March 2016 – Page 3 – Adventures in Polishland

Month: March 2016

Manicure March | Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer in Aqua Brisk

Posted on March 11, 2016March 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I’m reviewing a polish that ended up in my ‘to swatch’ pile because the formula was quite separated in the bottle. Nail polishes do separate over time, but that doesn’t always mean the formula is bad. I wanted to swatch Aqua Brisk from Milani to see if this polish stood the test of time. I haven’t worn it for years now, but the color is so beautiful I want to include it in my rotation if it’s still good. Let me share this polish with all of you!

Aqua Brisk is a bright aqua polish with a creme finish. The formula is great, but it does take two coats to achieve opacity. I am so in love with this shade of nail polish! I’m glad that with just a good shake this polish got mixed back together. The formula is still amazing, even after sitting unused for a couple years. I need to make sure Aqua Brisk is worn more often because it looks so nice on my nails!

All in all, I’m so glad to discover that my Milani in Aqua Brisk is still an excellent product! If your nail polishes have separated, always give them a good shake and test them out before getting rid of them. It’s natural for polishes to separate, but they can almost always be salvaged. I’m excited that I rediscovered Aqua Brisk just in time for spring! Let me know in the comments what spring color you are ready to wear this year!

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

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

Manicure March | JulieG Nail Polish in Blueberry Fizz

Posted on March 10, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I’m revisiting another textured nail polish line in today’s Manicure March review. I own a few collections from JulieG beauty that I purchased on Groupon a couple years back. I love these polishes, or at least I love the ones that I’ve tested. Yes, let’s be real, I haven’t tried all of them. I purchased the polishes because I knew I would like them and because I wanted to support Julie (she’s a YouTuber if you were unaware!). Let me share Blueberry Fizz with all of you!

Blueberry Fizz is a textured nail polish with a blue base and silver glitters. The formula is amazing! The polish applies with ease and is opaque in two coats. Plus, Blueberry Fizz dries really quickly. I fell in love with this polish as soon as I swatched it. I immediately pictured snow and winter, and knew I had to keep this polish. While I won’t wear Blueberry Fizz regularly, I can see certain times of year where I will pull it out of my stash. I think it’s okay to keep a few situational polishes in my collection, and this is going to be one of them.

All in all, I am so glad I swatched JulieG in Blueberry Fizz. This polish is beyond stunning! I know textured polishes aren’t popular anymore, but I can see this polish as a staple in my collection for years to come. Please share with me in the comments if you ever hold onto a nail polish because you know it will work for a specific situation, whether it be a holiday or nail art look. I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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

Manicure March | Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer in Cupcake Icing

Posted on March 9, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today Manicure March continues with a nail polish from the current Milani nail polish line available in stores. I know a lot of the polishes I’ve swatched so far this month have been discontinued or hard to find, so I’m glad this one is readily available. I decided to give Cupcake Icing a swatch because although I love pink nail polishes, I never reach for blue-toned pinks. I wanted to see how the formula was, and whether it looked good with my skin tone. Let me share Cupcake Icing with all of you!

Cupcake Icing is a pink creme polish with blue undertones. The formula is absolutely perfect! I love how smoothly the polish glides on the nails, and that it is opaque in two coats. I don’t know why I’ve avoided Cupcake Icing for so long – it looks great with my skin tone! I also think it would look beautiful on dark skin as well. I’m definitely keeping this nail polish. I need to wear it more often!

All in all, I am loving Cupcake Icing from Milani! I also love that this nail polish is fabulous and affordable, and available at the drugstore for just $3.99. I highly recommend picking it up if you’re in the market for a new pink polish! Pink is definitely my most owned nail polish color, but that’s just because it is so wearable. Let me know in the comments what polish color I’d find most represented in your stash!

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

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

Manicure March | Daphine Polish in Sekhmet

Posted on March 8, 2016July 14, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! The second week of Manicure March kicks off today with an indie nail polish review. When I first began my blog I got sucked into the indie community and had the opportunity to try out a lot of brands. I really miss using indie polishes! I need to get back into it for sure. Today I’m reviewing a polish from the brand Daphine Polish. I fell in love with Daphine Polish, but haven’t worn any in my collection for a long time. Let me share Sekhmet with all of you!

Sekhmet is a deep burgundy polish with a bit of red glitter in the mix. The formula is perfection. It applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. The reason I put Sekhmet in my ‘to swatch’ pile is because this is not a polish color I wear regularly. However, I’m so glad I gave it another chance! I think Sekhmet looks great with my skin tone. Plus, it’s certainly a unique polish and I wouldn’t be able to find another like it. I’m keeping this in my collection for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad I tried out Sekhmet from Daphine Polish again! I really miss being up to date with everything that’s going on in the nail polish world, especially the small world of indie polish. You can purchase the nail polish featured in this blog post on Etsy HERE. Make sure to shop through Ebates to earn cash back on your purchase! Please share with me in the comments your favorite indie brands so I can check them out, too. I would love to post more about indie brands on Adventures in Polishland again.

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

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

Manicure March | SinfulColors Professional in Cinderella

Posted on March 7, 2016March 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today rounds out my first week of Manicure March posts! I hope you’re enjoying this series as much as I am. I’m excited to review a cult favorite with all of you today. When I first starting blogging, everyone raved about SinfulColors Professional in the shade Cinderella. In fact, this polish was difficult to find at drugstores for a while. I can’t remember exactly where I got mine, but I rediscovered it in my collection and had a good laugh at the memory of how popular this $1.99 polish was. Despite it’s popularity, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep this polish, simply because I never wear it. Let me go ahead and share Cinderella with you, and let you know if I’m keeping it!

Cinderella is a baby blue polish with a pink holographic shimmer. The formula is good, though can be a bit patchy. I applied three coats to achieve opacity. Cinderella is definitely a beautiful polish that truly lives up to its royal name. I can see why so many people love this nail polish, and I debated keeping it because it’s so well known. However, I’ve only worn this nail polish once before, and it’s just not a polish I would wear on a regular basis. I’ve decided to pass on Cinderella, and hope the next owner loves this polish!

All in all, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and purchase a polish that everyone else is talking about in the community. If the polish is super affordable like SinfulColors, then you can feel good trying out the favorite. However, if you’re about to splurge on an expensive polish just because it’s getting hyped, take a minute and think about whether you really want that shade. I’m glad I did try Cinderella, but I’m also ready to let it go. Definitely let me know in the comments if you own Cinderella!

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

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!

Manicure March | China Glaze in Creative Fantasy

Posted on March 5, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today for Manicure March I’m reviewing a polish from the brand China Glaze. While this brand is very well known in the nail polish world, I rarely use China Glaze polishes. In fact, besides owning the complete Hunger Games collection, I only have a few other polishes from the brand. During my recent nail polish reorganization project, I found the bottle Creative Fantasy. I’m not sure if I’ve ever used it, so I decided to try it out and share my thoughts with all of you!

Creative Fantasy is a purple nail polish with a crelly formula – creme and jelly mixture. The formula is very problematic. It is thin and watery, and very patchy. I’ve applied three coats in the photos here, and you can clearly see how it is patchy and not fully opaque in some areas. I didn’t have to spend any time debating whether or not I’d keep Creative Fantasy in my collection. This one had to go ASAP!

I’m very interested to hear from all of you in regards to China Glaze. The polishes are sold at stores such as Sally Beauty and Ulta, and I consider them a salon brand. However, I haven’t fallen in love with the shades I’ve tried in the past. I know I’m unlikely to purchase a nail polish from a brand if I haven’t had a great experience in the past. Let me know in the comments if you feel the same way!

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

Manicure March | Julep in Katie

Posted on March 4, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Manicure March continues today with a review of one of my many Julep nail polishes. I own dozens of Julep polishes after subscribing to the service so long, and also from purchasing mystery boxes. I absolutely loved Julep when the site first launched. Unfortunately, Julep changed its brush and formula over time, and I don’t think the quality is as great anymore. I’ve decided I’m only going to keep Julep polishes that I absolutely love. Let me show go ahead and show you Katie!

Katie is a magenta polish with blue and magenta shimmer. The formula is good, but it does pull. I was really sad when the polish pulled upon application (meaning it bunched up on the nail instead of going on smoothly). The color is absolutely stunning, and I was thinking about keeping it in my stash. However, because the formula isn’t great, I decided to let it go. I’m sure I can find another polish in a similar color that has a better formula. Let’s be real – I probably already own one!

All in all, while I think Katie is a beautiful polish, I’m destashing it due to its wonky formula. Sometimes I do keep nail polish with imperfect formulas if I really love the color, but to be honest I wouldn’t wear Katie often anyway. Please let me know in the comments if you keep polishes purely for the shade, even if the formula isn’t the best. I would love to know!

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

Manicure March | Milani Nail Lacquer Texture in Lovely Lavender

Posted on March 3, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I’m reviewing a polish from the limited edition Milani Nail Lacquer Texture collection. While this polish is no longer available, I still wanted to share it with you and have a discussion on nail polish trends. Textured nail polish was all the rage a few years ago. It took off with the OPI Liquid Sand range, and then really picked up with the Zoya PixieDust line. Soon brands all over the price spectrum were getting in on the textured trend. I absolutely loved textured polish, and I still do. However, I haven’t worn it in quite a while. I wanted to test out one of my Milani Texture polishes to see if the formula had changed over time, and if I would still rock a textured nail. Let me share Lovely Lavender with all of you!

Lovely Lavender is a light purple polish with a creme texture formula. What this means is that there is no shimmer in the formula, so it looks like a creme polish, just with a textured finish. Lovely Lavender has an amazing formula. It applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. I was really happy to discover that this formula has stood the test of time. It is not goopy or thick, and still applies beautifully. The reason I am stressing this is because one of my other Milani Texture polishes did dry out, but that might have been from a bottle that wasn’t fully closed. I’ll be testing some of the others in my collection to see how they are holding up, too.

All in all, I still really love Milani Texture in Lovely Lavender even though it’s not on trend any longer. I hope to wear my textured polishes more often, because I like how they look on me. I would love to hear in the comments if you still wear textured polish, or if you are glad the trend is over. Also let me know which nail polish trend you wish would come back!

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

Manicure March | Confetti in Purple Pizzazz

Posted on March 2, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Manicure March continues today with a review of one of the oldest polishes in my collection. Confetti is a brand that used to be sold at CVS stores for the fabulous and affordable price of $1.99. I own two polishes from the brand, and I’ve held onto Purple Pizzazz for years now, partly for emotional reasons. This might sound silly, but I have really good memories with this nail polish! I remember lending it to friends, and bringing it with me to New York the first semester I lived in the city. However, I almost never wore it myself. I decided to put it to the test once and for all to see if I actually liked the polish itself.

Purple Pizzazz is a really unique nail polish. It is a purple-pink metallic polish with a holographic shimmer. The formula is good, but on the sheer side so I applied three coats for opacity. While I was swatching in artificial light, I wasn’t sure if I liked Purple Pizzazz. I decided to add my favorite top coat to really try out this polish. I thought I was going to keep it until I stepped out into natural light to take photographs of my manicure. I truly saw the light – this polish is just not for me! I’m not a metallic fan, for one, and this color just doesn’t go with my skin tone. Purple Pizzazz, it’s time to say goodbye!

I’m so glad I was finally able to part with Confetti in Purple Pizzazz. Sometimes it can be difficult to get rid of things that you have fond memories of, even if that thing is nail polish. At the end of the day, if I’m not going to use a polish, I shouldn’t own it anymore. Please let me know in the comments if you still own any polishes from the Confetti brand, and if you like them!

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