Category: Nail Polish Reviews

LVX Vegan Nail Lacquer: Fall 2013 Collection

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you three polishes from the LVX fall collection. I first reviewed LVX polish back in May (see that review HERE), and I’ve been obsessed ever since! It has definitely become one of the brands I reach for in my nail polish collection, because I know the polish will always look flawless. Let me show you the gorgeous shades for fall!

IMG_3527 IMG_3528First up is Dahlia, a deep burgundy polish that has a “crelly” finish (not quite creme, not quite jelly). The formula is fantastic! It applies well, and is opaque in two coats. If you’re looking for a great off-black polish this season, definitely pick up Dahlia. I love the hint of red color, and this shade is super trendy right now!

IMG_3534 IMG_3538Next up is Cashmere, a gray creme polish. Cashmere has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. Because of its light shade, I suggest careful application to ensure you are not left with streaks. I just love the addition to Cashmere in the fall collection, as it is perfect for sweater weather, and will look good with any outfit. It’s such a unique shade!

IMG_3546 IMG_3548Last but not least is Azzurrum, a navy creme polish. Azzurrum is absolutely perfect! It is opaque in two coats and applies with ease. I’ve already worn this shade twice since I’ve received it, and I can’t get enough. The formula is long-lasting, and the color will never go out of style. Azzurrum is definitely my favorite of the bunch!

All in all, I am once again quite impressed with these nail polishes from LVX. These three shades are half of the six-piece fall collection, which can be purchased on the brand’s website HERE for $16 each. While LVX is definitely a high end nail lacquer, I highly recommend them. They make perfect holiday gifts as well. Also be sure to like LVX 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. 

Sephora X Pyrotechnic with Gold Nail Stickers

Happy Thursday! Today I have a quick review of the new Sephora X polish that I got as a Beauty Insider Perk the last time I shopped at Sephora (see that haul HERE). I haven’t tried any of the Sephora X polishes yet, so I was really happy to be able to try out one of them without making an actual purchase. Let me show you the manicure I created with Pyrotechnic!

IMG_3467 IMG_3468Pyrotechnic is a bright red creme polish. It is opaque in two coats, and has an amazing formula! Pyrotechnic dries to a glossy finish, so I didn’t even apply top coat. If you are looking for a true red polish, I highly recommend it. In fact, Sephora even places Pyrotechnic in its New Classics collection since it is such a staple color!

IMG_3477To add a bit of flair to my manicure, I reached for some 3D Gold Stickers from Born Pretty Store. The bright red of Pyrotechnic reminded me of a king, so I had to add a crown and another golden accent. I love the way it turned out! To see a complete review of these stickers, see THIS blog post.

All in all, I’m impressed with Pyrotechnic. It’s a great polish, and I definitely want to try out more from the Sephora X line. You can purchase this polish for $10.50 on Sephora’s website HERE. While it’s a bit out of my normal price range, I may splurge on a few in the future. Let  me know if you’ve tried any Sephora X polishes 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. 

Milani Cosmetics Limited Edition Textured Creams for Fall

2013_M_FALLTEXTUREHappy Friday! Today I am excited to bring you another Textured Creams collection from Milani Cosmetics! Back in February, Milani released a set of textured polishes, and I loved them (see that review HERE). I’m glad that the textured trend is continuing on this fall, and that Milani has six new shades on the market. Let me show you the fall collection!

IMG_3343 IMG_3347First up is Gracious Green, a dusty mint green polish. Gracious Green is such a unique polish, and perfect for the fall. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and had no application issues whatsoever. I love green polishes, and this one is no exception.

IMG_3354 IMG_3359Next is Lovely Lavender, a pastel purple polish. Lovely Lavender is also opaque in two coats, and has a great formula. Pastels are usually popular in the spring, but I love how Milani incorporated some lighter colors into this collection. There’s something for everyone!

IMG_3361 IMG_3366Velvety Violet is up next, and it is a gorgeous deep purple polish. Velvety Violet may not have a velvet finish, but it applies well and looks stunning! I love this shade of purple, and I think it would be very flattering on many skin tones.

IMG_3369 IMG_3374Next up is Mystery Mauve, a polish that truly lives up to its name! I love this textured twist on a classic mauve color. It’s still work appropriate, but you can be trendy at the office. Mystery Mauve has the same great formula as all of the Milani Textured Creams!

IMG_3379 IMG_3381Next up is Beautiful Bordeaux, a dark wine-colored polish. Beautiful Bordeaux is the perfect shade for fall, and for those of you that love dark polishes. This color can easily be worn throughout the winter months as well. And, of course, the formula is great!

IMG_3389 IMG_3390Last but not least is Charming Carmine, a gorgeous red polish. Charming Carmine is the perfect, textured red. The formula is great, and the polish is opaque in two coats. This is the perfect take on the classic red nail!

All in all, I’m loving the Milani Textured Creams for fall. As you know, I love the textured nail polish trend, and I love that Milani’s are cream-based. Glitter is awesome, but sometimes I just don’t feel like sporting the extra sparkle. Plus, Milani polishes are fabulous and affordable, and sell for just $4.99 each. You can shop online HERE or check your nearest CVS or Fred Meyer store.

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

Halloween Week | Fall Glitter with China Glaze Nail Lacquer

Happy Wednesday! For today’s Halloween inspired manicure, I put together a simple look for those who like more abstract designs. While nail art is always fun, sometimes a bit of polish and some glitter will represent the holiday just as well. I grabbed a couple of my China Glaze polishes from the Hunger Games collection since I am so excited for the upcoming release of Catching Fire, but you can use any polishes in your collection. Let me show you the look I created!

IMG_3190 IMG_3192I love fall colors – browns, reds, golds, oranges – they’re all so pretty this time of year! I began my manicure with Mahogany Magic, a nice coffee brown creme polish. Then I added one thin coat of Electrify to complete the look. Electrify is a gold and red glitter polish that can easily be worn alone in two coats. I finished up with a glossy top coat and was ready to celebrate the Halloween season in style!

IMG_3197All in all, if you are looking to celebrate autumn, try a glittery look like this one! It’s so easy to create, and represents fall foliage perfectly. Plus, this is a great alternative to nail art if that isn’t your thing. Let me know what your favorite glitter for the Halloween season is in the comments!

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

Halloween Week | Leopard Nails with Sally Hansen Real Nail Polish Strips

Happy Monday! Yesterday I kicked off Halloween Week here at Adventures in Polishland with a DIY Leopard Costume complete with a leopard manicure. Today I wanted to review the nail polish strips I used, and give you a close-up of what they look like. If you’re as busy as I am this time of year, don’t let your nails be an extra task. Nail polish strips can really be a help!

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While Sally Hansen is my all-time favorite nail polish brand, I’ve actually never tried out any of the Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips before. I grabbed the kit called Kitty, Kitty to complete my leopard costume. This kit comes with 16 strips, an emery board, a cuticle pusher, and instructions. I think this is a pretty good value at $10.99, especially when they often go on sale!

IMG_3332 IMG_3334I am loving the final result of Kitty, Kitty! The application process is so easy – peel, stick, file. There really is no drying time needed whatsoever. I found the Sally Hansen strips are packaged almost identically to the Incoco nail appliqués I recently tried out. The main difference was that Kitty, KItty definitely felt more sticky, and more like real nail polish. I think the sealed foil packets held in the moisture a lot better than the plastic wrap Incoco uses. While I have not done a true wear test on these, I am one day in and they still look great! Make sure to follow me on Twitter to see how long they last.

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All in all, I think Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips are great for the girl on the go who wants a fancy Halloween manicure. While $10.99 may be a lot for an everyday look, it is more affordable than a professional manicure. Plus, it’s nice to splurge for a special occasion. Stop by your local drugstore or shop on Amazon HERE to sport some feline phalanges on Halloween!

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

Incoco 100% Real Nail Polish Strips | An Inconclusive Review!

Happy Friday! Today I have a review of Incoco Nail Polish Strips, nail appliqués made from 100% real nail polish. Incoco sent me a few designs to test out for all of you, and I made sure to do a true wear test since the product is advertised to last up to 14 days. Let me tell you a bit more about Incoco!

IMG_2387Incoco Nail Polish Strips are made from real nail polish, and include a top coat, color coat, and base coat in every strip. These appliqués do not require any drying time, and are 3-free. Each pack contains 16 double-ended strips to ensure you find the perfect fit for your nails and nail shape. I also love that Incoco products are made in the USA!

To apply the appliqués, simply peel a strip, place it on your nail, and use a file in a downward motion to trim off the excess. To remove, use your regular nail polish remover!

IMG_2667 IMG_2668IMG_2717The first set I tried was Blazing Pink, a neon pink color that I absolutely love! Blazing Pink was so easy to apply, and I loved the look of my nails. I left on this manicure for one week before removing it. The third photo above shows the significant wear at the end of that one week. While I would have liked a longer-lasting manicure, I had a great experience with Blazing Pink, and would recommend this design!

IMG_2950 IMG_2954Up next is Cheers, a black and gold glitter design. I found Cheers much harder to apply – they were thicker and less malleable than Blazing Pink. The edges would not lay flat, and I experienced chipping after a few hours. I ended up peeling off the appliqués in less than 24 hours because the edges were all coming up off my nails. Cheers was thus a big disappointment for me.

IMG_3026 IMG_3029Last but not least is Garden Party, a floral design with a cream base and orange flowers. Garden Party applied well – not as good as Blazing Pink, but much better than Cheers. As you can see from the photos, the edges did not lay flat on all my nails. My manicure lasted about four days before I peeled off the strips. I loved the look of Garden Party, but wished it lasted longer!

All in all, I’ve had an interesting experience with Incoco! One set was great, one was bad, and the other was just alright. I can’t really give a final verdict of my Incoco opinion without trying more and seeing what happens, but I can say for sure that Blazing Pink is awesome. If you love neon pink and would like a manicure that lasts about a week, I would got for it. Incoco Nail Polish Strips can be purchased for $7.99-8.99 each online HERE. Be sure to let me know what you think 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 Zenith Collection for Holiday 2013

Happy Friday! Today I have a review of the complete Zenith Collection from Zoya Nail Polish.The Zenith Collection will be released in just a few days on October 1, and contains six beautiful shades for the holiday season. Let me show you these gorgeous polishes!

IMG_3057 IMG_3060First up is Belinda, a dark purple polish with blue and magenta shimmer. Belinda has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It was difficult to capture the shimmer on camera, but in real life this polish shines so beautifully. Belinda is definitely one of my favorites in this collection.

IMG_3096 IMG_3100Next is Seraphina, a silver metallic polish. Seraphina has a good formula, but I found it very difficult to apply due to its color. The silver is very sheer, and was hard for me to see during application. I therefore had to be really careful to make sure I was staying inside the lines. Besides that, Seraphina is opaque in two coats, and is a nice silver for the holidays!

IMG_3103 IMG_3107Cassedy is up next, and it is a stunning pewter polish that shifts to blue and green depending on the light. Cassedy has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, and I am loving how unique it is! I wouldn’t necessarily call this a duochrome, but it clearly has a color-changing quality. Cassedy is very edgy, and would look great for a rock star look. IMG_3110 IMG_3112Next is Payton, a cranberry jelly polish with scattered holographic glitter. Payton has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. Plus, application is amazing! Payton is such a beautiful polish, and it is a great alternative to the bright, Christmas red around the holiday season.

IMG_3115 IMG_3119Dream is up next, and is a blue jelly polish with scattered holographic glitter. Dream is literally a dream polish. It has the perfect formula, and is opaque in two coats. Dream is definitely my favorite polish in the collection, and I think it is so gorgeous. I love the dimension and sparkle!

IMG_3123 IMG_3126Last but not least is Mosheen, a glitter top coat mixed with holographic bars and grains. The base is just slightly blue, so I layered two coats over Zoya Blu to get the look in the photos. Mosheen does have a good formula, and I had no problems with application. Mosheen is a nice polish to add a bit of sparkle to any manicure!

All in all, I’m loving the Zoya Zenith Collection! I love that the polishes are unique, and different from typical holiday collections. I would also like to see more polishes like Dream and Payton in the future! You can purchase these polishes starting October 1 on Zoya’s website HERE for $8 each.

 

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

RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer in Hedge Fund from The Crowdsourced Collection

Happy Tuesday! I will have a full unboxing of my September Birchbox up on the blog this Sunday, but I just had to show you the nail polish I received in my box. This month Birchbox teamed up with the new brand RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer to bring each subscriber a nail polish in her monthly box. I wasn’t sure how great the polish would be, but the bottle shape was cool, and I got an on-trend color. Imagine my surprise when I loved the polish! Let me stop talking and show you the polish in all its glory!

IMG_3084 IMG_3086This green beauty is Hedge Fund from The Crowdsourced Collection. Hedge Fund is an army green metallic polish with a gorgeous gold shimmer. This polish has the perfect, one coat formula that dries quickly and doesn’t require top coat. And if this polish couldn’t get any more perfect, it does! The brush is so nice, and the cap is actually designed to give users a good grip for application. While that may sound silly, it works! I haven’t enjoyed a nail-painting experience this much in a while!

All in all, Hedge Fund is everything I could ask for in a polish! It’s perfect for fall, and I have a feeling it will be on my nails a lot this season. You may even see it in another blog post soon (hint hint). RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer is available exclusively on the Birchbox website for $10 per bottle, or $24 for the 3-piece collection. While this is a bit more than I usually spend for polish, I am definitely considering buying more! I’m saving up my money for this amazing brand!

I also entered this manicure in Birchbox’s #RuffianManicure contest! I would really love it if you voted for me. Just click HERE and then hit the “vote” button. Thank you!

Candy Color Nail Polish from Born Pretty Store

Happy Monday! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and didn’t mind that I took a few days off from blogging. Today I’m back with a review of a nail polish from Born Pretty Store, my favorite online retailer for all things nail art (and so much more!). Recently Born Pretty came out with a line of nail polishes that remind me of indies, and I couldn’t wait to try them! While I love supporting small businesses, sometimes my bank account would be much happier with an indie dupe. Let me show you a polish I tried out from Born Pretty’s Candy Color line!

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Here is Candy Color Polish in Number 17 (Born Pretty doesn’t have polish names, just numbers!). The first thing I noticed was that the bottle I received looks nothing like the picture on the website — it is a different shape and brand name. Yet the polish color looks the same and that’s all that matters!

This polish is a milky yellow base filled with red and gold hexagonal glitters and fine gold glitters. It applied very well, with glitters easily laying flat on the nail without any special effort. I applied three coats to achieve opacity, but this could be layered over another color as well. I was rather impressed with the formula, and I actually like the color combination. This is a really unique polish!

All in all, I am really liking the Candy Color Nail Polish from Born Pretty Store. This line contains 10 polishes, each of which is just like an indie nail polish. The best part is, these polishes retail for just $4.36 each, or $38.80 for the entire, 10-piece collection. You can purchase this fabulous and affordable polish HERE and don’t forget to use coupon code FZL91 to get an additional 10% off your purchase. As always, Born Pretty Store offers free international shipping. Let me know if you have tried any Candy Color shades!

photo FZL91.jpeg

 

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

Try it on Tuesday | Zoya Nail Polish in Wednesday, Lola, & Charisma

Happy Tuesday! I’ve acquired some new Zoya polishes lately, so I thought it would be fun to do a review of my untried Zoyas for this week’s Try it on Tuesday. I can’t believe that it’s been just over a year now that I’ve known about Zoya — it’s become one of my favorite brands! Let me show you some polishes that surely don’t disappoint!

IMG_2927 IMG_2929First up is Wednesday, a dusty turquoise creme. While I’ve used Wednesday on my toes a few times, I’ve never tried it out as a manicure. The formula is a bit on the thick side, but easily manageable and opaque in two coats. I love this shade, and think it’s perfect all year long.

IMG_2932 IMG_2934Next up is Lola, a bright pink polish with purple duochrome shimmer. Lola is a dream nail polish! Not only does it have an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, but it is so beautiful. The color is just so unique, and I love how bright it is. Plus, it is multidimensional due to its duochrome effect. Lola is one of my new favorite nail polishes!

IMG_2938 IMG_2939Last but not least is Charisma, a vibrant magenta polish that dries to a matte finish. Charisma also has a great formula, but make sure you apply it carefully or streaks will appear when the polish dries. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and I’m just loving the result. Matte polishes are a favorite of mine, and Charisma’s color is just amazing!

All in all, these three Zoya polishes are just fabulous. I honestly love each of them, and plan on wearing them again and again! If I had to pick one favorite from this bunch, it would be Lola. What about you?! As always, you can purchase Zoya’s polishes online HERE for $8 each.

C.O. Bigelow