Lifestyle – Page 18 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Lifestyle

December Favorites! | Beauty, Skincare, & More!

Posted on January 5, 2016January 4, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! December is over and January is in full swing, which means it’s time for me to share my December favorites with all of you. While I did post a Top 10 series featuring my year-long favorites for 2015, I wanted to highlight some products that I focused on in December. I have a good mix of beauty, skincare, and miscellaneous favorites, so let’s go ahead and jump right into the post!

December Favorites! | Beauty, Skincare, & More!

MAKEUP

Maybelline BROWdrama Pro Palette in Blonde

Maybelline BROWdrama Pro Palette in Blonde [BUY]

I spotted this brand new eyebrow palette at CVS a few weeks ago, and decided to pick it up because I had a coupon and Maybelline was on sale. I’m so glad I did! I’ve heard mixed reviews from other bloggers, but I’m really enjoying this palette. The color matches my brows perfectly, and I love that it comes with a spoolie and angled brush. I plan on doing a full review soon, so keep an eye out for that!

L'Oreal Paris True Match Super Blendable Blush in Baby Blossom

L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Blush in Baby Blossom [BUY]

Another makeup product I’ve been loving is this blush from L’Oreal. I purchased this one specifically because of the light pink shade. I wanted a blush that looks really natural with my fair skin tone, and this one is perfect! It is a bit shimmery, but not so much that it’s over the top. I’m so glad I got this blush, because it is really wearable and has a great formula.

SKINCARE

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Black Tea and Blackberry

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Black Tea & Blackberry [BUY]

It’s no surprise that winter weather brings dry skin and lips! For some reason I didn’t own a medicated lip balm that wasn’t tinted, so I decided to pick up a Jack Black one after hearing so many beauty gurus rave about it. I got the Black Tea & Blackberry scent, and I have to say I really like it. The texture is different than a normal lip balm, but it’s not sticky or liquidy – it’s more of a gel. I’m glad I spent a little more on this product, as it works really well!

The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturizer SPF 30

The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 [BUY]

I began using a new moisturizer in December, and so far it’s been doing a great job! I like that this Vitamin C Daily Moisturizer is light and that it has sun protection. However, I don’t like the citrusy smell! I’ve used a few other Vitamin C products in the past, and none of them smelled like oranges. Luckily, the scent doesn’t linger once the product settles into the skin!

BOOK

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling – Illustrated Edition [BUY]

I’ve been a huge Harry Potter fan my entire life. I went to the book releases, movie releases, and I own perhaps too much memorabilia. Nonetheless, I just had to get the new illustrated edition, and I’m so glad I received it for Christmas. I started reading it on Christmas and finished it the next day. I’m not usually a fan of illustrated books, but it’s Harry Potter, and that made me love it. I can’t wait for the next book to come out in all of its illustrated glory!

HOBBIES

Shopkins Season 3

Shopkins [BUY]

I’ve been adoring Shopkins ever since I saw YouTuber Grav3yardGirl post her first unboxing video. They are so cute, but I had no purpose for them, so I decided to save my money. Flash forward to Christmas, when I found a blind basket in my stocking! I was so excited! I decided that I would get a small glass jar and keep my Shopkins in there. That way, I can take my time filling the jar, and stop when it’s reached the top.

Adult Coloring Book with Prismacolor Colored Pencils

Coloring

Adult coloring is so trendy right now, and I finally jumped on board, too. I got a Christmas-themed book at Barnes & Noble that is pictured above, and the Harry Potter coloring book is on its way (though it’s currently back-ordered!). I like to color while I’m watching TV at night. It’s a lot of fun!

That wraps up my December favorites! December is always a busy month, and I am glad it’s come to a close so I can focus on the new year. I’m excited to have a fresh start, and I hope your 2016 is going well so far! Please share your favorites with me in the comments!

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

New Year’s Resolutions & Goals for 2016!

Posted on December 31, 2015December 29, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday, and Happy New Year’s Eve! Today I thought I would share some of my New Year’s Resolutions and Goals for 2016. These resolutions are ongoing lifestyle changes, some of which are serious and others are just for fun. I also like to set a few specific goals to motivate myself to complete certain challenges. I’ve put together five general resolutions to share with you today!

New Year's Resolutions & Goals for 2016! | Adventures in Polishland

1. Paint My Nails More Often and Try More Nail Art!

Holiday Lace Nail Art | Adventures in Polishland

You might be surprised to find out that for the past couple years I haven’t been painting my nails on a regular basis! While I swatch a lot of nail polishes for my blog, I only wear polish about once every 1-2 months. That is so crazy, especially considering how much I love polish and how much polish I own. I want to try to paint my nails at least once or twice per month. I also would love to try out more nail art techniques to share with all of you!

2. Nail Down a Skincare Routine

The Body Shop Haul Skincare, Scrubs, & More! I am so bad when it comes to taking care of my skin! One of my recurring makeup bad habits is not taking off my makeup before bed. I know, it’s terrible! This year I want to make sure I go through an entire skincare routine both morning and evening. That way I can put my best face forward!

3. Focus on My Overall Health

Beachbody Piyo Review | My Current Fitness Routine It’s a cliche New Year’s Resolution, but I definitely want to focus on my overall health more than ever. For me, this includes taking the daily vitamins recommend by my doctor, exercising on a regular basis, and eating better foods. As you may know, I am a vegetarian, and this year I want to truly embrace my vegetarianism by focusing more on produce and less on grains and dairy. I don’t aim to go vegan right now, but I know that putting good foods into my body will make me feel a lot better. To go along with this, I want to continue trying new recipes on a regular basis!

4. Organize My Life – Budget, Space, and More!

Erin Condren Ready to Ship Rose Gold Horiztonal | #PlanWithPolishland

Despite loving the idea of being super organized, I can easily be a messy person both when it comes to the physical space I inhabit, and the systems I have in place for the different aspects of my life. I’ve been using my Erin Condren Life Planner for the past six months now, and I’m slowly becoming more on top of my game. I want to continue to create workable systems in my life. That means keeping on track of my finances, having a cleaning schedule, and all of that fun stuff. I look forward to sharing more on this with you in future posts!

5. Read 40 Books

Christmas Book Haul | Adventures in Polishland Last but not least, I always set a reading goal on the website Goodreads. This past year I was able to read 50 books, and I’m setting my goal at 40 for 2016 so I don’t put pressure on myself. I also want to make an effort to read longer books, so I should have a nice cushion with a goal of 40. Here are the books I received for Christmas this past year. I’m so excited to get to them all!

That wraps up my New Year’s Resolutions for 2016! Please share your resolutions with me in the comments so we can cheer for each other. After a difficult 2015, I’m so excited for the future and what is ahead for me. Have a wonderful and safe New Year’s Eve, and don’t forget to enter my 4th Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest – details HERE!

Top 10 Books of 2015!

Posted on December 29, 2015December 21, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I’m continuing on with my Top 10 series, and sharing my favorite books of 2015 with all of you. I was very happy with myself, because I managed to read 50 books this year! My goal was originally to read only 20 books, because I knew I would be busy with my schoolwork. Luckily, I made reading a priority out of my hobbies and managed to read some amazing stories. This Top 10 list will includes the books that I read this year, not purely books that were published in 2015. Let’s jump right into my Top 10 Books of this year!

Top 10 Books of 2015!

Honorable Mention | Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon [REVIEW] [BUY]

I’m cheating a bit and including an honorable mention on this Top 10 list because I really enjoyed reading Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. This is a debut novel, and I did find some issues in it, but the story itself was so emotional. I look forward to seeing what Yoon will release next!

10. The Revolution of Ivy by Amy Engell [REVIEW] [BUY]

I was so excited to read the conclusion to The Book of Ivy duology by Amy Engell. This is a great dystopian read, with well developed characters and exciting adventure. I know I’ll be re-reading it in the future!

9. An Italian Wife by Ann Hood [REVIEW] [BUY]

I read An Italian Wife early in the year, and I was a bit nervous to do so because it has pretty bad reviews on Goodreads. The book definitely has its issues, but it’s also a book that has stayed with me throughout the year. I’m surprised how often I think about the stories within it, and I really loved the overall message.

8. Binge by Tyler Oakley [REVIEW] [BUY]

Tyler Oakley’s Binge is by far the funniest book I read all year. It truly spoke to me, and I’m so glad I decided to pick it up even after originally snubbing it. If you’re a fan of the YouTuber, you have to get this one!

7. Shutter by Courtney Alameda [REVIEW] [BUY]

I won a copy of this young adult horror book on Goodreads, and I’m so glad I did! It is a modern day twist on Dracula starring Micheline Helsing, a kick-butt heroine. Shutter gave me the chills, and I was obsessed with it for weeks after finishing it. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out!

6. The Martian by Andy Weir [REVIEW] [BUY]

I’m sure you’ve all heard of The Martian! Not only is it one of the most popular books of the year, but it came out as a movie, too. I haven’t seen the film yet, but the book was really cool. It definitely encouraged me to pick up more science fiction.

5. The Accident Season by Moïra Fowley Doyle [REVIEW] [BUY]

Another debut that I was really impressed by is The Accident Season. This is a creepy read for sure, and one that actually got me quite scared while I was reading it late at night. Plus, it has a fun plot twist that I didn’t see coming.

4. We Are Pirates by Daniel Handler [REVIEW] [BUY]

I seem to have read quite a few weird books this year! We Are Pirates is by far the most disturbing book I’ve ever read. I’m not going to say much about it, because I want you all to read it and let me know what you think!

3. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saénz [REVIEW] [BUY]

There are four medals on the cover of this book for a reason! Aristotle and Dante is a uniquely written book with equally unique characters. Whilst the ending was predictable, the journey to the end was one hundred percent worth it.

2. Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff [REVIEW] [BUY]

Illuminae was beyond incredible! It is a young adult science fiction novel that is written through hacked document files. The reading experience is completely different than anything else I’ve read. You need to pick this up, trust me!

1. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn [REVIEW] [BUY]

I know, I was very late to the Gone Girl train. I am so glad I finally picked up this book. It lived up to the hype for me, and is by far the best book I’ve read all year. It is just amazingly crafted. I cannot say enough good things about it!

I hope you enjoyed hearing a bit about my Top 10 Books of 2015! If you’d like to learn more about any title, simply click on the link to my review. The link will either be on this blog, or to my Goodreads profile for older reviews. Please share your favorite books of the year with me in the comments! I’m always looking for my next read.

My Favorite Christmas Tree Ornaments!

Posted on December 24, 2015December 15, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday, and Happy Christmas Eve to all of you who celebrate! I thought it would be fun if I took you on a little tour of my family’s Christmas Tree today by sharing some of my favorite ornaments with you. We have a lot of ornaments on the tree, and there is a huge variety. I, of course, have certain ornaments that are important to me for different reasons. Let me show you some of my favorite Christmas Tree ornaments!

My Favorite Christmas Tree Ornaments! | Adventures in Polishland

Minnie Mouse

Let’s begin with my Minnie Mouse collection! I’ve been a huge Minnie Mouse fan for my entire life, and that is certainly reflected on the Christmas Tree. I’ve received several Minnie ornaments as gifts over the years, and I’ve picked up a couple on my own, too. I’m showing you two of my many Minnies in this post. I know the personalized one came from my parents, but I have no clue where I got the other one. It’s vintage at this point!

Barbie

Another one of my ornament collections is my Barbie collection! Hallmark has put out a few different Barbie series during my lifetime, and I’ve gotten one every year since 1993 (except for last year, when there wasn’t a Barbie released). You can see my first-ever Barbie on the left, and my Barbie from this year on the right. These ornaments are so special to me, and I hope to continue getting a Barbie ornament every year. One day I hope to have a Barbie tree that is hot pink!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

My Favorite Christmas Tree Ornaments! | Adventures in Polishland

This next ornament is special to me not because I love the film The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but because this was the first purchase I ever made in Disney World! My family went to Disney World for the first time when I was in first grade, and we went to Magic Kingdom on the first night when we arrived. I got this at Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square for $4.95 (yes – the price tag is still on the box!). I saved up all my birthday money for our Disney trip, and was so excited to spend it on souvenirs galore. That first night in Disney World was so magical for me. I will never forget when Minnie Mouse waved to me during the parade! This ornament represents that magic even 20 years later.

Boston Celtics

My Favorite Christmas Tree Ornaments! | Adventures in Polishland

Last but not least, I’ve always been a huge Celtics fan, and my parents got me this engraved ornament a few years back. It’s the only Celtics ornament I have, and I love putting it on the tree. It’s so classy, and I love that it’s handmade as well!

That wraps up my post on my favorite Christmas Tree ornaments! I hope you enjoyed this mini tour of my tree! Please share your favorite ornaments with me in the comments, or tag me on social media in a photo. I’d love to see your ornaments! I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

Book Review | Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Posted on December 17, 2015December 9, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle

Published by Speak on January 1, 2008

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Paperback

Pages: 352

Source: BookMooch

Goodreads: ★★★★

The weather outside is frightful, but these stories are delightful! When a huge blizzard (that doesn’t show signs of stopping) hits, Gracetown is completely snowed in. But even though it’s cold outside, things are heating up inside, proving that the holiday season is magical when it comes to love. In three wonderfully (and hilariously!) interconnected tales, YA stars John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson create a must-have collection that captures all the spirit of the holiday season.

BOOK REVIEW

While I wouldn’t call myself a seasonal reader, I was very excited to pick up Let it Snow as soon as the holiday season began. There is something magical about Christmas stories, and Let it Snow contains three. I had no idea that the three stories in the book are interconnected, and that was a great surprise for me. Each story takes place in Gracetown, a small town that is experiencing a huge snowstorm on Christmas Eve. In each story we follow a different cast of characters, but, of course, each is a holiday romance. They are sweet, silly, and super enjoyable.

The book begins with Maureen Johnson’s The Jubilee Express. This is my favorite story in the book, and it follows Jubilee as she travels south by train to visit her grandparents in Florida after her parents are thrown in jail on Christmas Eve. I really enjoyed Johnson’s writing – it is snarky and funny, and flows really well. Even though The Jubilee Express features the insta-love trope popular in a lot of young adult fiction, it was enjoyable in this short story.

The second story is by none other than John Green, and is called A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle. I was quite disappointed that Green decided to use a gay slur in his story, and that his characters used the R-word (more information on that HERE). Otherwise, I really enjoyed his story, which follows Tobin and his group of friends attempting to visit the local Waffle House after a bunch of cheerleaders get stranded there. Of course, it is quite outlandish, but it’s a lot of fun, and perfect for the holidays.

Finally, Lauren Myracle’s story is called The Patron Saint of Pigs. It has a very different feel than the other two stories in the book, and is my least favorite simply due to the main character Addie’s negative demeanor. Nonetheless, I still thought it was enjoyable, and I loved how it rounded up the overall story of Let it Snow.

All in all, Let it Snow is a great book to pick up during Christmastime, and I highly recommend it if you are looking for a holiday-themed read. Keep in mind that it is a little bit corny, but I think it is justified during this time of year. I am definitely going to be rereading this during Christmases to come.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

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.

Garlic Chickpea Popcorn Recipe | Vegan Snack Idea

Posted on December 15, 2015December 7, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’m so excited to be sharing another recipe with you today. As you might know, I am a vegetarian, and try to make healthy choices whenever I can. I struggle a lot when it comes to snack foods, especially in finding snacks that are high in protein. I recently saw YouTuber Kathryn over at DoitonaDime post a Chickpea Popcorn recipe. I tried it out, and put my own spin on it, and thought I would share the deliciousness with all of you. This recipe is vegan, but of course can be enjoyed by anyone. Let’s get started!

Chickpea Popcorn is in essence baked chickpeas! Did you know that chickpeas get crunchy when baked? I had no idea! I always eat them raw, or in meals like falafel or hummus. Chickpea Popcorn is such a perfect snack if you need something crunchy to much on like I do.

First things first, rinse off your chickpeas with water and dab them dry with a paper towel. Look at that beautiful bean footage!Next, spread out the chickpeas on a lined and rimmed baking sheet. I use tin foil because that’s what I have on hand, but parchment paper works, too. Then it’s time to season! Of course, I used garlic because it’s my favorite spice. I also added in oregano and a bit of black pepper. You can totally customize the flavor of your Chickpea Popcorn. Just make sure to drizzle with some olive oil and mix everything properly before popping them in the oven.

Here is the finished result! I cook the Chickpea Popcorn for about 42 minutes. That way they are crispy, but not overcooked. The time will vary depending on your oven, but once the chickpeas start turning a deeper beige they are ready to eat! You’ll be so impressed with how delicious your Chickpea Popcorn tastes. It’s a protein-filled and healthy snack whether you’re watching a movie or eating your lunch!

Garlic Chickpea Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Olive Oil (to drizzle)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.
Rinse chickpeas with water and dab dry with a paper towel.
Spread chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet lined with tin foil or parchment paper.
Sprinkle garlic, oregano, and black pepper on chickpeas.
Drizzle olive oil on chickpeas to lightly coat them, and use a spoon to ensure the chickpeas are coated.
Bake at 350º for 40-45, or until crispy.

How to Use Finished Coloring Pages | DIY Holiday Projects

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

Happy Saturday! Today I’m exciting to share with you some very simple DIY projects that are especially relevant during the holiday season. Adult coloring books are super on trend this year, and I decided to purchase the Erin Condren Coloring Book & Sketch Pad to join the party. As I was coloring one day, I thought about how I would use the coloring pages once I finished them. I didn’t want to just recycle them, so I got creative and thought of some uses for them. In this blog post I have some holiday themed DIY projects, and in the future I’ll be sharing even more ways you can use coloring pages. Let me jump right in and show you the projects I recommend!

Wrapping Paper

How to Use Finished Coloring Pages | DIY Holiday Projects

A really easy way to use your coloring pages is for wrapping paper! I’ve always felt a little guilty about all the wrapping paper I use during the holiday season. It’s so wasteful to just buy paper, wrap a gift, and throw out the paper afterwards. Now I can create my own wrapping paper! Not only does it look really cute, but it gives my paper another life. Coloring pages are the perfect size for stocking stuffers and other small gifts. Feel free to dress it up with bows, tags, or twine!

Christmas Tree Ornament

There are so many cute ornaments that you can create out of paper! I decided to go with the classic bauble shape. All you need for this ornament is a small brad, some glue, and a piece of ribbon. Cut the paper into half-inch strips (I used five), and punch a small hole in both ends. Secure the ends together in a loop shape with a brad and spread out the loops. Finally, use a dot of glue to secure the ribbon on top. Voila! You have an ornament!

Wall Art

Coloring pages make awesome wall art, and a great holiday gift! Pop your page into a frame and you’ve got a great gift item that’s made from the heart. I used a small frame from Birchbox to showcase the leftovers from my ornament project, and a larger black frame to house a quote. Wall art makes a perfect gift for your friends at the office, as it dresses up any cubicle, and it also makes a nice hostess gift. This is also a great way to gift your child’s art!

Writing Paper

Last but not least, coloring pages make excellent writing paper! It’s the perfect time of year to send a note to a loved one to check in and say hello. Your friends and family will enjoy that you took the time to not only write to them, but to color in a page, too. Of course, you can do this all year round!

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the ways I’m using finished coloring pages this holiday season! It’s great to have a relaxing hobby that can turn into something functional, too. If you recreate any of these projects, make sure to use the hashtag #PlanWithPolishland on social media so I can see your posts!

Homemade Cheez-Its Recipe | Healthy Snack Idea

Posted on December 10, 2015November 29, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I am very excited to share a recipe on Adventures in Polishland for the very first time. With the holiday season in full swing, I’ve been a bit more adventurous in the kitchen. I began my baking with some homemade Cheez-Its after seeing a recipe on Rachel Talbott’s YouTube Channel HERE. My dad absolutely loves to snack on traditional Cheez-Its in front of the TV at night, but I worry about all the chemicals and preservatives he’s consuming while doing so. This recipe is the perfect solution! It allows Cheez-It lovers to still have that delicious snack, all while using a few simple ingredients. Let me share my homemade Cheez-Its with you!

How amazing do these look?! First things first, you have to make the dough. I used my Ninja Master Prep to blend up all of the ingredients. It works perfectly, so don’t worry if you don’t own a food processor as recommended in the recipe.

I’m still impressed that the Cheez-Its only need five simple ingredients! Pictured above is the cheddar cheese, butter, flour, and salt. The last ingredient is water. How much easier could this get?

Here is what the dough looks like after it’s been chilled in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. The next step is rolling out the dough with a rolling pin and cutting it into your desired shape. I found a small cookie cutter we already had and used that. Of course, you can cut the dough into the standard square Cheez-It shape if you’d like!

These are my Cheez-Its on the cookie sheet before popping them in the oven. Because the Cheez-Its don’t spread out while baking, you can put them quite close together on the baking sheet.

This recipe makes about 7-8 dozen Cheez-Its depending on the size cookie cutter you use. I brought these to my family’s Thanksgiving for an appetizer, and they were a big hit! I love that I know each and every ingredient inside these Cheez-Its, and that they are a much healthier option than boxed Cheez-Its at the store. Plus, they are easy and affordable! I highly recommend you try them out this holiday season, or anytime you’re wanting a cheesy treat. You can also use white cheddar if you prefer.

Homemade Cheez-Its Recipe

Yields about 7-8 dozen Cheez-Its.

Ingredients:

8oz Cheddar Cheese Shredded
4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into cubes
1 Cup Flour
3/4 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Cold Water

Directions:

Pulse all ingredients but water in a food processor or blender until it resembles coarse sand.
Pulse in water one tablespoon at a time.
Wrap dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350º while dough is chilling.
Roll out dough and cut into desired shape.
Place Cheez-Its on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly greased tin foil.
Bake at 350º for 15-20 minutes, or until crispy.

If you make this recipe, please tag me in your photo on social media! Enjoy!

Give the Gift of Matching Nails with butter LONDON and Q&Q SmileSolar Watches

Posted on December 9, 2015November 30, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a fun blog post to inspire you when gift-giving this season. Perhaps there is a beauty lover in your life that you know would like a nail polish this holiday, but you wanted to give something else unexpected as well. Why not pair your polish with a matching accessory?! Q&Q SmileSolar watches make the perfect gift this year. Not only are they a fabulous and affordable $40, but they are super practical as well. Let me tell you more about Q&Q SmileSolar Watches, and show you how well they go with butter LONDON nail polish!

Q&Q SmileSolar is an eco-friendly brand in Japan known for its solar-power technology and expertly crafted products. Q&Q SmileSolar watches are powered by solar technology, and last for over three months with a single charge – no battery required! The watches are water-resistant, and made from recycled materials. I love how environmentally friendly they are! Plus, the Q&Q SmileSolar Series has a variety of styles to choose from, ranging from sleek and stylish to fun and bright. I received two watches from the Core Collection to review. Both are unisex, and would make an excellent gift for anyone on your list.

In this blog post I’ll be showing off the watch in style number RP00J004Y. This is a neutral watch with a silver band and face. It can go with any outfit! I’m pairing it up with a silver nail polish from butter LONDON.

My silver of choice is butter LONDON in Diamond Geezer. It has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. Because it is really shimmery, it does have a tendency to get messy. Keep your clean-up tools handy! Diamond Geezer is perfect for the winter months, and can be worn alone or in nail art looks. I have it on as I type up this blog post, and am loving how sparkly it is in the light!

Here is my manicure along with my Q&Q watch! It’s definitely a lot of fun to match my nail polish to my accessory. While I wouldn’t do this everyday, I would love to receive a gift this Christmas with a coordinating nail polish and accessory. It makes opening the present even more fun, and it lets the gift-giver think outside the box!

I hope you found this blog post helpful as you continue on with your holiday shopping this year! Q&Q SmileSolar watches can be purchased online HERE at $40 each. I think that is an amazing price for such an eco-friendly watch. Of course, you can grab Diamond Geezer on butter LONDON’s website HERE. Giving the gift of butter LONDON and Q&Q SmileSolar is a great way to give your nail polish lover a fun yet practical present this year.

Do you match your nail polish to your accessories? Let me know in the comments!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Binge by Tyler Oakley

Posted on December 3, 2015December 3, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Binge by Tyler Oakley

Published by Gallery Books on October 20, 2015

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Comedy

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 256

Source: Purchased

Goodreads: ★★★★

Pop culture phenomenon, social rights advocate, and the most prominent LGBTQ+ voice on YouTube, Tyler Oakley brings you his first collection of witty, personal, and hilarious essays written in the voice that’s earned him more than 10 million followers across social media.

REVIEW

Despite being a regular watcher of Tyler Oakley’s YouTube Channel, I wasn’t in a rush to pick up his memoir Binge. I was a bit disappointed with the other YouTuber book I read, and I recently read another celebrity memoir, so this wasn’t at the top of my list. Well, Michael Buckley changed my mind with THIS review. If Buck enjoyed the book, I knew I had to make reading Binge more of a priority.

I immediately loved Binge. I was laughing out loud just a few pages in, and I really enjoyed Tyler’s writing style. Tyler writes in a way that stays true to him, but it doesn’t cross the line into that cheesy celebrity memoir tone that I’ve experienced way too often. I’m really impressed with how well-written Binge is overall. Tyler’s comedy is amazing. He truly made me laugh several times, but his jokes are often a ‘read between the lines’ style, and I do think they will go over the heads of many of his younger viewers. In particular, I greatly enjoyed the chapters on poop and Disney princes. Both are beyond fantastic.

Moreover, I really liked getting to know more about Tyler’s personal life, which we don’t get to delve much into in his videos. Tyler and I are very different people, but we grew up in the same America at the same time, and, therefore, have a shared experience that other generations perhaps don’t. Because of that bond, I found the chapters about his family life and love life really touching, especially the chapter on his first boyfriend, Adam.

That being said, there are some things I didn’t like as well. There are a few points in the book where Tyler feels a bit too preachy. The perfect example of that is his two-page chapter on his abusive relationship. While I recognize that is a difficult subject to write about, I felt like it was included in the book simply to give advice, rather than share a life experience. There were a few other moments in Binge that similarly felt as if Tyler were struggling with giving advice to his younger viewers, while also staying true to telling his story. I would have enjoyed more of the storytelling, and less of the advice-giving.

In the same way, I also found some editing issues throughout the book, mainly with the organization of the chapters. There were many repetitive moments where certain people were introduced more than once, or certain situations were explained again, that took away from the overall reading experience. I would have liked the chapters to flow better from one to another. I found some copyediting mistakes in the book as well.

One thing I do really love about the book itself is the cover and overall book design. The cover and pages are really high quality, and I was especially impressed with the glossy pages and color photographs throughout the book. The cover design and photography is perfect as well – I really love the candy pattern.

All in all, I found Binge to be a well-rounded book with both happy and challenging times in Tyler’s life presented. There are truly some hilarious parts along the way that are not to be missed. I also went back to several of Tyler’s videos that I had previously seen to watch them with behind-the-scenes knowledge. It made the reading experience a lot more fun than other celebrity memoirs for sure. If you’re a fan of Tyler’s, I highly recommend Binge. If you’re not, but you enjoy comedic memoirs, definitely give this one a try.

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