Nails – Page 22 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Nails

Holiday Manicure with Born Pretty Store Stamping Plates

Posted on November 19, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Despite being in the nail polish community for nearly three years now, I never tried out nail stamping. I think I shied away from it because I knew I would be bad at it, but when Born Pretty Store gave me the opportunity to test out some of their new stamping plates I decided to go for it. If you’ve never tried stamping before I will let you know that there definitely is a learning curve. I’ve been practicing for over a week now, and I am still struggling to get the designs on my nails perfectly. Nonetheless, I thought I would share my first attempts at stamping with you because I’m not a professional nail artist – I’m just a girl with a blog! Let me share my holiday manicure using some Born Pretty Store stamping plates.

First and foremost, be sure to pick up a nail stamper and scraper. This is a reusable set that retails for just $2.99 HERE.

These are the two stamping plates I used for this manicure. I’m using stock photos from Born Pretty Store’s website because in real life the plates are mirrored and it was impossible for me to get a clear picture of them for you. The top plate is $2.24 HERE and I am using the design on the bottom because it reminds me of a Christmas Tree. Similarly, the bottom plate is $2.99 HERE and I am using the floral design on the bottom because it reminds me of poinsettias!

I began with a white base of SinfulColors Snow Me White and let that dry completely. You can then follow THIS YouTube tutorial if you’d like some basics of nail stamping. I used Julep Payton for the green on my accent nail and Milani Modern Rouge for the red. As you can see, I did mess up the red stamp quite a bit, and the green color was not very vibrant. Nonetheless, I’m happy with this result as a nail stamp beginner!

All in all, I’m having a great time testing out these nail plate and stamping tools from Born Pretty Store! I will definitely bring you some more nail art looks in the future once I get the hang of stamping. If you have any tips and tricks please leave them in the comments below! Don’t forget to use coupon code FZL91 on Born Pretty Store’s website to stock up on all of your nail art necessities!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Zoya Nail Polish Wishes Collection for Holiday 2014!

Posted on October 28, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’m super excited to show all of you the Wishes Collection that Zoya is releasing for the 2014 Holiday season! I’m sure you all know by now that Zoya is one of my all-time favorites nail polish brands, so I always squeal with joy when a new package arrives for review. With the Holidays being my favorite time of year, that makes the Wishes Collection that much more special! This collection includes three traditional formulas and three corresponding Magical PixieDust polishes. I’ve swatched each polish with its corresponding shade as an accent so you can see how well they go together.

First up is Willa, a stunning black creme polish that was originally released as ‘Black Swan’ for fashion designer Zang Toi. Willa has an amazing formula that applies easily and is opaque in two coats. I think it is safe to say that black polish is in this season, so definitely grab Willa if you’re looking for the perfect black polish!

Willa goes perfectly with Imogen, a textured polish with a black base filled with silver glitters. Imogen is a really unique polish, and I love the chunky, hexagonal glitters. The formula is great, and the polish is opaque in two coats. Imogen’s finished effect reminds me a bit of coal, so if you’re a Katniss Everdeen fan you need this polish!

Next up is Haven, a rich plum shade with a metallic quality to it. Haven is so beautiful and has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. You won’t have to dream of sugarplums dancing in your head this holiday when you can wear them on your nails! But seriously, Haven is just a dreamy shade of polish.

Matching up with Haven is Thea, an amethyst textured polish with hints of orchid in the glitter. Thea applies really well, and is opaque in two coats. The combination of Haven and Thea is definitely my favorite in the Wishes Collection! I love the rich pigmentation and sparkle!

The next polish is Prim, a velvet blue metallic shade. Prim’s formula is just fabulous, and opaque in two coats. I love the added dimension with the metallic formula, and the unique shade of polish. Plus, this polish also has a Hunger Games tie to it! I guess I just have Mockingjay on the mind!

Last but not least is Nori, a sapphire blue textured polish with holographic silver glitter. Nori is my favorite in the Wishes Collection, and I love the flawless formula. I do wish it was a better match with Prim, but I love it on its own any day! I bet this would make a fun manicure with Zoya Dream from last year’s holiday collection, too.

All in all, I think the Zoya Nail Polish Wishes Collection is just beautiful! It captures the sparkle of the holiday season perfectly, but includes traditional formulas for those who don’t love chunky glitter as well. You can purchase the Wishes Collection on Zoya’s website HERE. The polishes retail for $9-10 each, with the complete set for sale at $57. Please let me know which of these polishes is on your wish list this year!

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

NYC New York Color Midnight Beauty Collection | Black Elixir & Smoky Top Coat

Posted on October 26, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I am so excited to review two of the nail polishes from NYC New York Color’s Midnight Beauty Collection. I’ve really loved the polishes I’ve tried from this brand lately, so I couldn’t wait to test out some Halloween shades. There are four total polishes in this collection, so make sure to visit your local drugstore to see the complete collection. Nonetheless, let me show you two of these stunning shades!

First up is Black Elixir, the perfect black creme polish. Black Elixir has an amazing formula that glides on flawlessly and is opaque in two coats. I am obsessing over this black polish, and highly recommend it. If you’re on a budget like I am, this is the black polish for your collection!

I also tested out Smoky Top Coat, a black crelly polish with grey glitters mixed throughout the base. I didn’t realize this was a top coat when I was swatching it, as the formula is great and opaque in two coats. I love the finished result with Smoky Top Coat, especially because the crelly formula has a cool dimension to it. This is definitely an awesome Halloween polish!

All in all, I really love the NYC New York Color Midnight Beauty polishes that I’ve tried. These retail for just $1.99 at your local drugstore. I still cannot get over how amazing that price point is for such quality polishes. Definitely give this brand a try if you have not already done so! As always, let me know in the comments if you plan on picking these up!

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

Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat | Halloween 2014 Collection

Posted on October 25, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I have the final post in my Sally Hansen Halloween 2014 series to share with you. This time around it’s a review of the two Fuzzy Coat polishes. I’ve never tried the Fuzzy Coat line before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ll let you know right off the bat that they are super fun! Let me show you the Halloween themed shades.

First up is Fur-ankenstein, a green and black glitter polish in a clear base. All of the Fuzzy Coat polishes contain bar glitters, and I love the festive colors in this one. Plus, how awesome is the name Fur-ankenstein?! This polish has an amazing formula, and I applied one coat over OMGhost for the result you see in the photos. I think the coverage in just one coat is awesome!

The other Fuzzy Coat is Witch-ful Thinking, which contains the classic orange and black colors for Halloween. Just as with Fur-ankenstein, Witch-ful Thinking has a great formula and one coat provides tons of glitters. I layered this polish over OMGhost as well, but of course you can customize the base color to your liking.

All in all, I am loving the Sally Hansen Fuzzy Coat polishes for Halloween 2014! Not only do the polishes have fun names, but the color themes are just perfect for this time of year. If you don’t have the patience for nail art but still want to rock a festive manicure, these Fuzzy Coat polishes are perfect for you! You can grab them for $5.99 at your local drugstore or department store now.

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

Sally Hansen Big Glitter Top Coats | Halloween 2014 Collection

Posted on October 24, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I’m continuing my reviews of the Sally Hansen Halloween 2014 Collection with the Big Glitter Top Coats. If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while, you’ll know that I love wearing glitter polishes alone. I decided to see how versatile these Big Glitter polishes are, and swatched them without a base color. Let me show you the sparkly results!

First up is Costume Glitters, a golden glitter polish that leans towards a rose gold hue. It contains holographic square glitters, and is just stunning! I applied three coats in the manicure pictured here, and though the look is not opaque I still love the finished product. It’s super sparkly, but I would definitely wear this whether it’s Halloween or not!

The other Big Glitter polish in the Halloween line is Dressed to Thrill. This is a silver based glitter polish. Again, I’m wearing three coats and as you can see it just shy of being opaque. If you’re dressing up as a princess, prom queen, or anything along those lines, Dressed to Thrill is a must!

All in all, the Sally Hansen Big Glitter Top Coat polishes are so much fun for Halloween! They can be worn alone or layered to get a customizable look that’s perfect for you. These polishes retail for $5.99 and can be purchased at your local drugstore and department store. Of course, let me know in the comments what you think of these glitters!

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

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri | Halloween 2014 Collection

Posted on October 23, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Halloween is right around the corner, and in the next few days I’ll be sharing reviews of some fabulous and affordable polishes for the season. Sally Hansen has some awesome limited edition lines, and I’m going to start out by showing you the four Insta-Dri polishes. These polishes are the perfect base colors for the season. Let me go ahead and share them with you!

First up is OMGhost, a white creme polish. OMGhost has a watery formula, so I recommend three very thin coats. The final result is gorgeous, and the streaking is minimal. If you don’t yet own a white nail polish, OMGhost is perfect to pick up this time of year. It goes well with glitter on top!

Next up is Pumpkin Queen, my new favorite orange creme. This polish is perfection! Not only is the formula great, and opaque in two coats, but the result is awesome. Pumpkin Queen truly lives up to its name. I think this is a must buy in the collection!

Night Fright is up next, and it is a stunning black creme. Night Fright is nearly opaque in one coat, but I added a second coat to ensure a rich pigmentation. I love how glossy Night Fright is even without top coat. I highly recommend it if you need an affordable black polish for your collection.

Last but not least is Scaredy Matte, a matte black polish. Scaredy Matte has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. I do wish the matte effect was a bit stronger, as the finish is a bit shinier than I would expect from a matte. Nonetheless, this is a great polish for this time of year, and perfect to match with your leather jackets!

All in all, I think the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri polishes for Halloween 2014 are awesome! These are four core polishes that everyone should own, especially for this time of year. These polishes retail for just $4.99 and are available at your local drugstore or department store. Let me know in the comments which of these you’re going to pick up!

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

’50s Sock Hop Nails | Easy Halloween Tutorial

Posted on October 18, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! I got a great response from my last Halloween nail tutorial (see it HERE) that I decided to create another one! Growing up, one of my favorite Halloween costumes was a ’50s inspired Sock Hop outfit. My mom sewed me a custom poodle skirt and black bolero, and I was ready to rock to some doo-wop tunes! If you’re going to don this classic outfit idea on Halloween, I’ve got just the nails for you. Plus, stay tuned to find out how to take this manicure from ’50s Sock Hop to Punk Rock in one easy step!

All you need to create this look is a pink nail polish, black nail polish, dotting tool, and nail art brush. Start with a pink base, and let that dry. Then draw a straight line on your pointer finger using a nail art brush for the G-clef. Use the dotting tools to create the noteheads in any way you choose. Now comes the tricky part! Carefully draw on the rest of your G-clef and the stems for your notes. It’s okay if the lines aren’t perfect – mine aren’t! Finally, let your manicure dry and follow up with a glossy top coat.

Here are the exact products that I used in this tutorial, but feel free to use what’s in your stash!

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Fuchsia Flare [BUY]
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred [BUY]
Born Pretty Store Nail Art Brush [BUY] (10% off with code FZL91)
Dragonpad Dotting Tools [BUY]

If you’re going for more of a Punk Rock costume this year, simply add a black and white glitter polish on top of the already existing manicure! That will add some pizazz to your nails and give the look a bit more of an edge. I used Milani in Sprinkles, but whatever you own will be great. For even more flare, use some holographic glitter as well!

I hope you enjoyed today’s Halloween nail tutorial! Whether you’re dressing as a ’50s Sock Hop girl or Punk Rocker, this manicure will be sure to add a little something special to your costume. Please let me know what you think in the comments, and let me know if there are any other tutorials you would like to see for Halloween!

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

Show Your College Student You Care with #AmazonWishList!

Posted on October 14, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias. #AmazonWishList #AmazonHasIt #CollectiveBias

#AmazonWishList #AmazonHasIt #shop #CollectiveBias Happy Tuesday! Today I am so excited to bring you information about the new #AmazonWishList feature! I am a dedicated Amazon shopper, and use many of the company’s features including Prime, the Rewards Credit Card, and, of course, Wish List. Now Amazon has made shopping with the site even easier. This post will explain the new #AmazonWishList feature, and also share how easy it is to shop for your college student through the site. Make sure to stay tuned through the end to find out how you can win awesome prizes from Amazon, too!

WHAT IS #AMAZONWISHLIST?

Adding items to your Wish List has never been easier! If you’re browsing Twitter and see an awesome product that you want to buy, now you don’t have to go searching for it on the web! So long as the Tweet contains an Amazon link, just reply to it using the hashtag #AmazonWishList and the item will automatically be added to your Wish List! To set up your account, simply link your Twitter and Amazon accounts together. Then, get adding! Here’s an example of how the program works.

Find a Tweet that Contains an Amazon Product Link
Reply to the Tweet Using #AmazonWishList

3. The Item is Now on Your Wish List!As you can see from the timestamps on my screenshots, this entire process took just one minute to complete! Keep in mind that your Twitter profile needs to be set to Public in order for Amazon to see your tweet. Feel free to read more about the program’s details on Amazon’s website HERE.

SHARE THE LOVE WITH YOUR COLLEGE STUDENT

This #AmazonWishList feature makes it easier than ever to send care packages to your favorite college student. As a student myself, I know how awesome it is to receive a package in the mail from a loved one. Goodies like candy and bath and body products are always nice, but Amazon has awesome practical gift packs that are ready to purchase at the click of a button. One care package that I think is a brilliant idea is the Proctor & Gamble Laundry Bundle. Not only is doing laundry a huge pain, but laundry products can be pretty expensive, especially when you’re a college student. I would love this bundle!

For just $32.99, you get everything you need for 70 loads of laundry: Tide Pods Spring Meadow, Downy Unstoppables Fresh, and Bounce Outdoor Fresh Sheets. Not only will you get great results with a fresh and clean feel, but you can also save an additional 5% when you sign up for a subscription to the Laundry Care Bundle Pack. That way, your college student will never have to worry about buying laundry products! Talk about an amazing gift! Head on over to Amazon HERE to purchase this bundle now!

I was so excited about this new program with Amazon that I decided to create some Tide inspired nails! One of the ways I stay sane during college is by painting my nails, and my suitemates and I used to meet up for nail painting parties in the common room. We would share our nail polish collections, swap nail art ideas, and just take a breather from work. I loved it! Let me know if you’d like a full tutorial of this look in the comments!

#AMAZONWISHLIST TWITTER PARTY

If this post has peaked your interest about the new features Amazon has to offer, I definitely recommend stopping by the #AmazonWishList Social Shopping Part on Wednesday, October 15 from 11:00am-12:00pm EST. During the party you’ll learn about the featured products and find out about special promotions. Plus, Amazon will be giving away 10 Kindles! How awesome is that?! Make sure to use the hashtags #AmazonWishList and #AmazonHasIt to take part and RSVP to the Twitter party HERE.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about the amazing new #AmazonWishList feature today, and that you will consider sending a care package to your favorite college student. Whether it’s the Laundry Care Pack or other goodies, I know he or she will appreciate the kindness. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite Amazon feature is, and if you’ll be testing out the #AmazonWishList program!

Zoya Nail Polish MatteVelvet Collection

Posted on October 12, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I’m bringing you a review of the complete MatteVelvet Collection from Zoya Nail Polish! I absolutely love matte nails, especially in the colder months of the year. This year Zoya re-released the brand’s six, best-selling matte polishes, and I was extremely lucky to receive them for review. I’ve never tried any of Zoya’s matte formulas before, so I couldn’t wait to test these out. Let me go ahead and show you the stunning MatteVelvet line!

First up is Loredana, a gunmetal grey polish with silver shimmer mixed throughout the base. Like all of the polishes in this collection, Loredana is opaque in two coats and has a perfect formula. The shimmer is quite pronounced in this polish, which gives it a cool metallic look. Loredana is great if you don’t want a super dark polish this fall.

Next up is Savita, my absolute favorite in the collection! Savita is a beautiful deep purple polish with a subtle red and gold shimmer. I am just beyond obsessed with this polish! It looks so classy and divine. I can’t wait to wear Savita a lot in the coming months!

Posh is up next, and it’s a red polish with red shimmer. Posh is definitely one of my favorite red polishes of all time. The matte finish compliments my fair skin tone really nicely, and the red shimmer gives the shade an added dimension. I can see Posh working for many Halloween looks, as well as Christmas manicures as well!

Next is Veruschka, an emerald green matte with green and gold shimmer. I love the rich pigmentation in this polish, and how flawless it looks on my nails. I’m not sure that I would wear Veruschka on a regular basis, but it’s perfect for the holiday season!

Zoya – Harlow Next up is Harlow, a polish that’s somewhere between pink and purple, and packed with silver shimmer. The shimmer is really vibrant in Harlow, and I actually wish it was more subdued. Nonetheless, this is a feminine polish that’s wearable in all seasons.

Last but not least is Dovima, a charcoal polish with silver shimmer. Dovima is definitely my second favorite in the MatteVelvet line after Savita. I love the deep shade, and the subtle shimmer. Plus, it is a manicure that can go with any outfit and it looks really cool. I’m wearing it as I type up this blog post!

All in all, I am loving the Zoya MatteVelvet Collection! Matte polishes are some of my favorites to wear, and I love when polish formulas in and of themselves are matte so I don’t need to apply a special top coat. Not only do these polishes dry quickly, but they don’t chip easily. I highly recommend each and every shade in the collection! You can purchase the MatteVelvet polishes directly from Zoya HERE for $9 each. Be sure to let me know which MatteVelvet is your favorite 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 Matte Cloud Nail Art | Fall 2014

Posted on October 9, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a fun fall manicure to show you that I created using some of the Fall 2014 Zoya Nail Polish colors. I’ve been wearing Margo a lot lately, and decided to add some bling to the beautiful creme by adding in the Ultra PixieDust shades. Let me show you how I combined these polishes!

First, I started off with a base of Margo and let that dry. Then, I used each of the Ultra PixieDusts one at a time to create an ombré cloud. I began with Oswin, and then added on Arianna and Noir letting each coat dry in between. Finally, I used a matte top coat over the top to create a uniform finish. The ombré is subtle, but really pretty!

All in all, this manicure is super easy to create, but really nice for fall! You can learn more about the polishes I used in this post be reading my full reviews HERE and HERE. Let me know how you like to rock the Zoya polishes seen here 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.