Tag: green

Indie Spotlight: The Land Before Time Collection by LynBDesigns

Happy Tuesday! I have a really fun review today featuring a collection of polishes based off the animated movie series the Land Before Time from the indie brand LynBDesigns. If you loved those dinosaurs back when you were younger, then I know you are going to adore this nail polish collection! It’s cute and whimsical, yet very versatile. Let me show you these great polishes!

IMG_0594 IMG_0595 IMG_0596First up is Cera, a light orange base filled with pink, orange, and yellow fine glitters and yellow square glitters. Cera is opaque in two coats, but the formula was a bit uneven so I added a third coat to get the perfect finish. I surprisingly love this polish! It’s more of a subdued orange that I think is a great alternative to a nude nail polish. It also captures the character Cera quite well! The added sparkle from the glitter is a great touch.

IMG_0599 IMG_0601 IMG_0603The next polish is Ducky, a metallic lime green base with green, gold, and yellow glitters mixed in. The formula was great! It was a bit sheer so I needed three coats to achieve opacity, but Ducky is very buildable. This polish is perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day and for the spring season! It dries very quickly. I also think it’s just as cute as Ducky is in the movies!

IMG_0607 IMG_0611 IMG_0612Littlefoot is the next polish from the Land Before Time collection! It is a grey base with small white hexagonal glitter and various silver glitters. It has a good formula that is opaque in three coats. This grey leans a bit towards purple for me, which I loved in conjunction with the white and silver glitters! Littlefoot is a stunning and lively neutral polish! Add a pop to your normal grey manicure with this one.

IMG_0614 IMG_0616 IMG_0617Up next is Petrie, my favorite polish from the bunch! Petrie is a white based polish with black hexagons, bar glitters, diamonds, and green, gold, and holographic glitters sprinkled in. I layered two coats over a plain white polish. Petrie is just gorgeous! I love the formula, as I did not have to fish for any glitters, and I love the look of the multi-shaped black glitters. This polish is just as quirky and cute as the character Petrie!

IMG_0630 IMG_0631 IMG_0634Last but not least is Spike, a glitter top coat filled with green squares, gold and silver hexagons, gold flowers, and more! I layered one coat over China Glaze Agro for the look above. I was very impressed with Spike — the glitters came out so easily during application! Just one coat alone provided my nails with lots of sparkle! Spike also has a holographic shimmer to it that is a beautiful touch. This is such a fun and spunky top coat!

All in all, I love the Land Before Time collection from LynBDesigns! Not only do the polishes represent the characters well, but they are unique and wearable at the same time. I definitely recommend this collection if you are a fan of this movie franchise, or simply if you are looking for some great new polishes! You can purchase LynBDesigns on Etsy HERE. Full size bottles are $8.00.

 

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: Shimmer Polish Part III

Happy Tuesday! Today I have Part III of my Shimmer Polish review! In Part I and Part II, I wore each polish on its own. In this entry, you will see the polishes layered over another color. I used one very thin coat of each Shimmer to create the looks you see here. I love that these polishes are so versatile! Let me show you these gorgeous glitters.

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First up is Jennifer, a mix of multi-colored pastel glitters with pops of orange and turquoise. I layered one coat over Zoya Blu. The pastel blue base really highlighted all of the glitters in Jennifer, and I think the two are a perfect combination. This manicure is perfect for springtime with an extra sparkle!

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Up next is Karen, a mix of pink and purple glitters with flashes of holo hexagons. I layered one coat over Pronto Purple. Karen’s formula was a bit on the thick side, but I didn’t have problems with application. I thought a purple base color would be very complimenting. In the first two photos, you see my manicure with a regular, glossy top coat. On day two, I wanted to change things up a bit, and added my Butter London Matte Finish on top. I just love the matte result! It makes the glitters stand out even more.

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Karina is a red and black glitter mix, with sprinkles of purple and holographic grains. I layered this polish over Julep Claudette, and it is the perfect combination! I think it looks like one complete polish. It’s a great manicure for Valentine’s Day, and for those of you who like darker colors. The black glitters really make this red color unique and edgy.

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Last but not least is Linna, a gorgeous mix of green, red, blue, gold, and silver glitters. I layered Linna over Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Chlorophyll. The application was great! This is my favorite manicure from this post. I think these polishes are perfect together, and I have been loving green nails lately. I would definitely wear this look again in the future!

All in all, I love how versatile Shimmer Polish is! Each color can be worn alone as an opaque glitter in just 2-3 coats, or you can layer one coat over another polish for a unique look. Shimmer Polish sells on Etsy for $12 per bottle HERE. You can also like the brand on Facebook HERE.

Stay tuned for Part IV, the final post in the Shimmer Polish series!

 

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

My January Julep Maven Box!

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a review of my January Julep Maven Box. Better late than never, right? January was the month of neons and nudes over at Julep, and for the first time since I joined the program I was a bit disappointed with the polishes. Let me show you what was in my box.

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Here is a quick Instagram photo of my box and its contents. I chose the It Girl style, which guarantees three nail polishes. My extras were “swatch me” stickers to put on the top of the polishes with a dab of polish, and three yoga hair ties. I love the hair ties so much and have been using them every day since I got the box! Since I was home for the holidays at the time, my mom even gave me two of hers. That was a great bonus. The polishes, on the other hand, were not as thrilling.

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Up first is Amelia, what Julep calls a “light champagne frost”. This polish, as I’m sure you can tell from the photos, was just awful. I needed three coats to achieve opacity, and each layer was uneven and extremely streaky. Amelia’s formula was goopy, and hard to see during application due to its opalescent nature. It did have a nice shimmer quality to it, but this was so hard to work with I’m not sure if I would ever use it again. Amelia is the first dud I have ever received from Julep!

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Nikki is the first of the two neon shades in my January box. According to Julep, Nikki is a highlighter yellow polish, but in reality is is a mix between pea soup green and mustard. I needed three coats to achieve opacity with Nikki, as it was very sheer. Formula wise I didn’t have any problems, and it actually dries really quickly. I am really disappointed with the color, as it is not neon on its own as advertised. I definitely would need a white base underneath to bring out the color. Nikki also has a satin finish instead of a creme look. Finally, it stained my nails upon removal! I’m not too happy with Nikki either.

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Last but not least is Nina, a tangerine orange neon. Finally! A polish I love! Nina is opaque in two coats, and while the formula is a bit goopy, it’s not streaky and dries quickly. Nina also has a satin finish, and reminds me a bit of macaroni and cheese color. It is definitely my favorite from the box.

Overall, I was a bit disappointed with my January Julep Maven box. This was the first month since I joined the program that my polishes were not top notch. I do have to say that with all of the Juleps I’ve tried to date, I am more than okay to accept a few duds and move on. Spoiler alert: I’ve already tried the polishes from my February box, and those formulas are great quality! I still support the Maven program, and will continue to receive a box each month even after one bad experience. If you’d like to join the program for $19.99 per mont, go to the Julep website HERE. You can also get your first month for FREE with the code FREEMAVEN at checkout!

Zoya Lovely Collection for Spring 2013

Happy Saturday! It’s Groundhog Day, and Punxsutawney Phil is predicting an early Spring! That means it is time to break out the Spring nail polishes! Today I have the Zoya Lovely Collection to show you. It’s a a fabulous collection with three shimmer polishes and three creme polishes. Let me show you everything that is Lovely!

 

Zoya – GeiGei Zoya – GeiGei

Up first are the shimmer polishes! GeiGei is a bubblegum pink with a shimmery finish. It is opaque in two coats and has an amazing formula. I had no problems whatsoever with the application. GeiGei has a very smooth finish that sparkles in the sunlight. I love this play on a pastel pink! GeiGei also has a frosted look, so it’s perfect for the transition from winter to spring.

 

Zoya – JulieZoya – Julie

Zoya Julie is the next shimmer in the Lovely Collection. Julie is a lilac purple with pink and silver shimmer mixed in. It is opaque in just two coats. The formula was a bit on the thin side, but it wasn’t runny so it didn’t cause me any problems. Julie is a very light shade that is classy and feminine. It is a bit too light for my personal taste, but it is a beautiful purple.

 

Zoya – Piaf Zoya – Piaf

The last of the shimmers is Piaf, a light yellow with green and gold undertones. Piaf’s formula was a bit thin and sheer. I needed three coats for opacity, as two coats seemed a bit patchy. I didn’t think I would like Piaf, but it is a very unique polish! It is not the best shade for my fair skin, but the shimmer in the yellow is beautiful. Piaf is a great alternative to a neutral shade.

 

Zoya – Jacqueline Zoya – Jacqueline

Zoya Jacqueline is the first of the creme polishes. Jacqueline is a light beige color. It is very streaky with the first coat, but evens out and is opaque in two. I wanted to love this polish because it looks so pretty in the bottle. For some reason it just looks odd on my nails. I think it would be great for layering, but I’m not sure I would wear Jacqueline on its own. Again, it may be the wrong shade for my skin tone. My favorite thing about Jacqueline is that it dries instantly! I was very impressed with that.

 

Zoya – Neely Zoya – Neely

Neely is a mint green creme, and my absolute favorite from the Lovely Collection! Neely has a great formula and is opaque in two coats. Mint green is my favorite polish color, and I plan on wearing this one as often as possible! Neely is classy and trendy. An all around perfect nail polish! Have I mentioned that Neely is awesome?!

 

Zoya – Blu Zoya – Blu

Last but not least is Blu, a gorgeous light blue creme. Blu has an amazing formula — I had no application issues whatsoever. It is also opaque in two coats. I love that this polish has just a “dash” of blue pigmentation. It is almost off-white, with just the perfect shade of blue. I love this polish, and even used it as the base for a glitter manicure that you will see soon. If you are looking to try out blue nail polish, I would start with this one!

All in all, the Zoya Lovely Collection is a beautiful choice for Spring. Whether your prefer shimmers or cremes, this collection has something for you! You can purchase the entire Lovely Collection for $48 or each bottle separately for $8 apiece on the Zoya website HERE. Make sure to follow Zoya on FACEBOOK where the company often shares promotional codes to save you money! Stay Lovely this Spring!

 

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

 

Illamasqua Rampage and a Jelly Sandwich!

Good morning, and happy Tuesday! Today I am bringing you a splurge polish. While I value a bargain, sometimes it is nice to treat myself to a higher priced polish. I bought my first Illamasqua at the end of the summer at Sephora for $14. I’ve already used it for three manicures, so I’m making sure to get my money’s worth! Let me show you this jelly polish.

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Illamasqua Rampage is a dark green polish with a jelly finish. Unlike many jellies, I was able to achieve opacity with just two coats! This polish’s formula is just okay — it was a bit streaky and uneven. This is characteristic of jelly polishes, but because it is a higher end brand, I expect a bit more from it. I also find it difficult to make my manicure look perfect with this one, but if I make too much of a mess I can just clean it up afterwards. Formula issues aside, I love this color! I wore it for the first time on Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t help but carry this trend over into winter.

You may remember my last post, where I used Rampage as the base color for Are You My Mummy? from Lucky 13 Lacquer (see that post HERE). Well, I couldn’t help but make a jelly sandwich! Here’s how it came out.

IMG_0228 IMG_0230 IMG_0227I am absolutely thrilled with the final product! If you don’t know what a jelly sandwich is, you can see THIS post for more information. Basically, it’s when you layer glitter in between layers of jelly nail polish.  To get the look above, I have on two coats of Rampage, two coats of Are You My Mummy?, and one very thin coat of Rampage. Because of the dark color of this Illamasqua, I made sure to use a very thin coat over the glitter so I could still see the different shapes and colors. I would say this mani upgrade was a complete success!

You can purchase Illamasqua nail polish on Sephora’s website for $14 per bottle.

SinfulColors in Mint Apple

Happy Saturday! Adventures in Polishland began as a way to highlight nails that are both fabulous and affordable, and I want to make sure I stay true to that motto as this blog continues to grow. In the next few weeks I will be bringing you some amazing reviews of indie polish, but I hope to intermix some affordable brands and some do-it-yourself nail art in there as well! Today I want to show you a stunning polish from the brand SinfulColors. Let’s take a look at Mint Apple.

 

SinfulColors – Mint Apple SinfulColors – Mint Apple

Mint Apple is a gorgeous seafoam green color that is full of green and gold shimmer. I applied two coats in the photos above to achieve opacity. I was really impressed with the formula of Mint Apple — it applied evenly and dried really quickly! My one complaint is that the brush for the polish was a bit more fanned out than I would have liked, but that luckily did not affect the application. Other than that, I love Mint Apple! The shimmer is so beautiful, and gives it a lot of dimension. I originally wanted this color because I love mint green nail polishes, but as you can see, this is a really different shade. I am happily surprised!

The best part about SinfulColors nail polish is that it can be purchased in drug stores and department stores for just $1.99! That is super affordable! Although I have only tried this one polish, the formula seems to be great quality. Plus, SinfulColors has an extensive line that features almost any color you can think of. I highly suggest you buy yourself a few of these, especially if you are on a tight budget but are looking to try some new colors out. I can’t wait to give more SinfulColors a try!

My December Julep Maven Box!

Happy Saturday! Today I will be posting about my December Julep Maven Box, and the three beautiful nail polishes I received inside. I want to start this post by informing you that Julep will be retiring the offer that has stood for quite some time now that if you sign up for the Maven program you get your first month for one penny. There is no official end date yet, but I highly suggest you join Julep as soon as possible to take advantage of this amazing deal! I will post more information about the Julep program at the end of the post, but if you would like to join for one penny, enter code PENNY2012 at checkout HERE.

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This month, I chose the It Girl box from Julep. I got three nail polishes in my December box, and all are glittery and shiny for the holidays! I also got the supplies to make my own nail polish ring, but I just can’t decide which polishes to use on it! I will be sure to post a photo of my finished ring at some point. For right now, I’ll show you the polishes!

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First up is Harper, a stunning turquoise glitter polish. I used two coats of Harper to achieve opacity, and I am just in love with the stunning color! Julep describes Harper as “mermaid blue,” and I definitely agree with that description. I felt as if I had mermaid scales on my fingers! Harper has opalescent glitters mixed in, so it really catches the light. I can definitely see myself wearing this polish over and over!

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Up next is Ivy, a shiny blue polish. Ivy has a metallic finish, and is sprinkled with micro-glitters. Only two coats are needed for opacity, and Ivy is extremely long-lasting! The color is absolutely stunning, and appears to change shades depending on the lighting. I was very impressed with how gorgeous this polish is. If you are a blue fan, Ivy is a must!

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Last but not least is Vivien, a golden glitter polish. I applied one coat of Vivien over Ivy to get the look in the photos. Vivien is full of small, gold hexagonal glitters with fine gold glitter throughout. Julep does call this polish full-coverage, but I think it would take at least four coats to wear this alone. It is very pretty as a glitter top coat, though! I love that I can wear the polishes from my Maven Box together to complete a fun manicure!

All in all, I love the It Girl box that I got in December! Julep is such a great subscription program, and if you love trying on-trend nail colors I highly suggest you join before the penny promo is up. Typically a Julep box costs $19.99 per month, which is already a fantastic deal as each polish retails for $14 each. But, with promo code PENNY2012, your first month is just one penny! I love the Julep program because you can always skip your box if you can’t afford it that month, and you can cancel at any time. Be sure to join HERE and feel free to ask me any questions!

Zoya Ornate Collection for Holiday/Winter 2012!

Happy Sunday! Today I will be reviewing the 2012/2013 holiday collection from Zoya Nail Polish called the Ornate Collection. This gorgeous line is comprised of six polishes that are perfect for the upcoming holidays and winter months. Let me show you each of the polishes from the Ornate Collection!

 

 

First up is Ziv, a beautiful gold. Ziv is a metallic polish with a foil finish, and is one of two foils in the Ornate Collection. The color is multidimensional, with hints of yellow, silver, and a warmer gold, too. Ziv is opaque in two coats and dries very quickly. It is the perfect gold nail polish to have in your polish collection! It shines in the light, but can also be great for those who like neutrals. My only gripe with Ziv is that removal takes longer than usual due to the metallic quality of this polish. Other than that, it is a fantastic gold!

 

 

The other foil polish in the Ornate Collection is Logan, a stunning green with undertones of yellow and blue. Logan is truly the perfect Christmas green! I definitely plan on wearing this during the holidays. Just like Ziv, Logan is opaque in two coats and dries quickly. It was also a bit difficult to remove, but is worth it for the fabulous color. Logan is a very unique green polish, so if you love green this is a must have!

 

 

Up next in the Ornate Collection is Blaze. This polish is the first of three polishes in this line full of holographic glitters! Blaze is a deep red color that Zoya calls mulberry. It is opaque in two coats, and I just love the formula! The three holographic polishes in this collection apply very smoothly and easily, but the downside is they take a long time to dry. I suggest giving yourself plenty of drying time with these polishes, because you are going to want to wear them! The holographic glitter is stunning! I am not a huge fan of red nail polish, but Blaze is another that is just perfect for Christmas. Very festive!

 

 

The next holographic polish in the Ornate Collection is Aurora. This is my favorite polish in this collection! Aurora is what Zoya calls a sugarplum purple, but I definitely see this almost as a pink. Nonetheless, Aurora is absolutely gorgeous! The holographic glitter just brings this polish to life. Like Blaze, it is opaque in two coats. Make sure to give yourself that extra drying time, but it is so worth it! I even got compliments on this polish while I was on the Subway! If I had to get one polish from this collection, it would be Aurora.

 

 

Storm is the final holographic polish in the Ornate Collection, and is a black polish full of that eye-catching holographic glitter. Storm is opaque in two coats, and has that same amazing formula that Blaze and Aurora have. This is a great polish if you are looking to dress up a black manicure. It goes with any outfit, and the glitters really stand out against the black base. Storm is an alternative for those of us who like something more exciting than the basic black polish. It reminds me a bit of Orly Rock Solid (see review of that polish HERE), but instead of a grainy finish, it is smooth as can be! I love the glossy finish.

 

 

The sixth and final polish in the Ornate Collection is Electra. This polish is a clear base filled with holographic bar glitters. I decided to layer it over Storm in the photos above. Believe it or not, that is just one coat of Electra! As you can see, Storm is still quite visible underneath, so I wouldn’t want to wear Electra on its own (but you certainly can!). I am personally not a huge fan of bar glitter, but if you are then this polish is for you! It is unbelievably shiny! I suggest lots of top coat with Electra to make sure all the glitters stay in place.

I hope you like the Zoya Ornate Collection as much as I do! It is perfect for the holidays, and is right on trend for the season. You can purchase the Ornate Collection for $48, or each polish individually for $8, on the Zoya website HERE. Zoya will even throw in a free gift on any order over $30! Make sure you have this gorgeous collection on your nails this winter.

 

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

 

Happy Belated Halloween!

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?

 

Essie Stylenomics: The Best Things in Life are Free!

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.