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LVX Vegan Nail Lacquer: Fall 2013 Collection

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

Happy Monday! Today I am excited to share with you three polishes from the LVX fall collection. I first reviewed LVX polish back in May (see that review HERE), and I’ve been obsessed ever since! It has definitely become one of the brands I reach for in my nail polish collection, because I know the polish will always look flawless. Let me show you the gorgeous shades for fall!

First up is Dahlia, a deep burgundy polish that has a “crelly” finish (not quite creme, not quite jelly). The formula is fantastic! It applies well, and is opaque in two coats. If you’re looking for a great off-black polish this season, definitely pick up Dahlia. I love the hint of red color, and this shade is super trendy right now!

Next up is Cashmere, a gray creme polish. Cashmere has a good formula that is opaque in two coats. Because of its light shade, I suggest careful application to ensure you are not left with streaks. I just love the addition to Cashmere in the fall collection, as it is perfect for sweater weather, and will look good with any outfit. It’s such a unique shade!

Last but not least is Azzurrum, a navy creme polish. Azzurrum is absolutely perfect! It is opaque in two coats and applies with ease. I’ve already worn this shade twice since I’ve received it, and I can’t get enough. The formula is long-lasting, and the color will never go out of style. Azzurrum is definitely my favorite of the bunch!

All in all, I am once again quite impressed with these nail polishes from LVX. These three shades are half of the six-piece fall collection, which can be purchased on the brand’s website HERE for $16 each. While LVX is definitely a high end nail lacquer, I highly recommend them. They make perfect holiday gifts as well. Also be sure to like LVX on Facebook HERE.

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

Glitter Gal 3D Holographic in Teal Green from Beautometry.com!

Posted on March 21, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Thursday! I apologize for being a bit off of my posting schedule this week. I’m back with a really cool polish from the brand Glitter Gal! This polish comes all the way from Australia, but is available to those of us from the USA through the retailer Beautometry. Glitter Gal is definitely a splurge nail polish, as it retails for $13.50. Make sure you read this entire entry to get a 10% off coupon code for your next purchase!

Here is the beautiful Teal Green from Glitter Gal’s 3D Holographic line! Teal Green is opaque in two coats, and is a gorgeous linear holographic nail polish. The formula was great, and it had the perfect application. I would call this a true green holo, as it reminded me of a Christmas green instead of a teal. I was also impressed with how quickly this polish dried. My one complaint is that it has a funny smell on my nails, even once it is dry. I’m not sure why that is!

I wanted to include these two photographs so you could see the strong holographic effect this Glitter Gal polish truly has! With the flash from my camera, you can see how the light really transforms the look of the polish! I’m very impressed with the strong holo!

All in all, I loved trying this Glitter Gal polish! I probably wouldn’t buy myself any due to the high price, but if you are looking to try this international brand I definitely suggest going through the website Beautometry that sponsored this review because you will get 10% off when using the code “polishland” at checkout! You can also purchase A England and LynBDesigns from this retailer. Simply click HERE to shop!

Have you ever tried Glitter Gal before?! What do you think of this holographic nail polish?!

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

Bimonthly Beauty Post: Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup Review

Posted on March 4, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Monday! Today I have a review of the new foundation I bought about a month ago. I posted about it during my beauty haul, and I had a request for a full review. Unlike many of the products I feature on Adventures in Polishland, this one is far from affordable! At $39, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup is definitely an investment product. With my experience so far, I am happy to say I feel like I am getting my money’s worth!

I have been using UD Naked Skin as my daily foundation. I love that it is very light and evens out my skin tone without being caked on my face. This product is also very customizable — I wear one layer for a natural look, but you could add another layer for more coverage. UD Naked Skin is also very blendable. A little bit of this product really does go a long way! It’s also very helpful that the bottle comes with a pump, since many drugstore foundations do not.

Above you can see what the foundation looks like on my hand before and after I blend it in. Because I walk outside in the sun a lot, my face is actually a bit darker than my hands, so that is why the foundation looks a bit dark for my skin in the photos. As you can see, just a dab of the foundation evens out to provide light coverage. You can still see any freckles or imperfections (here, my veins), but the overall coloring is evened and improved.

Overall, I am quite happy with my splurge purchase. The only thing I don’t like about UD Naked Skin is that I have to seal it with a powder to reduce shine. Other than that, I’m very impressed. I have also been using this foundation almost every day for a month and there is no visible fill line at all! This is going to last me a very long time!

You can buy UD Naked Skin at Sephora HERE for $39. There are lots of shades to choose from to find the perfect look for you!

Bimonthly Beauty Post: Welcome & Haul!

Posted on February 4, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

I am excited to announce a new feature here at Adventures in Polishland. Twice each month you will now be getting a post dedicated to beauty and skincare products. Called the Bimonthly Beauty Post (BBP), this series will showcase hauls, reviews, and more! I have recently taken strides in my life to take better care of myself and my skin. Join me on my journey to looking and feeling beautiful!

Today I have a beauty haul to share! It seems as if all my products are running out at the same time, and there are a few new items I’ve been wanting to try as well. I headed to the Union Square area of New York City to stop by Nordstrom Rack and Sephora. Let me show you all the goodies I got!

Top row: Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Pore Scrub, Burts Bees Facial Cleansing Towlettes, Soap & Glory Heel Genius.
Bottom row: Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation, Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, Not Your Mother’s Beat the Heat

The first stop on my journey was Nordstrom Rack. Like Marshalls and TJMaxx, you never know what you are going to find there. I was hoping to get as many items as possible at a discounted price. Not only was the store extremely busy, but the beauty section seemed to be a bit picked over. I have to remember to go during the week from now on! Nonetheless I picked up two items. I’ve been needing a face exfoliant to help remove the dry skin I get, and I decided to go with the new Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Pore Scrub. Originally I had been contemplating the Clinique Exfoliator that retails for around $19, but I am happy I settled with this one for just $6.97! I try to use natural products whenever I can, and I think this one will be gentle. I can’t wait to try it out! I also got Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes with White Tea Extract. I love cleansing wipes like these because they take off makeup in a breeze and leave your skin feeling instantly clean. I often use them before bed, or when I get home from school. I’ve never tried any from Burt’s Bees before, but a 30-pack was only $5.97 so I couldn’t pass them up! That price and quantity is better than what I get from the drugstore.

Sephora was the next stop on my beauty haul journey! I rarely shop at Sephora because of the high prices, but I was in the mood to splurge on some great quality products. First up I grabbed Soap & Glory Heel Genius Amazing Foot Cream. I have been using Julep’s Best Pedi Creme Ever each night before bed, and I love it. The only problem is I go through it quickly and it’s sold out online! I grabbed this substantially larger bottle for $16. I’m hoping it lives up to its name!

The next item I splurged on is the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup in the color 3. I’m still a bit shocked at myself that I bought foundation for $38, but this bottle is going to last me a very long time, and is of the best quality. I tried a sample of this stuff and fell in love. I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but I do like to put my best face forward. This will keep my skin looking natural and non-oily all day! Finally, my last Sephora splurge was the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish. I have been desperately needing a lip exfoliant, and because I know that Fresh Sugar makes amazing products I went for it and paid $22.50 for this little tub. I tried this out as soon as I got home, and I am loving it already! My lips are completely smooth and free of dry skin. Plus, you only need the tiniest amount. This thing is going to last me a long time!

Last but not least, I stopped by Ricky’s NYC on the way back to my apartment. I am an avid flat iron user, so I make sure to use heat protectant to at least prevent some damage. I’ve been using a bottle of Frizz-Ease Heat Defeat for over a year now, and was about to buy a replacement bottle when I spotted a similar product called Not Your Mother’s Beat the Heat for an entire $6 cheaper. I decided to switch it up and try out this protectant instead. I hope it lasts me as long as the Frizz-Ease!

My grand total for this beauty haul was a whopping $103.90 with tax. Although this is way more than I usually spend, I’m glad I got some great products that will last me a very long time. If you would like to see a detailed review of any of these items, please let me know in the comments! Stay tuned to Adventures in Polishland for more Bimonthly Beauty Posts, and for your regularly scheduled nail polish!

Illamasqua Rampage and a Jelly Sandwich!

Posted on January 22, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Good morning, and happy Tuesday! Today I am bringing you a splurge polish. While I value a bargain, sometimes it is nice to treat myself to a higher priced polish. I bought my first Illamasqua at the end of the summer at Sephora for $14. I’ve already used it for three manicures, so I’m making sure to get my money’s worth! Let me show you this jelly polish.

Illamasqua Rampage is a dark green polish with a jelly finish. Unlike many jellies, I was able to achieve opacity with just two coats! This polish’s formula is just okay — it was a bit streaky and uneven. This is characteristic of jelly polishes, but because it is a higher end brand, I expect a bit more from it. I also find it difficult to make my manicure look perfect with this one, but if I make too much of a mess I can just clean it up afterwards. Formula issues aside, I love this color! I wore it for the first time on Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t help but carry this trend over into winter.

You may remember my last post, where I used Rampage as the base color for Are You My Mummy? from Lucky 13 Lacquer (see that post HERE). Well, I couldn’t help but make a jelly sandwich! Here’s how it came out.

I am absolutely thrilled with the final product! If you don’t know what a jelly sandwich is, you can see THIS post for more information. Basically, it’s when you layer glitter in between layers of jelly nail polish. To get the look above, I have on two coats of Rampage, two coats of Are You My Mummy?, and one very thin coat of Rampage. Because of the dark color of this Illamasqua, I made sure to use a very thin coat over the glitter so I could still see the different shapes and colors. I would say this mani upgrade was a complete success!

You can purchase Illamasqua nail polish on Sephora’s website for $14 per bottle.

Simple Saturday: Essie in Play Date

Posted on December 29, 2012August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Today I am starting a new series on my blog called Simple Saturday. Sometimes I have swatches of polish that I used as a base for a glitter manicure, or simply just a polish that can be summed up in a few words. I think these polishes still warrant a blog entry, but it can be just a quick one. Thus, Simple Saturday! Let me show you today’s polish.

Essie Play Date is a beautiful lilac purple nail polish. It has a cream finish that is opaque in two coats. The formula is spot on with this polish — it had a smooth application and dried very quickly. Plus, I just love the color! I am a fan of purples to begin with, but Play Date is stunning. Typically pastel purples are very pale, but this one is rich in color. Play Date is perfect on its own, or can be used as a base for glitter polishes. In fact, I already used it with Cameo Colours Lacquer in Stroke of Midnight! See that post HERE.

Essie nail polishes are what I consider to be midrange in terms of pricing. Sold at around $8 in drugstores and department stores, Essie is worth the splurge on occasion because of its fantastic formula and wide range of colors. New collections come out every few months! I definitely suggest adding Play Date to your stash!

Illamasqua Optimist: It’s Okay to Splurge (Sometimes)

Posted on September 3, 2012August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

While Adventures in Polishland is all about fabulous nails at an affordable price, there are times when it is okay to splurge on a special polish. After seeing beautiful swatches of the Illamasqua Limited Edition Rubber Finish Nail Varnish over at LacqueredLover.com, I decided to treat myself to a polish from the collection to celebrate my start of law school. I headed over to Sephora’s website, and chose Optimist, what Illamasqua describes as “warm yellow.” I was a bit surprised when my new polish came in the mail and it was a bright orange! At first I was a little bummed, but I paid $14 for my new Illamasqua and the least I could do was try it on.

I have never tried a polish with a rubber finish before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The formula is easy to work with, but you can definitely see any imperfections and brush strokes. I began with two coats, but I added a third coat just to make sure the finish looked the way I wanted it to. I knew that I wouldn’t be using a top coat with this polish, because the whole point is to showcase the rubber finish! It took a little while for me to get used to this new look, but after a few hours I came to love Optimist!

The color of Optimist actually reminds me of the Crayola crayon “Macaroni and Cheese.” I love how smooth and creamy the finish looks. I have been looking for the perfect orange polish, and I found it here with Illamasqua’s Optimist even though I thought I was buying a yellow polish. This color is great for fall, and even reminded me a bit of a pumpkin. I like how the color is bright, but not a neon. That way it a bit more subdued, and not as “in your face.”

Though I can’t spend $14 for nail polish on a regular basis, I am sure glad I splurged on Illamasqua. If you are looking to try out a great, higher end brand be sure to stop by your local Sephora store. After buying this polish online and being surprised by the color, I definitely suggest looking at these in person first. That way you will find the perfect color for you!

Have you tried Illamasqua polish? What do think of Optimist?

Little Black Bag: Take Two

Posted on July 19, 2012August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Remember a few weeks back when I posted about my first Little Black Bag? Well, I decided to splurge on one more, and boy have I learned some tricks! Little Black Bag is another monthly subscription that costs $50 per month. You pick the first item (handbag, jewelry, makeup, etc), and then are given 3-4 more items from the stylists. Then, you have one week to trade your items with other LBB members. The goal is to get lots of items at a high value. Last time, I got a purse and two ncLA nail polishes. This month, with very careful trading, I not only got a purse, but I got three nail polishes and nail wraps! Let me show you everything I got.

Look at all that great stuff! The handbag is the real highlight. It is a Nica Sinead Satchel bag that retails at $98. This bag is even more gorgeous in real life than it was online. It has a snap closure, an adjustable strap, and a gorgeous floral pattern on the front. Inside, it has lots of pockets & zippered compartments. I can’t wait to use it! I think I may make this my everyday handbag in place of my three-year-old Coach that I’ve had a hard time parting with. With this handbag alone I have already made a great deal, spending only $50 for this $98 purse.

Next, I got a set of nail wraps from ncLA that retail at $16. I got the pattern Geri. I’ve never tried any nail stickers or wraps before, so I can’t wait to see how these work! According to ncLA, all you need is clear nail polish, so one day I’ll be blogging about these. Have any of you tried them yet?

Finally, I got three Michael Marcus nail polishes, which are worth $15 each! From left to right, the colors are Brilliant Sand, Fuchsia Have a Good Time, and Paradise Pink. One thing I love just by looking at these polishes is the bottle’s shape! It’s a fun, geometric look. I’ve never seen that on any other polish before. I’m very excited to try these out as well! The colors are beautiful. Have you tried Michael Marcus out before?

You may have noticed in the photo of all my goodies together that there is one more item pictured. For the month of July, LBB provided its users with a bonus sample of Redken hair products. This bonus was the secret to my success this month! I traded my sample multiple times to get nail polish. I guess some people would prefer to have hair product versus a polish (silly, I know!). In the end, I did keep one Redken sample– anti frizz milk. I look forward to using this, too!

All in all, the value of my entire LBB is $159– over $100 in savings! If you are willing to spend the $50 up front to purchase LBB each month, then you are definitely getting a good deal. Because I do not have room for LBB in my budget, I am not going to be purchasing any more for a while. The great thing about this website is that I can choose to skip any month that I don’t wish to purchase. Perhaps one day I will splurge on this again!

If you are not yet a Little Black Bag member, please click HERE to join.