Adventures in Polishland

New Year’s Resolutions 2016 | Quarter 1 Update

Posted on April 7, 2016March 19, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! We are now a few months into 2016, and I wanted to share an update on my New Year’s Resolutions for this year. I know a lot of you might be feeling disgruntled about your resolutions if they haven’t been going very well, so I hope that if I share my journey and experiences you will feel more inspired to keep going. Resolutions don’t happen overnight – they take hard work and dedication. As long as we are working towards our goals we are being successful! Today I’ll be sharing a quick update on each of my five resolutions, and grade myself on my progress. You can see my New Year’s Resolutions announcement HERE if you missed it!

1. Paint My Nails More Often & Try More Nail Art

Grade: C+

I’ve done really well with blogging more about nail polish this year, especially during Manicure March! However, I’m still not wearing nail polish often on a daily basis. I have been swatching a lot lately, so I haven’t painted a full manicure because I know I’ll just have to take it off to swatch. I know that’s an excuse, so I need to get over it and paint my nails more! I’m ready to put my newly decluttered collection to use.

2. Nail Down a Skincare Routine

Grade: B

I’ve been doing much better at taking care of my skin this year, but I’m not at the point of a daily routine just yet. I probably do a full morning and evening skincare routine about 4-5 days per week. That is a huge improvement for me, so I’m happy with my progress!

3. Focus on My Overall Health

Grade: C

My health goals were broken down into three main categories: taking my daily vitamins, exercising regularly, and eating healthier. I’m doing really well at taking my vitamins. I’ve made it a part of my day, and you can see in my Health Star Jar above that there are a lot of purple stars! Unfortunately, I’ve slacked off big time when it came to exercise. I got sick in January and took some time off, but that time off turned into a couple months off (big oops!). I’m going to try to start with exercising once per week to ease myself back into a routine. Finally, I’ve been eating somewhat better, but my sweet tooth has been overpowering me. I need to conquer it!

4. Organize My Life

Grade: B

A general goal of mine is to become more organized in all aspects of my life. I think I’ve done a good job at this so far! I’ve created some new systems that work for me, such as keeping notebooks for certain purposes, coming up with a functional clothing organization system, and storing my makeup. Decluttering has been on the forefront of my mind, and getting rid of unneeded things in my life has helped me become more organized for sure. I’ve also been working on budgeting my money by making sure I buy with purpose. I also keep a spending log to keep track of every dollar that comes in and goes out. My main priority now is becoming more productive and motivated in my daily life.

5. Read 40 Books

Grade: A

As of writing this blog post, I’ve read 17 books in 2016! I am well on my way to completing this goal. I was a reading machine in both January and February, and in March I slowed down a bit to focus on longer books and books that require more brain power. I am also writing non-spoiler book reviews for every book I read, so check out THIS section of the blog to see them.

All in all, while there is definite room for improvement, I think my New Year’s Resolutions are going well. It’s important to check in with yourself and be honest about how you are progressing. It is okay if you haven’t even begun work on your resolutions yet! Just don’t give up! I know it can be really hard to motivate yourself, so let’s cheer each other on in the comments! Share your resolutions and progress with me!

My Everyday Makeup featuring MAKE Beauty | Limited Time Coupon Code

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share with you my everyday makeup look, and also review a couple of products from the brand MAKE Beauty. I first tried MAKE Beauty a few years ago through the subscription service Birchbox. I luckily got the opportunity to review some of the brand’s products for all of you, and I was so happy when they arrived because they perfectly fit into my normal makeup routine. This post will provide first impressions reviews of the MAKE Beauty Matte Finish Eyeshadow in Alabaster and the Silk Cream Lipstick in Taffy, and then conclude with an overall look at my full makeup. Make sure to stay tuned to the end of this post where I will share a coupon code for MAKE Beauty with all of you!

Matte Finish Eyeshadow in Alabaster [BUY]

MAKE Beauty Matte Finish Eyeshadow in Alabaster

First up is the Matte Finish Eyeshadow in Alabaster. I’ve swatched Alabaster on my hand, but you probably will have a hard time seeing it because it is my exact skin tone! I was so excited to discover that, because I don’t like to wear eyeshadow on a daily basis. However, I do have quite veiny eyelids, so I often use an eye primer just to cancel out the discoloration. Alabaster works perfectly to fully cover up my veiny lids. It is smooth, pigmented, and wears very nicely throughout the day. This eyeshadow formula also contains Vitamins C and E to help provide anti-oxidant protection to the eye area, and I think it does a great job because I didn’t experience any irritation. I’m in love with Alabaster!

Silk Cream Lipstick in Taffy [BUY]

MAKE Beauty Silk Cream Lipstick in Taffy

Next up is the Silk Cream Lipstick in the shade Taffy, a medium pink with purple undertones. Taffy just happens to be a ‘my lips but better’ shade. I couldn’t believe how well this fit my complexion! I also like how Taffy applies smoothy, and feels nice on the lips. I’ve had really dry lips lately, but Taffy still applied nicely and wore well throughout the day. Taffy did not add any moisture to my lips, but it also didn’t feel drying. I know I will be reaching for this lipstick often!

My Everyday Makeup Look

Here’s my completed makeup look! I’ll list all of the products for you if you’d like to learn more about what I use on the daily. Links to the MAKE Beauty products are above in each review.

Make Up For Every Step 1 Equalizing Primer [BUY]
Covergirl TruBlend Liquid Makeup in L2 [BUY]
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer [BUY]
Maybelline BROWdrama Pro Palette in Blonde [BUY]
Maybelline Great Last Mascara in Clear [BUY]
Rimmel London Scandaleyes XX-Treme Mascara in Black [BUY]
Rimmel London Natural Bronzer [BUY]
Benefit Cosmetics Dandelion Blush [BUY]
L’Oreal Paris Colour Riche Eyeshadow Palette (I used the highlight shade) [BUY]
Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Translucent [BUY]
Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray [BUY]

All in all, I am really loving the products I received from MAKE Beauty, and am excited they fit into my daily routine. MAKE Beauty is a boutique brand with higher end prices, but I think these are great products in which to invest. From now until April 15, 2016, you can save 20% off your purchase at makebeauty.com with the code MAKEYOURSELF at checkout. I highly recommend snatching up these savings while you can!

What products are part of your everyday makeup look? Please share in the comments!

The products from MAKE Beauty were provided for my unbiased review. This post includes affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

February & March Favorites! | What I’m Loving in 2016

Posted on April 5, 2016July 14, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’m excited to share my favorites for the months of February and March. I didn’t get the opportunity to share what I loved in February during Manicure March, so I thought I’d lump the past two months together. It actually works out perfectly because I haven’t discovered many new things to share with you. I’ve been so busy working on the blog these past couple of months, but I’ve really been enjoying it. Without further ado, let me share my favorites with you!

SKINCARE

Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Melting Cleanser [REVIEW] [BUY]

I’ve been loving the Yes to Coconut Melting Cleanser! It smells amazing, and does a great job at cleansing my face without stripping it of moisture. I don’t use this daily, but when I want a deep clean. It truly melts away my makeup! I’m definitely going to be purchasing more products from the Yes To brand in the future.

BODY CARE

The Body Shop Aloe Body Butter [BUY]

I purchased this body butter because it is fragrance free. I don’t know about you, but I’m sensitive to smells, and sometimes it’s nice to put on lotion without perfume. This body butter truly is fragrance free, and I appreciate that so much. Plus, it does an amazing job at hydrating my skin. I’m seeing a big difference in just a couple weeks of using it! I do wish it was a bit more affordable, but I’m going to grab it during sales for sure.

TV SHOWS

Fuller House

Full House is my favorite TV show of all time, so you know I was ready for Fuller House! I marathoned the series as soon as it came out, and really loved it. I got a free Netflix month just so I could watch it. I’m so glad it got picked up for a second season. It’s so fun to see the cast back in action, and I love all the new characters. I highly recommend it if you haven’t seen it yet!

The Family

I’ve also been loving the new show on ABC called The Family! I’m not usually into creepy TV shows, but for some reason I just had to watch this after seeing the commercials. The show follows a family in Maine. Ten years ago, the youngest son went missing, and the man who lives across the street was convicted of his murder. Then, at present day, the son reappears. Now the family is trying to catch his kidnapper. It’s so intriguing! I am always excited for a new episode.

BOOK

More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera [BUY]

My favorite book of the past couple months is More Happy Than Not, a young adult contemporary with a science fiction twist. I will have a full review up for you later this month, but I wanted to share it now so you can pick it up as soon as possible! The story follows Aaron Soto, a teenager living in the Bronx. He is struggling after his father committed suicide, and trying to find his way in life. The story is not only emotional, but it is very well written. I highly recommend it!

ETSY SHOP

Pretty on Paper Co. [SHOP]

I made my first purchase from Pretty on Paper Co. back in January, and I instantly fell in love. The planner stickers in her shop are amazing quality, and I love her design aesthetic. I’ve already made a second purchase, and I will definitely be back for more! She makes amazing weekly kits, which I love using in my planner. I recommend checking out her shop! She is located in Canada, but shipping to the United States is pretty affordable.

That wraps up my February and March favorites! I hope you enjoyed seeing what I’ve been enjoying these past couple of months. As always, please share your favorites with me in the comments! I love getting recommendations from all of you. You can also use the hashtag #PolishlandFaves on social media to share your photos. Here’s to a great April!

Some of the 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.

March Empties | #365DaysofEmpties Update

Posted on April 4, 2016March 23, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! It’s now April, and that means it’s time to share the products I used up during the month of March. I thought I was going to have a lot of empties this month, but a lot of my products are still going strong even though there is just a bit left in the bottle! Let me know in the comments if you ever have that feeling, where your products are just about to finish but last for what feels like forever. Let’s go ahead and jump right into my March empties.

SKINCARE

Olay Fresh Effects Everything Off Deluxe Makeup Removal Wet Cloths – 1 Pack [BUY]

Mini Review: I like these wipes because they take off all my makeup well, including mascara. They are a bit rougher on my skin than I would like, so I wouldn’t recommend these if you have sensitive skin. I much prefer the Swipe Out wipes from the Fresh Effects line.
Would I Buy it Again? If there was a good sale! I try all different wipes.

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Caplet Serum – 1 Sample [BUY]

Mini Review: I have mixed feelings on this serum! The caplets burst into a silver shimmer, leaving the face really glittery, which I really disliked. However, my skin loved this serum! My face was clear and even, and I didn’t experience a breakout during the entire time I used it. I also have a bunch of caplets left, but no serum.
Would I Buy it Again? No. I don’t like the glitter, and this is very expensive!

Cover FX Calming Primer – 1 Sample [BUY]

Mini Review: I used this serum whenever my skin was having a bad day. It is very gentle and good for sensitive skin. The texture is really nice, and my makeup applied well.
Would I Buy it Again? Yes! I might purchase it in the future.

NAIL CARE

Sally Hansen Continuous Treatment Base & Top Coat – 1 Bottle

Mini Review: I grabbed this base and top coat during a clearance sale at CVS for a couple dollars. I used it primarily as a base coat, and it served its purpose well. It did have a very strong odor however. I’m glad to move onto a new base coat!
Would I Buy it Again? No. This product is discontinued.

HAIR CARE

Neutrogena T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo – 1 Bottle [BUY]

Mini Review: This shampoo is not a miracle worker, but it did help greatly to improve my flakes. I get an extremely dry scalp in the winter, and I needed something to help. I noticed that if I skipped using this my flakes came back in full force, so it did help a lot.
Would I Buy it Again? Yes, but I’m trying out a new shampoo next to see if it helps better.

BODY CARE

The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub Gelee – 1 Tub [BUY]

Mini Review: I love this scrub! I’ve never tried a gelee scrub before, and it was a unique feel. I think this pink grapefruit scrub is perfect for the warmer months. It smells fresh, exfoliates well, and has a great texture.
Would I Buy it Again? Yes! I already did.

ORAL HYGIENE

Crest Complete Whitening + Scope – 1 Tube [BUY]

Mini Review: I liked this toothpaste just fine, but I don’t think there is anything special about it. I try to purchase toothpastes that are approved by the ADA (American Dental Association), and this one is not.
Would I Buy it Again? No.

MARCH EMPTIES: 7

TOTAL 2016 EMPTIES: 26

I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t finish up a lot of products this month, but I am still on track to finish 100 products by the end of the year. I am now trying to focus on one product at a time so that I can use up what’s in my stash. For example, I am going to use only one to two mascaras at once to see if I can use one up before it expires. Definitely let me know in the comments what you used up in the month of March, and if you have any tips on using up products. I would love to know!

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

Upcoming Adventures | April Blog Chat

Posted on April 3, 2016March 12, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I’m back today to let you know what to expect on the blog this month in April. March was a ton of fun! I really enjoyed doing a themed month and getting back to my nail polish roots. Now I am glad to return to my normal blog schedule in April. In this Upcoming Adventures post I’ll be reminding you of my blog schedule, share new blog goals, and let you in on a special announcement!

First things first, I wanted to remind all of you of my blog schedule in case you first discovered Adventures in Polishland during Manicure March. I like to describe my blog as a lifestyle blog with a beauty focus. While I mainly blog about beauty and nail polish, I share other aspects of my life with you, too.

Here is my current schedule:

M/W/F: Beauty Post

Tu/Th: Lifestyle Post

In April you can expect to see a lot of book reviews on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I read up a storm in February and am still getting those reviews out for you. If you’d like to stay in touch with me while I’m reading, you can follow or friend me on Goodreads HERE. My book reviews are always non-spoiler. They begin with general statistics about the book at the beginning, and then I include the book’s synopsis from Goodreads. My review concludes the post, and I always let you know what I liked and didn’t like!

I will also be celebrating my 4th Blogiversary this month on April 10th! I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for four years. I don’t know exactly how I’m going to celebrate yet, but you can rest assured I’ll put together something special for that day. To go along with that, I am also committing to write at least one nail polish post per week. I want to make sure I stay true to my roots and continue to embrace the ‘Polish’ in Polishland!

That wraps up my Upcoming Adventures post for April! I hope you all had a great March, and I hope you are as excited for the spring season as I am. If you are not already, you can follow my blog for free on Bloglovin HERE so my new posts are always in your feed. I would love to have you join the adventure with me! Here’s to an awesome April!

Manicure March Wrap Up | Final Results + What Happens Next!

Posted on April 1, 2016March 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am beyond excited to wrap up Manicure March with all of you. It was really fun to blog every single day for an entire month, and get back to the roots of Adventures in Polishland with nail polish reviews. If you missed any of the 31 posts, you can check them out HERE. I decided to do Manicure March to share with all of you my nail polish declutter project. Last year I began decluttering my nail polishes because I was feeling very weighed down by them. I absolutely love nail polish, and am still very passionate about it. However, I don’t want to hold onto them and not use them. I’m taking my time to pare down my nail polish stash to include only those polishes I absolutely love. I hope all of you are enjoying this adventure, and that you’re excited to see the final Manicure March results!

Manicure March by the Numbers

First things first, let’s discuss the numbers. I swatched 31 nail polishes during Manicure March. I didn’t have a specific goal in mind for how many I wanted to keep versus declutter, but I was hoping to destash more than I kept. Here is the breakdown of results:

Polishes Kept: 14

Polishes Decluttered: 17

I feel great that I was able to destash more nail polishes than I decided to keep. Of course, the end result for me is to build a collection of amazing nail polishes that I absolutely love. I would have been totally fine keeping more if they fit that category!

What am I doing with the decluttered polishes?

The biggest question I’ve received since announcing my destash project is what I’m going to do with the polishes I no longer want. I’ve thought about this in depth, and I honestly want to leave myself with the least amount of work possible. I’ve come up with a four-step process to help me move the decluttered polishes out of my possession as quickly as possible:

Recycle Bad Formulas – Did you know you aren’t supposed to throw out nail polish in the regular garbage? Nail polish needs to be disposed of at a household hazardous waste facility. Unfortunately, there aren’t any local to me based on THIS online research. However, every year Zoya puts together an Earth day promotion where you can send in your old nail polish to be recycled. I’m going to keep an eye out for the 2016 promotion, and will post about it on my Facebook Page HERE when the information is available.
Give to Friends and Family – I always offer any products I have to friends and family first. It cuts down on shipping costs and gives back to those in my personal community!
Sell those Worth Money – If I have any nail polishes that are worth money, I might try to sell them in nail polish groups. I don’t think any of the polishes I’ve decluttered thus far fall into this category, but some might make it into the pile later. I will not sell nail polishes I received for review. However, I may offer them to others if they pay the shipping fee.
Donate to Charity – Finally, I will donate the rest of my polishes to charity. Many shelters accept gently used nail polish, so check your local area to see what’s an option for you. I plan on donating to PolishedGirlz, an organization I’ve heard amazing things about in the nail polish community.

What Happens Next?

Manicure March completed my first round of my declutter. I did a modified KonMari method in which I held every polish and quickly decided whether it was one that sparked joy for me. If it did, I kept it. If not, I put it directly in the declutter bin. If I couldn’t decide based on the polish alone, I swatched it during Manicure March!

My next round is going to be based on nail polish color. I’m going to look at each color family of polish and get rid of any polishes that are the same or very, very similar. You can expect some comparison posts to be coming your way during that round! After that I will see how my collection is doing, and perhaps create a round three.

That wraps up Manicure March! I hope you enjoyed all of my reviews and the fun discussions we had in each post. I really loved hearing your thoughts, so thank you to everyone who commented and shared with me! My regular blog schedule will be resuming tomorrow, but I promise there are more nail polish reviews coming your way very, very soon!

Manicure March | NYC New York Color Crystal Couture in Fashion Queen

Posted on March 31, 2016March 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! It’s the last day of Manicure March, and I have the 31st nail polish review to share with all of you today! I’m closing things out with a polish from the fabulous and affordable brand NYC New York Color. I’m really trying to cut down on the amount of glitter polishes in my collection because I just don’t wear them regularly. I decided to test out Fashion Queen from the Crystal Couture line, so let’s jump right into the review!

Fashion Queen is a yellow gold polish in a gold base. The formula is okay, but it is a bit on the watery side. I applied two coats, and my nail line was still visible. However, I didn’t want to add another coat because the polish was so goopy. As you can probably guess, I’ve destashed Fashion Queen. The gold was really pretty, but the formula isn’t worth it. Another nail polish hits the declutter bin!

All in all, I’m glad I am working towards minimizing my glitter nail polishes. I still have an entire box of glitters, so it’s not like I only have a few left. NYC New York Color is a great drugstore brand, and I still highly recommend it even though Fashion Queen isn’t my favorite. If you use NYC New York Color, please recommend you favorites to me in the comments! Also, make sure to check back here tomorrow for my Manicure March wrap up!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | A England in Love is Enough

Posted on March 30, 2016March 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I’m reviewing another polish from the brand A England. As I mentioned in my last A England review, I am really impressed with this nail polish brand and am so glad I got the opportunity to review a couple through the American distributer Beautometry. That being said, I haven’t worn the polish Love is Enough since I reviewed it a couple years back. It was time to see once and for all whether it would stay in my collection!

Love is Enough is a really unique polish! The base color is a greenish grey, and it contains green, bronze, and silver shimmer. The formula is good, but a bit on the thick side. I recommend applying two thin coats for an opaque manicure. Love is Enough reminds me of dragon scales. It feels very medieval, which I know might sound weird. While this is a great nail polish, it’s just not something I would wear. It’s going into my box of destashed polishes!

All in all, I am going to be more mindful when trying nail polishes from the brand A England. Now that I know the formula is good, I need to really research the colors and check out swatches before I pick them up. Please share your favorite A England nail polishes in the comments with me, or let me know why you’re not a fan of the brand. I’d love to know your thoughts either way!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

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

Manicure March | Julep in Janel

Posted on March 29, 2016March 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! It’s time to swatch the last Julep nail polish of Manicure March. This time it is a polish that doesn’t look too exciting in the bottle, but I still felt the need to swatch it before decluttering it right away. I do find that sometimes nail polish looks really different on the nails than it does in the bottle. That can be frustrating at times, but I do love when the polish is even better than I expected! Let me share my thoughts on Janel with all of you.

Janel is a berry red polish with a slight magenta shimmer. The formula is excellent, and opaque in two coats. I’m not usually a big fan of shimmer polishes, but because the shimmer in Janel isn’t very strong I really like it. I also noticed that Janel looks lighter on the nails than it does in the bottle. I’m glad about that, because otherwise I wouldn’t like it with my skin tone as much. I’m keeping Janel in my stash for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad I decided to give Janel a swatch. It is a stunning fall color, and I think I’ll get some use out of it in the summer, too. During Manicure March I kept two Julep polishes and destashed two as well. Please let me know in the comments if you still like Julep nail polish, or have you been decluttering it as well.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | China Glaze in Surreal Appeal

Posted on March 28, 2016March 11, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! We are in the home stretch for Manicure March, and today I’m revisiting the brand China Glaze. Earlier this month I tried Creative Fantasy, and found the formula to be quite bad. I wanted to test out another China Glaze in my collection to see how the formula compared. I love the shade of Surreal Appeal, but it’s not worth keeping if it has a bad formula. Let’s take a look at this bright nail polish!

Surreal Appeal is a bright coral nail polish with a creme finish. The formula is good, but it is still a bit thicker and goopier than I would like. That being said, it’s not too challenging to work with, and I get a gorgeous finish in two opaque coats. I absolutely love the shade of Surreal Appeal. I’ve decided that I’m going to keep it in my collection for now, because I know this is a polish I will wear regularly. However, I’m going to see if I own another polish in this same color with a better formula. If I do, I will destash this one.

All in all, I’m glad I found a China Glaze polish in my collection with a beautiful color and decent formula. Surreal Appeal is so bright and fun, and makes me ready for the spring weather. Coral pinks are a go to shade for me in the warmer months for sure. I would love to know in the comments what nail polish colors you reach for once springtime is here. Do you wear polishes seasonally, or just based on your mood? Please share with me!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!