Tag: Polish Pickup
Polish Pickup November 2023 – Fairytales & Folklore
It was so hard not to buy 20 polishes this month – I LOVE the Fairytales & Folklore theme. Most were based on stories and legends, but there were quite a few Taylor Swift (Folklore) polishes. I thought I got a variety of polishes…turns out that the three I picked are primarily GREEN.
MJ Lacquers “Oz” ($12.75) is a black crelly, loaded with every color of glitter, iridescent flakies and shimmer. The green flakies are the most prominent aspect in the polish. Of course, it’s inspired by The Wizard of Oz.
Adored Colors “Baba Yaga” ($12.50) is a green shimmer, filled with earthy glitter. It’s inspired by the witch of Slavic folklore.
Psyche Minerals “Shapeshifting in the Moor” ($13) is a glittery multichrome polish that shifts all colors of the rainbow. It’s inspired by the púca – a celtic goblin.
I couldn’t pass up another bottle of Baroness X Acetone Antidote in “Chocolate Croissant” ($8). As soon as I opened it, I wanted to eat it. I didn’t.
Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary
I saved the best for last from September’s Polish Pickup…this is Baroness X “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary”. (I assume it’s only repeated twice, because if it was called “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary”, all HELL would break loose.)
I was totally astounded at the beauty of this nail polish. In most lights, it looks like a dull, black polish – not even shiny. But when light – or the sun especially – hits it just right, it burns a brilliant red. I puzzled for days on how to photograph this polish and finally came upon the solution in my car. I mean…why the hell not?
This is two coats of “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary” over Vibrant Scents Double Bond Base Coat in “Island Petals” and under Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”.
Urban Decay – An Homage
I’ll just come out and say it…Urban Decay Cosmetics is not what it used to be. It used to be edgy and controversial and fun…and now? Now, your mom’s makeup bag is full of Urban Decay and you’re buying whatever starlet puts their name on makeup this week…Bobbie Millie Brown, Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish all have beauty brands.
Rogue Lacquer “Urban Decay” is from October’s Polish Pickup and is inspired by Urban Decay Cosmetics – specifically their nail polish – from back in the 90s. I still have a bunch of bottles, and now I want to dig through them and see if they are still any good…Oooh! I have a project for tonight, since I am officially “on vacation” – no work and no school until the Monday after next!
This is two coats of “Urban Decay” over Vibrant Scents Double Bond Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Raspberry Pop”.
Polish Pickup October 2023 – 90’s Grunge
I might be addicted to the Polish Pickup…I keep telling myself that I can stop any time…
October’s theme is 90’s Grunge, which is right up my alley. It was a struggle to pick just a few of these!
Lyn B Designs “Does it Get Eddie Vedder?” ($13) is inspired by her love of Weird Al parodies, Pearl Jam, and sweaters. It’s a grey crelly with a shocking blue to purple shimmer.
Rogue Lacquer “Urban Decay” ($13) is inspired by…90s Urban Decay nail polishes. I still have a few of them – I hope they’re not all dried up. “Urban Decay” is a brown toned purple jelly base loaded with purple, magenta and orange flakes as well as a subtle flash of gold glass flakes.
Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Raspberry Pop” ($10) is a scented top coat. I cannot wait to see how it smells!
Stay tuned to see these polishes…
Haunted Forever
Halloween may be behind me, but I still have spooky nails to share…
Lilypad Lacquer “Haunted Forever” is the fourth polish I snagged from September’s Polish Pickup. I wasn’t expecting to LOVE it so much! I just thought it would be an interesting fuchsia polish…the depth on this polish is AMAZING. Lilypad might be one of my new favorite indie makers…
This is two coats of “Haunted Forever” over Vibrant Scents Double Bond Base Coat in “Island Petals”, topped with Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”.
Oddities
Alchemy Lacquers “Oddities” is the third polish I’ve tried from September’s Polish Pickup. It’s inspired by the medicinal plant garden at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia.
There are not enough chartreuse nail polishes in my collection. This one is even better than the usual chartreuse ones, because there is a shifting shimmer that shifts from purple to red to orange. I tried several different angles and lightings, and this is the best pic I could capture of that shimmer.
This is two coats of “Oddities” between Vibrant Scents Double Bond Base Coat in “Island Petals” and Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”.
The Saw is Family
No one will be shocked that the first polished I picked to try out from September’s Polish Pickup is Sweet & Sour Lacquer “The Saw is Family”. I mean, a Texas Chainsaw Massacre nail polish…DUH.
I love the way this polish is put together. The base is a blood red crelly, with a mixture of black and blue iridescent glitters that make it look like a bloody saw blade. I am in love.
This is two coats of “The Saw is Family” over Vibrant Scents Double Bond Base Coat in “Island Petals”. I kind of screwed up on the top coat. I did a coat of Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and then automatically grabbed Glisten & Glow Top Coat instead of the matching Vibrant Scents Top Coat. Oopsies.
Polish Pickup September 2023 – Haunted History
I cannot remember the last time I spent $65 on nail polish…but I couldn’t resist September’s theme, “Haunted History.” I’ve got to celebrate Spooky Season!
Danglefoot Nail Polish “Hair Raising” ($13) is inspired by past hair disasters…I’ve had a few of those myself.
Sweet & Sour Lacquer “The Saw is Family” ($13) is inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre…supposedly based on a true story, at least according to the kids in my daycare. (For those of you NOT from Texas, it’s not…Ed Gein notwithstanding.)
Alchemy Lacquer “Oddities” ($12.50) is inspired by the medicinal plant garden at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. I am intrigued. And it’s NOT red!
Baroness X “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary” ($13) is inspired by…guess who…Bloody Mary.
Lilypad Lacquer “Haunted forever” ($14) is inspired by…an image on the web. Not sure which image, hmmmm…
I seriously had to limit myself to just 5…I wanted at least 15 other polishes. Which one should I try first???
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”.
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!