Category: Nails
First Ulta Haul of 2023
Well…that didn’t take long. The first Diamond Offers email arrived on January 2nd and I jumped right on it!
I wasn’t planning on getting the Urban Decay Cosmetics Naked x Robin Eisenberg Eyeshadow Palette ($27, down from $54), but half price made it a lot more attractive. Initially, I was put off by the lack of “naked” colors in a “naked” palette, but I was pleasantly surprised by how wearable these bright shimmery colors are. There are several color-shifting duochrome shadows, which are like catnip to me. I can see myself wearing this one quite a bit!
I didn’t want to forget to redeem my Diamond gift of a free Clinique Foundation, so I guessed at my shade and chose Clinique Beyond Perfecting Powder Foundation + Concealer in “0.5 Breeze” (normally $36). I chose correctly and this is a GREAT powder foundation – not cakey at all. Since all Clinique was 25%, I also picked up a back-up tube of Clinique Almost Lipstick in “Black Honey” ($16.50, down from $22). I never thought I’d be a Clinique girl like my mom, but here we are.
I threw some fun clearance items into my cart – a few $1.25 nail polishes, Nailtopia “Carrot Cake” and “Blueberry Milk”. I am out of samples of micellar water, so I am trying out wet n wild Makeup Remover Micellar Cleansing Water ($4.99).
I got a few different freebies with this order. I received a BareMinerals Platinum & Diamond Exclusive 4 Piece Gift with $35 makeup purchase, which includes Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate, Prime Time Original Foundation Primer, and Mineral Veil Finishing Powder in a very nice Makeup Bag. I also received an Exuviance Diamond & Platinum Exclusive! Free 4 Piece Gift with $25 purchase, which includes Deep Clean AHA Cleanser, Glycolic Expert Moisturizer, Overnight Transformation Complex, and A.G.E. Less Everyday Moisturizer. My skin is gonna look AMAZING.
Just $1,149 to Diamond in 2024…
Jello Skittles
2023 is the year of the skittle manicure!
I have declared it, so shall it be.
I call this “Jello Skittles” – because this sheer matte polish looks like Jello.
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and then two coats of each color. Yellow is Sinful Colors “See-Through Citrine”, green is Sinful Colors “Sheer-Treuse”, teal is Sinful Colors “Turnt-Quoise”, blue is Sinful Colors “Kiss of Cobalt”, and purple is Sinful Colors “Veiled in Violet”.
I didn’t use a top coat, so I could keep the matte finish, but I definitely need to try then with a glossy top coat.
Champagne Bubbles
After being disappointed in “Rock Candy”, I demanded an immediate do-over to create Champagne Bubbles.
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and two coats of Funky Fingers “Oh Be One”. It’s an oyster shell polish, so a few streaks and brush marks, but nothing a little glitter cannot handle. For the gold glitter, I used essie “Summit of Style”. I topped with Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I am VERY pleased with how my Champagne Bubbles turned out! I thought I was being original, but it turns out I did something similar…
Rock Candy
I wanted something shiny and eye-catching for New Year’s Eve…you know, for the couch…and it turns out that this nail look is about as exciting as my night last night – I was in bed by 10ish and MOST DEFINITELY asleep before midnight.
Sinful Colors “Rock Candy” is from the Jelly Topper Collection – the polish is packed with silver and blue glitter, no complaints there – but the jelly is clear. There’s just not much depth to this polish. Also, my nails are so stained that is appears to have almost a gold cast to it – that’s not the polish, it’s my nails.
This is two coats of “Rock Candy” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I want glitter, but with something underneath to hide my hideous stained nails…
The Grinch Who Saved Xmas
It’s me…hi. I’m the Grinch, it’s me.
Another Xmas season in the books and I am exhausted. It was mostly good, with just a little toxicity thrown in for flavor. I admit, I had a few “mama bear” moments when I felt like my kids got the shaft, but they are much stronger than I am and just shrugged it off…never underestimate kids’ ability to immediately know WHO the asshole is in a situation.
ANYWAY, I was inspired to create another Julep Skittle mani, this time a GRINCH-y one!
I started with two coats of red (Julep “Stephanie”) and chartreuse (Julep “Sam”) over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I played around with glitters – I used Julep “Ruby Slippers” and Julep “Angelique”. I used Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber on the glittered nails and then finished with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I got so many compliments on these nails…my little black heart grew two full sizes!
Queen of Green
Why yes, I AM the Queen of Green.
For the first time in a few years, I am FILLED with XMAS SPIRIT…and I don’t mean alcohol. I am actually excited about Xmas-y nail looks.
This is Sinful Colors “Queen of Green”. She is a sassy, shimmery emerald green. This is two coats of “Queen of Green” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I don’t think it stained my nails like other green nail polishes do, although I am not sure I could tell right now – they are already pretty stained…
Vein Slayer
I did not do much Black Friday shopping…but I did restock on Glisten & Glow base and top coats – I couldn’t pass up a 35% off code.
I also couldn’t pass up Glisten & Glow “Vein Slayer” ($11, $7.15 with code). I know it’s supposed to be a Halloween polish…but it also looks like crushed peppermint!
This is two coats of “Vein Slayer” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, topped with Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Glisten & Glow Top Coat…except that pinky. That pesky pinky got Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I don’t care for the matte finish with this polish.
This polish lasted on my nails a full seven days without a single chip. It looked FLAWLESS when I took it off, I was just ready for a change.
Blueberry Macaron
That’s blueberry macaron, NOT blueberry macaroon. A blueberry macaroon would be DISGUSTING.
I did the Velvet Matte right this time! Just two coats of Sinful Colors “Blueberry Macaron” – no base coat, no top coat. It dried perfectly – no wrinkles or creases. There’s a faint gold shimmer undertone to the polish – can you see it in the pic?
Will I ever be finished with the Confection Crush Collection???
Miscellaneous Ulta Haul
Really…I just needed shampoo. I’d had my refill of NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo ($23) in my cart for weeks…I just added stuff slowly until I had enough junk for free stuff!
I had seen KVD Beauty Everlasting Hyperlight Vegan Transfer-Proof Liquid Lipstick in “Velvet Cloak” ($23) on insta…I was transfixed by the color. It’s a new shade, not a renamed shade from Kat Von D. I was SO right – it’s gorgeous on me. It’s not quite “Lolita”/”Queen of Poisons” – but it’s close. Speaking of lippies, I also got Ulta Weightless Water Lip Stain in “Very Berry” ($6, down from $10). This formula doesn’t bleed quite as much as the Revolution version – I love it!
For funsies, I added a bunch of other sale stuff to my cart: a HASK Color Care Color Protection Deep Conditioner ($1.79, down from $2.99); 2 packs of Exfoliating Cotton Rounds ($2.09, down from $3.49); Ulta Crystal Aloe Scented Gel Hand Wash ($2.10, down from $3.50); Ulta Soft Cotton Scented Foaming Hand Wash ($2.10, down from $3.50); J. Cat Beauty Curl & Lift-Up Eyelash Comb Curler ($2.39, down from $3.99 – for Lily, because curled lashes are all the rage with high schoolers these days); 2 EcoTools Bath Poofs ($2.39, down from $2.99); an Ulta 4-Way Buffing Block ($2.40, down from $4); Freeman Refining Pink To Green Color Changing Clay Facial Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – this mask pissed me off…it did not start green, nor did it turn green – BULLSHIT MARKETING); Freeman Soothing Pumpkin Mud Facial Mask ($3.49, down from $4.99 – it smells like pumpkin pie); and a wet n wild Ultimate Brow Micro Brow Pencil in “Medium Brown” ($3.59, down from $4.79 – not bad, but has a reddish tinge that looks cheap).
I used a $15 off $75 code and GOT a nice gift with purchase. Inside this positively BURSTING 20 piece “Little Luxuries” sample bag (free with my $80 purchase): Benefit The POREfessional Super Setter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray (I have so much setting spray, I could paint my house with it); Urban Skin Rx Retinol Rapid Repair Treatment; Clinique High Impact Mascara; IGK Pay Day Instant Repair Shampoo, Conditioner & Cash In Instant Repair Serum; Vichy Mineral 89 Booster; Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio; Tula Skincare Take Care + Polish/Take Care + Nourish; olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask (ooooh, this is the good stuff); Curlsmith Bond Curl Rehab Salve (sending to my niece, Curly Sue); Sexy Hair Imperfect Nectarine Strengthening Mask; Gucci Flora Gorgeous Jasmine; Urban Decay Wild Lash Vegan Mascara; Good Molecules Silicone-Free Priming Moisturizer; Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder; La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Moisturizer; Mugler Alien Goddess; Giorgio Armani Si Passione; Buxom Wanderlust Blush Card; Kylie Cosmetics Matte Liquid Lipstick Card Sample in “Mary Jo K”; and Viktor & Rolf Good Fortune.
Just $119 to Diamond in 2023…almost there!
Gingerbread Spice, Orange Slice
I promise, this was not planned…but my brunch matched my nails!
Over the Thanksgiving Break, I was running errands with my son and we stopped for brunch at First Watch. As a special treat, we ordered Gingerbread Spice Donut Holes for an appetizer. Not only were they FUCKING DELICIOUS, but they matched my nails!
I am wearing Sinful Colors “Orange Slice” from last winter’s Confection Crush Collection. It’s one of the gumdrop textured polishes and it does NOT look at all like the gummy orange slice candy. I was annoyed until I realized that it looks like candied orange peel! My father-in-law makes them sometimes, and they are delightful.
This is two coats of “Orange Slice” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat.