manicure – Page 7 – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: manicure

Manicure March | Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer in Cupcake Icing

Posted on March 9, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today Manicure March continues with a nail polish from the current Milani nail polish line available in stores. I know a lot of the polishes I’ve swatched so far this month have been discontinued or hard to find, so I’m glad this one is readily available. I decided to give Cupcake Icing a swatch because although I love pink nail polishes, I never reach for blue-toned pinks. I wanted to see how the formula was, and whether it looked good with my skin tone. Let me share Cupcake Icing with all of you!

Cupcake Icing is a pink creme polish with blue undertones. The formula is absolutely perfect! I love how smoothly the polish glides on the nails, and that it is opaque in two coats. I don’t know why I’ve avoided Cupcake Icing for so long – it looks great with my skin tone! I also think it would look beautiful on dark skin as well. I’m definitely keeping this nail polish. I need to wear it more often!

All in all, I am loving Cupcake Icing from Milani! I also love that this nail polish is fabulous and affordable, and available at the drugstore for just $3.99. I highly recommend picking it up if you’re in the market for a new pink polish! Pink is definitely my most owned nail polish color, but that’s just because it is so wearable. Let me know in the comments what polish color I’d find most represented in your stash!

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 | Daphine Polish in Sekhmet

Posted on March 8, 2016July 14, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! The second week of Manicure March kicks off today with an indie nail polish review. When I first began my blog I got sucked into the indie community and had the opportunity to try out a lot of brands. I really miss using indie polishes! I need to get back into it for sure. Today I’m reviewing a polish from the brand Daphine Polish. I fell in love with Daphine Polish, but haven’t worn any in my collection for a long time. Let me share Sekhmet with all of you!

Sekhmet is a deep burgundy polish with a bit of red glitter in the mix. The formula is perfection. It applies smoothly and is opaque in two coats. The reason I put Sekhmet in my ‘to swatch’ pile is because this is not a polish color I wear regularly. However, I’m so glad I gave it another chance! I think Sekhmet looks great with my skin tone. Plus, it’s certainly a unique polish and I wouldn’t be able to find another like it. I’m keeping this in my collection for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad I tried out Sekhmet from Daphine Polish again! I really miss being up to date with everything that’s going on in the nail polish world, especially the small world of indie polish. You can purchase the nail polish featured in this blog post on Etsy HERE. Make sure to shop through Ebates to earn cash back on your purchase! Please share with me in the comments your favorite indie brands so I can check them out, too. I would love to post more about indie brands on Adventures in Polishland again.

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. This post includes a referral link. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Manicure March | SinfulColors Professional in Cinderella

Posted on March 7, 2016March 7, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today rounds out my first week of Manicure March posts! I hope you’re enjoying this series as much as I am. I’m excited to review a cult favorite with all of you today. When I first starting blogging, everyone raved about SinfulColors Professional in the shade Cinderella. In fact, this polish was difficult to find at drugstores for a while. I can’t remember exactly where I got mine, but I rediscovered it in my collection and had a good laugh at the memory of how popular this $1.99 polish was. Despite it’s popularity, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep this polish, simply because I never wear it. Let me go ahead and share Cinderella with you, and let you know if I’m keeping it!

Cinderella is a baby blue polish with a pink holographic shimmer. The formula is good, though can be a bit patchy. I applied three coats to achieve opacity. Cinderella is definitely a beautiful polish that truly lives up to its royal name. I can see why so many people love this nail polish, and I debated keeping it because it’s so well known. However, I’ve only worn this nail polish once before, and it’s just not a polish I would wear on a regular basis. I’ve decided to pass on Cinderella, and hope the next owner loves this polish!

All in all, sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and purchase a polish that everyone else is talking about in the community. If the polish is super affordable like SinfulColors, then you can feel good trying out the favorite. However, if you’re about to splurge on an expensive polish just because it’s getting hyped, take a minute and think about whether you really want that shade. I’m glad I did try Cinderella, but I’m also ready to let it go. Definitely let me know in the comments if you own Cinderella!

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 | Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition Nail Color in LCD

Posted on March 6, 2016February 18, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Manicure March is going strong! I hope you’ve been enjoying my nail polish reviews thus far. Today I’m sharing a really fun review on one of the discontinued collections from Sally Hansen. If you’re like me and you still have a bunch of Sally Hansen HD Hi-Definition polishes in your stash, here is your chance to see the magic within the bottle. Let me share my swatches of LCD, and the specific way I wear it.

First things first, here is LCD on its own. LCD is a pink metallic polish with a very sheer formula. It is packed with blue and purple shimmer as well. LCD has a good formula that applies nicely to the nail. However, it’s very underwhelming on its own. I layered three coats onto my nails, and my manicure is still really sheer. I really did not like LCD on my nails, but because it is so sheer I decided to do an experiment.

Next, I painted my pointer and middle fingers with a white base and my ring and pinky fingers with a black base. I layered LCD over the top, and that’s when the magic happened. Well, LCD looked like a pink mess over the white, but look at it layered over black nail polish! I got an instant galaxy manicure!

As soon as I finished my swatches for the day, I did a full manicure with LCD layered over a black nail polish. I am so obsessed with this! I can’t believe the magic that was living inside this nail polish bottle for years. I own several other bottles of Sally Hansen HD polish, and I’m now ready to experiment with all of them. Needless to say, I’m keeping LCD in my stash because it is amazing.

All in all, I am so glad I tested out LCD as a layering polish. The directions on the bottle simply say to apply 2-3 coats to the nail, so I’m not sure Sally Hansen even designed this polish to work well in layering. If you own this polish definitely let me know how you wear it in the comments. Did you know how LCD looks over black?! I know I’ve said the word ‘magic’ too often in this blog post, but I’m excited about this one! It’s always nice to discover a nail polish that you already own.

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 Creative Fantasy

Posted on March 5, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today for Manicure March I’m reviewing a polish from the brand China Glaze. While this brand is very well known in the nail polish world, I rarely use China Glaze polishes. In fact, besides owning the complete Hunger Games collection, I only have a few other polishes from the brand. During my recent nail polish reorganization project, I found the bottle Creative Fantasy. I’m not sure if I’ve ever used it, so I decided to try it out and share my thoughts with all of you!

Creative Fantasy is a purple nail polish with a crelly formula – creme and jelly mixture. The formula is very problematic. It is thin and watery, and very patchy. I’ve applied three coats in the photos here, and you can clearly see how it is patchy and not fully opaque in some areas. I didn’t have to spend any time debating whether or not I’d keep Creative Fantasy in my collection. This one had to go ASAP!

I’m very interested to hear from all of you in regards to China Glaze. The polishes are sold at stores such as Sally Beauty and Ulta, and I consider them a salon brand. However, I haven’t fallen in love with the shades I’ve tried in the past. I know I’m unlikely to purchase a nail polish from a brand if I haven’t had a great experience in the past. Let me know in the comments if you feel the same way!

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 | Julep in Katie

Posted on March 4, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Manicure March continues today with a review of one of my many Julep nail polishes. I own dozens of Julep polishes after subscribing to the service so long, and also from purchasing mystery boxes. I absolutely loved Julep when the site first launched. Unfortunately, Julep changed its brush and formula over time, and I don’t think the quality is as great anymore. I’ve decided I’m only going to keep Julep polishes that I absolutely love. Let me show go ahead and show you Katie!

Katie is a magenta polish with blue and magenta shimmer. The formula is good, but it does pull. I was really sad when the polish pulled upon application (meaning it bunched up on the nail instead of going on smoothly). The color is absolutely stunning, and I was thinking about keeping it in my stash. However, because the formula isn’t great, I decided to let it go. I’m sure I can find another polish in a similar color that has a better formula. Let’s be real – I probably already own one!

All in all, while I think Katie is a beautiful polish, I’m destashing it due to its wonky formula. Sometimes I do keep nail polish with imperfect formulas if I really love the color, but to be honest I wouldn’t wear Katie often anyway. Please let me know in the comments if you keep polishes purely for the shade, even if the formula isn’t the best. 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 | Confetti in Purple Pizzazz

Posted on March 2, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Manicure March continues today with a review of one of the oldest polishes in my collection. Confetti is a brand that used to be sold at CVS stores for the fabulous and affordable price of $1.99. I own two polishes from the brand, and I’ve held onto Purple Pizzazz for years now, partly for emotional reasons. This might sound silly, but I have really good memories with this nail polish! I remember lending it to friends, and bringing it with me to New York the first semester I lived in the city. However, I almost never wore it myself. I decided to put it to the test once and for all to see if I actually liked the polish itself.

Purple Pizzazz is a really unique nail polish. It is a purple-pink metallic polish with a holographic shimmer. The formula is good, but on the sheer side so I applied three coats for opacity. While I was swatching in artificial light, I wasn’t sure if I liked Purple Pizzazz. I decided to add my favorite top coat to really try out this polish. I thought I was going to keep it until I stepped out into natural light to take photographs of my manicure. I truly saw the light – this polish is just not for me! I’m not a metallic fan, for one, and this color just doesn’t go with my skin tone. Purple Pizzazz, it’s time to say goodbye!

I’m so glad I was finally able to part with Confetti in Purple Pizzazz. Sometimes it can be difficult to get rid of things that you have fond memories of, even if that thing is nail polish. At the end of the day, if I’m not going to use a polish, I shouldn’t own it anymore. Please let me know in the comments if you still own any polishes from the Confetti brand, and if you like them!

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 | Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Barracuda

Posted on March 1, 2016February 16, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! It is the first day of Manicure March, and I couldn’t be more excited. Just in case you missed my announcement in the last installment of Upcoming Adventures, Manicure March is a special feature I’m doing this month where I bring you a nail polish review for each and every day this month! I’m kicking things off with a polish from one of my all-time favorite brands, Sally Hansen. I purchased Barracuda at CVS some time ago after hearing about it on EleventhGorgeous’s YouTube channel. I wore it back in 2013, but honestly don’t know if it’s been on my nails since then. Let’s take a closer look at Barracuda!

Barracuda is a pastel blue creme polish, and I think my only polish from the Complete Salon Manicure line. I’m not a huge fan of pastel blues at this point, and I was even more disappointed with the formula! It was very watery and patchy, and I applied three coats before achieving opacity. I think this polish couldn’t stand the test of time, because my earlier review states I had no issues with the formula. Nonetheless, I won’t be keeping this around. If I’m not loving the color or the formula, this polish has got to go!

All in all, I’m quite surprised to find that this more expensive line from Sally Hansen is a bit of a flop for me. I’d love to know if you own polishes from the Complete Salon Manicure line, and how you like the formula. The price tag on this polish reads $8.99, but I know I purchased this on sale and with a coupon. That being said, I think I’ll stick with Sally Hansen’s other nail polish collections for now. Bye bye, Barracuda!

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

Manicure Monday | L’Oreal Paris in Paparazzi Pleaser

Posted on February 22, 2016February 12, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’ll be honest – my nail polish declutter project took a big break after I went through the first box. I decided to slowly pick it back up again, and tried out one of the polishes I set aside to swatch. I first picked up L’Oreal Paris in Paparazzi Pleaser back in 2014 (see that post HERE), and I’m pretty sure I haven’t worn it since then. Let me share this purple polish with you, and let you know if I plan on keeping it!

Paparazzi Pleaser is a deep purple cream nail polish. The formula is good, but a bit on the thin side. I applied three coats to achieve opacity, and I didn’t have any application issues. Paparazzi Pleaser is definitely a beautiful color, but for some reason I’m not thrilled with it. I think the warm, blue-tone isn’t suited for my pale skin. Despite this being a great drugstore polish, I’m moving it into my box of polishes to destash.

All in all, I’m glad I put Paparazzi Pleaser to the test! As always, L’Oreal’s polish is excellent quality. I think it is a great drugstore brand, but this shade of polish isn’t for me. I still recommend it, especially if you have a deeper skin tone. It retails for around $5.00 at your local drugstore or online HERE. Let me know if you’re pleased by Paparazzi Pleaser in the comments!

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

Trying Nail Vinyls for the First Time | Valentine’s Day Nail Art Fail

Posted on February 12, 2016February 9, 2016 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! As you might know, one of my New Year’s Resolutions is to try out more nail art. I originally began this blog to experiment with nail art after seeing so many great designs on Pinterest, but I quickly realized that nail art is no joke. I find it really challenging, and often have a lot of nail art fails when I’m attempting to come up with designs. Today I’m sharing one of those fails with all of you in hopes that you won’t feel as discouraged when attempting new nail art. I received a set of nail vinyls from Born Pretty Store and was super excited to put them to the test. My first time trying nail vinyls didn’t go as planned! Let me share my Valentine’s Day nail art fail with you!

Born Pretty Store Fish Scale Nail Vinyls

Here is a look at the sheet of nail vinyls. I received the fish scale design in style number JV203. This sheet comes with twelve vinyls that need to be cut before use. They are designed to work just like striping tape. I thought of these like a stencil. I love that this sheet of vinyls is super affordable at just $1.99 HERE.

My idea for this manicure was a Valentine’s Day ombré. I began with a white base from Sally Hansen Insta-Dri and let it dry completely.

My first attempt at nail vinyls was a huge fail! I applied the vinyls directly on the nails and pressed them in place. I applied my polish, but when I peeled off the vinyls my nail polish came with it. I was so bummed! My base was dry, so I figured my issue was that the vinyls were just too sticky to go directly on the nails.

For round two I decided to place the nail vinyls on my hand before putting them on my nails. I did this twice to remove a lot of the stickiness, and then applied them to the nails. However, I didn’t press down firmly on the vinyls. That is where my problems arose this time around. The polish leaked through the vinyls because they weren’t affixed to the nails firmly. However, I can see a lot of progress with this technique!

My thumb nail actually came out really well during this second attempt. This is what I was trying to accomplish all along! I used a wedge sponge to apply pink nail polish to the base of the nail and a red to the top. I completed the look with a glossy top coat. This is what I hoped to share with you! Alas, it only turned out well on one nail.

All in all, I’m so glad I finally got the chance to try out nail vinyls! I do really like this set from Born Pretty Store, and will recommend it. That being said, it’s important to remember that nail art can sometimes be frustrating, especially when trying something new. I look forward to continue trying vinyls in the future. If you have any tips and tricks when it comes to nail vinyls, let me know in the comments! As always, you can shop at Born Pretty Store using my coupon code FZL91 to save an additional 10% off any order.

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