Category: Nails
Polish Pickup July 2024 – Rewind
Somehow, I missed June’s Polish Pickup…I was traveling and it just slipped my mind. So that’s my excuse for going fucking HAM in July. 10 polishes…FUCK YEAH!
Starting from the top left and going clockwise:
Beaux Rêves Lacquer “Blooming Azalea” ($12) was originally from January 2024 – Deadly Plants. It’s inspired by azaleas and is a magnetic polish. I’m unlikely to magnetize it though.
Atomic Polish “Sour Apple Rings” ($13.50) was from May 2023 – Junk Food. It appears fairly self explanatory.
Cuticula “Never Sleep Again” ($13) was from September 2022 – Scary Vibes. Helloooo Freddy Krueger!
Limitless Top Coat by Cuticula in “Champagne Toast” ($10) was from April 2023 – Flower Power.
Pinnacle Polish “I Made a Promise, Mr. Frodo” ($13) was from October 2022 – Sidekicks. It was inspired by ass-kicking Samwise Gamgee.
By Dany Vianna “Rosewater” ($14) was another from April 2023 – Flower Power. It’s inspired by…rosewater.
Jior Couture “The Tea On The Manatee” ($13.75) was from way back in October 2021 – Monsters & Mythical Creatures. This thermal polish is inspired by the idea that sailors often mistook manatees for mermaids.
Crystal Knockout “25 Fly” ($12.50) was from October 2023 – 90’s Grunge and inspired by Veruca Salt’s “American Thighs” album.
Lilypad Lacquer “You will respect my authoritahhh!” ($14) was from February 2022 – 90’s TV and inspired by Officer Cartman.
Last, but not least…Sweet Heart Polish “You Betta Recognize” ($13) was from February 2024 – Wild Animals and inspired by the red Veiltail Betta fish.
I bet you’ll never guess which one I picked to try first…
Squidward
I’d rather have Squidward’s Nose…
…you’ve heard that song, right? Right? RIGHT!
I’ve been a bit obsessed with shades of aquamarine like this over the past few years…hell, my living room is about this shade. I even got a “Handsome Squidward” figurine to match. I am IN LOVE with Nailtopia “Squidward”. It’s such a good quality polish – it self-levels and doesn’t stain. I wish it was a bit cheaper, but there are always sales to be had and coupons to be used.
This is two coats of “Squidward” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Well, Fuck You TOO Fed Ex
I was shocked that my poor Ulta order made it through this abuse from Fed Ex…UPS would NEVER.
Really, the main product I was worried about was the L’Oreal Infallible 24H Fresh Wear Foundation In A Powder in “20 Ivory” ($12.74 – 25% off), but I spy no cracks. I would’ve been SO MAD!
I also decided to try Derma E Psorzema Scalp Relief Shampoo and Conditioner ($9.75 each – 25% off) to tackle the heartbreak of psoriasis. It has tee tree oil and tingles. [My late mother LOVED tingly shampoo, especially Nioxin – I feel like she would’ve LIVED for this product.]
I’d been fairly indifferent to the endless Disney Collection from Nailtopia, but I literally screamed when I saw Nailtopia’s Spongebob Squarepants 25th Anniversary collection – and on sale for 30% off. I controlled myself and only picked up “Squidward” and “Golden Pineapple”. Oh, and throw in a new Eco Tools Exfoliating EcoPouf Loofah ($2.99) and Thayers pH Balancing Daily Cleanser with Aloe Vera ($14.99) for good measure.
I lucked into three different gifts with purchase! The Free 11 Piece Back To School sampler with $50 purchase came with Matrix Food for Soft Shampoo & Conditioner (deluxe bottles!); Redken One United Multi-Benefit Treatment; Lancome Lipstick (some random pink color); another Thayers pH Balancing Daily Cleanser with Aloe Vera (going in my travel bag NOW); it Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Mascara in “Super Black”; NYX Vivid Rich Mechanical Eyeliner in “Always Onyx”; L’Oreal Revitalift Derm Intensives Plumping Serum (hello, travel bag); Maybelline The Falsies Surreal Mascara; La Roche-Posay Anthelios Light Fluid Sunscreen SPF 50; and CeraVe Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser. That’s a DAMN GOOD freebie bag! I also got a Kiehl’s Free Set For School Gift #3 with $50 purchase that came with Kiehl’s Truly Targeted Acne-Clearing Solution; Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser; and Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Soft Cream. Last, but not least, there was the Free 13 Piece Mystery Sampler with $60 Ulta Beauty Rewards Credit Card purchase that came with OUAI Leave In Conditioner; Sunday Riley C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil; Clean It Zero Original Cleansing Balm; Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Primer (ugh, I just got rid of like…10 of these); Good Molecules Lightweight Daily Moisturizer (travel bag); Grande Cosmetics GrandeLASH-MD Lash Enhancing Serum; Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum (travel bag – LOVE this stuff); it Cosmetics Confidence in an Eye Cream; La Roche-Posay Toleriane Hydrating Gentle Cleanser (travel bag); Vichy Liftactiv Supreme H.A. Serum; Lancome Cils Booster XL Mascara Base; L’Occitane Dry Skin Hand Cream; and e.l.f. Power Grip Primer. I’ve got a lot of trips coming up and I’m set on samples for my travel bag!
I got my hairs did yesterday and my son and his girlfriend have been using my Ulta account, so only $164 to Diamond in 2025.
Go Ahead and Bite Me
Sinful Colors “Bite Me” is totally different than Sinful Colors “Bite”…and I used the post title on the wrong polish…
How long has this polish been chilling in a cabinet? Only since 2020, not too bad. This polish was not at all what I expected. I was expecting a cold red crème with just a few black glitters, but I ended up with a warm red with gold shimmer and a fuck-ton of black glitter. It reminds me of a smear of dried period blood. Gross.
My only complaint about the polish is the fact that it pulls away from the tip of the nail. Other than that, it’s fantastic.
This is two coats of “Bite” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Cosmic Illusion
See, this is the type of result I was expecting from “Little King Trash Mouth”! I wanted to see a dramatic transition from black to white and this polish BRINGS IT.
The polish BRINGING IT is Colores de Carol “Cosmic Illusion” from May’s Polish Pickup – It Came from Outer Space. For my first use, I wanted to see how many glitters came out of the bottle naturally…because THIS polish came with a little bag of extra round glitters, so I could create my own solar system. How fun!
This is two coats of “Cosmic Illusion” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber and then Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Raspberry Pop”.
The Berry Best
I’ve always been obsessed with blue food. Not foods that are naturally blue, like blueberries…but blue candy and blue soda and blue snow cones and blue cotton candy and blue alcohol. Most of it is labelled as “Blue Raspberry” or “Berry Blue”, but it doesn’t taste like raspberries or blueberries or anything found in nature? What is this magical, laboratory-created flavor??? In any case, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Ring Pop “The Berry Best” is the nail polish representation of my favorite flavor.
This is two coats of “The Berry Best” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I Think I Have an Idea
I googled Rayman to see what it looks like and now I am traumatized. It’s this bean shaped…creature…that has a head, hands and feet. Sounds normal, right? It’s not, because there is no neck, arms or legs. I feel like I am not explaining it right – but I cannot think of another way to describe the main character of these video games…fuck Rayman for the nightmares I will surely be having tonight.
What’s the point? The point is that Fancy Gloss “I Think I Have an Idea” (from April’s Polish Pickup) is inspired by Rayman. So I googled it. And now Rayman is my new sleep paralysis demon. Oh, and did I mention that it’s a really fun thermal polish is peachy pink when warm, but a muddy purple when cold?
This is two coats of “I Think I Have an Idea” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Raspberry Pop“.
Grape Expectations
I’ve been feeling a bit like Miss Havisham these days…so why not “Grape Expectations”?
…I know I am married with two (almost grown children) – I just meant I like sitting around in my dusty-ass house, wearing a dirty wedding dress and eating old cake.
This is Sally Hansen x Ring Pops Insta-Dri “Grape Expectations”. They did a really good job with these polishes – they look like ring pops!
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, then two coats of “Grape Expectations”, and ended with Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
I Like Big Bum Bums…
…and I cannot lie.
It’s hard to pass up a coupon that includes Prestige Brands, even if it’s just a measly 10% off.
The many samples and deluxe samples of Bum Bum Cream are almost gone, so it’s time to buy the big boy – Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Refillable Body Cream ($48), 8.1 ounces of Bum Bum goodness – and it’s refillable! I also splurged on a purse spray of Sol de Janeiro SOL Cheirosa ’62 Eau de Parfum ($26) – it smells SO GOOD.
I scrolled the clearance page and found the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Ring Pop Nail Polish Quad Giftset ($2.20) and Ring Pop Nail Polish Holder ($2.50). That’s 55 cents per polish!
I also qualified for FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna 4 piece Beauty Break. In addition to a sleek tote bag, I got a Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer in “Fenty Glow”; Eaze Drop’Lit All-Over Glow Enhancer in “Bronze Jasper”; and Hella Thicc Volumizing Mascara in “Cuz I’m Black”. I’ll probably only use the tote bag and the mascara…
Only $508 to Diamond in 2025.
Barbiecore
Yes, these nails are PEAK Barbiecore…
My only disappointment with the way these nails turned out was the color of pink I picked. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri “Petal Pusher” (a freebie from last year) is more of a pastel peach than a pastel pink. Of course, I could always say I was going for a Peaches ‘N Cream Barbie vibe…or even a Barbie skintone vibe.
I got these Barbie nail decals a month or so ago at MINISO. They were only $5 – very affordable. Now I want to go back and get Kuromi nail decals!
I started with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, two coats of “Petal Pusher”, and then the MINISO decals. I topped the decals with Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber, which may be the cause of the bubbles, and then Glisten & Glow Top Coat.