Category: Nail Polish Reviews

Manicure Monday | L’Oreal Colour Riche in Tangerine Crush

Happy Monday! I haven’t posted a Manicure Monday since the Alphabet Challenge came to a close, so I figured I would show you the polish I’m currently wearing. I don’t buy nail polishes very often since my collection is so extensive, but I picked up a polish from L’Oreal’s Colour Riche line last week during a sale at CVS. While the prices in the CVS beauty aisle can be a bit more expensive compared to other drugstores, the key is to shop during sales and use coupons. I ended up grabbing Tangerine Crush for a couple dollars during the Back to Beauty promotion, and couldn’t wait to try it!

L'Oreal Colour Riche – Tangerine Crush L'Oreal Colour Riche – Tangerine CrushTangerine Crush is a really bright orange polish with a creme finish. The formula was a bit patchy, so I layered on three coats and allowed each one to dry completely before adding a new layer. I really love the almost neon quality of Tangerine Crush. It’s perfect for summer, but can be used in the fall in Halloween nail art looks, too. Despite the formula being a bit annoying during application, I’m loving my current manicure!

All in all, I’m glad I picked up Tangerine Crush during a good sale. I’ve had a lot of luck with L’Oreal polishes in the past, and especially like the limited edition collections the brand puts out every season. While I don’t buy these polishes often, I certainly recommend them when there is a sale! Here’s a tip – always check out the Offers page on L’Oreal’s website HERE for printable coupons. You can also save by purchasing L’Oreal polishes on Amazon HERE.

What are your favorite L’Oreal polishes?! Let me know in the comments!

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

 

Back to School Week | Drugstore Nail Polish Kit

Happy Monday! It is officially the first day of Back to School Week here at Adventures in Polishland! I thought it would be fun to share with you a drugstore nail polish kit for back to school. This kit contains six different nail polishes that I think are the absolute basics to have in your collection. If you have these six polishes, you will be able to create the perfect manicure for any situation! Instead of telling you specific nail polishes that I think you need, I’m going to tell you general categories and share a nail polish for each category. This will make more sense as the post goes along, so let me share this kit with you!

Back to School Week | Drugstore Nail Polish Kit

THE WHITE POLISH

SinfulColors – Snow Me WhiteSinfulColors – Snow Me White

First and foremost, every nail polish kit needs a basic white nail polish. White can be worn alone, it can be used in nail art, and it can be used under any nail polish to make the color more vivid. I highly recommend Snow Me White from SinfulColors because it retails for just $1.99 but has an amazing formula as well. I did a full review of this polish, so click HERE if you want to learn more!

THE NEUTRAL POLISH

Wet 'n Wild Megalast – Bite the BulletWet ‘n Wild Megalast – Bite the Bullet

The next necessity is a neutral polish, whether it be a beige, brown, grey, or taupe. Neutrals are perfect for interviews, your internship, or any other professional event. I like Bite the Bullet from Wet ‘n Wild Megalast because it is a mauve polish that is still neutral, but has a hint of color, too. The Megalast line is also $1.99 at drugstores, and comes in a wide range of shades.

THE GLITTER TOP COAT

Milani Cosmetics – Rainbow PrismsMilani Cosmetics – Rainbow Prisms

It’s always great to have a glitter top coat at the ready as it dresses up any manicure. I layered one coat of Rainbow Prisms from Milani over Bite the Bullet, and you can see how my professional manicure turned into a fun one instantly. Whether you’re going from day to night, or simply want to change up your nails without redoing them completely, a glitter top coat is a must. I love any holographic glitter like the one shown here, but a multi-colored glitter is a good choice, too.

THE FAST-DRYING FORMULA

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri – Blue-AwaySally Hansen Insta-Dri – Blue Away

Make sure you have at least one polish with a fast-drying formula in your kit! We all have those moments where we are running out the door while simultaneously hoping our nail polish doesn’t smudge. This is especially true when going back to school, whether you’re the student or parent! My favorite fast-drying formula is the Insta-Dri line from Sally Hansen. The line offers a plethora of different shades, but I picked one of my favorites to show you here. I also recommend the NYC New York Color In a New York Minute range.

THE DARK AND VAMPY POLISH

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri – Night FlightSally Hansen Insta-Dri – Night Flight

With fall around the corner, dark nails are sure to be on trend once again. You’ll want to have a dark and vampy polish in your kit, but it doesn’t have to be black. Feel free to choose dark purples, maroons, greens, or anything else that suits your tastes. I chose to go with Night Flight, a dark blue polish. Of course, it has the same Insta-Dri formula that I love as well.

THE PINK POLISH

Covergirl – Tickled Pink

Covergirl – Tickled Pink

Last but not least, I had to include a pink polish in this drugstore nail polish kit! Pink is my all-time favorite shade of polish. It’s classic, it’s fun, and it comes in a variety of shades. My favorite is a bright pink like Tickled Pink from Covergirl. I know red may be the ‘true’ classic nail color, but pink is where it’s at for me! Plus, pink is more youthful, so it’s great for the classroom. I even wore a bright pink on my first day of law school!

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That brings us to the end of this post! I hope you found it helpful as you do your back to school shopping. Make sure to hit the beauty aisle and the school supplies aisle! Use these categories to build your own personalized kit, and you’ll be set on nail polish for the upcoming school season.

What shade of nail polish will you wear to school? Let me know in the comments!

Zoya Nail Polish Flair Collection for Fall 2015

Happy Friday! Today I have a review of the second fall collection by Zoya Nail Polish for the upcoming season. The Flair Collection contains six shimmer, or liquid metal, polishes that coordinate well with the Focus Collection (full review HERE), but can of course be worn alone as well. If you love shimmer, you are going to need this collection. Let me go ahead and share it with you!

Zoya Flair Collection for Fall 2015

Zoya – Tris Zoya – TrisFirst up is Tris, what Zoya calls a nickel liquid metal. Tris is so cool! The formula is absolute perfection, and I love the nickel shade. Tris is wearable while still being a dark and edgy shade. It’s a great start to this awesome collection!

Zoya – Cinnamon Zoya – Cinnamon Next is Cinnamon, a rich bronze polish that was originally created for the Zang Toi NYFW Fall/Winter line. Cinnamon also has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It makes me feel all warm and cozy, and I think Cinnamon will pair well with sweaters and boots this fall!

Zoya – Aggie Zoya – AggieZoya Aggie is a gold polish with bronze shimmer. I was a bit disappointed with Aggie because it doesn’t show up on the nail like it appears in the bottle. I was hoping for a rich gold polish with a green/purple duochrome effect. However, Aggie is simply a gold polish with a yellow gold shimmer. Nonetheless, it is still a nice polish, but just not what I was expecting.

Zoya – Ember Zoya – EmberNext up is Ember, a fiery red-orange with blue undertones. Ember is just gorgeous! I love the glossy formula and the shimmer gives Ember a three-dimensional feel. This polish screams fall, and I highly recommend it!

Zoya – Giada Zoya – GiadaCalling all purple lovers! Giada is a must have! It is a rich purple polish with magenta shimmer. I am loving this polish, which I know I’m saying for nearly every shade, but it is true! Giada is beautiful for sure.

Zoya – Estelle Zoya – Estelle Last but not least is Estelle, what Zoya calls a blue on blue polish. Estelle is another amazing shade in the Flair Collection. It reminds me of my dad’s Mustang, and shines just as bright in the sun. You all know I love a good blue nail polish, and Estelle is no exception.

All in all, Zoya did another great job in curating the Flair Collection! I love fall nail polish lines, and this one is a hit in my book. You can purchase each polish individually directly from Zoya’s website HERE for $9 each. In addition, the entire collection is $54 in full size or $30 in mini size bottles.

Are you going to purchase any of the Zoya Flair polishes? 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. 

Zoya Nail Polish Focus Collection for Fall 2015

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to show you the Zoya Nail Polish Focus Collection for Fall 2015. This is one of two collections that Zoya is releasing this season, and contains six cream polishes in gorgeous shades. I am a huge fan of cream formulas, and could not wait to test out these pigmented polishes. Without further ado, let me show you these new Zoyas!

Zoya Focus Collection for Fall 2015

 

Zoya – Charli Zoya – Charli First up is Charli, a taupe polish with green undertones. Charli, like all of the polishes in the Focus Collection, has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I’ve never used a taupe polish like this before, and I’m not quite sure what I think of it! Charlie is going to be perfect for nail art, but it’s not my favorite shade with my skin tone.

Zoya – Desiree Zoya – DesireeNext up is Desiree, a rich chocolate brown polish. I am really loving Desiree! The deep pigmentation is stunning, and the polish is naturally shiny without a top coat. Of course, Desiree has an amazing formula as well. I think this is a great brown polish to have in your collection!

Zoya – Hannah Zoya – HannahZoya Hannah is a classic red polish, and I have to say I’m wowed with it! If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while, you’ll know I’m not usually a big fan of red nail polishes, just because they typically look weird with my fair complexion and pink undertones. Hannah, however, just works. The formula is perfection as well.

Zoya – Janel Zoya – JanelIf you’re looking for a darker red, make sure to check out Janel. Janel is a deep and warmer-toned red polish. The formula is still great and opaque in two coats. This is a polish that could take you from the fall season right into the holidays.

Zoya – Lidia Zoya – LidiaNext up is Lidia, a deep eggplant purple polish. Lidia is so beautiful! I did experience a bit of patchiness with the formula, but nothing that another coat of polish can’t fix. I’m just really impressed with the rich pigmentation in this collection. It pumps me up for fall!

Zoya – Sia Zoya – SiaLast but not least is Sia, a royal blue polish. Sia is by far my favorite polish in this collection! I am truly obsessed with this blue shade. I could gush about how much I love it for several paragraphs, but I’ll stop here. Buy Sia and you will not be disappointed!

All in all, the Zoya Focus Collection is one of my favorite lines the brand has yet to release. I cannot wait to put Sia back on my nails, and I highly recommend the entire collection. I think it is a perfect release for the upcoming fall season. You can purchase the Focus Collection directly from Zoya’s website HERE. Each polish is $9, or you can buy the full collection at $54. For a limited time, you can purchase the full line in mini size bottles for $30! This is a great option for those of you on a budget, but make sure you act fast before they sell out!

What is your favorite polish in the Zoya Focus Collection? Let me know in the comments! 

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

 

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel | Tribal Vibe & Boho Chic Collections

Happy Monday! Today I am so excited to share a review of four nail polishes from the new Sally Hansen Miracle Gel line. Around this time last year, Sally Hansen first launched the Miracle Gel line (see my first review HERE). I was a bit underwhelmed, but a few months back the brand updated its formula and I was obsessed with the Poolisde Paradise Collection (full review HERE). Now, Sally Hansen has upped the ante again! The Miracle Gel Top Coat has a new formula designed to deliver 2x the volume and shine. To coincide with the relaunch of the top coat, Sally Hansen is also releasing the Tribal Vibe and Boho Chic Collections. Let me show you the polishes topped with the new Miracle Gel Top Coat! Sally Hansen Miracle Gel | Tribal Vibe & Boho Chic Collections

 

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Totem-ly Yours Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Totem-ly YoursFirst up is Totem-ly Yours, a beautiful beige nude with pink undertones from the Tribal Vibe Collection. Totem-ly Yours has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. The shade nearly matches my skin tone perfectly! This nude polish is to die for, and absolutely perfect for the fall. It looks professional, yet not boring, and the high-shine top coat really makes it look great. If you work in a corporate environment, you need Totem-ly Yours for sure!

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Rhythm & Blue Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Rhythm & BlueRhythm & Blue is the other polish I tried from the Tribal Vibe Collection. It is a sky blue polish that has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I am once again beyond impressed with how awesome this polish looks! Not only is Rhythm & Blue a gorgeous color, but the Miracle Gel Top Coat applied with ease and added a lot of depth and shine to this manicure.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Beatnik Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – BeatnikBeatnik is the first polish from the Boho Chic line that I reviewed, and it is a stunning cobalt blue. I am obsessed with Beatnik! The color is beautiful, and the formula is perfection. I will be wearing Beatnik again as the colder months approach.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Miss Wanderlust Sally Hansen Miracle Gel – Miss WanderlustLast but not least is Miss Wanderlust, a coral jelly polish with a mix of glitters. I was happily surprised with how well Miss Wanderlust applies – it goes on smoothly with a lot of glitter going onto the nail without digging. Of course, the Miracle Gel Top Coat adds a glossy finish to this already stunning polish. I’d love to see more glitters like this from Sally Hansen in the future!

All in all, the new Sally Hansen Miracle Gel collections are beyond fabulous and affordable! The polishes retail for $9.99 each, which is on the higher side for a drugstore line. However, the brand often goes on sale and I’ve seen coupons in the Sunday paper as well. I highly recommend investing in the new Miracle Gel Top Coat at the very least! The Tribal Vibe and Boho Chic Collections are now available at drugstores.

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

SinfulColors A Class Act Collection | Back to School 2015

Happy Friday! I’m back today with my first nail polish review for the upcoming fall season. Fall is my favorite time of year for new nail polish collections, and I was beyond excited when SinfulColors reached out to me and asked if I would review ten shades from the brand’s new line. The A Class Act Collection features on trend shades and a mix of finishes. I have five demi-matte polishes to share, and five glossy/jelly polishes, so this post will be broken into two sections. First, up is the mattes, so let’s jump right in to the review!

SinfulColors A Class Act Collection | Back to School 2015

The A Class Act Collection contains a variety of polishes in a “demi-matte” finish. Each of these polishes have the same formula, so I wanted to address it before showing you the swatches. The application of the mattes is a bit problematic – the formula is goopy, patchy, and difficult to apply. I never got a clean line during application, and it was hard to work with the formula. I had to apply between 2-3 coats to get the finish I desired. That being said, each polished dried beautifully. Besides the messy edges, the matte finish is stunning, and I love the end result. Thus, so long as you are patient during application, I think the mattes are worth the $1.99 price tag if you are loving a particular polish. Otherwise, the mattes are a bit of a miss for me.

SinfulColors – Whiteboard SinfulColors – WhiteboardFirst up is Whiteboard, a white polish that looks just like chalk! This polish is great as a base, or would work well for some chalkboard nail art (such as the style I featured HERE). I love rocking a white manicure in the summertime, especially when I’ve got a tan. It’s simple yet fashion forward at the same time.

SinfulColors – V.I.Peach SinfulColors – V.I.PeachV.I.Peach is a pastel yellow polish that reminds me of sunshine. It’s not a polish I would think to buy, but it’s actually quite wearable and goes well with my fair skin tone. I like this yellow shade as a matte, and think it is perfect to transition from summer to fall.

SinfulColors – Pink Break SinfulColors – Pink BreakNext up is Pink Break, a pastel baby pink polish. This color totally reminds me of the typical pink shown at baby showers! It’s lightly pigmented, and it’s great for an everyday manicure. The demi-matte finish is still shiny despite being completely matte. It’s a great combination!

SinfulColors – Chalk it Up SinfulColors – Chalk it UpChalk it Up is a green polish somewhere between mint and pistachio. This is one of my favorite colors of nail polish to wear, and the matte finish is a fun spin on it. I’d love to pair this up with a pastel blue for a nail art look!

SinfulColors – Blackboard SinfulColors – BlackboardThe last matte is Blackboard, a true chalkboard polish! Blackboard is my favorite of the mattes that I tested. The formula was good during application, and it dried very quickly. Blackboard is definitely not a true black polish, but instead a deep grey. It is reminiscent of a school chalkboard for sure, and not as harsh as a full-on black. I highly recommend Blackboard if you are looking to pick up one of the demi-mattes.

SinfulColors A Class Act Collection | Back to School 2015Now let’s dive into the four glossy and one jelly polish I got to review. I’m happy to report that these all had wonderful formulas, and I did not have any application issues whatsoever. I’ll begin this section with the one jelly polish, and then review the four glossy finishes.

SinfulColors – RADient SinfulColors – RADientRADient is the one jelly polish in the bunch. Although it is listed as a demi-matte on the SinfulColors website, the formula is a true jelly. It is sheer, but layers on beautifully, and is a gorgeous raspberry color. I used two coats for my photographed manicure, with a bit of my nail line still visible. I will need to try this out in a jelly sandwich ASAP!

SinfulColors – Summer S-cool SinfulColors – Summer S-coolSummer S-cool is the first glossy polish I have to share, and it is a vibrant robin’s egg blue. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and am amazed with the natural gloss and shine without a top coat. Summer S-cool is the perfect polish to wear to a pool party before heading back to the classroom!

SinfulColors – Feel the Vibe SinfulColors – Feel the VibeNext up is Feel the Vibe, a true orange polish that will be absolutely necessary come Halloween. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and cannot get over how awesome this orange is. If you are looking for the perfect orange, this one is for you! I think it is a must have in every nail polish stash.

SinfulColors – Daredevil SinfulColors – DaredevilDaredevil is next, and it is a hot pink polish with a bit of luminescent shimmer. I am obsessed with this polish! Not only does it have an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, but it is an incredible shade of pink. I own more pink nail polishes than any other color, and I must say this is a fabulous one. I think I’ll put this on again very soon!

SinfulColors – Fig SinfulColors – FigLast but not least is Fig, a stunning deep plum polish with purple shimmer. Fig is not a unique shade, but it’s one that SinfulColors has done very well. The formula is spot on, and the glossy finish is perfection. I actually might unhaul some of my similar polishes now that I have Fig!

All in all, the A Class Act Collection from SinfulColors has a great mix of polishes at the fabulous and affordable price point of $1.99 each. The full collection contains 27 polishes, so be sure to check your local Walgreens and other mass retailers beginning now in August and into September. I highly recommend picking up any of the glossy shades, and Blackboard from the demi-matte finishes. As always, please let me know in the comments if you’ll be picking up any polishes from the A Class Act Collection!

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

Manicure Monday | Zoya Charisma

Happy Manicure Monday! I can’t believe it! This is the last post in the Alphabet Challenge! I’m so proud of myself for keeping with the series, and catching up when I missed a couple weeks here and there. The only weeks I skipped were Q and X, simply because I don’t own any polishes that fit those categories. But without further ado, let’s jump right into the final post and round it up with Zoya Charisma for the letter Z!

Zoya – Charisma Zoya – Charisma Charisma is one of my all-time favorite Zoya polishes of the dozens that I own. It is a matte polish somewhere between a pink and purple shade. The formula does tend to be a bit patchy, but I layered three coats on and let each dry completely in order to get this final look. I just love matte polishes, and this fun color makes it that much better.

All in all, Zoya Charisma is the perfect polish to close out the Alphabet Challenge! You can purchase it on Zoya’s website HERE for $9.00. Now that we’ve reached the end of the Alphabet Challenge, I want to hear from all of you! I found another nail polish challenge on Pinterest HERE, and would be happy to continue Manicure Monday posts featuring that challenge. Please let me know if you are interested in seeing those posts in the comments!

Manicure Monday | OPI Your Web or Mine

Happy Manicure Monday! I’m back this week to continue the Alphabet Challenge. Last week I didn’t participate because I just couldn’t find a brand or polish that began with the letter X. Luckily, I found an OPI polish this week that begins with Y. Your Web or Mine from the Spiderman collection is another polish that I got when I first began blogging, but haven’t worn in years. Let me show you this pretty pink!

OPI – Your Web or Mine OPI – Your Web or MineYour Web or Mine is a frosty pink with a metallic finish. This polish has a good formula that is opaque in two coats, but brush strokes are visible because of the metallic quality. I’m not usually a fan of frosty polishes, but Your Web or Mine is really wearable. I think it goes really well with my skin tone, and is definitely office appropriate. I highly recommend it!

The OPI Spiderman Collection was limited edition, but I found the same mini polish set that I own on Amazon HERE for just $8.99! You get four mini polishes and a collector’s box with the set. That is such a great deal for this OPI set!

What OPI Collection is your favorite? Let me know in the comments! 

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

Manicure Monday | Wet ‘n Wild Chrome Stay Outta My Bismuth

Happy Manicure Monday! There are only a few more weeks in the Alphabet Challenge – I can’t believe it! For the letter W this week I had to grab a Wet ‘n Wild polish. Wet ‘n Wild is one of the most affordable brands at the drugstore, but I’ve never been disappointed with any of its polishes. When I first moved to New York three years ago, I found a bunch of the Wet ‘n Wild Chrome polishes in a clearance bin at Rite Aid for $1.00. I just had to purchase one! I wore it back when I first got it, but it’s been sitting in my collection ever since. I was excited to give it another wear!

Manicure Monday | Stay Outta My Bismuth Manicure Monday | Stay Outta My BismuthStay Outta My Bismuth is a metallic polish with a mix of blue and silver. The formula is awesome – it applies evenly and is opaque in two coats. Stay Outta My Bismuth is a really unique polish. It is both blue and silver at the same time, and almost gives off an ombré effect. I’m not usually a big fan of metallic polishes, but this one is beyond stunning. I’m regretting not picking up more of these beauties back in the day!

The Wet ‘n Wild Chrome line was limited edition, but there are a few listings for Stay Outta My Bismuth on Amazon HERE. While metallics are often popular in the fall, I think this one is perfect for summer, and the chrome finish just shines in the sunlight! I’m so glad I discovered it in my stash!

Do you own any of the Wet ‘n Wild Chrome polishes?! Let me know in the comments!

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

Manicure Monday | Milani Vivid Violet

Happy Manicure Monday! It’s time for the Alphabet Challenge to continue with the letter V. I couldn’t find a brand that begins with V in my collection, so I went with a polish color from Milani called Vivid Violet. I got this polish last year, and haven’t used it in a while. I decided now was the perfect time to put this purple on again!

Milani – Vivid Violet Milani – Vivid VioletVivid Violet is a creme polish in a beautiful purple color. The formula is absolute perfection, and is opaque in two coats. I just love this muted purple shade. It’s great to wear any time of year, and I don’t even feel the need to add top coat as it is naturally glossy! Vivid Violet is definitely one of my favorite Milani polishes!

Vivid Violet isn’t sold in stores any longer, but there are a few bottles for sale on Amazon HERE. I do highly recommend this polish if you love purples as much as I do. Plus, definitely check out Milani’s permanent nail polish line at your local drugstore. Despite the affordable price tag, this brand is 100% fabulous and high quality!

What’s your favorite Milani 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.