Category: Nails
Succulents
I was taking my contacts out and I was SHOCKED to find that this polish is the exact same color as my eyes – greyish green. I remember fighting with my mom in high school when I was filling out my initial driver’s license application. She was adamant that my eyes were blue and I argued that they were green. As a child, my eyes WERE blue – but by the time I was 15, they had turned green. She “compromised” that my eyes are might be grey…but I put green on my application.
Anyway…this is Phoenix “Succulents” from last December’s Maker’s Choice. It’s a greyish green magnetic polish, with a hint of pink. I could have swore there was more pink to it, but it’s very faint. Regardless, it’s a gorgeous polish.
This is two coats of “Succulents” , magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Kristjana
Look what I found! A 10 year old Julep polish that I haven’t tried yet!
Julep It Girl “Kristjana” is described as a sweet plum holographic and it’s still as good as the day it was bottled. It’s a bit sheer in one coat, but two coats was perfect. I’ll admit – the sheer formula didn’t hold up very well. I only wore it a few days before I had edge wear on every single finger.
This is two coats of “Kristjana” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Trapped in Time
Life…uh…finds a way.
Colores de Carol “Trapped in Time” is inspired by a mosquito trapped in amber – you know, from Jurassic Park. It’s my last pick from August’s “Time Travel” Polish Pickup and I should have tried it first – it’s so gorgeous and multi-dimensional. It’s a strong magnetic polish, which heightens the depth of the polish so that it looks like there just might be something stuck in it. I feel like I have ant nail stickers somewhere…wouldn’t that be hilarious? Or I guess I could just go outside and find a real mosquito…ew.
One caveat – this polish stained my nails something fierce. No sheer polishes for me any time soon.
This is two coats of “Trapped in Time” , magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Rift
Say what you want about crackle polish – it’s the one early 00s trend that I just cannot give up.
I only grabbed one of the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Stranger Things polishes – “Rift” which is supposed to be the red one. I was expecting a red crackle, but I should have done more research before I started. According to the internet, it’s a ‘crackle jelly’ – meaning that the color is left under the crackle. Since I used a pink polish as my base, it’s hard to tell that this polish is slightly redder than the base polish alone. I’ll have to give it another try over a white or gray polish to get the full effect.
This is two coats of Dreamland Lacquer “Pink Pajama Party” and one coat of “Rift” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Vintage
It’s giving BAJA BLAST!
I don’t buy many mainstream polishes these days…but when I do, they’re on clearance at Ulta.
Orly “Vintage” is a lovely neon teal, but it leans a bit green on me – almost like a mint green? On the screen, it leans more blue and I was assuming that it would be a closer match to my living room paint…but alas, that green gives me more of a Baja Blast type color. That’s fine, I love Baja Blast. The formula was very smooth and only the slightest bit of streakiness, which is hard to avoid in creme polishes.
This is two coats of “Vintage” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
TGIF
…and another one from Sherry the GOAT…Canmake Tokyo “TGIF”. This polish even matches my car! In person, the polish has a bit of a purple glint, but the camera doesn’t want to see it.
This is two coats of “TGIF” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
The Shadow on the Moon
Sassy Cats Lacquer “The Shadow on the Moon” is my first polish from Sassy Cats Lacquer and color me impressed! It’s a beautiful, velvety magnetic polish that I picked up from December’s Maker’s Choice. It’s inspired by Oogie (The Nightmare Before Christmas).
I actually ended up wearing this polish for nearly three weeks straight. I used it before a week-long trip to Oregon to see my big sis…and forgot to take a picture. So as soon as I got home, I used it on my nails again for the picture…but I liked it so much that I left it on for over a week again. I also brought it to my last pedicure – it’s beautiful unmagnetized as well.
Doesn’t it remind you of Scarlett O’Hara’s green velvet curtain dress?
This is two coats of “The Shadow on the Moon” magnetized with my neodymium bar magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
First Ulta Haul of 2026
There was a really good sale going on during the beginning of January, so I stocked up on a few things…
Vichy Dercos seems to be helping with the heartbreak of psoriasis, so I restocked on Vichy Dercos Selenium Sulfide Anti-Dandruff Shampoo and Dercos Hair + Scalp Moisturizing Conditioner ($15.99 each, down from $19.99). This purchase netted me a free sample of Vichy Mineral 89 Serum.
I couldn’t pass up the BOGO 40% on Garnier, so I got 2 Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Water (normally $11.99), as well as another pack of Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Eco Pads 3 Pack ($7.19, down from $11.99). This purchase netted me a free metallic train case…I quibble with their definition of train case – it’s just a medium size makeup bag.
Ulta Beauty products were 30% off, so I picked my Ulta Beauty Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($7.70, down from $11) and Exfoliating Round Cotton Pads ($2.79, down from $3.99).
Against my better judgment, I bought another crackle nail polish – Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Stranger Things Nail Polish in “Rift” ($7.99). It wasn’t even on sale! But then I scrolled the sale page and bought Covergirl STRANGER THINGS The Bite PH Transforming Lip Gloss in “Hawkins Lab” ($4.50, down from $7.99). The slimy green gloss turns into a coral-leaning pink. (I like the r.e.m. beauty one better.) It also smells like burnt marshmallow goo, which tracks with that weird white goo in the upside down. I also got Orly Nail Lacquer in “Vintage” ($4.20) because it matches my living room.
I used a $5 off coupon AND $50 in Ulta points from my holiday shopping.
$1,143 to Diamond in 2027!
Miss Blossom
It’s been so long since I’ve received “nail mail” other than my PPU orders…I received a Xmas package full of nail polish and Barbie stickers from ones of my besties – I am but a simple girl and those two things are the way to my heart.
The first polish from the package is Ducato “Miss Blossom”. According to the interwebs, Ducato is sold at places like Miniso, Teso, Daiso – you know, the “-so stores”. “Miss Blossom” is a sheer peach with just a hint of sparkle. It’s perfect when you want nude nails that are not nude – almost like control top pantyhose? Remember those? What the FUCK were we thinking?
This is two coats of “Miss Blossom” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Actually Romantic
My first Pahlish is Pahlish “Actually Romantic” from December’s Polish Pickup.
“Actually Romantic” is inspired by ‘Actually Romantic’, a song from Taylor Swift’s most recent album. For those of you who are not chronically online, the song details Tay Tay’s amusement at a fellow songstress constantly talking shit about her and musing about living rent-free in her head. The songstress in question is thought to be Charlie XCX, who released a song on Brat that was thought to be about Taylor. As Charlie once opened for Taylor, it can be inferred that drama may be influenced by Charlie’s marriage to one of Matty Healy’s 1975 bandmates. Matty Healy, of course, being the brief yet fiery romance that inspired Taylor’s previous album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’
I will be fifty years old in a few weeks. I have a masters degree and a career…and I just wrote the above paragraph without having to research it first. Help.
This is two coats of “Actually Romantic” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.