indie nail polish – Page 2 – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: indie nail polish

Indie Spotlight | Beginner’s Luck Collection from Dream Designer Nail Kit

Posted on February 27, 2014February 25, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! It’s been a little while since my last indie spotlight post, but I’m super excited to share with you a brand new indie brand! Dream Designer Nail Kit, or DDNK for short, just launched this year. DDNK’s first collection is called Beginner’s Luck, inspired by a weekend in Las Vegas. I think that’s a really fun idea for a collection! Let me share the five gorgeous polishes with you!

Of course I had to show you the unique bottles that each DDNK polish comes in. I’ve never seen any other brands with bottles like these before! The shape reminds me of coins, which coincidentally goes well with the Vegas theme.

First up is Go-Go Getter, a burnt orange glitter polish with blue glitters just sprinkled in. I was so impressed with Go-Go Getter’s formula! It applies like a dream, and is opaque in two coats. This polish is super sparkly, and would be great for the fall season.

Next up is Going Home Blues, a royal blue polish that dries to a statin finish. Going Home Blues has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It has a bit of a “crelly” formula (mix between a creme and jelly), and that makes for a unique polish. I think this is my favorite in the collection!

Next is Royal Flush, a purple polish with silver and holographic glitters. Royal Flush also has an awesome formula that is opaque in two coats. I really love this one! I could see myself wearing this quite often.

Sunset on the Strip is next, and it’s a gorgeous black base filled with bronze glitters. It applies really well, and is opaque in two coats. Sunset on the Strip is really unique! I love that the glitters make the black base sparkle when the light hits them just right.

Last but not least is Vegas Night Sky, a glitter polish with charcoal, gold, blue, and purple glitters. This polish is opaque on its own in two coats, and applies with ease. I’m always happy when I don’t have to layer a glitter polish! I love the combination of colors as well.

All in all, I’m really impressed with these polishes from Dream Designer Nail Kit! They all have great formulas, and the colors are rather unique. Each polish retails from $8.99-9.99, and you can purchase this complete collection for $37.99. Shop on Etsy HERE or on eBay HERE. Also make sure to like DDNK on Facebook HERE to stay in the loop about upcoming collections! Let me know what you think of DDNK in the comments!

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 | Sweet Tea Polish: Hand-Mixed Polishes Inspired by the Sweet South

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I am excited to share with you a new indie brand called Sweet Tea Polish. As you may have guessed from this post’s title, Sweet Tea Polish is inspired by the Sweet South, and handmade by a wonderful lady named Darah. I was thrilled when I got the opportunity to review some of her polishes. Let me show you what she sent me!

Not only were my polishes packaged really well, but they came with a set of yoga hair ties (my favorite!). The hair ties are an example of one of the free gifts that you get with a purchase of Sweet Tea Polish. I think that’s a great extra!

Now, onto the polish! First up is Wabash Cannonball, a silver polish with a holographic shimmer that dries to a matte finish! I just love matte polishes, and Wabash Cannonball is no exception. The formula was amazing – it applied smoothly – and is opaque in two coats. No top coat needed! Of course, I couldn’t help but wonder what this looked like with a glossy finish….

... and it looks great! When I added on a glossy top coat, the holographic sparkle really stood out. Wabash Cannonball is thus a great two-in-one polish!

Next up is Gramma’s Grape Jelly, a purple jelly polish filled with pink and purple hexagonal glitters, and some light purple square glitters as well. Gramma’s Grape Jelly is opaque on its own in two coats. The formula is good, but I suggest thin coats as the glitters make this polish a bit heavy on the nail. I also suggest finishing up with a glossy top coat, and you are good to go! I think this polish is adorable!

The last two polishes are a part of the limited edition AU-Some Tigers set! First is this gorgeous, deep metallic blue polish with a hint of blue and purple shimmer. The formula is just flawless, and it looks stunning on the nails. I love this polish for fall!

The AU-Some Tigers set is complete with a glitter top coat containing orange hexagons, blue squares, and fine silver glitters. I applied two coats over the blue for the manicure above, and these polishes were truly made for one another! Of course, you could wear them separately as well, but the pair is so perfect, and a must have for any AU Tigers fan!

All in all, I am really impressed with these polishes from Sweet Tea Polish! I love everything about the brand from its name to its bottle shape, and, of course, the polish! I highly recommend it. You can purchase Sweet Tea Polish online HERE. Mini bottles are $4 each and full size bottles are $9 each, with the AU-Some Tigers set at $7 and $16 respectively. You can also like Sweet Tea Polish on Facebook HERE. Let me know which of these polishes is your favorite in the comments!

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: Smitten Polish in Mint Chip

Posted on October 9, 2013October 9, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! If you’re like me, you probably have quite a few polishes in your collection that you’ve had for a long time, but haven’t tried out yet. A couple weeks ago, one of my favorite beauty bloggers, Cosmetic Sanctuary, reviewed the Smitten Polish Fall Collection, and I was in awe! It sparked my memory that I own just one bottle of Smitten Polish, and I just never tried it out. Cosmetic Sanctuary inspired me to test out that polish, and I am not disappointed!

Here is Smitten Polish in Mint Chip, a mint based polish with brown glitters both small and medium sized. Application was great, and I achieved opacity in three thin coats. Not only is mint chocolate chip my favorite ice cream, but I just love mint nail polish, so Mint Chip is perfect for me! I’m so happy I finally gave it a try.

All in all, Mint Chip is a great polish, and I can’t wait to try more from Smitten Polish. You can purchase Smitten Polish on Etsy HERE for $9.00 each. While Mint Chip is not currently for sale, similar polishes are Adeste Fidelis and Groovy Baby. Plus, I’m sure you can’t go wrong with the brands stunning holographics. Be sure to follow Smitten Polish on Facebook as well, and let me know if you own any Smittens in the comments.

Indie Spotlight: Surfer’s Paradise from Sallyface Polish and Potions

Posted on October 1, 2013October 1, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Instagram really has proven to be a great place to discover new indie nail polish brands. I love perusing the #indiepolish hashtag, and one day Sallyface Polish and Potions appeared on my screen! The brand’s owner generously sent me one of her polishes to review, and I can’t wait to share it with you.

Surfer’s Paradise is a gorgeous aqua polish with just a hint of blue glitters and holographic shimmer. The polish has a great formula that was opaque in two coats and applied well. I was really impressed with the quality of this polish! Surfer’s Paradise is also a beautiful color. While some brush strokes are visible, that is due to it’s metallic quality, and in no way detracts from the look of the manicure. Overall, I’m loving Surfer’s Paradise!

My first experience with Sallyface Polish and Potions is a hit! Surfer’s Paradise is a great polish, and I would definitely recommend it. You can shop for Sallyface Polish and Potions HERE and follow on Instagram HERE. Prices currently range from $4.00-7.00.

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

Indie Spotlight: Oh Teally? and Fancy Schmancy from Amy’s Nail Boutique

Posted on September 17, 2013September 14, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Early this year I purchased a couple polishes from Amy’s Nail Boutique, and they have just been sitting in my collection waiting to be used. I finally tried them out, and I am super impressed! I wish I tried these out so much sooner. Let me show you these gorgeous glitters!

First up is Oh Teally?, a glitter top coat full of circles, squares, hexagonal glitters all in the color teal! I also spy a bit of a darker blue mixed throughout to add a bit more dimension. I layered two coats over Covergirl’s Mint Mojito, and I’m loving the result! Oh Teally? has a great formula, but I do wish more glitters applied with one coat. Thankfully, the polish isn’t thick, and two coats are the perfect finish! Oh Teally? is a must for all teal fans!

Fancy Schmancy is the other polish I purchased, and it is a mix of turquoise, gold, purple, blue and fuchsia glitters in all shapes and sizes! I layered one coat over butter LONDON’s Queen Vic, and I think it makes a great manicure! The colors remind me of fall, especially with the gold glitters mixed in. Plus, the formula was great and the glitters applied really easily. Fancy Schmancy is a winner!

All in all, I’m quite impressed with these polishes from Amy’s Nail Boutique. If you are looking for some beautiful glitters and more, head on over to the shop on Etsy HERE. I definitely look forward to checking out more of these polishes in the future.

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

Candy Color Nail Polish from Born Pretty Store

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

Happy Monday! I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and didn’t mind that I took a few days off from blogging. Today I’m back with a review of a nail polish from Born Pretty Store, my favorite online retailer for all things nail art (and so much more!). Recently Born Pretty came out with a line of nail polishes that remind me of indies, and I couldn’t wait to try them! While I love supporting small businesses, sometimes my bank account would be much happier with an indie dupe. Let me show you a polish I tried out from Born Pretty’s Candy Color line!

Here is Candy Color Polish in Number 17 (Born Pretty doesn’t have polish names, just numbers!). The first thing I noticed was that the bottle I received looks nothing like the picture on the website — it is a different shape and brand name. Yet the polish color looks the same and that’s all that matters!

This polish is a milky yellow base filled with red and gold hexagonal glitters and fine gold glitters. It applied very well, with glitters easily laying flat on the nail without any special effort. I applied three coats to achieve opacity, but this could be layered over another color as well. I was rather impressed with the formula, and I actually like the color combination. This is a really unique polish!

All in all, I am really liking the Candy Color Nail Polish from Born Pretty Store. This line contains 10 polishes, each of which is just like an indie nail polish. The best part is, these polishes retail for just $4.36 each, or $38.80 for the entire, 10-piece collection. You can purchase this fabulous and affordable polish HERE and don’t forget to use coupon code FZL91 to get an additional 10% off your purchase. As always, Born Pretty Store offers free international shipping. Let me know if you have tried any Candy Color shades!

The product in this post was provided for my unbiased review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Indie Spotlight: Daphine Polish in Watermelon Taffy & Sick, Sad World

Posted on September 5, 2013September 1, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I’m back with a review of some more polishes from the indie brand Daphine Polish. If you missed my first review of this brand, you can see it HERE. The polishes I’m reviewing today are from different collections, but they are equally as great! Let me show you these beautiful polishes.

First up is Watermelon Taffy, a pink jelly polish with black, green, and holographic glitters. I am amazed at how easily Watermelon Taffy applied to my nails — it glided right on and there is no need to fish for glitters! I layered two coats of this polish to achieve opacity, and then I added a matte top coat for the bottom photo. Not only is Watermelon Taffy a sweet candy, but it’s an awesome polish!

Next up is Sick, Sad World, a metallic green polish with blue, gold, and green square glitters. Sick, Sad World has a great formula, and is opaque in two coats. I love how it shifts from green to gold depending on the light! I couldn’t resist adding a matte top coat to Sick, Sad World as well. Doesn’t it look great?!

All in all, I am loving these polishes from Daphine Polish! I’m so glad I found out about this indie nail polish brand. The quality here is great, and like I said in my previous post, the polishes were packaged so well when they arrived. Make sure you check out the Daphine Polish Etsy shop HERE, and like the Facebook page HERE. Let me know what your favorite indie brands are in the comments!

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

My Holy Grail Manicure: Essie Butler Please and Different Dimension Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock

Posted on May 5, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite manicures of all time. I love it so much I am calling it my Holy Grail Manicure! In other words, this is the best of the best in terms of formula, color, polish names, and so on. Let me get right into the goodness and show you the polish!

First up is the gorgeous Butler Please from the Essie Winter Collection of 2012. Back in March I was in a bit of a “polish funk”. Nothing that I put on my nails was exciting me. Then, I got Butler Please, put it on, and my funk officially ended! Butler Please has a flawless formula that applies like a dream and is opaque in two coats. It is also a bright blue color that is just stunning! I am still blown away by how beautiful this color is. Butler Please has been compared to Nails Inc Baker Street, but this is truly unlike anything I own in my personal collection. This will definitely be my go to blue polish from now on. I can’t wait to use it again!

I was loving Butler Please so much that even when the tips were starting to show wear after several days, I made my manicure last longer by adding an amazing glitter top coat from the indie brand Different Dimension. I am a huge fan of the TV show the Big Bang Theory, and my mom kindly gave me the entire Big Bang collection that Different Dimension makes. I had a good feeling that Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock (RPSLS) would look great over Butler Please, and I think I made a great choice! RPSLS is a glitter top coat with a just a slightly blue tinted base, and filled with fine white glitter and white, light blue, light green, and grey hexagonal glitters. The formula is great, and the glitters apply with ease. I layered just one coat of RPSLS over Buter Please, and the result was just phenomenal! I could not stop staring at my nails when I had this manicure on.

All in all, I hope you enjoy my Holy Grail Manicure as much as I do! I love when nail polishes not only have a beautiful color, but a great formula as well. I also love that RPSLS is part of a collection based off of one of my favorite TV shows! There is just so much to love! Although Butler Please is no longer available in drugstores, you can purchase it on Amazon HERE. Make sure you head on over to the Different Dimension Etsy shop to purchase RPSLS and the other Big Bang Theory polishes HERE.

Let me know what your Holy Grail Manicure is in the comments!

Some of the above links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 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.

Indie Spotlight: Glitter Me This Review and a Naming Contest!

Posted on February 22, 2013March 16, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have a review of a new indie brand called Glitter Me This. Not only are these polishes gorgeous, but make sure you read the entire entry for your chance to name them! First, I’ll show you how I wore the polishes, and then I’ll leave the rules for entering the contest. I hope you find this as fun as I do!

Up first is this pink jelly polish filled with fine pink and silver glitter, silver bars, small lilac hexagons, and large pink hexagons. I layered two coats over L’Oreal Sweet Nothings to get the look in the photos. This beautiful pink has a very good formula. It is a bit on the thick side, but it’s not goopy at all. In fact, the thickness helps to ensure the glitters get spread out well on the nail! I love this pink, as it is very girly and cute. It reminds me of a ballerina or a princess!

The other Glitter Me This polish is a light, frosted purple with medium purple hexagons, small pink and silver hexagons, and tiny teal hexagons. There are also some holographic shards thrown in! I layered two coats over ncLA Malibu Beach Babe to get this funky look! The polish was sheer on its own, so I decided layering would be fun. This purple has a great formula and the glitters apply easily. I love this manicure, as it has a galaxy feel without the hassle of nail art! I also used a matte top coat to make the glitters stand out more. For a more feminine look, layer this purple over white!

Name These Polishes!

Now is your chance to win a full size bottle of these polishes! All you have to do is name them! Please read the rules below carefully to make sure your entry counts. I will also post a photo of the nail polish bottles so you can see the polish in its natural state before layering. Have fun, and good luck!

To enter, leave one comment on this entry with the names you came up with for these polishes.
There is only one entry per person. You may choose one name for each polish, for a total of two names.
You must have a USA address to enter.
You must be 18 or older, or have your parents permission to enter.
This contest will run until midnight EST on Friday, March 22.
I have the right to change or add to the rules at any time during the giveaway.
The winners will be chosen by Glitter Me This and me based on creativity and how well it matches the look of the polish.
Winners will receive one full size bottle of the polish they named.
Make sure you like Adventures in Polishland and Glitter Me This on Facebook to see if you’ve won!

Thank you for entering! Make sure you stop by the Glitter Me This Etsy shop HERE to purchase her polishes!

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