Tag: manicure

Manicure March | Julep in Janel

Happy Tuesday! It’s time to swatch the last Julep nail polish of Manicure March. This time it is a polish that doesn’t look too exciting in the bottle, but I still felt the need to swatch it before decluttering it right away. I do find that sometimes nail polish looks really different on the nails than it does in the bottle. That can be frustrating at times, but I do love when the polish is even better than I expected! Let me share my thoughts on Janel with all of you.

Julep in Janel Julep in JanelJanel is a berry red polish with a slight magenta shimmer. The formula is excellent, and opaque in two coats. I’m not usually a big fan of shimmer polishes, but because the shimmer in Janel isn’t very strong I really like it. I also noticed that Janel looks lighter on the nails than it does in the bottle. I’m glad about that, because otherwise I wouldn’t like it with my skin tone as much. I’m keeping Janel in my stash for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad I decided to give Janel a swatch. It is a stunning fall color, and I think I’ll get some use out of it in the summer, too. During Manicure March I kept two Julep polishes and destashed two as well. Please let me know in the comments if you still like Julep nail polish, or have you been decluttering it as well.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | China Glaze in Surreal Appeal

Happy Monday! We are in the home stretch for Manicure March, and today I’m revisiting the brand China Glaze. Earlier this month I tried Creative Fantasy, and found the formula to be quite bad. I wanted to test out another China Glaze in my collection to see how the formula compared. I love the shade of Surreal Appeal, but it’s not worth keeping if it has a bad formula. Let’s take a look at this bright nail polish!

China Glaze in Surreal Appeal China Glaze in Surreal AppealSurreal Appeal is a bright coral nail polish with a creme finish. The formula is good, but it is still a bit thicker and goopier than I would like. That being said, it’s not too challenging to work with, and I get a gorgeous finish in two opaque coats. I absolutely love the shade of Surreal Appeal. I’ve decided that I’m going to keep it in my collection for now, because I know this is a polish I will wear regularly. However, I’m going to see if I own another polish in this same color with a better formula. If I do, I will destash this one.

All in all, I’m glad I found a China Glaze polish in my collection with a beautiful color and decent formula. Surreal Appeal is so bright and fun, and makes me ready for the spring weather. Coral pinks are a go to shade for me in the warmer months for sure. I would love to know in the comments what nail polish colors you reach for once springtime is here. Do you wear polishes seasonally, or just based on your mood? Please share with me!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | SinfulColors Professional in V.I.Peach

Happy Sunday! Today’s Manicure March post features a polish from the super fabulous and affordable brand SinfulColors Professional. I was very excited to receive some polishes to review back in the fall. Unfortunately, many of the formulas weren’t great, but I ended up keeping them in my stash anyway. I decided to put V.I.Peach to the test to decide if the pretty color warranted a lackluster formula.

SinfulColors Professional in V.I.Peach SinfulColors Professional in V.I.PeachV.I.Peach is actually a yellow shade with a semi-matte finish. The formula is quite bad, to be honest. It is very watery and messy. Although it dries to a beautiful finish, it’s no fun dealing with V.I.Peach during application. I’m sure I can find another yellow nail polish, either in my collection or at the store, that has a much better formula. Although yellows and other pale shades are often tricky to get just right, I know they are out there!

All in all, I need to learn to destash polishes right away if I’m not loving them. I know some stores, such as Sephora, allow gently used beauty products to be returned to the store. I will have to do more research on return policies to see if any drugstores offer the same thing. That would ensure that I don’t have to worry about not liking a polish after purchasing it! Please let me know in the comments what you do if you get a new polish and then don’t like it. Do you return it to the store? Do you keep it? I’d love to know your thoughts!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

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

Manicure March | LynBDesigns in Ducky

Happy Saturday! I have another indie nail polish to share with you today. Since beginning my nail polish declutter project, I’ve noticed that many indie brands have unfortunately shut down. LynBDesigns is a brand that is still going strong today! I reviewed some polishes for her back in my early days of blogging, and wanted to revisit one from The Land Before Time Collection. I was smitten with this collection because it was based off a nostalgic movie series for me. Plus, the polishes were super cute. That being said, I just don’t wear these polishes often. I wanted to see how Ducky looked on my nails once and for all!

LynBDesigns in Ducky LynBDesigns in DuckyDucky is a green polish with green and gold glitter. The formula is good, but a bit on the sheer side. I wore three coats on its own, but Ducky can easily be used for layering as well. My immediate thought when I finished my manicure was: “This is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day!” Then I realized that I have plenty of other green glitters that I would probably reach for over Ducky. As gorgeous as Ducky is, it’s just not what I wear regularly. Functionality trumps again, and Ducky is being destashed.

All in all, I think Ducky is a great polish, and I’m so glad to discover that LynBDesigns is still around today (shop HERE). I know that I can often get sucked into buying nail polishes when the collection is based off of something I love. For example, I own the entire Hunger Games collection from China Glaze, and The Big Bang Theory collection from Different Dimension. I need to remember to only buy nail polishes that I’m going to wear! Please let me know in the comments if you’ve ever purchased a polish because of the name or for some other reason besides the color itself.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

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

Manicure March | Revlon Leather in Rock Chic

Happy Friday! It’s time to review another textured nail polish for Manicure March (I told you I loved these!). I purchased a polish from Revlon’s Leather & Tweed Collection during its release in 2014 for a specific blog post, and became obsessed with the polish at the time. That being said, it’s been quite a while since I wore Rock Chic, and I wanted to see if the formula changed over time. Let me share Rock Chic with all of you two years later!

Revlon Leather in Rock Chic IMG_3380Rock Chic is a royal blue nail polish with a textured creme formula. The formula has definitely decreased in quality from the last time I used it. The texture effect is much weaker than it was in the past. It now has a very slight texture, and it looks bad on the nails because it’s not an obvious leather effect. I’m definitely destashing Rock Chic from my nail polish collection. That’s a real shame, because the blue color is beyond stunning. Thankfully I have cream polishes in the same shade that will serve as a replacement!

All in all, while many of my textured nail polish have withstood the test of time, Rock Chic from Revlon unfortunately did not. I will be wrapping up Manicure March with more information about what I’m doing with all of the nail polishes I’m decluttering, but the ones with very bad formulas will be recycled. Please let me know in the comments if you’ve had to get rid of nail polishes because the formulas went bad. I would love to know!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | NYC New York Color In a New York Minute Quick Dry in Royal Chic

Happy Thursday! Today I have a review of another fabulous and affordable nail polish from NYC New York Color’s Quick Dry line. If you are on a tight budget, or simply looking to save money on nail polish, I highly recommend trying out NYC New York Color. I’ve had very good luck with the polishes I’ve tried from the In a New York Minute line. Plus, they go on sale very often at the drugstore. Let me show you Royal Chic and let you know if it’s surviving my declutter project!

NYC New York Color In a New York Minute Quick Dry in Royal Chic NYC New York Color In a New York Minute Quick Dry in Royal Chic

Royal Chic is a deep brown creme nail polish. The formula is really good, and the polish is opaque in two coats due to its rich pigmentation. If you are looking for a good brown, I think Royal Chic is a great option. That being said, I don’t like how this polish looks with my skin tone, and I know I won’t be wearing it. I thought about keeping this polish for nail art looks, but I do own brown polishes from Zoya that I will be keeping. I’m saying goodbye to Royal Chic!

All in all, Royal Chic is the perfect example of a great polish formula with a shade I just don’t like on me. I would love to know in the comments what nail polish shades you don’t like with your skin tone. Are there any nail polishes you’ve purchased because they looked great in the bottle, but then not on you? It happens to all of us from time to time! The good thing is there is no guilt when it’s a super affordable polish like NYC New York Color!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

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

Manicure March | JulieG in Sugar Plum Fairy

Happy Wednesday! Today for Manicure March I’m reviewing another textured polish from the brand JulieG. For some reason I never swatched all of the JulieG polishes that I purchased, so I’m finally getting around to that now. As I’ve mentioned throughout Manicure March, I still really like textured nail polishes, but I want to make sure I’m only keeping the ones I love and will wear. Let’s see what Sugar Plum Fairy is like, and whether or not it will remain in my collection!

JulieG in Sugar Plum Fairy JulieG in Sugar Plum FairySugar Plum Fairy is an indigo textured polish with silver shimmer. The formula is excellent! It applies very smoothly and is opaque in two coats. Sugar Plum Fairy dries rather quickly and is quite stunning on the nails. I know I won’t wear such a bold polish very often, but I need to keep this amazing polish in my collection. It is discontinued, so I wouldn’t be able to purchase it again. Plus, it looks really good with my skin tone. I just love it!

All in all, I’m so glad I am finally putting my JulieG polishes to the test. I’m very impressed with the formula, and the shades available are gorgeous, too. I definitely need to try out more polishes from the JulieG line, as it is fabulous and affordable in price. Please let me know in the comments what polishes from JulieG you’ve tried and recommend. I’ll be perusing the line at my local Rite Aid next time I’m there!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

Manicure March | A England in Princess Sabra

Happy Tuesday! Today kicks off the fourth week of Manicure March! I have another holographic nail polish to share with you today, this one from the brand A England. I’ve only tried a few A England polishes in my almost four years of blogging, just because they are more expensive than I typically like to spend. I ended up receiving a few for review from the online retailer Beautometry. Let me share one of those, Princess Sabra, with all of you today.

A England in Princess Sabra A England in Princess SabraPrincess Sabra is a bronze holographic polish with green undertones. It has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, and is super shiny without a top coat needed. I really love the way Princess Sabra looks on me, but I’m being honest with myself when I say I won’t wear this. I am definitely a fan of creme nail polishes, and it’s rare I wear a shimmer, glitter, or holo. I know Princess Sabra deserves to be with someone who will wear it!

All in all, it can be difficult to declutter your nail polish collection when it contains amazing polishes. However, I am very focused on functionality at this point in my life. Princess Sabra is a great polish with a perfect formula, but in the two years I’ve owned it I’ve only worn it to swatch on the blog. I highly recommend you pick up Princess Sabra if you’re interested in it, but it’s time for me to let it go. Please let me know in the comments what A England polishes you’ve tried, and your thoughts on the brand!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

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

Manicure March | Cameo Colours Lacquers in Hathor

Happy Monday! Today I have another indie nail polish to share with you during Manicure March. When I first started blogging I received a lot of indie polishes for review. It was so exciting, and I got to connect with a lot of great polish makers around the country. One of those brands was Cameo Colours Lacquers, a brand that is still making nail polish today! I received The Divine Collection to review, which contained six holographic polishes. These polishes are all so gorgeous, but I have to be honest – I just never wear holo nail polish! Holographic polishes are lusted over in the indie nail polish community, but they’re not my cup of tea. I decided to put the polish Hathor to the test to see how I feel about this holo formula.

Cameo Colours Lacquer in Hathor Cameo Colours Lacquer in HathorHathor is a blue holographic nail polish. The formula is excellent, as it applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. I’m really impressed with Hathor! It not only looks stunning, but the formula is still amazing after living in my collection for a few years. Even though I think this polish is beautiful, though, I’m not going to keep it in my collection. Realistically, I won’t wear this nail polish. Holo formulas just aren’t my thing! I love looking at them on other people, but I don’t reach for them in my daily life. Thus, there’s no point in holding onto Hathor.

All in all, I’m glad I decided to part with the beautiful polish that is Hathor. I know that the person who ends up with Hathor after me will love it more than I can. It’s also great that I’ve discovered that Cameo Colours Lacquers is such amazing quality and can withstand the test of time. I highly recommend checking out the brand’s website HERE. Please also let me know in the comments if you own any polishes that you think are beautiful, but you just never wear them. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!

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

Manicure March | NYC New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Empire State Blue

Happy Sunday! Today’s Manicure March post reviews another polish that I’ve been holding onto mainly for emotional reasons. You’re probably going to laugh, because it’s a super affordable polish from the brand NYC New York Color! I received Empire State Blue as a gift when I was graduating from college, and it meant a lot to me because it came from good friends and because I was moving to New York City. Nonetheless, I rarely wear this polish so I decided to test the formula out to see if I should keep it. Let me share this polish with all of you!

NYC New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Empire State Blue NYC New York Color Long Wearing Nail Enamel in Empire State Blue

Empire State Blue is a metallic blue polish with green and gold shimmer. The formula is good, but it does tend to get a bit goopy and thick. I applied two coats of Empire State Blue to get an opaque look, and I have to say it does look gorgeous. However, this is not a polish that I would wear on a regular basis. In fact, it’s been years since I’ve put it on. Since the formula isn’t perfect and I don’t wear this much, it’s time to say goodbye to Empire State Blue.

All in all, I’m so glad I tested out Empire State Blue again. While I do have great memories associated with the polish, it is silly to hold onto it just for that reason. This is the second polish of Manicure March that I’ve been able to destash after keeping it purely for emotional reasons. I see the light, people! My nail polish collection will soon only be filled with the best of the best.

Join in #ManicureMarch by using the hashtag on social media and by tagging me in your photos on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter!