Adventures in Polishland

Barielle in Falling Star

Posted on May 5, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I always love trying out new-to-me nail polish brands, and thanks to Conttonelle I got to try Barielle for the first time. I received Falling Star in my gift bag from the Spring Clean & Fresh Event (details HERE) and couldn’t wait to try it out. Let me show you this gorgeous polish!

Falling Star is a marine blue creme polish with rose gold glitter. The formula is amazing, and glides on so easily. Falling Star is opaque in two coats, and I was really impressed with how well the glitters apply. When I first saw Falling Star in the bottle, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but now I think it is just beautiful! It’s like nothing else in my collection. I would have never thought to mix these two colors together in one polish, but I’m glad Barielle did, because it’s wonderful!

All in all, I’m loving my first Barielle polish! I will definitely need to make it a priority to try more. In the meantime, you can check out my friend Briana’s blog HERE. She is a Barielle guru, and does many reviews and nail art looks with this brand. You can also purchase Falling Star on Amazon HERE for $7.99. Let me know your favorite Barielle polishes in the comments!

The product in this post was provided to me as a gift from Cottonelle. This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

April 2014 Favorites!

Posted on May 2, 2014April 27, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I can’t believe we just started May! April flew by so quickly, and it was a crazy month for me. Not only did I attend some awesome blogger events, but I started a new job and my first nephew was born! Needless to say, I loved April, but I’m very happy it’s May so I can finish all of my finals and enjoy some downtime. Let me share with you my April favorites!

MANICURE

Yi Kou Nail Wraps [REVIEW] [BUY]

My favorite manicure in April was definitely my nail wraps from Born Pretty Store! They were so bright and fun, and really easy to apply. I highly recommend them, and I’m considering purchasing some more.

LIP GLOSS

Maybelline Color Elixir Lip Gloss in Nude Illusion

I grabbed this lip gloss as part of a coupon deal, and never expected to love it as much as I do! It is extremely moisturizing, has a great color payoff, and smells delicious. Plus, I love the unique brush applicator. I want more shades of this gloss for sure!

SOAP

Puddle Duck Soapworks Goat Milk Soap in Pumpkin Latte [BUY]

You all know I love my soaps! My mom got me this one for Christmas, and it smelled absolutely divine. It was also exfoliating, but not overly abrasive. I’m so sad it’s all gone! I saved the wrapper so I would remember the exact brand and scent. Pumpkin Latte is a seasonal scent, but I surely hope it’s around next fall!

MAKEUP COLLECTION

InterDesign Acrylic Drawers [BUY]

In the spirit of Spring Cleaning, I went through my entire makeup collection and reorganized it. I ended up purchasing two more sets of acrylic drawers from Amazon, and I’m loving my new set-up. If you’d like an entire blog post dedicated to my makeup collection and how I organize it, please let me know in the comments!

HAIR

Yes, I got a haircut for the first time in nearly a year! I love it! This was my first NYC haircut, and I got it done by Kate at Tackamichi Salon. I went on Sustainable Beauty Day, and got this amazing haircut for a donation to charity. It was a fabulous opportunity, and I’m loving my new ‘do! Major thanks to Kate (definitely ask for her if you go to Takamichi)!

That’s it for my April 2014 favorites! Thank you for being patient with my irregular blog schedule as I head into my final exams. Soon I’ll be on summer break, and working a regular schedule again. As always, share your monthly favorites with me in the comments or on social media with the hashtag #PolishlandFaves.

NYC New York Color Expert Last Lipstick in Forever Fuchsia

Posted on April 29, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I have a quick review of the NYC Expert Last Lipstick from my Influenster Uni VoxBox (see my unboxing HERE). I’ve never tried a lip product from NYC before, but I love the brand’s nail polish and blush. Let me go ahead and show you Forever Fuchsia!

NYC Expert Last Lipstick in Forever Fuchsia

As you can see, Forever Fuchsia is a bright pink lipstick. Here is the blurb in NYC’s advertisement describing the product:

Ready to take your lips to the next level? Try our NEW Expert Last Lip Color in twenty tantalizing shades. Get intense amplified color and shine that lasts up to 6 hours! Our moisturizing formula glides of easily for a silky, smooth, velvety finish for all day wear.

I swatched Forever Fuchsia both on my arm and on my lips so you can see the color. I do love how opaque this lipstick is, and the fruit punch scent. However, it clung to the dry patches on my lips, and did not leave a smooth, velvety finish. Forever Fuchsia did feel moisturizing, but I definitely recommend using a lip scrub before applying it as any imperfections will show up quite visibly. As for the color, the bright pink is a bit much for me personally, but if you love bold lips this is the shade for you!

All in all, I would give this lipstick a 3 out of 5 stars. It’s affordable at just $1.99 at drugstores, but does not have the advertised finish. I would definitely consider testing out other shades from this line to see how they compare. Let me know your thoughts on the NYC Expert Last line in the comments!

This product was provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Gold 3D Nail Art + Born Pretty Store Giveaway!

Posted on April 27, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have another post reviewing nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store, and a giveaway for all of you! Born Pretty Store keeps track of every time one of you uses my coupon code, and decided it was time to thank all of you for being customers. First, I’ll show you a look I created with some gold, 3D rhinestones. Then I’ll post information about the giveaway at the end!

I’ve tried out some fancy nail art supplies from Born Pretty Store in the past, but these 3D gold rhinestones certainly take the cake! I really liked the swirly design, since it reminded me of a G-clef. Unfortunately, my nails were a bit too short to fit the rhinestone! I made it work, though, and painted my nails with Julep Morgan. While Morgan was still tacky, I carefully pressed the rhinestone onto my nail. As the polish dried, the rhinestone was locked into place, but for a bit more security you can always add a touch of eyelash glue.

I also put a rhinestone on my thumb in a diagonal. I think it looks awesome, so I took a rare thumb photo! If your nails are long, I think these rhinestones would work wonderfully for you. They were just a bit too long for me, but I still liked the fancy manicure I got. What do you think of it? You can purchase a pack of 5 rhinestones for just $2.63 HERE. For the additional 10% off, use my coupon code FZL91!

GIVEAWAY

Born Pretty Store provided me with two products to give away to a luck one of you! One person will win a pack of Ferrari nail wraps and a pack of Hello Kitty nail stickers! Because these products don’t contain any liquids or hazardous chemicals, the giveaway will be international! Please read all of the rules set forth in the Terms & Conditions in the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. The giveaway prizes are courtesy of Born Pretty Store. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Cottonelle Spring Clean & Fresh Event at Tenoverten Salon!

Posted on April 24, 2014April 25, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I am excited to tell you all about a fun event I attended today with Cottonelle. Because I am active with Crowdtap, a website that connects influencers and brands, I was invited to attend Cottonelle’s Spring Clean & Fresh Event at the Tenoverten Salon in Soho. We were treated to manicures, and other beauty services, as well as lots of goodies! Let me tell you more about Tenoverten, and the great products we got to try.

Tenoverten has so many polishes, including Chanel, Nars, Essie, and its own brand, tenoverten! You can see more pictures of the salon and the event on my Facebook page HERE.

Cottonelle even let my friend Gina tag along! It was great having her get a manicure with me!

I decided to go with the Essie shade The Girls Are Out for my manicure. Even though I wanted to try out a high end polish, I just loved this blue-tinted pink shade. I think it looks beautiful! I definitely recommend Tenoverten if you’re looking to get a professional manicure in NYC. There are three locations, and prices range from $10 for a polish change to $40 for a luxe manicure. Plus, the salon is really cute inside, and the employees were so friendly. You can visit the salon’s website HERE for more information.

We were also treated to some mouth-watering cupcakes from Navy, a restaurant here in NYC. They were absolutely delicious, so I couldn’t help but mention them!

Last but not least, Cottonelle was kind enough to give us some gift bags on the way out! Who can’t use some new toilet paper and flushable cleansing cloths?! Really though, this bag had some awesome practical items, as well as a Barielle nail polish, an eos lip balm, and a cute picture frame. I really appreciate the generosity, and can’t wait to use these items.

Thank you so much to Cottonelle for inviting me to the event! Definitely make sure to check out Tenoverten in NYC, and use the fun hashtag #LetsTalkBums on social media if you’d like to share how much you love Cottonelle. I’ll be reviewing my new Barielle polish soon, so keep an eye out for that!

The products and services in this post were provided by the companies mentioned herein. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Yi Kou Nail Wraps from Born Pretty Store

Posted on April 22, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! First, I want to take a moment and let you know that I will only be posting 1-2 times per week for the next few weeks. It is finals season at school, and the majority of my time will be spent studying. But don’t worry – I’ll be back to my normal schedule soon enough!

Now onto today’s nail polish post! I tested out some nail wraps from the brand Yi Kou for the first time. These wraps are available at Born Pretty Store, one of my favorite online retailers for nail art supplies. If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while now, you’ll know that I love testing out funky products from Born Pretty Store! I was so excited to try out these nail wraps in particular, because the design is perfect for spring.

Each pack of Yi Kou nail wraps comes with two sheets of seven wraps. These wraps are super easy to apply – all you do is find the size that fits your nail, peel off the protective paper, and gently smooth the wrap over your nail starting at the cuticle. If you have any excess, use a nail file in a downward motion to trim off the extra. There truly is no drying time, and you have a complete nail art look in minutes!

I am loving the final result with these wraps! The colors are bright and fun, and I really like the abstract pattern. I did seal the manicure with my Essie Good to Go top coat, just to make sure the edges were sealed down, and to give my manicure a “real polish” look. I wore these nail wraps for three days before removing them, and only experienced light tip wear. Removal was also surprisingly easy! I carefully peeled off the wraps, and they came off just fine without leaving any sticky residue. I’m not sure how that happened, but I’ll take it!

All in all, I am very impressed with the Yi Kou nail wraps! They measure up to the high end nail wraps that I’ve tried, but each set costs only $2.38! The design I’m showing you in this post is #K1026, but there are other designs to choose from as well. You can purchase these nail wraps HERE, and don’t forget to use discount code FZL91 to get an additional 10% off. As always, there is free worldwide shipping at Born Pretty Store. Have you tried any of the Yi Kou nail wraps from Born Pretty Store? If so, let me know your thoughts in the comments!

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

RoC Brand Eye Care at Duane Reade | Giveaway & Event Details #Eyes4NYC

Posted on April 17, 2014April 23, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

CB Disclosure White Background 600 px wide Happy Friday! I am so excited to tell you all about some amazing opportunities with RoC Brand Eye Care and Duane Reade! If you love skincare and are looking to try out RoC Brand anti-aging products, you are in for a treat. This post will outline many ways that you can get enter for a chance to win some fabulous products!

NYC EVENT

Thursday, May 1, 2014
6:00pm – 7:00pm EST
Duane Reade
40 Wall Street
New York, NY 10005

Join me at Duane Reade for an in-store event! Prominent NYC dermatologists and health experts will discuss the benefits of the RoC products and answer your questions. It is free to attend, so I hope to see you there!

#EYES4NYC TWITTER PARTY

Thursday, April 24, 2014
12:00pm – 1:00pm EST
RSVP: http://cbi.as/rpoqw

Not in the NYC area? Don’t you worry! You can still join in on the fun by attending the #Eyes4NYC Twitter Party! Special guest Dr. Debra Jailman, a board certified dermatologist, will be answering all of your anti-aging questions, as well as discuss eye health and great products to use. RSVP using the link above for your chance to win $550 in Visa gift cards and awesome RoC products!

GIVEAWAY

Last but not least, RoC is hooking one of you up with this gift box filled with over $140 worth of products! Please make sure to read through all the details and rules to see if you qualify to enter.

WHAT’S INSIDE THE GIFT BOX?

RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Eye Cream
RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Sensitive Eye Cream
RoC® MULTI CORREXION® 5 in 1 Eye Cream
RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Deep Wrinkle Night Cream
RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 30
RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Deep Wrinkle Serum

WHO CAN WIN?

US residents aged 18 years of age or older
RoC Brand cannot mail to PO Boxes, so please have an alternate address ready if you win
Further giveaway details listed in the Terms & Conditions located on the Rafflecopter widget.
Questions may be directed to adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck to everyone entering the giveaway, and I hope to see you at the in-store event or online during the Twitter Party! A huge thank you to RoC and Duane Reade for making these opportunities available!

This post made possible through #CollectiveBias.

Mixing Nail Polish Trends with the Revlon Leather and Tweed Collection

Posted on April 15, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I recently spotted a new Revlon display at the drugstore, and decided to pick up a couple polishes. I’m still loving the textured nail polish trend, so when I saw the Revlon Collection was called Leather and Tweed, I knew it was for me! The collection features textured polishes for the “leather” and bar glitter polishes for the “tweed.” The combination sounded quite fun and unexpected. Let me show you what they look like together!

The leather polish I got is called Rock Chic, and is a bright blue textured polish. I first tried Rock Chic about a week ago, and didn’t have much luck with the textured finish. This time, I tried the polish without a base coat, and the texture showed up much better. While the formula applies very well, I did need two coats for opacity. Rock Chic takes a long time to dry, and I recommend waiting at least 10 minutes between coats. I do really love the blue color!

I completed the look with a double accent nail using Tweed Mini, the tweed polish. Tweed Mini is a glitter top coat with white, silver, blue, and black bar glitters. I applied one coat to my middle and ring fingers for this mixed-trend look. Tweed Mini has a great formula, and there is no fishing for glitters required.

All in all, I’m really liking this look! I never would have thought to mix textured nail polish and glitter in one manicure, but Revlon’s marketing worked on me. I think I’ll be mixing my nail polish trends more often! You can purchase the Leather and Tweed Collection at your local drugstore for around $5 each. Make sure to check the limited edition displays before these fabulous and affordable polishes sell out! Plus, let me know if you’ve ever mixed your nail polish trends in the comments!

New Product Line from Miss Jessie’s | Event Photos & More

Posted on April 12, 2014April 11, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! This past week I had an amazing opportunity to attend a blogger event with Birchbox at the Miss Jessie’s Salon here in New York City. I don’t know much about hair care and hair styling, so I couldn’t wait to learn more. As it turns out, I learned more about hair in the two hours I spent at Miss Jessie’s than I’ve ever learned in my life! I have Miss Jessie’s co-founder Miko Branch to thank for that!

The Miss Jessie’s Salon is beautiful! I loved the chandeliers, white chairs, and big mirrors. You can see more photos from the event on my Facebook page HERE. Miko did demonstrations on four lovely ladies using the brand new products from Miss Jessie’s.

First, Miko used Coily Custard. This product is designed to tame frizz and create soft curls. Coily Custard contains agave and coconut oil, and has a lightweight formula. Miko used Coily Custard on blogger The Fat Apple to fight the shrinkage she was experiencing.

Next, Miko taught us about Transitioner’s Magic, a product great for those whose hair is going through a transitional phase. Ashley has straight ends on her hair due to her growing it out, so Miko used Transitioner’s Magic to create curls. Transitioner’s Magic also has a lightweight formula, and has soybean and avocado.

Finally, Miko used Multi Cultural Curls, a product designed to style hair that is multi-textured. Multi Cultural Curls has safflower oil and olive fruit oil, and has a lotion consistency. It smells fresh and clean, and was used to give our model beautiful and soft curls.

Here are all the completed looks! Miko also used Coily Custard on Christina (far left). Her hair type is similar to mine, so I couldn’t believe the beautiful transformation! The best part is, Miko took her time during each demonstration to show us how to apply each product, and many other great styling tips. From simple things such as flipping your head over to get extra volume, to the more complex techniques involved with diffusing your curls (not as straightforward as I once thought). I loved the fabulous finished looks!

Here’s a close-up of the three, brand new products from Miss Jessie’s. I love the packaging, as it really tells you everything about the product. No guesswork here! I’ve begun testing out Coily Custard on my hair, and so far I’m really impressed with the results. Of course, there is a bit of a learning curve with any new product, so I hope my practice will make perfect soon.

You can purchase these new Miss Jessie’s products on the brand’s website HERE or on Birchbox’s website HERE. The prices range from $14-22 for a 8.5oz bottle. If you’re in NYC, make sure to stop by the salon! Let me know what you think of Miss Jessie’s in the comments!

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

Adventures in Polishland Turns 2!

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today is my official, two year blogiversary! That’s right – two years ago today I began this blog on a whim. I just wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for supporting Adventures in Polishland. I have come to truly love the beauty industry, and I’ve learned so much from brands, fellow bloggers, and from all of you.

This past year was truly an adventure. I purchased my own domain name, and built a new website. You stuck with me through my move, and I am so grateful for that! In addition, I was lucky enough to attend a handful of blogger events throughout New York City. It is wonderful to meet fellow bloggers, and learn first-hand about products from the brands I love. I’ve also expanded my once polish-focused blog to include beauty and skincare posts. My Adventures in Polishland are ongoing of course, but it’s been exciting to try all sorts of products, and be the “guinea pig” for you.

So, what’s next? As I head into my third year as a beauty blogger, I hope to continue bringing you nail polish and beauty reviews, nail art, and more. You can always feel free to recommend products and blog post ideas, and to connect with me on social media – just hit the “Contact” tab above for all my links. As always, thank you for joining me on my Adventures in Polishland. i look forward to all of the adventures soon to come!