Tag: adventures in polishland

Join Me on Instagram for Beauty Hauls, Favorites, and Savings Tips!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have a quick and informational post to share with you. This year I am focusing on making Instagram my primary social media platform. I am still keeping my blog active, and hope to post a few times per month, but I am sharing new photos on Instagram almost every single day! Instagram is a great platform for me to share a lot of information in a summarized way. Not only do I really enjoy sharing my own content on Instagram, but I love that I can keep up with my friends and favorite bloggers all in one place. Of course, the Instagram Story feature also provides a new method for sharing, too. I hope that by focusing my efforts on this one social media platform, I can regularly share my content with all of you!

Here are a few examples of the content you are missing if you are not following me on Instagram:

Monthly Beauty Favorites

? FEBRUARY BEAUTY FAVORITES ? . @thebalm_cosmetics Mary-Lou Manizer | I finally tried this cult classic highlighter! I’m absolutely loving the smooth formula, and the shade is great for my fair skin tone. . @thebodyshop Fan Brush | To apply the highlighter, I use this brush. It does a great job at blending out a more intense highlight. I’m so glad I finally added a fan brush to my collection! . LipSense Glossy Gloss | Lip gloss is coming back into the limelight this year as liquid lipsticks fade away (or so it seems!). I’m not a big glossy lips person, but I have been reaching for my Glossy Gloss more lately, and even like wearing it alone on days where I don’t want to put on lipstick. . @dermae Microdermabrasion Scrub | I’ve gone back to an old favorite with my skincare! I see a big difference in my skin’s texture and appearance when I use this scrub on a regular basis. Plus, it has a fresh lemony scent! . @thebodyshop Drops of Youth Youth Concentrate | I finally tried this beloved serum! I’ve only used it for a few weeks so far, but I’m loving how plush my skin appears. I can also feel the firming action! . What products are you loving this month?! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #februaryfavorites #favorites #beautyfavorites #monthlyfavorites #beauty #bbloggers #bblogger #thebalm #thebalmcosmetics #maryloumanizer #thebodyshop #fanbrush #makeupbrush #lipsense #glossygloss #lipsensegloss #dermae #dermaesocial #microdermabrasionscrub #microdermabrasion #skincare #dropsofyouth #serum #antiaging #vegan #veganbeauty #veganskincare #veganmakeup

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Hauls and Savings Tips

? ULTA HAUL ? . I’m so excited to add these new products to my stash! . @urbandecaycosmetics Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Fair Neutral | I’ve wanted to try this concealer for years (!!!), and had to snag it when it was on sale for 50% off! I was lacking a highlighting concealer in my collection, so I will be using this right away. . @pacificabeauty Neutralizing Mattifier | I got this powder because I’ve been looking for a more environmentally friendly setting powder. I love that this compact is made primarily with cardboard, so it is much better than the heavy plastic compacts I’ve been using. . @drbronner Tea Tree Pure-Castile Bar Soap | This soap was also purchased with waste in mind! I’ve heard this is great to wash makeup brushes, and so I will no longer be buying brush shampoo in a plastic bottle. This soap is wrapped in paper that is biodegradable and made from post-consumer recycled paper! . SAVINGS: I used a $3.50 off $15.00 coupon, and shopped with @ebatesshopping to earn 3% cash back. The retail value of my order is $45.69, but I only paid $33.64 (shipping included!). Plus, there is $0.84 back in my pocket with Ebates. . Sign up to Ebates using the referral link in my profile! You get a $10 bonus for signing up! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #ultahaul #ulta #haul #unboxing #ultaunboxing #beautyhaul #urbandecay #nakedconcealer #urbandecayconcealer #pacifica #mattifyingpowder #settingpowder #drbronners #teatree #castilesoap #soap #barsoap #zerowaste #zerowasteliving #lesswaste #betterchoices #vegan #veganbeauty #veganmakeup #couponing #saleing

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Nail Polish and Makeup Swatches

 

Recipes and Lifestyle Content

? Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Balls Recipe ? . INGREDIENTS: . 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats . 1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter . 1/3 Cup Pure Maple Syrup . 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract . RECIPE: . Mix all ingredients together using a blender or food processor until combined. . Form into small balls and store in an airtight container! . I made about 15 Oat Balls with this recipe. They are so delicious and taste like peanut butter cookies! Two Oat Balls have about 6g protein, too. Talk about a delicious and nutritious snack! . This recipe was inspired by @mom4real and adapted to be vegan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . #vegan #veganrecipes #bestofvegan #whatveganseat #nobake #peanutbutter #peanutbutteroatballs #oatballs #nobakeballs #energyballs #proteinballs #plantbased #plantbasedfood #plantbaseddiet #food #instafood #foodstagram #foodie #easyrecipe #easyveganrecipe

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Thank you all, as always, for following my Adventures in Polishland! As mentioned, I will continue to post here on the blog and my other social media profiles, but Instagram is where I post on a more consistent basis. I hope to see you there!

Follow me on Instagram @adventuresinpolishland.

Adventures in Polishland 2.0 is Coming!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you some big news for Adventures in Polishland! I first began this blog back in April of 2012, and back then it was purely a nail polish blog. I was inspired by the fun nail art looks on Pinterest (a website I had just joined!), and when my friend casually mentioned in conversation that she “read the nail blogs,” I knew I had to be one of them! About eight months into my blogging journey, I decided I wanted to blog about more than just nails. I opened up the world of Polishland to include beauty products, too. It felt natural to include things like makeup, skincare, and hair care with nail polish, but I didn’t want to go too far beyond that.

Throughout my three years here, I’ve done a few lifestyle posts here and there – fashion, technology, housewares, you name it! I’ve tossed in some random posts and hoped you would all enjoy them. However, I didn’t want to lose my nail polish and beauty audience, and blog about things outside the Polishland realm. Well, the truth is, I am a person with a lot of different hobbies and interests. I love to read, go to Broadway shows, go antiquing, and the list goes on and on. I would love to share these hobbies with all of you! For a long time, I kept a separate blog to write about these things. But that blog never got a chance to grow or shine. I loved Adventures in Polishland way too much to focus my energies on another, separate blog.

Thus, today I officially launch Adventures in Polishland 2.0! While Polishland was originally just a land of polish, it is now a place that represents me, Christina, online. I love nail polish and beauty, and will continue to blog about it three times a week. On the days where you don’t see a beauty post, there may be something else for you! Here is what the Adventures in Polishland posting schedule will look moving forward:

Monday / Wednesday / Friday: Nail Polish or Beauty Post

Tuesday / Thursday: Lifestyle Post (when I have one to share)

Saturday: #PlanWithPolishland (2-4 times per month)

Sunday: off

You will always get my nail polish and beauty posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and in addition you will get something else when I have it to share. I think this is a great way to incorporate more into Adventures in Polishland without changing my focus. All of my beauty-lovers will still get the same great content every week, and bonus content, too! I like calling the upgraded Adventures in Polishland a lifestyle blog with a beauty focus.

I hope you are all excited for this change! It will allow me to create an even better Adventures in Polishland because all of my blogging energy will be focused right here. In the coming weeks, I will be working behind the scenes to update the way this blog works. I want the categories to be user-friendly, and the layout to look great. I know it will take a lot of hard work, but I am very excited for this upgrade. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask in a comment or email me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com.

Welcome to Adventures in Polishland 2.0! I hope you’ll continue on the adventure!

Adventures in Polishland Turns 2!

Posted on 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.

Adventures in Polishland Turns 2!

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!

 

Ipsy & Benefit Lash Bash | Thank You and Giveaway!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! I was recently selected by Ipsy and Benefit Cosmetics to host a Lash Bash party. You may have heard of Benefit’s REALvolution featuring the brand’s famous they’re real! mascara. This Lash Bash event encourages makeup lovers everywhere to put away the false lashes, and enhance your natural lashes with they’re real!

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As a lucky Lash Bash hostess, I was sent a box of goodies to share with my friends. Because you, my blog followers, are the reason I even know about Ipsy and Benefit Cosmetics, I wanted to share the goodies with you. I am saving one of the goodie bags from my Lash Bash party for a follower.

I can never thank my followers enough for your loyal support! The reason I am able to partner with brands and review their products is because I have people reading my blog. With that said, you may know that in July I had to move from a WordPress.com site to my own, self-hosted domain. When I moved, I lost all of my followers and website statistics, and had to start over from scratch. I really appreciate those of you who made the move with me, but I am still very far away from where I once was. With that said, I am hosting this giveaway solely for those who follow Adventures in Polishland. Please see all the giveaway details below.

Giveaway Rules

  1. Follow Adventures in Polishland! Simply enter your email in that box on the right where it says “Follow Adventures in Polishland”. Only email followers qualify for this giveaway.
  2. Prize is the goodie bag pictured above, and includes sample sizes of Benefit Cosmetics’ they’re real!, benetint, and sugarbomb.
  3. Giveaway will run until midnight on Saturday, September 27th, giving new readers one week to follow.
  4. Winner will be chosen via random.org and emailed.
  5. Winner will have 48 hours to claim her prize, or a new winner will be chosen.
  6. If you have questions, email me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com

I hope you will join me on my Adventures in Polishland!

Giveaway is CLOSED! Congrats, Gabriela! (She has claimed her prize.)

This prize is part of a package I received from Ipsy and Benefit. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Adventures in Polishland Across the Web!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I just wanted to share with all of you two exciting websites that I have been featured on this past week.

First, I was interviewed by the nail polish blog So Nailicious. You can see my interview HERE. Please be sure to subscribe to her blog for amazing reviews and nail art. You can also follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Second, I wrote a guest post for fellow WordPress blogger Zenorah. My post shows you how to use holiday themed nail polishes all year round. I absolutely love the manicures I created, so I hope you will check out the post and follow Zenorah’s blog while you’re there. You can see my guest post HERE. As a little sneak peek, take a look at how I used a red and white Christmas glitter in this jelly sandwich manicure!

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That’s all I have for today! Stay tuned for more nail polish and beauty reviews, and as always, a huge thank you to all of my followers for supporting me on my Adventures in Polishland.

Adventures in Polishland Celebrates her 1 Year Blogiversary with Covergirl Outlast Nail Polish!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today is my one year blogiversary! Exactly one year ago today I began this blog and uploaded my first post. I can’t believe how far I have come, and I am always so thankful for your support. I thought today would be the perfect opportunity to share with you some of my new favorite nail polishes. The Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant line has been catching my eye at drugstores lately, and I knew I had to try a few. I purchased two for myself, and then won two in a giveaway! I can’t wait to show you these fabulous and affordable polishes!

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Here is a quick photo of the four polishes I’m reviewing today! I love the square bottles, as they are eye-catching and great for storage. As you can see, I have four shades that are perfect for spring and summer, but Covergirl also offers dark colors, shimmers, and some glitters as well! There is so much to choose from!

 

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First up is Coral Silk, a bright peach creme. Coral Silk is the one disappointment I’ve had with these Covergirl nail polishes so far. The formula was a thick, streaky mess. Although it was opaque in two coats, I wanted to add a third to even everything out. I also found that this formula was very tacky, and would probably take a very long time to dry. It’s hard to tell in the photos above how messy it was! Alas, Coral Silk was no fun to deal with despite the pretty color.

 

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Up next is Out of the Blue, a stunning bright blue polish! This polish has an absolutely perfect formula and application and is opaque in just one coat! I love any one coat polishes, but Out of the Blue is so beautiful! It is just a great shade for spring and summer, and makes me happy when I wear it. The shade is also exactly the same on the nail as it is in the bottle. I highly recommend Out of the Blue!

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Mint Mojito is the next Covergirl nail polish I have to show you. This is a dusty mint green creme polish. The formula is a little streaky, but otherwise a good consistency. Mint Mojito is opaque in two coats, and dries very quickly! I love the color of this polish! It is right on trend for spring, and would look good on almost any skin tone. This is the first of the two polishes I won in the giveaway, and I am so happy to have it!

 

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Last but not least is Tickled Pink, the perfect bright pink nail polish! This has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. It also dries very quickly! Tickled Pink is a color that I think can be worn all year long and always look fabulous. As a pink aficionado, I am in love with this polish!

All in all, I am quite impressed with the quality of the Covergirl Outlast Stay Brilliant nail polishes. While Coral Silk was a dud for me, the other three had great formulas and beautiful colors. The best part is they retail for just $5.99 at drugstores, but are often on sale! Plus, you can use the Covergirl coupons that come in the Sunday paper for an even better discount. I find these are so fabulous and affordable that I went back to the store and purchased another for myself. Keep an eye out for that in a future post, and thank you again for joining me on my Adventures in Polishland!

Dare to Compare Week! Day Five — Red Orange

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I have the final installment in Dare to Compare Week here at Adventures in Polishland. I have saved the best for last! If you are looking for a dupe, you have come to the right place, especially if you love red orange polishes! Let me show you the polishes up for comparison today.

 

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From left to right, the polishes are Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Grandma, Milani High Speed in Flaming Race, and Sinful Colors in Timbleberry. As soon as I lined these polishes up next to each other I was very excited. They already look like the same shade! Let me show you these polishes on the nail, first alone and then side by side.

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Polish Name: Sinful Colors in Timbleberry

Price: $1.99 at drugstores

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Amazing formula and perfect application!

Color Description: Bright red orange creme.

Bonus: This is the perfect nail polish for summer!

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Polish Name: Milani High Speed in Flaming Race

Price: $4.99 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 1

Formula: Great, one coat formula!

Color description: Bright red orange creme.

Bonus: Lives up to its fast dry, one coat name!

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Polish Name: Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Grandma

Price: $10 at Sephora or $8 on Amazon [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 1

Formula: Great, high gloss formula!

Color Description: Bright red orange creme.

Bonus: This is a 100% vegan and cruelty free brand!

 

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Here we have each polish side by side. From left to right is the Sinful Colors, the Milani, and the Obsessive Compulsive. I cannot tell the difference between these three at all! Can you?! I honestly think this looks like the same polish. I think this is officially a dupe alert! I think the obvious choice is the $1.99 Sinful Colors nail polish, but if you prefer a one coat formula then the Milani may be for you. Of course, if you are a vegan then you will be purchasing the Obsessive Compulsive. The choice really is yours!

This concludes Dare to Compare Week! Have no fear, I will still do comparison posts when I find polishes that appear similar in the bottle. I hope you have enjoyed these posts as much as I have!

 

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. Some of the links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

 

 

Dare to Compare Week! Day Three – Mint Green

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Dare to Compare Week here at Adventures in Polishland continues with one of my nail polish obsessions, mint green. Mint is such a trendy color for spring that I made sure to include it in this week’s comparison extravaganza. I’ll let you know up front that I didn’t find any dupes, but I did discover some beautiful options! Let’s see what is up in the mint green color family.

 

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From left to right, the polishes are Julep in Susie, China Glaze in Keep Calm, Paint On, and Zoya in Neely. These polishes do look similar in the bottle, but I could tell they wouldn’t be exactly the same on the nail. I still wanted to see the comparison, though. First I’ll show each polish alone, and then I’ll show them side by side.

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Polish Name: China Glaze in Keep Calm, Paint On

Price: $6.99 at beauty stores, or $3.32 on Amazon [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Good, but on the thick side.

Color Description: Mint green with green and pink shimmer.

Bonus: I love the name of this polish!

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Polish Name: Zoya in Neely

Price: $8 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Good, but a bit patchy.

Color Description: Dusty mint green.

Bonus: Zoya is a vegan friendly, and long-lasting brand!

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Polish Name: Julep in Susie

Price: $14 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 3

Formula: Okay — formula a bit streaky and patchy, but evens in three coats.

Color Description: Pale mint green

Bonus: I got this in my first Julep Maven Box! It’s an all-time favorite.

 

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Now we have all three side by side! From left to right is the Zoya, the China Glaze, and the Julep. Susie from Julep stands out as the lightest shade of the bunch right away. Zoya Neely and China Glaze Keep Calm, Paint On are very close, but the shimmer in Keep Calm really makes it stand out. I personally prefer the light shade of the Julep, but would choose Zoya Neely over the shimmer in the China Glaze. I prefer a pure, creme finish! In the end, when it comes to mint green I don’t think you can go wrong no matter what shade you choose!

Which do you prefer, bright pastels or dusty greens?! Do you like polishes with an added shimmer?!

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. Some of the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Dare to Compare Week! Day Two — Bright Pink

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! It is Day Two of Dare to Compare Week here at Adventures in Polishland. To celebrate the start of spring, I am comparing three bright pink nail polishes today. I just love pink, and I feel like pink nails never go out of style! I hope you enjoy this comparison as much as I do! Let me show you what’s up today.

 

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These bright pinks look quite similar in the bottle! From left to right, they are: Julep in Niecy, Chick in Flicker, and Wet ‘n Wild Wild Shine in Pom Pom Kelly. First I’ll show you each polish alone, and then I’ll compare them side by side.

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Polish Name: Wet ‘n Wild Wild Shine in Pom Pom Kelly

Price: $0.99 [Good luck finding it!]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 3

Formula: Great application! Jelly formula with sheer coverage and a satin finish.

Color Description: Bright pink that leans towards neon, but isn’t too “out there”.

Bonus: This is from the limited edition Saved by the Nail collection! I was able to score myself a set, but they were very hard to find. I did hear that they were spotted at Ocean State Job Lot stores recently!

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Polish Name: Chick in Flicker

Price: $8.00 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Good — there was something “off” but I can’t explain it! Beautiful high gloss finish.

Color Description: Bright pink creme

Bonus: Chick is made in the USA and vegan friendly!

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Polish Name: Julep in Niecy

Price: $14 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Great formula and application! Glossy finish!

Color Description: Bright pink that is almost neon.

Bonus: This came in my first ever Julep Maven box! It’s one of my all-time favorites!

 

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Now let’s take a closer look at these polishes side by side! From left to right is the Wet ‘n Wild, the Chick, and the Julep. While they are not dupes for each other, they are quite similar. Pom Pom Kelly from Wet ‘n Wild is definitely the brightest and most neon of the bunch, with Chick Flicker the darkest. It’s unfortunate that the most affordable polish in this bunch is also the hardest to find, because Pom Pom Kelly is my personal favorite of the three even though I need three coats for opacity. However, I would happily settle for the $8 price tag of Chick’s Flicker since it is vegan and made in the USA. All in all, you can’t really go wrong with any bright pink, especially in the warmer months!

Which bright pink nail polish is your favorite?! Would you pay more for a nail polish if it were vegan?!

 

 

Dare to Compare Week! Day One – Dark Purple

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’m very excited because this week is Dare to Compare Week here at Adventures in Polishland! One of my highest requested blogs is the comparison post, so I figured I would dedicate this week to that. From today until Friday I will share three nail polishes from a color family each day and see how they match up. I tried to pick a variety of colors from a mix of brands so that everyone can find something within budget. First up is dark purple, a color I have a lot of in my collection. Let’s see how the first three compare!

 

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Today’s Dare to Compare polishes are (from left to right) OPI in Lourve Me Lourve Me Not, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Pronto Purple, and elf in Royal Purple. As you can see, they look quite similar in the bottle. Each is a dark purple with shimmer. The true test comes when they are on the nails! First I’ll show you each polish individually, and then how they look side by side.

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Polish Name: elf in Royal Purple

Price: $2.00 [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Good — brush strokes visible

Color Description: Dark purple that leans towards magenta, with magenta and silver shimmer

Bonus: Very strong shimmer effect!

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Polish Name: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri in Pronto Purple

Price: $4-6 in drugstores and department stores [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Amazing! Lives up to fast dry name.

Color Description: Very deep purple with magenta shimmer

Bonus: I love the wide brush!

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Polish Name: OPI in Lourve Me Lourve Me Not

Price: $8 at Nordstrom Rack or on Amazon [Buy HERE]

Coats Needed for Opacity: 2

Formula: Flawless! High gloss shine when dry.

Color Description: Dark purple with magenta shimmer

Bonus: This is the first OPI I ever owned and is from a discontinued collection!

 

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Above you can see each polish side by side. From left to right is the elf, the Sally Hansen, and the OPI. These polishes are not dupes [“dupe” = duplicate in nail polish lingo!], but they are very close. Elf’s Royal Purple is definitely the lightest shade of the bunch, and has the most shimmer. Pronto Purple from Sally Hansen is clearly the darkest of the three. Although these do vary from one another in terms of color, you may find you prefer one shade over the rest. However, if you are looking for a great dark purple in general, I don’t think you can go too wrong with any of these! The elf formula wasn’t the best, but with a $2 price tag it is not much of a compromise. If I had to choose just one, I would personally go with Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Pronto Purple, for the great formula and mid-range price tag!

Which dark purple nail polish is your favorite?! What is more important to you, price or formula?!

 

Some of the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.