OpenSky: A Place for Discount Polish & More!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

A few weeks back, I heard about a new shopping website called OpenSky and decided to see if they had some nail polish for sale. Luckily, I found some normally high-priced polishes at discounted prices and just had to snag them up! Today I will show you a polish from ncLA that I got. Stay tuned for future posts about the other polishes!

 

 

 

This gorgeous polish is Hello, I Love You! from ncLA. It is a jelly polish in what ncLA calls a berry color. I would say it is somewhere between magenta and maroon. It is a gorgeous color for fall! This polish is really pretty, but the formula was a bit off. It was a little streaky, so I had to apply three coats. It is also really sheer, as with all jelly polishes, and took a really long time to dry. I did wake up with linen marks on my nails even though I applied the polish hours before I went to bed. I tweeted about my problem with the formula, and ncLA even replied saying that this was one of their sheerest polishes. Even though the formula was not the best, I really love the color of Hello, I Love You! Because it is so pretty I want to use it over and over!

The best part is this polish normally retails for $16, but I scored this bottle for just over $3 after using my credits for OpenSky! When you sign up for the website, you get $25 in credit. Plus, when you sign up through Facebook you get an additional $10 in credit — that’s $35 just for signing up! There is a catch, though. In order to use credits on OpenSky you have to spend a minimum of $50. Still, that’s $35 in free credits to use! OpenSky also rewards its users for being social. Whenever a friend buys something, you get a $5 credit, too. It’s a great website to score deals on all sorts of merchandise. You can join by clicking HERE.

Have you tried ncLA nail polish? What do you think of Hello, I Love You!?

Happy Belated Halloween!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I originally planned to have this post up on Halloween, but it got a bit delayed due to Hurricane Sandy. After polling my Facebook fans, I’ve decided that it’s better late than never. Let me show you the fun manicure I wore for Halloween!

 

 

I began my manicure with two coats of Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Green with Envy. This polish is a creamy light green that is not neon enough to be called lime, but I would put it in that color family. I’ve had this polish for a long time and barely ever wear it because I thought the formula was a bit off. Imagine my surprise when I get this beautiful result on my nails! The polish was a little watery, but it wasn’t as bad as I remembered. When you pay around $3 for a bottle of polish, I think it is okay if it isn’t perfect! Overall, Green with Envy is a really fun green that I wouldn’t wear every day, but it was perfect for Halloween nails.

 

Next, I topped my manicure with two coats of this neon green, glow-in-the-dark pumpkin polish. These cute pumpkins can be found at Rite Aid drugstores around Halloween for just $2.99! I love that it is an every day affordable price. This polish is very sheer, so that is why I layered it over another green polish. The formula is easy to work with, but the disappointment is that it doesn’t glow in the dark very well. I was able to see the polish glow a bit, but none of my photos were able to capture the effect. Even though it didn’t glow brightly, it’s still a fun polish to wear!

 

 

Finally, I added an accent nail of The Koompa King from Dollish Polish. You can read more about The Koompa King HERE, but it is a glitter top coat that has orange and black glitters, so I thought it would be great for Halloween. It was the perfect touch on the lime green color, too!

I hope you enjoyed my Halloween manicure as much as I did, even though it was a bit late! What did you wear on your nails for Halloween?

 

Compare & Save: Sephora by OPI It’s Real 18k Gold Top Coat

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

One of the latest trends sweeping the nail polish nation is the 18k gold top coat. That’s right! You can wear real gold on your fingers if you’re willing to pay the price. For around $30 you can purchase a real gold top coat from a number of nail polish brands. OPI just released The Man With the Golden Gun ($30), Jessica Cosmetics has Gold Leaf ($29.95), and Zoya has the Gilty Box, which includes the gold polish plus a black & white polish for layering ($35). Because of these steep price tags, I was going to pass up on having golden fingers, but I lucked out! While at Sephora inside JCP a couple weeks back, I found the Sephora by OPI It’s Real polish on clearance for $8. I couldn’t believe it! I snagged that beauty up right away. Let me show you how gorgeous it is!

It comes in a fancy box!

 

 

 

I layered It’s Real over Julep’s Eloise (see Eloise HERE). I used one coat to get the look in the photos. It’s Real is in a clear base, so you can layer it over any polish to add some gold! What makes this polish really unique, is that the flakes of gold are all different sizes and shapes. You never know the exact look you are going to get! I really like the subtle, golden shine that one coat of It’s Real has, but if you want more just add on another coat. I felt really fancy having gold on my nails!

You can find It’s Real at Sephora stores and online HERE. You will notice that online the price of It’s Real is $15, so I suggest going to your nearest Sephora store to see if you can find one on clearance for $8 like I did. If you have a Sephora inside JCP near you, definitely check there first!

We should never have to pass up on a fabulous nail polish trend just because it is expensive! With a little searching, we can always find a more affordable (but just as fabulous!) option.

Make Your Mani Last: How I Wore Essie Stylenomics!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Earlier this week I showed you Essie Stylenomics that I got from Klout as a free perk. Not only did I wear Stylenomics alone, but I did two mani upgrades with it. One of my Facebook followers suggested that I try matte stripes, so I gave that a try. Then, I changed the look again by adding some glitter. Let me show you both mani upgrades!

 

 

The first mani upgrade I did with Essie Stylenomics is matte stripes! All you have to do to achieve this look is place scotch tape across your nails in horizontal stripes, paint over them with a matte topcoat, and remove the tape. Voila! Your manicure will go from glossy to both glossy and matte in an instant. Matte stripes are the perfect way to upgrade your manicure if you are looking for a subtle change. For more information on how the scotch tape technique works, visit THIS blog entry.

 

 

Although I did like the look of matte stripes, I just had to add some glitter to my manicure! First I used a glossy topcoat over the stripes to erase the matte look. Then I grabbed Milani Jewel FX in Gems to use as a glitter topcoat. Gems is such a fun polish. It is a clear base filled with lots of multicolored glitters. I applied one coat over Essie Stylenomics to get the look in the photos. The best part is, Milani can be found at drugstores and department stores for around $4-5 per bottle, which makes it more affordable than similar polishes that range from $8-16. I just love the combination of Stylenomics and Gems!

Mani upgrades are the perfect way to make your manicure last as long as possible. By adding topcoats you lock in the original color, and with glitter you can hide the appearance of any chips you are starting to see. Plus, mani upgrades are a quick solution for the girl on the go who wants to change her polish as much as possible, but doesn’t have the time for a complete manicure.

Do you have any ideas for a great mani upgrade? Share them in the “comments” section and I will try them out!

Essie Stylenomics: The Best Things in Life are Free!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

It’s true! The best things in life really are free! Have you heard of the website Klout? I’ll be honest, it is a bit confusing to use. Basically, you connect your social networks all in one place, and Klout measures how influential you are. You then receive a Klout score, and you become eligible for perks. Essie has teamed up with Klout on a few occasions to reward Klout members that are influential about nail polish, and I was lucky enough to score a free bottle of Essie in Stylenomics! Let me show you this gorgeous fall color.

Essie Stylenomics is from the Fall 2012 line by the same name. It is a very dark green polish that looked almost black on my nails. I applied two coats and had no problems whatsoever with the formula! It also dried quickly. I do wish that the polish was more green, but I think this is a great polish for fall. I love the cream finish, too. I definitely recommend Stylenomics! Make sure you grab a bottle at your local drugstore or department store before it is gone.

Also, be sure to join Klout HERE! You never know when you could get a free nail polish, too.

P.S. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who entered my giveaway! All winners have been contacted by email.

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Indie Spotlight: Above the Curve in Funilla Icing

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today is the last post to feature an indie brand from my current giveaway! I hope you have enjoyed these reviews as much as I enjoyed showing you these amazing polishes. I saved Above the Curve’s Funilla Icing for the last post because it is birthday themed, and my birthday is tomorrow! Don’t forget, my giveaway ends at midnight. Enter now before time runs out, and let me show you this delicious polish from Above the Curve!

Funilla Icing is a polish with a white base and a mix of rainbow, hexagonal glitters mixed in. I applied three coats in the photos above, and although the polish was not completely opaque on its own, I still loved the look! If you want to achieve opacity, begin with a base of white polish first. Funilla Icing’s formula was great! No streaks or clumps, and it dries quickly. I absolutely love this polish! It really does look like Funfetti icing, too. I also got lots of compliments on this polish from classmates when I wore it. Funilla Icing is a super fun polish!

You can buy Above the Curve polishes on Etsy HERE. For each polish that you purchase, $1 is donated to Shriners Hospitals for Children!

Also, don’t forget that you can win a bottle of Funilla Icing in my giveaway! Enter HERE before it ends at midnight!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Indie Spotlight: Charm Your Nails in Instant Gratification & Follow the Chartreuse Brick Road

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Today I have another post for you featuring an indie brand that is sponsoring my giveaway!  Charm Your Nails sent me two amazing polishes from her shop to review for you. I am in love with both of them and highly recommend her shop! Let me show you the gorgeous, glitter topcoats from Charm Your Nails!

Firs up is Instant Gratification, which I layered over Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Lacey Lilac (see Lacey Lilac on its own HERE). Instant Gratification is filled with black, white, and purple glitters, with some fine pink glitter thrown in the mix. There are black and white bar glitters, white hexagonal glitters, and purple and black square glitters (my favorite!). Not only does Instant Gratification look amazing, but the formula is easy to work with and dries quickly. I applied two coats in the photos above. I love purple, so this is the perfect polish for me! I can’t wait to use it again.

Next ups is another glitter topcoat called Follow the Chartreuse Brick Road (FCBR). It may be a mouthful, but this polish is gorgeous! I applied two coats over Julep Lisa to get the look you see in the photos (see Lisa on its own HERE). FCBR is packed with gold and red glitters. Both colors are used as fine glitters, and then the gold is seen in small and large hexagons and the red in square glitters. Once again, the formula was fantastic! It is easier to work with than other glitter topcoats I’ve tried in the past. I was also surprised by how much I liked FCBR. I am not the biggest fan of gold or red nail polishes, but I loved it in glitter form. Also, by wearing this polish over a neutral shade, it subdued the red a bit more.

All in all I am really impressed by these polishes from Charm Your Nails! You can purchase this brand on Etsy HERE. Full size polishes are $8.50 and minis are $3.50.

Don’t forget, you can also win a bottle of nail polish from Charm Your Nails in my current giveaway! Enter HERE to win one of 13 prizes!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Indie Spotlight: Utopia’s Polish in Doodle-Bug

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have another polish from one of the indie brands that is sponsoring my current giveaway. Utopia’s Polish sent me a fun polish called Doodle-Bug to review for you. It is really unique, and not like any other polish I own. I also used my matte topcoat over this polish, and I will include that at the end of the post. Let me show you Doodle-Bug in its natural form!

Doodle-Bug is a light pink polish filled with lots of different glitters. First, there are fine pink glitters that compliment the base nicely. Then, there are hexagonal glitters from small to extra large mixed throughout in the colors pink, red, purple, blue, and white. I applied three coats of Doodle-Bug to achieve full opacity in the photos above. As you can see, the glitters are super fun, and stand out well from the pink base. I did not have any problems with the formula whatsoever, but it did require extra drying time because of the three coats I applied. Doodle-Bug reminds me of strawberry funfetti! It’s really cute.

I thought that Doodle-Bug would look great with a matte top coat over it, so I got out my Butter London Matte Finish. I absolutely love the way this polish looks when it is matte! The glitters are smoothed out completely, and the pink color looks creamy. Doodle-Bug looks great both glossy and matte, but I personally prefer the matte look. I love how versatile this polish is!

You can find Utopia’s Polish on Etsy HERE. Full size polishes sell from $9.00-10.00, minis are $4.50-5.00, and she even sells glitter that you can use to make your own polish for $3!

Don’t forget, you can win a polish from Utopia’s Polish in my giveaway! Go HERE to enter!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Indie Spotlight: LynBDesigns in Oogie Boogie

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Today I have a really fun nail polish to show you from the Etsy shop LynBDesigns. Halloween is just around the corner, and she sent me Oogie Boogie from the Nightmare Begins collection. This polish is really cool because it glows in the dark. First, I will show you the polish in normal light, and then in the dark so you can see the special effect.

The first thing I noticed about this polish is the fun bottle! It’s definitely unique and eye-catching. The polish is great, too! Oogie Boogie is a glitter top coat in an off-white base. It is filled with fine, orange glitters that are holographic! I layered two coats of Oogie Boogie over two coats of white polish. I love the way the glitter shines in the light and changes colors as you move your hand. It would definitely look really pretty layered over other colors, too. I also like the finish Oogie Boogie has. It’s not matte nor shiny, but silky smooth. In the photos above I am not wearing a top coat.

Here are some photos of Oogie Boogie in the dark! It was hard to capture, but as you can see, this polish really does glow! LynBDesigns suggests that you shake the bottle well before applying this polish to make sure the ingredients are fully mixed. That way you will be sure to get a good glow from your polish! I held my nails up to the light for a few seconds to “charge” the polish before I took these photos.  I love glow-in-the-dark nail polish, and this one is really cool!

I really like this polish from LynBDesigns! It is perfect for Halloween and the fall season in general. Make sure to stop by her Etsy shop HERE to purchase her polishes for $8.50.

You can also win a polish from LynBDesigns in my current giveaway! Be sure to enter HERE!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Adventures in Polishland’s 6 Month Blogiversary & Birthday Giveaway!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

It’s a very exciting time here at Adventures in Polishland! Six months ago today I began this blog. You can view my very first entry HERE! In just a short time I am so proud of how far my blog has come, and I can’t wait to continue on my adventures. Not only am I celebrating my Blogiversary, my birthday is in ten days on October 20th. In order to celebrate these occasions and to thank my followers for all the support I’ve received, I have teamed up with some amazing indie polish brands to bring you a HUGE giveaway! Let me show you all of the prizes!

From left to right we have: Above the Curve in Funilla Icing, Charm Your Nails in Glamour Party, LynBDesigns in Party Dress, Maisie Shine in Superstition, and Utopia’s Polish in Cake Topping.

Wonder Beauty Products in You’re My Cuppy Cake

Source: Wonder Beauty Products

Starrily in Birthday Balloons

Source: Starrily

Rainbow Polish in Cupcake and Busted Piñata

Source: Rainbow Polish
Source: Rainbow Polish

Black Cat Lacquer in Let Them Eat Cake

Source: Black Cat Lacquer

Lush Lacquer in Birthday Cake

Source: Lush Lacquer

My Happy Hour in Birthday Girl and Celebration

Source: My Happy Hour
Source: My Happy Hour

For those of you not counting, that is a total of 13 amazing prizes! Thirteen lucky entrants will each receive one of these polishes.

Now, onto the fine print! Please read these rules carefully!

  • This giveaway will run from October 10, 2012 until midnight on October 20, 2012
  • It is open internationally
  • You must be 18 or over, or have your parents’ permission, to win
  • I will be verifying ALL entries. Any false entries will result in that entrant being disqualified from the giveaway, and all of her entries being removed.
  • The winners will be notified through email after the giveaway and will have 48 hours to respond. In the result they do not respond, they forfeit their prize and a new winner will be chosen.

To enter the giveaway, you must click HERE to find the Rafflecopter. You can also enter by using the Rafflecopter widget on my Facebook page HERE.

Finally, a HUGE thank you to all of the indie brands sponsoring this giveaway! Make sure you check out their shops for amazing nail polishes. Simply click on each shop name above to be taken directly to their Etsy pages. As an added bonus, stay tuned for some reviews that will be posted throughout the giveaway featuring some of the sponsors!

Thank you for your support! I hope you will continue to enjoy our Adventures in Polishland!