Nail Polish Reviews – Page 6 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Nail Polish Reviews

Zoya Nail Polish Urban Grunge Collection for Fall 2016 | Metallic Holos

Posted on August 24, 2016August 22, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share with you the six metallic holographic polishes in Zoya Nail Polish’s new Urban Grunge Collection for Fall 2016. You can see my full review of the cream shades HERE, which I posted earlier this week. Now it’s all about the super trendy and unique polishes that make up the rest of this line. If you are looking for some edgier polishes to wear, the metallic holos are for you! Let me share my thoughts on these six shades!

First up is Alicia, a silver linear holographic polish. Alicia has an excellent formula, but it is a bit sheer, so I applied three coats to achieve opacity. I am beyond impressed with how stunning the holographic effect is on this polish. If you are a fan of holo nail polish, Alicia is a must for your collection.

Next up is Finley, a deep purple polish with a scattered holo. Finley has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I am really loving this polish! It reminds me of Aurora from Zoya’s Ornate Collection (see review HERE), but in a purple color instead of pink. Finley also has a lot of dimension because of the scattered holo effect.

The other scattered holo in this collection is Merida, a deep green shade. Merida also has an awesome formula that is opaque in two coats. I am ready to wear this polish through to the holiday season! Merida is the perfect transitional shade from fall to winter.

Next up is Britta, a berry red metallic polish with red and fuchsia shimmer. Britta has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I do find metallic polishes a bit messier to work with, but I’m happy that there are no brush strokes visible with this one. Britta is a really unique nail polish, and one I’m sure I don’t own anything else like in my collection!

Ash is the other metallic shimmer in the collection, and is a cherry red shade with red and gold shimmer. If you are looking for a brighter version of Britta, this polish is for you! Ash has the same great formula that is opaque in two coats, and is super sparkly. I don’t wear a lot of metallic polishes, but Ash will certainly come into play during my holiday manicures!

Last but not least is Troy, a pewter shade with a foil finish and touch of black and gold shimmer. Troy has a good formula but I did find it to be a bit messy, so be prepared for a bit of clean up around the cuticles. I love this shade of polish for fall, as it pairs nicely with dark clothing and the soft texture of sweaters. It does remind me of last year’s polish called Tris (seen HERE), but contains that gold sparkle that makes it different.

All in all, the Zoya Urban Grunge Collection contains a nice selection of holo, shimmer, and metallic polishes. While I don’t wear these formulas often myself, I do highly recommend these based on the great quality. My favorites are definitely Alicia and Finley, so those are my top picks. You can shop the Urban Grunge polishes on Zoya’s website HERE. Each polish retails for $10, but keep your eye out for deals and coupons! Let me know in the comments what your top picks of the Urban Grunge collection are!

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 Urban Grunge Collection for Fall 2016 | Creams

Posted on August 22, 2016August 19, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I am beyond excited to bring you a review of the new Zoya Nail Polish collection for this fall. Grunge is super trendy this year, and Zoya made sure to put a modern spin on this old school style with the Urban Grunge nail polish line. The full collection contains six cream formulas and six metallic holographic formulas. I will be sharing swatches of the creams with you in this post, and make sure to stay tuned for the holographic polishes on Wednesday.

Zoya describes the Urban Grunge creams as one coat polishes. I agree that these polishes are highly pigmented, but I applied two coats of polish in all of the swatches seen here. If you use a thicker coat of polish, you will definitely be able to get away with one coat. However, I prefer to use two thin coats of polish to ensure a manicure that dries evenly. Either technique works, so choose what is better for you!

First up is Mallory, a bright blue polish that is definitely my favorite of the bunch. Mallory has an excellent formula that applies smoothly, but this richly pigmented polish will stain your nails, so make sure you wear a healthy layer of base coat. Mallory looks much lighter on Zoya’s website than it does in person, so keep that in mind. I used natural sunlight when photographing these swatches to ensure I got true-to-life pictures for all of you.

Next up is August, a grey polish with blue undertones. August also has a great formula, and I think this grey shade will work well with many skin tones. Sometimes grey can be difficult to wear, but the blue undertones bring August to life. I can also see this paired with a glitter polish to dress it up a bit!

Another one of my favorites is Wyatt, a Hunter green shade. Wyatt has an amazing formula that is super smooth and shiny without a top coat needed. I absolutely love this polish color for the fall and winter months. It goes with all of the earthy clothing I’ll be wearing very soon!

Next up is Courtney, a deep burgundy polish. Country’s formula is a bit different from the rest of the Urban Grunge creams, and is more of a “crelly” (cream and jelly) formula. This shade is perfect for fall, and will work for nearly every situation. Courtney is great if you want a twist on the traditional red manicure.

Tara is up next, and this is a deep purple shade. If you are looking for a richly pigmented plum, you should definitely check out Tara. The formula is excellent, and it looks beyond gorgeous on the nails. I think Tara will look stunning on everyone, and I can’t wait to wear this one again.

Last but not least is Noah, a warm taupe polish. Noah has a good formula, but I did find it to be a bit tacky. I recommend thin coats with this polish so you can achieve an even finish. If you work in a professional environment, or simply love neutral polishes, Noah is a great option for you.

All in all, I am really loving the cream polishes in Zoya’s Urban Grunge collection. You all know I am a huge fan of cream formulas, and Zoya has done it again with this line. I know I will be wearing Mallory and Wyatt quite often, plus I need more Tara in my life! Honestly, I recommend all of these shades, and am loving the rich pigmentation. You can purchase the Urban Grunge collection on Zoya’s website HERE. Each polish retails for $10, but keep an eye out for sales and coupons! Let me know your favorite polish in the Urban Grunge Collection 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.

Nail Polish Declutter Update | How Many I’ve Let Go + What Happens Next

Posted on August 3, 2016August 1, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! If you’ve been following my blog this year, you’ll know I decided to really focus on decluttering my nail polish collection. I absolutely love nail polish, and have been very fortunate over my four years of blogging to grow a large collection through purchases and project reviews. That being said, my collection was getting out of hand for me. I can’t even tell you how big it got, but a safe estimate is nearly 700 nail polishes. I decided it was time to really declutter my stash to include only those nail polishes that I absolutely love and will use. This declutter project has been going well, and now it’s time to share an update with all of you on my progress!

First things first, I want to quickly mention the steps I’ve taken thus far to declutter my collection. The very first thing I did was a KonMari style of decluttering with my own spin. I sat down with my entire collection and held each polish in my hands, asking myself if I wanted to keep the polish or declutter it. This helped me get rid of a good group of polishes, and prompted me to do Manicure March, where I tried out polishes I wasn’t sure whether or not to keep. The next step I took was the nail polish comparison stage. You have seen many Dare to Compare posts on the blog over the last few months. That really helped me clear out my stash even more, and this is the place I am at right now.

So, let’s discuss numbers. I did a quick count of the polishes I’ve decluttered this year and the polishes that remain in my collection. I have let go about 200 nail polishes so far, which is amazing! However, I still own about 480 nail polishes. I cannot believe how many polishes I still own. Even though I am a blogger who often reviews nail polish, this number is way too high for me. I know I will be moving again in the near future, and it is not fun to move with polish. I also know that it isn’t possible for me to get true use out of this number. I still need to cut down a great deal.

I also wanted to quickly mention my life changes throughout this decluttering process. I decided in June to switch over to a vegan lifestyle, and unfortunately many of the polishes I own and love are not vegan. At this point I am comfortable with keeping non-vegan polishes in my collection, but I will obviously no longer be purchasing non-vegan polishes, nor will I accept any for review.

Now it’s time to talk about what happens next. You may have noticed that during Manicure March and in all of my Dare to Compare posts I never mentioned my most-owned brand – Zoya. I decided that Zoya will act as my ‘control’ brand in my collection. I am keeping all of the polishes from Zoya because they are great quality and have a vast color palette. I will now be comparing all of my other polishes to the Zoyas in my collection, and might share some of that process on the blog!

All in all, I’m very happy that I’ve buckled down and made real progress decluttering my nail polish collection. I know this might not be extremely relatable, as my collection grew thanks to my years of blogging. Nonetheless, I hope you find this inspirational whether you are trying to cut down your beauty stash or any other part of your life. I know it can be difficult to let go of things that you love, especially when there are memories connected to those things. At the end of the day I know functionality is most important, and I am constantly working towards making my life more organized. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve been decluttering your life, and how your progress has been. We can cheer each other on as we continue the process!

Dare to Compare | Sally Hansen Celeb City vs butter LONDON Diamond Geezer

Posted on July 29, 2016June 13, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have the last Dare to Compare post to share with you for quite a while. I have now gone through my entire nail polish collection and weeded out any dupes or similar shades. I will have an update for you regarding my nail polish declutter project very soon, but today I have a final comparison. This one is quite exciting, as I’m matching up a super affordable polish with a higher end brand. Both Sally Hansen Celeb City and butter LONDON Diamond Geezer are silver polishes, and look nearly identical in the bottle. Let’s find out if they are!

First up is Celeb City from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. I used to be obsessed with this nail polish. In fact, this is my second bottle because I went through one! Celeb City has an excellent formula that is opaque in two coats. It looks like chrome on the nails, and is super cool. I don’t wear Celeb City much anymore, but it is a great polish to have in my collection.

Next up is butter LONDON Diamond Geezer, another silver nail polish. Diamond Geezer has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It also has a chrome finish on the nails, and unlike many metallic polishes doesn’t show a lot of brushstrokes. Diamond Geezer is shiny without a top coat needed!

Here is a look at Celeb City and Diamond Geezer side-by-side. I can’t tell the difference between these two polishes! They both apply the same way, and they look the same, too. I definitely consider these polishes to be exact dupes. I will be keeping Celeb City in my collection, since I like to blog about affordable products, and it’s been a favorite of mine for years now.

All in all, I’m always glad to find a dupe for all of you! There is no need to spend the money on Diamond Geezer when you can save over $10 on Celeb City. I hope you found this post helpful if you are looking for an affordable silver polish to add to your collection. As always, please let me know in the comments if you have a favorite silver nail polish. I would love to hear your recommendations!

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

Dare to Compare | Milani Mauve Medley vs Milani Color Statement Mauving Forward

Posted on July 27, 2016July 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to try out two Milani nail polishes side-by-side to see if they are duplicates. I’ve noticed while decluttering my nail polish collection that many of my nail polishes from Milani are very similar in shade. This is completely understandable, as Milani revamped its entire nail polish line a few years ago. Nonetheless, I don’t need to keep polishes if they are the same shade. Let me share two mauve polishes with you and let you which I’m keeping!

First up is Milani in the shade Mauve Medley, a deep mauve that leans towards a brown shade. Mauve Medley has a good formula, but it is a bit on the streaky side. It does even out well in two opaque coats, and is very rich in pigmentation. Mauve Medley is not a nail polish shade that I reach for, but it is a beautiful polish.

Next up is Mauving Forward from Milani’s current Color Statement line. Mauving Forward is a lighter mauve shade with purple undertones. This polish has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. It applies smoothly and has a very rich pigmentation. Mauving Forward is a great neutral polish for everyday wear!

Here is a side-by-side look at these two polishes, with Mauve Medley on my pinky and ring fingers and Mauving Forward on my middle and pointer fingers. It is clear that these polishes are not exact dupes, and are instead quite different in shade. Yes, they are both mauve shades, but Mauve Medley is quite darker than Mauving Forward. That being said, I’ve decided to declutter both of these nail polishes. I just never reach for a mauve shade, and there is no reason to keep these if I’m not wearing them.

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes together to discover that they are actually a bit different despite both being mauve shades! While Mauve Medley is no longer available for purchase, you can pick up Mauving Forward at your local drugstore or on Milani’s website HERE. Please let me know in the comments if you have a favorite mauve nail polish, or if you prefer to wear another neutral shade!

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

Dare to Compare | Comparing 5 Coral Nail Polishes

Posted on July 15, 2016June 6, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today’s nail polish comparison is going to be the biggest yet. I own five coral nail polishes that all look extremely similar in the bottle, and I just had to test them out together to see if any were dupes. Coral is the perfect shade to wear in the summertime, so I hope you’ll find these swatches helpful if you’re on the lookout for a coral shade. Let’s jump right into the individual reviews and side-by-side comparison!

First up is Coral Reef from the Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear line. This is the most affordable polish of the bunch, and it also has one of the best formulas. Coral Reef is a bit on the watery side, but it applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. If you’ve been following my blog since its beginning, you’ll know that I am a huge fan of the Xtreme Wear line. While some of the formulas are duds, most of them are excellent and can fit nearly any budget. Coral Reef is a great option!

Next up is Splendid Strawberry from Milani’s older nail polish collection that is now discontinued. Splendid Strawberry looks a bit more pink-toned in the bottle, but dries to a beautiful coral shade. This polish has a very good formula, but is again a bit on the watery side. I really like the flat brush that came in this Milani line, as it makes application easier than thicker brushes.

Another polish from Milani is Corrupted Coral from its newer Color Statement line. Corrupted Coral’s formula is okay, but quite thick. I found that it dragged upon application, so make sure to let each coat dry completely before adding another layer. I also recommend thin coats as this polish can be very tacky.

The next polish is Peachy Breeze from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri line. Peachy Breeze is a go-to polish for me, and my most used coral polish for sure. The formula has gotten a bit tacky over time, but it is still easily workable. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and as promised, this polish dried extremely quickly.

Last but not least is China Glaze Surreal Appeal. This polish has a wonky formula. It is very watery, and then when it dries it becomes very uneven. I applied two coats in the photos above, and you can definitely see the uneven texture. I just don’t have much luck with the China Glaze brand!

It’s time to look at all of these polishes together! I’m wearing a different polish on each finger in the photos above, and I think it is fair to say that these are all dupes for one another. I cannot tell a difference between these five shades! I can’t believe I own so many of the same polish color. That being said, I am going to declutter all but one of them. I will be keeping Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Peachy Breeze, because although the formula is not perfect, it is my favorite out of the bunch since it applies well and dries fast.

All in all, I can’t get over the fact that I had five coral nail polishes that are virtually identical in my collection! I hope you found this post helpful if you are looking to find a coral, or if you already own one of the above. Now you won’t be wondering if a polish is a dupe when nail polish shopping! Definitely let me know in the comments if you have a favorite coral shade. I would love to hear your polish picks!

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

Dare to Compare | Milani Color Statement Cupcake Icing vs Milani Cupid’s Touch

Posted on July 13, 2016June 4, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today’s nail polish comparison features two nail polishes from the same brand. Milani Cosmetics relaunched its nail polish line a couple years back, and understandably many of the nail polishes are quite similar from the brand’s old line. I wanted to test out two polishes that appeared very similar in the bottle. That way if you own the original polish, there is no need for you to purchase the new version. Let me show you Cupcake Icing and Cupid’s Touch both individually and side-by-side.

First up is Cupcake Icing from the Color Statement line, the range currently in drugstores. Cupcake Icing is a blue-toned pink polish and has a great formula. It applies well and it opaque in two coats. I think this shade of polish looks good on everyone no matter the skin tone. It is also work appropriate as it is just a step away from a neutral polish.

Next up is Cupid’s Touch from Milani’s older nail polish line. Cupid’s Touch is also a blue-toned pink, and has the same great formula of Cupcake Icing. I never reach for this polish, but I really like how it looks on me as I’m typing up this blog post. I’m going to have to make an effort to wear it more often!

Here is a look at Cupcake Icing and Cupid’s Touch side-by-side. Can you tell a difference between the polishes? I can’t! It appears that Milani rebottled Cupid’s Touch for its newer nail polish line. That is completely understandable, as a relaunch will inevitably include some older polishes. I do find it interesting that the polish name was changed, but perhaps that was a marketing technique. Whatever the reason, it is not necessary to purchase Cupcake Icing if you already own Cupid’s Touch. I will be decluttering one of these polishes, and I think I’ll keep Cupid’s Touch since it can’t be purchased any longer.

All in all, I hope you found this post helpful whether you were looking for a dupe of Cupid’s Touch or you simply enjoy comparisons! Let me know in the comments how you feel about rebottled nail polishes. In this case the rebottling makes sense to me, because Milani revamped its entire nail polish line. I would also love to know if you own a blue-toned pink polish and if you wear it often.

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

Dare to Compare | Milani Popping Pink vs Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fuchsia Flare

Posted on July 8, 2016June 3, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I am so excited for today’s Dare to Compare post because I’m sharing two of my favorite pink nail polishes. Pink polishes are definitely one of my most owned in my collection. I think it’s because bright pink looks great on me, and it goes with almost everything. Even though I wear it quite often, there is no reason for me to hoard multiple bottles of the same color. Thus, it’s time to test out Milani Popping Pink and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fuchsia Flare together to see if it’s necessary to own both.

First up is Milani in the shade Popping Pink, a bright pink polish with peachy undertones. Popping Pink has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It can be a bit streaky, but it evens out well. Popping Pink is a discontinued nail polish, so that always makes it difficult to declutter a polish. When I know I can never but it again, I always feel the need to keep it!

Next up is Fuchsia Flare from the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Collection. Fuchsia Flare is one of my most worn nail polishes for sure. The formula can be a bit streaky, but it is opaque in two coats and dries insanely quickly. In fact, I once applied this mere minutes before I had to meet a friend, and it didn’t smudge or ding once on my subway trip. Fuchsia Flare is my old faithful!

Here are the polishes side-by-side, with Popping Pink on my pinky and ring fingers and Fuchsia Flare on my middle and pointer fingers. It is very difficult to see any difference between the polishes in the photos, but in person Popping Pink is just slightly more peach-toned than Fuchsia Flare. Nonetheless, these polishes are nearly identical and there is no reason for me to own both! While I love both these polishes, I am going to declutter Popping Pink. I am sold by Fuchsia Flare’s quick dry formula!

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes together to discover a near dupe for all of you! I know Popping Pink is discontinued, but you might still be able to find Fuchsia Flare at your local drugstore. Definitely let me know in the comments what your favorite bright pink nail polish is! I am always happy to learn your nail polish loves both here and on social media.

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

Dare to Compare | Madam Glam So Nude vs Julep Lynn

Posted on July 1, 2016May 15, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s been a little while since my last Dare to Compare post, and today I am moving onto the pink nail polishes in my collection. I began my declutter project with more pink polishes in my collection than anything else, so I’ve been really focusing on only keeping the pinks that I absolutely love. Today I’m comparing two pink nudes, one from Madam Glam and the other from Julep. While it was evident to me that these polishes are not exact duplicates, I still wanted to try them side-by-side. Let me share the results with you!

First up is So Nude from the brand Madam Glam. So Nude is a pale pink with peachy undertones, and a rich pink, silver, and gold shimmer that I just couldn’t seem to capture on camera. This polish has an okay formula, but I found it to be quite patchy upon application. So Nude’s formula has definitely changed over time, and not in a good way unfortunately. I do love the end result once I layer on three coats, as the shimmer is just gorgeous in person.

Next up is Julep Lynn, a peachy-pink polish with a metallic formula. Lynn has a good formula that is opaque in two coats, but you can see a lot of brush strokes due to the metallic nature of this polish. I do like Lynn, but my nail polish tastes just don’t extend to metallics much. I loved this polish a lot when I first got it, but my tastes have changed over the years.

Here is a look at the polishes side-by-side, with Madam Glam So Nude on my pinky and ring fingers, and Julep Lynn on my middle and pointer fingers. These polishes are definitely different shades, but they are quite similar. I’ve decided to declutter both of these polishes, just because I don’t find myself wearing them in the future. I do recommend Julep Lynn, it’s just not for me!

All in all, I’m glad I tried out these polishes together even though they aren’t as similar as I originally thought based on how they look in the bottle. I don’t have the best luck with lighter pinks, especially those with peachy undertones. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite polish in this color family is! I’m definitely going to keep an eye out for a good one.

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

Dare to Compare | Julep Evelyn vs butter LONDON Queen Vic

Posted on June 20, 2016May 14, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have my last nail polish comparison in the purple color family. I’m surprised I don’t own more purple nail polishes, as I really love the way they look! Nonetheless, I noticed both Julep Evelyn and butter LONDON Queen Vic look very similar in the bottle. I figured I didn’t need to own both of these polishes, so I decided to swatch them to see which one I like better. Let me share the results with you!

First up is Julep Evelyn, a deep purple polish with a hint of red pigmentation. Evelyn has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. It does have a thicker formula, so prepare for that by wiping most of the product off the brush before applying the polish to the nails. Evelyn looks amazing on my nails, and it is a great shade for the fall months.

Next up is butter LONDON in Queen Vic. This polish is also a deep magenta purple. Queen Vic has a good formula, but it does tend to be streaky. I needed to apply three coats to achieve opacity and get a smooth finish. I think Queen Vic’s formula changed over time, because in the past I only needed two coats. Sometimes polish formulas can definitely get wonky over time, so unfortunately I think that happened to Queen Vic.

Here is a look at the polishes side-by-side, with Julep Evelyn on my pinky and ring fingers and butter LONDON Queen Vic on my middle and pointer fingers. Evelyn is just slightly darker than Queen Vic, but this difference is very miniscule. If you own one of these polishes, there is no need to purchase the other! I’ve decided to declutter Queen Vic since I prefer Evelyn’s formula.

All in all, I am surprised to see how similar these polishes are to one another! I know Julep often gets a bad rep, but while I’ve definitely found some Julep duds, there are a lot of Julep products I really enjoy. The opposite goes for butter LONDON polishes – they are well loved, but they just don’t always work the best for me. I would love to know in the comments if there are any popular polish brands that you don’t like. It’s such an interesting conversation!

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