dare to compare – Page 4 – Adventures in Polishland

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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 Five — Red Orange

Posted on April 6, 2013August 12, 2015 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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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 Four — Multi-Colored Glitter

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

Happy Thursday! It is Day Four of Dare to Compare Week, and today’s post deals with glitter, something any nail polish aficionado loves! While indie brands do glitter top coats best, many boutique and drugstore brands are now creating some glitters that are just as eye-catching. Since my favorite muli-colored glitter from the indie AbsolutLacquer is now discontinued, I wanted to see how some available polishes compared. Let me show you what I discovered!

From left to right, the polishes are AbsolutLacquer in Maybe I’m Crazy, Lex Cosmetics in Arcoiris, and Milani Jewel FX in Gems. They do look a bit different in the bottle, but let’s see what they look like on the nail. I applied one coat of each polish over white in all the photos you are about to see.

Polish Name: Milani Jewel FX in Gems

Price: $4.99 [Buy HERE]

Formula: Surprisingly great!

Color Description: Multi-colored glitter with small and medium hexagons.

Bonus: So fun, and can be purchased at the drugstore!

Polish Name: Lex Cosmetics in Arcoiris

Price: $10 [Buy HERE]

Formula: Great formula! Some reflective curling, but lays perfectly flat on the nail.

Color Description: Multi-colored glitter with small, medium, and large hexagons.

Bonus: The formula does separate in the bottle, but with a few shakes it is good to go!

Polish Name: AbsolutLacquer in Maybe I’m Crazy

Price: Discontinued! This polish is no longer created or sold.

Formula: This bottle needs a good shake to ensure the glitters are mixed and ready for application!

Color Description: Multi-colored glitters in all shapes and sizes!

Bonus: This was my very first indie polish!

Here we have each polish shown side by side. From left to ride is the Milani, the Lex, and the AbsolutLacquer. While my personal favorite of the bunch is Maybe I’m Crazy from AbsolutLacquer, I would definitely find one of the other two to be an acceptable substitute. Both have an excellent formula! I would choose Milani Gems due to its $4.99 price tag over the Lex, but if you are a sucker for the large hexagonal glitter that would be your new go to. This comparison gives me hope that I will be able have a back-up for my Maybe I’m Crazy once my bottle is empty!

What do you do when a favorite polish is discontinued?! What is your favorite glitter top coat?!

Some of 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 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?!

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.