Author: Lara
September 2023 Ipsy Bag – Find Your Groove
I LOVE a fancy zipper pull and this month’s ipsy bag has a wild tasseled zipper pull. Groovy.
This month’s theme is “Find Your Groove”, so consider it found. My product choice was First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream – winter is coming, and so is my dry skin. I’m still trying to use up the Kate Somerville Cream from May’s box, so I haven’t busted it open yet.
Also in this month’s groovy bag: Hey Honey Show Your Glow – Colloidal Gold & Honey Beauty Mask (a nice soothing mask that doesn’t dry or peel – you just rinse); Lavido Thera Intensive Oil Control Clarifying Gel Wash (going in my travel bag for this weekend); Pacifica Stellar Gaze Length & Strength Mineral Mascara in “Supernova” (a nice mascara – very basic); and Shaina B Miami Lip Gloss in “Heat Wave” (haven’t tested it yet).
A nice bag with products I’ll actually use!
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $13/month and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $43/quarterly. If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
Speedster
Sinful Colors “Speedster” isn’t too old…if three years isn’t old for a nail polish.
It’s fine, the quality was fine. This is just a plain, old candy apple red nail polish. It’s fairly similar to Zoya “Sooki”, my favorite red. It’s perhaps a bit more orange?
This is two coats of “Speedster” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Missy
Julep “Missy” is another polish that has been chilling in the cabinet since 2016.
“Missy” is a silver foil polish. I love to hate foils – they are usually so fussy to deal with and streaky…but not “Missy”. I got smooth coverage and no bubbles – shocking! Is it me, or is there faint greenish cast to this silver?
This is two coats of “Missy” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
WONDERSKIN
I don’t know about you, but that lip stain that goes on blue and peels off is all over my socials. Does WONDERSKIN live up to the hype?
I ordered two tubes of WONDERSKIN Wonder Blading Lip Masque ($22) few weeks ago. One for me – “Charming” (Toffee Rose) – and one for my daughter – “Romance” (Cool Rose). I made the mistake of not ordering the Wonder Blading Lip Activator ($12), which I didn’t realize if what makes the blue stuff peel off. I was scraping my nails at the edge of my lip and I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t peeling! I gave up and wiped the blue off with wet toilet paper, which was a LOVELY experience.
Once I got all the blue off my fingers, I topped with my favorite lip balm and was ready to go. The stain lasted all day, even through Mexican food and booze and charcuterie and more booze.
For the record, my daughter said that hers DOES peel. I’ve worn it several times and no peeling for me. Hmmm…
I don’t know that WONDERSKIN is worth $22 + $12, but it does last a pretty long time. (Full confession, I only ordered it to use up some Shop Pay cash that was about to expire, which made then $14.40 each.) I am curious how the darker colors or a vibrant red will work on me though…I might save up more Shop Pay cash and try again…
Candied Grapefruit
My old Potluck Gang was finally able to get together the weekend before last and the theme was “Barbie Boobs”. We’ve been doing this for 22 years, and we’ll never run out of offensive themes for our potlucks!
“Barbie Boobs” means pink food and pink nails, so I picked a pink I hadn’t tried yet – Sinful Colors “Candied Grapefruit” from the Confection Crush Collection. It’s a glossy pink, a bit streaky – even with the second coat. Ugh, it reminded me of that awful liquid amoxycillin I used to have to take as a kid…
This is two coats of “Candied Grapefruit” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
NOTE: This is NOT what color candied grapefruit is. My Father-in-Law makes it and it’s more of a coral shade.
WHOA
I admit, Swamp Gloss “WHOA” appears suspiciously similar to “Revved up Like a Douche”, but it’s not supposed to be?
“WHOA” is a thermal nail polish – the part of my nail that is attached to my flesh (like, most of it) is supposed to be WHITE! Right after I painted my nails, the polish was mostly white, with a thin strip of turquoise at the tip…but when I woke up the next morning…BLAM, no more thermal action. I don’t know what made it not work…hmmm…Here’s some swatches of what “WHOA” should look like, from Nicole Loves Nails.
I would be more irritated, but I like the 90s Taco Bell vibe. “WHOA” is inspired by the King of WHOA himself, Keanu Reeves and was originally from Polish Pickup April 2021 – The Nineties, but made a reappearance in July 2023 – REWIND.
This is two coats of “WHOA” over Vibrant Scents Base Coat in “Island Petals” and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”.
Raspberries ‘N’ Cream
Berries and cream…berries and cream…I’m a little lad who loves berries and cream.
Sinful Colors “Raspberries ‘N’ Cream” is THE LAST of the Velvet Matte polishes from the Confection Crush Collection…FINALLY.
“Raspberries ‘N’ Cream” is medium pink polish, darker than “Rosewater Delight” but lighter than “Strawberry Cheesecake”. This is twp coats, no base coat and no top coat. It chipped within A DAY. Argh.
Rosy Ulta Haul
I was running low on my absolute FAVORITE underarm deodorant – Megababe Rosy Pits Daily Deodorant ($14) – so I ordered one. I literally used the last smidge in the roller the day this box arrived.
We’re all adults here…I hope…so I’m just going to put it out there…after a hysterectomy and menopause, a lady might need a little help in the moisture department. I ordered Unbound Jelly ($18) and it does what it is supposed to do. No weird scents or flavors, it just gets the job done. Ulta is now carrying a wide variety of lubes and toys, so be forewarned. Good thing my teenagers actively ignore anything I write or put on social media!
Eyebrows are the most important element of my look these days, so I stocked up on a few more Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencils ($10 each) – one in “Medium Brown” for casual looks and one in “Dark Brown” for when I want to go full “Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford in Mommy Dearest.” I got a free 9 piece gift with my purchase that includes an eye and face palette; ULTAmate Lashes Mascara in “Jet Black”; Velvet Matte Liquid Lipstick in a mystery shade; Lip Stain in a mystery shade; Poreless Face Primer; Matte Eye Primer; an eye shadow brush and a makeup sponge, all in a metallic pink makeup bag.
Not only did I use a $10 off $40 coupon and got the free Ulta gift with purchase…I also got a free 10 piece body care gift with my $60 purchase…which wasn’t really $60 because of the coupon. The gift included Hempz Citrus Blossom Herbal Body Moisturizer; Daily Concepts Your Facial Mini Scrubber (looks like the Dobie pad in my kitchen); Kniepp Mineral Bath Salt in “Under the Weather” (eucalyptus!); Whim by Ulta Beauty Peppermint Moisturizing Foot Mask; La Roche-Posay Lipikar Wash AP+; L’Occitane Amande Shower Oil; Completely Bare Don’t Grow There Body Moisturizer & Hair Inhibitor (you KNOW I’ll be trying this); Megababe Space Bar Detoxifying Charcoal Underarm Bar; Dionis Goat Milk Shave Butter; and Fresh Milk Body Cleanser. I feel like I would use ALL of those!
Just $329 to Diamond in 2024.
Don’t Go In There. It’s Haunted AF.
I took a brief break from thermals with Dam Nail Polish “Don’t Go In There. It’s Haunted AF.” from July’s Polish Pickup. It’s a blue/green shifting polish with a pink/gold shimmer.
This is two coats of “Don’t Go In There. It’s Haunted AF.” over Vibrant Scents Base Coat in “Island Petals” and topped with Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”.
The polish was originally part of the September 2022 Polish Pickup – Scary Vibes. It’s inspired by a spooky haunted house, guarded by pumpkins. I have never seen one, but I guarantee you I would not go in there.
The Toxic Bitch
Fancy Gloss “The Toxic Bitch” is THE most amazing thermal nail polish I’ve ever seen. It’s a tri-thermal – ranging from dark teal to bright green to chartreuse. It’s from June 2020 (Cocktails and Mocktails) and it based on a blue curacao (DUH) drink called “The Toxic Bitch”. I will drink ANYTHING blue, so I’m dying to try it. (It pretty much sounds like Electric Lemonade with tequila.)
I also figured out a better way to get thermal pictures. Instead of rubbing an ice cube on my fingers, I dunked my whole hand in ice water to get the coldest shade (dark teal in this case) and took pictures as my fingers warmed up (the fade from teal to green to chartreuse).
This is two coats of “The Toxic Bitch” over Vibrant Scents Base Coat in “Island Petals” and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”. The polish lasted phenomenally AND wasn’t a pain in the ass to get off – win/win. I need to try it again when my nails are longer!