Tag: holidays

Welcome to #PolishlandPresents! | Introduction + Sale Alerts

Happy Monday! I am beyond excited to begin my new holiday series on Adventures in Polishland today. Last year I posted my first gift guides ever during Winter Wonderland Week (see those posts HERE), but this year I really want to go bigger and better. Holiday shopping is extremely fun – the deals are amazing, the gift sets are perfectly put together, and the feeling of giving is so heartwarming. However, I know how stressful the holidays can be, too. That’s why every Monday and Friday until Christmas I am bringing you #PolishlandPresents, a series where I present to you some awesome present ideas.Welcome to #PolishlandPresents! | Adventures in Polishland

On Mondays, I’ll be sharing my gift ideas for big websites such as Sephora, Amazon, and more. These posts will be mainly beauty and skincare focused, but I’ll also share the other great products that I find and think make the perfect presents. I’ll let you know why they are great gifts, and even tell you how I would package them or combine them with other items. I’m doing all of the web browsing for you, so you don’t have to spend hours scouring these sites!

On Fridays, I’ll be highlighting some amazing small businesses. I think it’s really important to support smaller companies, especially when it comes to the holidays. I’ve found some awesome Etsy shops and unique websites that sell creative gift items. These posts will not be focused purely on beauty, but I think you’ll really love the present ideas I have to share!

This series will officially begin this Friday, but before I go I wanted to share some websites that you should definitely check out for added savings this holiday season. Flash sale websites will have tons of good presents, and those websites change daily. Because of that, I won’t be featuring them in the rest of #PolishlandPresents, but I did want to mention my favorites to you now. Simply click on each photo to be directed to that company’s website!

EBATES

I’ve mentioned Ebates before, and I definitely want all of you to check it out! It’s the website that offers cash back on hundreds of online retailers. I’ve been a member for about a year now, and represent to you that it is 100% legitimate and not a scam! If you are an online shopper, you want to sign up to earn cash back on your purchases. The money adds up, and you’ll be super happy when you get a check with your cash back. Please feel free to ask me any questions if you’re interested in Ebates.

 

 

 

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

HAUTELOOK

I’ve also been an HauteLook member for years now. They have great deals on designer items for women, men, kids, the home, and more! Definitely scope out the site for new sales daily, but here’s a tip for my polish lovers – on #ManiMonday a new nail polish brand is always on sale!

 

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GROUPON

Another favorite of mine is Groupon, where you can buy deals to local restaurants and businesses, plus tons of products at discounted prices. I’ve gotten amazing nail polish deals from Groupon before, as well as discounted tickets to theatre shows. If you’re really stuck for a gift, browsing Groupon is bound to help you out!

 

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RUELALA

If you like HauteLook, you’ll also love RueLaLa. This is another flash sale website that has tons of designer items for discounted prices every day. RueLaLa is easy to navigate, and often has great gift items during the holidays. Just check out the Gifts tab if you need some inspiration!

 

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That’s it for my introduction to #PolishlandPresents! I hope you are as excited for this holiday series as I am! If you come across a great gift idea, definitely use the hashtag on social media so I can see your post. I’ll also be using the hashtag for any other holiday updates that I make, whether it be beauty related or not, so definitely keep an update on social media. Ready or not, the holidays are right around the corner!

 

Keep the Stress at Bay with Holiday Essentials from Duane Reade! #DRHoliday

CB-sponsored-post-black-600Happy Monday! While the holidays are my favorite time of the year, they can also get a bit stressful. You may know that I am only a part time beauty blogger and a full time law student. That means I’m in the midst of finals, but still trying to enjoy the holiday season as much as possible. When I learned about the amazing items the Duane Reade holiday section has to offer, I couldn’t wait to get some goodies! I definitely needed a few things to get me in the Christmas spirit!

#DRHoliday #shop #cbiasI went to Duane Reade with the mission of buying a few holiday decorations for my bedroom, and some candy to enjoy while studying for finals. I was so surprised to find a great array of options at the store! My tip is to look not only in the holiday aisle, but all around your local store. There were decorations, wrapping paper, and gift items all around! For instance, I spotted tinsel on the lower floor of my Duane Reade location. Here’s how beautiful the aisles looked!

#DRHoliday #shop #cbias #DRHoliday #shop #cbiasAs for decorations, I decided to grab some silver tinsel and a cute Merry Christmas sign. Both were very affordable, and I knew even these small touches would brighten up my bedroom at home. I decided to drape the tinsel around my bedroom door, and put my glittery sign near my makeup collection. While sitting at my desk, I can see both, and they put a smile on my face!

#DRHoliday #shop #cbias
#DRHoliday #shop #cbias
#DRHoliday #shop #cbias 
#DRHoliday #shop #cbias

I also couldn’t say no to some holiday candy! I mean, snack breaks are an important part of studying for finals! I decided to go with some Sour Patch Kids and Reese’s Peanut Butter Trees. Maybe if my friends are lucky I’ll share with them!

#DRHoliday #shop #cbias
#DRHoliday #shop #cbias

I’m so glad that Duane Reade supplied me with some holiday essentials at great prices. My total for all of these items was just under $15 with tax! The decorations and candy may be a small touch, but it’s making my holiday season and finals much better. Of course, the Duane Reade Seasonal aisle has more than just decorations and candy – you can be sure to stock up on wrapping paper, gifts, stocking stuffers and more! Make sure to get yourself a little treat when you’re there as well.

Let me know how you keep the stress at bay during the holidays in the comments!

 

Winter Wonderland Week Roundup

Happy Saturday! Today I just wanted to share a quick roundup of all my Winter Wonderland Week posts just in case you may have missed one of them. If you have any other holiday nail art or beauty posts that you would like to see, let me know in the comments, and I will try to get them up before the season comes to a close!

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I hope you found Winter Wonderland Week to be enjoyable and inspirational! As always, thank you for following my Adventures in Polishland!

 

 

Happy HAUL-idays Giveaway!

HappyHAULidaysgiveawayimageHappy Friday! Today I’m excited to announce the first giveaway I’m participating in this holiday season. Send a big THANK YOU over to The Lacquerologist for putting this all together, and please take a moment to visit all of the amazing bloggers who have chipped in to make this giveaway possible. Good luck!

ENTER HERE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SHOW THESE BLOGGERS SOME LOVE!

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.