cosmetics – Page 7 – Adventures in Polishland

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Zoya Stunning Collection for Summer 2013

Posted on April 23, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I have a review of the full Stunning Collection from Zoya that is available for purchase now. I will be quite honest with you up front — I am disappointed with this collection. The polishes look so beautiful in the bottle, but I experienced a great deal of formula issues. After speaking with other bloggers, it seems as if the formula problems are not consistent with everyone. Some people haven’t experienced any issues at all! I’m hoping that I just got a bad batch of the collection. Nonetheless, let me show you the Stunning Collection!

First up is Darcy, a banana yellow polish. Darcy is the worst of the collection formula wise, so I figured I would get it out of the way! While opaque in two coats, I added a third to attempt to even out the streaky and patchy formula. Even the photos show the unevenness of this polish. I am very disappointed with Darcy, and would not recommend it.

Next up is Thandie, a bright, tangerine orange. Thandie’s formula is just okay — opaque in two coats and still a bit streaky and patchy. I do love Thandie’s color, as it is perfect for summer and not an overwhelming orange. If the formula was a bit easier to work with this would be a go to orange for me!

Zoya Micky is the first of two pinks in the Stunning Collection. Micky is a gorgeous bright pink color that is very flattering with my skin tone. It’s formula was sheer, and required three coats to achieve opacity. Otherwise, I think this is a work appropriate polish that would look good on almost anyone!

Zoya Yana is the next pink in the collection, and is more on the darker side than Micky. Yana has a good formula, but it still wasn’t that great formula that Zoya typically has. It is opaque in two coats, and is perfect for every day. The color is really pretty!

Next is Rocky, a sky blue polish and my favorite from the collection! Rocky has a great formula (finally!) that is opaque in two coats. I love how Rocky can look both bright and dusty at the same time. It is definitely more of a subdued blue polish. If you are looking to purchase from the Stunning Collection, Rocky would be my pick!

Last but not least is Josie, a grassy green. Josie has a good formula that is a little streaky. This polish is opaque in two coats, and is just the perfect shade of green. I personally love this color so much that I would put up with the mediocre formula just to wear this one.

All in all, the Stunning Collection from Zoya is a bit of a flop for me. I am very happy with Rocky, and Yana and Josie I could probably make do with. Otherwise, I would never purchase these polishes for myself. As I mentioned from the start, it seems as if these formula issues are not widespread for everyone. Unfortunately, there really is no way to know if you will receive a good batch or not. I usually find that Zoya polishes have fabulous formulas, so I’m not sure what happened with this collection! I hope that this was just a fluke that won’t happen again! The Zoya Stunning Collection can be purchased HERE.

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 Week! Day One – Dark Purple

Posted on April 1, 2013August 12, 2015 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!

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

Indie Spotlight: Shimmer Polish Part IV

Posted on March 15, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have the final installment of my Shimmer Polish posts for all of you. Shimmer Polish is an indie brand featuring a line of beautiful glitter nail polishes. Each polish is unique and versatile, and can be worn in a number of ways. In Part I and Part II, I wore each polish alone, and in Part III I layered each polish over a base color. Today, I used some Shimmers to create some fun nail art looks! Let me show you the manicures I created using Shimmer Polish.

For my first look, I asked my Facebook followers how I should use the glitter. Stephanie suggested a glitter gradient, and it worked out perfectly that the name of the polish is also Stephanie! I began with a base color of Sally Hansen Virtual Violet, and then added on Shimmer Polish Stephanie for the gradient effect. Stephanie is full of blue and purple glitters, with some pink thrown in as well. To achieve the gradient, I lightly tapped the brush across the top of my nails and lightly dragged the glitter down to about the middle of each nail. I found this technique to be much simpler than using a cosmetic sponge, and the glitter is very forgiving! Make sure to follow up with a layer of top coat to even out the finish.

Next I decided to do some geometric nails using the scotch tape method. I began with a base of Wet ‘n Wild in Fashionista Lisa, and let that dry completely. Then, I placed tape on my nails and rotated it to get a triangle cut out on either the top, bottom, left, or right of my nail. Finally, I applied two coats of Shimmer Polish in Tracy on top and peeled off the tape while the polish was still wet. Tracy is a gold, holographic glitter polish. I think it looks great against the purple shade of Fashionista Lisa! I also used my Butter London Matte Finish top coat to complete the look. I just love the combination of matte glitter and the geometric shapes!

I was loving the look of matte glitter, so I used the matte top coat again for my next manicure. First, I applied Julep Morganas my base color. Then I grabbed Shimmer Polish in Tammy, a glitter filled with gold, purple, black, and silver! I didn’t want a lot of glitter on my nails, so I applied the polish a bit differently. Instead of brushing on the polish, I dabbed the tip of the brush all over my nail. It spread out the glitter quite nicely! Finally, I mattified the whole look. I think this is the perfect manicure!

Last but not least is a funky manicure of my own creation! I began with black as my base using Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred. I was hoping to create a jelly sandwich manicure, and applied a layer of Shimmer Polish in Vanessa. Vanessa is a cool mix of silver, red, and black glitters, with hints of many other colors as well. My manicure went a bit crazy when I attempted to use another coat of Tarred for the top of the jelly sandwich. The glitter was almost completely hidden! I got creative and dabbed a tissue over the wet polish to remove some of the black. The result was this neat look! It’s unconventional, but I love the rock star look I achieved. It’s also similar to a galaxy manicure! Sometimes our nail polish mistakes can lead to fun looks after all!

All in all, I am still so impressed with Shimmer Polish. You really can’t go wrong with polishes that can be worn alone, layered, and used in nail art. These versatile polishes can be purchased on Etsy HERE. You can also like Shimmer Polish on Facebook HERE.

What do you think of these nail art looks?! How do you use glitter to spice up your manicure?

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

Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer Review & Giveaway!

Posted on March 13, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today I have six beautiful nail polishes to show you from the Milani High Speed Fast Dry line. These polishes are designed to have a one coat formula that is perfectly dry in sixty seconds. You may already be familiar with these polishes, but Milani just released some brand new shades! Make sure you read this entire entry, because at the end of the post I will have a giveaway featuring all six of these polishes! Let me show you these High Speed pretties!

First up is Quick Teal, a gorgeous teal green that leans towards blue. Quick Teal lives up to its name — it really is a one coat formula and dries in a flash! I was so impressed with the quality of the formula. Plus, the color is just stunning. I think Quick Teal is my favorite from the bunch!

The next polish is Flaming Race, a bright red-orange polish. Just like Quick Teal, Flaming Race is a one coat formula that dries quickly. I just love this polish on me! It is great for the summer months due to it’s bright nature. It’s definitely on fire!

Next up is Rapid Orchid, a very dark purple polish that looks almost black in real life. I did need two coats for this polish, as the first was a little sheer. While Rapid Orchid isn’t a personal favorite of mine, I think this polish is perfect for fall or winter. What an interesting take on a purple!

Instant Pearl is the next Milani High Speed I have to show you. This polish is a metallic white that also requires two coats to achieve opacity. As with most metallics, brush strokes are visible on the nail. Instant Pearl has a pretty shimmer quality to it, and has strong undertones of pink. This is a very work appropriate nail polish!

Next up is Pink Express, a baby pink polish. The formula on this one was quite streaky, and I applied two coats to achieve opacity. I was disappointed with Pink Express, because the color is very pretty. A third coat would have done away with the streakiness, but for a one coat formula I wasn’t going to apply another layer.

Last but not least is Move on Mauve, a frosted, shimmery pink. I was excited that Move on Mauve had that amazing, one coat formula and dried very quickly. This is also a professional polish, and a shade that I think would look great with any skin tone. It’s quite the staple shade to have in your collection!

All in all, I am rather impressed with these High Speed Fast Dry polishes from Milani. Three of the six were true one coaters, and the only one I’m disappointed with is Pink Express. If you like what you see here, make sure to head on over to Rafflecopter to enter to win all six polishes! Milani sent me an extra set by mistake and is generously permitting me to give these away to one lucky follower. Please see giveaway rules and guidelines below. Also, these can be purchased at your local drugstore, or on Milani’s website HERE for $4.99 each.

Giveaway Rules!

Giveaway is only open to participants with a USA shipping address.
You must be 18 or older to win, or have parental permission.
The giveaway will close at midnight EST on April 1, 2013.
All entries will be verified. False or repeat entries will result in all of that participant’s entries being deleted, and that participant disqualified.
The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to respond. If she fails to respond, she forfeits the prize and a new winner will be chosen.
I have the right to add or change the rules at any time during the giveaway.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR THE GIVEAWAY! GOOD LUCK!

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: The Divine Collection by Cameo Colours Lacquers

Posted on March 11, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the new Divine Collection by the indie brand Cameo Colours Lacquers. This collection features six holographic polishes in the perfect shades for spring. I apologize in advance, for the photos in this post do not capture the holographic effect as well as I would like. Rest assured that in real life the holo truly does shine! Let me show you the polishes from the Divine Collection.

First up is Athena, a light purple holo that can be classified as a lilac shade. It is opaque in three coats, as the formula is sheer but easy to work with. I love the more subdued of look of Athena. This polish is so pretty and feminine! I was impressed with how quickly Athena dried.

The next Divine polish is Brighid, a pastel yellow holo. It was not quite opaque in two coats, so I added a third to ensure it was full coverage. Brighid has a great formula that is a bit on the sheer side. This polish reminds me a bit of Zoya Piaf, but with more of a holographic look instead of a shimmer. Brighid is so light and dainty! I personally don’t think it goes well with my skin tone, but it sure is pretty.

Next up is Hathor, a gorgeous light blue holo. Hathor is opaque in two coats. The formula was a bit patchy with the first layer, but evened right up on the second. Hathor has a very strong holographic effect. I love this one so much! It reminds me of the coveted Color Club Halo Hues. I think Hathor is my favorite from the Divine Collection.

Ishtar is the mint green of the Divine Collection! Opaque in three coats, Ishtar has a green formula that is on the sheer side. The holographic effect is very strong with this polish, and is quite stunning. Ishtar is absolutely perfect for spring, and could be work for a Saint Patrick’s Day look for sure!

Next up is Pele, a pastel orange holo that I would call a tangerine shade. Pele is opaque in two coats. The color is very subtle, but the holo stands out strong. This is the perfect color for summer, or an alternative to a nude nail polish shade. The pastel look is great for those who don’t like “loud” nails.

Last but not least is Venus, a pale pink holo. The formula on this polish was a little patchy, and was opaque in three coats. Venus leans towards a purple shade, and is very feminine. This is a great holographic for an every day look!

All in all, the Divine Collection by Cameo Colours Lacquers provides a great holographic collection with beautiful spring shades! I love the pastel colors that still have a holographic effect. It’s the perfect combination in my book! The Divine Collection is being released on March 15, 2013 on the Cameo Colours Etsy site HERE. Let me know what you think of these polishes!

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

My March PopSugar Must Have Box!

Posted on March 9, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I will be sharing with you a new monthly subscription program that I joined. The PopSugar Must Have Box is a lifestyle box filled with goodies from all different areas – beauty, home, fashion, and more! It is $35 each month, but the box is to have at least a $100 value. After doing some research, I decided to go for it and sign up! My goal was to use this box as an alternative to buying new products myself. I am loving my first box! Let me show you what was inside.

First I’ll show you what the box looks like when you get it. I love the bright pink tissue paper and the “Enjoy” sticker! It’s adds a personal touch. You can also see the little booklet that explains all of the items in the box. Look at all those goodies! So much to see here!

In your box you will also have items from different “Must Have” categories. Here are my two Must Have Fashion items. On the left is a Sweater Saverfrom Hollywood Fashion Secrets. It’s a small brick that your rub over sweaters and blankets to remove pills without damaging the items. I definitely have a couple sweaters that could use this! The Sweater Saver retails for $5.99. I also got a beautiful necklace from Heather Belle. It is a long gold chain with an octagon and tassel designs near the bottom. I’ve been wanting to buy more jewelry, so this is perfect! I was unable to find out the exact retail value of this necklace, but others on the Heather Belle website are selling for $75!

For the Must Have Home category, I got two more items. On the left is the Corkatoo Corkscrewfrom True Fabrications. This is such a cute corkscrew, and while I don’t drink wine, this will make a great gift item! It retails for $15.99. I also got this Denim Washfrom The Laundress. I am quite excited about this item! It not only retails at $19, but it is non-toxic, biodegradable, and allergen free. I can use this in my washing machine to make sure my denim isn’t fading! I will definitely use this entire bottle, and it will make my current bottle of laundry detergent last longer.

Now onto Must Have Beauty! I am so excited about these next two items. First is the Buxom Sculpted Lash Mascara. This is a $19 mascara and I am so excited! I love buying mascaras because it is one of the few makeup items I wear every day. This one is a high end brand that I wouldn’t have bought otherwise, but now I get to try it. I can’t wait to see how it works! I am also super excited about the nail polish I got! This is a set from The New Black called Pardon My French. I got the color set called Havoc. I’ve been dying to try these nail polishes, but couldn’t bring myself to spend the money on them. This mini set retails for $10! I will admit that I squealed a little when I saw this in the box.

Last but not least are my Special Extras for the month! Holly Fashion Secrets also provided a Fashion Tape Assortment Pack. This is great for holding accessories in place or hemming pants quickly. Also included were some Peeps! I don’t like Peeps, so these will be getting sent out in some nail mail. These are special bonuses, so I didn’t find out how much they retailed for.

All in all, my items add up to about $70 not including the necklace and the Special Extras. If the necklace is worth around $75, my box is definitely over the $100 mark! I’m really happy with everything in my box. They are either items I will use myself or give as gifts. I am going to continue on in this program for sure!

If you would like to join, please click HERE! Enter code REFER5 at checkout to get $5 your first box.

Bimonthly Beauty Post: Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup Review

Posted on March 4, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the new foundation I bought about a month ago. I posted about it during my beauty haul, and I had a request for a full review. Unlike many of the products I feature on Adventures in Polishland, this one is far from affordable! At $39, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup is definitely an investment product. With my experience so far, I am happy to say I feel like I am getting my money’s worth!

I have been using UD Naked Skin as my daily foundation. I love that it is very light and evens out my skin tone without being caked on my face. This product is also very customizable — I wear one layer for a natural look, but you could add another layer for more coverage. UD Naked Skin is also very blendable. A little bit of this product really does go a long way! It’s also very helpful that the bottle comes with a pump, since many drugstore foundations do not.

Above you can see what the foundation looks like on my hand before and after I blend it in. Because I walk outside in the sun a lot, my face is actually a bit darker than my hands, so that is why the foundation looks a bit dark for my skin in the photos. As you can see, just a dab of the foundation evens out to provide light coverage. You can still see any freckles or imperfections (here, my veins), but the overall coloring is evened and improved.

Overall, I am quite happy with my splurge purchase. The only thing I don’t like about UD Naked Skin is that I have to seal it with a powder to reduce shine. Other than that, I’m very impressed. I have also been using this foundation almost every day for a month and there is no visible fill line at all! This is going to last me a very long time!

You can buy UD Naked Skin at Sephora HERE for $39. There are lots of shades to choose from to find the perfect look for you!