Nails – Page 20 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Nails

Manicure Monday | China Glaze Stone Cold

Posted on February 16, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! As you may have noticed, I took a bit of a break from my blog this past week. I’ve just been so busy with school and my internship this semester! Luckily I had a long weekend thanks to President’s Day, and I’ve gotten in some much needed rest. Now I’m here to show you this week’s manicure in the Alphabet Challenge. We’re onto letter C, and I’m trying on a China Glaze polish. Please forgive my winter cuticles in the photos – the NYC temperatures have not been good to my hands!

This is Stone Cold, one of the polishes released in the Hunger Games collection a few years back. Stone Cold is a slate grey polish with a matte formula. It contains a silver shimmer in the base that really makes it look like solid rock! Stone Cold has a really great formula that is opaque in one coat. I applied two above just to test it out. I can’t believe this beauty has lived in my nail polish collection for nearly three years without me using it!

All in all, I am so glad I finally pulled out Stone Cold! It has a really unique color and formula, and I’m certainly a sucker for matte finishes. I do wish clean-up on my cuticles was easier, but now I know to be super careful during application with this one. While Stone Cold was a limited edition shade from China Glaze, it is available on Amazon HERE for $6.49! Make sure to snag it if you want it, though, as there are only four bottles left as I type this!

Please let me know your favorite China Glaze shades in the comments! I love your recommendations!

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

Manicure Monday | Butter London Queen Vic

Posted on February 9, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! It’s time to continue on with the Alphabet Challenge! This week is the letter B, and I reached for a butter LONDON polish that I haven’t worn in quite some time. butter LONDON is definitely a bit outside of my normal price range at $15.00 each, but sometimes I can find them at Nordstrom Rack or other discount stores for a great price. I actually received Queen Vic for review back in 2013 (see that post HERE), but it was fun to use it again!

Queen Vic is a gorgeous deep berry shade with a creme formula. It has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, and dries to a glossy finish without the need of top coat. Queen Vic is a great staple to have in your nail polish collection. It is work appropriate, but still a nicely pigmented shade. Queen Vic is also perfect for any time of year.

All in all, Queen Vic is a great, all-around nail polish! If you feel like splurging on a new polish, I definitely recommend Queen Vic. You can purchase it direct from butter LONDON’s website HERE. Be sure to let me know in the comments what your favorite polish is from butter LONDON!

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

Indie Spotlight | Play Love Laugh Natural Peel Off Nail Polish Review & Giveaway

Posted on February 7, 2015February 7, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! It has been quite some time since I’ve reviewed an indie nail polish brand here on Adventures in Polishland. I’m so happy to be highlighting a company today that is quite unique. Play Love Laugh is natural nail polish made with a fruit and vegetable base. The polishes are designed to be odorless, and they feature a peel-off formula that dries extremely quickly. Play Love Laugh is the perfect nail polish for kids, but of course adults can use it, too! Let me go ahead and share the two shades I tested out, and stay tuned for a giveaway!

First up is Royal Princess, a pink-purple shade with a purple shimmer. I applied two coats without a base or top coat, and I really like the result. The formula is great, and opaque in two coats. It definitely has a satin finish, and I think it looks super pretty. I was so impressed that Royal Princess truly is odorless. It’s such a fun polish!

Next up is Purple Fairy Twinkle, a purple glitter polish. I was a bit disappointed with this one, because I thought it was going to be a lilac base with purple glitter in it. However, as you can see from the photos, the base is nearly clear. I applied three coats in the photos above, and didn’t get any pigmentation. I would definitely recommend this for layering only.

THE REMOVAL PROCESS

Play Love Laugh polishes are designed to peel off the nail without using any nail polish remover. The directions say to soak your nails in warm water, and then peel off the polish from the base of the nail. This process did not work for me whatsoever. I soaked my nails for about two minutes, and couldn’t get the polish to peel. However, if I soaked my nails, then ran them under warm water and gently rubbed at the polish, it came off with ease. I do worry how these polishes would wear for a longer period of time. Play Love Laugh states on its website that a manicure will last 1-7 days, but I’m thinking if I took a shower with this nail polish on, it would just come off in the hot water while I’m washing. Thus, I don’t think Play Love Laugh is practical for adults in its natural state, but definitely great for kids. I can see it as a fun activity at birthday parties and sleepovers!

I decided to do an experiment with these Play Love Laugh polishes to make them suitable for adults as well. I applied Royal Princess with Purple Fairy Twinkle on top, and then sealed with my regular glossy top coat. This made my manicure last, and I didn’t have to worry about it washing off in the shower. Simply remove with your regular nail polish remover. This makes Play Love Laugh polish perfect if you have kids, because both you and your children can get great use out of them!

GIVEAWAY

Play Love Laugh is kindly sponsoring a giveaway! Enter to win one bottle of Play Love Laugh through the Rafflecopter below. This is a United States ONLY giveaway. Please read all of the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter widget before entering. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

All in all, I think Play Love Laugh is the perfect polish if you have children and want to ensure the products you’re using are safe for them. You can purchase the polishes direct from the company on its website HERE, where trios are $27.50 each. You can also purchase individual polishes on the brand’s Etsy site HERE for $9.50 each. Keep in mind that each polish is handmade in New York!

Please let me know what you think of Play Love Laugh 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.

Manicure Monday | Anise Bronzed Babe

Posted on February 2, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’ve been enjoying showing you my manicures each week, so I think I’m going to continue with that this year. One of the nail polish groups I’m a member of on Facebook is hosting an Alphabet Theme Week for the next 26 weeks. I thought this would be really fun to take part in, and so this week I’m joining with the letter A! This week’s brand was A-England, but I don’t own any A-Englands at this point, so I rummaged through my collection to find another A brand. I decided to go with an Anise polish I got three years ago when I first started blogging!

Bronzed Babe is a gorgeous metallic polish that lives up to its name in a bronze shade. It is opaque in two coats and has a great formula that applies with ease. I love the golden shimmer that is mixed throughout Bronzed Babe. It really gives a shiny and liquid metal feel to the look. I did apply a glossy top coat to finish the manicure, and I love the result!

I’m so glad I had an excuse to pull this Anise polish out of my collection to use again. I purchased it almost three years ago in the summer of 2012 and haven’t used it since then! You can purchase Anise polishes at your local DSW store. They are usually located near the cash register, and are often on sale for Buy One Get One 50%. In addition, you can use your DSW coupons on them! I definitely will be checking out my DSW soon now that my love for this brand has been rekindled.

Please let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any Anise polishes, and what shades you recommend!

Zoya Nail Polish Delight Collection for Spring 2015

Posted on January 30, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I’m excited to bring you a full review of the new Delight Collection from Zoya Nail Polish. This collection contains three creme polishes and three shimmer polishes to help you celebrate the spring season. I am always eager to test out the new Zoyas when they arrive to my doorstep, so let’s jump right into my review!

First up is Lillian, a pale blue creme polish. Lillian has a good formula, but I did experience some mild streaking. I applied three coats to get a flawless finish, and I really like the result. I’m definitely a sucker for pastel shades, especially in the spring, so Lillian is a great one to have in my collection.

Next up is Eden, a beautiful pink polish that Zoya calls a “spring flower” shade. Eden’s formula is great, and I applied two coats to achieve opacity. It is a bit on the tacky side, so I recommend thicker coats that you allow to dry completely between layers. If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while, you’ll know that I love pinks! Eden is so nice!

Tiana is the last creme shade in the Delight Collection, and it’s a stunning mint green. Tiana also had a formula that tended to be streaky, so I applied three coats for an even finish. I’m really loving this creme polish. Mint shades are always on trend in the spring, so if you’re looking for one to add to your collection, pick up Tiana!

Rayne is the first shimmer in the collection, and is a unique metallic blue with turquoise shimmer. Rayne is a bit sheer, but has a great formula. I applied three coats to achieve opacity. At first I didn’t really like how Rayne looked on me, but the more I look at it the more I like it! What do you think?!

My biggest surprise in the collection is Daisy, a yellow polish with a yellow shimmer. I wasn’t too excited about this one, but when I put it on I was loving it! Daisy has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats, and the yellow shade looks great with my skin tone. I can’t wait to use it again!

Last but not least is Leslie, a purple polish with a turquoise shimmer. Leslie is my favorite in the line, and has a wonderful formula that is opaque in two coats. I’m drooling over this gorgeous lavender shade. I don’t often wear shimmers every day, but I think Leslie will be an exception!

All in all, the Zoya Delight Collection contains some really fun and unique shades for the spring season! I definitely think Leslie is a must, and would recommend you grab any of the colors that appeal to you. These polishes can be purchased on the Zoya website HERE for $9 each or $54 for the entire set. Please let me know in the comments if you’ll be picking up any of these polishes!

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

Manicure Monday | Essie Play Date

Posted on January 26, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I wanted to share with you my current manicure. I’ve been digging through my nail polish stash lately, and discovered an entire box of purples that I haven’t seen in a long time (yes….a whole box!). I looked through that box and decided to go with one of my old favorites. Let me show you Essie Play Date!

Play Date is a stunning purple creme polish in the lilac and lavender color family. It is opaque in two coats, and has a perfect formula. I think Play Date looks amazing with my skin tone, but I bet it would look great on anyone! I did follow up with a coat of Essie’s Good to Go top coat for some added shine, and because I want this manicure to last the week. However, Play Date has a nice, glossy finish on its own. It’s all-around one of my favorite purples in my entire collection!

You can purchase Essie Play Date on Amazon HERE for $8.50. You can also check your local drugstore and save some cash by using store coupons. For example, CVS often offers a percentage off or a dollar off coupon on anything in the store. Please let me know your favorite Essie polish in the comments!

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

Saran Wrap Ombré Manicure for Valentine’s Day featuring Zoya Nail Polish!

Posted on January 23, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! January is coming to a close soon, and that means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I wanted to create a festive manicure for the holiday of love that was a bit different than the looks I’ve created in the past. I got to thinking and came up with what I think is a super fun and easy nail art look! I raided my Zoya Nail Polish stash and found the shades that I needed. Let me show you what I’ve dubbed the Saran Wrap Ombré!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

For this manicure, I used an off-white base and five polishes ranging from light pink to red. I used all creme formulas for this manicure. You can choose whatever you have in your collection, but the shades I used, from lightest to darkest, are:

Zoya Jacqueline
Zoya Dot
Zoya Kitridge
Zoya Wendy
Zoya Rocha
Zoya Livingston

All of these polishes are available on Zoya’s website HERE.

Saran wrap nail art is super easy to create! I learned this technique from THIS Pin a few years back. All you have to do is paint your nails with a base color (here, Jacqueline). Once your base is dry, layer a coat of another color polish on top of your base and dab a small ball of saran wrap over your nail. You will get a cool marbled effect! Let your nails dry (they will look quite textured) and use a glossy top coat to even out the layers. I used two coats of top coat to get a flawless finish.

This manicure can be a little messy to create, so I recommend you use separate pieces of saran wrap for each color polish. When you’re finished, take a Q-tip or clean-up brush and go around your cuticles with acetone to remove any excess. You will be left with a beautiful ombré manicure that is tied together with the marbled effect. I think it looks stunning!

All in all, I hope you liked this simple Valentine’s Day manicure featuring Zoya Nail Polish! Of course, you can use the saran wrap technique with any polishes and any colors you choose. I will definitely be using this technique more, as I forgot how easy it is to create and how great it looks! Please let me know in the comments if you’ve ever tried a saran wrap manicure, and what your manicure for Valentine’s Day this year will be!

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

Zoya Naturel Satins Collection | Transitional 2015

Posted on January 22, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I am beyond excited today to show you the brand new Zoya Natural Satins Collection! This line of six nail polishes has a unique satin finish that is somewhere between matte and glossy. They are designed to provide opaque coverage that lasts longer than your typical matte manicure, while still looking flawless and super chic. I shrieked when these beauties arrived to me for review, and you’ll see why when I show you the swatches. The Naturel Satins are stunning!

First up is Ana, what Zoya describes as a light almond shade. Ana has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. The Satins have a very unique formula. When you apply them, you think they are going to dry streaky, but as they dry they magically transform into a smooth and flawless finish. Ana is no exception, and I love this unique color.

Next up is Rowan, a light brown polish Zoya describes as a suede taupe. Rowan also has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. I can’t get over how chic these Satin polishes look on me! I would never think to put on a taupe polish for daily wear, but Rowan has changed my mind!

Sage is up next, and it is a gorgeous sage green polish. I really love green polishes, and Sage is no exception! Again, it has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. Sage is also an on-trend color for this time of year (I’ve seen people rocking sage fashion all over NYC!).

Next up is Leah, a Satin polish with just a hint of purple pigmentation. Leah is also opaque in two coats, and has the flawless Satin formula. I love the muted color of this polish, as it is so classy and work appropriate while still being a purple nail polish!

Zoya Tove is another really unique shade! It is a slate grey polish with blue undertones. I applied two coats in the photos above, and I’m loving how it looks. Tove is edgy yet feminine at the same time!

Last but not least is Brittany, a beautiful rose mauve polish, and my favorite in the Satins Collection! I saved Brittany to swatch last because I knew this just had to be my daily manicure of the moment. I’m wearing it as I type up this post! Of course, Brittany has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. If you get only one polish from this collection, I highly recommend Brittany!

All in all, I am beyond in love with the Zoya Naturel Satins Collection! As this is Zoya’s transitional line this year, these six polishes can help bring you from winter to spring in style. Each polish has an amazing formula and stunning finish. I can’t recommend them to you enough! You can purchase these polishes on Zoya’s website HERE for $9 each or $54 for the set. Please let me know in the comments which Satins you’ll be picking up!

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

Striping Tape Nail Art featuring Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Moonstone

Posted on January 19, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’ve been trying to reach into my nail polish collection and use polishes that I haven’t picked up in a while. This weekend I was drawn in by Sally Hansen Lustre Shine in the shade Moonstone. I decided to create a cool, punk inspired nail art look. Let me show you the final product!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Black Nail Polish – Michael Marcus Once You Go Matte
Opalescent Nail Polish – Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Moonstone [BUY]
Glossy Top Coat – Essie Good to Go [BUY]
Striping Tape [BUY]
Scotch Tape [BUY]

To create this awesome manicure, I began by painting my nails with a black base. Then, I applied two coats of Moonstone over the black and let that dry completely. I then used striping tape to create a double “X” on every nail except my accent nail. Once the striping tape was in place, I painted over it with the black polish and carefully peeled off the tape. For the accent nail, I simply used Scotch tape and left a triangle on the base of my nail. Last but not least, I used a glossy top coat and applied two coats to each nail once my polish was completely dry. This evened out the layers and left me with a shiny finish.

All in all, I am absolutely loving this funky manicure! It was so easy to create and it allowed me to use some of my older polishes in a new way. This look can be adapted to fit your personal tastes by changing up the colors or the patterns. I love experimenting with tape! Please let me know in the comments if you like my manicure, and let me know if you like using striping tape, too.

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

Makeup by One Direction Limited Edition Tour Case Review

Posted on January 17, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I have another review of one of the limited edition products from the brand Makeup by One Direction. If you are looking for an all-inclusive set, look no further. This case includes eyeshadows, eyeliners, mascara, nail polish, lipstick, lip gloss, glitter pots, and stickers! I got to work swatching the products for you so you can see what’s inside. Let me open up the tour case for you!

Here is what the Tour Case looks like before and after opening it. As you can see, it expands to three pop-up drawers. This is really an all-in-one set if you’re a One Direction fan!

Here are close-up looks of each drawer. First is the eye makeup drawer that includes 45 eyeshadows, two eyeliners, and one mascara. Next is the nail polish and lip product drawer that includes six polishes, two glitter pots, one lip gloss, and two lip crayons. There is also a UV light if you’d like to see how the nail polish looks in that kind of light. Finally, the third drawer contains stickers that you can use to decorate the tour case. Now let’s move on to the swatches!

EYESHADOW

This case contains 45 eyeshadows in a variety of formulas. Most are shimmers, but there are also a few mattes thrown in as well as some glitters and creams. The quality of the shadows varies dramatically. Some are amazing, while others are not great at all. The pigmentation also varies. I think this is a fun set for younger girls starting out with makeup who just want to play around with color, but I don’t recommend it for everyday makeup use. I swatched the shadows without a primer, and will let you know the colors from left to right in each swatch picture.

Metallic Mint, Khaki, Graphite, Spark, and Spotlight

Night Sky, Glacial, Poser, Mocha, and Dawn

Quartz, Bronzed, Ultra Violet, Sequin, and Blush

Surfer Blue, Mushroom, Cornflower, Dusk, and Amped

London Sky, Midnight, Center Stage, Irish Luck, and Lime Light

Aqua Mist, Spring, Georgia Rose, Melody, and Harmony

Brick, Sherwood, Terra Cotta, Earth, and Faded Jeans

Cityscape, Galaxy, Summer Rain, Lightening, and Twilight

Coffee Bean, Emerald, Sapphire, Amethyst, and Onyx

EYELINER

This set also includes two eyeliners in silver and black. I think it’s great to have these in any set!

Not pictured is also a purple mascara. If you’d like to see swatches of other colored mascaras from Makeup by One Direction, check out my review HERE.

NAIL POLISH

The first nail polish in this Tour Case is Strobe, a white creme polish. Strobe’s formula was a little tricky, but it evened out nicely in three thin coats. It’s awesome that Makeup by One Direction included the basics in this set!

Next up is Blue a Fuse, a glitter top coat with blue, white, and pink glitters. I applied one coat over Strobe, and I was a little disappointed with how many glitters came out. I would have liked more glitter in one coat, but overall Blue a Fuse is still a great polish!

My favorite polish in the Tour Case is Rebel, a bright fuchsia pink. Rebel has a perfect formula, and it is just stunning. I love my pink polishes, and this is a great one to have!

The next glitter polish in the set is Star Struck, a clear base filled with pink, white, and fuchsia glitters. The glitters were easier to apply with Star Struck than with Blue a Fuse, and I put one coat on top of Rebel. I am really liking this polish combination!

Along with a white, Makeup by One Direction also included a basic black creme. This polish is called Street Punk, and is a good black polish. I applied two coats and didn’t have any issues with the formula.

The last polish in the Tour Case is Graffiti, a glitter polish with black and white glitters. I applied one coat over Street Punk, but in the future I think I’d layer it over a non black polish to see the glitters easier.

Also included in this set are two loose glitter pots that can be used on the nails or even as eyeshadow pigments. They are in the shades Voltage (orange) and Shock (pink).

LIP PRODUCTS

Last but not least, the Tour Case includes three lip products. Here are swatches of all three on my arm, but I have lip swatches for you as well!

The lip gloss in this set is Backstage, a red glitter gloss. It has a nice wash of color without being too dramatic, but the glitter is a bit grainy on the lips. I would love this gloss if it didn’t contain glitter, but if you like glitter you would love this!

Next up is a pink Lip Crayon. I’m really liking the formula of these lip crayons. They apply super easily and have a matte finish. You can, of course, add gloss on top, but I like the matte look. Be forewarned, though – these stain! That’s a benefit if you want it to last though eating and drinking, though.

Finally, there is also a true red Lip Crayon. I’m really impressed with the great quality of this lipstick. I definitely think it’s a highlight in the tour case for sure!

All in all, the Makeup by One Direction Tour Case is chock full of a ton of fun makeup products. I do recommend this case for One Direction fans, or for those who are just getting started with makeup. The quality is not the best on the eyeshadows, and some of the other products could have better formulations as well. However, for a full case that retails $49.95, I would definitely consider whether that price is worth it for you. If you’re looking for a good deal, check out the sale going on right now at Macy’s, where you can snag the tour case for 50% off HERE! As always, you can like Makeup by One Direction on Facebook HERE to stay up to date with the brand. Please let me know your thoughts on the Tour Case in the comments!

This product was provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.