Ipsy v. Birchbox: Round Three! May 2013

Happy Sunday! It is round three of Ipsy v. Birchbox here at Adventures in Polishland. Even though Birchbox won the first two rounds (see Round One HERE and Round Two HERE), I felt that I needed at least three months of each subscription service to really test the waters for good. At $10 each, I am getting some great new products for an affordable price. I’ve already used up quite a few of the samples! This month I got some really nice products as well. Let me show you what was inside!

 

First up is my Ipsy Glam Bag! This month’s theme is Spring Fling, and I am just adoring the cosmetic bag we got this month. I love the bright chevron pattern, and it is a waterproof material that will be perfect for the summer months. I’m quite impressed with the quality of the bag as well — it feels nice and sturdy! Let me describe the products I got from left to right!

• Juice Beauty Reflecting Lip Gloss in Champagne – $7.50 – Juice Beauty is a very popular brand in these subscriptions! This month I got a really pretty lip gloss in a nude color. I tried this out a few times, and I do like it. It is very sheer, and although it looks very glittery in the tube it doesn’t make my lips look like a disco ball. Instead, it has a nice shine. What I don’t like is the smell! It smells strange, but I think it is because it’s organic and has natural fragrances only. Also, though this is packaged like a full size lip gloss, it is exactly one half of the full size that Juice Beauty sells online. Nonetheless, this is a great sample with a great value!
• Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment – $13.50 – I have been wanting to try some of the hair cair products from Macadamia, so I am beyond excited for this product! It smells divine, and I already see a big difference in my hair since I started using it. I apply the tiniest amount from my ears down after I get out of the shower, and my hair is much softer and less frizzy than usual. This sample size retails for $13.50, and will last me a while since a little bit goes a long way. I am so happy with this sample!
• Zoya in Julie – $8 – This month each Ipsy subscriber got a full size nail polish from the Zoya Lovely collection. I got Julie, but unfortunately I already own the entire Lovely collection. While I do think it is great to get a full size polish in these subscription services, the Lovely collection came out back in December, and many nail polish aficionados already own the colors they want. Similarly, my bottle came a bit damaged, and I noticed that many other subscribers received damaged bottles as well. Part of my thinks Zoya sent Ipsy all of the bottles they didn’t want to sell themselves! I love the idea behind this polish, but I wish we got something from a newer collection that wasn’t damaged.
• St. Tropez Instant Glow Body Lotion – $6.27 – Next up is a self-tanner body lotion. I’ve tried the one from Jergens before, and loved the results yet hated the smell. This one is just the opposite! There is no smell, yet the color is way too dark for my pale skin, and I wasn’t able to achieve a natural look. I think this is a great sample size, but unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I’m going to try it again once I have more of a natural tan.
• Yaby Concealer Refill in Buff - $4.85 – I am also very excited for this concealer from Yaby, another brand that Ipsy seems to like a lot as well! I’ve been needing a new concealer, and I’m glad Ipsy sent me one that seems like the perfect shade for me! I know some subscribers received incorrect colors in their glam bag, but make sure you go to the Ipsy website to edit your profile. I can’t wait to use this concealer, and it will fit in the Glam RX palette I got back in March.

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $40.12

OVERALL OPINION: I’m very happy with my Ipsy glam bag this month! The value is great, and I got three products I will definitely use. Unfortunately I already had the nail polish, and the St. Tropez lotion isn’t really my thing. Other than that, I will get a lot of use out of the other products. I am most excited about the Macadamia hair treatment!

RATING (1-5, 1 BEING WORST & 5 BEING BEST): 4

Now onto my May Birchbox! This month there wasn’t really a theme, but each box came with a fun Mad Libs type activity. Fill in the Beauty Diaries phrase and tweet it to Birchbox, and you could win a full size product of everything in your box! See my Tweet HERE! Now I will tell you more about the products I got this month.

• Amika Nourishing Mask – $1.60 – First up is a foil packet of a deep conditioner for hair. This mask is supposed to repair damaged hair with its special sea buckthorn berry ingredient. I will probably get 2-3 uses out of this packet, although it will be difficult to use in the shower. I would have liked different packaging to make this sample more user friendly. I also appreciate being able to try a high end hair product, but this packet just doesn’t excite me!
• Runa Tea Bag Sample Box – $1.75 – My favorite product this month is a sampler box of four teas from Runa. I got four tea bags in these flavors: traditional, ginger-citrus, mint, and cinnamon-lemongrass. The tea bags smell amazing, and are supposed to have twice the antioxidants as green tea! It’s nice to get a little snack item in a beauty box. Even though the retail value isn’t high, I know I will be able to afford a box of the tea if I decide I like it and want more!
• Sumita Color Contrast Eye Pencil in Suman – $5.25 – Each Birchbox subscriber got a mini Sumita eyeliner this month, and I luckily got it in a black color! I rarely wear eyeliner, but this one seems very nice. It is a very creamy consistency, and glides on easily. It is definitely smudge-proof as well. Even though I won’t use it often, this is a nice product to get in a box like this!
• Coola Classic Sunscreen for Face – $4.32 – This tiny sunscreen sample from Coola was mostly empty when I got it, and exploded a bit when I opened it. Unfortunately there is not much for me to try! I admit it smells great, but I’m very disappointed with this sample. I cannot fathom spending $32 on the full size product. I understand that it is organic and high end, but that is quite a lot for sunscreen. I hope to get at least once use out of this tube.
• Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste - $1.40 – I’m not sure how I feel about getting a “luxury” toothpaste in my Birchbox. I will definitely use it up, of course, but I typically spend $1.40 or less on my regular toothpaste when it is on sale! I do love that this is an Italian import, since I am part Italian, but this is another product that I won’t be buying the full size of. The tube is great for travel, though, and it smells minty fresh!

TOTAL RETAIL VALUE: $14.32

OVERALL OPINION: I am so disappointed this month! This is the first time Birchbox provided me with samples that can really only be used 1-2 times each with the exception of the eyeliner, and perhaps the toothpaste. My box was considerably lighter this month, and the retail value of these items really stinks. It’s always nice to try high end products that I can’t afford to buy regularly, but I wish I could get more out of them. These products won’t even last until next month’s Birchbox.

RATING: 2

There you have it! My winner for the month of May is Ipsy by a landslide! After being beat out by Birchbox for two months, Ipsy finally provided me with some great products. At this point I am going to give each subscription another go. I sure hope that this was just a fluke with Birchbox, since my last two months were amazing. I am still an undecided girl when it comes to which program is better! Which one do you like more?! If you have yet to join, you can sign up for Ipsy HERE and Birchbox HERE.

 

Some of the above links are affiliate links. Subscription boxes purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Sport Royal Nails with butter LONDON’s Queen Vic!

Happy Friday! Today I am excited to share with you a gorgeous polish from the brand butter LONDON. If you have been searching for a color that is professional and sophisticated yet modern at the same time, Queen Vic is the polish for you! Let me show you this stunning nail polish!

Queen Vic is a gorgeous deep purple polish that leans towards red. It is opaque in two coats, and has an amazing formula! I had no application issues whatsoever, and thought the long, slender brush was easy to use. Queen Vic dries to a shiny finish, so I didn’t even apply top coat! I just love the color as well. I find that it is classy, but it’s also not too “mature” for younger women to wear. Queen Vic is the perfect shade for any businesswoman that loves to stay trendy outside of the office. It is also a polish that can be worn all year round, since the color is neither too bright nor too dark.

All in all, I am loving Queen Vic from butter LONDON! It is definitely a splurge nail polish, as it retails for $15, but I think this is definitely a great polish to pay a little extra for. I will be sure to get a lot of use from this beautiful color, and feel royal while wearing it! You can purchase Queen Vic directly from butter LONDON HERE, or on Amazon HERE.

 

The product in this post was sent for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own. Some of the above links are affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

Zoya PixieDust Summer 2013 Collection

Happy Wednesday! I am back today with a review of the full PixieDust Collection for this summer. A few months back, Zoya came out with the first PixieDust collection (see that review HERE), but they recently released six new shades that are bright, fun, and perfect for the hot summer sun! I am really enjoying the textured nail polish trend, and these polishes are some of my favorites so far. Let me show you the summer PixieDusts!

First up is Destiny, my favorite from the collection! Destiny is a bright red orange color, and has gold shimmer throughout. It is opaque in two coats and has an amazing formula. Destiny was the first from this collection that I tried, and I didn’t take it off for almost a week! The PixieDust formula is very long lasting, even without the top coat!

Next is Stevie, a gorgeous light purple polish with silver shimmer. Stevie is also opaque in two coats and has the same perfect formula. I think it is really cool how the polish applies like a cream, but dries textured! It makes painting my nails even more fun. I also like that Stevie is brighter than a normal light purple so it doesn’t look pale against my light skin tone. It’s perfect for the transition from spring to summer!

Beatrix is next up, and is a gorgeous light orange polish with gold shimmer. Beatrix is opaque in two coats, and has a flawless application as well. Upon removal I did end up with the gold shimmer all over my hands, but after a few thorough washings it came off. I’m not usually fond of orange nail polish, but Beatrix and Destiny from this collection are just amazing! I am sure to grab these often during the summer.

Next up is Solange, a yellow gold polish. Solange has an amazing one coat formula! It is also the most textured looking of the bunch. Solange isn’t a good match for my light skin, but I think it would look stunning with darker skin tones! While it is not my personal favorite, Solange is definitely a great polish for summer.

Miranda is the next PixieDust, and it is what Zoya calls a rose color. I love that it is a darker pink shade, but the silver sparkle still livens it up. Miranda is opaque in two coats, and has a great formula. I found this polish to not be as textured as the others, but it is still very pretty. Miranda is perfect for a more subdued look if you are looking to try out textured polish, but aren’t sure what to expect.

Last but not least is Liberty, a bright blue polish with silver shimmer. Liberty is just gorgeous, and looks flawless on the nail. It is opaque in two coats and has an amazing formula. I heard rumors that Liberty stains, so I made sure to wear a healthy layer of base coat and to stay away from the cuticle. My techniques worked — I did not have any staining whatsoever! Liberty is definitely a bold polish, but I just love it!

All in all, I am very impressed with the Zoya PixieDust Summer collection! All of the formulas were spot on, and the colors are beautiful. I think this collection is a must have for summer! These polishes look stunning in the sunlight! You can purchase the Zoya PixieDust polishes online HERE for $9 each.

 

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

DIY Chalkboard Nail Art – Fabulous & Affordable Edition!

Happy Friday! If you are a nail art enthusiast, you may have heard about the new Chalkboard Manicure kit that Ciaté recently released. This kit comes with black nail polish, four water-soluble nail art pens, and a matte top coat, and retails for a whopping $25 on Sephora’s website HERE. I thought the idea behind the kit was cute and creative, so I decided that I would recreate the look using nail polishes that I already have in my collection. There is no need to go out and spend $25 on this kit when you already have the necessary tools! Let me show you how you can create a fabulous and affordable chalkboard manicure.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Any base coat 
• Any black nail polish
• Various nail art pens
• Any matte top coat

I am using, from left to right, the Sephora Collection base coat, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred, Revlon Nail Art Expressionist duos, L.A. Colors Art Deco, and butter LONDON Matte Finish. You can use products from any brand you choose, but these are the just items I have in my personal collection. That’s what makes this so great — I didn’t need to buy any additional materials! Now, onto step one!

The first step in creating your chalkboard manicure is applying your base coat and the black nail polish. I used two coats of Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics in Tarred, but any black will be just fine. Make sure you let the black polish dry completely before moving on to step two.

Once the black polish has dried, take your nail art pens and add some fun designs to your nails. I stuck with the basics — a smiley face, a heart, and some abstract designs. You can use any colors that you wish for the “chalk” part of your manicure. I used white, pink, and blue since those are the colors I owned! After you paint on your designs, make sure you let them dry completely before moving on to the final step. You don’t want to smudge your nail art!

Last but not least, apply your matte top coat. Your nails will now have a super cool, chalkboard look! The best part is you didn’t have to purchase a kit for $25, but instead used affordable items, or better yet, polishes already in your nail polish stash. The only difference between this fabulous and affordable version and the Ciaté kit is that you can’t wash off the “chalk” art if you make a mistake. Other than that, the look is the same, and you will have just as much fun painting your nails and showing them off to friends. Who said having fabulous nails had to come at a high price?!

Let me know what you think of my chalkboard manicure in the comments!

 

 

Gold 3D Nail Stickers from Born Pretty Store!

Happy Wednesday! Today I am excited to share with you some more nail art supplies from the online retailer Born Pretty Store. Back in March I tried out some Hello Kitty nail art stickers (see that post HERE), and loved them. Now I have a similar product that I think is something anyone can wear and enjoy! Let me show you these gold nail stickers!

Above is what the sheet of nail art stickers looks like! As you can see, you get an amazing variety of designs to choose from. I love that there are bows, hearts, flowers, crowns, and even teddy bears! At the same time, there are frames and other decorative stickers as well. All of the stickers are gold toned, and since they do have a slight thickness to them, they give a cool 3D effect on the nail. I decided to try out a few of the designs for one fun manicure!

Here is my manicure using the gold stickers! First, start with a regular manicure in any color of your choosing. I happened to still be wearing LVX in Virdian, and I thought the emerald green would nicely compliment the gold. If you are starting with a freshly painted manicure, make sure to let your base color dry completely before applying the stickers. You don’t want any smudges! When you are ready to apply the stickers, simply choose the design you like and carefully peel it off the sheet. This can be a little tricky, especially for the smaller stickers. If you like, use a pair of tweezers to gently grasp the sticker. Next, place the sticker on your nail and gently press down. Follow up with two layers of top coat to even everything out, and you are done! Voila! A fancy manicure that was quick and easy to create!

While using these stickers I did come across a few things that I wanted to share with all of you. First, don’t get discouraged if the stickers rip or break when you are trying to apply them. They are a bit difficult to get the hang of, but once you have tried one or two you will get a feel for how to handle them. Second, do not skip out on the top coat! I experimented and I woke up the next day with the gold tone completely rubbed off! The top coat helps to seal in the gold color, as well as ensure the stickers stay put.

All in all, I am seriously loving these! They are so easy to apply, and the designs are perfect for accent nails, or even a fancy manicure like the one I created here! The best part is, this sheet of stickers retails for just $4.51! Plus, with my discount code of FZL91 you can get an additional 10% off. As always, shipping is free internationally with Born Pretty Store. You can purchase these gold 3D nail stickers by clicking HERE.

The products in this post were provided for my unbiased review, and the links above are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

My Holy Grail Manicure: Essie Butler Please and Different Dimension Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock

Happy Sunday! Today I wanted to share with you one of my favorite manicures of all time. I love it so much I am calling it my Holy Grail Manicure! In other words, this is the best of the best in terms of formula, color, polish names, and so on. Let me get right into the goodness and show you the polish!

First up is the gorgeous Butler Please from the Essie Winter Collection of 2012. Back in March I was in a bit of a “polish funk”. Nothing that I put on my nails was exciting me. Then, I got Butler Please, put it on, and my funk officially ended! Butler Please has a flawless formula that applies like a dream and is opaque in two coats. It is also a bright blue color that is just stunning! I am still blown away by how beautiful this color is. Butler Please has been compared to Nails Inc Baker Street, but this is truly unlike anything I own in my personal collection. This will definitely be my go to blue polish from now on. I can’t wait to use it again!

I was loving Butler Please so much that even when the tips were starting to show wear after several days, I made my manicure last longer by adding an amazing glitter top coat from the indie brand Different Dimension. I am a huge fan of the TV show the Big Bang Theory, and my mom kindly gave me the entire Big Bang collection that Different Dimension makes. I had a good feeling that Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock (RPSLS) would look great over Butler Please, and I think I made a great choice! RPSLS is a glitter top coat with a just a slightly blue tinted base, and filled with fine white glitter and white, light blue, light green, and grey hexagonal glitters. The formula is great, and the glitters apply with ease. I layered just one coat of RPSLS over Buter Please, and the result was just phenomenal! I could not stop staring at my nails when I had this manicure on.

All in all, I hope you enjoy my Holy Grail Manicure as much as I do! I love when nail polishes not only have a beautiful color, but a great formula as well. I also love that RPSLS is part of a collection based off of one of my favorite TV shows! There is just so much to love! Although Butler Please is no longer available in drugstores, you can purchase it on Amazon HERE. Make sure you head on over to the Different Dimension Etsy shop to purchase RPSLS and the other Big Bang Theory polishes HERE.

Let me know what your Holy Grail Manicure is in the comments!

 

Some of the above links are affiliate links. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

LVX Vegan Nail Lacquer: Spring 2013 Collection

Happy Friday! Today I am very excited to share with you three polishes from a brand that is new to me, LVX. I discovered this brand on Instagram, and was blown away with how stunning the polishes are. LVX is definitely a luxury brand, but their products are vegan, cruelty free, and made in the USA! LVX graciously sent me some polishes from their spring collection so I could review them for all of you. Let me show you these beautiful colors!

I first wanted to show you what the polishes look like in the bottle. The packaging is so nice, and I have to say that this was one of the best nail mails I have ever received! The polishes were wrapped in sleek, black tissue paper and sealed with a silver label. Then, each polish was individually wrapped in bubble wrap, and came in a stunning black and silver box. I knew these LVX polishes would be special right from the get go!

First up is Viridian, an emerald green polish. Viridian is definitely my favorite of the bunch! It has an amazing formula that is opaque in two coats, and the finish is just flawless. I am currently wearing this polish and cannot stop looking at my nails! Viridian is also a beautiful take on Pantone’s Color of the Year! This is the first emerald in my nail polish collection, and I plan on wearing it a lot!

Next up is Citrine, a golden yellow polish. Citrine is definitely on trend for the season, since I keep seeing mustard yellow everywhere I go! I did experience some formula issues, mainly some streaking and unevenness. I applied three coats to achieve opacity, and luckily most of the imperfections were concealed. It is definitely difficult to get a yellow tone with just the perfect formula! Nonetheless, LVX describes Citrine as the perfect transitional color from winter to spring, and I think that is definitely true. I am just loving this unique color, and I think it will work well during the fall, too!

Last but not least is Fantom, a super cool white polish. I have been searching for a white polish with a great formula, and I have finally found it in Fantom! White polishes show each and every imperfection, but with two coats of Fantom I got a nearly flawless finish. I cannot wait to use this for glitter manicures and nail art, and perhaps even on its own! Fantom is definitely my new go-to white!

All in all, I am loving these polishes from the LVX Spring Collection! The colors are so unique, and the white polish is something every polish lover needs to have in her stash. I personally love using a brand that is vegan and cruelty free, even if it means spending a bit more per bottle. LVX nail lacquer is definitely the perfect, guilt free treat for yourself! You can purchase these polishes on their website HERE for $16 each. Make sure to LIKE them on Facebook to hear about new collections.

 

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