Adventures in Polishland

Author: Adventures in Polishland

Pinspiration | Snowman Nail Art

Posted on December 18, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a nail art look to show you based on a photo I saw on Pinterest. I saw THIS adorable manicure and just had to recreate it to the best of my abilities. If you’ve been reading Adventures in Polishland for a while, you’ll know that I struggle big time with nail art. I simplified this snowman a little for my skill level. Let me show you the result!

I began with a base of Zoya Neve (full review HERE). Neve is a stunning deep blue/purple polish with blue and purple shimmer mixed throughout the base. I wanted a darker background color for my snowman, because I love looking at snow at night. There is just something beautiful about it! Plus, I thought Neve’s shimmer would be great as a base as well.

Once Neve was completely dry, I got going with my nail art! My first step was grabbing the dotting tools I got from Amazon (buy them HERE). I made some big dots and some smaller dots with white nail polish for the snowflakes. Then I used the regular nail polish brush, and painted the tips of my nails white for the snow banks. This was beyond easy to do, and it looks awesome! My little snowman was a bit more difficult. I did some freehand circles for his body and let that dry. Then, I used a black striper polish for his top hat and some dotting tools helped me create his eyes and buttons. I ran out of room for Mr. Snowman’s carrot nose, but I grabbed an orange polish and put it on there anyway. Finally, I used a red polish to make the snowman a scarf. Once everything was completely dry, I finished up with a top coat.

All in all, even though my little snowman isn’t perfect, I’m still really happy with my final manicure. The snowflake nails came out really well! I think with more practice I will get the hang of the snowman. He sure is cute, though! Please let me know in the comments if you like this wintery manicure and if you’ll be trying it out this year. If there are any nail art looks you want me to test out for you, let me know that as well. I hope you’re having a great holiday season!

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

My 2014 Holiday Manicures! | 3 Nail Polish Looks

Posted on December 16, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I wanted to show you the three manicures I’ve worn so far this holiday season. I’ve already reviewed some of these polishes, so I will leave links to those blog posts alongside each manicure. I hope these nail polish looks bring you some inspiration as we head into the New Year! That reminds me – stay tuned for an exciting announcement very soon about my Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest! For now, let me show you my 2014 holiday manicures.

NYC New York Color – Queen of the City [REVIEW]

I started off the holidays with a red that isn’t so “in your face” Christmas. I really love Queen of the City because of its unique shade and shimmery formula. It looks amazing with my fair skin tone, and goes with a ton of different outfits as well. If you’re looking for an edgier manicure this holiday, grab a deep shade like this one.

Zoya – Giovanna [REVIEW]

Next I went for more of a true Christmas color with an emerald green polish. Giovanna is just perfect for this time of year! It’s festive but still really classy. You can also use Giovanna for nail art as well. I do recommend a nice layer of base coat with this polish, though, as it tends to stain a bit.

Glitzology – Island of Misfit Toys

Chrome Girl – Birthday Suit [REVIEW]

Finally, I am currently wearing a combination of Island of Misfit Toys and Birthday Suit. I got this Glitzology polish two years ago, but never used it! Unfortunately, this indie polish brand is now out of business, but to create a similar look use a glitter polish that contains fine silver glitters and larger multi-colored glitters. Feel free to use multiple glitter polishes if necessary! I decided to go with a pastel pink base so that all of the glitters would really stand out. It’s not quite your typical Christmas manicure, but I’m thrilled with the result!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my holiday manicures so far in 2014! Please let me know if you liked this post in the comments. I’d be happy to show off any more nail polish looks I put together through the holiday season. Of course, I want to see your holiday manicures as well. Please share a photo on my Facebook Page HERE or feel free to use the hashtag #PolishlandPresents so I can find your posts on any social media site. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!

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.

#PolishlandPresents | Tea Drops + Coupon Code + Giveaway!

Posted on December 12, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s time for another installment of #PolishlandPresents. Last week, I featured a small business that sells special mugs (click HERE if you missed it). Of course, you need something to put in your mug, so today I’m sharing a cool new tea company that I discovered. Let me go ahead and tell you about Tea Drops, and stay tuned for a special coupon code and giveaway at the end of this post!

ABOUT TEA DROPS

I thought I would share the Tea Drops Story video for all of you, because it does a great job of explaining the company and sharing the unique experience each Tea Drops customer enjoys. The company sent me a Variety Box so I could sample the teas and share my opinion on them with you. I’m so glad they did!

MY TEA DROPS EXPERIENCE

Each box of Tea Drops comes packaged in super cute paper wrapping. You know it is done by hand with the awesome seal. This makes Tea Drops not only fun to receive, but it’s already wrapped and perfect for gifting during the holidays!

Here’s the adorable box after I unwrapped it. I love the rustic packaging, and how the instructions are clearly printed on the side. Time to see the goodies inside!

The box contains little cubbies for each of the tea flavors. The Variety Box comes with eight teas in four flavors. Each tea is individually packaged. Wait until you see how the tea looks!

Here are the four teas inside the Variety Box. How cute are the shapes?! From left to right, the flavors are: Cardamom Spice (star), Citrus Ginger (bundt), Rose Earl Grey (flower), and Sweet Peppermint (heart). I am just obsessed with all of the little details that Tea Drops thinks about in presenting their products!

Time for my first @myteadrop experience! Trying Cardamom Spice first! Stay tuned for a full review & giveaway as part of #PolishlandPresents! #myteadrop

A video posted by Christina (@adventuresinpolishland) on Dec 12, 2014 at 6:16pm PST

Here is how to enjoy Tea Drops! You simply put a drop into the bottom of your mug, pour in hot water, and stir. I like to let my tea sit for about 30 seconds to one minute so all of the loose sediment can settle on the bottom of the mug. I have to say, I love this new way of drinking tea. Plus, it tastes AMAZING! Each flavor is very rich. I love drinking it black, but you can of course customize it to your taste. My favorite in the box is definitely the Cardamom Spice. I am going to be purchasing a full box of that flavor for sure!

COUPON CODE AND GIVEAWAY

Tea Drops is kindly giving all of my followers the opportunity to try out Tea Drops at a discounted price. Use the code POLISHLAND14 for 10% off your order at checkout. Each box of 8 drops is $12.00, so this is an affordable yet thoughtful gift for everyone on your list! You can visit the Tea Drops online shop HERE.

Tea Drops is also sponsoring a giveaway! One of you will win the Variety Box that I reviewed in this post. This giveaway will run for one week, ending next Friday, December 19th. It is open INTERNATIONALLY! Please read all of the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter before entering. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for reading today’s #PolishlandPresents post! I hope you are finding my gift guide series helpful! I’m excited to bring you great products and offers each week. We’re almost at the end! Can you believe it?! See you with a new installment on Monday.

The products in this post were received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Makeup by One Direction Limited Edition Beauty Collection Review

Posted on December 10, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of another amazing beauty collection from the brand Makeup by One Direction. The company released a set of five tins – one for each member of One Direction – that contain some fun beauty products. They make perfect holiday gifts, and are also super affordable at just $12.95 each. Let me show you the tins and the goodies inside of them!

I was sent three of the five tins to review for you– Niall, Harry, and Liam grace the covers! Inside all of the products are the same, so make sure you stay tuned to Adventures in Polishland for giveaways in the future (hint hint!). I decided to open up the Harry palette. He was too STYLE–ing in that hat for me to resist.

Here is a quick overview of everything inside the tin. As you can see, you get six eyeshadows, four lip glosses, two nail polishes, a lip glitter, an eyeliner, and two applicators. I really appreciate that the lip glosses are packaged away from the eyeshadows so any fallout doesn’t get mixed into the glosses. Also, It’s great that the packaging contains the names of each product so I know what the colors are.

NAIL POLISH

The first nail polish is Stole my Heart, a bright pink polish with pink shimmer. Stole my Heart has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It is such a fun shade, and I love the shimmer formula.

The other polish is Alive, a glitter top coat filled with a mix of multicolored glitters in a variety of shapes. Alive has a good formula, and I applied two coats over Stole my Heart in the photos you see here. I do wish more glitters applied with each coat, but the end look is awesome. I could see this as a New Year’s Eve manicure for sure.

EYESHADOW

Here are swatches of all the eyeshadows in this palette without primer. From left to right, the shades are: Everything About You, Summer Love, I Would, Same Mistakes, Tell Me a Lie, and Nobody Compares. I’m really impressed with the smooth formulas and great pigmentation in these shadows. Each is very shimmery and great for the holidays, but I will say I wish there was at least one matte shade in the palette. I would have to reach for another palette to get a full eyeshadow look. Nonetheless, this collection has some really nice shadows!

EYELINER

The eyeliner in this kit is I Want, a matte black pencil. I am really impressed with this product as well. It applies so easily and has a true matte effect. You can also smudge out this liner for a smokey look.

LIP GLOSS

This palette also includes four lip glosses and a lip gloss top coat. From left to right, the shades are: Over Again (lip gloss top coat), Heart Attack, Irresistible, One Thing, and Loved You First. Each lip gloss gives a subtle wash of color to the lips and has a sheen to it. If you want added glitter, Over Again is perfect. I do recommend using your own lip brush to apply these, as the one included in the kit does not work well at all. Of course, layer over lipstick for a more opaque look.

All in all, I think these Makeup by One Direction tins are great items for any One Direction fan. The nail polish is a huge favorite of mine, and I think the eyeshadows are a nice addition to any makeup lover’s collection. These tins can be purchased at Sears USA, KMart, Target, and Walmart Canada. At just $12.95, I think they are a steal. Let me know which tin you’d pick based on your favorite One Direction member 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.

#PolishlandPresents | My Best Buy Gift List for the #HintingSeason

Posted on December 8, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Disclaimer: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Happy Monday! I’ve shared with you some of my favorite beauty and skincare gift ideas thus far during #PolishlandPresents, but I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that electronics are always at the top of many wish lists this time of year. Today I’m excited to tell you about some awesome items that are found at Best Buy. I’ve always enjoyed shopping at Best Buy for electronics because of the store’s great customer service and affordable prices (I don’t hunt for bargains just in the beauty department, you know!). Let me tell you about some of the top items on my holiday gift list and why you should check them out, too!

Xbox One

Starting at $349.99 [BUY]

Whether you’re a diehard gamer or simply looking for the next all-in-one device, the Xbox One is the perfect gift for the entire family. You’ll want this console because it has exclusive titles such as Call of Duty, NBA 2K15, Just Dance 15, and more. That means you can only play these sought after games if you have the Xbox One! Plus, the Xbox One goes beyond just gaming to enable you to watch TV shows and movies through your favorite apps. How fun does this console sound?! You can even choose a specific bundle from Best Buy to get added savings.

JBL Speakers and Headphones

Starting at $59.99 [BUY]

If you’re shopping for a music lover like me, JBL has some awesome goodies to gift! First, the JBL Charge 2 is a portable bluetooth speaker with twin passive radiators for a deep bass. This speaker also has an outstanding battery life and allows up to three different users to play their own playlists on a single speaker, making this perfect for households with a variety of music tastes. Next, the JBL Flip 2 speaker includes the unique SoundClear for echo and noise cancellation. It also has a microphone system so you can pick up calls on the speaker. That makes it great for those who work at home! Finally, the JBL Reflect Earbud Headphones are really cool. They have a sweat proof ergonomic design with built-in magnets to keep your buds on standby without loose cables. Enjoy your music for 5 hours with the rechargeable battery! It’s time to turn in those crappy headphones that came with your smartphone, friends!

Garmin and TomTom

Starting at $79.99 [BUY]

Of course, some of the best holiday gifts when it comes to electronics is a brand new GPS. Speaking as someone who easily gets lost, I think a GPS is a caring and practical present! Best Buy has some great new models from which to choose this season. All feature bluetooth connectivity that allows for hands-free calling, traffic and weather updates, and more. Definitely make sure to check out the Garmin 52LM and Garmin 2597LMT, and also the TomTom Go 50s (pictured above). If you’re wondering about which model is best, use the Compare feature on Best Buy’s website to see a complete listing of each model’s features. It’s really helpful and easy to use!

Those are all of the new electronics I have to share with you from Best Buy, but the best part is you can find all sorts of other gift ideas at this one store. If you’re struggling to find a present for someone on your list, head into Best Buy and you’re sure to find innovative products at great prices. Definitely let me know what you’ve been wishing for this #HintingSeason in the comments, and stay tuned for more #PolishlandPresents posts as we near Christmas!

Simple Saturday | Starry Stamping with Born Pretty Store Plates

Posted on December 6, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! It’s been a while since I posted under the Simple Saturday category! Today I have a quick manicure using a stamping plate from Born Pretty Store. As I mentioned in THIS blog post, I am still experimenting with stamping. I decided to practice using THIS stamping plate. It includes some gorgeous stars, so I went with a nighttime themed look.

I began with a navy creme base of LVX Azzurrum (full review HERE) and let that dry completely. Then I grabbed a gold metallic polish for the stars because I’ve heard metallic formulas are good for stamping. I used NYC New York Color in Crown Gold (full review HERE), but any gold will do. The stars did get a bit smudged in the stamping process, but I’m definitely getting the hang of it. I like how it turned out!

That’s it for today’s Simple Saturday post! Be sure to let me know in the comments what you think of my Starry Stamping. As always, use code FZL91 on Born Pretty Store’s website HERE to save 10% on all of your nail art necessities. If you have any stamping tips, be sure to tell me what they are in the comments. I learn a lot from you when it comes to nail art!

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

#PolishlandPresents | Creature Cups + Giveaway

Posted on December 5, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have another installment in my #PolishlandPresents series where I highlight a small business that I’ll think you’ll love. A few months ago, I found THIS on Pinterest and immediately added it to my Etsy Wish List Board. Imagine my surprise when it arrived in the mail for my birthday! My brother saw my pin and figured I would like to have the skull mug for myself. Well, it’s been over a month now and I do love that mug. I knew I had to share this unique shop with all of you, since these mugs make excellent gifts.

ABOUT CREATURE CUPS

Creature Cups is a Brooklyn based company created by Yumi, an artist and coffee drinker. She designed these mugs after dreaming up the creatures and finally discovering that they wanted to live in the bottom of coffee cups. I love that this brand is local to NYC, and the care that goes into making each mug by hand. Plus, each creature is quirky in its own way. I love my skull, but if you prefer something a bit cuter there are options for you. I also think it’s great that these mugs are microwaveable and dishwasher safe.

GIVEAWAY

I am so excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with Creature Cups to bring you a giveaway. Creature Cups will be giving away two large mugs – one Skull and one Elephant. There will be one winner, so either give the mugs away as presents or feel free to keep one for yourself! This giveaway is open to United States residents only, and will be open for one week until December 12th. I want to make sure you have time to get the mugs before Christmas! Please make sure to read all of the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter before entering. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for reading another #PolishlandPresents post! Stay tuned for more gift guides and giveaways as the series continues! Of course, make sure to check out the Creature Cups shop HERE to grab these awesome mugs!

Please Vote for Me in the Firmoo Co-Blogger Awards!

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a very quick post asking you to vote for me in the Firmoo Co-Blogger Awards! If you remember, I reviewed two pairs of Firmoo sunglasses this past year. I really love this company, and would be honored to be a winner in this contest. The top winner gets four pairs of glasses plus $100. It would be a huge help to me to win this contest!

So, how do you vote? It is SO EASY! All you do is go to the direct link to my entry HERE and click the “vote” button. That’s it! You don’t have to sign up for anything, or register, or even enter your email! Just hit “vote”! You can vote for me once every day from now until December 14th when the contest ends. I know with your amazing support I could win this!

Thank you for your endless support! You can also check out my Firmoo reviews HERE and HERE. Please also “share” this on your social media profiles to spread the word!

Limited Edition Makeup by One Direction Kits | Rock Me Nail Kit, Liquilights Glow Gloss, & Electroglam Mascara

Posted on December 3, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! I’m super excited to share with you three limited edition kits from the brand Makeup by One Direction that are the perfect gift items for the holiday season. I’m going to jump right into the product reviews now because I have a lot to show you!

ROCK ME NAIL KIT

The Rock Me Nail Kit contains three nail polishes and three pots of loose glitter. I was super excited about this set in particular because I absolutely loved the Makeup by One Direction polish I tried this summer (see it HERE). Plus, these polishes and glitters can be mixed and matched to your tastes.

First up is Happily, an iced blue polish with a jelly formula. I used three coats of Happily to achieve opacity, and I’m loving the color! I’m a sucker for blue shades like this one. It is just so gorgeous!

The first glitter I have to show you is Kicks, what Makeup by One Direction calls “snow cone blue.” I dipped in two accent fingers on top of Happily and followed up with a top coat. I am obsessed with this combination! How gorgeous is the holographic glitter?! Be careful, though – you’ll want to lay down newspaper when applying these glitters. It gets VERY messy!

Next up is Moments, a stunning neon pink creme polish. Moments has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. While the color is not unique, this pink is a staple that everyone needs in her nail polish collection. I think it’s a great addition to the Rock Me Nail Kit!

Not Afraid is the next loose glitter in the set, and this one was a bit of a flop for me. While it is a fun neon pink shade, it was a bit on the clumpier side and harder to apply than the others. This is the one product in the nail kit that I’m not truly loving.

The last polish in the kit is Diana, a glitter top coat filled with silver holographic glitters. I applied one coat over Moments and I’m super impressed! The glitter applies really easily, and it is very glossy so no top coat needed. I’m ready for New Year’s Eve with this one!

The last nail product is Star, a holographic glitter with a nude base. I applied Star alone over a base coat and I’m thrilled with the result. It is just so beautiful and worth dealing with the loose glitter! Definitely follow up with a top coat as I did to make sure that glitter stays put!

LIQUILIGHTS GLOW GLOSS

The next set is the Liquilights Glow Gloss. It contains three lip glosses with UV reactive formulas. I don’t own a UV light, so I can only show you what these glosses look like in natural light. The three shades left to right are: Kiss You, Through the Dark, and Taken. Each is quite glittery, but not grainy on the lips. I’ll show you what they look like on my lips as well.

First up is Kiss You, an orange shade that is actually quite wearable. The glitter does stand out on my lips, but the orange color is subtle. I think it’s really pretty!Next is Through the Dark, a poppy shade. Through the Dark is the most pigmented of the bunch, and I really like the pink color. It’s wearable enough for the daytime if you don’t mind some glitter!Last but not least is Taken, a lighter pink lip gloss. Taken is a beautiful wash of pink on the lips. Of course, you can layer it over a lipstick if you’d like a more pigmented base, but I like the sheer quality it has.

ELECTROGLAM MASCARA

The last kit contains three colored mascaras that can double as hair mascaras. However, I wouldn’t recommend using the same mascara on both your eyes and your hair. I decided to test each mascara on the eyes.

First up is Why Don’t We Go There, an electric blue mascara. This is my favorite mascara in the bunch, as the pigmentation is great. Plus, I feel like blue is a wearable color on the eyes.

Next up is Does He Know?, a pink mascara. Does He Know? has a good pigmentation, but does get a bit lost on the eyes with my fair complexion. I’m not sure that I would wear this mascara on a daily basis, but it’s great if you’re dressing up as Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games, right?! So fun!

Last is Story of My Life, a yellow mascara. I’m really not a fan of this one. While the mascara itself has a good formula and application, the yellow makes me look sick. It’s just not a good shade for the eyes, I think! Plus, the color wasn’t very opaque.

WHERE TO BUY

These Makeup by One Direction kits are available now at Macy’s, Dillards, Boscov’s, Stage Stores, Beauty Brands, and Lord & Taylor now. The kits retail for $16.50 each, which is a great price! I highly recommend the Rock Me Nail Kit for everyone, and the Liquilights Glow Gloss Kit for lip product lovers. I’m personally not a huge fan of the Electroglam Mascara for practicality purposes, but it’s definitely fun for One Direction fans! Be sure to let me know which kit you plan to grab in the comments! You can also like the Makeup by One Direction Facebook Page HERE to stay up to date with this makeup brand!

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

Lashem Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift Review + Coupon Code

Posted on December 2, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I have a review of the new Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift from Lashem. I love trying out new brow products, and because I really enjoyed the last brow mascara I tried, I couldn’t wait to see how this one would measure up. Let me go ahead and tell you all about Lashem’s Colour Strokes!

Lashem sent me the Colour Strokes Brow Tint to review along with two samples of the brand’s skincare products. I did give each product a try, but did not do full reviews on them. I found Picture Perfect, an instant wrinkle reducer, to be extremely drying on my skin so I didn’t want to keep applying it for further testing. Similarly, the 3 in 1 Eye Brights was very shimmery and not a product I would use. Thus, I didn’t have good first impressions with these products, but that doesn’t mean you won’t love them!

The Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift has gorgeous packaging. However, I was disappointed with how large the applicator is. It is difficult to work on the brows with such a large brush. I would have preferred a smaller wand, such as those that come with bottom lash mascaras.

Here are my brows before applying the product. As you can see, my natural brows are very uneven, with my left brow (on the right here) being much sparser that my right. I typically fill them in with brow powder, which I find to be very natural.

Here are my brows after using the Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift. I do like how the product looks on my right brow. It does a good job filling in my brow while keeping in it line. My left brow, however, is a mess. It is obvious that I’m wearing a brow gel because of how sparse that brow is. Thus, I would really only recommend this product if your brows are already quite full. Otherwise, it will be obvious you’re painting the skin!

I know mascaras and brow products aren’t usually swatched, but I wanted to do so to talk about this product’s shade, which was a huge problem for me. I have the Colour Strokes in the shade Brunette. The product is only offered in three shades – Blonde, Brunette, and Raven – so I figured Brunette would be my best bet. Unfortunately, it is not my shade at all. It is too light and also contains a lot of gold shimmer. I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want glittery eyebrows! Because the Colour Strokes is not matte, I find it unwearable.

All in all, I’m quite disappointed with the Lashem Colour Strokes Brow Tint & Lift. The formula does not work well with my eyebrows, and the coloring is completely wrong for me. If you have golden brown hair and don’t mind shimmery eyebrows, you might enjoy this product. However, it does retail for $20.00 on Lashem’s website HERE. Use code BROW30BB at checkout to get 30% off your order.

Have you tried Lashem’s products? Please share your thoughts 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.