comparison post – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: comparison post

Dare to Compare | Comparing 6 Sparkly Purple Nail Polishes

Posted on April 6, 2024 by Adventures in Polishland

A few months ago, I reorganized my entire nail polish collection by color. Doing so made it obvious that I own a lot of purple nail polishes that have glitter, sparkle or some other special effect. Even though these polishes are all different, I realized I just don’t reach for these shades when I go to paint my nails. I decided it was time to swatch a handful of the sparkly purple nail polishes in my collection to see what I can keep, and what I can declutter. This comparison post will review six purple polishes, and I will let you know which one I decided to keep for future use!

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

All of the swatches in this blog post were photographed in natural lighting. I used Holo Taco Peely Base as my base coat, and Zoya Naked Manicure Super Glossy Seal as my top coat. As it turns out, all of these polishes are from Zoya. I’ll let you know what collection they are from in each polish description.

Andrea

First up is Andrea from the Fall 2020 Luscious Collection. Andrea is a purple metallic polish with a green duochrome shift. It is opaque in two coats, and the formula is a bit streaky due to the metallic finish. I also had an issue where my top coat pulled the base polish a bit, which can be seen on my ring finger in the swatches. Andrea looks really cool, but I don’t really like how it looks on me. I knew right away I could declutter this polish.

Neve

Next up is Neve, which is technically a blue nail polish but certainly leans towards purple. Neve has a metallic formula that is opaque in two coats. I really love this polish. The formula is smooth and pigmented, and I love the subtle purple shimmer. Neve is from the Fall 2013 Satins Collection, and still performs well to this day. I love this polish, so I couldn’t declutter it right away.

Nisha

Shifting gears slightly, we have Nisha from the Holiday 2020 Intriguing Collection. Nisha is very similar to Neve, but with a deep purple metallic base shade rather than blue. This polish is opaque in one coat, and applies beautifully to the nails. It’s rare that I find a true one coat polish, especially a metallic formula with a shimmery base. I set Nisha aside to consider keeping.

Gardner

Next up is Gardner from the Fall 2018 Element Collection. Zoya describes Gardner as a deep periwinkle shade with a vibrant magenta shimmer in a foil finish. This polish is opaque in two coats. The formula is a little tricky, as it tends to bunch up during application. I do like how sparkly Gardner is, but I’m not a huge fan of foil nail polishes. As such, Gardner is a polish I am decluttering.

Isa

The next purple polish is Isa from the Summer 2015 Paradise Sun Collection. Isa has a metallic-pearl finish with an aqua shimmer. The formula is on the thinner side, but it is opaque in two coats. I did find that Isa was a bit uneven, but the top coat really helped to smooth out the look. I really like this polish, so I set it aside while swatching.

Adara

Last but not least is Adara from the Winter/Holiday 2023 Enchanted Collection. Zoya describes Adara as a lapis blue with rose gold and blue glitters, but to me it looks like a royal purple. This polish is opaque in two coats. It has a pigmented formula that is on the thicker side. While I think Adara is a beautiful polish, I personally wish it would dry to a more even texture. Even with top coat, it looks bumpy to me. For that reason, I am decluttering Adara.

Side by Side Comparisons

After swatching, I narrowed down my top three choices to Neve, Nisha, and Isa. I tried on those polishes side by side in that order. It immediately became clear to me that I could declutter Isa. While I do like how the polish looks on me, the formula just isn’t as good as the other two. In the end, it came down to whether I wanted more of a blue or purple polish. While I do really love Neve, I decided to keep Nisha since it does have a one coat formula. I also think the purple shade looks a bit better with my skin tone.

I’m so excited that I was able narrow down my sparkly purple nail polish collection quite a bit. While all of these polishes were unique from each other and not dupes, at the end of the day if I am in the mood for a glittery or metallic purple, I’m only going to need one. That being said, this post only featured a portion of the sparkly purple polishes in my stash. I could probably do another entire blog post with more! If you would like to see more comparison posts, either of dupes or just similar colors like this, please let me know in the comments.

Dare to Compare | Priti NYC Fireglow vs Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Electra-cute

Posted on April 20, 2016March 22, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share another nail polish comparison post with all of you. After looking through all the yellow polishes in my collection, I turned to the oranges to see if there were any duplicates. I noticed right away that Priti NYC Fireglow and Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Electra-cute looked exactly the same in the bottle. These are both perfect orange cremes for the fall, so I decided to swatch them and see which formula I preferred. As with all of my Dare to Compare posts, I’ll show you each polish individually, and then side-by-side.

First up is Fireglow, a bright orange creme from the boutique brand Priti NYC. Fireglow has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It can be a bit patchy, but it does dry to a beautiful finish. I love that I am supporting a small business with this polish, and that it is made in the USA.

Electra-cute from Sally Hansen Miracle Gel is also a bright orange creme polish. The formula is good, but I did find Electra-cute to be quite patchy and streaky. I layered on three coats and I still didn’t have a completely even finish. I was a bit surprised, because I know I really enjoyed this polish when I first got it, so I guess the formula changed over time. Electra-cute was a limited edition polish that isn’t available anymore, so I considered that when swatching as well.

Here is a look at Fireglow and Electra-cute side-by-side. I cannot tell any difference in shade whatsoever! As you may have predicted, I’m going to be decluttering Electra-cute. The formula just doesn’t match up to Fireglow!

All in all, I’m so glad I discovered another duplicate shade in my nail polish collection. I highly recommend picking up Fireglow if you are looking for an orange polish. You can purchase it direct from the brand’s website HERE. It is a bit more expensive at $15, but worth the splurge! Let me know in the comments what your favorite orange polish is, and if you’ve tried any polishes from Priti NYC.

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

Dare to Compare | Julep Nina vs Zoya Arizona

Posted on August 21, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! If you’ve Liked my Facebook Page, you’ll know that I’ve begun a new project dubbed The Great Polish Destash. I will be moving at some point this year, so I want to go through my entire nail polish collection and get rid of polishes that I no longer want or need. My first step was to roughly organize my polishes by color, and now I’m going through those color families to find any dupes (aka duplicates). I decided to start with the organges, since I only had 20 orange polishes before I started my destash. Julep Nina and Zoya Arizona looked nearly identical in the bottle, so I had to test them out side by side to see how they compare. Dare to Compare | Julep Nina vs Zoya Arizona

First up is Julep Nina, a bright orange creme that dries to a satin finish. Nina is opaque in three coats, and has a tacky formula. I do love the color and the finish, but the formula is a bit difficult.

Next up is Zoya Arizona. This is also a bright orange creme, but it dries to a glossy finish. The formula is good, but a bit thin so I needed three coats for opacity. I got this cute mini size in a promotion Zoya did a while back. In fact, my friend Princess Polish made a bulk order and included this in it for me.

Here are side-by-side swatches of Julep Nina and Zoya Arizona. Nina is on my pinky and ring fingers, with Arizona on my middle and pointer fingers. I can barely tell any difference at all between the two! Because these polishes are nearly identical, I knew it would be safe to destash one of them. I considered formula as the biggest deciding factor, and decided to keep…. Zoya Arizona! The glossy finish and smooth formula truly won me over!

All in all, while both Nina and Arizona are great, bright orange polishes, there is no need to have both in my collection. If you’re looking for an orange, I definitely recommend Zoya Arizona. Not only is it more affordable at $9 versus Julep’s $14 price tag, but it’s got a great formula. With Halloween around the corner, you’ll want this shade for your pumpkin nail art!

Do you have a favorite orange?! Let me know what it is in the comments!

Dare to Compare | BeautyBlender vs Rickycare Original 3D Blender

Posted on November 9, 2013December 5, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Adventures in Polishland is dedicated to everything fabulous and affordable, but I’m also for splurging on products that are great quality. When I first heard about the BeautyBlender, also known as the $20 makeup sponge, I didn’t understand the hype. Instead of dropping some serious cash, I went to my local Ricky’s NYC store and picked up what I thought was a BeautyBlender dupe. To my surprise, I received the real deal in a PopSugar MustHave Box, and after months of testing (seriously!) I’m ready to answer the question: is the BeautyBlender worth the money?

What: BeautyBlender

How Much: $19.95 [BUY]

Attributes: The BeautyBlender is as soft as can be. It can be used wet or dry, and applies liquid foundation with ease. Oh, and it’s hot pink!

What: Rickycare Original 3D Blender

How Much: $8.00 [BUY]

Attributes: The Rickycare sponge is dense and firm. It’s texture is nice for evenly distributing makeup, however it absorbs product and is difficult to clean.

SIDE BY SIDE

Dry

Wet

Similarities:

Size/Shape – When dry, the BeautyBlender and Rickycare Blender are identical in size and shape.
Durability – Both the BeautyBlender and Rickycare Blender are long-lasting products that have not yet shown signs of wear (besides discoloration).

Differences:

Size/Shape – When wet, the BeautyBlender absorbs more water, and is slightly larger than the Rickycare Blender.
Texture – The BeautyBlender is very soft to the touch while the Rickycare Blender is much more firm.
Application – The BeautyBlender applies makeup very well by distributing it evenly and transferring product onto the face. The Rickycare Blender applies makeup very well, but a lot more product is needed since it absorbs makeup.
Cleanliness – The BeautyBlender does not stain as much as the Rickycare Blender.
Experience – I personally prefer the feel of the BeautyBlender on my skin rather than the Rickycare Blender, as it is much softer.

THE VERDICT

You may have guessed it, but the BeautyBlender is absolutely worth the money! The Rickycare Original 3D Blender is still a good product, and if $19.95 is out of the question for you, definitely spend the $8.00. However, I would highly recommend investing in a BeautyBlender. It will last you a very long time (I see no signs of wear in mine), and it makes all the difference in my daily makeup routine. I know it sounds silly that this is a $20 sponge, but once you’ve tried it you will understand the hype! I also recommend the BlenderCleanser to clean your BeautyBlender. Both products can be purchased at Sephora HERE.

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

Dare to Compare Week! Day Two — Bright Pink

Posted on April 2, 2013August 12, 2015 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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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?!