Nails – Page 7 – Adventures in Polishland

Category: Nails

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.

Easy July 4th Nail Art | My Independence Day Manicure

Posted on July 4, 2016June 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! It is Independence Day here in the United States, and I wanted to share with you the manicure I created to celebrate. I’ve always loved July 4th, and what a better way to wear the red, white, and blue than on your nails! I reached into my nail polish collection to create this really easy nail art look, which can be customized to fit your tastes and skill level. Let me share my Independence Day manicure with all of you!

What You Need // What I Used:

Red Nail Polish // KBShimmer in Chilly Papper [LINK]
Blue Nail Polish // Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant in Out of the Blue [LINK]
White Nail Polish // LVX Fantom [LINK]
Scotch Tape
Born Pretty Store Star Stamping Plate [LINK]
Stamp and Scraper Tool // Born Pretty Store Stamp Set [LINK]
Top Coat // Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat [LINK]

I began my manicure by painting all of my nails red with the exception of my ring finger, which I painted blue. I made sure to let this dry completely before continuing on with the nail art look. If you are in a rush, you can simply leave your manicure like this, or add some glitter on top to dress it up a bit! A white glitter over the blue accent nail would look great.

The final step was adding on some white stars using my stamping tools. I decided to block off part of my nail using Scotch tape, and left only the middle triangle open for the stamp. Make sure to choose a really pigmented white polish so that the stars will really stand out on your nail. Feel free to stamp over the whole nail, or just a portion like I did! Follow up with a glossy top coat once the stamp is dry, and your manicure is complete!

All in all, I am loving my July 4th nail art! It was really easy to create, but looks super festive. If you don’t own a stamping plate with stars, you can substitute nail stickers or simply a glitter polish. Of course, if you’re really fancy you can freehand some stars as well. Make the look your own with whatever you have in your collection! I hope you are having a fun and safe Independence Day! Please tag me on social media so I can see your festive nails!

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. 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.

Nail Bliss Nail Pop Appliqués Review | All Laced Up

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

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of a nail art product from the brand Nail Bliss. This is a new-to-me brand sold exclusively at Sally Beauty Stores, and I was excited to receive the Nail Pop Appliqués in the style All Laced Up to review. I love trying out nail stickers because they make nail art really quick and easy. Plus, nail appliqués typically last longer than nail polish. Nail Pop Appliqués are also super fabulous and affordable, so I knew I had to test them out so I could share my thoughts with all of you!

Here is a look at the Nail Pop packaging. These appliqués are designed with accent nails in mind, so you only receive eight full size nail stickers. However, you do get a lot of smaller accents, which can be layered or worn alone. I was surprised that this bulky box only contained the sheet of appliqués you see here, and not a nail file, which is needed to apply the stickers and is included by many competitor brands. This packaging seemed a bit unnecessary, especially since there was a cardboard piece inside to puff out the box. I would rather a more environmentally friendly design for such a small sheet of stickers!

I began my manicure with a base of Color Club’s Mod in Manhattan. I decided I wanted to replicate the manicure on the Nail Pop box as much as possible, so an off-white shade was a great choice. I made sure to let my manicure dry completely before attempting to apply the appliqués.

The Nail Pop Appliqués work just like any other nail sticker. You choose the size that fits your nail best, smooth the sticker over the nail, and file off any excess. Then, make sure to seal the manicure with a top coat.

The first thing I noticed with the appliqués is that I had trouble finding the right size for my nails. Similar nail stickers often come with more stickers than you need so that you can find the perfect size for your nails. That is certainly not the case here. Not only are there not enough appliqués for a complete manicure, but the four sizes available didn’t fit my nails well. Similarly, the appliqués were difficult to apply because they are so sticky during application that you cannot reposition them at all. If you make a mistake, you have to work around it.

That being said, I did really like the final manicure result. The All Laced Up Set has some really fun patterns, and I like being able to create a skittle manicure with little effort.

Unfortunately, my manicure did not last long. Just a few hours after my manicure was dry, I noticed the nail appliqué begin to peel off my pointer finger. You can see the edge is completely off my nail in the above photo. The next morning when I woke up (about 17 total hours later), nearly all of the appliqués were peeling at the edges. This was so disappointing! I made sure to follow the application instructions on the stickers exactly, and sealed them with top coat. I think the main reason they were peeling is because they just didn’t fit my nail shape well. I will say that the smaller accents stayed put very easily, and I had trouble removing them.

All in all, I would recommend passing on the Nail Bliss Nail Pop Appliqués. Of course, these will work a bit differently on everyone, especially if the sizes included fit your nails better. However, I’m really disappointed my manicure didn’t even last a full day. I do think the small accents work very well, so if you are looking solely for those you might be interested in this set. You can shop the entire Nail Bliss line at your local Sally Beauty Supply store, or online HERE. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any products from Nail Bliss. I would love to hear your experience!

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

Vintage Floral Nail Art featuring Born Pretty Store Water Decals

Posted on June 22, 2016May 23, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share with you a vintage floral nail art look I created using water decals from Born Pretty Store. I absolutely love water decals because they make nail art really easy no matter your level of talent. Water decals work just like temporary tattoos – you soak them in water and transfer the design onto your nails. You can cut the decals into any shape you want, but today I decided to use the decals like nail strips and create an all-over design. Let me show you the vintage floral manicure I created!

Here is a look at the water decals when they arrive. You get a full sheet and it costs only $1.42 on Born Pretty Store’s website HERE. As you can see, the design can be cut any way you choose. I decided to go with an all-over design on the nail, so I trimmed the sheet into what I estimated my nail shape to be. You can also trim the decal once it’s on your nail, so have some small nail scissors handy.

I decided to begin my manicure with two coats of Zoya Ness. I thought that would make a great base polish for the decals because it matched up with some of the colors in the decals. Make sure to let your manicure dry completely before adding the water decals. I am loving my end result! I think the design looks really cool, and I’m so happy with how it came out. I could never paint my nails with such an intricate design, so it’s awesome I can get the look with water decals. I also wanted to quickly mention that I apply a glossy top coat over the decal to ensure it stays in place. The decals wear just like normal nail polish, and remove easily with nail polish remover.

All in all, I highly recommend water decals if you are looking to create intricate nail art without a lot of effort. I’ve always enjoyed the water decals I’ve tried from Born Pretty Store in the past, and this vintage floral design is no different! As always, you can get 10% off your order with the code FZL91 at checkout. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve used water decals and how you like them!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. 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.

Chevron Nail Art featuring Striping Tape from Born Pretty Store

Posted on June 17, 2016June 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have another review for a nail art product sold by Born Pretty Store. I was very excited to receive a chevron patterned striping tape to review. I love striping tape – it makes creating geometric nail designs really easy, and I’ve used it multiple times here on the blog. When I saw chevron striping tape I knew I had to have it! Let me share with you how I used it to create a bright and fun manicure!

I wanted to create a summery manicure, so I began with a base of Zoya Dixie, a bright pink polish. Once that manicure had dried completely, I applied two rows of chevron tape to each nail and went over the tape with a white nail polish. I applied two coats of white polish, and removed the tape promptly. I finished with a glossy top coat, and I’m loving the result! My manicure looks so fancy, but it was really easy to create!

All in all, I’m so glad I was able to try the chevron striping tape from Born Pretty Store! I can’t wait to test out this tape more in future manicures. Plus, the tape is a super fabulous and affordable price of $1.59 HERE for an entire roll that can be used several times. If you are looking to create an easy nail art look, I highly recommend purchasing this tape. You can also use the code FZL91 for an additional 10% off your purchase. Be sure to let me know if you’ve ever tried striping tape, and how you like to use it!

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

Dare to Compare | Milani Vivid Violet vs Milani Purple Martin

Posted on June 15, 2016May 10, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today’s nail polish comparison is going to be an interesting one because we are looking at two polishes from the same brand. I own two Milani polishes from past limited edition collections, and I noticed that they look quite similar in the bottle. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try them both and see if they are exact duplicates. Let me show you these polishes individually and side-by-side.

First up is Vivid Violet from the Gold Label collection released in January 2014. Vivid Violet has a great formula that applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. I love this purple shade, because it’s somewhere between a true purple and a pastel.

Next up is Purple Martin from the Fantastical Plumage collection that was released in August 2013. Purple Martin has the same great formula of Vivid Violet, and applies smoothly in two coats. I love how this shade of purple looks with my skin tone!

Here is a look at Vivid Violet and Purple Martin side-by-side. Can you tell the difference between these polishes? I certainly cannot! These appear to be the exact same polish. In fact, I’m pretty sure Vivid Violet is just Purple Martin rebottled. I think this is very interesting, especially considering both of these are Milani polishes from limited edition collections. On the one hand, this is great that if you missed a limited edition polish, it becomes available again. However, I also feel disappointed that we don’t always get new and exciting polishes in every release.

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes to find out about exact duplicates. I’m going to be keeping Purple Martin in my collection, since I really love the Fantastical Plumage collection as a whole. I definitely want to hear from you in the comments. Do you think brands should rebottle nail polishes and pass them off as different shades? I fully recognize that it’s not possible to constantly come out with unique shades, but I would like some transparency. I’m sure this is something that happens all the time, but goes unnoticed because most of us don’t own every polish from a brand. Share your thoughts with me on this topic, as I think we can have a great discussion!

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 Imperial Purple vs Essie Play Date vs Chrome Girl 2Gether Forevs

Posted on June 10, 2016May 10, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! My nail polish declutter project continues today with a comparison post of some purple nail polishes. I absolutely love a good lavender polish, especially in the spring. My go to shade is always Essie Play Date, but it turns out I own two polishes from Milani and Chrome Girl that look very similar in the bottle. I had to test them out together to see how both the shades and formulas compared. Let’s jump into another Dare to Compare!

First up is Milani Color Statement in the shade Imperial Purple. This polish has a good formula, but it is a bit on the watery side. I applied two thin coats to achieve opacity. Imperial Purple is a great option from the drugstore, but you do have to be prepared for cleanup because it can be messy.

Next up is Essie Play Date, the lavender polish I always grab! Play Date does not have a perfect formula, as it can be a bit streaky. I applied three coats for a smooth and opaque finish. Even though Play Date’s application isn’t the best, it wears really well. I have great luck with Essie formulas even though I only have a few in my collection.

Last but not least is Chrome Girl in 2Gether Forevs. I don’t think I’ve tried this polish since I first reviewed it over two years ago! 2Gether Forevs has an excellent formula. It applies smoothly and is opaque it two coats. I forgot how great this polish is!

Here is a look at these purples side-by-side. From left to right are: Milani Imperial Purple, Essie Play Date, and Chrome Girl 2Gether Forevs. As you can see, Essie Play Date is a different shade than the other two polishes. This surprised me a lot! However, Imperial Purple and 2Gether Forevs are virtually the same shade. I’ve decided to keep both Play Date and 2Gether Forevs, as I love both of these polishes!

All in all, I’m glad I tried all three polishes side-by-side! I highly recommend all of these, but my favorite has to be Essie Play Date. There is just something about it that I really love, even though it can be streaky upon application. You can purchase it at your local drugstore or on Amazon HERE. Make sure to let me know in the comments what your favorite lavender nail polish is!

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