beyond stunning. I’m regretting not picking up more of these beauties back in the day!

The Wet ‘n Wild Chrome line was limited edition, but there are a few listings for Stay Outta My Bismuth on Amazon HERE. While metallics are often popular in the fall, I think this one is perfect for summer, and the chrome finish just shines in the sunlight! I’m so glad I discovered it in my stash!

Do you own any of the Wet ‘n Wild Chrome polishes?! Let me know in the comments!

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

5 Ways to Save Money on Etsy | #PlanWithPolishland

Posted on July 11, 2015July 1, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Welcome back to another #PlanWithPolishland post! Thank you for all the support on my Erin Condren Life Planner Unboxing & Review (see it HERE if you missed it). Today I wanted to share some helpful tips on how to save money on Etsy. When I first joined the nail polish community, I was amazed with all of the indie nail polish makers. Now, as I explore the planner world, I am blown away by the stickers that are specifically made for the Erin Condren Life Planner (hereinafter “ECLP”). One of the reasons I wanted an ECLP was because I wanted to make my planner a hobby – I wanted it to be functional and helpful, but also a creative outlet. Stickers are a great way to dress up your planner, so I did a ton of research to decide which shops I was going to place orders with right off the bat. The only issue is, stickers can get really expensive, especially when buying from Etsy shops. I didn’t want to give up such cute stickers, so I came up with a plan to make this new sticker habit both fabulous and affordable!

1. Earn Cash Back on Ebates

If you’re a longtime Adventures in Polishland reader, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of the website Ebates. Ebates is a reputable website that allows you to earn cash back on many of the purchases you make online. All you have to do is sign up, log in to Ebates, and click on the store from which you’d like to purchase. Then Ebates tracks your order and gives you money! Etsy was recently added to Ebates, and you can earn 1% cash back on all Etsy orders. While 1% may not seem like a lot, it’s still money back in your pocket. I highly recommend signing up for Ebates, and if you use my referral link by clicking on the Ebates banner above, I get credit for you!

2. Always Use a Coupon Code

Etsy sticker shops are really great with coupon codes. There is almost always an active code available, and it’s really easy to find them! Make sure you are following Etsy shops on social media, specifically Instagram. Many shops have an Instagram specific coupon code listed on their profile. In addition, a lot of shops have Facebook groups that keep you informed of upcoming releases and sales. I highly recommend joining those groups. Not only will you get money-saving coupons, but you’ll get to know the shop owner and other planner lovers. If you’re not personally on social media, you can still visit a shop’s Instagram page through your web browser or do a classic Google search. Those few extra minutes of looking online could save you a few dollars!

3. Buy More Less Often

An added expense to shopping online is always shipping. This is especially true if you are located in a different country than the store from which you are purchasing. Thus, plan out your purchases and buy more stickers less often. This will ensure you pay the lowest shipping price, and you will get enough stickers to last you a long time. To keep track of the stickers you want to buy, keep a Pinterest Board or add stickers to your Etsy cart for later purchase. Focus on buying a large order from one shop at a time, and make use of those stickers before buying anything else.

4. Only Buy What You Will Use

This sounds very straightforward, but sometimes this is not an easy rule to follow. There are so many cute stickers on Etsy, and I would love to buy them all. However, I have no need for stickers that are purely decorative. Sure, it would be fun to have macarons or princesses all over my planner, but I focus on buying stickers that are functional. That’s my personal planning style right now. How many times have you heard someone say, “I have no idea when I’ll use this, but I just had to have it!” Don’t be that person! We’re on a budget here! If you want those princess stickers make sure you have a use for them, even if it’s just to decorate. Be honest with yourself and realize that once you click that purchase button you can’t get that money back.

5. Get a Planner Buddy

Last but not least, find a friend with similar interests! I highly recommend having a planner buddy who is local. This will allow you to split shipping costs with her, and you can also split sticker sheets. For example, some shops have sampler sheets with a variety of different stickers, but you might only want to use half of them. See if your planner buddy will use the other half. If so, you just saved 50% on your purchase! A planner buddy will also hold you accountable for your purchases, and is someone who can share your hobby with you.

That brings us to the end of this #PlanWithPolishland post! I hope you found these tips helpful. The best part is, all five of these tips can be combined to save you the most amount of money possible. I’ll admit I’ve already made a few Etsy sticker purchases, but I’ve followed these steps and feel like each purchase is justified. I am uploading all of my sticker hauls on my YouTube channel, so make sure to SUBSCRIBE to know when those videos go live. My first haul will be embedded in this video below for your convenience!

Do you shop on Etsy? How do you save money? What are your favorite shops? Tell me in the comments!

Pure & Essential Minerals | Dead Sea Mud Mask Review

Posted on July 9, 2015August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I am excited to share a review of a new-to-me product from Pure & Essential Minerals. I’ve tried a few face masks over the past few years, but I’ve never tried a mud mask until receiving this one. When I got the opportunity to test out the Dead Sea Mud Mask, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was a bit hesitant, but I cannot wait to share my experience with you!

ABOUT THE PRODUCT

The Dead Sea Mud Mask is exactly what it sounds like – it contains pure dead sea mud! It is designed to draw out excess oils and impurities, and leave your face clean, fresh, and blemish free. The mask also has anti-aging properties, as it tightens pores and reduces wrinkles. Plus, this product can be used on the face or body, or to spot treat acne. It is really an all-around product that can be used to suit your needs!

Here is a quick look at the mask itself. It did have a slight odor, but the mask is definitely not fragranced. I did want to mention the slight scent just in case you have a sensitivity, but I’m sure the odor comes from the product’s natural ingredients.

MY EXPERIENCE

I really did have quite the experience with this mask! Let me start out with describing the texture – it is gloopy and slippery, and felt like what I always imagined Flubber would. That turned me off a little, so in the future I might use a mini spatula to help me out with application. Nonetheless, as I applied the mask, my skin began to react instantaneously. It was tingling, cooling, and burning all at the same time. I got a bit worried for a minute – was I having a reaction?! But I waited it out and after about 1-2 minutes the mask felt amazing. Yes, amazing. My face felt cooled and comfortable, and the mask slowly dried in about 10-15 minutes. I carefully rinsed my face, and couldn’t believe how great I felt afterwards! My skin was glowing and looked really clean and healthy! What the heck had I just been though?!

As you can see, I really had an interesting experience with the Dead Sea Mud Mask. It is very intense at first, so if you have very sensitive skin I would not recommend it. That being said, I absolutely loved the result, and felt hooked on the product after just one use. I’m definitely going to be using this at least twice a month to ensure I clean out my pores. This mask is truly invigorating!

WHERE TO BUY

You can purchase the Pure & Essential Minerals Dead Sea Mud Mask on Amazon HERE. As I type this post, the mask is on sale for just $24.77 (reduced from $59.99). Not only do you get a huge 6oz tub of product to last you a very long time, but each order comes with a free ebook called The Natural Skincare Guide to help get your skincare routine in tip top shape. I’d say that’s a great deal for such a luxurious product! If you’ve tried out a mud mask before, please share your thoughts in the comments! I would love to hear about your experiences!

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