Adventures in Polishland

How to Get the Most for Your Money at Sephora – Part 2

Posted on October 31, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! After posting a spoiler of my recent Sephora haul on my Facebook page, I knew I had to share more about the products I purchased, and the great deals I got. Back in March, I shared with you six simple steps to get the most for your money at Sephora (you can see that post HERE). Today, I’m going to change those steps up just a bit for even more savings. Let’s get started!

1. Start at Ebates.com and shop online!

For a long time, I thought that Ebates was some sort of gimmick or spam website, but now I’ve been a member for a few months, and it is totally legitimate! Sign up, and you’ll earn cash back for almost all of your online purchases. I’ve already received my first check, so I know it’s safe to use. Sign up HERE. All Sephora purchases get 4% cash back!

2. Spend $50 to get free shipping!

I only shop at Sephora a few times per year, so I think it is fine to splurge and spend the big bucks! To get to the $50 limit for free shipping, I got the Sephora Collection Base Coat at $6, Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Shower Gel at $16.50, and Too Faced Primed & Poreless at $30. I am running out of Primed & Poreless, and it is easily a holy grail product for me (see a full review HERE). I also love the Sephora base coat, and the Philosophy Shower Gel was my bonus product. It will last me a very long time, and I’ve been hearing so many beauty gurus talking about it lately that I needed it in my life!

3. Add on the bonus products!

The bonus round is definitely my favorite part of shopping on Sephora’s website! This is the key to getting the most for your money. There are three ways to get bonuses added to your order:

The annual birthday gift: Every Beauty Insider member gets a free birthday gift! This year is was the Benefit Real Birthday Turn-Ons duo with a mini They’re Real mascara and Watt’s Up highlighter. This set retails for $14.41!
Weekly Specials promo code: You can always add a promotional code to any order over $25 – a true bonus that you cannot claim in store! The specials change weekly, and feature amazing deluxe samples of high end products. I got the Clinique Acne Solution Cleansing Foam, which has a retail value at $7.89!
Claim a perk: Use your Beauty Insider points to grab a freebie! Perks start at 100 points, and feature great deluxe samples. I grabbed a mini Sephora X nail polish in the shade Pyrotechnic. Its retail value is $4.20! Don’t forget, the Beauty Insider program is free, so there is no reason not to join!

4. Grab your free samples!

Every Sephora order comes with three free samples! They rotate all the time, but here’s what I grabbed with this order: Flash by Jimmy Choo perfume, Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, and REN Hydra-Calm Day Cream. These three samples together have a retail value of $8.29!

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $87.29

TOTAL SPENT (including tax!): $57.16

SAVINGS: $30.13 + $2.29 cash back from Ebates

All in all, I am really happy with my latest Sephora haul! I got great savings and some amazing products. When you’re on a budget, it’s definitely difficult to shop at Sephora on a regular basis, but by using these steps you can make each haul worth it. I hope you find this post helpful. Let me know what deals you’ve gotten at Sephora lately!

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

Gradient Nails featuring Milani Textured Creams for Fall

Posted on October 29, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’ve been wanting to post a gradient manicure on Adventures in Polishland since it’s creation, but I’ve never been able to master the technique. When trying out the new Milani Textured Creams collection, I knew I just had to give the gradient another try. Let me show you how it turned out!

I used both Gracious Green and Lovely Lavender to create this manicure. First, I added added a thin coat of each polish to roughly half of each nail. It doesn’t have to be precise, since the colors will be smudged together anyway. The next step is taking a cosmetic wedge, and placing a bit of each color on it. Then, smudge the sponge carefully over each nail to blur the colors together. And that’s it! For more help, check out THIS tutorial on Pinterest.

I really like the way this gradient turned out! The textured finish is very forgiving, and makes for some easy nail art. I can’t wait to use this technique again, and maybe even use three colors. For a full review of the Milani polishes used in this post, including where to purchase them, see THIS blog post.

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

Subscription Sunday | October Birchbox

Posted on October 27, 2013October 26, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! It’s my first time reviewing just Birchbox, but as you know I cancelled my subscription to Ipsy last month (for more on why, see THAT post). While I did miss receiving some extra goodies in the mail, I think sticking with Birchbox is the best choice for me. Let me show you what I got in my October box!

This month Birchbox’s theme is Beauty Buzz. It’s designed to help explain the newest trends and buzzing products in the beauty world!

Moving on to the goodies inside! Here are my first three items.

POP Beauty Aqua Lacquer in Flowering Fuchsia – $14.00 – This lip gloss is a surprisingly wearable pink shade that gives your lips just a hint of color. It has a minty smell, and a bit of lip plumper in it. Overall, a great product!
ChapStick Hydration Lock – $3.29 – With winter on the way, you can never go wrong with some lip balm! Plus, Birchbox threw in a $1 off coupon for my next Chapstick purchase. I’m sure this will get lots of use!
Alison Raffaele Reality Base Foundation – $0.38 – Okay, so my retail value for this foundation sample is approximate since there was no indication of how much product is in there. But this tiny tester will be enough for just one or two uses. I will say that this is a perfect match for my skin, though. I will keep you updated!

My last two products came in this fancy, Tiffany blue box!

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser – $6.52 – I love trying new cleansers, and this is a great sample size. I might save it for travel!
Liz Earle Pure Muslin Cloth – $3 – This cloth, of course, goes with the cleanser! I’m very interested to try this duo out together. I do wish Birchbox didn’t count this set as two separate products.

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $27.19

RATING 1-5 (1 BEING WORST, 5 BEING BEST): 3

OVERALL OPINION: This definitely wasn’t my favorite Birchbox, but the good news is I got five products that I know I will use. I would have liked a larger foundation sample, and another product to make up for the Liz Earle duo counting as two. Otherwise, I’m happy with the samples, and will use them up!

What did you get in your October Birchbox?! Let me know in the comments! If you’re not a Birchbox member, sign up HERE. It costs just $10 per month, and has an amazing rewards program. I highly recommend it!

This post contains some affiliate links. Box purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Milani Cosmetics Limited Edition Textured Creams for Fall

Posted on October 25, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to bring you another Textured Creams collection from Milani Cosmetics! Back in February, Milani released a set of textured polishes, and I loved them (see that review HERE). I’m glad that the textured trend is continuing on this fall, and that Milani has six new shades on the market. Let me show you the fall collection!

First up is Gracious Green, a dusty mint green polish. Gracious Green is such a unique polish, and perfect for the fall. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and had no application issues whatsoever. I love green polishes, and this one is no exception.

Next is Lovely Lavender, a pastel purple polish. Lovely Lavender is also opaque in two coats, and has a great formula. Pastels are usually popular in the spring, but I love how Milani incorporated some lighter colors into this collection. There’s something for everyone!

Velvety Violet is up next, and it is a gorgeous deep purple polish. Velvety Violet may not have a velvet finish, but it applies well and looks stunning! I love this shade of purple, and I think it would be very flattering on many skin tones.

Next up is Mystery Mauve, a polish that truly lives up to its name! I love this textured twist on a classic mauve color. It’s still work appropriate, but you can be trendy at the office. Mystery Mauve has the same great formula as all of the Milani Textured Creams!

Next up is Beautiful Bordeaux, a dark wine-colored polish. Beautiful Bordeaux is the perfect shade for fall, and for those of you that love dark polishes. This color can easily be worn throughout the winter months as well. And, of course, the formula is great!

Last but not least is Charming Carmine, a gorgeous red polish. Charming Carmine is the perfect, textured red. The formula is great, and the polish is opaque in two coats. This is the perfect take on the classic red nail!

All in all, I’m loving the Milani Textured Creams for fall. As you know, I love the textured nail polish trend, and I love that Milani’s are cream-based. Glitter is awesome, but sometimes I just don’t feel like sporting the extra sparkle. Plus, Milani polishes are fabulous and affordable, and sell for just $4.99 each. You can shop online HERE or check your nearest CVS or Fred Meyer store.

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

Indie Spotlight | Sweet Tea Polish: Hand-Mixed Polishes Inspired by the Sweet South

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I am excited to share with you a new indie brand called Sweet Tea Polish. As you may have guessed from this post’s title, Sweet Tea Polish is inspired by the Sweet South, and handmade by a wonderful lady named Darah. I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to review some of her polishes. Let me show you what she sent me!

Not only were my polishes packaged really well, but they came with a set of yoga hair ties (my favorite!). The hair ties are an example of one of the free gifts that you get with a purchase of Sweet Tea Polish. I think that’s a great extra!

Now, onto the polish! First up is Wabash Cannonball, a silver polish with a holographic shimmer that dries to a matte finish! I just love matte polishes, and Wabash Cannonball is no exception. The formula was amazing – it applied smoothly – and is opaque in two coats. No top coat needed! Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder what this looked like with a glossy finish….

... and it looks great! When I added on a glossy top coat, the holographic sparkle really stood out. Wabash Cannonball is thus a great two-in-one polish!

Next up is Gramma’s Grape Jelly, a purple jelly polish filled with pink and purple hexagonal glitters, and some light purple square glitters as well. Gramma’s Grape Jelly is opaque on its own in two coats. The formula is good, but I suggest thin coats as the glitters make this polish a bit heavy on the nail. I also suggest finishing up with a glossy top coat, and you are good to go! I think this polish is adorable!

The last two polishes are a part of the limited edition AU-Some Tigers set! First is this gorgeous, deep metallic blue polish with a hint of blue and purple shimmer. The formula is just flawless, and it looks stunning on the nails. I love this polish for fall!

The AU-Some Tigers set is complete with a glitter top coat containing orange hexagons, blue squares, and fine silver glitters. I applied two coats over the blue for the manicure above, and these polishes were truly made for one another! Of course, you could wear them separately as well, but the pair is so perfect, and a must have for any AU Tigers fan!

All in all, I am really impressed with these polishes from Sweet Tea Polish! I love everything about the brand from its name to its bottle shape, and, of course, the polish! I highly recommend it. You can purchase Sweet Tea Polish online HERE. Mini bottles are $4 each and full size bottles are $9 each, with the AU-Some Tigers set at $7 and $16 respectively. You can also like Sweet Tea Polish on Facebook HERE. Let me know which of these polishes is your favorite 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.

Subscription Sunday | October PopSugar MustHave Box

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! Today I have a somewhat sad post – it’s my last PopSugar MustHave Box. While PopSugar is definitely my favorite subscription service, it’s also the most expensive. I was willing to make room in my tight budget for $35 per month, but I got an email from the company saying they are raising its prices to $39.95 come November 4, and I just wasn’t willing to pay that much. Thankfully, the October box is a great way to honor my love for PopSugar. Let me show you the amazing products!

First up are three Must Have Beauty products! The first item is a nail polish duo from Julep that contained the Freedom Polymer Top Coat and Char, a beautiful blue polish. I personally think the Freedom Top Coat is horrible, but I’m so happy to have Char. The retail value for this duo is $32!

Next, I got two items from NYX Cosmetics. The first is the Smokey Fumé Palette complete with six eyeshadows, and the next is the Liquid Eyeliner in Black. These products retail for $7 and $6 respectively. I’ve been wanting to try out some NYX products, so I’m really glad to have these!

The next Must Have Beauty product is The Wet Brush, which retails for $14. This is one of those products that seem really gimmicky, but it actually works! I am so impressed with this brush, and my hair is loving it. I highly recommend this product!

Now onto Must Have Fashion! First is the Gorjana Charity Bali Bead Bracelet. Not only do I love the hot pink color, but 100% of the proceeds for this $45 bracelet is donated to Breast Cancer research. Super cute, and a great cause! As a special extra this month, PopSugar threw in a $20 promo code to Stitch Fix, a website I’ll have to check out. Plus, I also got some cute bobby pins from Jane Tran that retail for $12.

My favorite item in my October Box is The Can’t Cook Book by Jessica Seinfeld. I feel like this book was made just for me! I struggle with cooking, and this book is so well-written and includes amazing graphics and directions. Plus, there are a lot of vegetarian recipes that fit my lifestyle. I can’t wait to try it out! This book retails for $27.99.

Last but not least is a Must Have Food item from The Crispery. This Halloween Crispycake is a huge treat! If you love marshmallows, this is for you. It retails for $3.95!

All in all, I’m glad my last PopSugar MustHave Box was a great one! The total retail value was $167.94, and I’m loving the items. If you have room for PopSugar in your budget, I highly recommend this box. It’s a great variety, and is so exciting to get in the mail. Plus, if you sign up before November 4th, you can lock in the $35 price by signing up for a 3-month subscription. You will pay in advance, but use code MUSTHAVE10 to get $10 off your purchase HERE. Let me know what you think of PopSugar MustHave in the comments!

This post contains affiliate links. Box purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Halloween Week Roundup!

Posted on October 19, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! I hope you have enjoyed Halloween Week here at Adventures in Polishland! If you missed any of this week’s posts, here is a quick roundup. As always, you can subscribe to my blog via email to receive updates in your inbox. It’s free! Just enter your email in the box on the top right that says “Follow My Adventures” from the Adventures in Polishland Home screen.

Be Boo-tiful this Halloween with Duane Reade Hosiery

Leopard Nails with Sally Hansen Real Nail Polish Strips

Easy Pumpkin Nails with Zoya Nail Polish

Fall Glitter with China Glaze Nail Lacquer

Candy Corn Nail Art

My Top 10 Halloween Movies

I hope you all have a great Halloween! Please let me know if you enjoy theme weeks in the comments.

Halloween Week | My Top 10 Halloween Movies

Posted on October 18, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I wanted to close out Halloween Week here at Adventures in Polishland with something a little bit different! Halloween is a great time to break out the holiday movies, and I thought I would share my favorites with you. Here are my Top 10 Halloween Movies!

10. Halloween

I don’t like scary movies, but Halloween is a classic! I remember watching it at my friend’s Halloween party in high school. This is perfect for those who can’t handle anything too frightening, but still want a scare.

9. The Addams Family

They’re creepy and they’re cooky, and they’re hilarious! The Addams Family is a great movie to watch with your family on Halloween. I love Christina Ricci as Wednesday!

8. Young Frankenstein

Young Frankenstein is one of my all-time favorite movies, and is only number eight on this list because I want watch it all year long! If you need a laugh, this is the perfect film. My favorite scene is Puttin’ on the Ritz!

7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a cult classic. I love to do the Time Warp at least once per year! Keep in mind this movie is for older audiences, but it’s definitely a must for Halloween.

6. The Nightmare Before Christmas

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas is such a fun movie with great music. Plus, it’s perfect to watch right through the Christmas season as well! My favorite song is What’s This?!

5. Beetlejuice

If you’re looking for something delightfully scary, Beetlejuice is a must! Who doesn’t love the Shake Senora scene?! This is another great family film.

4. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

No holiday is complete without the Charlie Brown special. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is sweet and charming, and has some great moments. I hope you don’t get a rock trick-or-treating this year!

3. Garfield’s Halloween Adventure

Garfield’s Halloween Adventure is one of the most underrated Halloween movies. I just love this holiday special, including the music! Grab some candy, candy, candy while you watch this one!

2. The Halloween Tree

Another lesser-known film is The Halloween Tree, based of off a Ray Bradbury novel. My brother introduced this film to my family when I was younger, and it’s just a wonderful story replete with friendship and Halloween history!

1. Hocus Pocus

My number one favorite is none other than Hocus Pocus! I’ll never forget the first time I saw it at my friend’s sleepover party in second grade. It put a spell on me, and I’ve loved it ever since! I’ve seen Hocus Pocus so many times I can recite the whole movie, but it doesn’t stop me from watching it several times per year! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Make sure to let me know what your favorite Halloween Movies are in the comments! Have a fun and safe Halloween!

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

Halloween Week | Candy Corn Nail Art

Posted on October 17, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! One of my personal favorite parts of Halloween is the candy, and that includes the classic candy corn. I thought it would be fun to create an easy nail art look to represent the yummy treat. All you need is a white, orange, and yellow polish, matte top coat, and some scotch tape. Let’s get to painting!

The first step is to paint your nails with a white nail polish and let it dry completely. I used LVX Fantom, but any white will do! Then, take some scotch tape and place it on the top section of your nails, as if you were creating a reverse French manicure. Paint over your entire nail with your choice of orange polish, remove the tape, and let dry. Then, repeat the entire process again with the yellow polish by moving the tape two-thirds down your nail. Let your manicure dry completely, and then apply matte top coat!

Here is my finished candy corn manicure! You can see there are a few smudges because I wasn’t patient and applied my matte top coat before my polish was 100% dry. Even with the mistakes, I’m loving it! Candy corn is never perfect in real life anyway! Plus, I love that the matte top coat gives the nails a waxy look, just like the candy. As for my orange and yellow polishes, I used Priti NYC Fireglow and Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Traffic respectively. The key is to use what you already have in your collection!

Let me know what you think of my candy corn nails in the comments below! Feel free to share your Halloween manicure on my Facebook Page.

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.

Halloween Week | Fall Glitter with China Glaze Nail Lacquer

Posted on October 16, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! For today’s Halloween inspired manicure, I put together a simple look for those who like more abstract designs. While nail art is always fun, sometimes a bit of polish and some glitter will represent the holiday just as well. I grabbed a couple of my China Glaze polishes from the Hunger Games collection since I am so excited for the upcoming release of Catching Fire, but you can use any polishes in your collection. Let me show you the look I created!

I love fall colors – browns, reds, golds, oranges – they’re all so pretty this time of year! I began my manicure with Mahogany Magic, a nice coffee brown creme polish. Then I added one thin coat of Electrify to complete the look. Electrify is a gold and red glitter polish that can easily be worn alone in two coats. I finished up with a glossy top coat and was ready to celebrate the Halloween season in style!

All in all, if you are looking to celebrate autumn, try a glittery look like this one! It’s so easy to create, and represents fall foliage perfectly. Plus, this is a great alternative to nail art if that isn’t your thing. Let me know what your favorite glitter for the Halloween season is in the comments!

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