I know what you're thinking: "you've been silent for four months and you only managed to finish off five products?" Well, no. There are several more, but these are the ones worth mentioning. Trust me, my opinion on my shampoo (boring Herbal Essence) isn't interesting at all. Or toothpaste. I mean, if you want a review on those boring bits I'm happy to oblige, but I figured you'd want an update, since most of these have a blog post dedicated to it.

Let's see, there are two PR samples present (no FTC, I haven't forgotten about your rules. I may be a forgetful blogger, but I am a compliant one): Burt's Bees Cream Cleanser and The Body Shop Body Scrub. The rest was purchased by me. Onto the reviews!

CO Bigelow Mentha Body wash: I used to be addicted to this stuff. The way it left the whole house smelling like peppermint, and my skin tingling and cold. Seriously, do not use this stuff in the winter. You will regret it the moment you step out of the bathroom. It took me a while to finish this bottle off (maybe two years?), but not for lack of trying. I swap body washes out here and there, so this stuff kind of kept getting put on the back burner.

Will I repurchase? One of these days. It's a staple product that I love. 

$12.00 through Bath & Body Works

Mark Help Wanted: Probably the saddest product on here. I loved it. Loved the smell, loved the results, pretty much everything about it. Sadly, it's been discontinued.

Will I repurchase? Can't =( So sad

The Body Shop Coconut Body Scrub: I blogged about this product a while back, and I'm happy to report that my opinion has not changed. Soft skin, great scent, what's not to love? It's fantastic, and I highly recommend it.

Will I repurchase? I already have =) along with the body butter.

Retails for $20 at the Body Shop's website and in stores.

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Cream Cleanser: I'm going to sound like a Mary Kay spokesperson for a minute, but ever since I started the Clear Proof system I haven't have much problems with dry skin or excess oil. On those off days this cleanser is great, but I don't like using multiple cleansers at one time. It's great for those once in a while uses when my skin is feeling a bit dry, and it really does work. For me, the lotion works just as well, especially if applied at night before I go to bed.

Will I repurchase? Maybe, but probably not.

Retails for $18 at Target.

Julep Instant Warming Foot Scrub: This little bugger was a pain to use up. I had to push really hard for the product to some out, and eventually I gave up. It's not 100% finished, but I'm done with it. Like I said in my review it's a normal scrub, and its gimmick is the warming sensation. That's the only thing that separates this product from the rest. 

Will I repurchase? No. It's been discontinued, and even if it wasn't I still would but it again.

I don't see it on the website anymore, but I do remember that it was fairly expensive for the amount.

This post contains product sent for review

All opinions are my own

Venique "Be Brilliant" | Swatch and Review

The one coat wonders are back! These lovelies appeared at my door unexpectedly a while back for review purposes and after playing around with them and wearing them on and off for the past few months I now have time to review them.

The collection "Be Brilliant" was inspired by the hair product of BioMega. I'm not familiar with BioMega, so I can't speak much on accuracy, but I can say that the colors are beautiful!

Also, super exciting, Venique is now available to consumers! You may remember in my previous post about the brand that were exclusive to professionals unless you browsed sights like Amazon or Ebay. Now their nail polishes are available to purchase through Loxa Beauty. They retail for $8, which is a really nice price considering the quality.

Up Your GLOW

First off is Up Your GLOW. It's a pinkish-purple cream. Now out of the six Venique nail polishes I have, this is the only one that can use two coats. You can get away with one, but when you look at it closely it's clear that it could use a second coat. Though a thicker coat would rectify the situation, but if you're more into thinner coats I'd think about adding a second. Above is two coats.

Best BEHAVR-ior

It's a matte! A one coat mate! I was surprised when I applied this one for the first time, I wasn't expecting it to be matte. It's a beautiful blue with a hint of green shimmer in it that's not quite as noticeable when it's in its natural matte state, but definitely shines when a top coat is put on.

I'm glad it's one coat, it makes applying a nail polish in a rush an easy thing to do.

My only gripe with this, and it seems to be a trend with blues, is that it has the tendency to stain your nails. Base coat is a must with this one.

Up All NIGHT, Party Till Dawn

 My favorite nail polish form the "Be Brilliant" collection, Up All NIGHT, Party Till Dawn is a metallic purple that is a dream to apply. Removal is simple, no fuss. Wear is good, pretty standard among the brand. Probably has a lot to do with the fact that they're one coat, and don't need a glob of nail polish to be opaque.

Comparison, Up All Night, Party Till Dawn and Sleepy Slippers

The first thing I noticed is its similarity to another Venique nail polish I own. I pulled both polishes out for a comparison, and luckily they're not too similar. Where UAN, PTD is a purple metalic, Sleepy Slippers is a pinkish silver metalic. They're similar, but not exact.

Overall, I'm really beginning to like the brand. The quality is fantastic, the colors beautiful.

*All roducts provided for review

Thought I forgot about you all, huh?

Source

Grab yourself a slice of cake, and enjoy Adore A Polish's third birthday! I know, I've been a bad blogger and haven't been updating this summer. Excuses are excuses, and I won't bother you with them. What's important is that I plan on getting back into blogging.

I want to post at least twice a month, with a goal of one a week. Consider this the blog's birthday gift to you. I have several posts lined up and scheduled, so hopefully I'll be able to stick with it. If not, you're more than welcome to yell at me =)

Like last year I went through my posts from the past year and picked my favorites:

- Zoya Pixi Dust in Tomoko may possibly be my favorite/weirdest nail polish of the year. There's a close second, but I love this shade so much.
- In my first "let's talk about brands" post, I went over Essie and my love for the brand with a bit of history added in.
- Runner up for my favorite nail polish of the year: Essie Resort Fling. Beautiful shade that I can't resist putting on my nails over and over again.
- I still have an obsession with my Kate Spade Small Leslie, or Kate Spade in general. I haven't been using it much lately, but it's still a favorite.
- I was also glad to expand my brush collection this year with the iFabbo sampled Crown brushes. I use the crease blender religiously.

Lastly, last year's birthday post.

 For me, blogging is a wonderful hobby. Having the ability to share my opinions openly with an array of people is therapeutic, in a way. It's a way of expression. I know I may not be the most organized, or up to date bloggers, but I'm glad that I have people like you, the reader, to share my thoughts with. So, thank you. To each and every one of you, I thank you all for sticking with me through these bursts of nothingness. It means the world to me. ❤︎

To think it all goes back to that first post...