Author: Adventures in Polishland

Julep Maven Intro Box Review & Giveaway!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

If you are a blog follower of mine, you know how much I love Julep nail polish and being a Julep Maven member. Though the nail polish retails at $14 a bottle, the Maven program is a great way to get their polish at discounted prices. In order to let my readers try this great product at no cost, I wrote to Julep. They sent me an intro box to review for all of you, and they are giving one away for free! First, let me show you what comes in a Julep Maven intro box.

The packaging is always so cute!
My new polishes!

Each month Julep offers five different Maven boxes, and you choose the one you like the most based on your own personal style. The “It Girl” box always has three nail polishes in it, while the other styles have two polishes and another product (such as lotion, nail polish remover, lip gloss, etc.). I decided to pick the It Girl style to show you! The polishes I got were Morgan, Claire, and Blake.

Morgan is a beautiful deep purple polish with a hint of blue and red shimmer. None of my photographs could capture how stunning it is in person! I used two coats of this polish. The formula was perfect! I love the frosted look it has, and the shimmer adds a lot of dimension. I love purples, so Morgan will be used frequently I’m sure.

Claire is a gorgeous sky blue cream polish. I also used two coats, and again had not problems with the formula. I love cream polishes, and this one is no exception. This polish is great for people who aren’t sure if blue nails are right for them, because the color isn’t bright, but a nice pastel. This is the perfect color for spring!

Last but not least is Blake, a yellow cream polish. I loved the color of Blake, but I did have some formula issues, which is very unusual for Julep polish. My first coat was very uneven, but a second coat helped to even it out. If I did add a third coat it would have probably cleaned up the manicure, but with two coats I could still see brush strokes on some nails. Other than that small issue with the formula, the polish was really pretty. Yellow is actually a great color for nails!

Now that you’ve seen my It Girl intro box, it is time to win one of your own! To enter, you must click HERE. It will bring you directly to the Rafflecopter site. Julep is running the giveaway for me, but if you have any problems entering, don’t hesitate to contact me. The giveaway is live until September 7th. If you want to join Julep right away, you can get your first box for just one penny by entering the code MAVENINTRO at checkout. Go HERE to sign up!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Try it on Tuesday: Layla Magneffect Metallic Sky

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

A couple weeks ago, I was lucky to score a bottle of Layla Magneffect nail polish on Copious. I have been wanting to try magnetic nail polish for a while, but the price kept me away. I did not want to pay $10 and up just to try it! Luckily, I had Copious credits at the time of my purchase, so I only paid $0.92 for this Layla that usually costs $15! That’s pretty affordable!

For those of you who may not have used magnetic nail polish before, it is basically a metallic colored polish that has a special formula that reacts when a magnet is placed over it. Depending on how the magnet is shaped, you can get different 3-D designs on your nail! I couldn’t wait to try out the Layla Magneffect I got in the color Metallic Sky, a deep navy blue. I read the directions on the bottle, and got painting. At first, I didn’t achieve good results, so I tried again, and it came out much better. Let me explain how I got this look:

 

First, apply a thin coat of polish on each nail. If you want, take the time to practice applying the magnet now, so you know what to do for the next coat. Once your first coat is dry, you will have to work on each nail one at a time. Be sure to work as quickly as possible. Paint a thick coat of polish and immediately turn the brush around so the magnet is as close to your nail as you can get it without touching. Hold it there for about five seconds. When you pull the magnet away, you will hopefully have a funky design on your nail! How cool is that?! Now, repeat this process on all of your nails, one by one. It sounds tedious, but it actually moves rather quickly. Layla Magneffect dries extremely fast, so you don’t have to worry about smudging your manicure in the process.

 

Another tip I have when using this particular magnetic polish is to give the bottle a good shake before you use it. Typically shaking polish creates air bubbles, but you want to make sure this formula is mixed well before you use it. That way the magnet will react well to the polish.

 

All in all, I really enjoyed this polish from Layla Magneffect. Once I learned a good technique, it was easy to use. I won’t be buying magnetic polish on a regular basis because of the price, but if I spy another good deal I will be sure to go for it. A lot of the newer polishes coming out have really cool designs, such as hearts! I will keep my eye out for those. Don’t forget, if you want to get great deals on nail polish, join Copious HERE. You will get a $10 credit just for signing up!

Have you tried magnetic polish? What do you think of it?

Michael Marcus Paradise Pink

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

It’s not that I don’t love sparkly and funky manicures, but for my first day of law school, I thought it would be more appropriate if I toned it down a little bit. At first the idea of a neutral tone popped into my head, but then I realized a pink would probably be okay, too. I decided to try out one of the Michael Marcus nail polishes that I received in my July Little Black Bag.

Paradise Pink is a gorgeous color that I would label a true pink. It isn’t too bright, and it isn’t too dark. It’s just pink! The formula of Paradise Pink is like a dream. It is so easy to apply, and I didn’t experience any problems. The brush was easy to hold and use as well. I was good to go with two coats of this polish.

My only woe with Paradise Pink is that it already began chipping not even twenty-four hours after application. I did apply top coat, but a few nails had slight wear around the edges. I am rather surprised by this, as Michael Marcus retails for $15 a bottle. Since this is the first time I’ve used it, I’m going to say the chipping occurred because of something I did, and not because of the polish. We will see how future manis with this brand turn out!

What do you think of Paradise Pink? Have you used Michael Marcus nail polish before?

Favorite Friday: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Celeb City

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Favorite Friday! This week I am using another polish from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. I know I blog about this brand a lot, but it’s because the polishes are great quality at an amazing price.  Plus, there are dozens of colors to choose from, and you can buy them at almost any drugstore or department store. I decided to use Celeb City this week because it is one of my all time favorites. Not only is my bottle half full, but my roommate from undergraduate school loved it so much she bought her own bottle! I think one day I’ll end up purchasing a replacement of this one.

 

Celeb City is a silver metallic polish with lots of shimmer. Unfortunately my photos are not going to do the polish justice today, as they were taken from my iPad. I promise only camera photos from now on! Anyway, the formula of Celeb City is perfect. I do need to apply two coats, but it goes on smoothly and evenly. It also dries really quickly. The best part about this polish, though, is that it lasts a really long time without chipping. If you want a polish that lasts over a week, this is the one!

 

Even though Celeb City looks amazing on its own, I decided to add an accent nail with Hollywood Walk of Fame from the new Wet ‘n Wild Fergie collection. I recently got it in a nail polish swap, and thought it would be fun with silver. I’ve never tried star glitter before. It looks great, but it hard to apply. A full review of Fergie polishes at some point in the future.

 

What do you think of Celeb City? Do you like silver nail polishes?

Indie Spotlight: Shimmer Polish Part I

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Today will be the first in the Indie Spotlight to showcase Shimmer Polish. Shimmer is an indie brand comprised of glitters. Each glitter is named after a family member or friend of the creator of Shimmer, Cindy. I was super excited when Cindy contacted me to ask if I would review her polishes for my readers. This brand is absolutely divine! I love glitter polishes, especially those that you can wear alone without layering them over another polish. Shimmer is the perfect glitter that can be worn either alone or as a layering polish. Cindy was kind enough to send me almost her entire collection to review. Thus, there will be several posts to highlight Shimmer Polish! I hope you enjoy the first two polishes I have to show you.

Jasmine is the first Shimmer I tried out. I didn’t know which to choose first, so I asked my mom what her favorite color was (blue), and she chose this aquamarine over another dark blue polish. When speaking of Shimmer, the base in this case is not a colored polish. In fact, all of her polishes are in a clear base, but there is a base color that can often be detected. Jasmine has a very light blue base that leans to the teal side. Along with the fine, teal glitter, there are small hexagons of dark blue, red, green, and silver. There are also larger hexagons that appear to be either gold or silver, depending on the light. I used just two coats of this polish to get full coverage! I was really happy about that.

The formula of Jasmine is amazing. It is a bit on the thick side, but it’s not clumpy at all. It was also very easy to use — I applied it just like a regular polish. Jasmine tried very quickly on its own, and I followed with a topcoat to even out the glitter. I’ll be honest — I kept singing “A Whole New World,” from Disney’s Aladdin every time I looked at Jasmine on my nails. It is just so gorgeous!

The next Shimmer I tried was Cassandra. Unlike the other Shimmers that Cyndi sent me, Cassandra does not have any color in it. Instead, it is an opalescent glitter in the same clear base. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to wear this on its own, but with three coats I got an amazing look. Jasmine has very fine glitters, small hexagons, and large hexagons that are all opalescent. While the polish at first may appear clear or white, when the light reflects off of the glitters, you can see all the colors of the rainbow! I feel like I am wearing snowflakes on my fingers. This would be a great polish for winter.

Just like Jasmine, the formula was great. This time I did need the third coat to get more coverage, but that’s just because of this particular color. Although Cassandra did seem to dry rather quickly, I smudged it a few times after 20-30 minutes of wear. This is probably because of the third coat I applied. Luckily, I was able to smudge the polish right back into place. No harm done! I also did not use a topcoat this time, Cassandra is not as textured as Jasmine. This polish is perfect if you want a more subtle glitter on your nails! It’s not as “out there” as some others.

I hope you enjoyed this post about Shimmer Polish! You can buy these online at Etsy HERE, and visit the Shimmer blog HERE. Stay tuned for the next installment on Shimmer!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Liebster Award (Times Two!)

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Thank you to MissHollyBerries & E-namel! They both nominated me for this award! The Liebster Award is usually awarded to up-and-coming bloggers with under 200 followers. I currently have 221, but had 209 when I received the first award. I’m so glad to have more readers! Now, onto the award protocol.

Official Rules!
 
1. Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves.
2. They must also answer the 11 questions the ‘tagger’ has set for them.
3. They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they have decided to tag.
4. They must then choose 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and tag them in their post.
5. These lucky bloggers must then be told.
6. There’s no tag backs.

11 Things About Myself:

1. I love the show The Big Bang Theory. It’s hilarious!

2. I still play Words With Friends, but only with my parents & my friend’s Mom!

3. I would love to get a Kate Spade handbag. Her designs are so bright & fun!

4.  The first concert I went to was in the sixth grade. I saw Britney Spears with my brother!

5. I keep my room at home messy, but while at school it’s rather neat.

6. I can’t stand country music, but can listen to almost anything else.

7. I get cold when I sleep, so I always use blankets even in the summer.

8. I think it’s fun to read celebrity magazines, even if the stories are all exaggerated.

9. I love everything that is pumpkin flavored, and aim to to eat as many pumpkin foods as possible each year!

10. The first time I ever got a professional manicure was during my sophomore year in high school for the homecoming dance.

11. I’m moving to law school tomorrow!!

11 Questions from MissHollyBerries:

1. What made you want to start blogging?
I’ve always wanted to blog, but I didn’t want it to be super personal. One of my suitemates mentioned that she read nail blogs, so I thought that would be a fun hobby.
2. Where are you from?
New England
3. What are your five favorite nail polishes of all time?
– Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Rockstar Pink
– Julep Niecy
– Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Celeb City
– L’oreal Check Me Out
– Wet ‘n Wild glitter topcoat
4. What is your dream vacation??
Disney World over and over!
5. What are some of your favorite nail polish brands?
– Julep
– Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear
– Orly
6. What are your favorite nail care products, base coat and top coat?
Sorry, this is getting redundant, but I use Sally Hansen Double Duty. It’s a base coat & top coat in one!
7. Number one nail tip you’d like to share?
Always wear a base coat, and do not substitute clear nail polish for a base coat!
8. How often do you do your nails?
Depends on when I have time. When I’m in school about 1-2 times per week. When I’m home, 2-3 times per week.
9. What do you want to do when you grow up?
Entertainment lawyer and/or sports agent.
10. What are your hobbies other than blogging and nail polish?
Shopping, reading, and crocheting.
11. What nail trends do you love, and which do you hate?
I love ombre nails and having an accent nails. I can do without stilettos and duck nails (eek!).

11 Questions from E-namel:

1. What do you love most about the city in which you currently live?
Well, I’m moving to NYC tomorrow!
2. If you were to make a bucket list, what would be #1?
Be happy with who I am.
3. Dream job?
I don’t really have a dream job. I just want to be successful.
4. 5 things you cannot live without…?
– Justin Timberlake
– Pizza
– My family
– My iPad
– Ice cream
5. Favourite cuisine?
I love Italian, Mexican, and Mediterranean.
6. List the “must have” items in your wardrobe.
Jeans, sneakers & flats, and sweaters.
7. Most inspirational quote you have come across…?
Not fancy, but I love the mantra Keep Calm and Carry On.
8. If you were to be a non-living object, what would you be? (I would be a Rubik’s Cube!)
A stuffed animal.
9. When was the last time you broke the rules? What did you do?
I don’t like to brake the rules!
10. Most expensive item you own till date?
My computer.
11. Favourite book/movie?
I love Harry Potter and Hunger Games series!

My Questions for my Nominees:

1. What’s the story behind your blog name?

2. Are you a morning or a night person?

3. What is your guilty pleasure television show?

4. Which food could you eat every day?

5. What is the one beauty products you can’t live without?

6. Who was your favorite teacher growing up?

7. If you could take a vacation anywhere, where would you go?

8. What are your top five favorite songs?

9. Do you have any pets?

10. What is your favorite season, and why?

11. If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?

My 11 9 Nominated Blogs:

Seems like many of the blogs I follow have more than 200 followers. If I missed you, I’ll get you next time!

Try it on Tuesday: Orly Rock Solid

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I wasn’t planning on participating in Try it on Tuesday this week, as I had hoped to do a mani upgrade with a gradient. Unfortunately, my last mani got all messed up (my fault!), and I couldn’t stand to look at it anymore. Thus, here I am! I asked my Facebook followers which brand I should try out today, and they voted for Orly. I think they made a great decision!

Rock Solid is my first Orly polish. I bought it on HauteLook using credits and only paid $0.45 for it! This polish is actually from the Mineral FX Fall 2011 line, so it’s like I went dusty hunting online for this one. Rock Solid is a dark grey polish with small holographic glitters. I used two coats to achieve full opacity. The formula is a dream to work with– no streaks whatsoever! It also dries rather quickly. For once I didn’t use a topcoat, either, as I love the look Rock Solid has. The finish is a bit textured. This may sound silly, but it looks and feels like a rock, only not in the “I found it in my backyard” sort of way. Instead, it is stunning! The glitter shines in the light, and changes color as you move your hand. The grey also has a silver undertone. It’s beautiful!

Look at that bottle!

 

Rock on!

 

I’m not usually one for dark colors, but I’m loving this one! I can’t wait to wear it more in the fall and winter. I also love the Orly cap and brush. The cap is a soft, grip material. That way it doesn’t wiggle around in your hand when your painting your nails. The brush is also awesome. It’s thin, but holds a lot of polish. No mistakes or globs here! I hope to get more Orly polishes in my stash.

If you’re not an HauteLook member, make sure you join HERE. They have sales on nail polish all the time!

My August Julep Maven Box!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I’ll be honest with you. When I first saw the Julep boxes online for August, I wasn’t thrilled with the options. I went ahead and chose the Boho Glam style anyway, as I had a free credit to use. I can’t pass up free polish! Now that I’ve had the chance to use the polishes I received, I am thrilled with my August box! Let me show you what was inside.

A pink box to celebrate Julep’s one year anniversary!

All August boxes came with a reusable tote bag.
From left to right, Isla, Piper, and nail polish remover.

I haven’t tried out the nail polish remover yet, but I did get the chance to use the new polish. I thought Piper and Isla would look perfect together, so I decided to a “Carly” manicure inspired by LacqueredLover.com! This style combines at least two different nail polishes in a unified look. I used two coats of each polish. One coat was very sheer, but a second coat achieved opacity. Piper is a metallic green, which I love. It is almost the metallic version of a mint, but a bit darker. Isla is a metallic white. I love the way they are both shiny and frosty. I never thought I’d be so impressed with these polishes! Here’s a cool Instagram photo of my manicure:

 

I love Julep products, and being a Maven member. If you’d like to join this monthly subscription, click HERE. Be sure to enter code COLOR2012 at checkout to get your first month for a penny!

Favorite Friday: Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Mint Sorbet

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

It’s Favorite Friday! That’s when I wear one of my all time favorite polishes that I haven’t used in a while. Today I have Mint Sorbet from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. I absolutely love mint polishes! I bought this one after I had seen many girls rocking mint nails on the NYC Subway in the spring of 2011. Not only is Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear affordable at just $3 a bottle (or less at some stores), but the quality is rather good. You can read more about this brand HERE.

Mint Sorbet is not my all time favorite from this brand of polish, but the color is so pretty. This is definitely a two-coat polish, as the first coat comes out streaky and uneven. Luckily a second coat usually fixes everything and smoothes the color out. Today, I was pleasantly surprised with how beautiful my mani turned out. I don’t know if I’ve just gotten better at painting my nails, but Mint Sorbet is at its best ever! I even did something I never do — I did not apply a topcoat! The polish looks so glossy on its own that I didn’t bother. What do you think of Mint Sorbet?

 

 

I’m sure you can see why this is one of my favorites! Have you tried this color or brand before?