winter – Adventures in Polishland

Tag: winter

Defeat Winter Hair & Skin with InstaNatural | Argan Oil, Argan Oil Hair Mask & Vitamin C Serum Reviews

Posted on January 18, 2015August 8, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have three product reviews to share with all of you. I recently discovered a brand called InstaNatural that is dedicated to creating safe, affordable, and natural skincare products. InstaNatural recently came out with its first hair mask as well, so they sent me three goodies to test out. If you’re looking to pamper your skin and hair in these cold winter months, this is the post for you!

ARGAN OIL

4oz Bottle – $17.95

BUY: Amazon | InstaNatural Store

About the Product

“InstaNatural’s 100% Pure & Organic Argan Oil is a multipurpose moisturizer essential to helping you achieve beautiful skin, hair, nails and body. The cold-pressed oil is lightweight, fast absorbing, and free of fragrances, chemicals and preservatives. Whether you are looking to freshen and soothe dry skin, repair damaged hair, or strengthen brittle nails and cuticles, the application of natural Argan oil is a perfect addition to your daily regime.” – InstaNatural

My Experience

I was nervous to test out this Argan Oil because in the past a similar product broke out my skin terribly. I decided that I would not use this oil on my face because my skin can be sensitive. Instead, I use it primarily on my hands. It is perfect for my dry hands, and it really soothes my cuticles. I do find the scent a bit weird, but that’s due to InstaNatural leaving the oil in its natural state. It’s not totally overwhelming, so I can deal with it! Plus, I really love that this oil comes with a pump bottle so I don’t have to worry about a mess. Just one pump is enough to moisturize my hands.

ARGAN OIL HAIR MASK

8oz Tub – $17.95

BUY: Amazon | InstaNatural Store

About the Product

“InstaNatural’s Argan Oil Hair Mask is a deep conditioning treatment designed to transform dry and damaged strands into soft, shiny, healthy hair. Its restorative ingredients – such as Argan Oil, Japanese Green Tea, Amino Acid Complex, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil, Avocado Oil & Vitamin B5 – work together to penetrate hair deep down and deliver ultimate nourishment and hydration to enhance texture and shine. This intensive blend full of organic ingredients also serves to strengthen hair to defend against heat damage and other external aggressors.” – InstaNatural

My Experience

This hair mask came into my life at the perfect time! Not only am I about to run out of the hair mask I’ve been using, but my hair is definitely suffering in this dry, winter weather. My favorite thing about this Argan Oil Hair Mask is that it can be used either as a deep conditioning treatment 1-2 times per week or in place of your regular conditioner. To use as a treatment, let the mask soak into your hair for 5-20 minutes and then rinse out. Otherwise, use as you would your daily conditioner. I chose to use the mask as a treatment. I really like the texture as it is lighter than a typical hair mask but still heavy enough for some deep conditioning. I left it on my fine hair for about five minutes and was really surprised when I didn’t have much to rinse out. My hair was so dry it absorbed nearly all of the oil! In fact, my hair looked shinier and felt smoother all day long, too. I’ll be using this on the regular for sure!

VITAMIN C SERUM

1oz Bottle – $16.97

BUY: Amazon | InstaNatural Store

About the Product

“InstaNatural’s Vitamin C Serum is an enriched formula packed with ingredients that hydrate and nourish skin to fight against the signs of aging. Our new formula now includes even more nutrients to help diminish the appearance of spots and discoloration, such as rosehip oil, argan oil, plant stem cells, algae extract and sea buckthorn oil. The vigorous combination of these ingredients form a super serum blend that delivers ultimate antioxidant care for your skin.” – InstaNatural

My Experience

I’ve used a different Vitamin C Serum in the past and fell in love with it. Same goes for this one from InstaNatural! I was a bit surprised to see that this serum is a bit on the thick side and is a bright orange color. However, this serum feels amazing and I can definitely feel the difference in my skin after just one week of use. My skin is more hydrated, even, and clear, and it just looks better as well. I’ve even gone a few days without my normal makeup routine because I just feel more confident. This Vitamin C Serum is a keeper for sure!

All in all, I’m so glad InstaNatural gave me the opportunity to test out the brand’s products! I’m really impressed with each one, and I’m especially loving the Vitamin C Serum and Argan Oil Hair Mask. I also love the amazing prices of the InstaNatural products. You get a LOT of product for the price – it’s almost like buying in bulk when it comes to the Hair Mask! I highly recommend you check out this fabulous line!

Connect with InstaNatural

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The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review. This post contains some 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.

Simple Saturday | Julep Cloud Manicure

Posted on December 27, 2014August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Saturday! Now that Christmas is over, I took the time to paint my nails after going a week without any polish. I rather enjoy short nails, and after doing so much housework the past week to get ready for holiday get-togethers, I actually enjoyed chopping them down. Since I am separated from my nail polish stash at the moment, I raided Momma Polishland’s collection (with her permission, of course). She’s grown quite a substantial pile of polishes in the past few years – that seems to happen when your daughter is a nail polish blogger, even if she’s moved out of the house! Let me show you the quick and easy nail art look I created.

I began with a base of Julep Dianna, a stunning navy polish. Dianna has a great formula, and I applied two thin coats to achieve opacity. This was easily done very fast – I forgot that Julep switched to wide, flat brushes! They can be tricky at first, but really easy to use once you get the hang of the feel.

For an accent nail, I grabbed Julep Briana, a mint shade that leans towards blue. I thought Briana looked perfect when paired with Dianna! I simply used the cloud nail art technique (full details on how to create the clouds HERE). The creme formulas look amazing, and the blue tones are wintery yet no longer holiday themed. I applied a glossy top coat to finish the look, and I was good to go!

All in all, I am really happy with my simple manicure. It looks fancy with the cloud accent nail, but was so easy to create. You can actually grab Briana for just $4.99 on Julep’s website HERE in the Savvy Deals section today. If you spend $25 or more from now until December 28, you get a free gift worth $50 with promo code SAVVY. This is definitely a great bargain! Be sure to let me know in the comments what you think of my manicure, and if you are picking up anything during Julep’s sale. Also, don’t forget to enter my 3rd Annual New Year’s Eve Manicure Contest! Details on how to enter HERE.

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

Stay Moisturized this Winter with NIVEA and Duane Reade! #DRNIVEA

Posted on November 13, 2013November 16, 2013 by Adventures in Polishland

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While it’s technically still autumn, we experienced our first snowfall of the season here in New York City just yesterday! As the temperatures drop outside and the heat is turned up indoors, my skin sure takes a beating (and I’m sure yours does, too!). I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect moisturizer to ensure that my hands and cuticles are not only in shape for blogging about nail polish, but feeling soft in general. With the holidays just around the corner, dry skin should not be an added something to worry about. I headed to my local Duane Reade store and picked up a couple products from NIVEA to combat my already appearing winter skin!

On my shopping trip, I grabbed the NIVEA Extended Moisture Body Lotion and NIVEA Lip Butter in Smooth Kiss. Both were easy to spot in the Health & Beauty sections of my Duane Reade store – the blue and white logo really stands out!

I couldn’t wait to give the NIVEA Extended Moisture Body Lotion a try. My poor hands needed some TLC! So far, I’m loving how this lotion works. It leaves my skin very smooth, yet not greasy. Plus, it is not fragranced, so it just has a fresh, regular lotion smell that won’t wrinkle your nose (perfect for those that can’t do scents!). Just as the bottle advertises, the NIVEA Extended Moisture Body Lotion is very long lasting. I’ll be sure to use this during the hectic holiday season to cut down on how often I need to apply moisturizer!

I was also really excited to try the NIVEA Lip Butter in Smooth Kiss. I’ve heard so many great things about these lip balms in the beauty community that I was wondering what I was missing. Normally I’m not a fan of lip balms that come in a pot (and not a tube), but this one is large enough in circumference that I’m not worried about getting the product under my fingernails. As you can see, it fits snugly in the palm of my hand.

As for my thoughts on the NIVEA Lip Butter, I’m loving it! Smooth Kiss is fragrance free, but if you prefer a flavored lip balm there are others from which to choose. I also find that it truly does have a buttery texture! It feels so nice and creamy on the lips. If I have any product left on my finger after application, I just rub it into my hands. I’m sure the extra moisture doesn’t hurt, right?!

All in all, I’m really impressed with these products from NIVEA. As we head into winter here in NYC, I know I will get great use out of them. Not only will they keep my skin looking fabulous during the holiday season, but the prices are affordable as well! The NIVEA Extended Moisture Body Lotion is just $9.99 for a 16.9 fluid ounce bottle, and the NIVEA Lip Butter is just $4.29. Make sure to stop by your local Duane Reade store to pick up these products today, and enter the Duane Reade and NIVEA contest on Facebook to win a trip to Time’s Square on New Year’s Eve! All details can be found HERE.

Cuticle Care: Sunny’s Miracle Balm from 365 Days of Color

Posted on January 27, 2013August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I have something a bit different for you. I don’t have any nail polish, but I do have a fabulous and affordable nail care product! Last month, I won a giveaway from the blog Glittery and Polished. One of my prizes was a tub of Sunny’s Miracle Balm from the indie brand 365 Days of Color. I couldn’t wait to give it a try!

Sunny’s Miracle Balm is a cuticle balm that keeps your cuticles moisturized. I was thrilled to win this during the cold, winter months! Plus, if you change your nail polish a lot like I do, your cuticles have seen better days! Remover is extremely drying, so it’s important to keep your hands looking and feeling good. I love this balm in particular because it is 100% organic, and includes vitamin E, biotin, and odorless garlic oil to help strengthen the nails as well as moisturize. It’s an all-around great nail care product!

I have been applying Sunny’s Miracle Balm every night when I go to bed. I take a small amount and rub it all around the cuticle and the nail. The balm is a bit greasy, but that’s why I apply it at nighttime when I won’t need my hands. The scent I have is Pink Sugar, and it smells amazing! I can’t quite explain it, but it’s very sweet and when I wake up in the morning my hands smell great! I also noticed improvement in my cuticles after just a few uses of Sunny’s Miracle Balm. They’re not as dry, and thus not as noticeable! I usually get hangnails in the winter because my hands are so dry, but I haven’t gotten any so far this season! I’m betting that this balm has something to do with it!

All in all, I highly recommend that you get yourself a tub of Sunny’s Miracle Balm. They come in dozens of scents, so I’m sure there is one for you! Plus, they are only $3 for a 0.5oz tub (like the one pictured above). If you aren’t sure which scent you would like, Sunny also offers a sampler of three tubs for $5. You really can’t beat this deal! Shop online HERE and follow 365 Days of Color on Facebook HERE.

Zoya Ornate Collection for Holiday/Winter 2012!

Posted on November 11, 2012August 12, 2015 by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Sunday! Today I will be reviewing the 2012/2013 holiday collection from Zoya Nail Polish called the Ornate Collection. This gorgeous line is comprised of six polishes that are perfect for the upcoming holidays and winter months. Let me show you each of the polishes from the Ornate Collection!

First up is Ziv, a beautiful gold. Ziv is a metallic polish with a foil finish, and is one of two foils in the Ornate Collection. The color is multidimensional, with hints of yellow, silver, and a warmer gold, too. Ziv is opaque in two coats and dries very quickly. It is the perfect gold nail polish to have in your polish collection! It shines in the light, but can also be great for those who like neutrals. My only gripe with Ziv is that removal takes longer than usual due to the metallic quality of this polish. Other than that, it is a fantastic gold!

The other foil polish in the Ornate Collection is Logan, a stunning green with undertones of yellow and blue. Logan is truly the perfect Christmas green! I definitely plan on wearing this during the holidays. Just like Ziv, Logan is opaque in two coats and dries quickly. It was also a bit difficult to remove, but is worth it for the fabulous color. Logan is a very unique green polish, so if you love green this is a must have!

Up next in the Ornate Collection is Blaze. This polish is the first of three polishes in this line full of holographic glitters! Blaze is a deep red color that Zoya calls mulberry. It is opaque in two coats, and I just love the formula! The three holographic polishes in this collection apply very smoothly and easily, but the downside is they take a long time to dry. I suggest giving yourself plenty of drying time with these polishes, because you are going to want to wear them! The holographic glitter is stunning! I am not a huge fan of red nail polish, but Blaze is another that is just perfect for Christmas. Very festive!

The next holographic polish in the Ornate Collection is Aurora. This is my favorite polish in this collection! Aurora is what Zoya calls a sugarplum purple, but I definitely see this almost as a pink. Nonetheless, Aurora is absolutely gorgeous! The holographic glitter just brings this polish to life. Like Blaze, it is opaque in two coats. Make sure to give yourself that extra drying time, but it is so worth it! I even got compliments on this polish while I was on the Subway! If I had to get one polish from this collection, it would be Aurora.

Storm is the final holographic polish in the Ornate Collection, and is a black polish full of that eye-catching holographic glitter. Storm is opaque in two coats, and has that same amazing formula that Blaze and Aurora have. This is a great polish if you are looking to dress up a black manicure. It goes with any outfit, and the glitters really stand out against the black base. Storm is an alternative for those of us who like something more exciting than the basic black polish. It reminds me a bit of Orly Rock Solid (see review of that polish HERE), but instead of a grainy finish, it is smooth as can be! I love the glossy finish.

The sixth and final polish in the Ornate Collection is Electra. This polish is a clear base filled with holographic bar glitters. I decided to layer it over Storm in the photos above. Believe it or not, that is just one coat of Electra! As you can see, Storm is still quite visible underneath, so I wouldn’t want to wear Electra on its own (but you certainly can!). I am personally not a huge fan of bar glitter, but if you are then this polish is for you! It is unbelievably shiny! I suggest lots of top coat with Electra to make sure all the glitters stay in place.

I hope you like the Zoya Ornate Collection as much as I do! It is perfect for the holidays, and is right on trend for the season. You can purchase the Ornate Collection for $48, or each polish individually for $8, on the Zoya website HERE. Zoya will even throw in a free gift on any order over $30! Make sure you have this gorgeous collection on your nails this winter.

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