manicure – Page 13 – Adventures in Polishland

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Manicure Monday | Essie Play Date

Posted on January 26, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I wanted to share with you my current manicure. I’ve been digging through my nail polish stash lately, and discovered an entire box of purples that I haven’t seen in a long time (yes….a whole box!). I looked through that box and decided to go with one of my old favorites. Let me show you Essie Play Date!

Play Date is a stunning purple creme polish in the lilac and lavender color family. It is opaque in two coats, and has a perfect formula. I think Play Date looks amazing with my skin tone, but I bet it would look great on anyone! I did follow up with a coat of Essie’s Good to Go top coat for some added shine, and because I want this manicure to last the week. However, Play Date has a nice, glossy finish on its own. It’s all-around one of my favorite purples in my entire collection!

You can purchase Essie Play Date on Amazon HERE for $8.50. You can also check your local drugstore and save some cash by using store coupons. For example, CVS often offers a percentage off or a dollar off coupon on anything in the store. Please let me know your favorite Essie polish in the comments!

This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Saran Wrap Ombré Manicure for Valentine’s Day featuring Zoya Nail Polish!

Posted on January 23, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! January is coming to a close soon, and that means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I wanted to create a festive manicure for the holiday of love that was a bit different than the looks I’ve created in the past. I got to thinking and came up with what I think is a super fun and easy nail art look! I raided my Zoya Nail Polish stash and found the shades that I needed. Let me show you what I’ve dubbed the Saran Wrap Ombré!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

For this manicure, I used an off-white base and five polishes ranging from light pink to red. I used all creme formulas for this manicure. You can choose whatever you have in your collection, but the shades I used, from lightest to darkest, are:

Zoya Jacqueline
Zoya Dot
Zoya Kitridge
Zoya Wendy
Zoya Rocha
Zoya Livingston

All of these polishes are available on Zoya’s website HERE.

Saran wrap nail art is super easy to create! I learned this technique from THIS Pin a few years back. All you have to do is paint your nails with a base color (here, Jacqueline). Once your base is dry, layer a coat of another color polish on top of your base and dab a small ball of saran wrap over your nail. You will get a cool marbled effect! Let your nails dry (they will look quite textured) and use a glossy top coat to even out the layers. I used two coats of top coat to get a flawless finish.

This manicure can be a little messy to create, so I recommend you use separate pieces of saran wrap for each color polish. When you’re finished, take a Q-tip or clean-up brush and go around your cuticles with acetone to remove any excess. You will be left with a beautiful ombré manicure that is tied together with the marbled effect. I think it looks stunning!

All in all, I hope you liked this simple Valentine’s Day manicure featuring Zoya Nail Polish! Of course, you can use the saran wrap technique with any polishes and any colors you choose. I will definitely be using this technique more, as I forgot how easy it is to create and how great it looks! Please let me know in the comments if you’ve ever tried a saran wrap manicure, and what your manicure for Valentine’s Day this year will be!

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

Zoya Naturel Satins Collection | Transitional 2015

Posted on January 22, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I am beyond excited today to show you the brand new Zoya Natural Satins Collection! This line of six nail polishes has a unique satin finish that is somewhere between matte and glossy. They are designed to provide opaque coverage that lasts longer than your typical matte manicure, while still looking flawless and super chic. I shrieked when these beauties arrived to me for review, and you’ll see why when I show you the swatches. The Naturel Satins are stunning!

First up is Ana, what Zoya describes as a light almond shade. Ana has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. The Satins have a very unique formula. When you apply them, you think they are going to dry streaky, but as they dry they magically transform into a smooth and flawless finish. Ana is no exception, and I love this unique color.

Next up is Rowan, a light brown polish Zoya describes as a suede taupe. Rowan also has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. I can’t get over how chic these Satin polishes look on me! I would never think to put on a taupe polish for daily wear, but Rowan has changed my mind!

Sage is up next, and it is a gorgeous sage green polish. I really love green polishes, and Sage is no exception! Again, it has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. Sage is also an on-trend color for this time of year (I’ve seen people rocking sage fashion all over NYC!).

Next up is Leah, a Satin polish with just a hint of purple pigmentation. Leah is also opaque in two coats, and has the flawless Satin formula. I love the muted color of this polish, as it is so classy and work appropriate while still being a purple nail polish!

Zoya Tove is another really unique shade! It is a slate grey polish with blue undertones. I applied two coats in the photos above, and I’m loving how it looks. Tove is edgy yet feminine at the same time!

Last but not least is Brittany, a beautiful rose mauve polish, and my favorite in the Satins Collection! I saved Brittany to swatch last because I knew this just had to be my daily manicure of the moment. I’m wearing it as I type up this post! Of course, Brittany has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. If you get only one polish from this collection, I highly recommend Brittany!

All in all, I am beyond in love with the Zoya Naturel Satins Collection! As this is Zoya’s transitional line this year, these six polishes can help bring you from winter to spring in style. Each polish has an amazing formula and stunning finish. I can’t recommend them to you enough! You can purchase these polishes on Zoya’s website HERE for $9 each or $54 for the set. Please let me know in the comments which Satins you’ll be picking up!

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

Striping Tape Nail Art featuring Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Moonstone

Posted on January 19, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’ve been trying to reach into my nail polish collection and use polishes that I haven’t picked up in a while. This weekend I was drawn in by Sally Hansen Lustre Shine in the shade Moonstone. I decided to create a cool, punk inspired nail art look. Let me show you the final product!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Black Nail Polish – Michael Marcus Once You Go Matte
Opalescent Nail Polish – Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Moonstone [BUY]
Glossy Top Coat – Essie Good to Go [BUY]
Striping Tape [BUY]
Scotch Tape [BUY]

To create this awesome manicure, I began by painting my nails with a black base. Then, I applied two coats of Moonstone over the black and let that dry completely. I then used striping tape to create a double “X” on every nail except my accent nail. Once the striping tape was in place, I painted over it with the black polish and carefully peeled off the tape. For the accent nail, I simply used Scotch tape and left a triangle on the base of my nail. Last but not least, I used a glossy top coat and applied two coats to each nail once my polish was completely dry. This evened out the layers and left me with a shiny finish.

All in all, I am absolutely loving this funky manicure! It was so easy to create and it allowed me to use some of my older polishes in a new way. This look can be adapted to fit your personal tastes by changing up the colors or the patterns. I love experimenting with tape! Please let me know in the comments if you like my manicure, and let me know if you like using striping tape, too.

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Pinspiration | Neutral & Gold Manicure + Using Your Textured Polishes in a New Way!

Posted on January 13, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’ve really been into Pinterest lately, and spotted THIS beautiful accent nail that I just had to recreate. Neutrals are really great in the winter months, but the pop of gold sparkle added a classy yet fabulous touch to the manicure. I searched through my nail polish collection to see which shades matched the Pin best, and to my surprise the best full coverage gold glitter I owned was a textured formula. I decided to make it work! Let me show you the results!

Step 1: Paint Your Nails with a Nude Beige Polish

I chose Milani Vanilla Almond (review HERE), but you can use whatever polish you own. Make sure you let this base dry completely before moving onto step two. I actually let my manicure dry overnight, but to be safe I think 1-2 hours will be satisfactory depending on the formula of the polish and the humidity of your location.

Step 2: Apply Tape to Nail and Paint an Off-White Diagonal

I’ve used the tape trick since my blog’s inception. Simply take a small piece of tape, press it on the back of your hand to remove some of the stickiness, then place on your nail. Paint over the tape and remove while the polish is still wet. I use Color Club Mod in Manhattan (review HERE) as my off-white polish. If you only own a white, that will work, too!

Step 3: Apply Tape on Opposite Side of Nail and Paint a Gold Glitter Diagonal

Finally, repeat the above step with the tape on the opposite side of your nail. Again, make sure to let step two dry completely before moving on. As you can see from my manicure, I didn’t wait for my polish to dry enough and had to touch up the lines. For my gold glitter I chose JulieG Gift of Gold. This is a textured polish, but it was the most full coverage of all my gold glitters. To achieve a glossy finish, I simply applied Essie Good to Go over the entire nail! I’m loving the finished product!

All in all, it is super easy to create this neutral and gold manicure so long as you have a bit of patience with the drying process. Of course, you can use any nail polish colors you wish to recreate this look, but I think this color palette is stunning. Even though textured polishes may not be on trend anymore, you can still find ways to use those that you purchased in nail art and by applying a glossy top coat. Please let me know in the comments if you’ll be recreating this look!

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.

My First Manicure in 2015 featuring Maybelline Color Show Holographic in Blue Blaze!

Posted on January 2, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! It’s now 2015 and that means another year of new manicures! Last year I posted about 2014’s first manicure (see that review HERE), so I figured it was fitting that I continue the tradition. I raided Momma Polishland’s nail polish stash again and discovered a lone Maybelline Color Show polish from the Holographic Collection. I decided to put it to the test to see if a drugstore brand can get that holographic formula right!

Blue Blaze is a silvery-blue polish with a metallic formula. It does have some holographic shimmer mixed throughout the base, but I would not call this a holographic polish at all. The formula felt just like a metallic – it was patchy and pulled easily. However, it did build up well. I applied three thin coats to get the look you see pictured. I am happy with the result, but I would definitely label this polish a metallic and not a holographic.

I took these pictures in direct sunlight to ensure that any holographic effects would be captured. As you can see, there is a bit of shine, but no strong rainbow prism effect. Thus, while this is a good polish with a unique color, it does not compare with the holographic formulas we know and love.

You can find Maybelline Color Show Holographic in Blue Blaze for sale on Amazon HERE for about $4.50. I’m quite interested to know your experience with this range of polishes if you’ve tried them. Did you get a strong holographic effect, or did they apply more like a metallic for you as well? Let me know in the comments!

This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

My Top 14 Nail Polishes of 2014!

Posted on December 31, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! As the year comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on all of the amazing nail polishes I got to try for all of you. I went through each and every blog post I wrote this year and found the nail polishes I loved the most. These are the polishes that I wore over and over, and the ones I highly recommend to you. Let me go ahead and share my Top 14 Nail Polishes of 2014!

Milani Gold Label Specialty Nail Lacquer

Splendid Strawberry [REVIEW] [BUY]

Milani had a great 2014 when it came to new nail polish lines. The year began with some beautiful shades in the Gold Label Specialty Nail Lacquer Collection. I’m a sucker for pinks, and Splendid Strawberry is a perfect one. Plus, it has a great retail price of just $4.19.

Milani High Speed Fast Dry Nail Lacquer

Blue Zoom [REVIEW] [BUY]

Milani really outdid themselves with the stunning bright blue that is Blue Zoom. This highly pigmented polish is another one of my favorite manicure hues. It is just so fabulous!

Milani Nail Lacquer

White [REVIEW] [BUY]

I’ve tested a lot of white polishes this year, and a good reliable one is from Milani. Just look at that smooth finish! Whether you are looking to use a white for nail art, a glitter base, or just on its own, you can’t go wrong with this one at $4.99.

Zoya Awaken Collection

Cole [REVIEW] [BUY]

The polish I got the most use out of throughout 2014 is definitely Cole. I wore this beautiful peach shade several times ever since it first arrived to me. It is work appropriate, yet still not your typical neutral. I have a sizable dent in my bottle!

Zoya Tickled Collection

Wendy [REVIEW] [BUY]

Zoya also came out with a great pink shade this year. Wendy is a melon shade that also has a coral feel to it. The brightness pops in the summer sun, and it is a great go to polish.

L’Oreal Paris Miss Denim Collection

Jean & Tonic [REVIEW]

Textured nail polishes fizzled out a bit in 2014, but I spotted the limited edition Miss Denim collection by L’Oreal at drugstores and had to grab a couple. I love this turquoise shade, and wore it many times this summer. It is long lasting, and very flattering on my fair skin tone.

Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer

Hot Pink Rage [REVIEW] [BUY]

Milani continued to make 2014 a memorable nail polish year by releasing the new Color Statement line. Hot Pink Rage was a stand out for me because of its flawless formula and wearable color. If you are looking for the perfect pink, this is it! Plus, this range is an affordable $3.99 each.

Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer

Blue Print [REVIEW] [BUY]

My last Milani favorite of the year is Blue Print, another beyond-amazing blue. This is a bit deeper in pigmentation than Blue Zoom. I’m sure you can tell I love this color family!

Julep

Katie [REVIEW] [BUY]

I didn’t end up using Julep much this year, but Katie was definitely a stand out for me. The shade is unique and very beautiful. The subtle shimmer is just gorgeous, and I know it would look good on every skin tone (not just mine!).

Zoya Entice Collection

Ryan [REVIEW] [BUY]

As we transitioned from summer to fall, I grabbed those dark polishes right away. I’ve really come to love dark nails, which is quite funny because when I began this blog I was all about the brights and pastels! Ryan is such a divine polish with its deep indigo shade.

NYC New York Color Fashion Queen Collection

Queen of the City [REVIEW]

I’m sure you are sick of me mentioning Queen of the City by now – I think I’ve featured it at least three times on my blog since I got it! But really, this polish is fantastic. The deep, almost duochrome shade is one-of-a-kind. It’s a shame it was limited edition!

NYC New York Color Fashion Queen Crystal Couture Collection

Queen’s Jewels [REVIEW]

I also don’t wear glitter as much as I used to, but this full coverage green is so awesome! I’ll be wearing this during the holidays for many years to come, even though this was a fall line. Did you snag one before it disappeared?!

Zoya Matte Velvet Collection

Savita [REVIEW] [BUY]

This year Zoya re-released the Matte Velvet line, and I got to try them for the first time. I absolutely love matte finishes, and these formulas are great options. Savita is a really nice purple. It’s my favorite in the line for sure.

NYC New York Color Midnight Beauty Collection

Black Elixir [REVIEW]

Not only did I discover a great white polish this year, but I found a stunning black as well! I can’t get over how this super affordable NYC New York Color polish is so flawless. It is a great reminder that lower priced items can sometimes be amazing quality.

All in all, I’ve discovered some great new nail polishes in 2014! I’m quite surprised that my top brands are Milani, Zoya, and NYC New York Color! I reach for them more than anything else it seems. What about you? Please share your favorite polishes of 2014 in the comments, and let me know which brands you wore most often this year.

Some of the products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post contains an affiliate link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

3rd Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest!

Posted on December 26, 2014December 26, 2014 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season! Today I am excited to announce my 3rd Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest! Make sure to read all of the rules below so you can enter to win some awesome prizes!

RULES

Who is eligible to enter?

US residents who are 18+ years old or have parental consent
You must be following Adventures in Polishland to enter – either through email or Bloglovin’
Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter

What kind of manicures are allowed?

Anything goes! Nail art, glitter, plain polish – I’m leaving this one up to you!
For inspiration, see past years’ entrants HERE and HERE

How does the contest work?

Create your manicure, and email me a photo of your nails to adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com with the subject line “NYE Manicure Contest”
You may include in your email 1-3 sentences describing your manicure, and why you think it’s great for New Year’s Eve (optional)
The deadline for submitting your manicure is Monday, January 5, 2014 at 11:59pm EST
On January 6, I will post all of the manicures in a photo album on my Facebook Page
On January 12, winners will be chosen and notified via email.

How will winners be chosen?

There are two winners in this giveaway!
One winner will be chosen by popular vote – whichever manicure receives the most Facebook likes (remember, the likes must be on the photo posted on my Facebook Page).
One winner will be chosen by a panel of objective judges based on which manicure is their favorite.

PRIZES

Each winner will receive a limited edition tin from Makeup by One Direction. One winner will receive the Niall tin and the other will receive the Liam tin. A full review containing the products can be seen HERE. I absolutely love the Makeup by One Direction nail polish!

Each winner will also receive bonus beauty products selected by me. Stay tuned for more details! You never know what can pop up as prizes.

I hope you will consider entering my New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest! It is a fun way for me to give back to all of you, and a great opportunity for your nails to shine after seeing mine all the time. If you have any questions regarding this contest, please don’t hesitate to email me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com. I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season!

My 2014 Holiday Manicures! | 3 Nail Polish Looks

Posted on December 16, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I wanted to show you the three manicures I’ve worn so far this holiday season. I’ve already reviewed some of these polishes, so I will leave links to those blog posts alongside each manicure. I hope these nail polish looks bring you some inspiration as we head into the New Year! That reminds me – stay tuned for an exciting announcement very soon about my Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest! For now, let me show you my 2014 holiday manicures.

NYC New York Color – Queen of the City [REVIEW]

I started off the holidays with a red that isn’t so “in your face” Christmas. I really love Queen of the City because of its unique shade and shimmery formula. It looks amazing with my fair skin tone, and goes with a ton of different outfits as well. If you’re looking for an edgier manicure this holiday, grab a deep shade like this one.

Zoya – Giovanna [REVIEW]

Next I went for more of a true Christmas color with an emerald green polish. Giovanna is just perfect for this time of year! It’s festive but still really classy. You can also use Giovanna for nail art as well. I do recommend a nice layer of base coat with this polish, though, as it tends to stain a bit.

Glitzology – Island of Misfit Toys

Chrome Girl – Birthday Suit [REVIEW]

Finally, I am currently wearing a combination of Island of Misfit Toys and Birthday Suit. I got this Glitzology polish two years ago, but never used it! Unfortunately, this indie polish brand is now out of business, but to create a similar look use a glitter polish that contains fine silver glitters and larger multi-colored glitters. Feel free to use multiple glitter polishes if necessary! I decided to go with a pastel pink base so that all of the glitters would really stand out. It’s not quite your typical Christmas manicure, but I’m thrilled with the result!

I hope you enjoyed seeing my holiday manicures so far in 2014! Please let me know if you liked this post in the comments. I’d be happy to show off any more nail polish looks I put together through the holiday season. Of course, I want to see your holiday manicures as well. Please share a photo on my Facebook Page HERE or feel free to use the hashtag #PolishlandPresents so I can find your posts on any social media site. I hope you are all having a wonderful holiday season!

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.

NYC New York Color Midnight Beauty Collection | Black Elixir & Smoky Top Coat

Posted on October 26, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! I am so excited to review two of the nail polishes from NYC New York Color’s Midnight Beauty Collection. I’ve really loved the polishes I’ve tried from this brand lately, so I couldn’t wait to test out some Halloween shades. There are four total polishes in this collection, so make sure to visit your local drugstore to see the complete collection. Nonetheless, let me show you two of these stunning shades!

First up is Black Elixir, the perfect black creme polish. Black Elixir has an amazing formula that glides on flawlessly and is opaque in two coats. I am obsessing over this black polish, and highly recommend it. If you’re on a budget like I am, this is the black polish for your collection!

I also tested out Smoky Top Coat, a black crelly polish with grey glitters mixed throughout the base. I didn’t realize this was a top coat when I was swatching it, as the formula is great and opaque in two coats. I love the finished result with Smoky Top Coat, especially because the crelly formula has a cool dimension to it. This is definitely an awesome Halloween polish!

All in all, I really love the NYC New York Color Midnight Beauty polishes that I’ve tried. These retail for just $1.99 at your local drugstore. I still cannot get over how amazing that price point is for such quality polishes. Definitely give this brand a try if you have not already done so! As always, let me know in the comments if you plan on picking these up!

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