Adventures in Polishland

Author: Adventures in Polishland

Blue Ombré Skittle Manicure featuring Holo Taco Everything Taco

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

After missing out on the first two launches, I finally snagged a bottle of the coveted Everything Taco from Holo Taco. I placed my order on a Monday, and to my happy surprise my new nail polish arrived that Thursday. Of course, I had to get this unique, special effects topper on my nails as soon as possible. What better way to wear it with than my favorite nail polish color, blue. I grabbed five blue nail polishes from Zoya Nail Polish in my collection, and came up with a blue ombré skittle manicure that I’m excited to share with you today.

Zoya Nail Polish Blue Cream Nail Polishes

The Zoya polishes in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My first step in creating this manicure was choosing the blue nail polishes for the ombré. Unsurprisingly, I had many options in my collection. I decided to go with more muted blue shades. From left to right, I chose Zoya Blu, Zoya Val, Zoya Austin, Zoya Brett, and Zoya Ryan. It looks like Brett is no longer available for sale, but you can use whatever polishes you have on hand as long as you get an ombré effect.

Blue Ombré Manicure featuring Holo Taco Everything Taco

To create my manicure, I began with Holo Taco Long Lasting Base. I then applied two coats of each cream polish, and let my nails dry. Next up I added one coat of Holo Taco Everything Taco. This nail polish topper is so much fun! It has a mix of iridescent flakie Unicorn Skins, as well as holographic glitters. It truly combines everything that Holo Taco has to offer when it comes to special effects toppers!

Holo Taco Everything Taco Review by Adventures in Polishland

Not only do I love how blingy Everything Taco looks on the nails, but I love how user friendly it is. I remember back when I started this blog, one thing often discussed in the nail polish community was “fishing for glitters.” There is absolutely no fishing with Everything Taco. All of the glitters apply easily onto the nails without any effort during application. Holo Taco has truly perfected the glitter nail polish topper!

Blue Ombre Manicure with Everything Taco

Last but not least, I applied two coats of Holo Taco Super Glossy Taco to seal in my manicure. I like using one coat to even out all the glitters, and the second for that smooth, glass-like shine. I am absolutely loving the result! I may have missed Everything Taco during its first two releases, but third time was the charm, and I cannot wait to use this polish over and over again.

Follow me on Instagram @adventuresinpolishland for more!

#ManicureMonday | Cool Toned Cloud Manicure featuring Zoya Nail Polish

Posted on February 21, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Manicure Monday! Today I’m excited to share with you the nail polish look I’m wearing this week. I’ve been using a lot of special effects toppers and glitters on my nails lately, so I decided to reach for some good, old-fashioned cream shades. I grabbed three polishes from Zoya Nail Polish and did some simple nail art in a cloud manicure. While this manicure will impress your friends because it looks put together and fancy, it’s super easy to create. Plus, these cool toned shades are perfect for the chilly winter months!

#ManicureMonday | Cool Toned Cloud Manicure

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

I used three nail polishes from Zoya to create this manicure. The purple shade is Abby from the Charming Collection, the bright blue shade is Mateo from the Dreamin’ Collection, and the subdued blue shade is Lake from the Whispers Collection. I did a skittle manicure and decided to use my ring finger as the accent nail. Make sure to let your nail polish dry before moving onto the nail art portion.

Zoya Nail Polish Nail Art Tutorial | Adventures in Polishland

I’ve used the same Pinterest tutorial for cloud nail art since I started this blog back in 2012. Essentially, you just apply your nail polish in a descending manner and layer on your colors. The only trick is to let the shades dry before going onto the next step. That way you don’t smudge your manicure. This is especially important before adding your top coat! I use the Holo Taco Super Glossy Taco for a super shiny, glass like finish.

I’m loving how this manicure turned out! The cool toned colors look so great together even though they came from three different Zoya Nail Polish collections. It’s also nice to take a break from the glittery nails I’ve been sporting lately for a smooth, cream formula finish. If you haven’t tried out a cloud manicure before, I highly recommend it! The result looks quite impressive even though it’s simple to create.

Follow me on Instagram for more manicures and product recommendations!

#ManicureMonday | Green Iridescent Nails with Holo Glitter

Posted on February 7, 2022February 2, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I’m excited to share with you the green iridescent manicure I wore last week. This nail polish look is a combination of a cream polish, a special effects topper, and a glitter topper. I’ve had so much fun layering nail polishes lately. Not only does it give me the opportunity to get more wear out of the polishes in my collection, but each manicure is quite unique. Today I’ll be sharing with you the polishes I used to achieve a sparkly and iridescent look, as well as point out a dupe for a now discontinued product.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Chlorophyll

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

I began my manicure with two coats of Chlorophyll from the now defunct brand Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. This is a teal green nail polish with a cream formula. If you are looking for something similar, a great option is Zoya Cecelia. It’s too bad OCC went out of business, because I really love the formula of their polishes. I’ve had Chlorophyll for nearly a decade now, and it still applies wonderfully.

Once Chlorophyll was dry, I added a coat of Zoya Leia. Leia is a sheer opalescent polish with flecks of fuchsia, green, and gold. It is such a beautiful, shimmery polish that reflects in the light. I will 100% admit that I reached for Leia this week because Holo Taco released the Winter Shimmers Collection, and I wanted to see if I had a similar option in my stash. This gives me Celestial Lights vibes for sure!

I finished the manicure by adding one coat of Holo Taco Flakie Holo Taco. I use this polish so often that I will probably be repurchasing it before the end of the year! It levels up nearly every manicure, and I just love the rainbow sparkle. You can really see how the look pops once I add this glitter topper. If you are looking for a versatile holo glitter, I highly recommend this one. Of course, I sealed in the look with two coats of Holo Taco Super Glossy Taco for a glass-like finish.

Tag me in your #ManicureMonday posts on Instagram @adventuresinpolishland!

Dry Brush Nail Art featuring the Zoya Nostalgic Collection

Posted on February 2, 2022January 29, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! A few days back I featured swatches and a full review of the Zoya Nail Polish Nostalgic Collection. I loved this collection so much that I knew I wanted to wear the polishes together in one manicure. I decided to do a dry brush nail art look. This is a simple technique I learned from Emily over at Casual Contrast (formerly The Lacquerologist). You can find Emily’s full tutorial on this nail art on her blog, but today I’ll show you what combining the Nostalgic Collection from Zoya looks like.

Dry Brush Nail Art featuring the Zoya Nostalgic Collection

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

I began my manicure by applying two coats of Vivi. I chose a light base shade because I wanted the darker polishes in the collection to still pop out well on the nails. I let Vivi dry completely before moving onto the next step, as I didn’t want this base shade to budge at all in the dry brushing process.

I then used Mila, Austin, and Cooper to add some fun color to my manicure. The trick with dry brushing is to wipe off the brush until it has very little polish on it. That allows for you to do abstract strokes on the nails for a unique look each time. I love this technique because it looks fancy, but it’s super easy to achieve. You really cannot mess it up! My only tip is to let the polish dry between layers, and make sure your manicure is fully dry before you apply a top coat so you don’t smudge the completed look.

I’m really loving the final result! The Zoya Nostalgic Collection works so well together, as the shades really compliment one another. I decided to use three of the polishes in the actual dry brushing, so that the colors would still stand out without looking muddy. That being said, you could definitely add more colors, especially if you switch to using a nail art brush for small strokes. If you are looking for an easy nail art design that looks great in the end, I would recommend giving the dry brush technique a try!

Zoya Nail Polish Nostalgic Collection | Swatches + Review

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

Today I have swatches and a full review of the Zoya Nail Polish Nostalgic Collection. This collection was released in the fall of 2021, and includes six cream polishes designed to be a modern take on classic favorite shades. While at first I was quite surprised that this collection was all cream formulas, once I got the polishes I could see how beautifully they worked together and individually. Let me share my thoughts on the Nostalgic Collection with all of you!

Zoya Nostalgic Collection Swatches and Review

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

I swatched all of the nail polishes in this post over the Holo Taco Peely Base, and I applied the Zoya Naked Manicure Glossy Seal Top Coat on top for a glossy finish. As always, the photos are taken in natural lighting.

Mila

First up is Mila, described as a sultry, deep mahogany red cream polish. I applied two coats to achieve opacity. Mila is such a stunning polish! I love how deep this red shade is. It’s a bit more vampy than the traditional red nail polish.

Rumi

Next up is Rumi, a muted terracotta cream polish. Rumi has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. I like the pink undertones in this shade, and I think it is a great alternative to a neutral nail polish.

Vivi

The other pink polish in the line is Vivi, a dusty, cool-toned rose pink cream. I found Vivi a bit difficult to use, as the formula is thin and runny, so my application was a bit messy. I am wearing three coats in the swatches. Vivi is a really pretty shade, but I don’t think I will be reaching for it again just due to the tricky formula.

Austin

My favorite polish in the Nostalgic Collection is Austin, a cool wedge-wood blue cream. Austin is opaque in two coats and has a fantastic formula. I am loving this periwinkle blue shade! It’s actually quite unique for a blue nail polish, and I look forward to wearing Austin again soon.

Cooper

Next up is Cooper, a logan green cream polish. Logan also has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. This green shade is just perfect for the fall season, and would work really well in some camouflage nail art.

Becca

Last but not least is Becca, described as a blackened fig cream polish. This polish has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. Becca is a stunning deep purple nail polish. I don’t love how it looks with my fair skin tone, but if you are looking for a dark purple polish Becca is a great option.

In the end, I am loving the Zoya Nail Polish Nostalgic Collection. Despite being a collection of all cream shades, the collection is anything but boring. Almost all of the polishes have amazing formulas, and they work well as a cohesive collection in addition to being beautiful in a stand-alone manicure. Make sure to follow my blog, as my next post will be a simple nail art look using this collection. Until then, you can purchase the Nostalgic Collection on the Zoya website at $12.00 per bottle.

What is your favorite shade in the Nostalgic Collection?

Let me know in the comments!

Northern Lights Nails featuring Zoya Lou and Holo Taco Aurora Unicorn Skin

Posted on January 26, 2022January 26, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

After my recent purchase from Holo Taco, I’ve really enjoyed trying out the Aurora Unicorn Skin special effects topper on different manicures. I decided to test it over a beautiful blue nail polish shade from Zoya Nail Polish called Lou. The result is a stunning northern lights inspired manicure that is perfect for fighting the winter blues!

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

I began by applying two coats of Zoya Lou over the Holo Taco Long-Lasting Base. This polish was released in the Luscious Collection of Fall 2020, and is described as a deep spruce blue cream with a hint of green. Lou is opaque in two coats and has a fantastic formula.

Northern Lights Nails by Adventures in Polishland

I then completed the look by adding one coat of Holo Taco Aurora Unicorn Skin, and sealed in the manicure with two coats of Holo Taco Super Glossy Taco. I love how the flakes in Aurora really shift from blue to purple to pink in different lighting! This topper really compliments the blue base color well.

As someone who loves nail polish but isn’t that great at nail art, I really love having special effects toppers in my nail polish collection. Iridescent flakies like Aurora Unicorn Skin really help to add dimension to any manicure. I’m excited to continue building my collection of glitters and toppers so that the manicure combos can be seemingly endless!

What’s your favorite nail polish topper? Let me know in the comments!

Zoya Nail Polish Naturel (5) Collection | Swatches + Review

Posted on January 23, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

Today I am excited to share with you swatches and a full review of the Zoya Nail Polish Naturel (5) Collection. This transitional collection for 2022 includes five cream nail polishes and one Hot Lips Glossy Lip Balm. This installment to the Naturel family is replete with warm-toned neutral shades with pink undertones. I love the Naturel line because all of the polishes are appropriate for even the most professional of environments. They are also staples for any nail polish collection, and the shades work beautifully for any skin tone. Let’s jump into all of the polishes in the Zoya Naturel (5) Collection.

Zoya Nail Polish Naturel (5) Collection | Swatches & Review

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes an affiliate link. All opinions are my own.

I swatched all of these nail polishes over the Holo Taco Peely Base. I’m wearing two coats of each polish in the photos, and sealed in each shade with the Zoya Naked Manicure Ultra Glossy Seal Top Coat. The swatches are all photographed in natural lighting.

Chelsea

First up is Chelsea, a powdered blush cream polish. Like most of the polishes in this collection, Chelsea has a thinner formula that can be a bit tricky to apply. I recommend thin coats of this polish, as well as some patience as the watery formula can be a bit messy and streaky. Luckily, Chelsea is opaque in two coats, and my top coat helped to even out any texture and give it a beautiful finish. I really enjoy this light pink shade!

Sutton

Next up is Sutton, a muted pink-nude cream. Sutton also has a thinner formula, but it is opaque in two coats. If you are looking for a really warm neutral with a hint of pink, this polish is a great option.

Evan

The first brown-toned polish in this collection is Evan, what Zoya describes as a softened saddle cream. Evan also has a thinner formula, but you can see the result with the glossy top coat is quite stunning. Evan is such a gorgeous beige shade, and would work really well in nail art looks.

Parker

My favorite polish in the collection is Parker, a warm greige polish. Parker has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. This is more of the traditional cream formula I have come to expect from Zoya. I was so surprised when I applied Parker, because I did not expect to love it so much! This shade looks really nice with my fair skin tone.

Elyse

The last polish in the line is Elyse, a gentle aubergine cream polish. Elyse has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. I really like this purple shade, and I can see myself wearing this to the office and then dressing it up with a holographic top coat for some more bling.

Sweettart

The last item in the Naturel (5) Collection is a Hot Lips Glossy Lip Balm in the shade Sweettart. This is a shimmering purple mauve shade. It has a sweet candy scent that I really enjoy. The formula is unique in that it has a sticky consistency so that it stays in place, but it has a smooth, hydrating feeling on the lips. The shimmer in Sweettart is not too strong, which I personally like because it adds dimension without looking glittery. I don’t wear lip products often, but this one is very pretty!

Zoya Naturel 5 Collection Swatches + Review

All in all, the Zoya Nail Polish Natural (5) Collection is a solid addition to the Naturel family of products that Zoya offers. While the lighter shades do have thinner formulas that require a bit more patience to apply, all of the shades look beautiful with a glossy top coat. My personal favorites from the collection are Chelsea and Parker, but there is definitely a shade for everyone. As always, Zoya Nail Polish is a cruelty free brand, and all of the products in this line are vegan friendly. You can purchase the Naturel (5) Collection on the Zoya website.

What is your favorite shade in the Naturel (5) Collection?

Let me know in the comments!

Holo Taco Build Your Own Bundle Review & Swatches | #HoloTacoCombo

Posted on January 16, 2022 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I recently made a purchase from the Holo Taco website, and thought I would share the experience with you. After digging at the bottom of my base coat bottle for a while, I knew it was time to order a new bottle. Since I was also out of my favorite top coat, Super Glossy Taco, I decided to order the Holo Taco Build Your Own Bundle. This option on the brand’s website allows for customers to choose a base coat, creme polish, topper, and top coat for a discounted price of $42.00 (a $4.00 savings off the regular price). I also had a $5.00 coupon from being subscribed to the Holo Taco newsletter, so I snagged mine for $37.00 plus shipping. Let me share with you the polishes I picked out, and also let you know about the amazing customer service I received from the brand.

The bundle I built includes Long Lasting Base, High Tea Hibiscus, Aurora Unicorn Skin, and Super Glossy Taco. When I placed my order, the invoice let me know that the brand was moving warehouses and there would be a delay in shipping. That was not a problem for me, and I fully expected to receive my order when it was ready. I was pleasantly surprised when about a week later I got an email apologizing for the delay in shipment, and a refund for the $6.99 shipping fee, as well as another $5.00 coupon for a future purchase. I really appreciated this great customer service, even though it was completely unnecessary. It’s rare for a company to go above and beyond when it comes to customer service these days, and I thought it was absolutely worth the mention in this post.

Now let’s jump into my thoughts on the polishes! I’ve just tried the Long Lasting Base for the first time, so I will report back after I give it more of a test drive. The creme polish I chose in my bundle, however, is High Tea Hibiscus, a deep magenta polish. I was quite surprised with how thick the formula is. I recommend getting a good amount of product on the brush during application, because otherwise the polish will streak onto the nails. I applied two coats for full opacity. High Tea Hibiscus is a beautiful polish, and I’m interested to try more creme polishes from this brand to see if the formula is typically this consistency.

Next up is Aurora Unicorn Skin, the special effects topper I chose for my bundle. This is an iridescent flakie top coat that color shifts depending on the base shade over which it is layered. On this manicure in particular, it added a stunning pink to purple color shift. Aurora has been on my wish list for a very long time, so I’m excited to add this polish to my collection. I look forward to testing it out in different manicures to see how it will transform on the nails!

Holo Taco High Tea Hibiscus and Aurora Unicorn Skin

Lastly, I topped off my manicure with Super Glossy Taco. I love this top coat because it gives the nails a high gloss shine while also drying very quickly. If I’m wearing a glittery manicure, I will often apply two coats. The first coat will even out the texture in the glitter, and the second gives it that smooth, glassy finish. This is the second time I’m purchasing this top coat, and I’m so happy to have a new bottle!

Holo Taco Aurora Unicorn Skin Natural Sunlight

Here’s a quick look at my completed manicure in natural sunlight (please forgive my dry, winter skin in these swatches by the way!). I’m really happy with this manicure, and I found myself looking down at my nails a lot throughout the day. I even elevated my manicure by adding the Flakie Holo Taco a few days later for added bling!

All in all, if you are looking to try out Holo Taco nail polishes, I think the Build Your Own Bundle is a great option. You save a few dollars, plus you can stock up on the necessary top and base coats we use with every manicure. The Build Your Own Bundle is available on the Holo Taco website. The brand represents that their entire line is cruelty free and vegan.

Have you tried Holo Taco nail polishes? Let me know in the comments!

Purple Skittle Manicure featuring Zoya Nail Polish

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I want to share with you the manicure I’ll be wearing this week. I’m finally in a great routine where I paint my nails every weekend, and I’m really enjoying the process of choosing my polishes and color combinations. I share all of my manicures on Instagram, but wanted to do a quick blog post as well since I’m using four different nail polishes today. I was in the mood for some purple nails, so I decided to grab a handful of different shades and finishes from my nail polish stash. Let me share with you how I created this purple skittle manicure using Zoya Nail Polish!

Purple Skittle Manicure featuring Zoya Nail Polish

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links.

To create this purple skittle manicure, I used the following nail polishes from Zoya from left to right:

Margo, a plum purple cream polish with red undertones | BUY
Payton, a cranberry purple polish with holographic glitter | BUY
Aurora, a sugarplum purple polish with holographic glitter | BUY
Abby, a lavender purple cream polish | BUY

I applied two coats of Abby, but three coats of the other polishes to achieve opacity and an even finish. I sealed my manicure using the Zoya Naked Manicure Ultra Glossy Seal Top Coat. I’m really loving the result! It’s fun to have four different purples in one manicure, plus two cream formulas and two glittery formulas. I also applied Abby on the thumb to balance out the dark shades in the center.

That wraps up this quick post on my purple skittle manicure! I really love how it came together, and I look forward to wearing it this week. If you’d like to see more of my weekly manicures, make sure to follow me on Instagram HERE!

Empty Product Reviews | My Go To Cruelty Free Skincare, Hair Care, and Body Care

Posted on July 7, 2021 by Adventures in Polishland

It’s been quite some time since I shared an Empties post here on the blog (it appears the last one was in 2017 – oops!). While I’ve shared snippets on my Instagram regularly, I thought it would be fun to share mini reviews with you on all of the products I’ve used up recently. The skincare, hair care, and body care items in this post are some of my go to cruelty free and vegan products that I repurchase regularly. You’ll also notice that I am quite loyal to both The Body Shop and Derma E! I love both of these brands because they offer effective products at prices I can afford.

Empty Product Reviews | My Go To Cruelty Free Skincare, Hair Care, and Body Care

Products from Derma E provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links.

Derma E Purifying Daily Detox Scrub | $15.50 | BUY

First up is the Derma E Purifying Daily Detox Scrub with Activated Charcoal. I’ve used this scrub for many years. It’s gentle enough to use daily, but still effective at keeping the skin clear and free of dry flakes. I recently stopped using this on my face, as I was using a cleanser with a chemical exfoliant (more on that later). Instead, I’ve used this in my underarms about 1-2 times per week. This has really helped to get rid of any odors that I experience after working out in the humid summer months, all while using a natural deodorant.

Derma E Anti-Wrinkle Cleanser | $13.75 | BUY

The cleanser I used up is the Derma E Anti-Wrinkle Cleanser. This is a new-to-me product, but I absolutely loved it! As mentioned, this has glycolic acid in it to exfoliate the skin. I found that my face was much more even, hydrated, and clear when using this product. It was also nice to not have to use a physical exfoliant as an additional step in my skincare routine. I love testing out new cleansers, but I would definitely consider repurchasing this one.

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Youth Eye Concentrate | $32.00 | BUY

Next up is my all-time favorite eye care product, The Body Shop Drops of Youth Youth Eye Concentrate. This is an eye serum, and comes with a rollerball applicator. This is the only eye care product that works for me! I find that it helps to minimize my fine lines when I use it regularly. I do wish the packaging was more environmentally friendly, but I continue to repurchase this because I like it so much.

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Youth Essence-Lotion | $24.00

Another favorite product of mine is The Body Shop Drops of Youth Youth Essence-Lotion. I use this morning and night before I apply serum. My skin loves this product, as it helps to keep my skin hydrated, clear, and smooth. It’s currently not available on The Body Shop’s website, and I’m seriously hoping it hasn’t been discontinued! If you do ever see this back in stock, I highly recommend it.

The Body Shop Juicy Pear Body Scrub | $24.00 | BUY SIMILAR

Moving onto body care, I used up the Juicy Pear Body Scrub from The Body Shop. This was a limited edition holiday scent, but I really enjoy the scrubs from The Body Shop. This one was a sugar-based scrub, but I enjoy all of the available formulas as long as they are vegan. I typically like to grab a few scrubs during the Black Friday sale to save money and stock up for the year. They smell great, and keep the skin really smooth.

The Body Shop Make-Up Setting Spray | $6.00 | BUY

A hidden gem product at The Body Shop is definitely the Make-Up Setting Spray. This is by far my favorite setting spray ever! Not only does it keep my makeup in place throughout the day, but it helps reduce any cakey appearance. This spray has aloe vera in it as well, so it helps to keep the skin hydrated. My only critique with this product is that the bottle is only 60 ml. I would buy this in jumbo size if I could!

Derma E Thickening Conditioner | $9.99 | BUY

Last but not last is the Derma E Thickening Conditioner. I first tried this product when I received it from the brand for review, and now I’ve purchased it twice myself. I like this conditioner because it is gentle on the scalp and hydrating for my hair without making it greasy. I pair this conditioner with the Scalp Relief Shampoo for my go to hair routine.

That wraps up this round of empty product reviews! I hope you’ve found this post helpful if you are also on the lookout for cruelty free and vegan products that are worth the money. Please let me know in the comments if you would like to see regular empties posts here on the blog. I love sharing mini reviews of all the beauty products I’ve used up completely!