Nail Polish Reviews – Page 13 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Nail Polish Reviews

Manicure Monday | China Glaze in Surreal Appeal

Posted on November 16, 2015November 10, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Manicure Monday! Today I have another polish to share with you that I swatched during my great destash project. It’s no secret that I love pink nail polish. In fact, it’s the color of polish that I have the biggest variety of in my collection. I decided it was time to pare down my pink polishes, so I carefully picked out a few that I knew I had dupes of, or whose formulas just weren’t that great. I put China Glaze in Surreal Appeal aside, and decided to swatch it. I’m so glad I did! Let me show you this beautiful polish!

Surreal Appeal is a neon pink polish that leans towards coral. The formula is excellent, applies smoothly, and is opaque in two coats. Surreal Appeal looks amazing with my skin tone, and I can’t believe I haven’t worn this more! I think it’s been about two years since I reached for this polish, but that’s due to the sheer volume of pinks I own. It got lost amongst all the other pretty bottles!

All in all, I am loving China Glaze in Surreal Appeal. Decluttering my nail polish collection is a slow process, and difficult for someone who is a collector and blogger. That being said, it’s refreshing to get rid of polishes that I’m not in love with, because now I can focus on the truly stunning ones like Surreal Appeal. You can purchase Surreal Appeal on Amazon HERE for around $6.00. I highly recommend you pick this one up for your stash!

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

The Perfect Fall Nail Color | Milani Cosmetics in Canyon Country

Posted on November 13, 2015November 9, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! One of the polishes that I’ve rediscovered in my nail polish destash project is Canyon Country from Milani Cosmetics. I typically reach for dark polishes in the fall, but I’m so glad I took the opportunity to swatch Canyon Country! I think I’ve found the perfect fall nail color, and I’m excited to share it with you. It’s been a couple years since it first appeared on the blog (see that post HERE), so it’s definitely time for another post!

Canyon Country is a burnt orange nail polish with a creme finish. It has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. I am obsessing over the smooth finish! I’m not wearing a top coat in these photos, and my manicure looks awesome. Plus, Canyon Country is a color that I think will look great on anyone no matter the skin color. It’s warm and cozy, and will go perfectly with your fall sweaters and boots. Plus, Canyon Country will work really well in nail art. It’s an all-around great polish!

All in all, I’m so glad I took the time to swatch Canyon Country before I destashed it. Some polishes just don’t look as exciting in the bottle as they do on the nails, and this is definitely one of them. While this particular Milani polish is retired, it can still be found on Amazon HERE for a reasonable price. I highly recommend picking it up for your collection!

What is your perfect fall nail color? Let me know in the comments!

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

Manicure Monday | Milani Color Statement in Mint Crush

Posted on November 9, 2015November 3, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Manicure Monday! Today I’m sharing another nail polish that I recently swatched as a part of my great destash project (learn more about that HERE). For some reason when I picked up Mint Crush from the Milani Color Statement line, I wasn’t thrilled with the color in the bottle. It looked like a polish I had a dupe of, and I set it aside in the ‘maybe’ pile. I’m so glad I decided to swatch it before giving it away! Let me show you this beautiful polish!

Mint Crush is a pastel blue polish with a creme finish. It has a perfect formula that is opaque in one to two coats! You can definitely get away with one coat, but I did two in the photos above just out of habit. I am beyond impressed with the formula and the stunning color. This is definitely a case where the polish is more exciting on the nails than in the bottle. I’m crushing on Mint Crush! While I usually wear pastel polishes more in the spring, this blue shade is also perfect for winter. I’ll have to remember that in January!

All in all, I highly recommend Mint Crush from Milani. You can pick up this polish at your local drugstore, or online HERE for just $3.99. I’ve had such great luck with Milani nail polishes, and now I’m inspired to wear them more often. I’m glad I rediscovered this in my destash process!

What is your favorite Milani nail polish? Let me know in the comments!

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

Color Club Halo Hues in Cloud Nine

Posted on November 4, 2015November 3, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! I’ve recently begun to declutter my nail polish collection once again. It is definitely a huge project, and a difficult one at that. While I am a collector and blogger, I also don’t want to own too many nail polishes simply for emotional reasons. I’ve decided to go through one box of polish at a time and destash on a smaller scale. Part of my process includes swatching polishes that I’m unsure whether or not I should keep. I decided to share these polishes with all of you as I continue on this process! Today I’m featuring a polish I’ve never even tried before, and that is Cloud Nine from the Color Club Halo Hues collection.

Color Club released its first Halo Hues Collection back in 2013, and I picked up Cloud Nine because I found it really beautiful. I was so excited when I picked it up, but for some reason never used it. Well, I am embarrassed I waited so long! Cloud Nine is a stunning pale pink polish with a holographic finish. It has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. The holographic effect is really strong, and definitely one of the best I’ve experienced. I don’t wear holographic polishes often, but I will be sure to reach for this one again soon!

All in all, if you can get your hands on a bottle of Color Club Cloud Nine, I highly recommend you do so! This polish is a couple years old now, so it is a bit more hard to find. Nonetheless, the lesson today is to try every nail polish you buy! I’m so glad I finally tested this one!

Do you own any Color Club Halo Hues? Let me know in the comments!

Halloween Week | Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Electra-Cute and Blacky O

Posted on October 23, 2015October 22, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s the last day of Halloween Week here on the blog (a DIY video will be up on YouTube tomorrow, though!). I’ve got a review of the two new Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Halloween nail polishes to share. In addition to my regular swatches, I’ve also done side-by-side comparison swatches of this year’s polishes versus last year’s. That way if you purchased the Sally Hansen Halloween polishes last year, you’ll know if these are a must have for you. The Miracle Gel line has grown to be a huge favorite of mine this past year, and I’m excited to share these limited edition shades with you. Let me show you Electra-Cute and Blacky O!

First up is Electra-Cute, a bright orange creme polish. I used two coats of Electra-Cute and finished up with the Miracle Gel Top Coat. The formula is excellent, and I’m loving this orange shade. Electra-Cute is great for nail art, or on its own!

Here are side-by-side swatches of Electra-Cute (pinky and ring fingers) and Pumpkin King (middle and pointer fingers). As you can see, the shades are nearly identical. I prefer the high gloss formula of Electra-Cute to the Insta-Dri formula of Pumpkin King (reviewed HERE), but if you already have Pumpkin King there is no need for Electra-Cute in your collection. I can’t tell a difference based on nail polish color alone!

Next up is Blacky O, a stunning black creme polish. Blacky O has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. It looks amazing on its own, but even better with the Miracle Gel Top Coat. I think this is now my go to black polish. I just love the formula and shiny finish! Blacky O is definitely a must have polish.

All in all, Sally Hansen created two more amazing Miracle Gel polishes just in time for Halloween! Make sure to check the limited edition displays at your local drugstore to get your hands on these. They retail for $9.99 each, but keep an eye out for sales and coupons! I highly recommend both polishes, and the Miracle Gel Top Coat is a favorite of mine. They are must for Halloween, or any time of year!

Have you tried the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel line? Let me know in the comments!

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

Madam Glam Fall 2015 Collection | Swatches & Review

Posted on October 9, 2015October 3, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to bring you swatches and a review of even more fall nail polishes! The boutique brand Madam Glam recently released a bunch of new nail polish shades for the fall season, and provided me with five to review for all of you. I decided to choose some dark polishes and some glitters. Now that fall is in full swing and the weather is getting much cooler, I’m all about darks! Let me show you the polishes I picked out!

First up is High Standards, a deep oxblood polish with a creme finish. High Standards has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. The polish is a bit on the goopy side, so I recommend thin layers that you let dry completely. High Standards is so chic! As I’m writing this post I’m looking at the swatches above and thinking I need to put this polish on again as soon as possible!

Next up is Another Glass, a deep berry wine polish packed with shimmer. This is by far my favorite polish of the bunch. The formula is perfection, and I applied two coats for opacity. I really love the dimension with Another Glass. It’s great for fall and for the holidays as well.

Endless Night is up next, and it is a deep indigo creme polish. Endless Night has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, but it is a stainer! I had on base coat and a few of my nails were blue upon removal. I recommend applying two healthy layers of base coat before using Endless Night, and make sure your base is completely dry. This polish is gorgeous, so I’m going to brave the stains for it!

Next is Holo Fever, a purple based polish packed with holographic microglitter. Holo Fever has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. It is on the thick side, so I recommend thin coats that you allow to dry completely before adding another layer. I added a glossy top coat to the manicure to even out the glitter, and I think it is super fun! Purple and holo glitter make a great combination.

Last but not least is More Diamonds Please, a silver polish with holographic microglitter. More Diamonds Please has a tricky formula that is very thick and goopy, but also sheer. I layered on two coats and did not achieve opacity, but because of the thickness of the polish, I couldn’t add a third coat. More Diamonds Please is beautiful, but I’d recommend using one thin coat as a topper on another manicure.

All in all, Madam Glam has a lot of fall nail polish options in a variety of shades and finishes. I’m really loving Another Glass, and High Standards is gorgeous, too. You can purchase these polishes directly from the Madam Glam website HERE. Polishes are $10.95 each, but if you buy 6 products you can get 50% off with the code GET3FREE, which is an amazing deal! The five polishes I’ve shared with you are just a few of the polishes Madam Glam has to offer, so be sure to check out the website for the full range.

Have you tried Madam Glam nail polish?! What shade is your favorite?

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

My Top 5 Dark Nail Polishes for Fall | #FallintoPolishland

Posted on September 28, 2015September 16, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! My fall nail polish series #FallintoPolishland continues today with my top five dark nail polishes. When I first began my blog three and a half years ago, I absolutely avoided dark polishes! I was into brights and neons, but when I first received dark nail polishes for review I was converted. I now absolutely love dark polishes, especially in the colder months. Let me go ahead and share my favorites with you!

LVX – Dahlia [BUY]

First up is Dahlia from the high end brand LVX. This is a deep crimson polish that has a great formula. Dahlia is perfect for those of us who don’t like the traditional red nail. It looks beautiful even on those with the fairest skin tone. LVX is a vegan brand, so I think it’s worth the higher price tag!

Covergirl – Sapphire Flare [BUY]

I, of course, have to include a couple dark blue polishes, as blue is my go-to shade in the fall. Sapphire Flare from Covergirl is a great option from the drugstore. It is a navy polish that is opaque in two coats. While dark, the polish is still very blue in color. Plus, this shade is great for nail art as well!

Milani – Ink Spot [BUY]

Next up is Ink Spot from Milani, an even darker blue polish. Ink Spot has an amazing, high-gloss formula. It is nearly black, but still has a rich blue pigmentation. Ink Spot also has undertones of purple, so take that into consideration when you’re deciding between it and Sapphire Flare!

Julep – Brandt [BUY]

One of my all-time favorite Juleps is Brandt, an off-black polish from the Trina Turk collection. Brandt has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. It looks good with any outfit because the color is not a stark black. Brandt looks great layered under glitter, or on its own! It’s been a staple of mine for the past three years.

Michael Marcus – Once You Go Matte [BUY]

Last but not least is Once You Go Matte from Michael Marcus. I really love matte nail polish, and it’s always a bonus when a polish has a matte formula because I don’t have to reach for a separate top coat. Once You Go Matte has an amazing formula that dries quickly. I’ve worn it countless times since I got it!

That wraps up another #FallintoPolishland post! I hope you were inspired to grab some of your dark nail polishes out of the back of your collection to wear this season. If you’ve shied away from darks in the past, now is the perfect time to try them out! Of course, please share your favorite dark nail polishes with me in the comments!

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

My Top 5 Metallic Nail Polishes for Fall | #FallintoPolishland

Posted on September 21, 2015September 21, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! My fall nail polish series called #FallintoPolishland continues this week with my top five metallic nail polishes. I’m usually not a big fan of metallic nail polishes, but there is something about the fall season that makes me want to wear them! I usually associate fall with nature, so I guess it makes sense that I go for polishes styled after elements. I reached into my nail polish collection to find my favorite metallics that are still available for purchase. Let me go ahead and share them with you!

Julep – Isla [BUY]

First up is Julep Isla, a white metallic polish. Isla has a good formula that is opaque in three coats. I’ve used this polish a ton over the years! It’s great on its own, but I’ve used it under a lot of glitter top coats. The metallic finish adds a lot of shine, and is the perfect base. Isla is also a good transitional polish to take you from fall into winter.

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear – Celeb City [BUY]

Next up is Celeb City from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. Celeb City is the perfect silver polish, and is the only polish in my entire nail polish collection for which I keep a back-up bottle. The formula is perfection, and is opaque in two coats. I highly recommend Celeb City!

Zoya – Brooklyn [BUY]

While I have tried a lot of gold polishes over the years, Zoya Brooklyn is the best metallic gold for sure. The formula is good, and is opaque in two coats. Brooklyn does show a lot of brush strokes, and while that is normal for metallic formulas, I recommend being precise in your application for a cleaner look. Brooklyn also has a stunning holographic shimmer, which adds a lot of dimension.

Milani Color Statement – Bronze [BUY]

Next up is Bronze from Milani, which is a pink-based bronze polish. Bronze has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I really love the liquid metal effect in Bronze. Plus, the pink undertones give the polish an almost rose gold look. Bronze can be paired with any outfit this fall as well.

Zoya – Claudine [BUY]

Last but not least is Claudine from Zoya, a graphite metallic polish. Claudine is absolutely stunning, and has an awesome formula. I love how glossy Claudine is without top coat, too. Claudine is perfect to pair with leather jackets and cozy sweaters. I think this is a must have in your collection!

That wraps up today’s #FallintoPolishland post! Make sure to let me know in the comments what your favorite metallic nail polishes are, and stay tuned for another installment of #FallintoPolishland post next week!

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

My Top 5 Green Nail Polishes for Fall | #FallintoPolishland

Posted on September 14, 2015September 5, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today starts off a brand new series on my blog called #FallintoPolishland! Fall is my favorite season, and there are a lot of nail polishes that I especially enjoy wearing in the fall months. I decided to put together a few blog posts each featuring a particular nail polish family. Today I’m showing off my top five green nail polishes for fall. Green is one of my favorite colors, and I especially love it in nail polish form. Let me show you the polishes I picked out to share with all of you!

OPI – Stranger Tides [BUY]

OPI Stranger Tides is a beautiful muted green from the On Stranger Tides Collection that came out a few years back in celebration of Pirates of the Caribbean. Strander Tides has an awesome formula that is opaque in three coats. The muted shade is great for transitioning from summer to fall, and is perfect for those who don’t like dark shades. Stranger Tides is also office appropriate, as it can pass for a neutral shade.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics – Chlorophyll [BUY]

Next up is Chlorophyll from Obsessive Compulsive Cosemtics. This is a richly pigmented teal polish. Chlorophyll has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. This nail polish will look great on every skin tone, and looks beautiful when paired with a gold glitter. While Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is more of a higher end brand, the entire brand is 100% vegan and cruelty free. I highly recommend it!

Essie – Stylenomics [BUY]

The last creme formula I have to share is Stylenomics from Essie. Stylenomics is a very dark green that is nearly black. The formula is amazing and opaque in two coats. I really love Stylenomics, and wear it every fall. While this polish is from an older Essie collection, I found it on Kohl’s website! You never know where you’ll find older collections.

RUFFIAN – Hedge Fund [BUY]

Next up is Hedge Fund from the Birchbox Exclusive brand RUFFIAN. I’ve been in love with this polish ever since I received it, so if you’ve been an Adventures in Polishland reader for a while you’ve probably seen me gush over this in the past. Hedge Fund is an army green with gold shimmer. The formula is perfection, and so is the wear. It’s now only available for purchase in a kit, but if you’re interested I say go for it!

Julep – Marion [BUY]

Last but not least is Julep Marion, a deep teal polish with silver shimmer. Marion has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. It’s perfect for fall, and for the holiday season. Marion has a super glossy finish, so you can skip the top coat and save time. Make sure to shop using Ebates to earn 5% cash back when you shop on Julep’s website.

That brings us to the end of the first #FallintoPolishland post! I hope you liked seeing my favorite green nail polishes for fall. Next week this series will continue, so make sure to follow my blog to see when those posts go live!

What are your favorite green nail polishes for fall?! Let me know in the comments!

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

Julep Mystery Box Swatches | High End Nail Polish for $2

Posted on September 7, 2015September 4, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! It’s been a very long time since I received a Julep Maven box, or even purchased anything from Julep. I’ve been on a pretty tight budget lately, and nail polish is one of those things I can easily stop buying. That being said, Julep had an amazing sale a couple weeks back called Savvy Deals. This sale included a Mystery Box with 10 polishes for $20. I was on the fence about purchasing a box, but then my mom mentioned she was interested in the box, too. We decided to each put in $10 and split the polishes! I just couldn’t resist scoring some Julep polishes for $2 each when the regular retail price is $14. Let me go ahead and show you the five polishes I picked out.

First up is Kelsey, a light peach creme polish. Kelsey’s formula is a bit difficult to work with, as were all of the creme polishes I received. It is thick, tacky, and took a long time to dry. That being said, the end result is gorgeous! I absolutely love how Kelsey looks with my skin tone. It is worth dealing with a troublesome formula for this stunning result.

Next up is Jules, a pastel pink creme. Jules also has a finicky formula, but it does dry nicely in two coats. I recommend using thin coats, and letting the coats dry completely before adding another layer. I do have other polishes in my collection that I would reach for over Jules considering the formula, but it’s still a gorgeous pink!

Julep – Princess Grace The last creme I received is Princess Grace, what Julep calls a Papaya color. Princess Grace is the biggest disappointment for me, because I love the shade, but the formula is too much trouble. Unlike Kelsey and Jules, which I could work with, Princess Grace’s formula is too tacky and thick. I had to redo my nails to get a clean look, and they still aren’t perfect. I’d stay away from this polish!

Next up is Paula, my favorite of the bunch! Paula is a purply-blue polish with gold shimmer. It has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, and is just beautiful. I can’t wait to wear this again!

Last but not least is Glam Roc, a dark purple polish with multi-colored matte glitter. Glam Roc has a Stardust Finish, which means it is a textured polish. While textured polish isn’t trendy anymore, I still really like it and was glad to receive Glam Roc in the mystery box. Glam Roc has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, plus it dries really quickly. I’m going to wear this in the fall months for sure!

All in all, I’m pretty happy with my Julep Mystery Box! I only spent $10, but I got two polishes I really love, two that are okay, and only one dud. I still consider that a win seeing as Julep retails for $14 per polish. Plus, I used Ebates and got 5% cash back! The moral of the story is, you can still own high end polishes without paying the high end price. Simply keep an eye out for deals!

How often do you shop for high end nail polish? What are your savings tips?