Adventures in Polishland

Author: Adventures in Polishland

Huge Sephora Haul | Basics Stock Up & More!

Posted on October 26, 2015October 25, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday, and welcome to Haul Week here at Adventures in Polishland! I’ve done a lot of shopping lately, mainly because October is my birthday month and I wanted to take advantage of all the sales and coupons I received. Plus, I keep my eye on sales all the time, so I shop when the prices are lowest. I asked on my Facebook Page HERE if you wanted me to do a week filled with haul posts, and many of you said yes! Today I’m kicking things off with my biggest Sephora Haul of all time. I had to stock up on a lot of my basic products, but of course treated myself, too. Let me show you what I picked up!

First things first, I made this purchase because I was out of a lot of basic products that I use regularly. I also wanted to get my free birthday gift. I waited until Sephora was on Ebates for double cash back, and then made my purchase. Ebates is a website that allows you to earn cash back on many of your online purchases. I’ve used it for years now, and LOVE it! Sephora is typically 4% cash back, but it is often doubled for 8%. Always wait for the double cash back if you can. If you’re not an Ebates member, sign up for free HERE and you’ll get a $10 gift card when you join!

While I am normally all about the fabulous and affordable beauty products, there are a few things I am always willing to spend more on because of the amazing quality. I ran out of BeautyBlender Cleanser a few months ago, and my normal brush cleaner is just not cutting it. I decided to get the big size of of the cleanser, because I know it will last me a long time. Plus, it has a pump top that I can keep on the sink! I also grabbed the Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. I used a sample last year and fell in love with it. I waited until my other primers ran out before I picked this up! Finally, I grabbed my favorite setting spray, Urban Decay De-Slick. I only need a new bottle every 8-12 months, depending on how often I use it, and it is 100% worth the price. This is the third time I’ve purchased it now!

I decided to pick up a few extra goodies for myself. I’ve wanted the Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Highlight from the brand BECCA since it came out, and I finally decided to grab it. I am so in love! It is a stunning gold highlight, and I’ve been wearing it every makeup day since it arrived. I’m planning on doing a full review of Champagne Pop so you can see up-close swatches of this product. I also purchased the Sephora Favorites Give Me More Lip value kit. It has 15 high end lip products, mainly in deluxe sample sizes, but there are a few full size products as well. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to try some high end lip products. Plus, I plan on using some of the lippys for gifts and giveaways. It’s just so fun to try out so many goodies!

Of course, no Sephora order is complete without a few freebies! First, I have the Beauty Insider Birthday Gift, which is a NARS lip duo. I think that is an amazing freebie! I then got the three free samples that come with every order. I picked the Fresh Black Tea Lotion, First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser, and Dior Lip Addict Lip Plumper. I always love getting these extras!

All in all, I did spend a pretty penny at Sephora, but I was able to grab a lot of products I use regularly, plus some treats for my birthday. By shopping during double cash back at Ebates, I got over $14 back on my purchase. I’ve already started putting many of these products to use, and I plan on showing in-depth reviews in the coming weeks! If you’d like to shop for anything you see here, you can use the widget below, which helps support my blog. Make sure to stay tuned for more hauls all week long!

What is on your Sephora Wish List? Let me know in the comments!

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

Halloween Week | Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Electra-Cute and Blacky O

Posted on October 23, 2015October 22, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s the last day of Halloween Week here on the blog (a DIY video will be up on YouTube tomorrow, though!). I’ve got a review of the two new Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Halloween nail polishes to share. In addition to my regular swatches, I’ve also done side-by-side comparison swatches of this year’s polishes versus last year’s. That way if you purchased the Sally Hansen Halloween polishes last year, you’ll know if these are a must have for you. The Miracle Gel line has grown to be a huge favorite of mine this past year, and I’m excited to share these limited edition shades with you. Let me show you Electra-Cute and Blacky O!

First up is Electra-Cute, a bright orange creme polish. I used two coats of Electra-Cute and finished up with the Miracle Gel Top Coat. The formula is excellent, and I’m loving this orange shade. Electra-Cute is great for nail art, or on its own!

Here are side-by-side swatches of Electra-Cute (pinky and ring fingers) and Pumpkin King (middle and pointer fingers). As you can see, the shades are nearly identical. I prefer the high gloss formula of Electra-Cute to the Insta-Dri formula of Pumpkin King (reviewed HERE), but if you already have Pumpkin King there is no need for Electra-Cute in your collection. I can’t tell a difference based on nail polish color alone!

Next up is Blacky O, a stunning black creme polish. Blacky O has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. It looks amazing on its own, but even better with the Miracle Gel Top Coat. I think this is now my go to black polish. I just love the formula and shiny finish! Blacky O is definitely a must have polish.

All in all, Sally Hansen created two more amazing Miracle Gel polishes just in time for Halloween! Make sure to check the limited edition displays at your local drugstore to get your hands on these. They retail for $9.99 each, but keep an eye out for sales and coupons! I highly recommend both polishes, and the Miracle Gel Top Coat is a favorite of mine. They are must for Halloween, or any time of year!

Have you tried the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel line? Let me know in the comments!

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

Book Review | Horns by Joe Hill

Posted on October 22, 2015October 15, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Horns by Joe Hill

Published by William Morrow on February 16, 2010

Genres: Adult, Fiction, Horror, Fantasy

Format: Paperback

Pages: 397

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★ 1/2

At first Ig thought the horns were a hallucination, the product of a mind damaged by rage and grief. He had spent the last year in a lonely, private purgatory, following the death of his beloved, Merrin Williams, who was raped and murdered under inexplicable circumstances. A mental breakdown would have been the most natural thing in the world. But there was nothing natural about the horns, which were all too real.

Once the righteous Ig had enjoyed the life of the blessed: born into privilege, the second son of a renowned musician and younger brother of a rising late-night TV star, he had security, wealth, and a place in his community. Ig had it all, and more—he had Merrin and a love founded on shared daydreams, mutual daring, and unlikely midsummer magic.

But Merrin’s death damned all that. The only suspect in the crime, Ig was never charged or tried. And he was never cleared. In the court of public opinion in Gideon, New Hampshire, Ig is and always will be guilty because his rich and connected parents pulled strings to make the investigation go away. Nothing Ig can do, nothing he can say, matters. Everyone, it seems, including God, has abandoned him. Everyone, that is, but the devil inside. . . .

Now Ig is possessed of a terrible new power to go with his terrible new look—a macabre talent he intends to use to find the monster who killed Merrin and destroyed his life. Being good and praying for the best got him nowhere. It’s time for a little revenge. . . . It’s time the devil had his due. . . .

REVIEW

Horns has been on my to read list for about a year now, and when I found a copy at an antique store for just $4.00 I decided to pick it up. I was instantly drawn in by this creepy story. Horns follows twenty-something Ig Perrish a year after his longtime girlfriend Merrin was murdered. Ig wakes up one day with horns on his head that give him devilish powers. He decides to use his new powers to find out who murdered his girlfriend and finally clear his name after being accused of the crime.

Horns is written in a nonlinear fashion. The book begins in the present day, but often flashes back to different times in both Ig’s life and the lives of other characters. While this means the writing was extremely well crafted, it also made the reading process very, very slow. I did really enjoy the flashbacks because they were integral to the story and allowed me as a reader to understand each character’s motives, but I had a very difficult time finishing this book! It was a very weird feeling, because while I was enjoying the book, I felt like it never ended. I really had to push through it.

In the same way, I wish we got to see more of Ig’s new powers in action. The fantastical elements of the story are really cool, and they are interwoven well with an otherwise contemporary setting. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of Horns, where Ig was just starting to use his powers. I really would have liked more of Ig in the present day using his powers because they were so intriguing!

Moreover, Horns features a good discussion of what makes someone good or evil. It is very interesting that out of all the characters in the book, Ig is the one that wakes up with devil horns. Similarly, Horns makes me wonder about my own life, and what the horns would reveal for me. I think these elements of the book make Horns the perfect book club pick, as there is a lot to discuss!

Overall, while I think Horns is exceptionally written, I’m left a bit underwhelmed because of its slow pace. I also wasn’t a big fan of the ending, which I won’t discuss further as to avoid spoilers. I definitely want to pick up Joe Hill’s other books, especially NOS4A2. If you enjoy creepy and somewhat disturbing books, I do recommend giving Horns a chance. It’s perfect during Halloween, or anytime you’re in the mood for something in the horror genre!

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble

When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Halloween Week | Slime Nail Art

Posted on October 21, 2015October 14, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have another really simple nail art look for Halloween. I was looking through my nail polish collection, and was inspired to use a bright green polish as slime. I instantly reached for a purple polish to go with the green, and created a funky manicure. If you’re looking to create a nail art look that doesn’t feature the standard orange and black for Halloween, this one is for you! Let me show you the slime nail art I created.

WHAT YOU NEED / What I Used:

Purple Nail Polish / Madam Glam in Midnight [BUY]
Green Nail Polish / Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Green With Envy [BUY]
Glossy Top Coat / Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat [BUY]

I began my manicure with two coats of Midnight from Madam Glam. I let this purple shade dry completely before continuing on with the look.

I used a bright green polish to create my slime. All I did was concentrate the polish on the top half of my nails, and messily paint it. One technique I used was to drop dots of polish in the center of my nails and drag it back to the tips. I also just used uneven strokes. Anything goes for this look! As you can see, it looks like I dipped my nails in a bucket of slime. I finished the manicure with a glossy top coat once the green polish dried, and that was it!

All in all, I hope you enjoyed this simple nail art tutorial for Halloween! I think these slime nails are a lot of fun, and a great alternative to traditional Halloween nails. Plus, you can use this technique if you’re looking to extend the life of your current manicure, or if you need a last minute Halloween design. You never know when a slime manicure will come in handy! That’s it for this post, but I’ll see you tomorrow as Halloween Week continues!

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

Halloween Week | 5 Halloween Costumes in Your Closet

Posted on October 20, 2015October 15, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Halloween Week continues today with a post all about costumes. I wanted to share with you some ideas for simple costumes that you already own. Whether you are putting together your look last minute, or you want to save money and use what you already have, I have five costume recommendations for you! I opened up my closet to see what I owned that could easily be turned into Halloween costumes. While these costumes may not be unique, they will save you a lot of time and money. Plus, if you head to your local dollar store or craft store you can get plenty of fun accessories to dress up your costume and make it your own. Without further ado, let me share the five Halloween costumes that are in your closet!

The Beauty Queen costume is really easy to put together! Grab an old prom dress or formal gown, or pick one up from your local thrift store. Then add flashy accessories! You can also turn yourself into a Zombie Beauty Queen by trashing your dress and adding some fake blood.

FROM MY CLOSET:

Old Prom Dress
Feather Boa

WHAT TO ADD:

Princess Crown
Sash (use ribbon & glitter glue!)
Anything glittery or with rhinestones

One of the easiest Halloween costumes is a Hippie! Almost everyone has a tie dye shirt, and if you don’t it’s easy to make one. Make sure you rock a center part in your hair! You can also add small braids on each side to really get the Hippie vibe.

FROM MY CLOSET:

Tie Dye T-shirt
Beads

WHAT TO ADD:

Bell Bottom Jeans
Round Sunglasses
Headband

Most of us have some sort of leopard print in the closet! Whether it be a dress, blouse, skirt, or even just some shoes, you can base a Leopard costume on whatever you own. I got some cat ears at the drugstore for a couple dollars a few years ago, and they can be reused now!

FROM MY CLOSET:

Leopard Print Dress
Cat Ears
Black Heels

WHAT TO ADD:

Whiskers (use eyeliner!)

With chambray shirts being so trendy in the past few years, Rosie the Riveter becomes a simple costume! Wrap a red bandana or headband on your head and you are ready to go.

FROM MY CLOSET:

Chambray Shirt
Red Hair Band

WHAT TO ADD:

Jeans
Boots
Red Lipstick

If you’re not a Celtics fan, have no fear! You can put together a Superfan costume based on your favorite sports team or musician. Simply wear as much fan gear as you have and show your pride! The more you have, the better.

FROM MY CLOSET:

T-shirt
Hat
Foam Finger

WHAT TO ADD:

Themed Manicure
Face Paint

That brings us to the end of this Halloween Week post! I hope this inspired you to look inside your closet before you go to the Halloween store and drop some major cash on a new costume. You can also ask your friends and family if you can raid their closets. The possibilities are endless!

What is your Halloween costume this year? Let me know in the comments!

Welcome to Halloween Week! | Halloween Cloud Nails

Posted on October 19, 2015October 22, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday, and welcome to Halloween Week here at Adventures in Polishland! Two years ago I hosted a Halloween themed week on the blog, and I thought it would be fun to do one again this year. I think Halloween is a lot of fun, and my big sweet tooth enjoys it as well! Every day this week will feature something Halloween related, and I am also putting up two Halloween videos on my YouTube channel HERE. I’m kicking off the week with some simple Halloween nail art. Let me share with you my Halloween cloud nails!

WHAT YOU NEED / What I’m Using:

Black Nail Polish / NYC New York Color in Black Elixir
Orange Nail Polish / Zoya in Arizona [BUY]
Yellow Nail Polish / Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Mellow Yellow [BUY]
Glossy Top Coat / Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat [BUY]

I’ve used the same Pinterest tutorial seen HERE to create my cloud nail for years now! I absolutely love how easy this design is to create. I began with a black base and let that dry. Then I added orange clouds, and finally the yellow clouds. Once the entire manicure was dry I added a glossy top coat to even out the edges. That’s all it takes to create this nail art, but it looks really cool. I always get a lot of compliments whenever I’m wearing this look.

All in all, Halloween Cloud Nails are easy to create, but perfect whether you’re handing out candy on Halloween or simply wanting to look more festive. The best part is this manicure can be recreated using whatever polishes you own, and can be worn any time of year depending on the colors you choose. It is my go-to nail art for sure. I thought this would be a fun way to kick off Halloween Week, and I hope you’re excited for more to come!

Have you created a Halloween manicure? Share it on my Facebook page HERE!

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

Drugstore Beauty Haul! | Couponing Tips & Tricks

Posted on October 16, 2015October 14, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Here at Adventures in Polishland I am always focused on living a fabulous and affordable life. One of my favorite parts of each week is going through the Sunday paper and clipping coupons. I then match the coupons up with the weekly sales to score awesome deals at the drugstore. I like to buy beauty products regularly, not just for myself, but for blog reviews and giveaways. I’m able to purchase items at a fraction of the cost thanks to the time I spend planning out my purchases and using coupons. Today I want to share a quick drugstore haul and show you how I got over $35 worth of makeup for just $15. Let’s get started!

I went to my local CVS for this particular shopping trip. There were two deals that I wanted to check out, one from Maybelline and the other from L’Oreal. Each brand was having a sale where when you purchased two items, you got $5 in ExtraCare Bucks (“ECB”) back. CVS has an amazing rewards system called ExtraCare where you score tons of great coupons and can earn ECB, which work like free money. If you’re not a member yet, I highly recommend signing up HERE. Otherwise you won’t get exclusive sale prices and coupons! I’m going to break down the two deals I made during this purchase so you can see how I used my coupons.

MAYBELLINE DEAL – Buy 2 Products, Get $5.00 ECB

I really wanted to purchase the Maybelline Shine-Free Foundation from the Fit Me line because I used it in the past and really loved it. I always recommend you buy products that you either know you’ll use, or you really want to try. There is no use buying items just to use a coupon! I grabbed the mascara up for either a gift item or a future giveaway here.

Items Purchased:

Maybelline Great Lash Big in Blackest Black = $5.99

Maybelline Shine-Free Foundation in Classic Ivory = $9.79

Coupons Used:

$2.00 off Maybelline Mascara (manufacturer’s coupon)

$2.00 off Maybelline Fit Me Product (manufacturer’s coupon)

Money Spent: 5.99 + 9.79 = 15.78 – 4.00 = $11.78

ECB Earned: $5.00

L’OREAL DEAL – Buy 2 Products, Get $5.00 ECB

Next, I grabbed a couple items from L’Oreal. My favorite drugstore mascaras come from L’Oreal, so I figured I would try the Miss Manga because I’ve heard great things about it. Plus, I like to have mascara on back-up because it’s good to change up mascaras every three months. I was also on the hunt for a new blush for the fall, so I picked one up from the True Match line to try.

Items Purchased:

L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Blush in Baby Blossom = $11.49

L’Oreal Miss Manga Mascara in Black = $8.49

Coupons Used:

$3.00 off L’Oreal True Match Product (manufacturer’s coupon)

$1.00 off L’Oreal Eye Product (manufacturer’s coupon)

Money Spent: 11.49 + 8.49 = 19.98 – 4.00 = 15.98

ECB Earned: $5.00

I used one manufacturer’s coupon on each item, as I showed above in the deal breakdowns. CVS also allows you to use CVS coupons, too. For this particular purchase I had a $5.00 off any $15.00 purchase coupon that I received in my email. Sometimes I have specific coupons for beauty products, other times I will receive percentage off coupons, but it changes every week. What I can tell you is that CVS will always send me at least one CVS coupon that I can use on each purchase!

Money Spent: 11.78 (Maybelline) + 15.98 (L’Oreal) = 27.76 – 5.00 = $22.76

Now, $22.76 would be your total if all you had was the manufacturer’s coupons and CVS coupon. That is still an incredible savings! The retail price of all the items totals $35.76, so there is already a savings of $13.00, or 47%. But because I am a regular CVS shopper, I had $7.00 in ECB from my last purchase. That means I only spent $15.76! I saved $20 just by clipping some coupons and paying attention to sales. Plus, I earned a total of $10.00 in ECB to use on my next purchase! Every week I earn some ECB that I can use the next time. It makes saving so easy, and shopping really fun!

All in all, I hope you enjoyed this Drugstore Beauty Haul and found my couponing tips and tricks helpful. I go to the drugstore about once per week, so if you would like to see how I use coupons to save money on a regular basis, please let me know in the comments! I am not affiliated with nor am I sponsored by CVS, but it is definitely my drugstore of choice for beauty deals at the moment. Make sure you stop by for some new goodies, either for yourself, or for your friends – the holiday season is just around the corner!

What beauty products have you purchased from the drugstore lately? Let me know in the comments!

The Fall Favorites Tag! | #PolishlandFaves

Posted on October 15, 2015October 14, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! It’s no secret that fall is my favorite time of year. Perhaps it’s because I’m an October baby, but fall just makes me feel cozy. I’m always excited for everything that fall brings, and that’s why I’m so glad fellow blogger Carolyn from The Diary of a Tall Girl tagged me in the Fall Favorites Tag. This tag was created by YouTube Beauty Guru Jaclyn Hill. I am a huge fan of Jaclyn, and can’t wait to jump right in and share my fall favorites with all of you!

Favorite Candle

Okay, so I know I’m ‘cheating’ already, but I’m just not a candle person. Instead, I’ll share my favorite fall scent, which also happens to be a candle! I’ve been obsessed with the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin shower gel from Bath & Body Works. I love sweet smells, and I’m also a huge pumpkin lover, so this scent is perfect for me. Of course, if you like candles you can grab this at your local Bath & Body Works in candle form!

Favorite Lip Color

One of my go-to lip colors is definitely Berry Soft from the Baby Lips Dr. Rescue line. It gives my lips a sheer wash of a berry color, and also helps to moisturize and heal dry lips. Berry Soft is perfect to wear daily, and you don’t need a mirror to apply it so feel free to toss it in your purse! Even those it’s been three years since I first discovered Baby Lips I’m still a huge fan!

Favorite Drink

Like many, I am all about the pumpkin spice in the fall! My favorite pumpkin drink is the Pumpkin Spice coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts. I love it both iced and hot, and it’s a must have for me because of its sweet taste. I usually buy a bag to brew at home, and Target often has it on sale each year. If you’ve never tried it before, definitely go for it!

FAVORITE BLUSH

When the weather gets cool, my blush gets warmer in tone. My cousin gifted me Pür Minerals Hot Rocks a couple years back, and I am obsessed with it! The color is stunning, the formula is super blendable, and it is 100% worth the high end price tag. I’m showing you a stock photo of this blush because mine is completely destroyed at this point. It still applies beautifully, but we all know what blush packaging turns into after a lot of use. It’s that good!

FAVORITE CLOTHING ITEM

While I love boots, scarves, and sweaters, this year I have been wearing my new Wren sneakers from Sole Society every single day! They go with every outfit, and are comfortable and stylish at the same time. I’m so glad slip-on sneakers are on trend right now. I used to wear them back in my high school days! If you’re not a Sole Society member yet, use my referral code HERE to snag 20% off your first purchase!

FAVORITE FALL MOVIE

Hocus Pocus is, of course, my favorite fall movie! I remember the first time I saw it back in second grade nearly 20 years ago now. I thought it was scary back then, and now it’s just a ton of fun. I watch it every time it’s on TV even though I own the DVD. I know I’m not alone in loving Hocus Pocus! Share your favorite quote from the movie in the comments!

FAVORITE FALL TV SHOW

One of my favorite TV shows of all time is The Big Bang Theory! It is so funny, and I love Sheldon Cooper’s character. I’ll admit that the new episodes this season haven’t been my favorite, but I hope they’ll get better soon! I also watch this show a lot in reruns, so there is always a funny episode to see. I can’t wait to find out what happens to the characters next!

FAVORITE THANKSGIVING FOOD

I don’t have a picture to share, but my favorite Thanksgiving food is stuffing! Thanksgiving is extremely ritualized in my family. We eat the same hors d’oeuvres, main dishes, and desserts every year. I used to love turkey, but as a vegetarian I, of course, don’t eat it anymore. That being said, I tried stuffing for the first time at my brother’s wedding five years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since! Thankfully, my family makes vegetarian stuffing because there are three of us who don’t eat meat. I don’t eat stuffing often, and that’s what makes it a fun Thanksgiving food!

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN COSTUME

I’ve also had a lot of great Halloween costumes over the years, and it’s difficult to pick one favorite to share! I’ve dressed up as Minnie Mouse, a 50s Sock-Hop Girl (complete with a handmade Poodle Skirt), Stephanie from Full House, Maureen from RENT, and the list goes on! The costume that I am the most proud of is one that my friend and I created in high school. We were both dancers our entire lives, so we decided to take pieces from all of our costumes over the years and layer them together in a crazy outfit. We called ourselves Confused Dancers, and it was a lot of fun!

That brings us to the end of the Fall Favorites tag! I hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about me and my fall loves. I would love to see your answers to these questions! Either leave them in the comments, or create your own blog post! I will officially tag all of you who celebrate a birthday in October.

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

Keranique Clean & Condition Set Review | #KeraniqueHair

Posted on October 14, 2015October 13, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of a high end shampoo and conditioner set from the brand Keranique. I was so excited to receive the Clean & Condition set because I have very fine hair that is pretty dull and flat. I’m always looking to improve the health of my hair, and if I can give it some added volume in the process that is a win-win situation. At the same time, I’m on a budget, so it’s rare that I purchase high end products. I had very high hopes for the Keranique Clean & Condition Set! Let me share more information on these products and my experience with all of you.

The Keranique Clean & Condition Set comes with the Scalp Stimulating Shampoo and the Volumizing Keratin Conditioner. Together they are designed to gently clean and stimulate the scalp to nourish and rejuvenate hair follicles. The Scalp Stimulating Shampoo is formulated to help improve the volume, thickness, and strength of thinning hair, as well as the hair’s lustre. The Volumizing Conditioner contains Keratin, and is designed to help thicken and volumize thin hair without weighing it down. I used the system for about two and a half weeks, and was hoping for great results. I’m going to talk about the shampoo and conditioner separately, and then round out my thoughts.

I overall like the Scalp Stimulating Shampoo. It is clear in color, and doesn’t have a scent. I used it as directed and let it sit on my hair for one to two minutes before rinsing. I didn’t notice any tingling or feeling on the scalp, and my hair felt really clean after using this shampoo. Basically, this shampoo didn’t wow me, but it seemed to work just fine.

The Volumizing Keratin Conditioner is definitely a unique product! It contains peppermint and menthol, so there is a cooling sensation on the scalp when you let it sit for the suggested one to two minutes. This sensation was very strong the first time I used the conditioner, but either I got used to it, or the product didn’t activate as much as I continued use. If you have very sensitive skin, I would keep that in mind before purchasing this product.

Moreover, I wanted to talk about my experience with this system. I noticed that after about two weeks of use in which I used the products every other day, my hair became very dry and finicky. I had to pull out a detangling spray for the first time in several months, and I also grabbed hair oil to treat my hair. After experiencing this dryness, I decided to discontinue use and switched back to my normal haircare routine.

All in all, I am quite disappointed with the Keranique Clean & Condition Set. While I did feel my hair getting a bit thicker, I know that this formula was hurting my hair instead of helping it. As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, I do have thin hair that I would consider a bit sensitive. That being said, just because Keranique didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it’s a bad product. We all have different hair types, and mine just doesn’t mesh well with Keranique. If you would like to learn more about Keranique, please visit the brand’s site HERE. You can receive 25% off any Keranique purchase through 12/31/15 with the code THICKER25 at checkout.

What is your volumizing hair product of choice? Let me know in the comments!

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

Library Book Sale Haul | Book Shopping on a Budget!

Posted on October 13, 2015September 21, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I am excited to share with you a mega awesome book haul! As you know, Adventures in Polishland is your guide to a fabulous and affordable life. I’ve often shared how to save on beauty products, but today we are changing gears to talk about books! I’ve been a reader my entire life, and as much as I love ebooks, I still prefer reading physical books. Books can be really expensive, though, so I’m always on the hunt for a good deal. I love to check out used book stores, but the best and most affordable shopping is a good old library book sale! My local library always has a sale going on, but once a year there is a huge book sale where you can fill a bag for just $1.00. I recently went to this sale and picked up seven books, and had to share them with you! Let me show you what I picked up, and give you some library book sale tips along the way.

I’ve gone to many library book sales in the past and often felt overwhelmed with the vast number of books. This is often because the books are not organized, and there is so much to look at, at once. Plus, these book sales can be swimming with lots of people all vying for the hot titles. This time I came prepared – I only bought books that I was looking to own. In other words, I didn’t pick up any books simply because they looked interesting. I bought books that were on my wish list. My main goal was to find books that completed series. I also brought my own reusable tote to the book sale. It allowed me to pick up more books because it was bigger than the grocery bags the library offered!

Here are the first four books I got at the sale. I was so excited to find these, because they helped to complete two series on my bookshelf! These books are all sequels that I’ve been wanting to read. Specials and Extras by Scott Westerfeld are the last two books in the Uglies series, and I already own the first two. Frostbite by Richelle Mead is the second book in the Vampire Academy series (I own the first one). Finally, Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells is the second book in the Ya-Yas trilogy. I own the first and third books already, but was missing this one. I seriously couldn’t believe my luck with these finds! I love to read all of the books in a series back-to-back, so now I can do that with the Uglies and Ya-Yas series!

I also picked up a couple Stephen King books. I’ve been wanting to read his books in publishing order for a while, so when I found this vintage copy of Carrie I decided to pick it up despite it’s disheveled state. I am super excited about this bind-up of The Bachman Books as well! It contains four novels that King wrote under a pseudonym at the beginning of his career, and is very difficult to find because one of the novels is not in print anymore. I’m ready for spooky Halloween reads for sure!

Last but not least, I found a copy of Deception Point by Dan Brown. I’ve read three of his Robert Langdon books, so I figured I would read more by him. I also own a copy of Angels & Demons in this same edition, which is from the UK! I couldn’t pass this up, especially for such a low price.

Those are all of the books I picked up at the library book sale for just $1.00 total! Besides the copy of Carrie, all of the books I got are in great quality and would sell for a few dollars each at used bookstores or online. Definitely make sure to check out your local library to see what books they have on sale. You never know what you’re going to find!

Do you shop at library book sales? Share your tips in the comments!

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