Author: Lara
Green Apple Craze
THIS IS NOT WHAT COLOR GREEN APPLES ARE!
I mean seriously – have the folks who name Sinful Colors Nail Polish color blind? Have they ever seen an actual piece of fruit? Or do they just eat tacos and pizza???
ANYWAY, this is Sinful Colors “Green Apple Craze”, a glossy polish that looks rather MINTY if you ask me…
This is two coats of “Green Apple Craze” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I used Glisten & Glow Top Coat on all my nails, except the pinkies. I used Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat on my pinkies – doesn’t it look like chalk?
Kirra
As I was preparing to attend my son’s Senior Night last week, I thought, “Why not show a little school spirit?” His school colors are purple and black, so I dug around for a snazzy purple…
Julep Bombshell “Kirra” is icy purple multidimensional glitter from the Hypnotic Frenzy Set – a bit more sheer than I expected, but buildable. I feel like I got decent coverage in two coats. It was a BITCH AND A HALF to get off, though.
This is two coats of “Kirra” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Glisten & Glow Top Coat. Maybe those five layers is why it was so hard to get off?
Rose Water Delight
I finally remembered not to use a base coat!
Sinful Colors “Rose Water Delight” is another velvet matte polish – those polishes just do NOT like base coats. This is two coats of “Rose Water Delight” – no base coat, no top coat. The bad news is that this polish chipped pretty quickly…but it was less noticeable because of the light color.
I like the matte rose gold look. It reminds me of these cool wine tumblers my husband bought me – they match almost exactly!
Barbie x GLOSSYBOX
GLOSSYBOX is one of the few subscription boxes that I haven’t tried yet. When I saw ads for the Barbie x GLOSSYBOX collaboration, I had to get in on it.
I was excited to see that GLOSSYBOX allows non-subscribers to purchase their limited edition boxes – phew! The Barbie box was $35 for me, but $30 for GLOSSYBOX subscribers. It’s still available to order – click here!
I wish I had looked a bit closer at what was included in the box before I ordered it…I was pissed when I realized that the included eye shadow palette – ĀTHR Beauty Moonlight Crystal Palette – in the Halsey Glam Bag X last August. Well fuck…some lucky person might be getting it as a gift? It’s a GREAT palette, for a night out or even a grocery store trip.
The other big winner in the box was the Revolution Beauty Pout Bomb Plumping Gloss in “Candy”. At first, I was put off by the color – it’s super light. But then I had the idea to pair it with a darker lip liner and it looked AMAZING. I don’t care for plumping products that are spicy and hurt, but this one is just a mildly tingly mint. I love it!
I’ve been washing my face with the GLOSSYBOX SKINCARE Gentle Foaming Cleanser. It’s light and rinses clean. I also like the Cuvée Beauty Champagne Infused Eau De Parfum Rollerball. It reminds me of a Mimosa – champagne and orange juice.
The box also included First Aid Beauty Niacinamide Brightening Cream; Knesko Skin Rose Quartz Antioxidant Collagen Face Mask; Spectrum Collection A10 Small Fan Brush; Emilie Heathe Makeup Hair Clips (they are weird looking, but I like the concept); Floss Beauty Highlighter in “Sunbeam”; and a Makeup Eraser (I mean…I can always use another washcloth?)
I feel like I got a lot of value for just $35, even though the eye shadow was a dupe. According to GLOSSYBOX, the retail value of the box is over $230.
GLOSSYBOX subscriptions range from $21 monthly (if you purchase one month at a time) to $17.50 monthly (if you purchase a year at a time).
PEEPS Blue
Blue PEEPS are the best PEEPS…and that’s a hill I’m willing to die on, folks.
There’s just something about that blue crystallized sugar…and it always looks better than it tastes. As much as I love PEEPS, I can never finish a whole package before the last 1 or 2 get hard and crusty…
This is Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x PEEPS in “PEEPS Blue”. I love a bright, blue polish moment and this polish really delivers. This is two coats over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. This is a very long lasting polish – I know I wore it over a week with minimal edge-wear or chipping…
August 2022 Glam Bag X – Alicia Keys
I’ve been receiving Keys Soulcare products in the last several Glam Bag X boxes – I was wondering when we would see Alicia Keys as a curator!
I love that I get to pick THREE products in every Glam Bag X. I liked the One/Size Ultimate Blurring Setting Powder in May’s bag so much that I chose One/Size Turn up the Base Versatile Powder Foundation in “Fair 1” this time. The powder foundation gives decent coverage and gives a very filtered look…but it’s about one tic too light for me…meaning it will be perfect for winter when I retreat inside.
My other product choices were a Baublebar June Bracelet Set (2 gold bracelets – I gave one to my daughter), and Epione Beverly Hills Flawless Serum. I’ve been using it at night because it’s super thick, almost like honey.
For some odd reason, the (non-choice) products I received are not what’s showing up on ipsy’s site for me…so weird. The only one that is accurate was the Huda Beauty Silk Balm Honey Kiss Lip Balm in “Queen Bee” (a basic clear lip balm with a doe foot applicator). The site lists 4 other products, but I received 5 additional products: Keys Soulcare Be Luminous Exfoliator (a powder that turns to foam – interesting feeling); Go-To Skincare Skin Party (a thick skin cream); LYS Beauty Aim High Liquid Highlighter (no thanks); oSea Essential Hydrating Oil (I don’t like oils on my face, so I gave it to my daughter); and Rinna Beauty Lipgloss in “Guilty Pleasure” (I haven’t tried it yet, Lisa Rinna’s lips scare the FUCK out of me).
When I put my bag together, it said it was worth $449…not sure if it is worth more or less than that, due to the product changes…I feel like it was a nice box, so I guess that’s all that matters.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $13/month and 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.
Diamonds on my Neck
Still grumbly after the Cheetos Fiasco, I just grabbed a polish out of the TV cabinet to slap on my nails the next night. (Doesn’t everybody dedicate a whole cabinet in their living room to untried nail polish?)
The lucky winner was Sinful Colors Power Paint in “Diamonds on my Neck.” I love this shimmer/foil finish – it doesn’t finish streaky or leave drag marks. It’s just a fantastic, long-lasting polish.
This is two coats of “Diamonds on my Neck” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. Beautiful.
Cheetos Fury
I have never had a product leave me so angry in my entire life.
I was school shopping with the kids a few weeks ago and I got dragged into Claire’s. This set of Cheetos Scented Nail Polish ($12.99) caught my eye…I know I already have several cheese scented nail polish – a great Sinful Colors one and a nice Nails Inc. x Velveeta set that I just got…I love weird smells, okay? So I bought the nail polish set and was looking forward to trying it.
A few days later, I got around to trying the polishes. I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, and then started painting…I was dismayed to find that these polishes ARE scented, but they don’t smell like cheese at all. THEY ARE ORANGE SCENTED. That’s right, dear reader, these Cheetos branded nail polishes smell like orange Fanta. Look at the packaging again…is there ANYTHING on there that would indicate that the polishes do not smell like Cheetos?
Cut to bedtime…I’m washing my face and I catch a glimpse of my fingers…it’s been hours since I painted my nails, but the polish has turned to gel-like globs and is mostly in the sink. What. The. FUCK. It was like that scene in Poltergeist, you know the one where the guy peels his face off and it’s there in the sink? Turns out, this is little kids nail polish…you know, like that peel-off Avon shit that we all had as kids. I just threw it all in the trash. I just…I get teary eyed just thinking about it.
Do. Not. Buy. Nail Polish. At. Claire’s.
Neptune’s Cove
I picked up we are Fluide “Neptune’s Cove” as an add-on to July’s ipsy bag. It was well worth it!
I love a teal moment and I love a shimmer moment, but I REALLY LOVE a teal shimmer moment. With this glossy top coat, it reminds me of 50s era Formica – a green Formica table, if you will.
This is two coats of “Neptune’s Cove” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
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!