Adventures in Polishland

Dare to Compare | Milani Scarlet Ibis vs Milani Color Statement Mango Tango

Posted on April 25, 2016March 22, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have another nail polish comparison post to share, and this time the polishes are from the same brand! I own two red-orange polishes from Milani that look extremely similar in the bottle, and I had to test them out to see if they are duplicates. I did want to mention that these polishes are from two different Milani collections, so it’s understandable that the shades are so similar. Let’s take a look at Scarlet Ibis and Mango Tango individually and side-by-side.

First up is Scarlet Ibis, a red orange polish with a very slight shimmer. This polish is from the limited edition Fantastical Plumage Collection, which is one of my all-time favorite Milani collections (review HERE). Scarlet Ibis has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It’s a tad bit watery, so I used thin coats and really liked the end result. The shimmer is just enough to add some dimension, but not make my manicure glittery. I really like Scarlet Ibis!

Next up is Mango Tango from the currently-in-stores Color Statement line. This is a red-orange creme polish with a rich pigmentation. Mango Tango has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. I really like the brush in this new Color Statement line from Milani, so that made the application process a bit better than it was with Scarlet Ibis. That’s definitely something I keep in mind when deciding whether or not to destash a polish.

Here are Scarlet Ibis and Mango Tango side-by-side. I have Scarlet Ibis on my pinky and ring fingers, and Mango Tango on my middle and pointer fingers. There is definitely a slight difference between these two polishes, so I wouldn’t call them exact dupes. That being said, there is no reason for me to keep both of these in my collection. While I like the brush and formula of Mango Tango a bit more, I’ve decided to keep Scarlet Ibis. I prefer the shade and slight shimmer, and I know I’ll never be able to buy it again. This was a tough decision!

All in all, I always find it interesting when brands release polishes that are so similar there is no need to own both. I absolutely love Milani nail polishes, and think it’s great the brand is constantly evolving. Definitely let me know in the comments if you prefer Milani’s older collections, or the new Color Statement line. I would also like to know your favorite red-orange nail polish!

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

Nail Polish I’m Recycling | Zoya Earth Day Exchange 2016

Posted on April 22, 2016April 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today is Earth Day, and I am very excited to share with you all of the nail polishes I’m recycling this year. Did you know that nail polish is considered household hazardous waste? It is not supposed to go in the regular garbage, but instead must be recycled at a household hazardous waste facility. You can learn more at THIS helpful website, and even find a recycling center near you. Unfortunately, there are no recycling facilities local to me, so I had to figure out how to properly dispose of my unwanted polish. That’s where the annual Zoya Earth Day Exchange comes in to help! Every year Zoya runs an awesome promotion where you can exchange your unwanted polishes for new Zoyas at a discounted price. I’m participating this year, and want to share my experience!

First things first, let me share with you the nail polishes that I am recycling. Most of these polishes I reviewed during Manicure March, so if you want more information on a polish simply use the search feature on my blog to find a full review. The nail polishes I am recycling all fall into the same category, meaning they are what I consider unusable. These polishes have formulas that are so bad I wouldn’t recommend them to anyone else. Some of the polishes were once favorites, but just didn’t withstand the test of time. Others were bad from the start. I do want to mention that I am not bashing any of these nail polish brands. Every brand has a dud, and I’m recycling the duds I’ve found!

Here is the first round of polishes I’m recycling. They all come from the drugstore. I’m going to list the names for you for reference, but not a description of each polish.

SinfulColors Pink Break
SinfulColors Summer S-col
SinfulColors V.I.Peach
SinfulColors Whiteboard
Revlon Leather Rock Chic
Jordana Merry Mint
Jordana Sunsational
Jordana Whimsical White
Milani Texture Shady Gray

Julep Piper
Julep Alfre
Julep Nikki
China Glaze Skyscraper
China Glaze Creative Fantasy

Pomegranate Nail Lacquer The Queen’s Jewels
Max Dona Purple
LEX Nail Laquer Peabow
Madam Glam Lucky Bamboo
Tip Top Nail Chic Sitting Pretty

TOTAL: 19

Now that you know all of the polishes I’m recycling, let’s talk a bit about the Zoya Earth Day Exchange! You can visit Zoya’s website HERE for full details, but the basic way this works is that you buy Zoya Nail Polish for 50% off and in return you can mail in your unwanted polishes. Regular consumers, like me, must purchase 6-24 bottles of polish and use the code ZGREEN at checkout to get 50% off plus free shipping. This promotion runs on the honor system, meaning that you don’t have to send your polishes to Zoya if you plan on recycling them locally. I will, of course, be mailing all of my polishes to Zoya. Unfortunately, you do have to pay for the shipping to Zoya, but I’m going to use a flat rate shipping box to get the most for my money.

I don’t yet know if I’ll be purchasing any polishes from the promotion yet, but if I do I will let you know in a future blog post! I’m going to have a good look through my collection and see if there are any shades I’m missing that I really need. Otherwise, I’ll just do my part and recycle my polishes!

Definitely let me know in the comments if you are participating in the Zoya Earth Day Exchange this year! If so, what polishes are you recycling? What new Zoyas are you getting? I want to hear from you!

This post is in no way sponsored or affiliated with Zoya Nail Polish.

Book Review | Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Posted on April 21, 2016April 21, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers on April 5th 2016

Genres: Young Adult, Historical Fiction

Format: ARC

Pages: 320

Source: Publisher

Goodreads: ★★★★ 1/2

An unforgettable story of bravery, grief, and love in impossible times

The missing girl is Jewish. I need you to find her before the Nazis do.

Amsterdam, 1943. Hanneke spends her days procuring and delivering sought-after black market goods to paying customers, her nights hiding the true nature of her work from her concerned parents, and every waking moment mourning her boyfriend, who was killed on the Dutch front lines when the Germans invaded. She likes to think of her illegal work as a small act of rebellion.

On a routine delivery, a client asks Hanneke for help. Expecting to hear that Mrs. Janssen wants meat or kerosene, Hanneke is shocked by the older woman’s frantic plea to find a person–a Jewish teenager Mrs. Janssen had been hiding, who has vanished without a trace from a secret room. Hanneke initially wants nothing to do with such dangerous work, but is ultimately drawn into a web of mysteries and stunning revelations that lead her into the heart of the resistance, open her eyes to the horrors of the Nazi war machine, and compel her to take desperate action.

Meticulously researched, intricately plotted, and beautifully written, Girl in the Blue Coat is an extraordinary, gripping novel from a bright new voice in historical fiction.

REVIEW

I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of Girl in the Blue Coat to review, as I’ve been wanting to read more historical fiction. This novel follows Hanneke, a teenager living in Amsterdam during World War II. Hanneke works in the black market to provide for her family, and one day a client asks if she can help find a missing girl. All Hanneke knows is that the girl wears a blue coat, but for some reason she is drawn to helping find this girl. The book follows the mystery surrounding the girl in the blue coat, and sheds light on what Amsterdam was like during World War II.

I really enjoyed Girl in the Blue Coat. It is a fast-paced novel that is quite easy to read. I do think the writing was a bit straightforward, and that it is at the younger end of young adult, but I otherwise really loved the book. It’s great that the novel is set in Amsterdam, because I didn’t know much about Amersterdam during World War II. I also thought it was interesting that Girl in the Blue Coat is from the perspective of a non-Jewish character, as the book shows a different side of the Holocaust. I especially found it intriguing to learn that people had no idea what was happening to the Jewish people in their communities, except that they were in danger and being deported.

Moreover, I was very impressed with how the book jumps right into the action without any big build-up before the story takes place. I also found it cool how Hesse weaves smaller mysteries into the overarching plot. I not only wanted to find out where the girl in the blue coat was, but what exactly happened to Hanneke’s boyfriend, who we find out passed away right from the start of the novel. The story-within-a-story device works really well in Girl in the Blue Coat. I appreciated how intricately woven the plot is.

The characters in the novel are likable, but I do find that they lacked some development. This is especially true for the side characters. Hanneke, on the other hand, is written well. She has moments where she is an unreliable narrator, but she tells you when she’s lying. It’s up to the reader to figure out what the truth may be, and I found that to be a page-turner.

All in all, I really enjoyed Girl in the Blue Coat. I recommend it for fans of historical fiction, especially if you want a different kind of World War II story. This is also a great young adult story if you like independent female protagonists or a good mystery. It’s overall a fun and quick read, with a good mix of emotion due to the subject matter. Girl in the Blue Coat reminded me why I love historical fiction!

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When you buy a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Dare to Compare | Priti NYC Fireglow vs Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Electra-cute

Posted on April 20, 2016March 22, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share another nail polish comparison post with all of you. After looking through all the yellow polishes in my collection, I turned to the oranges to see if there were any duplicates. I noticed right away that Priti NYC Fireglow and Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Electra-cute looked exactly the same in the bottle. These are both perfect orange cremes for the fall, so I decided to swatch them and see which formula I preferred. As with all of my Dare to Compare posts, I’ll show you each polish individually, and then side-by-side.

First up is Fireglow, a bright orange creme from the boutique brand Priti NYC. Fireglow has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It can be a bit patchy, but it does dry to a beautiful finish. I love that I am supporting a small business with this polish, and that it is made in the USA.

Electra-cute from Sally Hansen Miracle Gel is also a bright orange creme polish. The formula is good, but I did find Electra-cute to be quite patchy and streaky. I layered on three coats and I still didn’t have a completely even finish. I was a bit surprised, because I know I really enjoyed this polish when I first got it, so I guess the formula changed over time. Electra-cute was a limited edition polish that isn’t available anymore, so I considered that when swatching as well.

Here is a look at Fireglow and Electra-cute side-by-side. I cannot tell any difference in shade whatsoever! As you may have predicted, I’m going to be decluttering Electra-cute. The formula just doesn’t match up to Fireglow!

All in all, I’m so glad I discovered another duplicate shade in my nail polish collection. I highly recommend picking up Fireglow if you are looking for an orange polish. You can purchase it direct from the brand’s website HERE. It is a bit more expensive at $15, but worth the splurge! Let me know in the comments what your favorite orange polish is, and if you’ve tried any polishes from Priti NYC.

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

Book Review | Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Posted on April 19, 2016April 19, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

Published by St. Martin’s Griffin on October 6, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 522

Source: Library

Goodreads: ★★★

Simon Snow is the worst chosen one who’s ever been chosen.

That’s what his roommate, Baz, says. And Baz might be evil and a vampire and a complete git, but he’s probably right.

Half the time, Simon can’t even make his wand work, and the other half, he sets something on fire. His mentor’s avoiding him, his girlfriend broke up with him, and there’s a magic-eating monster running around wearing Simon’s face. Baz would be having a field day with all this, if he were here—it’s their last year at the Watford School of Magicks, and Simon’s infuriating nemesis didn’t even bother to show up.

Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell story—but far, far more monsters.

REVIEW

I was interested to read Carry On after finishing Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell earlier this year. Carry On is a fantasy novel featuring the character Simon Snow, and was introduced to readers in Fangirl. Simon Snow is the Harry Potter of in the Fangirl world, and Rowell decided to write her own take on Simon in Carry On. Confused? It’s okay – I was a bit, too. Carry On is basically a Harry Potter satire with its own twist on the magical world.

As someone who grew up with Harry, Carry On was almost insulting to me. It felt like Rowell was using Carry On to rewrite everything she didn’t like about Harry Potter. For example, the students in Simon Snow’s world don’t have servants to bring them food, like Harry does at Hogwarts. Similarly, Simon Snow’s world uses Muggle technology, and mixes with the normal world a great deal. I struggled to get into Carry On for the first 260 pages, but it was due to the Harry parallels. If you’ve never read Harry Potter, or if it’s not a big part of your life, you will probably have a much easier time reading Carry On.

That being said, once a particular scene occurs, I really started to enjoy the book much more. The story was a lot of fun, and I began to enjoy the characters of Simon and Baz. Rowell does a great job in all of her books of creating unique characters that are very intriguing. That is true in Carry On. I also really enjoyed the adventure that takes place within the story, and how intricately woven the plot is.

Moreover, there are a lot of things about Carry On I really did not like. First, the writing style is very experimental, and I felt like it didn’t work at times. For instance, the novel is written in a multiple-perspective format. I did find it cool that Rowell could jump into the mind of any character, but I think the book would be much stronger if she stuck with a few point-of-views. Readers mainly follow Simon, Baz, Penelope, and Agatha, but every once in a while we hear from the Mage (aka Dumbledore) and other minor characters as well. I would have much preferred the book to focus on a few POVs instead of the many represented.

In the same way, I noticed that for the majority of the book the POV changes only when the chapter changes. However, as the book came to a close, the POV began to change in-chapter. I didn’t understand why this format changed so late in the story. While it’s not a big deal, it did disrupt the uniformity of the writing, and detracted from my enjoyment a bit. I also didn’t understand why Carry On was separated into separate books within one larger novel, when each was following the same overall plot line.

Another issue I had with Carry On is the ending. The book is very well-developed and drawn out until the ending, where Rowell provides the reader with a huge info-dump. The big mystery is ‘resolved’ in a single conversation, and Simon is able to figure out the solution to his problem without explaining it at all to the reader. I found this quite disappointing, and was left trying to put together the pieces. I now understand why some people read this book several times over – one needs to, to understand all that happens!

All of the critiques aside, I recommend Carry On if you enjoyed Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I think that I will one day give Carry On another chance, because I do really enjoy Simon and Baz, and I thought the idea behind the story was a lot of fun. If you’re a Harry Potter fan, go in with an open mind and try not to let Rowell’s commentary on Harry bother you. I enjoyed it much more once I got over those parallels!

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When you purchase a book through the Amazon or Book Depository links above, I earn a small commission through each website’s affiliate program. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

NYX Eye Shadow Base Review | ‘Skin Tone’

Posted on April 18, 2016March 21, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the NYX Eye Shadow Base in the shade Skin Tone to share with you. During my most recent makeup declutter, I tossed the two bases I owned because they were expired. I was going to splurge on a MAC Paint Pot, but while at Target I saw that NYX had an affordable option. I purchased the shade Skin Tone to try. Before I jump into the review, I did want to note that I am quite unhappy with the shade name as Skin Tone. Not everyone has the same skin tone, of course, and it’s quite disappointing that a brand would use a name that is so excluding. I hope that in the future NYX will use other descriptors for skin toned products. Nonetheless, let me share my thoughts on the actual product with you.

NYX Eye Shadow Base Review | 'Skin Tone'

The NYX Eye Shadow Base comes in a pot, and I really liked that it was wrapped in clear plastic on the outside and had a safety seal on the inside so I know the product wasn’t opened or tested by another customer. This base is formulated to keep your eyeshadow in place, and maximize the color as well. I like to wear a base like this to cover the veins in my eyelids even if I’m not wearing eyeshadow. It just creates a cleaner and brighter look for me.

Here is a swatch of Skin Tone. It is a bit darker than I would have liked, but on the eyes it does a great job of evening out the discoloration while still looking very natural. The formula is good, and very creamy. I like to use a concealer brush to apply it so I’m not constantly dipping my fingers into the pot. I did notice some creasing on the lids at the end of the day, and this product does wear off throughout the day, too. My eyelids do tend to be on the oily side, so I think this product would work much better for someone who doesn’t have oily lids. I think this is a good product for the price, but I will be trying out another base next time around.

All in all, I have mixed feelings about the NYX Eye Shadow Base. I love the formula and that it is cruelty free, but I am still aggravated with the name choice and the fact that it creases with my eyelids. I will continue to use this base until I find a better option for me, and will be sure to check in with you when than happens! If you have a favorite eye base, please share with me in the comments!

Dare to Compare | Milani Canary vs Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Traffic

Posted on April 15, 2016March 19, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! The second round of my nail polish declutter project has officially begun. I’m now going through each color family and seeing if I have any duplicates of the same shade. I decided to go through my yellows first because that is the color family from which I own the least amount of polishes. I noticed that Milani Canary and Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Traffic looked quite similar in the bottle, so I decided to put them to a swatch test! Let’s take a look at each polish individually, and then side-by-side.

First up is Milani Canary, a yellow mustard nail polish with a creme formula. Canary has a good formula, but it was a bit on the streaky side. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and I do like the result. Canary is a discontinued polish, so you can’t purchase it in-store any longer. I definitely keep that in mind before decluttering a polish!

Next up is Traffic from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. This is also a yellow mustard creme polish. I purchased it at Sephora a few years ago because I wanted to try this vegan and cruelty free brand. Unfortunately, the formula on Traffic isn’t that great. It is pretty watery, and a bit streakier than Canary, but still workable. I did some research and it seems like this polish is also discontinued, but it’s still available from third-party sellers on Amazon HERE.

Here is a side-by-side look of Canary and Traffic. I’m wearing Canary on my pinky and ring fingers and Traffic on my middle and pointer fingers. While I could tell a very slight difference between these polishes in person, you can see from the photographs that they are virtually the same in shade. When I went into this comparison, I thought I would keep one of these polishes in my stash. As it turns out, I’m going to declutter both of them! While I do like this shade of polish for the fall, I have a deeper toned mustard polish with an excellent formula that I would reach for over either one of these. Thus, both of these polishes are going to be destashed!

All in all, I’m glad I tested out these polishes together. I discovered that they are dupes for one another, so if you own both of these feel free to declutter one! Make sure to let me know in the comments if you have a favorite yellow mustard nail polish. My go to is LVX Citrine, which is a deeper color than the polishes shown today. Stay tuned to the blog for more Dare to Compare posts soon!

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

Book Review | All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Posted on April 14, 2016March 17, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

Published by Knopf on January 6, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 400

Source: Book Expo America

Goodreads: ★★★★★

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.

Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!

Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.

REVIEW

I am a huge fan of contemporary young adult novels, and I knew I would enjoy All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven as soon as I began to hear buzz about it back in 2015. I was luckily able to meet the author at Book Expo America last year, and received an autographed copy of the book. However, I didn’t pick it up until early 2016 because I know it would be an emotional investment. All the Bright Places is definitely a poignant read, but it’s absolutely beautiful and my first five-star rating of 2016. Let me share more of my thoughts on the book with you.

All the Bright Places follows two teenagers, Finch and Violet, and opens when they meet on the roof of their high school, both contemplating suicide. Finch talks Violet out of jumping, and the two begin a friendship. The book is written in a dual perspective, so readers follow both Finch and Violet, and learn about the struggles each has had to encounter in life. The two team up for a class project in which they must discover the wonders of their home state, Indiana, and the book follows their journey together.

I was deeply moved by All the Bright Places, and think everyone needs to read this book. It does deal with very difficult topics like mental illness and suicide, so do take that into account before reading. That being said, I loved Niven’s writing very much. While the writing style is easy to read and flows very naturally, it also contains a maturity that isn’t often found in young adult literature. Finch and Violet have distinct voices, and Niven’s writing is very powerful.

Moreover, there were some things I didn’t like about All the Bright Places. Many of the characters in the novel are extremely unlikeable, especially the adults. However, I still gave this novel a five-star rating because I know that Niven purposefully writes these characters to be unlikeable, and develops them well. For example, Finch has extremely neglectful parents that are abusive and not present in his life. While that angered me, it helped the story. It shows a real situation where teenagers don’t have good home lives, and desperately need help in order to survive. Thus, while it would be easy for me to detract a star from my rating because I didn’t like certain characters, I didn’t because I know they are purposefully written that way.

Similarly, I found Finch very difficult to understand at first. His chapters didn’t make sense to me, but by the end of the book I saw that this was done to show readers his struggles. I’m not supposed to fully understand his thoughts, because even he doesn’t even know what he’s going through completely. I think Niven does an excellent job of writing his character, as she does with all the characters in All the Bright Places.

Finally, my favorite thing about the book was how it lit a fire in me as a reader. A big aspect of All the Bright Places is wandering. Finch and Violet visit a lot of unique places in their home state, and I want so much to take their journey, too. I also want to visit the wonders in my own home state to see what’s out there. All the Bright Places also inspires me to take care of myself and watch out for the ones I love. It’s so important to care for one another, even though it might be extremely difficult.

All in all, I am so glad I finally read All the Bright Places. I did cry a lot while reading it, and when I was finished I sat and cried for a little while, too. But I do really think that this is a book that needs to be read, and so I recommend it to you. I hope you’ll pick it up and enjoy it as much as I do!

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3 Ways to Save BIG at The Body Shop!

Posted on April 13, 2016March 21, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m going to share some of my tips to saving money at The Body Shop. I really love shopping at The Body Shop because it not only has great quality products, but it is a company focused on morality as well. The Body Shop never tests on animals, and it has a Community Trade program to ensure its ingredients are fairly sourced. The prices at The Body Shop, however, are definitely more than I would like to spend. Thus, I’ve come up with some shopping strategies to ensure I can enjoy my favorite products at a fraction of the price. I’m going to share my tricks with you today, along with my most recent purchase from The Body Shop to illustrate my points. Let’s jump into the big savings!

Tip 1: Shop with Ebates and Wait for Double Cash Back

Ebates is a website that allows you to earn cash back on most of your online purchases. I’ve been a member for a few years now, and absolutely love it! The website is legitimate and safe, and even helps you find coupon codes. The Body Shop is typically 4% cash back, but every so often it is a promoted store at 8% cash back! I’ve even seen it go as high as 10% for special holiday sales. I wait to shop until The Body Shop is double cash back. I earned $4.54 back from my latest purchase at The Body Shop. That is so awesome! You can sign up to Ebates for free and earn a $10 gift card by using my referral link HERE.

Tip 2: Wait for a Big Sale

One of the best ways to save money is to become familiar with a store’s sales. Whenever I find a product that I love I will pay very close attention to sales. Over time a pattern will emerge, and I know when to shop to get the highest discount. At The Body Shop, my favorite sale is Buy 3, Get 3 Free. There are always sales at The Body Shop, and you can visit the website’s Offers page HERE to see the current promotions. I highly recommend waiting for the Buy 3, Get 3 Free sale, though. Here is what I purchased most recently!

I love the body scrubs at The Body Shop, so I purchased the Cocoa Butter and Pink Grapefruit scrubs to stock up. These retail for $21 each regular price. I also wanted to get a body butter, because my skin has been very dry lately. I decided to try the Aloe Body Butter because it is fragrance free and I am sensitive to smells. This body butter is also $21.

Next I picked up some new-to-me hair care items. First I grabbed the Ginger Scalp Care shampoo because I do tend to get flakes and I hope this will work well for me. This shampoo retails for $10.00. I also purchased the Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter, which is a deep conditioner. I want to ensure I’m getting a lot of moisture into my hair, and will be using this once per week. This retails for $14.

Finally, I got the Seaweed Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator. I’m running low on my face scrub, so I wanted to have one on backup. I’m all about pore cleansing scrubs, so I’m very excited to try this! This scrub retails for $18.

For this particular purchase, I purchased the three $21.00 items, and got the other three free. You would think my total would be $63.00, but not so! My last tip explains how to save even more.

Tip 3: Sign Up for Love Your Body Rewards

Lastly, I recommend signing up for the Love Your Body Rewards program. This program costs $10.00 per year, but it pays for itself because you get a $10 coupon on your birthday. Plus, you save 10% off every purchase. There are also ways to earn points and added rewards, so I highly recommend signing up if you are a regular customer. You can learn more on The Body Shop’s website HERE.

Now that I’ve shared my tricks to saving big at The Body Shop, let’s break down my most recent purchase!

RETAIL PRICE: 21 + 21 + 21 + 10 + 14 + 18 = 105

SALE PRICE: 21 + 21 + 21 = 63

LOVE YOUR BODY PRICE: 63 x 10% = 56.70

EBATES PRICE: 56.70 x 8% = $52.16 –> total savings of 50%!

As you can see, these three simple tips add up to huge savings at The Body Shop! I know other stores sell products from The Body Shop at discounted prices, but I can always save more buying directly from the store. Plus, I can earn rewards on my purchases with Love Your Body! It’s a win for my wallet and for me – I get to use my favorite products at a discounted price. I hope you all found this post helpful! If you have any tips for saving at The Body Shop that I didn’t mention here, please share in the comments! Happy shopping!

This post is not sponsored or affiliated with The Body Shop. My link to Ebates is a referral link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Book Review | Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix

Posted on April 12, 2016April 12, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Newt’s Emerald by Garth Nix

Published by Katherine Tegan Books on October 13, 2015

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Format: ARC

Pages: 304

Source: Book Expo America

Goodreads: ★★★

On her eighteenth birthday, Lady Truthful, nicknamed “Newt,” will inherit her family’s treasure: the Newington Emerald. A dazzling heart-shaped gem, the Emerald also bestows its wearer with magical powers.

When the Emerald disappears one stormy night, Newt sets off to recover it. Her plan entails dressing up as a man, mustache included, as no well-bred young lady should be seen out and about on her own. While in disguise, Newt encounters the handsome but shrewd Major Harnett, who volunteers to help find the missing Emerald under the assumption that she is a man. Once she and her unsuspecting ally are caught up in a dangerous adventure that includes an evil sorceress, Newt realizes that something else is afoot: the beating of her heart.

In Newt’s Emerald, the bestselling author of Sabriel, Garth Nix, takes a waggish approach to the forever popular Regency romance and presents a charmed world where everyone has something to hide.

REVIEW

I received an ARC of Newt’s Emerald while attending Book Expo America in 2015, and was excited to read a book by well-known fantasy author Garth Nix for the first time. Newt’s Emerald is a magical fantasy story that takes place in London during the Regency era. The book follows Lady Truthful as she turns 18-years-old. Her father shows her the emerald she will inherit during her birthday dinner, when suddenly a big storm occurs and the emerald is stolen. Truthful travels to London to visit her aunt, and to help find the emerald.

I thought the idea for Newt’s Emerald was a lot of fun, but unfortunately the book fell a bit flat for me. My first issue is with the writing style. Nix does an excellent job of writing in the British English of the time period, but it was difficult to adapt because there was a lot of vocabulary I didn’t know. While there is a glossary in the back of the book, many of the words I looked up weren’t listed there. Similarly, Nix assumes that the reader is already familiar with the magic system in the book. Perhaps if you read a lot of books in this genre you would be, but I would have liked a lot more world-building. This is especially true for a young adult novel, in which many of the readers might not be familiar with this particular magic system.

Moreover, I also found that the book’s short length held back the story. The characters were underdeveloped, as was the romance. A longer book would have also helped to build suspense. This is especially true at the end of the novel. I won’t spoil the story for you, but I will say that I was very disappointed with the ending. The book built up to a climax that happens in the last couple of pages. Then, the book is suddenly over. This sudden ending really detracted from my enjoyment of the story. This could have been solved with a longer book, or even an epilogue.

That being said, there were still some things I liked about Newt’s Emerald in addition to the plot idea. First, I loved the character of Truthful’s aunt, Lady Badgery. Ever since becoming an aunt, I’ve loved aunts in literature. Lady Badgery is sassy and smart, but also quite loving. She really takes Truthful under her wing, and I loved seeing how their relationship played a role in the book. In addition, I loved the glamorous setting of Newt’s Emerald. Not only was glamour a part of the magic system, but I really liked all of the balls Truthful attended, as well as the careful attention to fashion. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book in the Regency era before, and this definitely piqued my interest.

All in all, I was quite disappointed with Newt’s Emerald because it was underdeveloped and slow-going. It reads more like middle grade than young adult, so I would recommend it for younger readers. While I thought the story had a fun plot, it just wasn’t done well for my tastes. I am interested to hear your thoughts on Nix’s other books. I know his Abhorson series is well-loved, so I might give that a try in the future.

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