Category: Nails

Save or Splurge | White Nail Polish

Happy Wednesday! Here at Adventures in Polishland, I always love to let you know how to get the most fabulous and affordable nails. While it’s nice to splurge on occasion, I only like to spend the big bucks when it’s absolutely necessary, so I thought I would review two white nail polishes to let you know if you should splurge or save. A white polish is definitely a needed staple in every nail polish collection. Whether you’re wearing it alone, under glitter, or in a nail art look, white will always come in handy. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to get a white polish with a perfect formula. I’ve tried at least half a dozen white polishes, and most of them are extremely streaky. Let me go ahead and show you my two favorite white polishes, both at opposite ends of the price spectrum.

Save or Splurge | White Nail PolishThe two polishes that I’ll be comparing for you are LVX Fantom ($16.00) and SinfulColors Snow Me White ($1.99).

LVX Fantom I’ve loved LVX Fantom since I first tried it out. The formula is very good. It does tend to be a bit splotchy, but it evens out to a flawless finish in two to three coats. I’ve used it several times both on its own and in nail art. It’s never done me wrong!

SinfulColors Snow Me WhiteI also picked up SinfulColors Snow Me White at the drugstore because I wanted to see if there was an affordable white that I could recommend to all of you. I’m happy to report that this polish has a good formula as well. It is definitely prone to streaking, and has a bit of a tacky feeling, but it looks just great with two coats.

Save or Splurge | White Nail Polish Save or Splurge | White Nail Polish

Here are LVX Fantom and SinfulColors Snow Me White side by side. LVX can be seen on the pinky and index fingers, with SinfulColors on the middle and pointer fingers. As you can see, there is no visible difference between these polishes at all. In fact, I would be 100% comfortable wearing this as a complete manicure!

All in all, my final verdict is that you can definitely save here, and purchase the SinfulColors Snow Me White as your go-to white polish. While I do prefer the LVX formula a bit more, it is definitely not worth the price tag if you’re on a budget. I will mention that LVX is often on sale on HauteLook for 50% off, so be on the lookout for added savings. In addition, drugstores like Walgreens and Rite Aid have sales on SinfulColors as well, so there is always an opportunity to rock fabulous and affordable nails!

Do you have a go-to white nail polish? Let me know what it is in the comments!

Manicure Monday | Wet ‘n Wild Fergie in Miami Spirit

Happy Monday! Today I thought I would share with you the nail polish that I am currently wearing as a manicure. I first got this polish, Wet ‘n Wild Fergie in Miami Spirit, two years ago when I first start blogging from fellow nail polish blogger Polish Monster. I wore it once, and then put it back into my collection where it’s hid for the past two years. I recently re-discovered this polish in my nail polish bins, so I decided to try it out again. Let me show you the gorgeous Miami Spirit!

Wet 'n Wild Fergie – Miami Spirit Wet 'n Wild Fergie – Miami SpiritMiami Spirit is a teal polish packed with teal and silver shimmer. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and I’m impressed with the smooth and flawless formula of this polish. Miami Spirit dries to a satin finish, so it’s definitely great if you love a matte look.

Wet 'n Wild Fergie – Miami Spirit Wet 'n Wild Fergie – Miami SpiritI decided that I wanted something shiny at the moment so I reached for my Essie Good to Go top coat. I love how Miami Spirit looks with a shiny top coat! The shimmer becomes much more prominent, and I feel like I just walked out of the salon. Plus, I think this teal shade is great for summer. It reminds me of mermaids!

All in all, I’m so glad I reached for an oldie but goodie in my nail polish collection! When I first tried Miami Spirit, it was brand new in the nail polish world, but now it’s part of the Wet ‘n Wild permanent line and can be purchased at your local drugstore for just $3.49! Whether you wear Miami Spirit matte or glossy, you’ll be looking fabulous at an affordable price!

Have you tried out any polishes from the Wet ‘n Wild Fergie line? Let me know in the comments!

Milani Limited Edition Bella Blue Collection | Nails, Eyes, & Lips!

Happy Saturday! Today I’m excited to bring you a post featuring the limited edition Bella Blue Collection from Milani Cosmetics. I usually keep my makeup simple and natural, but I stepped outside of my comfort zone to test out some blue mascaras and even (gasp!) a blue lipstick! Let me go ahead and show you the Bella Blue Collection!

Milani Bella Blue Collection

NAIL POLISH

Milani – Bella BlueMilani – Bella BlueLet’s begin with the nail polish in this collection! Bella Blue is a blackened-blue polish that is packed with crystal-like blue glitters. It has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, and looks super rock ‘n roll! I wouldn’t think of this as a standard summer polish, but I love the edgy look it has. I also got compliments while wearing it! Bella Blue is definitely a hit for me in the nail polish department.

MASCARA

Milani Bella Blue Mascaras

There are also three blue-toned mascaras in this collection! Each is a bit different, so let’s take a closer look.

Milani – Bella BlueBella Blue is the first mascara, and it is a metallic, ocean blue with hints of blue and purple glitters. The formula is good, but does tend to clump up due to its metallic nature. I also found that the curl on this one is not strong on its own, so you may want to curl your lashes in advance of applying Bella Blue. As you can see, the color is definitely pigmented! I also think this shade looks amazing with my skin tone!

Milani – Mediterranean Blue Next up is my favorite of the mascaras, Mediterranean Blue. This mascara is more of a teal shade, and does not contain any glitter whatsoever. The formula is great, and very pigmented. Feel free to layer Mediterranean Blue over a black mascara if you don’t want the color to be as vivid.

Milani – Azure Last but not least is Azure, a light blue packed with opalescent sparkle. I like that the formula on Azure still applies well, and that the glitter isn’t too “disco ball.” Instead, you get a nice glimmer when the sun hits your lashes, but it’s not too noticeable otherwise. The color payoff of Azure is similar to Mediterranean Blue, but is definitely more cool-toned.

LIPS

Milani – Bella BlueMilani – Bella BlueThe final product in the Bella Blue Collection is a blue lipstick of the same name. I really like the clear packaging of this lipstick, and I was amazed when I discovered that it smells just like cinnamon rolls! Seriously, it smells amazing! I was a bit nervous to try Bella Blue, but found that I actually liked the color. It is a metallic lipstick, and looks like a bluish-purple on my lips. The formula is light and creamy, but I find that it’s not opaque and I struggled to get a clean edge. I tried Bella Blue over lip primer and with a lip liner, but it actually looks best on its own. I just wish it was opaque! What do you think?!

All in all, I think the Bella Blue Collection from Milani is super fun for summer! I, of course, love the nail polish, and the mascaras are great for a pop of color in any makeup look. You can find the Bella Blue Collection at select Walgreens, Kmart, and Fred Meyer stores this summer. Make sure to look for the limited edition displays before these products sell out!

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

Feather Water Decals from Born Pretty Store | 2 Different Looks

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of some feather water decals from Born Pretty Store. I’ve seen people create feather manicures with actual craft feathers before, but I’m just not a fan of putting something furry like that onto my nails. When I saw these fun and colorful feathers on the Born Pretty Store website, I was excited to see how they would look! Let me show you the manicures I created with these decals.

Born Pretty Store Feather Water Decals

First up, here is the sheet of water decals. As you can see, the feathers come in some really fun colors, and have some glitter running through them as well! This sheet is also $0.99 on the Born Pretty Store website HERE! There are eight different feather designs, so you can pick the one for you.

Feather Manicure | Adventures in Polishland Feather Manicure | Adventures in PolishlandI first used the decals over Wet ‘n Wild Megalast in On a Trip. After my base color dried, a carefully cut out each feather that I wanted to use, removed the protective film, and placed the decal under water for about 15-20 seconds. Then, I carefully placed the decal on my nail. I really love how the feathers look over this purple color! The colors in the feather are still visible, but because they are faint I think they look like real feathers. Of course, I added top coat to get a really shiny finish.

Feather Manicure | Adventures in Polishland Feather Manicure | Adventures in PolishlandI also wanted to show these decals over a white polish so that you can see how bright the colors are. I messed up my pointer finger a bit (user error here, there’s nothing wrong with the product!), but I’m still loving how vivid the feathers look. The base color of your manicure really changes the look of these decals, which I think is really cool!

Born Pretty Store | Adventures in Polishland

All in all, I’m so glad I tried out these feather water decals! They are easy to use, and look great with almost any base color. Of course, you can use these for an accent nail, a skittle manicure, or any other type of nail art! At just $0.99 you can’t go wrong! As always, feel free to use discount code FZL91 for an additional 10% off. Let me know what you think of these feather manicures in the comments!

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

L’Oreal Paris Miss Denim Limited Edition Collection | Distressed Turquoise and Jean & Tonic

Happy Monday! I was recently perusing the limited edition displays at Duane Reade and found the Miss Denim Collection by L’Oreal Paris. I absolutely love L’Oreal polishes, so when I saw some gorgeous textured creams, I knew I had to grab a couple. I decided to grab two of the pastel shades to add to my collection.

L'Oreal – Distressed Turquoise L'Oreal – Distressed Turquoise First up is Distressed Turquoise, a sky blue polish. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and I am loving the formula! It dries amazingly fast and glides on with ease. I wore Distressed Turquoise for a few days, but did experience chipping on the second day of wear. I was a bit disappointed with that, but the good thing with textured polish is you can always add another coat and it still looks great!

L'Oreal – Jean & Tonic L'Oreal – Jean & TonicI also picked up Jean & Tonic, a deep seafoam shade that looks a bit more turquoise to me than Distressed Turquoise! Jean & Tonic also has a flawless formula that is opaque in two coats. It is more long-lasting, and I wore it for about 3-4 days before I experienced any wear. I do recommend a healthy layer of base coat with this polish, as it can stain if you don’t protect your nails. I’ve already worn this polish a few times this past month!

All in all, I am really loving the Miss Denim Collection from L’Oreal Paris! Not only do they have a great application, but they come off easily with a regular nail polish removal process – no foil needed! These polishes range from $4.99-6.49 at your local drugstore, so make sure to be on the hunt for them this summer. You don’t want to miss out on these limited edition shades if you love textured polish as much as I do!

Is there a drugstore nail polish you would like me to review on Adventures in Polishland? Let me know in the comments!

Kisspat Statement Necklace Review, Giveaway, & Nail Art!

Happy Saturday! I’m excited to bring you a fun blog post that incorporates fashion, nails, and a giveaway for all of you! I got the opportunity to review a statement necklace from the online boutique Kisspat, and thought I’d show you the jewelry, and in addition create a nail art look inspired by the piece!

NECKLACE REVIEW

Kisspat Statement Necklace ReviewKisspat Statement Necklace Review

Statement Necklace – Product Code KNSN-040M – $8.95 [BUY]

I love statement necklaces, and this design from Kisspat is definitely up my alley! The colors are beautiful, and I like the touch of rhinestones. This necklace is very lightweight, and good quality for the $8.95 price tag. The one main drawback, however, is that the chain turned my neck green! I wore this for about an hour, and had a green band around my neck. I was not a fan of that! I do really love this necklace, though, so I might try to wear it with a high-necked blouse in the future. There are 11 different colors for this product, so you can definitely find the shades that suit you best!

NAIL ART

Kisstpat Necklace Nail ArtKisstpat Necklace Nail ArtI thought this necklace would make a great manicure, so I grabbed some polishes and rhinestones and created a nail art look! I used Color Club’s Aquamarine Azulino from the Gala’s Gems Collection for the blue and Julep’s Alexandra for the neutral shade. I used tweezers to place some rhinestones on my accent nail, and voila! I am loving this nail art look! It’s classy, yet still fun at the same time.

GIVEAWAY

I’m giving away one necklace from Kisspat! Please read the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter widget before entering!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope you liked today’s fashion and fingernails post! Let me know if you’d like to see more posts like this in the future!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

 

PLEASE NOTE: AS OF AUGUST 4, 2014 KISSPAT’S WEBSITE WAS REMOVED. IF FOR SOME REASON IT IS REINSTATED, I SUGGEST NOT USING THE SITE. EMAIL ME AT ADVENTURESINPOLISHLAND@GMAIL.COM WITH QUESTIONS.

July 4th Nails with Sally Hansen Color Frenzy in Red, White & Hue!

Happy Wednesday! The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and if you’re looking to create a festive manicure without the fuss, I’ve got you covered! Sally Hansen’s new Color Frenzy line contains glitter polishes that have a mix of colors and shapes in a unique suspension formula. There are eight fun colors in the line, but the perfect one to celebrate America is called Red, White & Hue. Let me show you this fun polish!

Sally Hansen Color Frenzy – Red, White & Hue! Sally Hansen Color Frenzy – Red, White & Hue!Red, White and Hue contains (you guessed it) red, white, and blue glitters in a clear base. The glitters are hexagonally shaped, and are in small and medium sizes. I layered one coat over Zoya’s Blu to get this manicure. I am impressed with how easily the glitters in Red, White and Hue apply to the nail, and the coverage with one coat. I didn’t even apply a top coat, as the Color Frenzy base is quite shiny on its own!

Sally Hansen Color Frenzy – Red, White & Hue! Sally Hansen Color Frenzy – Red, White & Hue!I also tested Red, White and Hue over a white base. While the white glitters do blend in a bit, I like how this manicure looks as well. If you’re looking for a fun nail art look this holiday, try layering Red, White and Hue over a skittle manicure of all different polishes!

All in all, I’m loving this easy and affordable July 4th manicure! You can purchase Sally Hansen Color Frenzy polishes at your local drugstore, food store, or department store for just $5.99 each. I’m definitely going to checkout the other polishes in this collection! Let me know in the comments what manicure you’ll be wearing to celebrate America’s birthday! Feel free to use hashtag #PolishlandRWB so I can see your nails!

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

Jet Away June | Yi Kou Nail Wraps from Born Pretty Store

Happy Friday! Back in April, I tried Yi Kou Nail Wraps from Born Pretty Store for the first time (see that post HERE). I loved them so much that when I got the opportunity to review another pack, I jumped at the opportunity! I’m including this review during Jet Away June because nail wraps are the perfect choice for nail polish when you’re traveling. I’m always nervous to bring nail polish with me anywhere! I don’t want the glass bottle to break, nor do I want the polish to leak. If you’re going on a trip, nail wraps are the way to go!

Black & White Yi Kou Nail WrapsI decided to pick a black and white design from Yi Kou this time around because this color combination has been on trend throughout the spring, and now into the summer! Plus, neutral shades are perfect for traveling because they go with many different outfits. This one set of wraps can be used all at once for a complete manicure, or you can use just one, such as the heart strip, as an accent nail.

Black & White Yi Kou Wraps Black & White Yi Kou WrapsApplication is very simple – peel the strip from the protective backing, smooth it out on your nail, and use a nail file in a downward motion to trim off the excess. I always finish with a top coat to make sure the edges lay flat. It also helps to make the manicure last longer (which is always helpful when you’re away from home!). I’m really liking this black and white design! The heart is definitely my favorite, but the different patterns look fun together! I love the instant nail art look – it’s no hassle to create whatsoever! You can purchase this pattern on the Born Pretty Store for just $2.38 HERE. The design number is K1012.

All in all, nail wraps are the perfect way to keep your nails looking fabulous as you jet away this summer! You can easily pack nail wraps, and they will last you at least a full week. I also recommend nail polish remover pads such as THESE from Born Pretty Store. They are much easier to pack than a bottle of regular nail polish remover, and will take off your nail wraps if you’d like to change the design. I highly recommend the Yi Kou wraps from Born Pretty Store, as they are very affordable and some of the best quality nail wraps I’ve tried. Don’t forget to use code FZL91 to get an additional 10% off your order!

Born Pretty Store | Adventures in Polishland

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. 

Zoya Magical Pixie Collection for Summer 2014

Happy Tuesday! Earlier this year, Zoya released the first Magical Pixie Collection, and now there are three, brand new shades for summer. If you love glitter nail polish and textured polish, these are definitely the polishes for you. Let me show you the sparkly goodness!

Zoya – Ginni Zoya – GinniFirst up is Ginni, a baby pink that reminds me of a ballerina’s tutu! I applied two coats in the photos above, and while some of my nail line is still visible I like the coverage. I think three coats would just be too thick and chunky due to the big glitters. Ginni is such a beautiful polish, and quite wearable.

Zoya – Arlo Zoya – ArloNext up is Arlo, a pinky-purple polish and my favorite in the collection. Arlo is opaque in two coats, and is quite pigmented. I just love the color, and the holographic glitters look stunning in this base color. Look at that dimension!

Zoya – Bar Zoya – BarLast but not least is Bar, a golden nude polish. Bar is nearly opaque in two coats, and I love how the nude color really gives a sparkly manicure that is subtle yet still fancy. This polish would look awesome as an accent nail to a nude manicure.

All in all, I’m quite impressed with the entire Magical Pixie Collection for this summer. I really love Arlo, and think these polishes all have great formulas. You can purchase these polishes on Zoya’s website HERE for $10 each. Let me know which of these polishes 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. 

Mosaic Nail Art with Diamond Glitter from Born Pretty Store

Happy Saturday! Today I have a fun nail art post featuring diamond glitters from Born Pretty Store! I’ve experimented with loose glitter before, but never with diamonds. Let me show you the glitter and how I used it!

Diamond Nail Glitter Born Pretty Store Diamond Nail Glitter Born Pretty StoreThis glitter pot is filed with mylar glitters in the shape of a diamond. The colors include, gold, silver, blue, pink, and green. I really like that this pot has a screw-on top so the glitters don’t go everywhere when I open it. The pot is also very easy to store, as I don’t have to worry about it popping open either. It retails for just $2.62 on Born Pretty Store’s website HERE.

Mosaic Nail Art Mosaic Nail ArtI decided to place the glitters individually on an accent nail for my manicure. I used a pair of tweezers to help me out, and it made the job very easy. First, I began with a white base because I wanted the colors to really stand out. Then, while the polish was still tacky, I carefully applied the glitters. I sealed my manicure with a top coat, and was ready to go! I love how my nail art turned out!

All in all, I’m really liking these diamond nail glitters from Born Pretty Store! They are easy to use, and even the packaging is great. I highly recommend them, and I think I’ll be trying out other looks with them in the future. Don’t forget to use code FZL91 to score an extra 10% off on the Born Pretty Store website.

Born Pretty Store | Adventures in PolishlandThe 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.