Category: About Me

Join Me on Instagram for Beauty Hauls, Favorites, and Savings Tips!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have a quick and informational post to share with you. This year I am focusing on making Instagram my primary social media platform. I am still keeping my blog active, and hope to post a few times per month, but I am sharing new photos on Instagram almost every single day! Instagram is a great platform for me to share a lot of information in a summarized way. Not only do I really enjoy sharing my own content on Instagram, but I love that I can keep up with my friends and favorite bloggers all in one place. Of course, the Instagram Story feature also provides a new method for sharing, too. I hope that by focusing my efforts on this one social media platform, I can regularly share my content with all of you!

Here are a few examples of the content you are missing if you are not following me on Instagram:

Monthly Beauty Favorites

? FEBRUARY BEAUTY FAVORITES ? . @thebalm_cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer | I finally tried this cult classic highlighter! I’m absolutely loving the smooth formula, and the shade is great for my fair skin tone. . @thebodyshop Fan Brush | To apply the highlighter, I use this brush. It does a great job at blending out a more intense highlight. I’m so glad I finally added a fan brush to my collection! . LipSense Glossy Gloss | Lip gloss is coming back into the limelight this year as liquid lipsticks fade away (or so it seems!). I’m not a big glossy lips person, but I have been reaching for my Glossy Gloss more lately, and even like wearing it alone on days where I don’t want to put on lipstick. . @dermae Microdermabrasion Scrub | I’ve gone back to an old favorite with my skincare! I see a big difference in my skin’s texture and appearance when I use this scrub on a regular basis. Plus, it has a fresh lemony scent! . @thebodyshop Drops of Youth Youth Concentrate | I finally tried this beloved serum! I’ve only used it for a few weeks so far, but I’m loving how plush my skin appears. I can also feel the firming action! . What products are you loving this month?! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #februaryfavorites #favorites #beautyfavorites #monthlyfavorites #beauty #bbloggers #bblogger #thebalm #thebalmcosmetics #maryloumanizer #thebodyshop #fanbrush #makeupbrush #lipsense #glossygloss #lipsensegloss #dermae #dermaesocial #microdermabrasionscrub #microdermabrasion #skincare #dropsofyouth #serum #antiaging #vegan #veganbeauty #veganskincare #veganmakeup

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Hauls and Savings Tips

? ULTA HAUL ? . I’m so excited to add these new products to my stash! . @urbandecaycosmetics Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Fair Neutral | I’ve wanted to try this concealer for years (!!!), and had to snag it when it was on sale for 50% off! I was lacking a highlighting concealer in my collection, so I will be using this right away. . @pacificabeauty Neutralizing Mattifier | I got this powder because I’ve been looking for a more environmentally friendly setting powder. I love that this compact is made primarily with cardboard, so it is much better than the heavy plastic compacts I’ve been using. . @drbronner Tea Tree Pure-Castile Bar Soap | This soap was also purchased with waste in mind! I’ve heard this is great to wash makeup brushes, and so I will no longer be buying brush shampoo in a plastic bottle. This soap is wrapped in paper that is biodegradable and made from post-consumer recycled paper! . SAVINGS: I used a $3.50 off $15.00 coupon, and shopped with @ebatesshopping to earn 3% cash back. The retail value of my order is $45.69, but I only paid $33.64 (shipping included!). Plus, there is $0.84 back in my pocket with Ebates. . Sign up to Ebates using the referral link in my profile! You get a $10 bonus for signing up! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #ultahaul #ulta #haul #unboxing #ultaunboxing #beautyhaul #urbandecay #nakedconcealer #urbandecayconcealer #pacifica #mattifyingpowder #settingpowder #drbronners #teatree #castilesoap #soap #barsoap #zerowaste #zerowasteliving #lesswaste #betterchoices #vegan #veganbeauty #veganmakeup #couponing #saleing

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Nail Polish and Makeup Swatches

 

Recipes and Lifestyle Content

? Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Balls Recipe ? . INGREDIENTS: . 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats . 1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter . 1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup . 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract . RECIPE: . Mix all ingredients together using a blender or food processor until combined. . Form into small balls and store in an airtight container! . I made about 15 Oat Balls with this recipe. They are so delicious and taste like peanut butter cookies! Two Oat Balls have about 6g protein, too. Talk about a delicious and nutritious snack! . This recipe was inspired by @mom4real and adapted to be vegan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #vegan #veganrecipes #bestofvegan #whatveganseat #nobake #peanutbutter #peanutbutteroatballs #oatballs #nobakeballs #energyballs #proteinballs #plantbased #plantbasedfood #plantbaseddiet #food #instafood #foodstagram #foodie #easyrecipe #easyveganrecipe

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Thank you all, as always, for following my Adventures in Polishland! As mentioned, I will continue to post here on the blog and my other social media profiles, but Instagram is where I post on a more consistent basis. I hope to see you there!

Follow me on Instagram @adventuresinpolishland.

2016 Reflections & 2017 Goals

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I wanted to check in with the New Year’s Resolutions I made for 2016, and also share my goals for 2017. I go through different phases in my life where sometimes I want to make very specific goals, and other times I don’t want to make any goals at all. When 2016 began, I definitely had specific goals in mind. This year, however, I would much rather focus on overall themes than particular resolutions. What I’ve decided to do is check in with the five resolutions I made for 2016, and then share with you what I hope to accomplish in 2017.

If you would like to see my original 2016 New Year’s Resolutions blog post, you can read it HERE. I will be mentioning each resolution as I share my reflections with you.

My first goal for 2016 was to paint my nails more often and try out more nail art. The main reason I made this resolution was because I began this blog to talk about nail polish, and I felt like I needed to use the polish in my collection and share more with all of you. While I did blog a good amount about nail polish in 2016, I did not wear polish much in my daily life. However, I did a fantastic job at decluttering my nail polish collection and getting it down to a somewhat reasonable number for me. I’m at the point right now where if I don’t feel like painting my nails, I’m not going to, and there is nothing wrong with that. I will not attempt  to force myself to paint my nails more, nor try any new nail art.

My next resolution was to nail down a skincare routine. While I definitely did not achieve this goal, I did focus on skincare more than I had in the past. I still struggle when it comes to taking care of my skin, and I know I need to make skincare a daily habit. I see a huge difference in my skin when I use skincare products regularly, and I know taking care of my skin is important. I hope that in 2017 I can make my skin a priority.

Wow! I can’t believe how much my health has changed in one year. In my 2016 Resolutions post, I mentioned how I didn’t aim to go vegan yet, but as it turns out I made the switch in June. I began seeing changes in my health after a few weeks on a vegan diet, and I’m sure that is attributed to eating more products, whole grains, and legumes. I would still like to exercise regularly, as I majorly struggle with being active. I did go on a lot of walks in the fall, but I want to prioritize movement more in 2017. Health is very important to me, both physically and mentally. In 2017 I hope to care for myself mentally by journaling regularly and connecting more with people in person rather than online.

I also wanted to become a more organized person in 2016, and I made great strides with this goal. I got rid of many boxes and bags of my belongings, and I continue to declutter my space on a regular basis. I’m especially proud of the work I’ve done in my bathroom – I no longer hoard products, I only buy what I need, and everything has a place. I even got a lot of products and tools off of my bathroom countertop! My organization was aided by my paper planner, and the dedicated journals I began for my reading and my blog. In 2017 I want to continue to declutter my space. In particular, I want to get rid of the things I own for purely nostalgic reasons.

My final goal for 2016 was to read 40 books. I achieved this goal early in the year, and ended up reading 67 books total! This year I’ve decided to challenge myself to read 50 books. I should easily be able to accomplish this, but I wanted to keep the number on the small side to encourage myself to read longer books. I also want to read more adult fiction this year. I still love young adult, but one reason I love reading is because of the shared experience I can have with other people. My real life friends tend to read popular adult fiction, and I would like to be able to discuss those books with them.

Overall, I am happy with the progress I made in 2016, and I am looking forward to the strides I can make in 2017 as well. I am constantly reminding myself that every day is a new opportunity, and we are in full control to better ourselves at any moment. It’s okay to fail at goals, and it’s okay to change your goals and your direction. I hope you will join me as I discover what adventures 2017 has in store!

 

 

Upcoming Adventures | September Blog Chat + Announcement

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! September is here, and it’s time to share everything you can expect to see on this blog throughout the month. This is going to be a transitional month here at Adventures in Polishland, and I’m excited to share my Upcoming Adventures with all of you. Let’s chat about all things blog related!

Upcoming Adventures | September Blog Chat + Announcement

First things first, I want to announce that I am taking a planned blog and YouTube vacation for the first few weeks of September. I’m doing well, and I still love blogging, but it’s just time for a little break. For over a year now, I’ve blogged five+ days a week and created two+ YouTube videos a week without any break whatsoever. As you can imagine, that is a lot of hard work and dedication, not to mention hours. I think you can understand why I would like a little time away from the computer. I will most definitely be back, and I expect to return around the last two weeks of September. If that changes, I will notify you via my social media.

In addition, I’ve decided that once I return from my blog vacation I am abandoning my current content schedule. I feel like my current schedule (see HERE if you want more detail) is focusing on quantity rather than quality. Thus, instead of making sure I put out five blog posts in certain categories every week, I’m going to focus on sharing good quality content whenever I have something that is worth sharing. Adventures in Polishland will still be a lifestyle blog with a beauty focus, so the majority of my posts will be about nail polish, makeup, skincare, etc. However, I want to create more lifestyle posts for you, too. I will make sure to update you on what that means when I figure out what my new blogging routine will be!

One change in posts that I can definitely share is that I will not be reviewing books on my blog as much. I love writing book reviews, and I will still be going so. Every book I read will be reviewed on Goodreads, so make sure to follow me HERE to keep up with my reading. I will still be reviewing books on the blog, too, but will focus on newer releases and books for which I have a lot to discuss.

That wraps up everything I want to tell you! I hope you understand why I’m taking some time off, and will stick around for my return later this month. I really do appreciate each and every one of you and the support you have shown to me over the past four years. I’m excited to come back and create better content for you!

Keep up with me while I’m away from the blog on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Upcoming Adventures | August Blog Chat

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! August will be here tomorrow, and I want to give you a sneak peek to what you will see on Adventures in Polishland next month. Things will be changing ever so slightly, so make sure to keep reading to find out what my upcoming adventures are for August!

Upcoming Adventures | August Blog ChatIf you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed that I’ve been sharing more food photos than I normally do. The reason for this is because I’ve changed my eating habits! I decided to make the switch to a vegan lifestyle about a month and a half ago now. The food was the first, and easiest, thing for me to change. I was already a vegetarian, and so all I had to do was stop consuming dairy, eggs, and honey. I am surprised at how easy this change has been for me! I used to eat copious amounts of cheese every single day, but after two weeks I wasn’t craving it at all. I’m feeling great, and am making sure to eat my daily nutrient requirements.

What does this mean for my blog? Well, part of being vegan means not using any products that are tested on animals or contain animal products as far as is possible and practical. That means that from now on I will no longer be featuring non-vegan products on my blog. The only exception to this are my empties posts, in which I will share the non-vegan products I used up during each month, as I am slowly using up the things I already own instead of throwing them away. Otherwise, my blog content will not change at all. You will still get my regular beauty posts and lifestyle posts, and I bet that you wouldn’t have noticed much of a change at all if I wasn’t telling you! However, I wanted to share this lifestyle change with you so you’ll understand why some of my once favorite products and brands will not be on my blog any longer.

I hope that you will continue to read and enjoy Adventures in Polishland! I will not be preaching a vegan lifestyle, nor will I be mentioning veganism all the time. I will still focus on Adventures in Polishland’s mantra as well, which is living a fabulous and affordable life. It will just so happen that all of the products I use from now on will be vegan. I hope that makes sense!

Moreover, I am also making an effort to share more lifestyle posts on Tuesday and Thursdays. I love writing book reviews, but I do want to diversify my content for you. This will include food, games, fashion, travel, or anything else I happen to be enjoying in my life. If you have any requests or questions for me, you can feel free to let me know in the comments!

That wraps up my August Blog Chat! I hope you are as excited as I am for the next chapter of not only my blog’s life, but my life, too. Here’s to a great August!

Upcoming Adventures | July Blog Chat

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! We are now officially halfway through 2016, and July is here. I can’t believe how quickly the year is going! Today I’m here with another Upcoming Adventures, to share what you can expect to see here at Adventures in Polishland this month. Let’s have a chat about July!

Upcoming Adventures | July Blog Chat

July will still follow my regular blog schedule, but perhaps the biggest thing to expect is the end of my Dare to Compare posts! I’ve been decluttering my nail polish collection for the past few months, and I’ve documented the process with you here on the blog. While I will continue to post nail polish comparisons whenever I get in new shades, I’ve now gone through my collection and swatched all of the similar shades. I am excited for you to see the last of the comparisons this month!

Of course, you will also be seeing a lot of book reviews this month on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I’ve still been reading up a storm, and I really enjoy sharing my thoughts on the books I’ve read with you. I do plan on writing some other lifestyle posts for you all later this summer, but for now the book reviews are in control. Please let me know in the comments if you enjoy reading my book reviews, or if you’d like to see less of them!

Finally, I want to quickly mention that I will have a lot of Plan With Me videos up on my YouTube Channel this month! I post planner related videos every Tuesday and Saturday, so make sure to subscribe if you like planner decorating, organization tips, and paper crafts in general. I really enjoy sharing my planner hobby with all of you over there!

That wraps up this month’s Upcoming Adventures! I hope you all have a wonderful July!

Upcoming Adventures | June Blog Chat

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I can’t believe we only have a few days of May left, but that means it’s time to update you on everything Adventures in Polishland. I don’t have too many changes to discuss, but nonetheless let’s talk about my upcoming adventures and what you can expect on the blog in June.

Upcoming Adventures | June Blog Chat

If you liked reading my blog in May, you are in for a treat in June! Just as in May, June will be very focused on nail polish. I have some nail art to try, nail products to test, and a lot more nail polish comparisons! I really love how much I’ve been able to pare down my nail polish collection by comparing the shades I already own. Be sure to let me know if you want to see a nail polish collection post once I’m ready to share it!

As for my lifestyle posts, they will mostly be book reviews again. This year I have just been a reading machine! I keep thinking that my reading will slow down, but it hasn’t so far. I really love writing book reviews for each book I read so that I can let you know my thoughts, but also to help me remember the details of the book. Please tell me I’m not the only one who forgets books easily!

That about wraps it up for my June Blog Chat! I’m excited to continue creating content for you, and also for the warmer months. Here’s to a great June!

Upcoming Adventures | May Blog Chat

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I can’t believe we are already into the month of May! It seems like 2016 is flying by. Today I’m here to share my Upcoming Adventures with all of you. This is where I share a sneak preview of what you can expect to see here on Adventures in Polishland this month. April was a great month here on the blog. I went back to my normal blog schedule after a themed month in March, and caught up with a lot of new nail polish releases and book reviews. It was fun to write about a lot of the different things I’ve been loving in my life lately, and I hope you enjoyed the posts as well! Let me share more about what you can expect during May!

Upcoming Adventures | May Blog ChatMay is going to be a bit different here at Adventures in Polishland. While I am not doing a themed month, it just so happens that the majority of my blog posts will be nail polish comparisons. As you may know, I am currently doing a major destash of my nail polish collection. I am now in the stage where I am comparing shades to get rid of dupes and also find the best formulas. As a result, I have a ton of nail polishes to swatch and thought it would be fun to do a lot of Dare to Compare posts. I asked on my Facebook Page HERE if you were interested in seeing so many comparisons, and I was happy so many of you wanted them! Thus, almost all of my beauty posts this month will be Dare to Compare posts!

In addition to comparison posts on beauty days, I will be keeping up with lifestyle posts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Right now I am anticipating a good amount of book reviews, but I’m not yet sure what else will make its way onto the blog. If you ever have a request, you can use my Request Form HERE and I might write about your idea! If there is a specific aspect of my life you would like to learn more about, please let me know. Of course, I don’t share everything, but I always entertain your ideas.

That wraps up my May Blog Chat! As always, thank you for your continued support! It was so exciting to celebrate my 4-year Blogiversary in April. I truly love sharing with you, and I’m glad people share in my passions along with me. Here’s to a great May!

New Year’s Resolutions 2016 | Quarter 1 Update

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! We are now a few months into 2016, and I wanted to share an update on my New Year’s Resolutions for this year. I know a lot of you might be feeling disgruntled about your resolutions if they haven’t been going very well, so I hope that if I share my journey and experiences you will feel more inspired to keep going. Resolutions don’t happen overnight – they take hard work and dedication. As long as we are working towards our goals we are being successful! Today I’ll be sharing a quick update on each of my five resolutions, and grade myself on my progress. You can see my New Year’s Resolutions announcement HERE if you missed it!

New Year's Resolutions 2016 | Quarter 1 Update

1. Paint My Nails More Often & Try More Nail Art

Grade: C+

ATORS Holographic Polish in Shiny Blue

I’ve done really well with blogging more about nail polish this year, especially during Manicure March! However, I’m still not wearing nail polish often on a daily basis. I have been swatching a lot lately, so I haven’t painted a full manicure because I know I’ll just have to take it off to swatch. I know that’s an excuse, so I need to get over it and paint my nails more! I’m ready to put my newly decluttered collection to use.

2. Nail Down a Skincare Routine

Grade: B

Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Melting Cleanser

I’ve been doing much better at taking care of my skin this year, but I’m not at the point of a daily routine just yet. I probably do a full morning and evening skincare routine about 4-5 days per week. That is a huge improvement for me, so I’m happy with my progress!

3. Focus on My Overall Health

Grade: C

Health Star Jar

My health goals were broken down into three main categories: taking my daily vitamins, exercising regularly, and eating healthier. I’m doing really well at taking my vitamins. I’ve made it a part of my day, and you can see in my Health Star Jar above that there are a lot of purple stars! Unfortunately, I’ve slacked off big time when it came to exercise. I got sick in January and took some time off, but that time off turned into a couple months off (big oops!). I’m going to try to start with exercising once per week to ease myself back into a routine. Finally, I’ve been eating somewhat better, but my sweet tooth has been overpowering me. I need to conquer it!

4. Organize My Life

Grade: B

ECLP Horizontal #PlanWithPolishlandA general goal of mine is to become more organized in all aspects of my life. I think I’ve done a good job at this so far! I’ve created some new systems that work for me, such as keeping notebooks for certain purposes, coming up with a functional clothing organization system, and storing my makeup. Decluttering has been on the forefront of my mind, and getting rid of unneeded things in my life has helped me become more organized for sure. I’ve also been working on budgeting my money by making sure I buy with purpose. I also keep a spending log to keep track of every dollar that comes in and goes out. My main priority now is becoming more productive and motivated in my daily life.

5. Read 40 Books

Grade: A

January Reading Wrap UpAs of writing this blog post, I’ve read 17 books in 2016! I am well on my way to completing this goal. I was a reading machine in both January and February, and in March I slowed down a bit to focus on longer books and books that require more brain power. I am also writing non-spoiler book reviews for every book I read, so check out THIS section of the blog to see them.

All in all, while there is definite room for improvement, I think my New Year’s Resolutions are going well. It’s important to check in with yourself and be honest about how you are progressing. It is okay if you haven’t even begun work on your resolutions yet! Just don’t give up! I know it can be really hard to motivate yourself, so let’s cheer each other on in the comments! Share your resolutions and progress with me!

Upcoming Adventures | April Blog Chat

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I’m back today to let you know what to expect on the blog this month in April. March was a ton of fun! I really enjoyed doing a themed month and getting back to my nail polish roots. Now I am glad to return to my normal blog schedule in April. In this Upcoming Adventures post I’ll be reminding you of my blog schedule, share new blog goals, and let you in on a special announcement!

Upcoming Adventures | April Blog ChatFirst things first, I wanted to remind all of you of my blog schedule in case you first discovered Adventures in Polishland during Manicure March. I like to describe my blog as a lifestyle blog with a beauty focus. While I mainly blog about beauty and nail polish, I share other aspects of my life with you, too.

Here is my current schedule:

M/W/F: Beauty Post

Tu/Th: Lifestyle Post

In April you can expect to see a lot of book reviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I read up a storm in February and am still getting those reviews out for you. If you’d like to stay in touch with me while I’m reading, you can follow or friend me on Goodreads HERE. My book reviews are always non-spoiler. They begin with general statistics about the book at the beginning, and then I include the book’s synopsis from Goodreads. My review concludes the post, and I always let you know what I liked and didn’t like!

I will also be celebrating my 4th Blogiversary this month on April 10th! I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for four years. I don’t know exactly how I’m going to celebrate yet, but you can rest assured I’ll put together something special for that day. To go along with that, I am also committing to write at least one nail polish post per week. I want to make sure I stay true to my roots and continue to embrace the ‘Polish’ in Polishland!

That wraps up my Upcoming Adventures post for April! I hope you all had a great March, and I hope you are as excited for the spring season as I am. If you are not already, you can follow my blog for free on Bloglovin HERE so my new posts are always in your feed. I would love to have you join the adventure with me! Here’s to an awesome April!

Upcoming Adventures | March Blog Chat & HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! February is nearly over now, and that means it’s time to share my Upcoming Adventures with all of you. I began my Upcoming Adventures series last month, and just in case you missed it I will link it HERE for you. At the end of every month I will be sharing what you can expect to see on my blog for the month ahead. I am so excited to share my March Blog Chat today, because I have something very exciting to share with you!

Upcoming Adventures | March Blog Chat + Huge Announcement!

As you may know, Adventures in Polishland began as a nail polish blog back in April of 2012. Nail polish was a huge part of my life at the time, and slowly I’ve moved into the world of beauty as a whole. Now I blog about all sorts of things, and my nail polish blog posts have taken a back seat. I really want to make sure that I make nail polish a true staple on this blog again, and I’ve decided that March is the month to do just that. So, I am dubbing March to be Manicure March! What this means is that you will be getting a nail polish review for each and every day of the month. That’s right! I will have 31 blog posts this month, each one reviewing a nail polish from my collection.

I decided to do this because I am currently in the process of decluttering my nail polish stash and reorganizing it as well. I recently went through my entire collection and put aside about 30 polishes that I wanted to swatch and see if I wanted to keep them or declutter them. I thought it would be fun to share each one of those polishes with you! Some of these polishes have been reviewed on the blog in the past, others I’ve never shared with you. But for each polish you will be getting a full review.

I am so excited for Manicure March to begin! You will be seeing some very old and discontinued polishes, drugstore polishes, indie polishes, and everything in between. Along with each blog post I’ve asked you some questions. It’s really interesting to go back and look at old nail polish trends and collections, and also have a discussion about nail polish along the way. There is also an opportunity for you to get involved in addition to commenting on my blog! Just use the hashtag #ManicureMarch on social media! Whether you want to declutter your collection, or simply want to try out your polishes again, I’d love for you to join in the fun!

That wraps up this March blog chat! I hope you are as excited for Manicure March as I am. My regular blog content will resume in April, so if you’re looking for beauty posts, book reviews, and my other lifestyle content, have no fear – it will be back! Please don’t forget to check out my main Instagram account HERE, because I will be sharing nail polish swatches all month long there as well. Here’s to an awesome Manicure March!