Tag: nail polish

An Ocean of Ombre

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Two hot trends this summer are ocean hues and ombres, showcased on nails, accessories, and apparel. I decided to combine both of them on my nails using a variety of polishes from my collection. You can buy an ombre kit at Sephora right now for $22 (click HERE for details), but by using polishes I already owned, and a sheet of white scrap paper, I didn’t have to spend any cash. Plus, each of the colors I used was purchased at a drugstore and would total under $17 anyway– about $5 in savings! Here’s how I achieved the Ocean Ombre look.

My “cheat sheet” for the mani!

First, I picked out the five blue shades I was going to use. Luckily I currently have exactly five blues! To ensure that I would achieve light to dark shading, I painted two light coats of each polish on a piece of white scrap paper, cut out each sample, and rearranged the order. Once I was happy with the colors, I got painting! I started off with the lightest color on my pinky, and ended with the darkest on my thumb. Lightest to darkest, I used Empire State Blue by NYC, Blu by Sally Hansen HD, Blue Me Away! by Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear, Plenty of Fish in the Sea by Spoiled, and Party Palace Blue by Confetti. Even though each of these colors was from a different brand, with some being cremes and others metallic, they all looked great together.

All of the colors I used!

What do you think of the finished product?! I received many compliments on this manicure from my coworkers and from customers at my retail job. And even though it looks fancy, it was so easy to accomplish! The ombre trend can be perfected with any color palette. If you don’t have 5 shades of one color like I did, try sunset colors– pink to red, red to orange. You could also use neutrals with white, cream, grey, and black. Or, if you’d like to stick with the ocean hues, but only have a few shades of blue, alternate the colors. The key is to use the polishes you already own in a new way. You don’t always have to spend money for a new look!

Ocean Ombre nails

Try out one (or both!) of these trends and let me know how it turned out in the comments section or on my Facebook page!

Here’s a Tip: Add Glitter!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

 After browsing through many boards on Pinterest lately (click HERE to follow me!), I’ve noticed that glitter is even more popular than usual. Of course, the One for Fun trend is still thriving, but many ladies are sporting some glittery French manicures. Today I decided to give the look a try, so I grabbed a red from O.P.I. and my favorite polish, Rockstar Pink from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. I thought these two colors would look great together, and boy was I right! I am extremely pleased with the results of my manicure.

To achieve the look, I first painted two coats of the red and let it dry completely. I have to admit, I don’t usually wear this color since the red is a bit much for me, but why not go for it, right?! I also don’t even know what the polish is called since it’s an O.P.I. mini from a holiday set. Anyway, once the color dried I got out my Rockstar Pink and went to town. For this French manicure, I wasn’t concerned with getting perfectly straight and clean lines. All I did was slowly dab the glitter along the top of each nail until I got the look I wanted. Thankfully, the glitter is very forgiving, so even though my lines are a bit messy, my manicure still looks awesome. What do you think?

If you want to try out this glitter French manicure, go for it! It’s way easier than I thought it would be. Don’t be afraid to use a variety of colors for both the base coat and glitter. If a bright color (like the red I chose) is too much for you, the traditional French pink is fine. Plus, if you want to have perfect lines, just use some scotch tape! Just be sure to finish up with a top coat so the glitter stays in place. Enjoy!

All It’s Cracked Up to Be

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Since last spring, the crackle trend has been sweeping nail nation. It began with OPI’s Black Shatter, which I trekked all over midtown Manhattan to find with no luck. Thankfully, other brands began to come out with their own crackle polishes, including the much more affordable Sally Hansen. My mom bought me Fuchsia Shock, and let me tell you, I was somewhat shocked the first time I used it! It really does work, and it’s so easy to put on. Plus, it dresses up any manicure. People will be amazed when you show them your nails.

Last Thursday I decided to use crackle on my nails for my mom’s retirement party. I was wearing a bright spring dress with orange, yellow, and pink, and I couldn’t decide what color to paint my nails. Thus, I went with all three! First, I painted my nails with Don’t Be Cheesy from Spoiled and Mellow Yellow from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear. I alternated the orange and yellow colors, painting two thin coats of each. I let this color dry for a bit before applying the crackle. Even though waiting is difficult, you want to make sure your nails are dry so the colors do not blend. Then, apply a coat of the crackle to your nails. You’ll want to move somewhat quickly, but either a thick or thin coat is fine depending on how much color you want to show from underneath. A thinner coat reveals more color. The exciting part is when the crackle begins to appear right before your eyes! It’s so awesome! Make sure to top with your favorite topcoat to event out the layers & add some shine.

So, what do you think, did my nails match my dress well? The lighting on the photo kind of stinks, but you get the idea. This manicure was fun to do, and each polish that I used was under   $6.50! Plus, if you go to Target’s website right now you can get a coupon for $1 off select Sally Hansen polishes. Go grab some new nail polish and let me know what you think of the crackle trend!

 

Painting Properly

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Last night I came across this pin that apparently describes the “correct”way for one to paint her nails. Though it sounded a bit silly, I decided to try it out today to see if the technique really did make a difference. It started out fine, with me letting my top coat dry before I started the color, which I usually don’t do. But then, as I began with the dot of color on my nail, I soon realized that the brush of the nail polish I was using was so big that my entire nail was almost covered with just one stroke. I attempted the trick a few more times, but just felt as if nothing special was being accomplished. I ended up painting my nails the way I normally do and things ended up quite fine. What do you think? Do you have a special, proper way of painting your nails?

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Color is Plastic Flamingo by Spoiled, one of my latest brand obsessions.

Neon Nails

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

This spring you may notice that neons are in, and luckily for me I absolutely love bright colors so it is the perfect opportunity for me to showcase my new nail polish. Last weekend my college had its annual spring event, complete with a mixer, carnival, and concert! Our tickets came with t-shirts, and mine was highlighter yellow. In order to celebrate the brightness, I purchased some new nail polish (duh). As I’m a girl on a budget I chose two colors from Spoiled by Wet n Wild — Did I Dye it Too Blonde? and Plastic Flamingo. You can buy this fantastic brand at drugstores for just $1.99!

I knew I wanted to combine the bright yellow and pink, so I used the technique featured on my Geometric Nails post. This time I did a diagonal on each nail with the scotch tape. Unfortunately I got a bit too excited and didn’t wait for the first coat of polish to dry completely before starting the next. Yet thanks to my special fixing skills, I was able to cover up most of my mistakes. And I’m convinced that during the night the nail fairy came to visit, because when I awoke they looked even more awesome! I am so glad I discovered the scotch tape trick on Pinterest because it’s really easy yet completely dresses up my nails. What do you think of my manicure? Have you tried this technique yet?

Neon party!

Brand Power: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

I admit it, I am a polish picker. In other words, while wearing nail polish, I tend to pick and peel it off. It’s a horrible habit, but it just means that I get to paint my nails more often! Yesterday I realized I had taken off about half off my One for Fun nails, so I decided to change up my look. As a part of this blog, I will be reviewing different brands of nail polish so that you don’t have to stand in the drugstore worrying if the bargain nail polish is going to be clumpy and dumpy. Let’s face it, as young women in the twenty-first century, we want things to be perfect on the first try!

First up at bat is one of my favorite brands, Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear. You can buy Xtreme Wear at drugstores and department stores such as Target for under $3! Bargain hunters like myself can often find this on sale, too. Like many inexpensive nail polishes, Xtreme Wear is a bit of a hit or miss deal. Some of the colors are absolutely my favorites. Not only do they have the perfect texture and thickness, but they stay on for a long time, too. Others, though, are a weird consistency. Because they are so affordable, though, I am of the opinion that it is always worth it to buy Xtreme Wear! 

Xtreme Wear
From left to right, the colors are: Green With Envy, Blue Me Away, Celeb City, Rockstar Pink, Lacey Lilac, Mint Sorbet, and Mellow Yellow.

Above  you’ll find all of the Xtreme Wear colors that I own. I find that Celeb City, Rockstar Pink, and Lacey Lilac are the best of the bunch. The others are nice, too, but I tend to find more smudges and imperfections on my nails when I use them. No matter which color I pick, though, I always get compliments! People are often surprised when I let them in on the secret of Xtreme Wear.

Today I painted my nails with Lacey Lilac. Not only is the pale purple great for spring, but it is subdued enough that I can wear it with many color combinations. Lacey LilacI find that this color also lasts for over a week usually. This pastel is great for those of you who don’t want loud fingers. Or, if you want to liven things up a bit more, you can paint your nails all different shades of purple. Adding some sparkle never hurts either!

There you have it– my first brand review! Have you ever tried Xtreme Wear? Do you like it? What are your favorite colors?

Welcome!

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Welcome to Adventures in Polishland! Nail Polishland, that is! My name is Christina, and although I am studying Political Science and aim to become an entertainment lawyer, I love to paint my nails. Throughout high school, and now in college, I use bright colors and glitter to add some flair to my fingers. Though getting a professional manicure is fun, I can only afford to do so on special occasions. I also don’t like the idea of fake nails, so I make sure to take care of the ones I’ve got. Over the years I’ve gotten many compliments on my nails, so I thought it might be fun to share some of my tips online with all of you. I have recently begun using Pinterest, and I have discovered so many new ideas. This blog will talk about the different brands I use, as well as discuss the new styles and techniques I have found. I hope you will enjoy the coming posts!