Surya Brasil Review

Surya Brasil is a vegan, cruelty-free company that creates beauty products inspired by the Amazonian Rainforest! Their Exotic Animals Nail Polishes and Vegan Tinted Lip Balms are perfect for any beauty lover.

*Disclaimer: These products were sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

I only use natural lip balms. Their ingredients are so much better at moisturizing for the long term than other synthetic brands. These ones are vegan and kosher and made with 100% natural ingredients. They're also certified cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny and PETA!

I received four beautiful shades to try: Sugared Fig, Coconut Nectar, Pink Grapefruit, and Vanilla Dragon Fruit. All of them leave a light tint on the lips, nothing overpowering. My favorite is the Vanilla Dragon Fruit. They all also have a delicious vanilla scent.

Swatched from left to right are Sugared Fig, Pink Grapefruit, Vanilla Dragon Fruit, and Coconut Nectar. Unfortunately the Coconut Nectar was very close to my natural skin tone so it doesn't show up as well in this photo, but you can kind of see the shimmer still.

Surya Brasil also has a line of vibrant nail polishes named after exotic animals! I love how gorgeous these shades are (left to right): Peacock, Wolf, Flamingo, and Red and Green Macaw. There are more shades to choose from and you can view them all on the Surya Brasil website here. They also have a base coat, top coat, and oil dryer.

I was immediately drawn to Peacock because I love the bright blue shade, but try as I might, I could not get the cap off! All of the others twisted off easily, so I'm not sure what happened with this one, but I think I'll have to take a tool to it. I didn't want to do that before taking photos though, as I'm sure I'll have to damage the cap.

That being said, I was able to swatch the Red and Green Macaw, Wolf, and Flamingo shades. The Macaw and Wolf were solid cremes that were opaque after three coats. Flamingo is a little thinner (not in consistency, but in shade) and was still a little see through after three coats.

• Visit Surya Brasil to browse their full line of products
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram

Bottom Line: Surya Brasil has a great line of beauty and skincare products! I really enjoyed using their nail polishes and lip balms. I wish I could have opened up the Peacock polish, but I'm sure it's just as nice as the ones I was able to use!

Introducing ORLY Breathable Treatment + Color!

ORLY just launched a brand new nail treatment called Breathable Treatment + Color and I have an exclusive first look review for you! I'm obsessed with nail polish -- I have two huge boxes full of polishes under my bed -- so I'm always looking for new colors and products to try. The new Breathable line is really unique and I think you'll love it!

*Disclaimer: This product was sent to See, Shop, Love! in exchange for an honest review.

If you're familiar with nail care at all, you'll know that it's generally accepted that you shouldn't wear polish all the time because your nails need some time to breathe. But, if you're like me, then going a day without any color on your nails just isn't going to happen! Enter the Breathable Treatment + Color polishes: they allow oxygen and hydration to pass through to your nails while still keeping them vibrant and beautifully colored!

The Advanced Oxygen Technology allows air and hydration to penetrate the nail, and they also contain argan oil and vitamins B5 and C to help promote hydration, heal damaged nails, and stimulate nail growth. That's a lot of bang for your buck!

ORLY kindly sent me two colors to try: a gorgeous coral/red and soft light pink creme. I couldn't find any names on the bottles for the colors, which is why I'm just describing them instead of providing names. I absolutely adore the coral, since that's probably my favorite color to wear on my nails and is perfect for summer. The light pink is really pretty and understated.

These don't require a base or top coat because they're an all-in-one formula. I applied two coats of the coral shade last night (per the directions on the bottle) and it went on very smoothly and dried fairly quickly. The brush is wide and easy to control. I was pleased with how evenly the color applied.

I didn't swatch the light pink shade, but here's what two coats of the coral looks like! So pretty! I'm very excited to keep using these to see how well they work for my nails. So far, so good though!

You can purchase the new ORLY Breathable Treatment + Color now online at ORLY's website. They'll be available in stores (ULTA, JC Penney, and salons nationwide) in August. Each bottle is only $8.99.

Bottom Line: I love these polishes! I think the idea is so unique and really innovative, and I'm definitely going to be purchasing more shades!

Zoya Mystery Shades Review and Swatches

Back in the beginning of January Zoya ran a "New Year, New Hue" promo where you could get three polishes plus a set of three mini "Mystery Shades" for only the price of shipping ($15).  I jumped at the offer because I wanted to grab a few Pixie Dust shades before they were retired, plus I was curious about the mystery set, because the shades were selected by Zoya's creative director and were never available for purchase previously.

Disclaimer: These products were purchased by See, Shop, Love!

I had been frantically searching the web for any spoilers about what the mystery shades were and I was bummed when I couldn't find any.  I just got my order today, though, and I wanted to share the trio with everyone in case someone else was just as curious as I was!

I just did some hasty swatching, but from left-to-right, the shades are: Charlotte, Severine, and Anais.  Charlotte is the only creme of the bunch, and it's got yellow undertones.  Severine is a gold shimmer, and Anais is a very dark brown shimmer with gold undertones.  I'm not sure if Zoya will be releasing these as full-sized shades in the future.

Bottom Line: I am a huge fan of the Zoya brand, but to be honest I don't love these polishes.  The formula is as great as it always is, but the colors are so bland and boring!  I guess the gold shimmer is fun, but I already have a bunch of polishes that are very similar.  The other two are not shades I would pick out on my own.  That being said, I'm still glad I took advantage of this deal because getting three full-sized Zoyas for only $15 is a steal!

What do you think of the Mystery Shades?  Did you purchase any Zoyas during this promo?

May Color Me Monthly Review

I signed up for Color Me Monthly in April after they ran a deal to get your first polish for only a dollar and I decided to stay subscribed another month to see what color they would send.  I was really impressed by their formula and am a little bit obsessed with nail polish, and May's shipment didn't disappoint.

May's color was Sirens, a beautiful turquoise shade with a hint of shimmer.  I thought it was a perfect color for the summer and loved it as soon as I opened the box!  I enjoy Color Me Monthly's polishes because they're 100% cruelty-free, non-toxic, vegan, and eco-friendly.  I decided to cancel my subscription after May, but not because I didn't love the service.  The problem is that I love nail polish too much and my better judgment kicked in and I decided to hold off on purchasing any more bottles for a while.

 

Above are my swatches of Sirens--the photo on the left is in the shade, and the one on the right is in direct sunlight (both are without flash).  The polish was opaque after two coats and applied very smoothly.  If you're interested in Color Me Monthly, it's only $7 a month, shipping included.  They also have six month and yearly plans.  You can view all of their subscription options at their website.

Bottom Line: I plan on re-subscribing to Color Me Monthly at some point in the future because the two polishes I received from them were wonderful.  May's color was beautiful and their product as a whole is great!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

April Color Me Monthly Review

Color Me Monthly has been on my "subscriptions to try" list for a while, and I finally decided to subscribe when they ran a promotion to get your first box for only $1.  I'm really glad I did, because I was very impressed by my first shipment!

Color Me Monthly normally costs $7 a month for one nail polish.  This is a really good price, since I usually buy Zoya and their bottles cost $8 each.  I think it's a reasonable and competitive price for nail polish.  I was attracted to Color Me Monthly because their polishes are cruelty- and toxin-free, and also really pretty!

My polish arrived in a standard cardboard box with the above message on the inside flap.  It was packed with tissue paper to ensure it wouldn't be damaged during shipping.  I truly was full of anticipation as I was peeling back the tissue paper to see what color was inside!

April's polish was a beautiful lavender hue called "Chiffon."  The box also had a small informational card inside that described the color, and it said: "graceful elegance, like you are floating on air woven from softness."  There was also a spot to swatch the polish, which I did, but the photo came out blurry so that's why it's not posted above.  I will be posting swatches of the polish on my actual nails in a separate post.

I tried the polish on and right away I knew I would love it.  The formula was very smooth and applied evenly, and I only needed two coats for it to be sufficiently opaque.  Color Me Monthly's polishes are definitely on par with other popular brands, and in my opinion are even better because they're cruelty- and toxin-free.

• Visit Color Me Monthly to learn more and subscribe
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest

Bottom Line: If you're a nail polish addict like me, I highly recommend Color Me Monthly.  Their polishes are wonderful and affordable, and I love being surprised by what color I'll receive each month!

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

Beyond Polish Spring Review, Part II

Beyond Polish is a nail polish addict's paradise.  They have an extensive collection of polishes from various brands, as well as gels, acrylic supplies, tools, and much more.  Their new releases for spring include the OPI MLB Fashion Plate and Muppets Most Wanted collections.  They sent me five polishes to review, three of which I reviewed in my Part I post.

I requested two Jessica Cosmetics polishes for this review, one creme and one shimmer.  This one is obviously the creme; it's called Windsor Castle and it is a rich, gorgeous plum shade.  I love purple polishes and this one did not disappoint.  The formula was very smooth and glided on easily without any streaking.  It was fully opaque after two coats.  I was really impressed with Jessica Cosmetics after trying these polishes (see the first one in my Part I review), so I will definitely be purchasing more from them in the future.

China Glaze is one of my favorite nail polish brands, and their "Tranzitions" line was one that I hadn't tried before.  This shade is Shape Shifter, and it's a dark gray shade with a muted shimmer effect.  The fun thing about these polishes is that when you apply a top coat the color changes.  This one changes from the gray to a dark blue.  The difference is a bit difficult to pick up in the photo below, but I tried my best to get an accurately colored swatch picture.

The first and third nails (from left to right) are painted with a top coat, and the second and fourth are not.  I think the top coat blue/purple shade is most apparent in the first nail, and you can see in the second nail that without the top coat the polish is more gray.

• Visit Beyond Polish's website to view their full inventory and new spring releases

Bottom Line: I was very pleased with both of these polishes.  I highly recommend shopping at Beyond Polish, with so many products to choose from I'm sure everyone can find something to suit their fancy!

Beyond Polish Spring Collection Review - Part I

Beyond Polish is a great resource for nail polish and supplies; I've reviewed them once before and I was more than happy to try out some more colors when they asked me to review some of their new arrivals for spring!

I received five polishes total, but I'm splitting this review up into two parts.  The first polish I'll be reviewing is When Stars Collide from China Glaze's Hologlam holographic collection.  Ignore my disgusting cuticles in these swatch photos and just concentrate on how pretty the polishes are!  I love China Glaze's formula and I'm never disappointed by their color collection.  The polishes in the Hologlam collection are absolutely gorgeous, and I loved When Stars Collide.  As you can see from the swatch photo, it really has a ton of holographic reflecting particles (I don't know what the technical term would be).  It's just absolutely gorgeous when it hits the light!

Next up is C-C-Courage, also by China Glaze.  This is from their Wizard of Ooh Ahz collection.  This one isn't a holo, but it's definitely glittery.  The hue is purple with hints of blue, and I really love how the glitter catches the light.  This one is great for day or night, and was opaque to my liking after three coats (but you could probably get away with two as well).

Last but not least is Prima Donna by Jessica Custom Nail Color.  This brand was new to me, but I looked up a few swatches of the colors that Beyond Polish had available and they all looked amazing so I had to try a bottle.  This purple/blue (can you tell I went with a purple theme this time around?) shimmer is just stunning!  The swatch photo doesn't do it nearly enough justice.  I was also impressed by the formula; the polish applied very smoothly and was opaque after two coats.

• Visit Beyond Polish to view their full line of products
• Connect with them on Facebook

Bottom Line: Beyond Polish has a ton of nail polish brands to choose from, and they just got a bunch of new arrivals for spring.  I chose to review cruelty-free only brands, but they also have lots of new colors from brands like Essie and OPI.  Aside from the plethora of polishes available (including gels), they also have acrylics, nail treatments, tools, and spa items for sale.  Beyond Polish really is a one-stop shop for all of your nail care needs!

*Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Beyond Polish.  I received no monetary compensation.

Zoya Tomoko Giveaway!

I have an extra bottle of Zoya Tomoko and I wanted to do a post-holidays giveaway since I haven't had one in a while.  This gorgeous shade is from the Fall 2013 Pixie Dust collection and is a Zoya fan favorite!

Zoya is my favorite nail polish brand because they're Big 5 free, vegan-friendly, and cruelty-free.  They're also just an amazing polish!  The formula is made for the natural nail, and it's the smoothest and most long-wearing polish I've ever used.  The Pixie Dust polishes are textured, but if you use them with a base coat (especially Zoya's Anchor) they remove pretty easily.  Tomoko is a beautiful light gold, and I know whoever wins her will love her!

This sweepstakes begins today, 27 December 2013, and ends on 10 January 2014 at 12:00 AM EST.  Entrants must be US residents aged 18+.  See Terms & Conditions at the bottom of the Rafflecopter for full rules and details.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

December Square Hue Review

The last Square Hue box received was March's O'Hue Collection, and then after that box I put my subscription on hold.  I was very impressed by Square Hue's polishes, I just have so many already that I figured I would only choose to receive a box every few months or so.

Quite a bit of time has passed since March, but I decided to finally reactive my subscription with December's collection because it was New York City-themed.  I live in Western NY, but I've always wanted to live in NYC.  I figured I'd love whatever colors they included, and I was hoping for some dark, vampy polishes for winter.  What was actually sent was only so-so, but I still enjoy Square Hue because their polishes are cruelty-free, big-3 free, and a portion of their proceeds are donated to charity.

Each collection contains three .50 oz bottles, which is the same size as most other nail polishes you'd find in stores.  Square Hue's polishes have a great formula: they glide on very smoothly and are usually opaque after two coats.  This month's colors were as follows:

• Broadway, a sheer pearl shade that I feel looks best over another polish.  This one was just a little bit streaky upon application for me.
• Times Square, a gorgeous silver holo -- my favorite of the bunch!
• Fifth Avenue, a classic red creme.

To be completely honest, I didn't love this collection as much as I was hoping I would.  I love Times Square, but the other two are underwhelming to me.  I don't care for Broadway at all, and I already have a bunch of reds so I didn't need another like Fifth Avenue.  But that is the chance you take with Square Hue, since you never know what the colors are going to be.  I still really like this subscription a lot and will ship another box in the future, and I'll probably either swap Broadway and Fifth Avenue or give them to a friend.

Bottom Line: If you're a nail polish addict like me, I definitely recommend Square Hue.  If you're okay with not knowing what shades you're going to receive ahead of time, I think you'll be very happy with the formula and quality of these polishes.  For more information on how the subscription works, please check out my first review.

*Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post.

Beyond Polish Review and Swatches - Zoya and China Glaze!

If you're a nail polish addict like I am, you need to check out Beyond Polish.  They're a small, online store that sells tons of different nail polishes, and when they contacted me to see if I was interested in doing a review I jumped at the chance!

Beyond Polish carries gift sets, gel polish, regular nail lacquer, acrylic supplies, and various nail care and spa products.  They have lots of popular brands, including my personal favorite, Zoya.  They also carry plenty of colors from brands like Essie, China Glaze, and more.

The first color I picked was Cosmic Dust by China Glaze, from their Spring/Summer 2013 Hologram collection.  I had been coveting the holos in this line for a while, so when I saw that they were available at the Beyond Polish site I knew I had to try one!  Have you seen that video of the guy talking about Five Guys (the songified version)?  All I could think when I swatched this polish was, "This is how holos are supposed to be!"  The photo above doesn't do it justice at all.  I tried my best to capture how absolutely shimmery and perfect and wonderful it was, but I promise that it's 10 times more gorgeous in person!  As with all China Glaze polishes, this one had a great formula that applied evenly and smoothly.

My second polish was Put A Bow On It, also by China Glaze, from their Happi HoliGlaze 2013 holiday collection.  As you can see, it's a slightly textured microglitter in a gorgeous shade of fuschia.  I really liked the other swatches I had seen of this polish, and it did not disappoint once I tried it myself.  I would definitely recommend using a pure acetone remover with this one, though.  Even with the pure acetone it was difficult to remove, but it's so beautiful that I think it's well worth the effort!

I had to choose a Zoya polish as my last pick, and I went with LC from the Summer 2008 Gossip collection.  All of the polishes in that collection are named after members of the cast of The Hills, which is a show I loved to watch when I was in high school.  This polish is a bright coral/orange that had been on my wish list for a while.  Zoya is my favorite brand because they're vegan-friendly, big five free, and cruelty-free.  Their formula is also the best I've ever used: application is so smooth and you don't need many coats for it to be opaque (the photo above is with two).  My only gripe about this polish is that when I removed it, it left a lot of staining around my cuticles; but it was nothing that an extra swipe of polish remover couldn't take care of.

• Visit Beyond Polish and browse their full line of products

Bottom Line: I am so glad I was introduced to Beyond Polish and I will definitely be shopping there again in the future!  I think all polish lovers should check it out, because they have a broad range of products and colors.  They're also currently advertising a 10% off coupon: use epkb4 at checkout!

*Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Beyond Polish.  I received no monetary compensation.

March Square Hue "O'Hue" Collection Review

This post is coming a little late and I apologize for that; I've gotten a bit behind on my blogging but I'm queuing up some posts tonight to get back on track.  I received my second Square Hue collection this month, but it's my first official shipment that I paid for since February's box was sent to me to review.

I was really excited for the O'Hue Collection because green is my favorite color, and I knew that they pretty much had to include some green shades for the St. Patrick's Day theme.  I liked the colors this month, but I didn't love them as much as I was hoping to.

I was kind of hoping that the box would have more than one green shade, but I guess that would be redundant of them.  I did like that they used the colors of the Irish flag (kind of), however; I didn't care for the titles of the polishes.  I know that, for the most part, St. Patrick's Day just means drinking to most Americans.  My nationality is South Korean but I was adopted into an Irish-American family, and one of my pet peeves is that it's just a day for people to drink and go crazy.  That's not the only thing Irish people should be known for!  Ah, sorry for the mini-rant -- back to the polishes.

What I do love about Square Hue's polishes is that their formula is just amazing.  The brush is the perfect size and the polishes glide on incredibly smoothly.  Right now I only have Patty's Pint swatched, which you can see below (left is with flash, right is without).  It's a dark forest-green with hints of shimmer.  Amber Lager is a copper shimmer, and Blond Ale is a light cream/gold shimmer.  I would have liked to have had at least one matte in the collection, but I do love my shimmers, too.

 

Bottom Line: I'm still loving Square Hue's polishes and I think that for $21 a month this service is a steal.  The polishes are high quality and also cruelty-free.  Learn more and sign up by clicking here.

*Disclaimer: I purchased this and was not asked to review it.  I received no compensation for this review and the honest opinions here are entirely my own.

Square Hue Review (February's Box)

I recently found Square Hue in my wanderings around the world of subscription services, and I'm in love!  I am a nail polish addict (even though I don't post swatches that often), and I change my nail color at least twice a week.  My cuticles don't like it, but I just love buying up new colors.  I've tried the one main nail polish subscription that you're probably thinking of and I didn't care for it at all.  I have been hoping for one with high-quality polishes to make its debut, and it's finally here: Square Hue!

Square Hue kindly sent me their February collection to review, and I can't gush enough about it.  Most importantly, the formula is amazing.  The polishes glided on so smoothly and were sufficiently opaque in three coats.  The brush is a good size, not too long like that other service (sorry to keep bringing them up, but Square Hue is just so much better than them), and the colors themselves are beautiful.

February's collection is titled Vintage Love, obviously for Valentine's Day.  They could have just stopped there, since the shades are pinks and reds and that makes sense, but I am really loving how much they tied the names into the theme, too.  Maybe it's the former English major in me, but the way they really tied the theme through is just fantastic.  The names tell a story, as do the colors--"High School Crush" is an innocent pink cream, "Wartime Romance" is a bit darker fuschia/pink cream, and "Dear John" is a vampy, dark red shimmer.  The colors progress in maturity, and the fact that it ends with "Dear John" instead of a happy ending is really clever.  If you don't know what Dear John letter is, it was when a soldier would receive a letter (especially during the WWII era) that their girl back home was leaving them.

I already mentioned how great the formula was, but I also really like the design of the bottles.  They're .5 ounces, so the standard size for most polishes.  I think they would look really pretty on display; I like the simple but bold "hue" logo.

Bottom Line: I am in. love. with Square Hue!  Here is everything you need to know about the service, aside from what I've written above:

• The service costs $21/month, including shipping.  They currently only ship to the continental U.S.
• You can cancel at any time, and also suspend your account (skip a month).
• Each collection is only sent out that month--they currently do not have a shop where you can purchase past colors.  So each polish you get is a limited edition!
• Cruelty-free, Big 3 Free (DBP, Formaldehyde, Toluene), and camphor-free
• Made in the USA
• Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr

Check out my swatches after the "read-more!"

New Chick Nail Polish Collection

Chick Nail Polish has just released a new collection!  I received an email about their new colors and I wanted to share them all with you.

From left to right in the photo above, the new colors are Rocker Chick, Biker Chick, Punk Chick, and Hipster Chick.  The collection also includes a new Horsetail Strengthening Base Coat and Tangerine Ginger Cuticle Oil.  Chick Nail Polishes are big-3 free (no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate [DBP], or toluene) as well as being vegan-friendly.  Their formula is long-lasting and chip-resistant and has a high-gloss finish.  The brush applicator contains 398 strands for perfect coverage.

Aside from the fact that I just love nail polish, I love that Chick Nail Polish strives to help their customers find ways to live a healthier, eco-friendly life.  They even pack their orders with large cotton balls that you can reuse to remove your polish.  I think these new colors are so pretty, and I'd most want to check out Rocker Chick and Punk Chick.

What about you?  Which colors from this collection do you want to try?  Be sure to visit Chick Nail Polish and check out their full line of polishes!

Zoya Jem vs. Zoya Valerie

I recently won a giveaway for four Zoya nail polishes which was awesome because I'm a Zoya addict!  "Valerie" had been on my list to buy for a while, so this was a great opportunity for me to grab her.  I saw Temptalia's swatch and thought she was so pretty, and I especially loved the black base.

Valerie was the first of the four polishes I chose that I painted on when I received them, and I was disappointed with what I found.  She's still a beautiful color, but in my eyes she's almost identical to Jem, which I already own.  I was glad that I at least didn't pay for the polish, but had I realized they were so similar I would have picked a different shade.

These photos might not be the best guides, but the only visible difference between Jem and Valerie is that Valerie has a blacker base, and even then it's hard to tell unless you really look up-close.

Bottom Line: Valerie and Jem aren't exact dupes (I don't think Zoya would ever do that to us), but they're so similar that I don't think there's any need to buy both of them.  If you want a redder base, go with Jem; if you want a black base, go with Valerie.  Either way, you're getting a beautiful purple polish with great shimmer!

Incoco Nail Polish Appliques Review

I received a package of Incoco Nail Polish Appliques in the mail today from a generous Tumblr user who received them in her Birchbox and wasn't interested in trying them (thanks again, Amanda!).  My new-found nail polish and nail art addiction fueled my interest in the Incoco strips.  I've used the Sally Hansen strips before, so I wanted to see how these compared.

Here is the final product on my nails.  As you can see, I didn't do a very good job of applying them.  They're a lot thinner than the Sally Hansen kind, which made it so much easier for me to tear them.  I actually liked that they're thinner, though, because I felt that they adhered to my nail really well.  It didn't feel like just a giant sticker on my nail, it really felt like real nail polish.  Which is good, considering these are made of real nail polish.  They come in a package with 12 total strips, in case you mess up a nail or need a different size.

I'm not quite sure what this pattern is called, but I like it.  I couldn't find a name on the package, and I can't find it on their website, either.  I'm guessing it must be Showstopper, even though the preview shows blue dots all over the nail (these have space in between the dots).  I was impressed by how well they bonded to my nail, and how easy the ends were to file off.  I applied one coat of clear topcoat over these to protect them, and I'm curious to see how long they last before peeling off.

• Learn more about Incoco at their website
• Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter

Bottom Line: I would definitely be willing to purchase some Incoco strips and try applying them again.  They are a bit pricey when you factor in shipping, but the base price is less than the Sally Hansen kind.  I feel that these are high-quality upon application, I'll just have to see how long they last on my nails before chipping off. There are also tons of fun designs and colors to choose from.

*Disclaimer: I received these Incoco Nail Polish Appliques from a Tumblr user who received them in her Birchbox.  I was not monetarily compensated for this review, and the honest opinions are entirely my own.

Nail Polish!

Some of my newest additions: Veruschka, Ibiza, and Holly by Zoya

I've made a home for my new-found obsession with nail polish.  Instead of clogging up the blog with individual posts each time I swatch a new polish, I made a page for them.  You can view what I have so far by clicking here, or by clicking the link that says "Nail Polish Swatches" under the header of the blog.  I'll be adding more and more each time I change the color of my nails!

imPRESS Press-On Manicure Review

My previous post described what I got in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox, and shortly after writing that entry I decided to try the imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails that I received in that box.

Basically, these are a set of plastic press-on nails.  I think their packaging is really cute; I like how the nails are inside of a little nail polish bottle.  They're available at drugstores and mass-market stores like CVS.  The imPRESS nails are marketed as a long-lasting alternative to polish that doesn't fade or chip.  I've recently gained an interest in nail polish and nail art, so I was excited to try these.

I was very happy when I opened my VoxBox and saw the pattern that I received, it's called Over The Moon.  The colors are perfect for my skin tone, a purple/maroon with gold swirls.  The nails were easy to apply, you just pull off the piece of plastic covering the sticky underside and press them on.  The bottle has a bunch of extra nails, too, to cover a wide range of nail sizes.  I have really small hands and nails and was happy to find that they had ones small enough to fit me.  I also like that they're shorter than other press-ons I've seen, because I really dislike the feeling of long nails.

I didn't keep these nails on much longer after I took this photo, because I didn't like the way they felt on my nails.  The combination of the sticky substance and the weight of the nails made me really uncomfortable.  Have you seen the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia scene with the kitten mittens?  That's how I felt with these on my nails (if you haven't seen it, click here).  I like the idea of the product and I think they're really fun, and I'm sure they do last a long time, they just aren't for me.

• Learn more about imPRESS Press-On Manicure by Broadway Nails at their website, where you can find a full list of retailers, download an exclusive coupon, and virtually try on all of the patterns
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Bottom Line: I can see imPRESS nails being a really fun product for people who are fans of press-on nails.  I really loved the pattern I received, and if they didn't feel so uncomfortable I would definitely wear them out and about.  They were easy to apply, had lots of sizes, and come in 36 different styles (ranging from animal prints to solid colors).  They are also easily accessible and affordable, they retail for $5.99 for solid colors and $7.99 for patterns.

*Disclaimer: I received the imPRESS Press-On Manicure free of charge in my Influenster Holiday VoxBox.  I received these products via Influenster in exchange for promotion of the companies and products through social media.  I was not monetarily compensated for this review and these honest opinions are entirely my own.

Wet n Wild Nail Polishes

I have recently gained an interest in painting my nails a color other than pink or red, and my foray into the world of nail polish has produced these recent results.



The first shade is Wet n Wild Wet Shine in Caribbean Frost.  The glare from the lighting makes it a bit difficult to see on my actual nails, but it's a very pretty turquoise-ish color with a bit of sheen.  I bought this bottle a while ago, but I'm pretty sure it only cost $.99 for .43 fl oz at CVS (I'm a big fan of drugstore nail polish).  This is with two coats and a topcoat.  I  like this polish because it goes on evenly and lasts a long time.



This second one is my newest shade and I love it!  It's also Wet n Wild, part of their Fast Dry collection.  The shade is Teal of Fortune and it cost $1.99 for .46 fl oz.  I couldn't get a great photo because I was taking them at night with artificial lighting, which is why the shade looks much more blue than it actually is.  I have it on my nails now and it is more of a teal, as the name says.  What I like most about this shade is the little flecks of glitter.  This is two coats, with a base coat and top coat.  I'll try to get a better picture later and will update it here.  The only thing that was a little weird about this nail polish was that the brush is really thick and the bristles are kind of hard to maneuver with.  But I guess you can't ask for much from a $2 nail polish.  It's got great staying power, though.  I'll stick to my Wet n Wild shades for awhile!

Bottom Line: These polishes are an inexpensive alternative for people like me who aren't completely obsessed with doing their nails.  They have good staying power and come in a variety of fun shades.