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Zoya Ultra PixieDust Collection for Fall 2014

Posted on September 24, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Zoya Nail Polish has done it again, and came out with an incredible trio of textured matte glitter polishes for fall. The Ultra PixieDust line has three red-toned shades perfect for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. You can see full reviews of all the past Zoya PixieDust Collections HERE, but let me go ahead and show you the new goodies!

First up is Oswin, a true red shade packed with chunky red glitters. Oswin has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. Make sure that you let each coat dry completely with these polishes to get the perfect textured finish. I found that Oswin lightened up a bit when dry, but I like the added dimension between the base and glitters. I don’t like such a bright red with my skin tone, but if you have a darker complexion it would look beautiful!

Next up is Arianna, a deeper red polish with a blue undertone. Arianna is also opaque in two coats, and I found that the finished product matches the bottle’s shade a bit more than Oswin does. If you enjoy wine shades, Arianna is perfect for you. Plus, this polish can work right through the holidays.

Last but not least is Noir, my favorite of the three! Noir is a stunning purple shade that is opaque in two coats. I found Noir to be the sparkliest of the bunch, as the glitter stood out even when the polish was completely dry. If you have very fair skin like I do, Noir is a great polish for you!

All in all, the Zoya Ultra PixieDust line is a fun bunch of polishes. I can guarantee you have nothing else like these in your collection! Zoya really creates a unique formula with these chunky glitters that dry matte, but each applies so smoothly and easily to the nail. You can purchase the Ultra PixieDusts on Zoya’s website HERE for $10 each. Buy them separately, or as a trio! Make sure to let me know in the comments which is your favorite as well.

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: 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.

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.

Urban Outfitters Freakin Pink — My Favorite Clearance Find Ever!

Posted on June 11, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! As you know, Adventures in Polishland is dedicated to fabulous and affordable nails, so I am always hunting for nail polish bargains. A few weeks back I got an email from Urban Outfitters letting me know it was time for the 50% off clearance sale. That means that everything on clearance was an additional 50% off the sale price. I headed to the nearest store and found that several nail polishes were marked down to just $0.49 with the extra discount! I had to grab a few for myself, and I am so glad I did. Let me share with you my favorite clearance find of all time!

Here is Freakin Pink in all its glory! Not only is this polish a neon, bubblegum pink, but it dries to a matte finish! I surely did not expect this polish to have a matte look, but it was a fantastic surprise. Plus, Freakin Pink has an amazing formula that applies with ease. It is opaque in two coats, and doesn’t require top coat due to its unique finish. Freakin Pink is perfect for the summer and is on trend with the neon craze!

All in all, I love everything about this polish, from its bright color to its colorful name! I am beyond happy to have found this polish in the clearance section at Urban Outfitters for just $0.49, especially when the regular price is $5! Talk about fabulous and affordable nails! You can still find Freakin Pink online for the regular price as part of the Urban Outfitters Basics Collection HERE. Stop by your local store to see if you can snatch one up for a discounted price, too!

Indie Spotlight: Tillie Polish in Fierce and Fabulous

Posted on April 24, 2013July 13, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! Today’s post is a review of a fun polish that is perfect for summer. It’s from the indie nail polish brand called Tille Polish, which is run by a trio of sisters! I discovered the brand by watching the oldest sister’s YouTube channel (see Andréa’s videos HERE), and I’m so glad I did! She graciously sent me this polish and I could not wait to get it on my nails. Let me show you Fierce and Fabulous!

Here is the beautiful bright pink called Fierce and Fabulous (and it truly lives up to its name)! This polish has an amazing formula. Application was smooth and even, and it was opaque in two coats. Fierce and Fabulous dries matte, and has a hint of silver shimmer mixed in as well. It looks just stunning on the nail, and is perfect for the summer sun. The matte look is unexpected, but I loved it! You can easily achieve a glossy finish by adding your favorite top coat as well. I did notice that removal took a bit more effort than usual, but when I switched to an acetone based remover instead of an acetone free one it came off much better. I also suggest a healthy layer of base coat!

All in all, I am loving Fierce and Fabulous from Tille Polish! As a pink aficionado, it is great to have this in my collection. The silver shimmer and matte finish really make it unique! You can purchase Fierce and Fabulous on the Tillie Polish website HERE for $8.00. This is a special edition polish that is officially launching on May 15th, but is available for pre-order now. You can also “like” Tillie Polish on Facebook HERE.

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: Shimmer Polish Part III

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! Today I have Part III of my Shimmer Polish review! In Part I and Part II, I wore each polish on its own. In this entry, you will see the polishes layered over another color. I used one very thin coat of each Shimmer to create the looks you see here. I love that these polishes are so versatile! Let me show you these gorgeous glitters.

First up is Jennifer, a mix of multi-colored pastel glitters with pops of orange and turquoise. I layered one coat over Zoya Blu. The pastel blue base really highlighted all of the glitters in Jennifer, and I think the two are a perfect combination. This manicure is perfect for springtime with an extra sparkle!

Up next is Karen, a mix of pink and purple glitters with flashes of holo hexagons. I layered one coat over Pronto Purple. Karen’s formula was a bit on the thick side, but I didn’t have problems with application. I thought a purple base color would be very complimenting. In the first two photos, you see my manicure with a regular, glossy top coat. On day two, I wanted to change things up a bit, and added my Butter London Matte Finish on top. I just love the matte result! It makes the glitters stand out even more.

Karina is a red and black glitter mix, with sprinkles of purple and holographic grains. I layered this polish over Julep Claudette, and it is the perfect combination! I think it looks like one complete polish. It’s a great manicure for Valentine’s Day, and for those of you who like darker colors. The black glitters really make this red color unique and edgy.

Last but not least is Linna, a gorgeous mix of green, red, blue, gold, and silver glitters. I layered Linna over Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Chlorophyll. The application was great! This is my favorite manicure from this post. I think these polishes are perfect together, and I have been loving green nails lately. I would definitely wear this look again in the future!

All in all, I love how versatile Shimmer Polish is! Each color can be worn alone as an opaque glitter in just 2-3 coats, or you can layer one coat over another polish for a unique look. Shimmer Polish sells on Etsy for $12 per bottle HERE. You can also like the brand on Facebook HERE.

Stay tuned for Part IV, the final post in the Shimmer Polish series!

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

Make Your Mani Last: How I Wore Essie Stylenomics!

Posted on October 26, 2012August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Earlier this week I showed you Essie Stylenomics that I got from Klout as a free perk. Not only did I wear Stylenomics alone, but I did two mani upgrades with it. One of my Facebook followers suggested that I try matte stripes, so I gave that a try. Then, I changed the look again by adding some glitter. Let me show you both mani upgrades!

The first mani upgrade I did with Essie Stylenomics is matte stripes! All you have to do to achieve this look is place scotch tape across your nails in horizontal stripes, paint over them with a matte topcoat, and remove the tape. Voila! Your manicure will go from glossy to both glossy and matte in an instant. Matte stripes are the perfect way to upgrade your manicure if you are looking for a subtle change. For more information on how the scotch tape technique works, visit THIS blog entry.

Although I did like the look of matte stripes, I just had to add some glitter to my manicure! First I used a glossy topcoat over the stripes to erase the matte look. Then I grabbed Milani Jewel FX in Gems to use as a glitter topcoat. Gems is such a fun polish. It is a clear base filled with lots of multicolored glitters. I applied one coat over Essie Stylenomics to get the look in the photos. The best part is, Milani can be found at drugstores and department stores for around $4-5 per bottle, which makes it more affordable than similar polishes that range from $8-16. I just love the combination of Stylenomics and Gems!

Mani upgrades are the perfect way to make your manicure last as long as possible. By adding topcoats you lock in the original color, and with glitter you can hide the appearance of any chips you are starting to see. Plus, mani upgrades are a quick solution for the girl on the go who wants to change her polish as much as possible, but doesn’t have the time for a complete manicure.

Do you have any ideas for a great mani upgrade? Share them in the “comments” section and I will try them out!

Indie Spotlight: Utopia’s Polish in Doodle-Bug

Posted on October 14, 2012August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have another polish from one of the indie brands that is sponsoring my current giveaway. Utopia’s Polish sent me a fun polish called Doodle-Bug to review for you. It is really unique, and not like any other polish I own. I also used my matte topcoat over this polish, and I will include that at the end of the post. Let me show you Doodle-Bug in its natural form!

Doodle-Bug is a light pink polish filled with lots of different glitters. First, there are fine pink glitters that compliment the base nicely. Then, there are hexagonal glitters from small to extra large mixed throughout in the colors pink, red, purple, blue, and white. I applied three coats of Doodle-Bug to achieve full opacity in the photos above. As you can see, the glitters are super fun, and stand out well from the pink base. I did not have any problems with the formula whatsoever, but it did require extra drying time because of the three coats I applied. Doodle-Bug reminds me of strawberry funfetti! It’s really cute.

I thought that Doodle-Bug would look great with a matte top coat over it, so I got out my Butter London Matte Finish. I absolutely love the way this polish looks when it is matte! The glitters are smoothed out completely, and the pink color looks creamy. Doodle-Bug looks great both glossy and matte, but I personally prefer the matte look. I love how versatile this polish is!

You can find Utopia’s Polish on Etsy HERE. Full size polishes sell from $9.00-10.00, minis are $4.50-5.00, and she even sells glitter that you can use to make your own polish for $3!

Don’t forget, you can win a polish from Utopia’s Polish in my giveaway! Go HERE to enter!

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.