Adventures in Polishland

Author: Adventures in Polishland

Zoya Tickled Collection for Summer 2014

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

Happy Monday! Today I have the first Zoya Nail Polish review for the Summer 2014 season! The Tickled Collection is complete with six creme polishes in bright colors that will have your fingers ready for the summer sun. Let me share these vibrant shades with you!

First up is Ling, a true blue polish. Ling has an amazing one coat formula that glided on perfectly. I love how pigmented this polish is! I just love blue nail polishes, and it’s always great to have a one-coater in your collection. Ling is so awesome!

Next up is Tilda, a light green that reminds me of guacamolé (yum!). Tilda also has a one coat formula. I had no application issues whatsoever. Tilda isn’t my cup of tea color-wise, but it’s certainly a great polish. I think it would look beautiful on darker skin tones!

Zoya Rocha is up next, and is a red polish with orange undertones. You guessed it – Rocha has a one coat formula as well! Plus, this is the perfect summer polish. I like that Rocha is not a true red, as the orange undertones make it truly unique.

Rooney is the first of three pinks in this collection, and is a medium pink with blue undertones. Rooney did require two coats to achieve opacity, but has a great formula. This is a great every day polish, and is office appropriate while still being fun for summer.

Kitridge is a super bright bubblegum pink. It has a very thin formula, and I applied three coats to achieve opacity. Kitridge is prone to streaking, but as you can see my third coat rid my manicure of any imperfections. If you’re looking for a girly manicure this summer, definitely reach for Kitridge!

Last but not least is my favorite in the colleciton, Wendy. Wendy is a coral pink shade. It has a good formula, but is a bit streaky with the first coat. My manicure evened out in two coats, and I just love the result! Wendy is bright and fun, and my friend even complimented me on my nails while I was wearing it. I just love it!

All in all, Zoya’s Tickled Collection is a great one! If you love creme polishes like I do, this collection is a must. I am amazed with the three one-coat formulas, and highly recommend you pick them up. You can purchase the Tickled Collection for $9 per polish on Zoya’s website HERE. Let me know what your favorite polish from this collection is 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.

Feel Beautiful this Allergy Season with Duane Reade and Poncho!

Posted on May 10, 2014May 13, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias

Happy Saturday! As I write this, we are enjoying a sunny day here in NYC! The only bad news? Spring weather brings those nasty allergies. A runny nose, scratchy throat, and watery eyes is enough to make you feel miserable and look a bit disheveled. I decided to take the bull by the horns this allergy season and make sure I look and feel good even with the high pollen counts. Let me tell you the tools I use to feel beautiful during allergy season!

Poncho Weather App

The first tool I’ve been using this allergy season is a new weather app called Poncho. This is a free app (sign up HERE), and it’s specifically for the New York City area. What I really love about this app is that you can customize the settings to fit your lifestyle, such as when you get weather updates, how you want to get updates, and (of course) whether or not you have allergies! If you mention you have allergies, Poncho will let you know the pollen count every day, and for each day that the pollen count is high, it sends you a $3 off coupon to go grab some allergy medicine! How awesome is that?! Here’s what today’s Poncho forecast looks like –

I find the pollen counts really helpful, since I only take my allergy medicine on the medium or high days. Speaking of allergy medicine, that’s my next tool!

Allegra Allergy at Duane Reade

As soon as allergy season hit, I ran to Duane Reade with my Allegra coupon from Poncho in hand. I needed some relief ASAP! The pharmacy at my local Duane Reade is on the lower level, so I headed down the escalator, and spotted the purple Allegra packaging right away. I picked up a 30-tablet pack of the non-drowsy, 24-hour formula for indoor and outdoor allergies. I began taking Allegra the very next day, and I feel so much better!

I am so thankful for both Poncho and Duane Reade – my allergy season saviors! I’ve felt much better than usual this allergy season, because Poncho really helps me stay prepared for the day to come. I highly recommend getting this app, and if you’d like to read more information about it, check out this Mashable article. If you suffer from allergies, let me know how you stay feeling beautiful during allergy season in the comments! I’d love to know your tricks!

Follow Duane Reade on social media: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Anti-Aging 101 with Duane Reade and RoC Brand Eye Care!

Posted on May 9, 2014August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias

Happy Friday! Earlier this month I told you all about some fun events that were happening with Duane Reade and RoC Brand Eye Care. I headed to the #Eyes4NYC event last week, where I learned a ton of great information about anti-aging. I can’t wait to share all of the tips and tricks with you!

At the #Eyes4NYC event, we had the opportunity to hear from dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman and Anna Prilutsky from Johnson & Johnson. They answered all of our anti-aging questions, and I couldn’t believe all the great information I learned in just an hour!

Dr. Debra Jaliman and Anna Prilutsky answer our questions!

The focus of the event was retinol – how to use it, how to buy it, etc. I always thought that I was too young to use retinol, since I’m only 24, but it turns out you’re never too young (or too old!) to start using anti-aging products. Dr. Jaliman suggests that retinol newbies begin with an every-other-night application system, and the RoC Correction Sensitive Eye Cream is a great product to use. Also, make sure you don’t skimp out on that sunscreen, even in the rain! Using an SPF of 30 or higher will protect your skin while using retinol products, and prevent any further aging.

We also got to Walk the Aisle with Anna, who shared all about purchasing anti-aging products. It’s very important to read the packaging, and a product’s ingredients. For example, just because a product has “Retinol” in the name does not mean it is a listed ingredient – be sure to check the ingredients list! Similarly, if a brand writes that a product is “clinically proven” that means it spent the money to do a clinical trial. Of course, your best bet is always to buy products from RoC! They contain the proper ingredients, and are even packaged perfectly. Because retinol is light and oxygen sensitive, the best packaging is a tube (not a jar).

All in all, I had an amazing time at the #Eyes4NYC event! I’ve started using RoC anti-aging products now, and I’m loving them so far. I’ll start seeing results in four weeks, so let me know if you’d like an update on my experience at some point. Until then, make sure you stop by your local Duane Reade and pick up some RoC Brand anti-aging products. You’ll find them in the skincare aisle – in the photo above, it’s the gold packaging! Be sure to let me know what you use for anti-aging, and if you’ll be switching to RoC after learning more. I sure did!

P.S. I learned so much from this event, that it just won’t fit into this one blog post! Be sure to check out my Facebook for more photos and my Twitter for even more tips and tricks!

Drugstore Hauls Just Got Better with the Duane Reade Mobile App!

Posted on May 7, 2014May 12, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser. #CollectiveBias

Happy Wednesday! As you know, Adventures in Polishland is about all things fabulous and affordable, and that includes drugstore makeup! When I heard Duane Reade was relaunching its mobile app to Version 2.0 which includes new features to help me shop easier and save more in the store, I couldn’t wait to test it out. Let me tell you a bit more about the app, and show you my mini drugstore haul!

ALL ABOUT THE APP

The Duane Reade mobile app is free to download from the iTunes app store. Here is what it looks like upon opening.

The loading screen (left) displays the Duane Reade logo as the app launches. I quickly took a screenshot of what it looks like just so you could see! On the right is the app home screen. There are so many awesome features with this app. Here is a brief overview of what each icon on the screen does –

Pharmacy: refill your prescriptions, transfer your prescriptions, see your prescription history, set up a pill reminder, and schedule a vaccination.
Photo: print photos from your iPhoto or social media accounts and create prints, posters, or cards.
Store Locator: find the store closest to your current location or search for one near a specific address.
Weekly Ad & Coupons: see the items on sale this week, and clip virtual coupons for use in the store.
Refill by Scan: a quick way to refill your prescriptions – just scan the barcode!
Scanner: scan any product in the store to get more information about it.
Pill Reminder: set up daily reminders for all your medicines.
Rewards: easy access to your Balance Rewards card.
Shopping List: your Duane Reade “to buy” list is right on the app for easy shopping in store.
Shop: you can also shop directly from the app if you don’t want to leave the comfort of your own home!
DR Walk-In: information about the walk-in clinics nearby and their contact information.
Steps: keep track of your fitness and weight loss goals right from your phone.
Settings: where you can log-in and get help with the app if needed.

My favorite feature on the app is the coupon clipper! I immediately scrolled through the beauty tab and clipped some awesome Revlon coupons. The best thing about the app is that you don’t need to have a physical coupon. The app is green and convenient!

MY SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Of course, I had to test out this awesome app and use the Revlon coupons I clipped. I headed to the store at 22W 48th Street to use the special iBeacon technology that is only available at 10 Midtown Manhattan Duane Reade locations. iBeacon is so cool! When you get to Duane Reade, it recognizes your location, and helps you shop in the specific store you’re in. Here’s a look at what the app looked like when iBeacon was activated.

Not only was a floor map and product locator available for me to use, but the coupons showed up right away! The barcode you see at the top is what the cashier scans at checkout, and all applicable coupons are used at once. Shopping is so much easier when I don’t have to organize all my coupons by hand!

It was fun to shop from the Revlon section! I almost never get tangible coupons for Revlon products, but I had $1 off a lip product and $2 off any face product (foundation, concealer, etc.) to use. I grabbed the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey that everyone talks about, as well as the ColorStay Under Eye Concealer in Light. I’m so excited to test out these products! Let me know if you’d like a review on either one.

All in all, I am loving the relaunched Duane Reade mobile app! It makes shopping in this busy city much easier, and saves me money, too. Plus, it is environmentally friendly – no need for a plastic rewards card or paper coupons! I’ll be sure to use this app whenever I’m in the mood for a drugstore haul.

Have you downloaded the Duane Reade mobile app yet? Let me know by using the #DRMobileApp hashtag on social media and share your hauls with me! Also make sure to Follow Duane Reade’s social media accounts: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Barielle in Falling Star

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

Happy Monday! I always love trying out new-to-me nail polish brands, and thanks to Conttonelle I got to try Barielle for the first time. I received Falling Star in my gift bag from the Spring Clean & Fresh Event (details HERE) and couldn’t wait to try it out. Let me show you this gorgeous polish!

Falling Star is a marine blue creme polish with rose gold glitter. The formula is amazing, and glides on so easily. Falling Star is opaque in two coats, and I was really impressed with how well the glitters apply. When I first saw Falling Star in the bottle, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but now I think it is just beautiful! It’s like nothing else in my collection. I would have never thought to mix these two colors together in one polish, but I’m glad Barielle did, because it’s wonderful!

All in all, I’m loving my first Barielle polish! I will definitely need to make it a priority to try more. In the meantime, you can check out my friend Briana’s blog HERE. She is a Barielle guru, and does many reviews and nail art looks with this brand. You can also purchase Falling Star on Amazon HERE for $7.99. Let me know your favorite Barielle polishes in the comments!

The product in this post was provided to me as a gift from Cottonelle. This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

April 2014 Favorites!

Posted on May 2, 2014April 27, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I can’t believe we just started May! April flew by so quickly, and it was a crazy month for me. Not only did I attend some awesome blogger events, but I started a new job and my first nephew was born! Needless to say, I loved April, but I’m very happy it’s May so I can finish all of my finals and enjoy some downtime. Let me share with you my April favorites!

MANICURE

Yi Kou Nail Wraps [REVIEW] [BUY]

My favorite manicure in April was definitely my nail wraps from Born Pretty Store! They were so bright and fun, and really easy to apply. I highly recommend them, and I’m considering purchasing some more.

LIP GLOSS

Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Gloss in Nude Illusion

I grabbed this lip gloss as part of a coupon deal, and never expected to love it as much as I do! It is extremely moisturizing, has a great color payoff, and smells delicious. Plus, I love the unique brush applicator. I want more shades of this gloss for sure!

SOAP

Puddle Duck Soapworks Goat Milk Soap in Pumpkin Latte [BUY]

You all know I love my soaps! My mom got me this one for Christmas, and it smelled absolutely divine. It was also exfoliating, but not overly abrasive. I’m so sad it’s all gone! I saved the wrapper so I would remember the exact brand and scent. Pumpkin Latte is a seasonal scent, but I surely hope it’s around next fall!

MAKEUP COLLECTION

InterDesign Acrylic Drawers [BUY]

In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, I went through my entire makeup collection and reorganized it. I ended up purchasing two more sets of acrylic drawers from Amazon, and I’m loving my new set-up. If you’d like an entire blog post dedicated to my makeup collection and how I organize it, please let me know in the comments!

HAIR

Yes, I got a haircut for the first time in nearly a year! I love it! This was my first NYC haircut, and I got it done by Kate at Tackamichi Salon. I went on Sustainable Beauty Day, and got this amazing haircut for a donation to charity. It was a fabulous opportunity, and I’m loving my new ‘do! Major thanks to Kate (definitely ask for her if you go to Takamichi)!

That’s it for my April 2014 favorites! Thank you for being patient with my irregular blog schedule as I head into my final exams. Soon I’ll be on summer break, and working a regular schedule again. As always, share your monthly favorites with me in the comments or on social media with the hashtag #PolishlandFaves.

NYC New York Color Expert Last Lipstick in Forever Fuchsia

Posted on April 29, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I have a quick review of the NYC Expert Last Lipstick from my Influenster Uni VoxBox (see my unboxing HERE). I’ve never tried a lip product from NYC before, but I love the brand’s nail polish and blush. Let me go ahead and show you Forever Fuchsia!

NYC Expert Last Lipstick in Forever Fuchsia

As you can see, Forever Fuchsia is a bright pink lipstick. Here is the blurb in NYC’s advertisement describing the product:

Ready to take your lips to the next level? Try our NEW Expert Last Lip Color in twenty tantalizing shades. Get intense amplified color and shine that lasts up to 6 hours! Our moisturizing formula glides of easily for a silky, smooth, velvety finish for all day wear.

I swatched Forever Fuchsia both on my arm and on my lips so you can see the color. I do love how opaque this lipstick is, and the fruit punch scent. However, it clung to the dry patches on my lips, and did not leave a smooth, velvety finish. Forever Fuchsia did feel moisturizing, but I definitely recommend using a lip scrub before applying it as any imperfections will show up quite visibly. As for the color, the bright pink is a bit much for me personally, but if you love bold lips this is the shade for you!

All in all, I would give this lipstick a 3 out of 5 stars. It’s affordable at just $1.99 at drugstores, but does not have the advertised finish. I would definitely consider testing out other shades from this line to see how they compare. Let me know your thoughts on the NYC Expert Last line in the comments!

This product was provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Gold 3D Nail Art + Born Pretty Store Giveaway!

Posted on April 27, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have another post reviewing nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store, and a giveaway for all of you! Born Pretty Store keeps track of every time one of you uses my coupon code, and decided it was time to thank all of you for being customers. First, I’ll show you a look I created with some gold, 3D rhinestones. Then I’ll post information about the giveaway at the end!

I’ve tried out some fancy nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store in the past, but these 3D gold rhinestones certainly take the cake! I really liked the swirly design, since it reminded me of a G-clef. Unfortunately, my nails were a bit too short to fit the rhinestone! I made it work, though, and painted my nails with Julep Morgan. While Morgan was still tacky, I carefully pressed the rhinestone onto my nail. As the polish dried, the rhinestone was locked into place, but for a bit more security you can always add a touch of eyelash glue.

I also put a rhinestone on my thumb in a diagonal. I think it looks awesome, so I took a rare thumb photo! If your nails are long, I think these rhinestones would work wonderfully for you. They were just a bit too long for me, but I still liked the fancy manicure I got. What do you think of it? You can purchase a pack of 5 rhinestones for just $2.63 HERE. For the additional 10% off, use my coupon code FZL91!

GIVEAWAY

Born Pretty Store provided me with two products to give away to a luck one of you! One person will win a pack of Ferrari nail wraps and a pack of Hello Kitty nail stickers! Because these products don’t contain any liquids or hazardous chemicals, the giveaway will be international! Please read all of the rules set forth in the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. The giveaway prizes are courtesy of Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Cottonelle Spring Clean & Fresh Event at Tenoverten Salon!

Posted on April 24, 2014April 25, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I am excited to tell you all about a fun event I attended today with Cottonelle. Because I am active with Crowdtap, a website that connects influencers and brands, I was invited to attend Cottonelle’s Spring Clean & Fresh Event at the Tenoverten Salon in Soho. We were treated to manicures, and other beauty services, as well as lots of goodies! Let me tell you more about Tenoverten, and the great products we got to try.

Tenoverten has so many polishes, including Chanel, Nars, Essie, and its own brand, tenoverten! You can see more pictures of the salon and the event on my Facebook page HERE.

Cottonelle even let my friend Gina tag along! It was great having her get a manicure with me!

I decided to go with the Essie shade The Girls Are Out for my manicure. Even though I wanted to try out a high end polish, I just loved this blue-tinted pink shade. I think it looks beautiful! I definitely recommend Tenoverten if you’re looking to get a professional manicure in NYC. There are three locations, and prices range from $10 for a polish change to $40 for a luxe manicure. Plus, the salon is really cute inside, and the employees were so friendly. You can visit the salon’s website HERE for more information.

We were also treated to some mouth-watering cupcakes from Navy, a restaurant here in NYC. They were absolutely delicious, so I couldn’t help but mention them!

Last but not least, Cottonelle was kind enough to give us some gift bags on the way out! Who can’t use some new toilet paper and flushable cleansing cloths?! Really though, this bag had some awesome practical items, as well as a Barielle nail polish, an eos lip balm, and a cute picture frame. I really appreciate the generosity, and can’t wait to use these items.

Thank you so much to Cottonelle for inviting me to the event! Definitely make sure to check out Tenoverten in NYC, and use the fun hashtag #LetsTalkBums on social media if you’d like to share how much you love Cottonelle. I’ll be reviewing my new Barielle polish soon, so keep an eye out for that!

The products and services in this post were provided by the companies mentioned herein. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Yi Kou Nail Wraps from Born Pretty Store

Posted on April 22, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! First, I want to take a moment and let you know that I will only be posting 1-2 times per week for the next few weeks. It is finals season at school, and the majority of my time will be spent studying. But don’t worry – I’ll be back to my normal schedule soon enough!

Now onto today’s nail polish post! I tested out some nail wraps from the brand Yi Kou for the first time. These wraps are available at Born Pretty Store, one of my favorite online retailers for nail art supplies. If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while now, you’ll know that I love testing out funky products from Born Pretty Store! I was so excited to try out these nail wraps in particular, because the design is perfect for spring.

Each pack of Yi Kou nail wraps comes with two sheets of seven wraps. These wraps are super easy to apply – all you do is find the size that fits your nail, peel off the protective paper, and gently smooth the wrap over your nail starting at the cuticle. If you have any excess, use a nail file in a downward motion to trim off the extra. There truly is no drying time, and you have a complete nail art look in minutes!

I am loving the final result with these wraps! The colors are bright and fun, and I really like the abstract pattern. I did seal the manicure with my Essie Good to Go top coat, just to make sure the edges were sealed down, and to give my manicure a “real polish” look. I wore these nail wraps for three days before removing them, and only experienced light tip wear. Removal was also surprisingly easy! I carefully peeled off the wraps, and they came off just fine without leaving any sticky residue. I’m not sure how that happened, but I’ll take it!

All in all, I am very impressed with the Yi Kou nail wraps! They measure up to the high end nail wraps that I’ve tried, but each set costs only $2.38! The design I’m showing you in this post is #K1026, but there are other designs to choose from as well. You can purchase these nail wraps HERE, and don’t forget to use discount code FZL91 to get an additional 10% off. As always, there is free worldwide shipping at Born Pretty Store. Have you tried any of the Yi Kou nail wraps from Born Pretty Store? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

The product in this post was provided for my unbiased review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.