Happy Friday! Today I’m excited to announce the first giveaway I’m participating in this holiday season. Send a big THANK YOU over to The Lacquerologist for putting this all together, and please take a moment to visit all of the amazing bloggers who have chipped in to make this giveaway possible. Good luck!
ENTER HERE!
SHOW THESE BLOGGERS SOME LOVE!
Happy Thursday, and Happy Thanksgiving! Today I have the second part of my Gift Guide to share with all of you. If you’re looking for something other than beauty products to give this season, this post is for you!
Delias Cable Heart Sweater
BaubleBar Rose Dandelion Bib
Whose Woods Are These Handmade Soy Candles
Divergent Series Complete Box Set
Chery’s Sweet Holiday Cheer Gift Tin
And that completes my Gift Guide! I hope you found this post helpful! Let me know if you end up giving any of these gifts to your loved ones this season.
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.
Happy Wednesday! Winter Wonderland Week continues today with another holiday manicure. If you’re looking for a festive look that is a bit more abstract, then stay tuned! I created a sparkly look that can be worn all winter long!
To create a snow-capped manicure, I began with one of my favorite blue polishes, CoverGirl Out of the Blue [see review HERE]. You can use any blue nail polish that you have in your collection, but I think it will look best with one that is bright! Once my base had dried, I took Shimmer Polish in Cassandra, a white and silver glitter polish, and tapped that all over the tops of my nails. No need to be precise here – just a few dabs and your nails will easily look as though you dipped them in snow! To customize your look, use any white or holographic glitter in your stash. The chunkier the better, since it looks like real snow! Seal your manicure with a top coat, and you’re ready for the next flurries!
All in all, I’m loving my snow-capped nails! The look is simple to create, yet looks stunning! Not only is this a wintery manicure, but it works perfectly for Hanukkah as well. Of course, you can customize the manicure using any colors you wish and rock the technique all year long. The possibilities are endless! As always, if you create my snow-capped manicure, feel free to share a photograph on my Facebook page HERE. Winter Wonderland Week continues tomorrow!
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.
Happy Tuesday! Today I wanted to share some gift ideas with all of you. Whether you’re shopping for someone special, or simply looking for items to put on your own wish list, here are some ideas that I have! This post will be all about beauty and skincare products, but later on this week I’ll have even more ideas to share. Let’s get into the goodies!
L’OCCITANE Hand Indulgences
What:
Trio of 3 shea butter hand creams in the scents Fleur D’or, Cherry Blossom, and Shea Butter.
Price:
$28 (Retail Value: $36) [BUY]
Why I recommend it:
These luxurious hand creams are perfect for the winter season (especially if you have a nail polish aficionado for whom to shop!). Give the entire set to one person, or split them up for stocking stuffers.
Sigma Essential Kit
What:
Price:
$139 – save 10% with code NOV2013 [BUY]
Why I recommend it:
bhCosmetics Eyes on the ’60s Palette
What:
Price:
Why I recommend it:
Sephora X The Twenty-Two
What:
Price:
Why I recommend it:
Sephora Favorites Fragrance Sampler For Her
Wantable Makeup Box
These are all of my top gift picks for beauty and skincare this holiday season! There are, of course, many more great brands and options to choose from, but I hope you can draw inspiration from this Gift Guide as you head to the stores. Happy Shopping!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.
Happy Monday! Winter Wonderland Week continues today with a makeup look. To create my festive face, I grabbed some new products to get glam – Duane Reade Holiday shopping is not just for gifts! On an every day basis, I keep my makeup simple and natural, but for the holiday season it’s fun to be a bit more glamorous. If you’re a busy student, a mom on the go, or simply looking to spice up your beauty routine for a holiday party, I have a few tips for you!
My first step was going shopping for some new makeup. I headed to the Duane Reade store at 40 Wall Street here in New York City. If you’ve never been to that Duane Reade location before, definitely stop by. It has a huge beauty department called the Look Boutique, and you can even get a professional manicure right in the store! The photo below is just one section of the Look Boutique! Look at how gorgeous and bright the store is!
I had a difficult time deciding which new makeup products I wanted to purchase for my holiday makeover because there was so much from which to choose. I finally settled on some goodies from the Boots No7 line. This brand is from the UK, and is making its way into Duane Reade stores around the city. The display (shown below) featured testers so I could swatch the colors on my hand before purchasing anything. Let me show you what I picked up from No7!
The first product I picked up is the No7 Lipgloss in Number One History. I’m always hesitant to try a red lipstick, so I thought this lip gloss would be perfect for the holidays and still be in my comfort zone. Plus, the packaging is adorable and was calling my name in the store. As for the formula, it is really nice, and feels creamy on the lips (no stickiness here!). This lipgloss is quite pigmented, so I wore it alone, but you can always layer it over a lipstick if you like. The retail price of the No7 Lipgloss is $9.99.
The next product I picked up was the No7 Natural Blush Tint Powder in Spice. I was sold on this blush as soon as I tried the tester in the store –the formula is so smooth and soft, and is extremely blendable. Spice was also the perfect shade for my skin tone. For just $9.99 I had to pick it up!
The last No7 product I grabbed for my holiday makeover is the Stay Perfect Trio Eye Shadow Palette in Cappuccino. This trio comes with gorgeous neutral and shimmery shadows – a bronze, a silver, and a light highlight shade. Just like the blush, these shadows have a super soft and silky formula. I’m also impressed with how pigmented they are. The shimmer adds a bit of sparkle, which I think is great for the holidays! This trio retails for just $7.99!
I also picked up a new foundation because winter means that my skin is a bit lighter than it was just a few months ago! I’ve heard so many great things about the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous foundation that I had to pick it up. I got the shade Classic Ivory (or 810 if you use the number system), and it matches my skin quite well. This is definitely a medium to full coverage foundation, and I’m impressed with how flawless my skin looked when I put this on. It’s also an amazing value at just $13.49. This is definitely going to be my new go to foundation!
Here is my completed holiday makeover! As someone who doesn’t wear a lot of makeup on a daily basis, I feel so glammed up! I used all of the products mentioned above, plus the Revlon Grow Luscious Lash Potion in Blackened Brown and Rimmel Stay Matte in Translucent (which can be purchased at Duane Reade as well). For my hair, I just twisted it across my head and secured it with a bow.
All in all, I’m loving my completed look! I used products that are fabulous and affordable, and went a bit outside my every day makeup routine for the special holiday season. If you like, you can spice up this makeup look by adding some eyeliner, darker lipstick, and some bronzer. It’s definitely customizable! These makeup products also make perfect gifts this holiday season, so stop be sure to stop by the 40 Wall Street Duane Reade during your holiday shopping to grab these (and many, many more) cosmetic products. Stay tuned for more holiday posts as Winter Wonderland Week continues tomorrow on Adventures in Polishland!
Happy Sunday! Today is the first day of Winter Wonderland Week here at Adventures in Polishland! I’m excited to be celebrating the holiday season with all of you through nail art, gift guides, and more. I will have a new post every day this week, so be sure to follow my blog for all the details. First up, an easy nail art look! Let me show you my festive fingers!
To create this candy cane look, I followed the directions set forth in my Scratch Art tutorial HERE. I began with a base of Julep Isla, a metallic white polish. You can use any white nail polish you own, but I liked having a metallic base for a bit more of candy shine! Then, once my base was completely dry, I used a striping tape to create diagonal lines on each nail. For the red stripes, I used Sephora X Pyrotechnic [see that review HERE]. After finishing up with a top coat, I’m good to go!
I’m loving this candy cane manicure! It is very easy to create, but looks amazing when completed! If you’re looking for a festive manicure this season, I highly recommend this one. Plus, you can create the candy cane design on just one or two nails as an accent if you’re in a rush. If you decide to create this look, please share a photo of your nails on my Facebook page HERE! Stay tuned for more holiday posts during Winter Wonderland Week!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.
Happy Saturday! Today I have some fun nail art to share with all of you. I’ve never tried any fimo decals before, so I was excited when I got the opportunity to review some from Born Pretty Store. These decals are made from clay, and come pre-sliced and ready to apply. I decided to choose some fruit designs and do something a bit out of the box. Let me show you what the decals look like!
As you can see, this fimo set from Born Pretty comes with 12 different fruit designs. There are apples, lemons, limes, strawberries, and more! Each designs comes with 10 pieces. I decided to create two different nail art looks to test these out, but the possibilities are endless!
My first manicure is watermelon inspired! I began with Colour Gossip Nails in Just a Tease [see review HERE], and added on Daphine Polish in Watermelon Taffy [see review HERE] on my pinky and pointer fingers. To complete the look, I added on two watermelon decals in a double accent nail design. As you can see, I went with the full watermelon and a watermelon slice. To apply, simply press the decals onto your nail polish before it dries, and finish up with a top coat. I used tweezers to help with the application.
For my second look, I went with a lemon lime theme! First, I began with Zoya Nail Polish in Piaf, and then added one lemon and one lime decal to each nail. I thought this was really cute, and I love the sparkle of Piaf as the base. I can definitely go for some lemonade right about now!
All in all, these fimo decals from Born Pretty Store are so fun and easy to use! They would be great for a theme party, or even if you are feeling a bit more adventurous one day. This set of 120 decals retails for just $1.79! What a fabulous and affordable deal! You can purchase it at Born Pretty Store HERE, and don’t forget to use code FZL91 for an additional 10% off. Let me know what you think of my fruit salad fingers in the comments!
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.
Happy Thursday! Today I have a quick review of the nail polish I received in my November Birchbox (see that post HERE). I just love receiving polishes in subscription boxes because it allows me to try out brands I wouldn’t normally purchase. In fact, the only Color Club polishes I’ve tried so far are thanks to Birchbox! Let me show you the one I got this month.
Baldwin Blues is a dark blue creme polish. The color can be described as navy with a hint of turquoise – very unique! As for the formula, it’s great! Baldwin Blues applies with ease, and is opaque in two coats. I didn’t even have to apply top coat due to it’s glossy finish! I’m really loving this shade!
All in all, I’m impressed with Color Club’s Baldwin Blues! I definitely need to try out more Color Club polishes in the future. You can purchase Baldwin Blues on Birchbox’s website HERE. The full size polish is $8. Let me know in the comments what your favorite Color Club polishes are!
Happy Tuesday! I have been searching for the perfect makeup wipes for quite some time now, and I thought it would be fun if I shared some of my findings with all of you! The drugstore contains so many different brands, that I know it can be difficult to find the perfect wipes at an affordable price. Let me share with you four different brands that I’ve tested out the past few months!
Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes
Price: $6.49 for 30 wipes; 22 cents per wipe [BUY]
Scent: These smell great! Just like real cucumbers (not the fake cucumber smell!).
Texture: Very soft to the touch, and contained a lot of moisture.
My Experience: I really liked these wipes! Overall they did a good job of removing my face makeup, but not so great at removing mascara.
Formula 10.0.6 Keep Me Clean Clarifying Facial Wipes
Price: $5.99 for 25 wipes; 24 cents per wipe [BUY]
Scent: These smelled a bit like baby wipes (I wasn’t a fan).
Texture: Rather soft, and held a lot of moisture.
My Experience: These did an excellent job of removing all my makeup, but the smell really did me in.
Olay Fresh Effects S’Wipe Out Refreshing Make-up Removal Cloths
Price: $5.99 for 20 wipes; 30 cents per wipe [BUY]
Scent: Very light scent that just smelled clean and fresh!
Texture: Very soft to the touch, and held a lot of moisture.
My Experience: I loved these wipes! They did an excellent job of removing all of my makeup, and leaving my face very clean. For a bit of added savings, use a coupon! These clarify as a cleanser on Olay Fresh Effects coupons.
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes
Price: $6.49 for 25 wipes; 26 cents per wipe [BUY]
Scent: Interesting – not bad, but it was a bit citrusy!
Texture: The wipe itself is a bit tough, but feels gentle thanks to the moisture.
My Experience: After hearing tons of beauty gurus (and my own followers!) rave about these, I’ll admit they are pretty darn good! I typically had to use two wipes to remove all my makeup, though, and they left my face sticky.
The Verdict
Out of these four brands, my favorite is definitely Olay Fresh Effects! Unfortunately, that is the most expensive, but keep an eye out for coupons and sales at the drugstore. The Simple and Yes to Cucumbers wipes are definitely a close second. I’m not sure I would repurchase the Keep Me Clean wipes, mostly due to the smell. Keep in mind that prices of these wipes vary from store to store, and geographically. Let me know in the comments if you would like to see more posts like this in the future, and what makeup wipes are your personal favorite!
This post contains affiliate links. All products purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.
Happy Subscription Sunday! I am excited to be showing you what was inside my November Birchbox today! I haven’t added up what the retail value is yet, but I’m guessing it is one of the best I’ve ever received! Let me go ahead and show you what was inside my box, and we can discover the retail value together.
This month, Birchbox’s theme is More Good. Going hand in hand with the Thanksgiving season, Birchbox is donating a portion of its proceeds to No Kid Hungry, an organization that works to end childhood hunger. I think that is a great cause! You can also use hashtag #MoreGood all month to share how you are doing good for others this season.
Here is the first set of products in my November Birchbox! I’ll tell you a bit more about each product from left to right, including the retail value of each sample.
Still two more items to go! Wow!
TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $30.26
RATING 1-5 (1 BEING WORST, 5 BEING BEST): 4
OVERALL OPINION: While the retail value wasn’t as high as I expected, I am still very happy with my Birchbox this month! I got six sample products, and a great variety at that. I got skincare, makeup, nail polish, perfume, and even tea! I’m very excited to use all of these samples!
As always, you can join Birchbox for just $10 per month HERE. I highly recommend this program, especially if you love getting a good mix of products. Stay tuned for more Subscription Sunday posts in the future!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.
