Author: Lara
Murmaider!
Remember Metalocalypse? That was a good-ass show…
Sally Hansen “Mermaid’s Tale” is still one of my all time favorite polishes, but I thought of something that could make it even better…Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber!
Boy, was I right. The Glitter Grabber added a depth to the dark glitter, almost as if the glitter was floating in a dark pool…it also kept the edges from lifting. Perfection.
This is two coats of “Mermaid’s Tale” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and topped with a coat of Glitter Grabber and a coat of Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
The OLDEST Soul
I did it! I sprung for a full ounce of Sucreabeille’s “Old Soul” ($150). The stackable freebies that came with April’s Anniversary Sale were just TOO good, plus free shipping, PLUS plus I had saved up enough sugar points to get $10 off.
The rose, honey and sandalwood in “Old Soul” are just captivating. And can you believe how gorgeous the laser-etched crystal bottle is? It weighs over a pound! I wonder how long this will last me…at least a few years?
I also purchased a sample vial of “Fart Kitten” ($7) – you know, like a skunk. The scent is peony (my favorite floral, after rose), with a little musk.
My children have already absconded with two of the freebies – I gave my son the oil dram of “Death Unicorn” – it smelled like black jelly beans – NO THANK YOU. I was also going to give him the rollerball of “Socks and Crocs” because he is usually wearing socks and crocs, but my daughter wanted it. That’s fine – it smelled like one of those pine trees that you hang off the rearview mirror. That is not the listed scent notes at all – but that’s how it smelled to me. Weird.
The other freebies I received: a dram of “Pear Tree” (it literally smelled like pears and tree – odd); 1ml of “Cream Tea” (smells like cream and tea – I am sensing a pattern here); 1ml of “Garden Witch” (like opening a fresh bag of potting soil – I don’t hate it); a dram of “Raspberry” (it smells like raspberries, but the real fruit – not the blue abomination that I admittedly love so much); 1ml of “Goth as Fuck” (the only repeat for me); a dram of “Danger Noodle” (is this supposed to smell like a snake? No, snake musk smells BAD, but this is more like…I don’t even know what tobacco flowers smell like or why a snake would smell like one?); and 1ml of “Cabana” (remember that orange sawdust that they poured on puke in elementary school – that is THIS – do not want).
Even though it took FOREVER, I enjoyed checking out all these samples…but I don’t love any of them as much as “Old Soul”.
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!
Cari-BAE-n
Yes, yes – “Cari-BAE-n” is an exceedingly stupid name for a nails polish. But LOOK at this color!
I am loving Sinful Colors “Cari-BAE-n”, from the new Power Paints line. It’s another Tiffany Blue…I’m not a fanatic about luxury brands, but there’s something about this shade of blue…
This is two coats of “Cari-BAE-n” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
April 2022 Sucreabeille Mini Subscription Bag
I love sampling all these scents each month…but it takes FOREVER!
This month’s unreleased scent is called “A Drop of Pure Joy.” It’s a clean smelling floral, but I cannot quite place the notes. There might be a hint of rain in it? It’s not my bag, but it’s nice smelling nonetheless.
“Belladonna” is the only repeat this month. Is it weird that it smells different as an oil than EDP? It smells much more sinister as an oil. I think it’s the leather notes – they carry more weight in an oil.
I LOVE rose scents, so I am definitely NOT going to complain about getting two rose scents this month. “Stone Rose” has a wilder, “dirt” smell to it. My husband wrinkled his nose at it, but I love smelling like I’ve been working in the garden all day.
Also in this month’s bag: “Vodka and Swearing” (the heavy juniper note makes this smell more like “Gin and Swearing” to me – I love it); “Tyrion” (Another Game of Thrones scent – a masculine vanilla and leather scent); and “Bee Space” (a much lighter honey and wax scent than “Black Honey” – innocent, not sinister).
I subscribe to the Mini Subscription Bag at just $15/month (shipping is extra), but there’s also a Medium Subscription Bag for $40/month and a Full Size Subscription Bag for $70/month. Click here for a $5 off coupon (for you AND me)!
Perfect Smooth Haul
It wasn’t on sale, but I was almost out of shampoo! I cannot risk a single day with dirty hair, so instead of waiting for a sale, I just ordered refills of my favorite (right now) – NatureLab.Tokyo Perfect Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner ($23 each). My hair is also feeling sad and dry, so I added a SheaMoisture Manuka Honey & Yogurt Hydrate + Repair Protein-Strong Treatment (30% off, so only $2.44).
Nail stuff was also 30% off, so I got some new Flowery buffers and a new Ulta toenail clipper. OPI Nail Lacquer Thinner ($10.40) was FINALLY back in stock, so I bought a bottle to try to revive some of my old crusty polishes.
My order was pretty boring, but even with the $3.50 off $15 coupon, it qualified me for a free 10 piece gift with my $60 order. The star of the gift is another tube of NYX Lip Lingerie XXL in “Turn-On”. THIS is the color I’ve been looking for! It goes on a boring brown, but as it dries, it becomes a near dupe for KVD “Lolita” – I love this shade! Also in the gift: Formula 10.0.6 Draw It All Out Skin-Detoxifying Mask; Covergirl Clean Fresh Brow Gel; Kristin Ess Reconstructive Moisture Mask (yassss, my hair needs help); Kneipp Mineral Bath Salt in “Eucalyptus” (offering to my son); Urban Skin RX Retinol Rapid Repair & Dark Spot Treatment; L’Oreal Infallible Matte-Lock Primer; Peach Slices Snail Rescue; Ahava Deadsea Water Mineral Hand Cream; and CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser.
$622 to Diamond in 2023.
Icing on the Cake
I was feeling minimalistic, so I pulled out one of the sheer matte Confection Crush polishes.
Sinful Colors “Icing on the Cake” reminds me of watermelon juice! This is two coats over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat. I don’t think I used a top coat – I just let it be. To be honest, this is two or three manicures ago!
School will be over (for me) next week…I don’t think I’ve been this hyped about summer vacation since…1998?
April 2022 Ipsy Bag – Keep Growing
April’s bag is the cutest in a long while – covered with delicate daisies, it’s also made out of recycled materials. Way to keep plastic out of landfills, ipsy!
I have been SO busy this month that I’ve barely gotten to try any of the products in this month’s bag. I HAVE tried the Complex Culture Fresh Start Eyeshadow Palette – it’s a perfect neutral shadow quad, but with a little sparkle. The shadows are very blendable and vivid – highly recommend. I also tried out the fragrance – Nanette Le0ore “Enchanted Flora” and it is STRONG. My husband said it was old lady smelling, but not bad. I feel like this is what I would use to hide the fact that I was sneaking a cigarette behind the school, if indeed I did that type of thing…which I don’t.
Also in this month’s bag: Context Skin Nude Balm in “Back for More” (Why haven’t I tried this? I’ve been balming it up lately); Dionis Goat Milk Body Lotion in “White Jasmine & Shea”; and Honey Jarret Rose Clay Purifying Mask (this was my product choice this month and I haven’t even had a chance to try it).
Nice bag this month!
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.
April’s Fool
I was feeling a little spendy, so I splurged on Sucrebeille’s April Fool’s Collection. The set was only available April 1st through 3rd and was $65 for 6 oil drams. The scents sounded so compelling that I couldn’t resist.
“Cheese Hangover” isn’t a cheesy scent, thankfully…it’s a charcuterie board smell: figs and nuts maybe? I also caught a hint of wine.
“Citrus Ass Bitch” smells like a stripper – it’s Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon, with a citrus-y musky undertone. (I’m wearing it right now and it’s sexier than it sounds.)
“Feral as Fuck” is VERY similar to “Goth as Fuck”, but the added hint of musk makes it more wearable to me, which is absolutely shocking to me, since I am not a big fan of musk.
“Da Mensies” smells exactly how you’d think it smells…but not in a bad way? I don’t think just anyone could get away with wearing this one…I think I could.
The last two scents are absolutely unwearable. “Chicken Witch” smells like a chicken pot pie. “Meat Lilith” smells like cinnamon and ground round – a delectable aroma of raw hamburger meat. Do you want your cats to eat you in your sleep? Because this is how you get your cats to eat you in your sleep.
There were also a few samples in my order. “#BAWDYGOTMELAID” is not my bag – it reminds me of this pheromone perfume that I got at a Sex Toy party. It just smells weird and chemically. “Heavy Heart” is supposed to a Black Forest Cake scent, but it comes across as a blood accord to me. It almost feel like it belong in the “Blood Drunk” set?
Unfortunately, this may not have been the best impulse buy…unless I can trick one of the kids into wearing the meaty fragrance and then sit back and wait for the attacks to begin…
Kissed by Rose Gold
Lakur “Kissed by Rose Gold” was a freebie from an Ulta gift with purchase. Why not take it out for a little spin?
This is two coats of “Kissed by Rose Gold” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. I wanted to see what the polish looked like matte, so I used Glisten & Glow Matte Top COat on my pinky…but I screwed up and coated it with the glossy top coat, too. Then I coated it with ANOTHER coat of the matte top coat. Let me tell you, that nail was PROTECTED.
I am not familiar with the “lakur” brand. Ulta still carries it though…and it’s $16 a bottle. Oh lawdy, I need to lay down! That’s some pricey polish!