Category: Candles
Polish Pickup Overstock – February 2024
Ooohh….I cannot pass up a second chance to snag polishes I may have missed!
Every so often, Polish Pickup has an overstock sale – leftovers from previous months, stuff like that. All the polishes were $12 and wax melts were $4, so I decided to grab a few.
I’m going to skip to my most traumatizing choice – Vapid Wax “Szechuan Fire”. Holy fucking shitballs, this wax set my brain on fire – and not in a good way. As soon as I put it into the wax warmer in my bathroom, I started to feel physically ill. I don’t know if it was the ginger or the szechuan, but my whole body, mind, and soul were repelled by this scent. I scraped it out of my wax warmer and threw the rest of the pack away. My husband said it wasn’t bad, but we all know that husbands cannot be trusted. This scent was from January 2022 – Spices & Condiments.
I also got Vapid Wax “Hatteras”. This was a rainy, wet scent with lots of petrichor. I like this one a lot – it’s in my bathroom as we speak. “Hatteras” is from May 2022 – National Parks & Landmarks.
Tonshi Mountain Studios “Orange Harvest” is a basic orange with hints of spice. It’s a nice orange scent, without that fake orange smell. I couldn’t find online which month this wax came from.
MTK Designs “Seaing Unicorns” was one I remember passing up in November’s Fairy Tales and Folklore. It’s inspired by the scene in The Last Unicorn, when the unicorns are freed from the scene. I cannot wait to try it.
By Dany Vianna “Nana Nenem” is inspired by the Netflix show, Invisible City. I’ve never heard of it, but I’m intrigued. This one is also from November and it’s a thermal!
Four out of five winners isn’t bad…which polish should I try first?
Polish Pickup July 2023 – REWIND
I absolutely LOVE that every July, Polish Pickup does a “REWIND” month that allows folks to have a chance to buy polishes that they may have missed out on from past months. Of course, the selection is dependent on what products the makers make available – I kind of went nuts on thermal polishes…
Crystal Knockout “In Sprite of It All” ($12.50) is a sparkly thermal polish. It’s from October 2022 – Sidekicks, and is inspired by Sprite from Legend of Zelda. I have never played it or watched any of the cartoons, so I’ll take their word for it. I just bought it because it reminds me of my birthstone, amethyst.
Dam Nail Polish “Don’t Go in There, it’s Haunted AF” ($13) is NOT a thermal polish. It’s from September 2022 – Scary Vibes, and is inspired by a haunted house with pumpkin guards (I cannot even visualize that, but whatever).
Fancy Gloss “The Toxic Bitch” ($13) is a TRI-THERMAL and is from June 2020 – Cocktails and Mocktails. I’ve seen the swatches and I am VERY excited to try it…there’s a surprise in this polish and I don’t want to ruin it!
Swamp Gloss “Whoa” ($13.50) is yet another thermal polish. It’s from April 2021 – The Nineties, and is inspired by the one and only Keanu Reeves. I mean…who else could “Whoa” be referring to? (If anyone says Joey Lawrence, I will SLAP them.)
Oh, and I got Vapid Wax “It’s Like RAYYYYEEEEAAAYYYYNNNN” ($5) – I love the scent of petrichor and rain in general, so this is going right into my bathroom warmer. This one was from March 2019 – Album Covers.
I went so crazy in July that I held myself back from even LOOKING at the August Polish Pickup last week…Not sure if I’ll purchase in September, but I already KNOW I am going to load up on spooky October polishes.
Polish Pickup May 2023 – Junk Food
Ya’ll…I might be hooked on Polish Pickup.
May’s theme was Junk Food…and I may have gravitated towards a specific kind of junk food – Mountain Dew. Three of the four items I purchased are Mountain Dew related! The Vapid Wax “Gamer Fuel” Wax Melts ($6) and Bluebird Lacquer Cuticle Balm No More Uglies in “Baja Blast” ($7) are scented like…you guessed it…Mountain Dew “Baja Blast”, my favorite flavor of Mountain Dew. They really DO smell like “Baja Blast” tastes, although the wax melts have an underlying hint of that orange puke sawdust smell (that weird shit they used to pour on vomit in elementary school, it’s a very unique smell.) One of the polishes I ordered is By Vanessa Molina “Purple Thunder” ($13), which is based on Mountain Dew “Purple Thunder”. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered this flavor…now I’m on the hunt! (A quick google says it’s exclusive to Circle K – I’ll be looking.)
Lilypad Lacquer “Licorice Allsorts” ($14) is the other polish I picked. Although I wouldn’t touch licorice with a 10 foot pole, this polish drew me in…I’m excited to see what they look like in person…
The Dregs
When you hit the Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale a few days before the end, you save yourself A LOT of money…that’s because all that’s left are the dregs and there are not many good deals!
I only spent about $14 – I bought a couple of “Strawberry Poundcake” Shower Gels at 75%, a “Vampire Blood” Single Wick Candle, and some sour goo lip gloss for Lil. I didn’t even get to use a coupon!
PEEPS Polish Haul
$1.50 nail polish…yes…$1.50 PEEPs nail polish…you have my interest AND you have my attention.
Even though it’s well past Easter, I added the entire Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x PEEPS Collection to my cart – “PEEPS Pink”, “PEEPS Yellow”, “PEEPS White”, “PEEPS Blue”, and “PEEPS Fruit Punch.” Is “Fruit Punch” even a color?
I love freebies, so I restocked on my favorite brow pencil – Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” and “Medium Brown” ($10 each). This gave me a free 10 piece gift from Ulta: Eye Shadow Palette (8 shades); Highlighter & Blush Duo; Luxe Lipstick in “Raisin”; Tinted Lip Oil (great for removing long wear lip paint); Clear Brow Gel; Matte Eye Primer in Nude; Mattifying Face Primer; Lash Flash Mascara; and a Makeup Removing Cloth in a faux leather Makeup Bag.
I am a sucked for each new lippie that NYX puts out, so I grabbed a NYX Smooth Whip Blurring Matte Lip Cream in “Velvet Robe” ($8), which granted me a freebie: an NYX Suede Matte Velvet Vegan Lip Liner in “Sandstorm”. Oh, I have this shade of Liquid Suede!
I purchased a Conair True Glow Sonic Facial Brush Replacement Head ($8, down from $10) because…they come with an adapter for the recently out-of-business Clarisonic! I tried it and the little adapter piece that came with it worked like a charm…I am so glad I hadn’t trashed it yet. My daughter is obsessed with Stranger Things, so I got her a half price MAC Lip Glass in “Rockin’ Robin” ($10, down from $20). I also added an INVISIBOBBLE Waver Traceless Hair Clip ($3.50) for funsies.
Not only did I use a $5 off coupon, but I got more freebies – thank you Diamond Day! I got a Platinum & Diamond 4 piece gift that included four Jane Iredale products: POMMISST Hydration Spray, Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain, Beyond Lash Volumizing Mascara, and Smooth Affair Illuminating Glow Face Primer. I also got a Platinum & Diamond Exclusive gift from NEST Fragrances – three votive candles in “Grapefruit” (burning now – smells so good), “Ocean Mist & Sea Salt”, and “Wild Mint & Eucalyptus”.
$313 to Diamond in 2023!
One of a Kind Haul
I am kind of a sucker for Bath & Body Works’ Mother’s Day bags/boxes/whatever. They don’t tag them for Mother’s Day any more…but I know that’s what they are.
This year’s thing was a box called “One of a Kind” and it was $40 with a $40 purchase. The box featured two new scents – “Butterfly” (not to be confused with “Butterfly Flower”, which is a totally different scent) and “Bubbly Rosé.” The notes in “Butterfly” are raspberry nectar (no idea what that smells like), iris and vanilla. I was happy to get Fragrance Mist, Body Lotion, Shower Gel, Antibacterial Hand Spray, and a single wick candle. The notes in “Bubbly Rosé” are pink rosé, blood orange and cranberry. I feel like I would like to wear this on my body – but the products included were a three wick candle, Foaming Hand Soap and Lip Gloss. I checked B&BW’s site – they DO sell “Bubbly Rosé” body products…note to self, remember this for the upcoming Semi-Annual Sale next month.
To get to $40, I took advantage of a $2.95 Hand Soap sale. I bought 20, which is way more than $40, but still a smoking deal. I wasn’t feeling like going to an actual store, so I placed an order online – $6.99 shipping is a small price to pay to be able to stay in bed. I was also psyched that I was able to use the 25% off mailer coupon – SCORE!
Mother’s Day in the Bag
The Mother’s Day Tote Bag from Bath & Body Works is kind of a big deal. I don’t get it every single year – the products aren’t always exciting – but this year’s products are just what I wanted.
I have been excited about “Perfect Peony” since it launched a few months ago…I’ve been biding my time for an opportunity to try it. This bag included “Perfect Peony” Fine Fragrance Mist, Shower Gel and 24 Hour Moisture Lotion. I would have preferred Body Cream, but I’ll cope. I really like the scent. Obviously, it’s very similar to the original “Peony” scent (of which I still have several bottles stashed), but it’s different enough that I can tell them apart. There’s an underlying herbal scent to “Perfect Peony” – it reminds me of the old “Flowering Herbs” scent from the 90s. I like it and hope it sticks around.
Also inside the Mother’s Day bag: “Cactus Blossom” 3 Wick Candle, “Cactus Blossom” Foaming Hand Soap; a “Strawberry Pound Cake” Jar Candle, “Strawberry Pound Cake” Hand Cream and “Strawberry Pound Cake” HAND SANITIZER. WOO HOO! As much as I love “Perfect Peony”, I am obsessed with “Strawberry Pound Cake” – that will be my next acquisition, I guarantee it.
The bag itself is a bit disappointing. I was expecting a heavier bag, but it’s made out of the stuff that reusable grocery bags are made of. Hmmm, I guess I can use it Aldi?
I spent WAY too much on Hand Soaps to get the bag for $30 with a $30 purchase. 6/$26 is HIGHWAY ROBBERY! But I’ve been quarantining for over two months and I’ve been washing my hands A LOT. I got 7 soaps and by far, the big winner was the “Blueberry Lemonade” Foaming Hand Soap. I need more of that scent in my life.
So what’s the word on the street for Semi Annual Sale? Shouldn’t that be starting soon?
Wall Flamingo
I am running out of plugs to stick my Wallflowers in!
I had seen this Flamingo Wallflower ($12.50) on Insta, and had plotting to bring it home for several weeks. It just turned out that Lily needed a gift for a birthday party this weekend…how convenient. I even remembered to bring the coupons I got in the mail: a free gift worth $5.50, a single wick candle for $5 and 20% off my entire purchase.
We quickly added the Flamingo and a gift set to our shopping bag. The $5.50 gift could be either a travel size or a purse size hand cream, so I chose a hand cream in “Rose Quartz”. Aromatherapy was B2G2, which is better than the usual B3G3, so I picked out some “Love” scented products – Rose and Vanilla. I chose 2 Aromatherapy Body Washes ($13.50), an Aromatherapy Body Cream ($13.50) and an Aromatherapy Pillow Spray ($15.50). My pillows will put me in the mood now!
As for the candle, I was gonna grab a random rose scent until Lily found this “French Baguette” candle ($5, down from $14.50). I was skeptical, but it really does smell like crusty french bread. My mom would have been OBSESSED with this candle – it’s so buttery! I need the body spray….
Second Chance at Black Friday
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Last Friday, I was off work, out and about and I happened to notice an email for $2.95 Hand Soap Sale. So after Big Lots, I skipped on over to Bath & Body Works…
I filled a bag with 6 bottles…what? That is a damn empty bag, but I just filled up on soap a few weeks ago. I was hoping to use the coupons I forgot to bring to Candle Day the week before. [$8.95 3 wick candles – it was INSANE. There were bare shelves everywhere and I managed to get 2 of the last 3-4 “Twisted Peppermint” candles. I was lucky I didn’t get shanked in the parking lot.] Unfortunately, I couldn’t stack coupons with the soaps…but they would let me do two transactions…
I was about to give up and just leave with my soap, when I noticed that they had two racks of sexy black bags by the front door. They had a shitload of the VIP Black Friday Bags left! I verified with an employee – they were selling them for $35 each and I could use all my coupons. Not only did I get $10 off, but I got a free “Winter Candy Apple” Shower Gel for Lily and a free “White Citrus” Shower Gel for myself.
Inside the gorgeous fake leather VIP bag: a Fine Fragrance Mist in “Into the Stars” (it smells nice, but I wasn’t ready to start a new scent, so I gave it to Lily); a “Winter Candy Apple” 3 wick candle, a “Twisted Peppermint” Foaming Hand Soap, a Men’s Collection 2-in-1 Hair & Body Wash in “Ocean” (my husband shall enjoy it); “Vanilla Bean Noel” Shea Butter Hand Cream; “Champagne Toast” Antibacterial Hand Gel; and a “Lump of Coal” Charcoal Sheet Mask with Purifying Charcoal.
Just a few weeks more weeks until the Semi-Annual Sale! I better make room!
2 More Semi-Annual Hauls
Again, a double post with two separate Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale Hauls. Each one ended up being about $30 each after coupons, so I’ll be stocked up for a good long while.
The first haul was last Saturday and I had Lily with me. I hit the Fry Road location (because fuck going to a mall on a Saturday). I started off just looking for the “Rose” Foaming Hand Soap I snagged on my last trip, but they didn’t have any. I ended up letting Lily pick a Shower Gel and Body Lotion from the 75% off bins – she chose “Hello Sun Shine”, a citrus-y one that smells great. I picked up a “Wild Rose & Apple” Shower Gel for myself, now that it’s in the 75% off bin, too. I added two more hand soaps to my bag, plus a “New York” 3-wick candle for $10. Did you know New York smells like “Rosewater & Ivy” – I figured it smelled like pizza rats. Oh, and I found a mini candle of “Sunwashed Petals”, which I’ve never seen before…and then I realized that it was a sniffer for Wallflowers. (They said I could buy it – shrug.) I also added two Wallflowers in the same scent.
The next trip was a lunchtime trip, looking for more of the “Rose” soap. No luck, but I did find “Vetiver”. I grabbed another 8 Hand Soaps, plus a back-up of “Endless Weekend” Shower Gel at 75% off. I also grabbed a 75% off Owl Wallflower Nightlight for Lily’s bedroom. I had bought her a grocery store one when we moved in, but I cannot ever remember what brand it is…plus, did you know that refills for those things cost more than the ones at Bath & Body Works (on sale)? Fuck that. Now her room can smell pretty, too. Oh, and a “Peony” purse lotion.
So…I wonder if this is the last shopping trip this sale?