nails – Page 18 – Adventures in Polishland

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Manicure Monday | China Glaze Stone Cold

Posted on February 16, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! As you may have noticed, I took a bit of a break from my blog this past week. I’ve just been so busy with school and my internship this semester! Luckily I had a long weekend thanks to President’s Day, and I’ve gotten in some much needed rest. Now I’m here to show you this week’s manicure in the Alphabet Challenge. We’re onto letter C, and I’m trying on a China Glaze polish. Please forgive my winter cuticles in the photos – the NYC temperatures have not been good to my hands!

This is Stone Cold, one of the polishes released in the Hunger Games collection a few years back. Stone Cold is a slate grey polish with a matte formula. It contains a silver shimmer in the base that really makes it look like solid rock! Stone Cold has a really great formula that is opaque in one coat. I applied two above just to test it out. I can’t believe this beauty has lived in my nail polish collection for nearly three years without me using it!

All in all, I am so glad I finally pulled out Stone Cold! It has a really unique color and formula, and I’m certainly a sucker for matte finishes. I do wish clean-up on my cuticles was easier, but now I know to be super careful during application with this one. While Stone Cold was a limited edition shade from China Glaze, it is available on Amazon HERE for $6.49! Make sure to snag it if you want it, though, as there are only four bottles left as I type this!

Please let me know your favorite China Glaze shades in the comments! I love your recommendations!

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

Manicure Monday | Butter London Queen Vic

Posted on February 9, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! It’s time to continue on with the Alphabet Challenge! This week is the letter B, and I reached for a butter LONDON polish that I haven’t worn in quite some time. butter LONDON is definitely a bit outside of my normal price range at $15.00 each, but sometimes I can find them at Nordstrom Rack or other discount stores for a great price. I actually received Queen Vic for review back in 2013 (see that post HERE), but it was fun to use it again!

Queen Vic is a gorgeous deep berry shade with a creme formula. It has a great formula that is opaque in two coats, and dries to a glossy finish without the need of top coat. Queen Vic is a great staple to have in your nail polish collection. It is work appropriate, but still a nicely pigmented shade. Queen Vic is also perfect for any time of year.

All in all, Queen Vic is a great, all-around nail polish! If you feel like splurging on a new polish, I definitely recommend Queen Vic. You can purchase it direct from butter LONDON’s website HERE. Be sure to let me know in the comments what your favorite polish is from butter LONDON!

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

Manicure Monday | Anise Bronzed Babe

Posted on February 2, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’ve been enjoying showing you my manicures each week, so I think I’m going to continue with that this year. One of the nail polish groups I’m a member of on Facebook is hosting an Alphabet Theme Week for the next 26 weeks. I thought this would be really fun to take part in, and so this week I’m joining with the letter A! This week’s brand was A-England, but I don’t own any A-Englands at this point, so I rummaged through my collection to find another A brand. I decided to go with an Anise polish I got three years ago when I first started blogging!

Bronzed Babe is a gorgeous metallic polish that lives up to its name in a bronze shade. It is opaque in two coats and has a great formula that applies with ease. I love the golden shimmer that is mixed throughout Bronzed Babe. It really gives a shiny and liquid metal feel to the look. I did apply a glossy top coat to finish the manicure, and I love the result!

I’m so glad I had an excuse to pull this Anise polish out of my collection to use again. I purchased it almost three years ago in the summer of 2012 and haven’t used it since then! You can purchase Anise polishes at your local DSW store. They are usually located near the cash register, and are often on sale for Buy One Get One 50%. In addition, you can use your DSW coupons on them! I definitely will be checking out my DSW soon now that my love for this brand has been rekindled.

Please let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any Anise polishes, and what shades you recommend!

Zoya Nail Polish Delight Collection for Spring 2015

Posted on January 30, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! Today I’m excited to bring you a full review of the new Delight Collection from Zoya Nail Polish. This collection contains three creme polishes and three shimmer polishes to help you celebrate the spring season. I am always eager to test out the new Zoyas when they arrive to my doorstep, so let’s jump right into my review!

First up is Lillian, a pale blue creme polish. Lillian has a good formula, but I did experience some mild streaking. I applied three coats to get a flawless finish, and I really like the result. I’m definitely a sucker for pastel shades, especially in the spring, so Lillian is a great one to have in my collection.

Next up is Eden, a beautiful pink polish that Zoya calls a “spring flower” shade. Eden’s formula is great, and I applied two coats to achieve opacity. It is a bit on the tacky side, so I recommend thicker coats that you allow to dry completely between layers. If you’ve been a follower of mine for a while, you’ll know that I love pinks! Eden is so nice!

Tiana is the last creme shade in the Delight Collection, and it’s a stunning mint green. Tiana also had a formula that tended to be streaky, so I applied three coats for an even finish. I’m really loving this creme polish. Mint shades are always on trend in the spring, so if you’re looking for one to add to your collection, pick up Tiana!

Rayne is the first shimmer in the collection, and is a unique metallic blue with turquoise shimmer. Rayne is a bit sheer, but has a great formula. I applied three coats to achieve opacity. At first I didn’t really like how Rayne looked on me, but the more I look at it the more I like it! What do you think?!

My biggest surprise in the collection is Daisy, a yellow polish with a yellow shimmer. I wasn’t too excited about this one, but when I put it on I was loving it! Daisy has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats, and the yellow shade looks great with my skin tone. I can’t wait to use it again!

Last but not least is Leslie, a purple polish with a turquoise shimmer. Leslie is my favorite in the line, and has a wonderful formula that is opaque in two coats. I’m drooling over this gorgeous lavender shade. I don’t often wear shimmers every day, but I think Leslie will be an exception!

All in all, the Zoya Delight Collection contains some really fun and unique shades for the spring season! I definitely think Leslie is a must, and would recommend you grab any of the colors that appeal to you. These polishes can be purchased on the Zoya website HERE for $9 each or $54 for the entire set. Please let me know in the comments if you’ll be picking up any of these polishes!

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

Manicure Monday | Essie Play Date

Posted on January 26, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I wanted to share with you my current manicure. I’ve been digging through my nail polish stash lately, and discovered an entire box of purples that I haven’t seen in a long time (yes….a whole box!). I looked through that box and decided to go with one of my old favorites. Let me show you Essie Play Date!

Play Date is a stunning purple creme polish in the lilac and lavender color family. It is opaque in two coats, and has a perfect formula. I think Play Date looks amazing with my skin tone, but I bet it would look great on anyone! I did follow up with a coat of Essie’s Good to Go top coat for some added shine, and because I want this manicure to last the week. However, Play Date has a nice, glossy finish on its own. It’s all-around one of my favorite purples in my entire collection!

You can purchase Essie Play Date on Amazon HERE for $8.50. You can also check your local drugstore and save some cash by using store coupons. For example, CVS often offers a percentage off or a dollar off coupon on anything in the store. Please let me know your favorite Essie polish in the comments!

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

Saran Wrap Ombré Manicure for Valentine’s Day featuring Zoya Nail Polish!

Posted on January 23, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Friday! January is coming to a close soon, and that means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I wanted to create a festive manicure for the holiday of love that was a bit different than the looks I’ve created in the past. I got to thinking and came up with what I think is a super fun and easy nail art look! I raided my Zoya Nail Polish stash and found the shades that I needed. Let me show you what I’ve dubbed the Saran Wrap Ombré!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

For this manicure, I used an off-white base and five polishes ranging from light pink to red. I used all creme formulas for this manicure. You can choose whatever you have in your collection, but the shades I used, from lightest to darkest, are:

Zoya Jacqueline
Zoya Dot
Zoya Kitridge
Zoya Wendy
Zoya Rocha
Zoya Livingston

All of these polishes are available on Zoya’s website HERE.

Saran wrap nail art is super easy to create! I learned this technique from THIS Pin a few years back. All you have to do is paint your nails with a base color (here, Jacqueline). Once your base is dry, layer a coat of another color polish on top of your base and dab a small ball of saran wrap over your nail. You will get a cool marbled effect! Let your nails dry (they will look quite textured) and use a glossy top coat to even out the layers. I used two coats of top coat to get a flawless finish.

This manicure can be a little messy to create, so I recommend you use separate pieces of saran wrap for each color polish. When you’re finished, take a Q-tip or clean-up brush and go around your cuticles with acetone to remove any excess. You will be left with a beautiful ombré manicure that is tied together with the marbled effect. I think it looks stunning!

All in all, I hope you liked this simple Valentine’s Day manicure featuring Zoya Nail Polish! Of course, you can use the saran wrap technique with any polishes and any colors you choose. I will definitely be using this technique more, as I forgot how easy it is to create and how great it looks! Please let me know in the comments if you’ve ever tried a saran wrap manicure, and what your manicure for Valentine’s Day this year will be!

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

Zoya Naturel Satins Collection | Transitional 2015

Posted on January 22, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I am beyond excited today to show you the brand new Zoya Natural Satins Collection! This line of six nail polishes has a unique satin finish that is somewhere between matte and glossy. They are designed to provide opaque coverage that lasts longer than your typical matte manicure, while still looking flawless and super chic. I shrieked when these beauties arrived to me for review, and you’ll see why when I show you the swatches. The Naturel Satins are stunning!

First up is Ana, what Zoya describes as a light almond shade. Ana has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. The Satins have a very unique formula. When you apply them, you think they are going to dry streaky, but as they dry they magically transform into a smooth and flawless finish. Ana is no exception, and I love this unique color.

Next up is Rowan, a light brown polish Zoya describes as a suede taupe. Rowan also has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. I can’t get over how chic these Satin polishes look on me! I would never think to put on a taupe polish for daily wear, but Rowan has changed my mind!

Sage is up next, and it is a gorgeous sage green polish. I really love green polishes, and Sage is no exception! Again, it has a great formula that is opaque in two coats. Sage is also an on-trend color for this time of year (I’ve seen people rocking sage fashion all over NYC!).

Next up is Leah, a Satin polish with just a hint of purple pigmentation. Leah is also opaque in two coats, and has the flawless Satin formula. I love the muted color of this polish, as it is so classy and work appropriate while still being a purple nail polish!

Zoya Tove is another really unique shade! It is a slate grey polish with blue undertones. I applied two coats in the photos above, and I’m loving how it looks. Tove is edgy yet feminine at the same time!

Last but not least is Brittany, a beautiful rose mauve polish, and my favorite in the Satins Collection! I saved Brittany to swatch last because I knew this just had to be my daily manicure of the moment. I’m wearing it as I type up this post! Of course, Brittany has a perfect formula that is opaque in two coats. If you get only one polish from this collection, I highly recommend Brittany!

All in all, I am beyond in love with the Zoya Naturel Satins Collection! As this is Zoya’s transitional line this year, these six polishes can help bring you from winter to spring in style. Each polish has an amazing formula and stunning finish. I can’t recommend them to you enough! You can purchase these polishes on Zoya’s website HERE for $9 each or $54 for the set. Please let me know in the comments which Satins you’ll be picking up!

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

Striping Tape Nail Art featuring Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Moonstone

Posted on January 19, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! I’ve been trying to reach into my nail polish collection and use polishes that I haven’t picked up in a while. This weekend I was drawn in by Sally Hansen Lustre Shine in the shade Moonstone. I decided to create a cool, punk inspired nail art look. Let me show you the final product!

WHAT YOU NEED:

Black Nail Polish – Michael Marcus Once You Go Matte
Opalescent Nail Polish – Sally Hansen Lustre Shine Moonstone [BUY]
Glossy Top Coat – Essie Good to Go [BUY]
Striping Tape [BUY]
Scotch Tape [BUY]

To create this awesome manicure, I began by painting my nails with a black base. Then, I applied two coats of Moonstone over the black and let that dry completely. I then used striping tape to create a double “X” on every nail except my accent nail. Once the striping tape was in place, I painted over it with the black polish and carefully peeled off the tape. For the accent nail, I simply used Scotch tape and left a triangle on the base of my nail. Last but not least, I used a glossy top coat and applied two coats to each nail once my polish was completely dry. This evened out the layers and left me with a shiny finish.

All in all, I am absolutely loving this funky manicure! It was so easy to create and it allowed me to use some of my older polishes in a new way. This look can be adapted to fit your personal tastes by changing up the colors or the patterns. I love experimenting with tape! Please let me know in the comments if you like my manicure, and let me know if you like using striping tape, too.

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

Pinspiration | Neutral & Gold Manicure + Using Your Textured Polishes in a New Way!

Posted on January 13, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Tuesday! I’ve really been into Pinterest lately, and spotted THIS beautiful accent nail that I just had to recreate. Neutrals are really great in the winter months, but the pop of gold sparkle added a classy yet fabulous touch to the manicure. I searched through my nail polish collection to see which shades matched the Pin best, and to my surprise the best full coverage gold glitter I owned was a textured formula. I decided to make it work! Let me show you the results!

Step 1: Paint Your Nails with a Nude Beige Polish

I chose Milani Vanilla Almond (review HERE), but you can use whatever polish you own. Make sure you let this base dry completely before moving onto step two. I actually let my manicure dry overnight, but to be safe I think 1-2 hours will be satisfactory depending on the formula of the polish and the humidity of your location.

Step 2: Apply Tape to Nail and Paint an Off-White Diagonal

I’ve used the tape trick since my blog’s inception. Simply take a small piece of tape, press it on the back of your hand to remove some of the stickiness, then place on your nail. Paint over the tape and remove while the polish is still wet. I use Color Club Mod in Manhattan (review HERE) as my off-white polish. If you only own a white, that will work, too!

Step 3: Apply Tape on Opposite Side of Nail and Paint a Gold Glitter Diagonal

Finally, repeat the above step with the tape on the opposite side of your nail. Again, make sure to let step two dry completely before moving on. As you can see from my manicure, I didn’t wait for my polish to dry enough and had to touch up the lines. For my gold glitter I chose JulieG Gift of Gold. This is a textured polish, but it was the most full coverage of all my gold glitters. To achieve a glossy finish, I simply applied Essie Good to Go over the entire nail! I’m loving the finished product!

All in all, it is super easy to create this neutral and gold manicure so long as you have a bit of patience with the drying process. Of course, you can use any nail polish colors you wish to recreate this look, but I think this color palette is stunning. Even though textured polishes may not be on trend anymore, you can still find ways to use those that you purchased in nail art and by applying a glossy top coat. Please let me know in the comments if you’ll be recreating this look!

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

5 Marsala Nail Polishes You Already Own | Pantone Color of the Year 2015

Posted on January 4, 2015August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Now that 2015 is in full swing, it’s time to embrace the new Color of the Year! Every year, Pantone deems one color shade to be the Color of the Year. This year is Marsala, an earthy wine red that looks to me like a deep, dusty mauve. You can read all about Marsala on the Pantone website HERE, but today I’ll be talking about Marsala nail polishes! I’ve raided my own nail polish stash to find the shades that match up best with 2015’s new color. Let me show you the five Marsala nail polishes that you might already own!

Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer

Mauving Forward [REVIEW] [BUY]

Mauving Forward is an affordable polish that fits nicely within the Marsala family. It definitely has some purple undertones, but the pigmented formula is great. Plus, this new range from Milani can easily be found online or at your local CVS store.

Milani Limited Edition Textured Creams

Mystery Mauve [REVIEW]

If you purchased Mystery Mauve from the limited edition Textured Creams collection last fall you are in luck! It is a great Marsala shade, plus it has that fun textured feel. Time to dig out your bottle from last year!

Zoya Naturel Collection

Normani [REVIEW] [BUY]

If you prefer more muted nails, try Normani. It’s a bit lighter than Marsala, but still similar to that gorgeous hue. I highly recommend this shade for those with a fair skin tone!

Zoya Naturel Deux Collection

Aubrey [REVIEW] [BUY]

Another great pick is from the second Zoya Naturel line. Aubrey is a much more pigmented mauve, and is one of the closest matches I have to a true Marsala in my collection. Aubrey is also a polish that can be worn in any season.

Julep

Aisha [REVIEW] [BUY]

Finally, if you prefer more of a bold shade try Aisha. It’s definitely brighter than Marsala and has some berry tones to it, but it’s for sure in the Marsala family. Try adding a matte top coat to soften the look if you want.

All in all, as Pantone embraces a new Color of the Year we can reach into our nail polish collections to find our own Marsala polishes. There is no need to splurge on new releases (though you are more than welcome to do so if you wish!). Even if you don’t have a perfect Marsala match, any mauve shade will do. Leave your favorite Marsala polishes in the comments so I can know what you’ll be rocking in 2015!

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