manicure – Page 16 – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: manicure

Color Club in Baldwin Blues

Posted on November 21, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a quick review of the nail polish I received in my November Birchbox (see that post HERE). I just love receiving polishes in subscription boxes because it allows me to try out brands I wouldn’t normally purchase. In fact, the only Color Club polishes I’ve tried so far are thanks to Birchbox! Let me show you the one I got this month.

Baldwin Blues is a dark blue creme polish. The color can be described as navy with a hint of turquoise – very unique! As for the formula, it’s great! Baldwin Blues applies with ease, and is opaque in two coats. I didn’t even have to apply top coat due to it’s glossy finish! I’m really loving this shade!

All in all, I’m impressed with Color Club’s Baldwin Blues! I definitely need to try out more Color Club polishes in the future. You can purchase Baldwin Blues on Birchbox’s website HERE. The full size polish is $8. Let me know in the comments what your favorite Color Club polishes are!

Sephora X Pyrotechnic with Gold Nail Stickers

Posted on November 7, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! Today I have a quick review of the new Sephora X polish that I got as a Beauty Insider Perk the last time I shopped at Sephora (see that haul HERE). I haven’t tried any of the Sephora X polishes yet, so I was really happy to be able to try out one of them without making an actual purchase. Let me show you the manicure I created with Pyrotechnic!

Pyrotechnic is a bright red creme polish. It is opaque in two coats, and has an amazing formula! Pyrotechnic dries to a glossy finish, so I didn’t even apply top coat. If you are looking for a true red polish, I highly recommend it. In fact, Sephora even places Pyrotechnic in its New Classics collection since it is such a staple color!

To add a bit of flair to my manicure, I reached for some 3D Gold Stickers from Born Pretty Store. The bright red of Pyrotechnic reminded me of a king, so I had to add a crown and another golden accent. I love the way it turned out! To see a complete review of these stickers, see THIS blog post.

All in all, I’m impressed with Pyrotechnic. It’s a great polish, and I definitely want to try out more from the Sephora X line. You can purchase this polish for $10.50 on Sephora’s website HERE. While it’s a bit out of my normal price range, I may splurge on a few in the future. Let me know if you’ve tried any Sephora X polishes in the comments!

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

Pinspiration | Scratch Art Nails

Posted on November 2, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today’s post goes back to the roots of Adventures in Polishland. I created this blog after discovering a ton of amazing nail art designs on Pinterest, and wanted to try them out and share the result with all of you. While I’ve mainly rerouted into product reviews, my new goal is to add in more nail art tips and tricks. After all, my adventures would be incomplete without some fun DIY manicures! First up, I’m conquering scratch art nails!

To create a scratch art manicure, inspired by THIS Pin, grab the following materials:

3 Colored Polishes – I chose Essie Butler Please [review], Urban Outfitters Freakin Pink [review], and Zoya Charisma [review]
Striping Tape – grab a pack of 10 on Amazon HERE for just $0.90
Black Nail Polish – I’m using Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Tarred

First, use your three colored polishes to paint some abstract designs on your nails. Anything will do, and you don’t have to be perfect. This will be mainly covered up with black nail polish, so don’t worry about clean lines. They most important part is making sure your polish dries thoroughly before continuing.

Once your polish is completely dry, take the striping tape and apply it to your nails in any design you want. I made four stripes on each nail, but you can change it up. After applying the tape, paint over it with your black nail polish and carefully peel off the striping tape while the polish is still wet. Repeat on each nail.

Here is my completed manicure! I absolutely love the final result! Finish up with a glossy top coat to even out the layers, and you are good to go. Not only is this manicure so easy to create, but it looks really cool. Your friends will be really impressed with your nails! Plus, the look can easily be customized using your personal favorite colors and any designs you choose. The possibilities are endless!

All in all, I hope you liked my scratch art manicure! I plan on creating more Pinspiration posts on Adventures in Polishland. Have a request? Leave it in the comments or email it to me at adventuresinpolishland@gmail.com.

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

Gradient Nails featuring Milani Textured Creams for Fall

Posted on October 29, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’ve been wanting to post a gradient manicure on Adventures in Polishland since it’s creation, but I’ve never been able to master the technique. When trying out the new Milani Textured Creams collection, I knew I just had to give the gradient another try. Let me show you how it turned out!

I used both Gracious Green and Lovely Lavender to create this manicure. First, I added added a thin coat of each polish to roughly half of each nail. It doesn’t have to be precise, since the colors will be smudged together anyway. The next step is taking a cosmetic wedge, and placing a bit of each color on it. Then, smudge the sponge carefully over each nail to blur the colors together. And that’s it! For more help, check out THIS tutorial on Pinterest.

I really like the way this gradient turned out! The textured finish is very forgiving, and makes for some easy nail art. I can’t wait to use this technique again, and maybe even use three colors. For a full review of the Milani polishes used in this post, including where to purchase them, see THIS blog post.

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

Halloween Week | Leopard Nails with Sally Hansen Real Nail Polish Strips

Posted on October 14, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Yesterday I kicked off Halloween Week here at Adventures in Polishland with a DIY Leopard Costume complete with a leopard manicure. Today I wanted to review the nail polish strips I used, and give you a close-up of what they look like. If you’re as busy as I am this time of year, don’t let your nails be an extra task. Nail polish strips can really be a help!

While Sally Hansen is my all-time favorite nail polish brand, I’ve actually never tried out any of the Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips before. I grabbed the kit called Kitty, Kitty to complete my leopard costume. This kit comes with 16 strips, an emery board, a cuticle pusher, and instructions. I think this is a pretty good value at $10.99, especially when they often go on sale!

I am loving the final result of Kitty, Kitty! The application process is so easy – peel, stick, file. There really is no drying time needed whatsoever. I found the Sally Hansen strips are packaged almost identically to the Incoco nail appliqués I recently tried out. The main difference was that Kitty, KItty definitely felt more sticky, and more like real nail polish. I think the sealed foil packets held in the moisture a lot better than the plastic wrap Incoco uses. While I have not done a true wear test on these, I am one day in and they still look great! Make sure to follow me on Twitter to see how long they last.

All in all, I think Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips are great for the girl on the go who wants a fancy Halloween manicure. While $10.99 may be a lot for an everyday look, it is more affordable than a professional manicure. Plus, it’s nice to splurge for a special occasion. Stop by your local drugstore or shop on Amazon HERE to sport some feline phalanges on Halloween!

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

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.

Zoya Zenith Collection for Holiday 2013

Posted on September 27, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I have a review of the complete Zenith Collection from Zoya Nail Polish.The Zenith Collection will be released in just a few days on October 1, and contains six beautiful shades for the holiday season. Let me show you these gorgeous polishes!

First up is Belinda, a dark purple polish with blue and magenta shimmer. Belinda has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. It was difficult to capture the shimmer on camera, but in real life this polish shines so beautifully. Belinda is definitely one of my favorites in this collection.

Next is Seraphina, a silver metallic polish. Seraphina has a good formula, but I found it very difficult to apply due to its color. The silver is very sheer, and was hard for me to see during application. I therefore had to be really careful to make sure I was staying inside the lines. Besides that, Seraphina is opaque in two coats, and is a nice silver for the holidays!

Cassedy is up next, and it is a stunning pewter polish that shifts to blue and green depending on the light. Cassedy has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, and I am loving how unique it is! I wouldn’t necessarily call this a duochrome, but it clearly has a color-changing quality. Cassedy is very edgy, and would look great for a rock star look. Next is Payton, a cranberry jelly polish with scattered holographic glitter. Payton has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats. Plus, application is amazing! Payton is such a beautiful polish, and it is a great alternative to the bright, Christmas red around the holiday season.

Dream is up next, and is a blue jelly polish with scattered holographic glitter. Dream is literally a dream polish. It has the perfect formula, and is opaque in two coats. Dream is definitely my favorite polish in the collection, and I think it is so gorgeous. I love the dimension and sparkle!

Last but not least is Mosheen, a glitter top coat mixed with holographic bars and grains. The base is just slightly blue, so I layered two coats over Zoya Blu to get the look in the photos. Mosheen does have a good formula, and I had no problems with application. Mosheen is a nice polish to add a bit of sparkle to any manicure!

All in all, I’m loving the Zoya Zenith Collection! I love that the polishes are unique, and different from typical holiday collections. I would also like to see more polishes like Dream and Payton in the future! You can purchase these polishes starting October 1 on Zoya’s website HERE for $8 each.

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

RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer in Hedge Fund from The Crowdsourced Collection

Posted on September 24, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I will have a full unboxing of my September Birchbox up on the blog this Sunday, but I just had to show you the nail polish I received in my box. This month Birchbox teamed up with the new brand RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer to bring each subscriber a nail polish in her monthly box. I wasn’t sure how great the polish would be, but the bottle shape was cool, and I got an on-trend color. Imagine my surprise when I loved the polish! Let me stop talking and show you the polish in all its glory!

This green beauty is Hedge Fund from The Crowdsourced Collection. Hedge Fund is an army green metallic polish with a gorgeous gold shimmer. This polish has the perfect, one coat formula that dries quickly and doesn’t require top coat. And if this polish couldn’t get any more perfect, it does! The brush is so nice, and the cap is actually designed to give users a good grip for application. While that may sound silly, it works! I haven’t enjoyed a nail-painting experience this much in a while!

All in all, Hedge Fund is everything I could ask for in a polish! It’s perfect for fall, and I have a feeling it will be on my nails a lot this season. You may even see it in another blog post soon (hint hint). RUFFIAN Nail Lacquer is available exclusively on the Birchbox website for $10 per bottle, or $24 for the 3-piece collection. While this is a bit more than I usually spend for polish, I am definitely considering buying more! I’m saving up my money for this amazing brand!

I also entered this manicure in Birchbox’s #RuffianManicure contest! I would really love it if you voted for me. Just click HERE and then hit the “vote” button. Thank you!

3D Bow Rhinestones from Born Pretty Store

Posted on September 19, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I usually keep my manicures pretty simple, but every once in a while I like to dress up my nails. I was so excited when I received some bow rhinestones in the mail from Born Pretty Store. I think bows are so cute and girly, and couldn’t wait to add some flair to my manicure. Let me show you my fancy nails!

How awesome are these bows?! I knew I wanted a really feminine look, so I chose one of my favorite pinks of all time for the base color – L’Oreal’s Check Me Out. Then I let my nail polish dry a little bit before applying the rhinestones because I wanted the polish to be tacky, but at the same time I didn’t want to smudge my manicure. Once I was sure the polish was partly dry, I carefully placed the bows on my nails and pressed them down. And it was as simple as that! The rhinestones stayed secure and I love the result!

One of the reasons I love these bows so much is because they come in an arched design that fits the nails perfectly. This is something new for me, as other nail rhinestones I’ve tried have always been flat on the bottom, and thus didn’t fit my nails properly. It is so great that these bows are designed this way, I can’t stress that enough!

All in all, I am loving these bow rhinestones from Born Pretty Store! If you are looking to glam up your manicure, I highly suggest these. Plus, you can grab a pack of 10 bows for just $5.99 HERE. These rhinestones can easily be reused, so this is definitely a great value. For those who may not be as adventurous in nail art, these bow are a great option. As always, you can get an extra 10% off with coupon code FZL91 and there is free international shipping with every order. Happy Shopping!

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

Try it on Tuesday | Zoya Nail Polish in Wednesday, Lola, & Charisma

Posted on September 3, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’ve acquired some new Zoya polishes lately, so I thought it would be fun to do a review of my untried Zoyas for this week’s Try it on Tuesday. I can’t believe that it’s been just over a year now that I’ve known about Zoya — it’s become one of my favorite brands! Let me show you some polishes that surely don’t disappoint!

First up is Wednesday, a dusty turquoise creme. While I’ve used Wednesday on my toes a few times, I’ve never tried it out as a manicure. The formula is a bit on the thick side, but easily manageable and opaque in two coats. I love this shade, and think it’s perfect all year long.

Next up is Lola, a bright pink polish with purple duochrome shimmer. Lola is a dream nail polish! Not only does it have an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, but it is so beautiful. The color is just so unique, and I love how bright it is. Plus, it is multidimensional due to its duochrome effect. Lola is one of my new favorite nail polishes!

Last but not least is Charisma, a vibrant magenta polish that dries to a matte finish. Charisma also has a great formula, but make sure you apply it carefully or streaks will appear when the polish dries. I applied two coats to achieve opacity, and I’m just loving the result. Matte polishes are a favorite of mine, and Charisma’s color is just amazing!

All in all, these three Zoya polishes are just fabulous. I honestly love each of them, and plan on wearing them again and again! If I had to pick one favorite from this bunch, it would be Lola. What about you?! As always, you can purchase Zoya’s polishes online HERE for $8 each.