Adventures in Polishland

Author: Adventures in Polishland

BH Cosmetics 75% Off Black Friday Sale | 2016 Gift Guide | #PolishlandPresents

Posted on November 23, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Black Friday is now just a couple days away, and many stores are beginning their sales early. BH Cosmetics is having a huge Black Friday sale starting tomorrow, November 24, 2016, running through Sunday, November 27. Products will be up to 75% off BH Cosmetics’s already fabulous and affordable prices. I’ve been eyeing up some of the brands goodies for quite a while, so I thought I would share my picks with all of you, as they all make perfect gifts this holiday season! BH Cosmetics is a 100% cruelty free brand, and many of the products are vegan as well. This gift guide will feature all of the vegan products I’m excited to try!

All of the images in this blog post are courtesy of BH Cosmetics. Affiliate links used. All opinions are my own.

Carli Bybel 14-Color Eyeshadow & Highlighter Palette [BUY]

The item at the top of my wish list is the Carli Bybel palette. I’ve followed Carli’s YouTube Channel for years, and I even got to meet her a couple years ago! My makeup collection is currently lacking big time in eyeshadows and highlighters, so this palette is perfect for me. I love that this palette includes all neutral tones and a mix of matte and shimmer formulas. This palette makes the perfect gift even if the person on your list doesn’t know who Carli is!

Illuminate by Ashley Tisdale: Beach Goddess 12-Color Eye & Cheek Collection [BUY]

BH Cosmetics also just launched a collection from Ashley Tisdale. I think the Beach Goddess palette is beyond gorgeous! If you love to look glowy, this is definitely the palette for you. It includes a blush, bronzer, highlighter, and eyeshadows to illuminate the entire face. I love the range of shades in the eyeshadows!

Glamorous Blush Palette [BUY]

The last palette on my radar is the Glamorous Blush palette. This contains ten blush shades in every shade you can imagine! My blush collection definitely needs to be replenished after I decluttered a lot of my non-vegan collection. This palette will give me the opportunity to test out which shades look best with my skin tone. Plus, it’s only $17 regular price!

11-Piece Pink-a-Dot Brush Set [BUY]

How cute is this brush set?! I love how this set comes in a polka dot holder, as it makes the set so easy to give as a gift. Any makeup lover could always do with new brushes, and this kit includes so many options. I’ve been wanting a fan brush, and it’s always nice to have extra eyeshadow brushes on hand. I’m very interested in trying out these brushes to see what the quality is like. They have a 5-star rating on the BH Cosmetics website, so I’m really excited to get them!

Metallic Liquid Lipstick [BUY]

Last but not least, I wanted to highlight an amazing stocking stuffer idea. Metallic Liquid Lipsticks are extremely on trend in the beauty community right now, so I think giving a few of these as a gift this year is the perfect idea! I know I might not buy these for myself, but it would be so fun to try these out and see what they look like on me. There are a variety of shades to pick from, ranging from wearable mauves to out-there purples and blues. Grab a few of these and wrap them in a bow for a great present!

That wraps up my gift guide for BH Cosmetics this holiday season! Make sure to shop the Black Friday sale, where these already affordable products will be up to 75% off! You can also save even more money by shopping through Ebates HERE. BH Cosmetics is 5% cash back every day, and we might see it double on Black Friday when many stores have special promotions. I’m so ready to pick up some of the products I’ve been eyeing from BH Cosmetics!

What are your favorite BH Cosmetics products? Let me know in the comments!

Zoya Nail Polish 70% Off Black Friday Sale | My Top 10 Zoya Nail Polishes

Posted on November 22, 2016November 23, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Black Friday is just a few days away, and I am extremely excited to share that Zoya is having a 70% off sale! Your eyes are not deceiving you – for one day only you can get 70% off your entire order on Zoya’s website. I thought I would share my Top 10 Zoya nail polishes with you today so you can get some shopping inspiration. This is one of the best sales I’ve ever seen Zoya put on in the over four years I’ve followed the company, so I highly recommend snagging some awesome vegan polish at this discounted price!

BLACK FRIDAY SALE INFORMATION

Details: Use code YAY at checkout.

Offer valid exclusively on 11/25/16 through 11:59pm EST for Consumer Accounts in the USA.

UPDATE: Now open it to all Canadian Consumer Accounts. Standard Canadian Shipping and International Fees Apply

MY TOP 10 ZOYA NAIL POLISHES

Lola [BUY]

Lola is an amazing hot pink nail polish with an amazing formula. This polish wears beautifully as a manicure or pedicure, especially in the hot summer sun. There is a slight purple shimmer that runs throughout Lola, and when it catches in the light you get a stunning duochrome effect. Lola is so much fun!

Laurel [BUY]

If you prefer a more subtle pink, Laurel is a great choice. This is a bubblegum pink polish with a stunning cream formula. Laurel is a polish that can be worn in any season for any reason!

Cole [BUY]

One of my most used Zoya polishes is Cole, a pastel orange shade. Cole has an amazing formula, and I always reach for it in the summer months. In fact, Cole is my go to pedicure shade! It’s so gorgeous.

Wyatt [BUY]

If you like darker shades, I highly recommend Wyatt. This is a deep emerald green polish with an amazing formula. Wyatt was just released in the fall of 2016, and I’ve already worn it on more than one occasion. This will be a fall staple of mine for years to come!

Mallory [BUY]

I am also in love with Mallory from this year’s fall collection. Zoya consistently creates amazing blue polishes, and I think Mallory is my favorite. If you’re looking for the perfect blue cream to add to your stash, Mallory is a must!

Neve [BUY]

I’m not typically a big fan of metallic nail polishes, but Neve is beyond gorgeous! This is a sapphire blue polish, and the formula dries to an even and glossy finish. I love the rich pigmentation, and how there are no visible brush strokes with this metallic formula.

Lidia [BUY]

I have a few purple polishes to recommend, and I’m starting out with the deep plum of Lidia. I am swooning over this purple shade so much as I write this blog post that I think I’m going to put it on later today! Lidia is another must have for the fall, and the deep shade makes it office appropriate as well.

Charisma [BUY]

Charisma is the next purple I have to share, and it is a really unique polish! Charisma has a matte finish and is so bright Zoya deems it a neon. While many neon polishes are typically worn in the summer, Charisma can work in any season. Plus, I love the matte finish, which can also be made glossy with a top coat if you so desire.

Odette [BUY]

My last purple pick is Odette, a maroon polish that works for any skin tone. If you like more neutral polishes, Odette is a great option for you. The cream formula applies well, and this can be an every day polish for sure.

Ana [BUY]

Last but not least is Ana, an almond shade in the beautiful satin formula. Ana is a stunning polish that is so warm and cozy. It can be worn any time of year, and will look nice with any skin tone. Plus, you can’t go wrong with the Zoya Satins. They are all amazing!

That wraps up my Top 10 Zoya nail polish picks! I hope you found this post helpful whether you are shopping this year’s Black Friday sale, or simply planning your future Zoya purchases. I highly recommend taking advantage of the 70% off while you can. Zoya polishes make excellent gifts this holiday season, but it’s also nice to treat yourself, too. Please share your favorite Zoya shades with me in the comments!

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

Disappointing Beauty Products | Fall 2016

Posted on November 21, 2016November 19, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I want to share with you some beauty products that disappointed me this fall. While it’s fun to share my favorite things with you every month, I think it’s also really helpful to share the products that didn’t quite work for me. As always, it’s worth mentioning that while I don’t like these products, that doesn’t mean they won’t work for you! We all have different skin types, hair textures, and product preferences, so I will do my best to point out when I think a product’s qualities will be effective for someone other than myself. Without further ado, let’s jump right into the disappointing beauty products!

HAIR

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter [BUY]

First up is a hair butter I purchased from The Body Shop. My hair type is really strange, and it’s difficult to find products that work for me. My scalp and hair are dry, but my hair also gets oily really easily. I thought the Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter would help to keep my hair moisturized, but unfortunately it is way too heavy for my thin hair. I experimented with this product, sometimes leaving it on for two minutes and others leaving it on for the suggested five. No matter what, my hair was always left with a really weird feeling that I didn’t like. Unless you have really, really dry hair, I’m not sure this product is worth the hefty price tag.

Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo [BUY]

My hunt for the perfect drugstore dry shampoo continues. This one from Not Your Mother’s really baffles me! I used a travel size one during my trip to Los Angeles, and I really enjoyed it, so I bought the full size when I got home. For some reason, it doesn’t work for me at all anymore! Clean Freak is supposed to instantly absorb excess oils, leave no residue, and give fresh volume to the hair. What I do like is that there is no white residue left on my hair when I use this product. Unfortunately, that is the only good thing about it! It doesn’t absorb oils, and instead it weighs down my hair and makes it look worse than it did in the first place. Basically, I feel like this dry shampoo does absolutely nothing for me.

SKINCARE

The Body Shop Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator [BUY]

Next up is a facial exfoliant that I also feel is quite ineffective. When I buy a face scrub, I want it to clean my pores and remove dead skin cells from my face. At first, I really liked this Seaweed exfoliator. It leaves my face feeling really clean and soft. However, I noticed that it does not remove the dead skin cells on my face at all! I still have a lot of dry patches when I use this product. Plus, it smells really weird. I’ll probably use up this bottle, but I will not be repurchasing it. I do recommend this if you want a really gentle scrub.

MAKEUP

Milani EasyBrow Automatic Pencil [BUY]

I am always on the hunt for my perfect brow product, and unfortunately the Milani EasyBrow is not the one! I was drawn to purchase this because of the spoolie brush on the end (I’m a sucker for any brow product that includes a spoolie). While I do really enjoy the color match and staying power of this pencil, my issue is that I cannot get a precise line with it. The formula is very waxy and the pencil is soft, so getting a nicely shaped brow is difficult for me. My brows are very sparse, and I need to fill them in a lot to get my desired look. Thus, if you only need a bit of added definition, this product may work well for you.

ELF HD Lifting Concealer in Adjusting [BUY]

I’ve had my ups and downs with this color-correcting concealer from ELF. This was my first foray into color-correcting, so at first I thought this product was amazing. However, the more I use this concealer, the more I see its flaws. I purchased it to help cover the redness in my skin, but I find my skin absorbs the green pigmentation and the redness still shows through my final foundation routine. I’m glad I tested out this product, but I’m not happy with the results.

ELF Smudge Pot in Ain’t That Sweet [BUY]

I got this cream eyeshadow as a free gift with my last ELF purchase. I knew this particular shadow wouldn’t be a favorite of mine because it is a pink glittery shade, but I was excited to see what the formula was like. I’m sad to report that the formula is not well done. Not only is the shadow extremely sheer, but it gathers and clumps when I attempt to apply it. The shadow also flakes off and contains some chunky glitter. This is just not a product I can recommend to anyone!

ELF Volumizing & Defining Mascara in Jet Black [BUY]

Last but not least is my biggest disappointment of the bunch. I has such high hopes for this mascara from ELF, but it let me down. This mascara is very thick and heavy, and leaves my lashes really crispy. The worst thing, though, is this mascara gives me the uni-lash! In other words, my lashes all stick together in one bunch. That is just not okay with me. I tried to make it through the three month time period for this mascara, but I can’t do it. I’m happy to toss this now!

That wraps up all of my beauty product disappointments for the fall 2016 season. I hope you found this helpful if you were curious about any of these products. As I mentioned at the beginning, just because I don’t like these products doesn’t mean they won’t be beneficial for someone else. I still love shopping from all of these brands, but sometimes there are a few duds. Here’s to discovering the next awesome beauty product!

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know how they worked for you!

This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation Review

Posted on November 18, 2016November 17, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to share my thoughts on the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation. If you’ve been reading Adventures in Polishland for any amount of time, you’ll know that I am a drugstore beauty girl, and it is very rare that I splurge on high end makeup products. That being said, I decided to treat myself to the Lock-It Foundation during Sephora’s Friends & Family sale this fall. I love wearing liquid foundations in the winter months, and when I discovered this foundation is vegan, I knew I had to give it a try.

The Lock–It Foundation is a liquid foundation formulated to provide full coverage for a full 24-hour period. It dries to a matte finish, and is designed to stay in place without any transfer. This foundation is available in 33 shades, which is absolutely fabulous! I love it when a beauty brand creates products that can be enjoyed no matter what skin shade you are. I got the shade Light 44.

Kat Von D recently upgraded the Lock-It Foundation’s packaging, and I wanted to give it a quick shout out. I absolutely love the sleek bottle design. Here is a look at the bottle from the top. You can see the cool ‘KVD’ that is the foundation’s pump. According the the brand’s website, the bottle now features an airless chamber design that prevents contamination and maintains the foundation’s consistency. I love how the packaging is functional in addition to being gorgeous!

I’ve been using the Lock–It Foundation for a few weeks now, and I have to say I am really pleased with it. I apply it using a damp BeautyBlender, and one pump provides coverage for my entire face. I will say that I do think one layer of the foundation is a medium coverage, and not the advertised full coverage, as I can still see freckles and other imperfections showing through the makeup. However, the Lock-It Foundation is definitely buildable, so I typically add another layer to the parts of my face I really want the full coverage look.

The formula itself is really nice. It does tend to cling to my dry patches, so I recommend exfoliating well before use, and perhaps avoiding this product if you have really dry skin. However, it dries to a beautiful matte finish, and maintains its integrity throughout the day. The wear is extremely comfortable as well. I also wanted to mention that you can definitely tell you are wearing foundation when you look in the mirror, but it’s not a “cake face” scenario at all. I’ll definitely be wearing this on the daily this winter!

All in all, I’m so glad I splurged on the Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation! While I do have a few small critiques of the product, I think it is worth the money for sure. I’m excited to continue using this product, and explore more of Kat Von D’s line in the future! You can purchase the Lock-It Foundation for $35 on Sephora’s website HERE. Make sure to shop with Ebates to earn cash back on your purchase!

Have you tried products from Kat Von D? Let me know what you recommend in the comments!

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

My First Vitacost Haul!

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I’m excited to share a haul with all of you from the online store Vitacost. I first heard about this website a while back through other bloggers and YouTubers, but I finally made my first purchase earlier this month. Vitacost is essentially an online health store that sells vitamins, beauty products, health products, food, and more. I’ve had a little bit of trouble finding some vegan products at my local drugstores and department stores, so I finally decided to sign up for a free Vitacost account and make a purchase. I really love that Vitacost offers specialty products at a discounted price!

HEALTH & BEAUTY

The main reason I placed a Vitacost order is to pick up some dental floss and lip balm. I do feel a bit silly buying these essentials online, but I just couldn’t find them in any of my local stores! I stocked up on the Eco-Dent GentleFloss in Mint, which is a 100% Vegan Waxed dental floss. This floss is normally pretty expensive at $5.49 each, but Vitacost sells it for $3.49! I’m so glad it was discounted!

I also needed a new lip balm, as the colder and dryer weather has taken a toll on my lips. I was excited to try out the brand Hurraw!, which is made from organic, vegan, and raw ingredients. There are a ton of flavors to choose from, but I grabbed the Coffee flavor and I think that was a great decision. Not only does this lip balm smell divine, but it feels so nice on my lips. Let me know if you’d like a full review on this product.

FOOD

I also picked up a couple food items to make the $4.99 shipping worth it. First, I got the famous Nutritional Yeast that every vegan seems to love. I don’t know much about it, except that it’s supposed to add a cheesy taste to your food and is also full of vitamins. I put it on my pasta a few nights ago, and didn’t notice much of a difference, so I will need to do a bit more experimenting with it.

Finally, I picked up a huge pack of Pür Wintergreen Gum. I have seen this brand at Walgreens, but this huge 57-piece pack is $4.09 on Vitacost, so I figured it was worth the price. I rarely chew gum, so this will last me a long time.

JOIN VITACOST & SAVE $10!

That wraps up everything I purchased from Vitacost! I’m really happy with the website and know I will be back for more. If you are new to Vitacost, you can sign up using my referral link HERE and get a $10 coupon for your first purchase! Vitacost sells more than just vegan products, so be sure to check it out if you’re looking for tasty treats or other specialty brands you can’t find in-store. You can also earn cash back on your Vitacost purchase by shopping through Ebates! I’m always up for saving more money, and I’m excited to continue using these products.

Do you use Vitacost? Share what you buy in the comments!

How to Use Ebates to Earn Cash Back in 3 Easy Steps

Posted on November 10, 2016November 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I will be talking about the website Ebates, and how to use it to earn cash back on your purchases. I’ve used Ebates for about two and a half years now, and I’ve had a great experience. I often recommend it to all of you in blog posts, but I recently had a request for an Ebates tutorial. Ebates is really easy to use, but I’ve put together a post that demonstrates signing up and using the website in three easy steps. I will begin by explaining a bit more about Ebates, and then jump right into the tutorial!

Let’s start out with a simple question – what is Ebates? Ebates is a website that allows you to earn cash back on many of your online and in-store purchases. I know Ebates sounds too good to be true. In fact, I did not sign up for years because I was scared it was a scam. Now that I’ve been a longtime user of the site, I’m happy to share this is the real deal! Essentially, Ebates uses affiliate marketing to earn a commission for every purchase made through its site, and then shares a percentage of that commission back with each user. Think of when you buy a diamond ring at the jewelry store. The jeweler makes a commission on your purchase, right? Now, imagine if that jeweler gave you a small percentage of his commission to thank you for shopping with him. That is the role Ebates plays in your shopping process. I know this may sound a bit confusing, but I have never had any issues with Ebates. I find it to be a secure website, and I absolutely love how I can save money online while using this service!

STEP 1 – SIGN UP FOR EBATES

Now it’s time for my easy tutorial on using Ebates! Step one is signing up for your free account on the website. When you sign up using my referral link HERE you will get a $10 bonus upon making your first qualifying purchase through the site. What I love about the Ebates sign-up process is that it is super simple. All you need to do is enter your email address and create a password. Later on you can input more information onto your account page so Ebates will know where to send your cash back, but signing up only takes a minute of your time!

STEP 2 – SEARCH THE STORE YOU WANT TO SHOP

The only thing you need to remember when using Ebates is that you must always begin your shopping on the Ebates website. This definitely takes getting used to, but eventually you will get in the habit of always going to Ebates first. Let’s say I’m shopping at Sephora. The first thing I do is go to Ebates before I go to the Sephora website. In the image above you will see my Ebates home screen. All I need to do is type ‘Sephora’ into the search bar at the top and hit enter.

STEP 3 – CLICK ‘SHOP NOW’ AND START SHOPPING!

Once you type the store into the search bar, you will be redirected to the store landing page. Here is a picture of what the Sephora page looks like as an example. Each store page has two main sections. On the right you will see all of the current coupons and deals each store has to offer. I love that Ebates always lists out the available coupon codes for you so you don’t need to do an online search! On the left you will see the current cash back offer from the store and a button that says “Shop Now.” All you need to do is hit that “Shop Now” button, and Ebates will redirect you to the store from which you want to shop! You will know it is working when you get the ticket screen. An example of that screen is posted below for you to see.

When you see this screen, you are all set! Ebates is now tracking your purchases! I typically get a notification that the cash back has been deposited in my Ebates account once my order is complete, but it takes a bit longer for some stores. Nonetheless, you will get a payment every quarter. It’s always so much fun to get that bit of extra money!

BONUS TIP! DOUBLE CASH BACK OFFERS

I also wanted to share a bonus tip with you so you can learn how to earn even more cash back on your purchases. Every day Ebates will feature different stores that are double cash back, and sometimes even more! I always try to plan out my purchases to maximize the amount of cash back I receive. I recommend checking out the Double Cash Back tab every day to see which stores Ebates typically highlights. For example, Sephora is doubled to 8% cash back every once in a while. If I know I need something at Sephora, I’ll try to wait until it is double. There are even a few times a year, such as Black Friday, when a ton of stores are double cash back. That’s the perfect time to shop!

All in all, I hope this post helped you learn more about Ebates and the basic ways to use it. Ebates has expanded a lot in the years I’ve been using it, so there are many more features on the website that I didn’t touch on today. If you have any further questions, please leave them in a comment below and I will be happy to help you! With the holidays fast approaching, now is the perfect time to sign up to Ebates to start earning cash back. Please use my referral link HERE to sign up today!

ELF Shadowlock Eyelid Primer in Sheer | Review + Swatches

Posted on November 7, 2016November 5, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the ELF Shadowlock Eyelid Primer in the shade Sheer. I received this primer as a free gift in my last ELF haul (see that unboxing HERE). I’ve now used this product periodically for a few months, and I’ve really grown to like it. I wanted to share my review and application tips on this product with all of you. If you can get a quality eye primer for just $2.00, who wouldn’t jump on it?!

The Shadowlock Eyelid Primer is designed to provide crease-proof and longer-lasting eyeshadow. The formula is a lightweight liquid that dries quickly. It comes with a doe-foot applicator, similar to a standard lip gloss. I have the shade Sheer, but it also comes in Pearl, which is more of a white shade.

My application tip with the Shadowlock Eyelid Primer is to use a very small amount and lightly blend it out with your fingertip. Less is definitely more with this primer, and I typically use two coats to help cover up my veiny eyelids. The Sheer shade is a cool-toned beige with salmon pink undertones. When I blend it in, the primer tends to match my fair skin tone perfectly. I do think this will work well under eyeshadow for any skin color, but if you are looking to wear this on its own, I’m not sure I would recommend it for those of you with darker skin. That being said, I do enjoy wearing this on its own to add a bit of brightness and evenness to my otherwise veiny eyelids.

I absolutely love how my eyelids look and feel after applying this primer. It dries very quickly to a soft satin finish. When I wear eyeshadow on top, it does not crease as all throughout the day. I am very impressed, as my eyeshadow typically creases rather easily, even when I’ve tried other primers in the past. The Shadowlock Eyelid Primer even helps my eyeshadow to glide on and blend easier. I am extremely impressed with how amazing the quality is!

All in all, I highly recommend the Shadowlock Eyelid Primer from ELF Cosmetics. It is the perfect primer for me, as I can wear it both alone and with eyeshadow to get the look I want. I have not tried any high end eyeshadow primers, but this ELF primer is much better than the drugstore primers I’ve tried in the past. You really cannot go wrong for the $2.00 price tag! You can buy this primer at your local drugstore, or online HERE.

What is your favorite eyeshadow primer? Let me know in the comments!

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

October Lifestyle Favorites

Posted on November 3, 2016November 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! October is over, and it’s time for me to share with you what I loved all month long. I feel like I’ve been saying this all year, but I can’t believe how quickly 2016 is flying by. We only have a couple of months left! Nonetheless, I’m excited to share my October favorites with you. I definitely discovered some new and awesome things!

SKINCARE

Yes to Cucumbers Face Wipes [BUY]

My first favorite this month is an old favorite! I decided to purchase a pack of the Yes to Cucumbers Face Wipes for the first time in a very long time. I’m so glad I did! These wipes are amazing. Not only do they remove all my makeup, but they are gentle on my skin and smell very refreshing as well. If you are looking for a great makeup remover wipe option, I highly recommend these. While they are a bit more expensive than I would like to spend, they are worth the money.

ORAL CARE

Preserve Toothbrush [BUY]

A bit of a random favorite is my new toothbrush! I found the Preserve Toothbrush at Trader Joe’s and purchased it because it is made of recycled products in the USA and is cruelty free. I had no idea how much I would love the toothbrush itself! The head of the brush is at an angle, so it makes it really easy to brush all of my back teeth. Plus, the brush head is on the small side, so I can fit the brush way in the back, too. I’m so glad I found this!

FOOD

Peanut Butter & Co Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter [BUY]

I absolutely love peanut butter, and was beyond excited to see my favorite brand Peanut Butter & Co. release a pumpkin spice flavor! I know it sounds weird, but this peanut butter is amazing. I spread it on bagels and use it to make mug cakes, too. I also have to admit I got a back-up jar for when this one runs out!

TV SHOW

Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

I started watching Crazy Ex-Girlfriend with my sister-in-law, and I quickly fell in love. If you haven’t heard of this show, all you need to know is it is a musical comedy about a woman who leaves her plush life in NYC to move near her ex-boyfriend from high school. This show is absolutely hilarious, and I can’t wait to continue watching it. I am only a few episodes in, though, so please don’t spoil me!

MUSIC

Joanne by Lady Gaga [BUY]

I’ve been a huge Lady Gaga fan since her Just Dance days, and I’m always blown away when she releases a new album. I purchased Joanne on release day because it was only $3.99 on Amazon, and I’ve been listening to it on repeat. I can’t even pick a favorite song on the album because they are all so good!

STICKERS

Blobby Stickers from Oh, Hello Stationery Co. [BUY]

My last favorite in October are stickers from Oh, Hello Stationery Co. This shop released a bunch of adorable designs in the Blobby line. Blobby is a little creature who is living life just like the rest of us. I love to use Blobby stickers to mark anything in my planner. If a Blobby is appropriate for the occasion, I will use one! I highly recommend picking some of these stickers up for your planner or journal.

That wraps up my October favorites! I hope you enjoyed learning what I’ve been loving lately. As always, please share your current favorites with me in the comments. You can also use the hashtag #PolishlandFaves on social media so I can see your photos. I hope you all had a wonderful October, and here’s to a great November!

This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Grace’s Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown-Up by Grace Helbig

Posted on November 1, 2016November 1, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Grace’s Guide: The Art of Pretending to Be a Grown-Up by Grace Helbig

Published by: Touchstone on October 21, 2014

Genres: Nonfiction, Humor

Format: Paperback

Pages: 240

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★

“One of the sharpest, funniest voices on YouTube” (Forbes), comedian Grace Helbig offers an irreverent and illustrated guide to life for anyone faced with the challenge of growing up.

Face it—being a young adult in the digital era is one of the hardest things to be. Well, maybe there are harder things in life…but being an adult is difficult! So Grace Helbig has written a guide that’s perfect for anyone who is faced with the daunting task of becoming an adult.

Infused with her trademark saucy, sweet, and funny voice, Grace’s Guide is a tongue-in-cheek handbook for millennials, encompassing everything a young or new (or regular or old) adult needs to know, from surviving a breakup to recovering from a hangover. Beautifully illustrated and full-color, Grace’s Guide features interactive elements and exclusive stories from Grace’s own misadventures—like losing her virginity solely because her date took her to a Macaroni Grill—and many other hilarious lessons she learned the hard way.

Amusing and unexpectedly educational, this refreshing and colorful guide proves that becoming an adult doesn’t necessarily mean you have to grow up.

REVIEW

I’ve been a big fan of Grace Helbig’s YouTube videos for years, and was very excited to find out she was releasing her first book, Grace’s Guide, back in 2014. I was so excited, in fact, that I attended her book tour and got to meet Grace at Housing Works Bookstore in New York. For some reason I waited two years to read the book, and finally picked it up to read for my 2016 Popsugar Reading Challenge. Unfortunately, Grace’s Guide was a big disappointment for me, and I am so sad I didn’t enjoy the book more.

Grace’s Guide is a nonfiction book designed to give millennials life advice on everything from college life to finding a job to dating in the 21st century and more. My main problem with the book is that none of the advice Grace gives is anything but common knowledge. In fact, I did not learn one new thing while reading this book even though I am in the target demographic. Perhaps some of Grace’s tips can be nice reminders for some readers, but I honestly don’t think anyone will learn much from this book.

Similarly, I found Grace’s Guide to be a huge gimmick. For instance, most sections of the book end with an unhelpful acronym to help readers remember Grace’s advice. However, it became clear that some of the tips in the book were added in simply to fit within the acronyms. An example of this is spelling the word clean with a K to fill in the phrase “Work Poot” at the end of the chapter on the workplace. In the same way, while I enjoyed the plethora of high quality photographs in the pages of Grace’s Guide they felt too much like filler for lack of actual content.

I would love to think that the reason the advice in the book isn’t more helpful is because Grace’s Guide is supposed to be comedic. Unfortunately, the tone of the book is not very strong. While I did have some laughs while reading, the book isn’t funny enough to be deemed pure comedy, and it’s not serious or helpful enough to be a true guide book. Thus, Grace’s Guide falls somewhere in an uncomfortable middle state.

My favorite parts of the book, on the other hand, are the personal stories that Grace shares about her life. I really like learning more about Grace and what she’s experienced. I think Grace is a person with whom a lot of us can easily connect, and that’s why I wish we got more of Grace and less of the gimmicky acronyms and photos. Plus, I still felt like Grace was holding back a lot of herself, and her story got a bit jumbled due to this. For example, at one point Grace mentions that she moved in with her boyfriend after college, but two paragraphs later she is moving in with her college roommate after college. It seems things don’t add up because a lot of information is left out of the narrative.

For all of these reasons, I don’t recommend picking up Grace’s Guide unless you are a Grace superfan who wishes to support her by buying a copy of her book. I will not be reading her subsequent book entitled Grace & Style, because I feel like it will be in the same vein of this book. That being said, if Grace ever releases a memoir or a book of personal essays, I would consider giving that a read because I did like learning more about her. It’s a shame that I did not enjoy this book, but I still love watching Grace’s videos and will continue to support her career.

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Zoya Nail Polish Enchanted Collection | Holiday 2016

Posted on October 27, 2016October 26, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! The holiday season is right around the corner, and Zoya Nail Polish just released the new Enchanted Collection. This six-piece line contains four PixieDust polishes and two metallic polishes with color-flip properties. Zoya describes this collection as holiday magic combined with the wonders of winter, and I think that sums up these polishes perfectly! The Enchanted Collection has a polish for everyone, and I’m excited to share my swatches with you today.

First up is Elphie, a deep emerald green PixieDust with a green shimmer. Elphie has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. I recommend letting each layer of PixieDust polishes dry completely before adding onto your manicure. Luckily, PixieDust polishes tend to dry rather quickly, and you can tell when the finish becomes textured and matte in appearance. Elphie is a gorgeous shade for the holiday season, whether worn alone or in nail art.

Next up is Olivera, a duochrome polish that shifts from green to purple. Olivera has a good formula that is opaque in two coats, but I did find it to be a bit messy to work with due to its rich pigmentation. Nonetheless, this polish is beyond stunning! Olivera is perfect for the Halloween season, and it a great option if you want dark nails without going for a plain black. I just love when a polish can look different depending on the change in lighting.

The next PixieDust polish is Lorna, a berry shade with a burgundy shimmer. Lorna is one of my favorites in this collection, and it also has an excellent formula. This is a unique take on the standard red nail, and one that works really well for the holiday season. If you want to step outside of your comfort zone without changing your manicure drastically, Lorna is a great stepping stone!

If you prefer lighter shades, Alice is a nice option! This PixieDust has a periwinkle base with blue and magenta shimmer. Alice has a great formula and is opaque in two coats. I really like the mix of colors within this polish, as it adds a lot of dimension and is unlike any other nail polish I own. Alice is also a great transitional polish for after the holiday season!

The other color-flip shade in the line is Saint, a periwinkle blue with a magenta shift. Saint does not have as strong a duochrome effect as Olivera, but it is an amazing polish. The formula is on the sheer side, so I applied three coats to achieve opacity. I am blown away with how gorgeous Saint looks on the nails. If you’re only going to buy one polish from this collection, I think Saint is a stand-out for me.

Last but not least is Waverly, a dark sapphire blue PixieDust with blue shimmer. Waverly has a good formula that is opaque in two coats, and I am obsessing over this blue shade. It’s no secret that I love blue nail polish, and Waverly is no exception. I think Zoya made the right choice in keeping this polish all blue right down to the shimmer!

All in all, I am quite impressed with Zoya’s new Enchanted Collection for the 2016 holiday season. This line contains a variety of shades in both dark and light tones. Plus, the formulas are unique and unlike the polishes already in my collection. I must admit that I am still unsure about the PixieDust resurgence, but it’s undeniable Zoya creates high quality polishes season after season. You can purchase each polish in the Enchanted Collection on Zoya’s website HERE for $10. As always, please let me know in the comments which Enchanted polish is your favorite!

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