Indie Nail Polish – Page 3 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Indie Nail Polish

Indie Spotlight: Goddess of the Two Lands Collection from Daphine Polish

Posted on August 30, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I always love discovering new indie nail polish brands, and today I have a review of one that I found on Instagram. Daphine Polish graciously sent me some polishes to review for all of you. Not only were the polishes packaged extremely well, but the bottles themselves are cute, too! Today I’ll be reviewing three polishes from the Goddess of the Two Lands Collection. Let me show you these gorgeous polishes!

First up is Bast, a dark grey polish with multi-colored glitters. Bast has an amazing formula that applies very well and is opaque in two coats. I am loving this one, especially for fall. The multi-colored glitter makes Bast really unique, and I love the added dimension it gives this polish. I definitely recommend this one!

Next up is Isis, a dark purple polish with pink glitters and a scattered holographic shine. Isis also has a great formula and is opaque in two coats. This polish is just beautiful, especially if you like purples. It has a satin finish, which I’m always happy to see. I love Isis just as much as Bast!

Last but not least is Sekhmet, a brown polish with red and purple glitters. Sekhmet is a bit patchy formula wise, so I strongly suggest thin coats. I applied two coats to achieve opacity. Despite the tricky formula, Sekhmet is gorgeous. The glitters really stand out against the base, and make for a sparkly manicure!

All in all, I am really liking these polishes from Daphine Polish! These jewel tones are great for fall, and I love that mini bottles come with a full sized brush. You can purchase the Goddess of the Two Lands Collection on Etsy HERE. The full collection of six polishes is $55, or each full-sized polish is $10. Be sure to follow Daphine Polish on Facebook HERE, and stay tuned for another review on this brand soon!

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

Back to School Week | Get Back to Hogwarts with Kawaii Nail Lacquer

Posted on August 12, 2013August 16, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday, and welcome to Back to School Week at Adventures in Polishland! This is a sensitive time of year for those of us who are heading back to class, and I thought it would be fun to focus on some of the best parts of going back to school instead of dwelling on the forthcoming homework and exams. I will have a new post up every day from Monday to Friday featuring nails, makeup, fashion, and more. I thought I would kick things off with a review of some Harry Potter themed polishes from the indie brand Kawaii Nail Lacquer. Back to school time would be super awesome if I was going back to Hogwarts! Let me show you these magical polishes!

First up is Gryffindor! You might be in Gryffindor if you are brave and chivalrous. Its house colors are crimson and gold, and this glitter polish fits the mold! Griffindor is a glitter polish in a clear base, and is full of fine glitters, small hexagons, squares, and bars in a mix of red and gold. I layered one coat over L’Oreal Breaking Curfew to get this look. I wonder if Hermione would sport this polish… Maybe not, but I sure do like it.

Next up is Hufflepuff! Students in Hufflepuff are loyal and exceptionally good finders. Its house colors are black and yellow, but don’t be fooled — its animal is a badger (not a bee)! In polish form, Hufflepuff contains black, yellow, and gold hexagons, fine gold and black glitters, and black bar glitters. I layered one coat over OPI Skull & Glossbones. While no one wants to end up in Hufflepuff, at least you’ll have this gorgeous nail polish to wear!

Ravenclaw is up next, and I couldn’t be more excited! Why, you ask? It’s because I am a Ravenclaw! Students in Ravenclaw are wise individuals, and its house colors are blue and bronze (not blue and silver as seen in the movies!). The Ravenclaw polish has bronze fine glitters, hexagons, and bars, and blue hexagons as well. I layered one coat over ncLA’s Malibu Beach Babe. While this manicure may not be whimsical enough for Luna Lovegood, it’s perfect for me!

Last but not least is Slytherin. Join the ranks of the Malfoys and Blacks if you’re cunning and resourceful. With house colors like silver and green, I knew this polish would look awesome. It’s filed with small and medium hexagons, and I layered one coat over Julep Brandt to get the look in the photos. You’ll be ready for Defense Against the Dark Arts with this polish!

All in all, I am loving these Harry Potter themed polishes from Kawaii Nail Lacquer! They all have amazing formulas, and they represent the Hogwarts Houses perfectly. Unfortunately I won’t be going back to Hogwarts this year (my owl hasn’t showed up with my acceptance letter yet), but I think these polishes are super fun to rock on your nails this fall. You can purchase these polishes from the Kawaii Etsy shop for $8.50 each HERE and follow Kawaii on Facebook HERE.

Be sure to let me know which Hogwarts House you would be sorted into in the comments!

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

Try it on Tuesday | Icing Hey Sailor Boy & HK Girl Top Coat

Posted on July 2, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I haven’t written a Try it on Tuesday post in quite some time! Try it on Tuesday is when nail bloggers and nail polish lovers alike try on a polish from their collection that has been sitting there untried for a great deal of time. Yesterday I decided to grab a polish called Hey Sailor Boy from the Icing, and sealed it with one of the most talked about top coats in the nail polish community, HK Girl from Glisten and Glow. Let me show you this awesome combination!

Up first is Hey Sailor Boy! It is a gorgeous, dark blue jelly polish filled with blue micro glitter and blue and green hexagonal glitters. I received this polish as a gift, and I am so thrilled I did! Not only does Hey Sailor Boy have an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, but it is a dupe for the beloved Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe! I just love the dimensional look with this polish — it appears to be a jelly sandwich manicure without the extra work! Hey Sailor Boy is also so shiny and glittery that my camera had a difficult time capturing its amazingness. My photos do not do this polish justice!

To complete my manicure, I reached for the Glisten and Glow HK Girl Top Coat. I received this bottle as a gift from Jill, the owner of Glisten and Glow, for helping her judge a nail art competition, and had yet to use it. I typically use up one top coat at a time, but I was unhappy with the results I had been getting with my other top coats, so I decided to switch it up and reach for this one. I’m so glad I did! HK Girl is the shiniest top coat I’ve ever used — it looks like I got a gel manicure done at the salon! It also dries extremely quickly. The one drawback of HK Girl is that it does have a stronger odor than most nail polishes, but I’m willing to put up with that for the results I got. I was also pleasantly surprised to discover that HK Girl retails for just $6.95 on Glisten and Glow’s website HERE! That is a very good price for an indie top coat!

All in all, I am loving my current manicure. Not only did I get to try out a polish and a top coat that have been sitting in my collection for several weeks, but Hey Sailor Boy is perfectly themed for the Fourth of July! You can stop by your local Icing store to grab a bottle of Hey Sailor Boy for just $4.50. Be sure to leave me a comment below with your favorite top coat as well!

The products in this post were given to me as gifts from two separate people. This post contains some affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Indie Spotlight: Different Dimension’s You’ve Got a Friend in Me Set + Excelsior!

Posted on June 9, 2013July 12, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have some more polishes to share with you from one of my favorite indie brands, Different Dimension. If you love Disney movies, you are in for a treat, because I’ve got a duo of polishes based off of your favorite characters from the Toy Story trilogy! As an added bonus, I’m also reviewing a stunning holographic polish that I’m sure you will love. Let me show you these beautiful polishes!

First up is To Infinity and Beyond, a glitter top coat in a clear base named for Buzz Lightyear. The glitters in this polish fit Buzz to a T — a mix of green, purple, and white in different shapes and sizes is just the perfect representation. I layered one coat over Zoya Neely to act as a complimentary base color, and to really let the glitters stand out. I especially love the neon green circles in this polish. To Infinity and Beyond is just stunning, and it even glows in the dark!

Next up is Reach for the Sky, a yellow-based polish with red and yellow glitters mixed throughout. The You’ve Got a Friend in Me Set would not be complete without a polish named for Woody, everyone’s favorite cowboy. I layered two coats of Reach for the Sky over Traffic Lights from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. Not only was it the same exact base color, but it ensured opacity for my manicure. Reach for the Sky has a great formula that represents Woody well! This is a great polish color for the fall months, or for any yellow fan.

As an added bonus, I also have the stunning Excelsior on the blog! Excelsior is a holographic nail polish that is somewhere between a silver and white base. It reflects the colors of the rainbow in the light just beautifully. Excelsior is opaque in two coats, and has a fabulous formula. Plus, it is one of the best holographic nail polishes I have ever tried! It has a strong holo effect, yet it is perfect for every day wear. I highly recommend it!

All in all, I love the You’ve Got a Friend in Me Set and Excelsior from Different Dimension. This is an indie brand that never disappoints! I love the amazing quality and unique polishes, and I definitely recommend it. You can shop for Different Dimension polishes on Etsy HERE and like the Facebook page HERE.

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

Indie Spotlight: Echoes Collection from Different Dimension

Posted on May 22, 2013July 12, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Calling all Pink Floyd fans! Today I have a review of the Echoes collection from the indie brand Different Dimension. This set of six unique polishes perfectly represents the band’s iconic image from the album The Dark Side of the Moon, and is super fun for summer. Let me show you this totally rad collection!

First up is Wish You Were Here, a glitter top coat that I layered over China Glaze Surreal Appeal. Wish You Were Here is full of lots of fun glitters in the colors pink, fuchsia, blue, and silver. I absolutely love the large circle glitters and the squares! I applied one coat in the photos above. As you can see, the large circles reflect the light and create a holographic effect. Wish You Were Here is very unique, and perfect for the summer sunshine.

Next up is Another Brick in the Wall, a glitter top coat that I layered over Urban Outfitters Freakin Pink. Another Brick in the Wall is comprised of white and black fine glitters, white, black, and pink rectangles, and hot pink hexagonal glitters. There is also a sprinkling of silver holographic glitters for that extra shine. I applied one coat in the photos above. Unfortunately the pink glitters got a bit washed out in the photographs, but in real life they stood out great on the pink background. If bright colors aren’t for you, wear Another Brick in the Wall over a neutral polish for a toned down look!

Money is the next polish in the Echoes collection. It is a white base filled with neon green, neon yellow, blue, black, and gold glitters in a variety of shapes and sizes. Money can be worn alone as it is opaque in three coats, but I wanted the neon glitters to really stand out, so I layered two coats over a white polish. Money has a great formula that is easy to apply in layers, and once again the circle glitters make a very cool statement in this polish. The color combination also lives up to the money theme quite well!

Next up is Time, a glitter top coat that I layered over Essie Play Date. Time is full of black, silver, and purple glitters in all shapes an sizes, including diamonds, stars, squares, and large circles. I applied one coat to get the look in the photos above. It should be noted that the large circle glitters do appear curled, but that is just reflective curling. They lay perfectly flat on the nail! The star shaped glitter also has a stunning holographic shine when it hits the light. Time is definitely a rock star polish!

Comfortably Numb is the next polish in the Echoes collection, and is a glitter top coat will hot pink and yellow glitters. I layered one coat over Zoya Arizona in the photos above. The yellow glitters are hard to see in the photos, but my manicure looked amazing in person with all of the neon colors together. To make the neon glitters really pop, layer Comfortably Numb over a white polish. I think this polish would also look great with a matte top coat!

Last but not least is my favorite polish from the bunch, Hey You. Hey You has a light purple base and is full of pink and purple glitters with a sprinkle of holographic shine. I layered two coats of Hey You over Sally Hansen Lacey Lilac, as it perfectly matched the base color and I wanted to ensure opacity. I just adore the final product! The colors are stunning, and I love the pastel base. Hey You can easily transition from spring to summer, and is such a feminine polish.

All in all, I am loving the Echoes collection from Different Dimension! Each polish has an amazing formula, and the glitters apply with ease. I also find that these polishes are so unique, and offer glitter shapes that many other brands don’t incorporate. I think these polishes are a must for Pink Floyd fans and polish fans alike! Shop the collection on Etsy HERE for $8.50 each. You can also follow Different Dimension on Facebook HERE.

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

My Holy Grail Manicure: Essie Butler Please and Different Dimension Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock

Posted on May 5, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite manicures of all time. I love it so much I am calling it my Holy Grail Manicure! In other words, this is the best of the best in terms of formula, color, polish names, and so on. Let me get right into the goodness and show you the polish!

First up is the gorgeous Butler Please from the Essie Winter Collection of 2012. Back in March I was in a bit of a “polish funk”. Nothing that I put on my nails was exciting me. Then, I got Butler Please, put it on, and my funk officially ended! Butler Please has a flawless formula that applies like a dream and is opaque in two coats. It is also a bright blue color that is just stunning! I am still blown away by how beautiful this color is. Butler Please has been compared to Nails Inc Baker Street, but this is truly unlike anything I own in my personal collection. This will definitely be my go to blue polish from now on. I can’t wait to use it again!

I was loving Butler Please so much that even when the tips were starting to show wear after several days, I made my manicure last longer by adding an amazing glitter top coat from the indie brand Different Dimension. I am a huge fan of the TV show the Big Bang Theory, and my mom kindly gave me the entire Big Bang collection that Different Dimension makes. I had a good feeling that Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock (RPSLS) would look great over Butler Please, and I think I made a great choice! RPSLS is a glitter top coat with a just a slightly blue tinted base, and filled with fine white glitter and white, light blue, light green, and grey hexagonal glitters. The formula is great, and the glitters apply with ease. I layered just one coat of RPSLS over Buter Please, and the result was just phenomenal! I could not stop staring at my nails when I had this manicure on.

All in all, I hope you enjoy my Holy Grail Manicure as much as I do! I love when nail polishes not only have a beautiful color, but a great formula as well. I also love that RPSLS is part of a collection based off of one of my favorite TV shows! There is just so much to love! Although Butler Please is no longer available in drugstores, you can purchase it on Amazon HERE. Make sure you head on over to the Different Dimension Etsy shop to purchase RPSLS and the other Big Bang Theory polishes HERE.

Let me know what your Holy Grail Manicure is in the comments!

Some of the above links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Indie Spotlight: Tillie Polish in Fierce and Fabulous

Posted on April 24, 2013July 13, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today’s post is a review of a fun polish that is perfect for summer. It’s from the indie nail polish brand called Tille Polish, which is run by a trio of sisters! I discovered the brand by watching the oldest sister’s YouTube channel (see Andréa’s videos HERE), and I’m so glad I did! She graciously sent me this polish and I could not wait to get it on my nails. Let me show you Fierce and Fabulous!

Here is the beautiful bright pink called Fierce and Fabulous (and it truly lives up to its name)! This polish has an amazing formula. Application was smooth and even, and it was opaque in two coats. Fierce and Fabulous dries matte, and has a hint of silver shimmer mixed in as well. It looks just stunning on the nail, and is perfect for the summer sun. The matte look is unexpected, but I loved it! You can easily achieve a glossy finish by adding your favorite top coat as well. I did notice that removal took a bit more effort than usual, but when I switched to an acetone based remover instead of an acetone free one it came off much better. I also suggest a healthy layer of base coat!

All in all, I am loving Fierce and Fabulous from Tille Polish! As a pink aficionado, it is great to have this in my collection. The silver shimmer and matte finish really make it unique! You can purchase Fierce and Fabulous on the Tillie Polish website HERE for $8.00. This is a special edition polish that is officially launching on May 15th, but is available for pre-order now. You can also “like” Tillie Polish on Facebook HERE.

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

Indie Spotlight: The Escape Collection from Rainbow Polish

Posted on April 18, 2013July 13, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I am very excited to be sharing three beautiful polishes from the indie brand Rainbow Polish’s new Escape Collection. I have never tried Rainbow Polish before, and I am so impressed with the ones I’m about to show you today. Even the packaging is great — the bottles and labels are professionally done. Here is a quick look at the polishes in the bottle, and then a detailed review!

First up is Wild Orchid, a beautiful pink jelly polish with scattered holographic glitter and blue and purple hexagonal glitters. Wild Orchid is opaque in two coats and has a great, full coverage formula. The polish glides on so easily, and I just love the color combination. Wild Orchid is like a jelly sandwich manicure in one polish!

Next up is Stinging Jellyfish, a multicolored glitter top coat with holographic bar glitters mixed in! I layered one coat over Spoiled in Plastic Flamingo. Stinging Jellyfish has a great formula, and is absolutely stunning! It can make any nail polish color have an instant rock star quality! The photos above don’t do the sparkle justice — when the holographic glitters hit the light it looks amazing!

Last but not least is Tahitian Waters, a light blue jelly base with holographic grains, medium pink hexagons, large holographic hexagons, and holographic squares. I layered one coat over Sally Hansen Barracuda since the formula is too sheer to be worn alone. Once again I am so impressed with the formula of this polish! The glitters apply with ease — absolutely no fishing for them whatsoever! Tahitian Waters is such a unique polish, and perfect for summer!

All in all, I am loving these polishes from the Rainbow Polish Escape Collection. These are just three of the eight available, so be sure to head on over to her Etsy shop HERE to see the full collection. Each polish retails for $8.50, but you get a discount when you buy the whole collection at $49. You can also stay up to date with Rainbow Polish on Facebook HERE.

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

Indie Spotlight: Shimmer Polish Part IV

Posted on March 15, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have the final installment of my Shimmer Polish posts for all of you. Shimmer Polish is an indie brand featuring a line of beautiful glitter nail polishes. Each polish is unique and versatile, and can be worn in a number of ways. In Part I and Part II, I wore each polish alone, and in Part III I layered each polish over a base color. Today, I used some Shimmers to create some fun nail art looks! Let me show you the manicures I created using Shimmer Polish.

For my first look, I asked my Facebook followers how I should use the glitter. Stephanie suggested a glitter gradient, and it worked out perfectly that the name of the polish is also Stephanie! I began with a base color of Sally Hansen Virtual Violet, and then added on Shimmer Polish Stephanie for the gradient effect. Stephanie is full of blue and purple glitters, with some pink thrown in as well. To achieve the gradient, I lightly tapped the brush across the top of my nails and lightly dragged the glitter down to about the middle of each nail. I found this technique to be much simpler than using a cosmetic sponge, and the glitter is very forgiving! Make sure to follow up with a layer of top coat to even out the finish.

Next I decided to do some geometric nails using the scotch tape method. I began with a base of Wet ‘n Wild in Fashionista Lisa, and let that dry completely. Then, I placed tape on my nails and rotated it to get a triangle cut out on either the top, bottom, left, or right of my nail. Finally, I applied two coats of Shimmer Polish in Tracy on top and peeled off the tape while the polish was still wet. Tracy is a gold, holographic glitter polish. I think it looks great against the purple shade of Fashionista Lisa! I also used my Butter London Matte Finish top coat to complete the look. I just love the combination of matte glitter and the geometric shapes!

I was loving the look of matte glitter, so I used the matte top coat again for my next manicure. First, I applied Julep Morganas my base color. Then I grabbed Shimmer Polish in Tammy, a glitter filled with gold, purple, black, and silver! I didn’t want a lot of glitter on my nails, so I applied the polish a bit differently. Instead of brushing on the polish, I dabbed the tip of the brush all over my nail. It spread out the glitter quite nicely! Finally, I mattified the whole look. I think this is the perfect manicure!

Last but not least is a funky manicure of my own creation! I began with black as my base using Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred. I was hoping to create a jelly sandwich manicure, and applied a layer of Shimmer Polish in Vanessa. Vanessa is a cool mix of silver, red, and black glitters, with hints of many other colors as well. My manicure went a bit crazy when I attempted to use another coat of Tarred for the top of the jelly sandwich. The glitter was almost completely hidden! I got creative and dabbed a tissue over the wet polish to remove some of the black. The result was this neat look! It’s unconventional, but I love the rock star look I achieved. It’s also similar to a galaxy manicure! Sometimes our nail polish mistakes can lead to fun looks after all!

All in all, I am still so impressed with Shimmer Polish. You really can’t go wrong with polishes that can be worn alone, layered, and used in nail art. These versatile polishes can be purchased on Etsy HERE. You can also like Shimmer Polish on Facebook HERE.

What do you think of these nail art looks?! How do you use glitter to spice up your manicure?

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

Indie Spotlight: The Divine Collection by Cameo Colours Lacquers

Posted on March 11, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the new Divine Collection by the indie brand Cameo Colours Lacquers. This collection features six holographic polishes in the perfect shades for spring. I apologize in advance, for the photos in this post do not capture the holographic effect as well as I would like. Rest assured that in real life the holo truly does shine! Let me show you the polishes from the Divine Collection.

First up is Athena, a light purple holo that can be classified as a lilac shade. It is opaque in three coats, as the formula is sheer but easy to work with. I love the more subdued of look of Athena. This polish is so pretty and feminine! I was impressed with how quickly Athena dried.

The next Divine polish is Brighid, a pastel yellow holo. It was not quite opaque in two coats, so I added a third to ensure it was full coverage. Brighid has a great formula that is a bit on the sheer side. This polish reminds me a bit of Zoya Piaf, but with more of a holographic look instead of a shimmer. Brighid is so light and dainty! I personally don’t think it goes well with my skin tone, but it sure is pretty.

Next up is Hathor, a gorgeous light blue holo. Hathor is opaque in two coats. The formula was a bit patchy with the first layer, but evened right up on the second. Hathor has a very strong holographic effect. I love this one so much! It reminds me of the coveted Color Club Halo Hues. I think Hathor is my favorite from the Divine Collection.

Ishtar is the mint green of the Divine Collection! Opaque in three coats, Ishtar has a green formula that is on the sheer side. The holographic effect is very strong with this polish, and is quite stunning. Ishtar is absolutely perfect for spring, and could be work for a Saint Patrick’s Day look for sure!

Next up is Pele, a pastel orange holo that I would call a tangerine shade. Pele is opaque in two coats. The color is very subtle, but the holo stands out strong. This is the perfect color for summer, or an alternative to a nude nail polish shade. The pastel look is great for those who don’t like “loud” nails.

Last but not least is Venus, a pale pink holo. The formula on this polish was a little patchy, and was opaque in three coats. Venus leans towards a purple shade, and is very feminine. This is a great holographic for an every day look!

All in all, the Divine Collection by Cameo Colours Lacquers provides a great holographic collection with beautiful spring shades! I love the pastel colors that still have a holographic effect. It’s the perfect combination in my book! The Divine Collection is being released on March 15, 2013 on the Cameo Colours Etsy site HERE. Let me know what you think of these polishes!

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