Adventures in Polishland

Manicure March | SinfulColors Professional in Cinderella

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

Happy Monday! Today rounds out my first week of Manicure March posts! I hope you’re enjoying this series as much as I am. I’m excited to review a cult favorite with all of you today. When I first starting blogging, everyone raved about SinfulColors Professional in the shade Cinderella. In fact, this polish was difficult to find at drugstores for a while. I can’t remember exactly where I got mine, but I rediscovered it in my collection and had a good laugh at the memory of how popular this $1.99 polish was. Despite it’s popularity, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep this polish, simply because I never wear it. Let me go ahead and share Cinderella with you, and let you know if I’m keeping it!

Cinderella is a baby blue polish with a pink holographic shimmer. The formula is good, though can be a bit patchy. I applied three coats to achieve opacity. Cinderella is definitely a beautiful polish that truly lives up to its royal name. I can see why so many people love this nail polish, and I debated keeping it because it’s so well known. However, I’ve only worn this nail polish once before, and it’s just not a polish I would wear on a regular basis. I’ve decided to pass on Cinderella, and hope the next owner loves this polish!

All in all, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and purchase a polish that everyone else is talking about in the community. If the polish is super affordable like SinfulColors, then you can feel good trying out the favorite. However, if you’re about to splurge on an expensive polish just because it’s getting hyped, take a minute and think about whether you really want that shade. I’m glad I did try Cinderella, but I’m also ready to let it go. Definitely let me know in the comments if you own Cinderella!

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 | Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition Nail Color in LCD

Posted on March 6, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Manicure March is going strong! I hope you’ve been enjoying my nail polish reviews thus far. Today I’m sharing a really fun review on one of the discontinued collections from Sally Hansen. If you’re like me and you still have a bunch of Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition polishes in your stash, here is your chance to see the magic within the bottle. Let me share my swatches of LCD, and the specific way I wear it.

First things first, here is LCD on its own. LCD is a pink metallic polish with a very sheer formula. It is packed with blue and purple shimmer as well. LCD has a good formula that applies nicely to the nail. However, it’s very underwhelming on its own. I layered three coats onto my nails, and my manicure is still really sheer. I really did not like LCD on my nails, but because it is so sheer I decided to do an experiment.

Next, I painted my pointer and middle fingers with a white base and my ring and pinky fingers with a black base. I layered LCD over the top, and that’s when the magic happened. Well, LCD looked like a pink mess over the white, but look at it layered over black nail polish! I got an instant galaxy manicure!

As soon as I finished my swatches for the day, I did a full manicure with LCD layered over a black nail polish. I am so obsessed with this! I can’t believe the magic that was living inside this nail polish bottle for years. I own several other bottles of Sally Hansen HD polish, and I’m now ready to experiment with all of them. Needless to say, I’m keeping LCD in my stash because it is amazing.

All in all, I am so glad I tested out LCD as a layering polish. The directions on the bottle simply say to apply 2-3 coats to the nail, so I’m not sure Sally Hansen even designed this polish to work well in layering. If you own this polish definitely let me know how you wear it in the comments. Did you know how LCD looks over black?! I know I’ve said the word ‘magic’ too often in this blog post, but I’m excited about this one! It’s always nice to discover a nail polish that you already own.

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 Creative Fantasy

Posted on March 5, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today for Manicure March I’m reviewing a polish from the brand China Glaze. While this brand is very well known in the nail polish world, I rarely use China Glaze polishes. In fact, besides owning the complete Hunger Games collection, I only have a few other polishes from the brand. During my recent nail polish reorganization project, I found the bottle Creative Fantasy. I’m not sure if I’ve ever used it, so I decided to try it out and share my thoughts with all of you!

Creative Fantasy is a purple nail polish with a crelly formula – creme and jelly mixture. The formula is very problematic. It is thin and watery, and very patchy. I’ve applied three coats in the photos here, and you can clearly see how it is patchy and not fully opaque in some areas. I didn’t have to spend any time debating whether or not I’d keep Creative Fantasy in my collection. This one had to go ASAP!

I’m very interested to hear from all of you in regards to China Glaze. The polishes are sold at stores such as Sally Beauty and Ulta, and I consider them a salon brand. However, I haven’t fallen in love with the shades I’ve tried in the past. I know I’m unlikely to purchase a nail polish from a brand if I haven’t had a great experience in the past. Let me know in the comments if you feel the same way!

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 | Julep in Katie

Posted on March 4, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Manicure March continues today with a review of one of my many Julep nail polishes. I own dozens of Julep polishes after subscribing to the service so long, and also from purchasing mystery boxes. I absolutely loved Julep when the site first launched. Unfortunately, Julep changed its brush and formula over time, and I don’t think the quality is as great anymore. I’ve decided I’m only going to keep Julep polishes that I absolutely love. Let me show go ahead and show you Katie!

Katie is a magenta polish with blue and magenta shimmer. The formula is good, but it does pull. I was really sad when the polish pulled upon application (meaning it bunched up on the nail instead of going on smoothly). The color is absolutely stunning, and I was thinking about keeping it in my stash. However, because the formula isn’t great, I decided to let it go. I’m sure I can find another polish in a similar color that has a better formula. Let’s be real – I probably already own one!

All in all, while I think Katie is a beautiful polish, I’m destashing it due to its wonky formula. Sometimes I do keep nail polish with imperfect formulas if I really love the color, but to be honest I wouldn’t wear Katie often anyway. Please let me know in the comments if you keep polishes purely for the shade, even if the formula isn’t the best. I would love to know!

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 | Milani Nail Lacquer Texture in Lovely Lavender

Posted on March 3, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I’m reviewing a polish from the limited edition Milani Nail Lacquer Texture collection. While this polish is no longer available, I still wanted to share it with you and have a discussion on nail polish trends. Textured nail polish was all the rage a few years ago. It took off with the OPI Liquid Sand range, and then really picked up with the Zoya PixieDust line. Soon brands all over the price spectrum were getting in on the textured trend. I absolutely loved textured polish, and I still do. However, I haven’t worn it in quite a while. I wanted to test out one of my Milani Texture polishes to see if the formula had changed over time, and if I would still rock a textured nail. Let me share Lovely Lavender with all of you!

Lovely Lavender is a light purple polish with a creme texture formula. What this means is that there is no shimmer in the formula, so it looks like a creme polish, just with a textured finish. Lovely Lavender has an amazing formula. It applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. I was really happy to discover that this formula has stood the test of time. It is not goopy or thick, and still applies beautifully. The reason I am stressing this is because one of my other Milani Texture polishes did dry out, but that might have been from a bottle that wasn’t fully closed. I’ll be testing some of the others in my collection to see how they are holding up, too.

All in all, I still really love Milani Texture in Lovely Lavender even though it’s not on trend any longer. I hope to wear my textured polishes more often, because I like how they look on me. I would love to hear in the comments if you still wear textured polish, or if you are glad the trend is over. Also let me know which nail polish trend you wish would come back!

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 | Confetti in Purple Pizzazz

Posted on March 2, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Manicure March continues today with a review of one of the oldest polishes in my collection. Confetti is a brand that used to be sold at CVS stores for the fabulous and affordable price of $1.99. I own two polishes from the brand, and I’ve held onto Purple Pizzazz for years now, partly for emotional reasons. This might sound silly, but I have really good memories with this nail polish! I remember lending it to friends, and bringing it with me to New York the first semester I lived in the city. However, I almost never wore it myself. I decided to put it to the test once and for all to see if I actually liked the polish itself.

Purple Pizzazz is a really unique nail polish. It is a purple-pink metallic polish with a holographic shimmer. The formula is good, but on the sheer side so I applied three coats for opacity. While I was swatching in artificial light, I wasn’t sure if I liked Purple Pizzazz. I decided to add my favorite top coat to really try out this polish. I thought I was going to keep it until I stepped out into natural light to take photographs of my manicure. I truly saw the light – this polish is just not for me! I’m not a metallic fan, for one, and this color just doesn’t go with my skin tone. Purple Pizzazz, it’s time to say goodbye!

I’m so glad I was finally able to part with Confetti in Purple Pizzazz. Sometimes it can be difficult to get rid of things that you have fond memories of, even if that thing is nail polish. At the end of the day, if I’m not going to use a polish, I shouldn’t own it anymore. Please let me know in the comments if you still own any polishes from the Confetti brand, and if you like them!

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 | Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Barracuda

Posted on March 1, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! It is the first day of Manicure March, and I couldn’t be more excited. Just in case you missed my announcement in the last installment of Upcoming Adventures, Manicure March is a special feature I’m doing this month where I bring you a nail polish review for each and every day this month! I’m kicking things off with a polish from one of my all-time favorite brands, Sally Hansen. I purchased Barracuda at CVS some time ago after hearing about it on EleventhGorgeous’s YouTube channel. I wore it back in 2013, but honestly don’t know if it’s been on my nails since then. Let’s take a closer look at Barracuda!

Barracuda is a pastel blue creme polish, and I think my only polish from the Complete Salon Manicure line. I’m not a huge fan of pastel blues at this point, and I was even more disappointed with the formula! It was very watery and patchy, and I applied three coats before achieving opacity. I think this polish couldn’t stand the test of time, because my earlier review states I had no issues with the formula. Nonetheless, I won’t be keeping this around. If I’m not loving the color or the formula, this polish has got to go!

All in all, I’m quite surprised to find that this more expensive line from Sally Hansen is a bit of a flop for me. I’d love to know if you own polishes from the Complete Salon Manicure line, and how you like the formula. The price tag on this polish reads $8.99, but I know I purchased this on sale and with a coupon. That being said, I think I’ll stick with Sally Hansen’s other nail polish collections for now. Bye bye, Barracuda!

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

February Empties | #365DaysofEmpties Update

Posted on February 29, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! February is coming to a close, and it’s time to share my empty products with all of you. Last month I introduced a new project that I’m doing all year long called the #365DaysofEmpties. You can learn more about the project HERE, but my personal goal is to use up 100 products this year. This blog post will show you what I used up in the month of February, my mini review of each product, and a note on whether I’d repurchase the product. Let’s go ahead and jump right into the empties!

SKINCARE

NUDE Skincare Advanced Renewal Serum – 3 Sample Packs [BUY]

Mini Review: I finished up the remaining samples of this serum in February, and while I do like it, I didn’t see a major change in my skin. It felt nice and I had no adverse reaction, but it wasn’t a miracle product for me.
Would I Buy it Again? No. This serum is very expensive, and not worth the price.

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel – 1 Sample Pack [BUY]

Mini Review: I’ve always been scared to try a peel, but I really like this one because it is a two-step wipe system instead of a mask that literally peels off the face. I did experience some tingling and a bit of tightness after using the peel, but it seemed to work fine. I think my skin really liked it!
Would I Buy it Again? I’m not sure! I have two more samples to try, and I’ll let you know the final verdict then.

Up & Up Refreshing Wet Cleansing Towelettes – 1 Pack [BUY]

Mini Review: I picked up this pack of makeup remover wipes specifically for my trip to Los Angeles in January. I finished using the wipes this month, and I really like them. They are the Target brand, but are formulated to compare with Pond’s. They work just as well!
Would I Buy it Again? Yes!

NAIL CARE

Beauty 360 Strengthening Nail Polish Remover – 1 Bottle [BUY]

Mini Review: I really liked this nail polish remover, but I am so mad at myself! I just noticed on the label (in big clear lettering) that this remover contains gelatin. I don’t consume products with gelatin because I’m a vegetarian, and I’d prefer not to use it in my other beauty products as well. Here’s your friendly reminder to always read the label.
Would I Buy it Again? No!

Berkley Jensen Premium 100% Pure Cotton Rounds – 1 Pack [BUY]

Mini Review: I use cotton rounds mainly to remover nail polish. It is definitely my product of choice for nail polish remover because it cuts down on the fuzzies, and does a great job. I’ve also been using cotton rounds to remove face cleanser as well.
Would I Buy it Again? Yes! I buy these in bulk at my local BJ’s.

MAKEUP

Avon Eyeshadow Sponge Applicators – 1 Pack [BUY]

Mini Review: While this is technically a makeup item, I use eyeshadow applicators in nail art! I’ve had this pack for years and just used up the last applicator. I need to get some more of these because they are the only thing that I can use for ombré nail art.
Would I Buy it Again? Yes, but from a different brand.

Dr. Jart Dis-A-Pore Beauty Balm – 1 Sample [BUY]

Mini Review: I got this BB cream in a subscription box, and I used it every once in a while. I really like this BB cream, but the shade isn’t perfect for me. That’s a bit disappointing because it is quite full coverage and wears really well all day.
Would I Buy it Again? No. It doesn’t match my skin properly.

BODY CARE

Raven’s Creek Ultra Soft Sugar Scrub in Pumpkin Pie Spice – 1 Tub [BUY]

Mini Review: I got this sugar scrub in a subscription box, and I did like it, but I didn’t love it. The smell was amazing, but the scrub didn’t exfoliate as well as I would have liked. I also had to use a lot of this product at once.
Would I Buy it Again? No.

FEBRUARY EMPTIES: 10

TOTAL 2016 EMPTIES: 19

That brings us to the end of my January empties! I am on track to use up 100 products by the end of the year, which is really awesome. I think March’s empties post will be pretty big, because a lot of my products are right at the end. It’s always fun when a bunch of products run out at once! Until then, let me know in the comments what you finished up in February. Also let me know if you use any of the products I mentioned today, and what you think of them.

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

Upcoming Adventures | March Blog Chat & HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Posted on February 28, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! February is nearly over now, and that means it’s time to share my Upcoming Adventures with all of you. I began my Upcoming Adventures series last month, and just in case you missed it I will link it HERE for you. At the end of every month I will be sharing what you can expect to see on my blog for the month ahead. I am so excited to share my March Blog Chat today, because I have something very exciting to share with you!

As you may know, Adventures in Polishland began as a nail polish blog back in April of 2012. Nail polish was a huge part of my life at the time, and slowly I’ve moved into the world of beauty as a whole. Now I blog about all sorts of things, and my nail polish blog posts have taken a back seat. I really want to make sure that I make nail polish a true staple on this blog again, and I’ve decided that March is the month to do just that. So, I am dubbing March to be Manicure March! What this means is that you will be getting a nail polish review for each and every day of the month. That’s right! I will have 31 blog posts this month, each one reviewing a nail polish from my collection.

I decided to do this because I am currently in the process of decluttering my nail polish stash and reorganizing it as well. I recently went through my entire collection and put aside about 30 polishes that I wanted to swatch and see if I wanted to keep them or declutter them. I thought it would be fun to share each one of those polishes with you! Some of these polishes have been reviewed on the blog in the past, others I’ve never shared with you. But for each polish you will be getting a full review.

I am so excited for Manicure March to begin! You will be seeing some very old and discontinued polishes, drugstore polishes, indie polishes, and everything in between. Along with each blog post I’ve asked you some questions. It’s really interesting to go back and look at old nail polish trends and collections, and also have a discussion about nail polish along the way. There is also an opportunity for you to get involved in addition to commenting on my blog! Just use the hashtag #ManicureMarch on social media! Whether you want to declutter your collection, or simply want to try out your polishes again, I’d love for you to join in the fun!

That wraps up this March blog chat! I hope you are as excited for Manicure March as I am. My regular blog content will resume in April, so if you’re looking for beauty posts, book reviews, and my other lifestyle content, have no fear – it will be back! Please don’t forget to check out my main Instagram account HERE, because I will be sharing nail polish swatches all month long there as well. Here’s to an awesome Manicure March!

Products I Buy High End!

Posted on February 26, 2016February 15, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Here at Adventures in Polishland I have always focused on living a fabulous and affordable life. However, there are a few products that I do save up for and splurge on because I think they are worth the money. I thought it would be fun to share with you the products that I tend to buy high end. Of course, I am always looking for affordable alternatives, but because these products work well for me, I don’t mind splurging on them. Let me go ahead and share with you the products I buy high end!

Dry Shampoo

I’ve tried what feels like a thousand dry shampoos from the drugstore, but I always come back to the Klorane Dry Shampoo, which unfortunately costs about $20 per can. This is the best dry shampoo I’ve ever used because it absorbs the oil and leaves my hair looking fresh and clean. Unlike other dry shampoos, it doesn’t add texture. It also brushes out well so that no white film is left in my brunette hair. I always buy this from Birchbox when there is a coupon code because I don’t like to go without it!

Face Primer

I’ve also tried a couple primers from the drugstore. While they’ve worked, they haven’t been as good as the high end primers I’ve used. My favorite primers are from Smashbox. The Photo Finish Light is oil free and great for sensitive skin or oily skin. I’m currently using the regular Photo Finish, and it’s great for combination or dry skin. I think it’s worth the price for sure!

BeautyBlender

I know, I’ve talked your ear off about the BeautyBlender, but it really is that good! Buying a sponge for $20 might seem ridiculous until you try it. The BeautyBlender is truly the best product for applying foundation and other cream products. It is worth the investment because it will last you a very long time so long as you wash it regularly. Trust me, you’ll love it! And don’t buy a cheap one – the ‘dupes’ are never as good.

Highlighter

My highlighter stash is composed of half high end products and half drugstore products, but I can definitely see a big difference in quality. I love my L’Oreal highlighters, but they tend to be a bit more glittery than I’d like. That’s why I think it’s great to invest in a few high end highlights. I absolutely love Cheeky from Ofra that is pictured here. It’s a bit more expensive than the drugstore, but lasts for such a long time.

Setting Spray

Last but not least is setting spray. This is the one product in this blog post that I’ve never tried from the drugstore! I purchased Urban Decay’s De-Slick for the first time about three or four years ago now, and I loved it so much I’ve never tried anything else! I did try Urban Decay’s All Nighter, but that’s the only other setting spray I’ve used. De-Slick is where it’s at for me!

All in all, while I love to bargain hunt and buy affordable products, it’s always nice to splurge on a high quality product every once in a while. I can’t justify buying mascara, blush, or other makeup products high end regularly because there are so many affordable options. That being said, I would love to know what products you buy high end, so please let me know in a comment!