Category: Nails
National Nail Polish Day
Did you know that June 1st is National Nail Polish Day? Me either! Even though it sounds like a totally made up holiday, I am willing to play along since Target offered 25% off on nail products that day. I was too lazy to go there in person, so I placed an online order…
The first one I added was OPI “Tutti Frutti Tonga”, on clearance for $2.84. I also added essie “Blue-Tiful Horizon” ($6.59), which is a stunning periwinkle blue with a pink flash.
Target was also had a deal offering a $5 gift card with the purchase of 3 Sally Hansen polishes. I jumped on that deal. I picked up Sally Hansen Insta-Dri “Rose Flush” ($3.99) and two of the Color Therapy polishes – “Reflection Pool” ($6.79) and “Burnished Bronze” ($7.99). I haven’t tried the Color Therapy formula, but I’ve read that it is REALLY good.
So with my 25% off + %5 off with my Target Red Card + $3 off $15 from last month’s Target Beauty Box + free shipping, my order total was $21.61 for five polishes. The $5 gift card (which I just used towards a new Mr. Coffee) brings the total down to ~$15 for five polishes. Not bad, if I do say so myself!
Tutti Fucking Fruitti
“Don’t you NEVER turn your back on a fuckin’ clown when he’s talkin’ to you!” Whoops, wrong website…although this IS kind of a clown polish.
I am fucking obsessed with this polish, clowns or not. This is Sally Hansen Insta-Dri “Tutti-Fruitti” from the Sally Hansen x Jelly Belly Collaboration. I don’t know how they made a polish look like a jelly bean, but they fucking did. I don’t even know that I know what tutti fruitti even tastes like – generic fake fruit flavor?
This is two coats of “Tutti-Fruitti” over Glisten & Glow Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. The matte top coat muted a glitters a bit and made it look like a jelly bean.
I wish I had picked this polish up for Easter – it would’ve been PERFECT!
Tight Squeeze
Take a look at the next polish from Sinful Colors’ Pride Collection. This is “Tight Squeeze”, a tangerine jelly glitter. It is absolutely fantastic.
I usually badmouth orange polishes, but this one is a beauty. I got full coverage in two coats. I liked it so much that I also did my toes to match.
I used Sinful Colors Base Coat, 2 coats of “Tight Squeeze” and topped with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat, except for my thumb and ring finger, which got the regular Glisten & Glow Top Coat. I think I like it better matte than glossy.
Triple Freebie Haul
Not 10 minutes after I placed that last Sephora order, I placed this Ulta order…I had kept adding things to my shopping cart over the past month and when the freebies were just right…I made my move.
The biggest part of my haul was Redken Color Extend Magnetics Shampoo and Conditioner (regularly $20 each, on sale 2/$24). I’d samples this duo a few months ago at my sister’s house – it made my hair feel amazing! The price has held me back – even on sale, this is the most expensive shampoo/conditioner I’ve purchased yet. I’m going to give it a trial before switching for good…
I had sworn off Nair when I was 15 – I tried it once and it made me look like I had leg measles and didn’t melt the hair off. I was swayed by a new product – Nair Charcoal Brighten & Smooth Leg Mask ($11.99). I tested a large patch on my shin and it actually worked this time. I left it on for the 10 minutes recommended and it actually worked on me – I was shocked. It still smells like burning diapers, but it didn’t give me a rash. I am trying my entire leg in a few days – fingers crossed.
I also tried a new deodorant – Meow Meow Tweet Grapefruit Baking Soda Free Deodorant Stick ($14). I know, I know – I’ve scoffed at fancy hippy deodorants for years…but I’d noticed periodic rashes from regular antiperspirants over the last few years, and since my surgery, I’d stopped using them almost altogether. I live in Texas though – I probably should use something. I’ve been using the Meow Meow Tweet and I feel like is working at repelling odor – but it doesn’t stop my pits from getting moist. I may have to start alternating with an antiperspirant to see if that helps.
I’ve been eyeing the Sally Hansen x Jelly Belly collaboration for a while and finally decided to pick up the Sally Hansen Insta Dri x Jelly Belly Nail Color Duo Pack with “Berry Blue” and “Tutti Fruiti” ($7.99).
Ulta was offering a free 3 piece gift with $19.50 purchase – a huge Beach Bag, a Matte Bronzer, and Lip Plumping Transforming Top Coat. I am paranoid about going without eyebrows, so I got a back-up Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($10). I also snagged the Mercury in Retrograde 5 Piece Rose Quartz Look Book ($16). I got the set solely based on a lyric from the song “Wasted Youth” by Jenny Lewis – the line about “Mercury in Retrograde” has been in my head for weeks. (The whole album “On the Line” is amazing – you should check it out.) The kit includes Confidence Boost Facial Mist, Be-You-Tiful Cream Eyeshadow (light pink shadow with shimmer), Self Love Lip Crayon (creamy, rosy pink), Crystal Blush (rosy-toned pearl blush), and Rose Quartz Face Gems (54 count). The blush is my favorite part, but I was pleasantly surprised by the cream eyeshadow.
And the freebies…I got a Glow All Day 5 Piece Sampler with my $65 purchase: Murad Resurgence Replenishing Multi-Acid Peel; Peter Thomas Roth Potent-C Bright & Plump Moisturizer; Derma e Vitamin C Concentrated Serum; Boscia Matcha Magic Super-Antioxidant Mask; and Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Power Serum. I got a Step Up 7 Piece Sampler with my $75 purchase: Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels; Botanics Hydration Burst Sheet Mask; Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Creme; Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair; I Dew Care Cake My Day Hydrating Sprinkle Wash-Off Mask; and First Aid Beauty Pure Skin Face Cleanser. My skin is going to feel FANTASTIC!
Looks like this haul made me Platinum for 2020 – just $733 to Diamond status. I also am up to $53 in points…hmmmm, what do I want to buy???
Marika
Believe it or not, I still have a bunch of Julep polishes that I haven’t tried yet – at least a dozen or so!
This is Julep Boho Glam “Marika”, stone matte metallic, from the January 2016 box. Yes, it’s been sitting in my “untried” basket that long!
I am out of Julep Base Coats and it looks like they will not be restocking, which pisses me off. I keep checking the site periodically, but no luck so far. I used Glisten & Glow Base Coat, which is fine, I guess. This is two coats of “Marika”, topped with Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat. I feel like the Matte Top Coat made it kind of cloudy, if that makes sense? I feel like the polish looked crisper and more saturated without the top coat, but what can you do? I went without a top coat for literally DECADES, but now I am a full believer.
Popped
Sinful Colors “Popped” is my second selection from the Neon Collection. It’s a juicy, wet pink. You know what is reminds me of? A pink Starburst, universally agreed upon as the BEST Starburst.
This is two coats of “Popped” over Sinful Colors Base Coat. It was so wet and juicy looking – before a top coat – that I couldn’t foil it with a matte top coat – I used Glisten & Glow Top Coat on all of my nails.
I also did my toes, but I don’t like it as much on my toes. For some reason, I got full coverage in two coats on my fingernails, but two coats on my toenails are streaky and sparse.
Funny story – I thought this was a very long lasting manicure, but you know what it couldn’t withstand? Taxidermy. Yes, taxidermy. Did you know that taxidermy involves a lot of BORAX? That shit is harsh on nails – it made the polish start to peel right off. Oops.
Drag Queen
Well, OF COURSE, the first polish I chose from The Pride Collection would be Sinful Colors “Drag Queen”. Duh, Season 11 of RuPaul’s Drag Race is wrapping up – Team Brooklyn Hites – and this polish is perfect.
“Drag Queen” is a glossy dark purple, with flaky glitters. This is two coats over Sinful Colors Base Coat. I knew she deserved to be glossy, so I topped it with Glisten & Glow Top Coat EXCEPT for my pinky. I had to see it mattified, so I used Glisten & Glow Matte Top Coat on just my pinky.
I am loving the formula of the Pride Collection so far – “Drag Queen” is full coverage in just two coats and it lasted a good long while. IO’m looking forward to trying them all…except maybe that yellow one. I don’t know how I feel about yellow glitter.
The Pride Collection
I swear, I ordered the new Sinful Colors Pride Collection back at the beginning of April, but the demand was so high that it took over a month to fulfill my order. I can understand why – this collection is BEAUTIFUL. It’s so much better than the first Pride Collection, because GLITTER!
There are six bold, glittery Sinful Colors polishes: “Tainted Love” (red), “Tight Squeeze” (orange), “Natural Blonde” (yellow), “Filthy Rich” (green), “Love is Love” (blue), and “Drag Queen” (dark purple). Guess which one I tried first…
It was just $11.94 for 6 polishes AND the Grind & Glow Rainbow Shimmer Powder. I haven’t had a chance to try the highlighter yet – soon. Unfortunately, the price has ballooned to $16.35 at this exact moment, but you know how them Amazon prices do…
Purrrrplicious
It was nice to get a new nail polish in last month’s ipsy bag, even if it was a brand I’d never heard of. I got “Purrrrplicious” by Law Beauty Essentials. Yup, 4 Rs – I counted.
For a 100% vegan nail polish, it had a very funky, chemical smell. It was super strong and unappealing. This is two streaky coats, over Glisten & Glow Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat. This polish was so streaky that I almost threw in the towel. The edges also ended up jagged and crispy – why do polishes do that? I got a single air bubble in my thumb. too. Rude.
“Purrrrplicious” appeared baby pink in some light, pastel purple in others. It reminded me of purple cotton candy.
Target Beauty Box – May 2019
“Festival Beauty Headliners” – have I mentioned lately how much I hate the “Festival Beauty” label? Where are all these festivals that people are going to outside of Coachella? I mean, I was a regular attendee of Lollapalooza back in the 90s, but we didn’t wear crazy makeup and culturally appropriated Native American headdresses…we just drew on each other with sharpies, got really muddy and sunburned. That’s the REAL “Festival Beauty.”
ANYWAY, this “Festival Beauty” box isn’t bad, actually. I am pretty sure that my daughter will end up with a bunch of it – like the Dove Cool Essentials Dry Spray Antiperspirant and the Sincerely Jules Assorted Jewelry Hair Rings. She braids her hair a lot and these would actually look really cute on her. I’ll also give her the Hawaiian Tropic Antioxidant Sunscreen Mist.
Also included: Bliss Jelly Glow Peel (I am getting to love all the Bliss samples Target is sending), Masque Bar Holographic Mask Sachet (I already used this peel-off mask – I am not sure it made me glow, but it smelled nice); SGX NYC The Do-It-All 3-in-1 Dry Texture Spray; and Sinful Colors “Fool for Azul” (ohh sky blue).
I also added Pacifica Rose Water Sleek & Shiny Shampoo and Conditioner ($9.99) to my order. Target was running an offer for a $5 gift card with a $20 beauty purchase, plus I had another $5 gift card from a previous deal. I have no idea how they provide the gift cards on online orders though – I never got it. I put in a ticket to follow up and they just refunded the $7 for the box – not what I asked for, but whatever. Thanks, Target! Regarding the Pacifica Shampoo & Conditioner, it’s okay I guess. I was expecting a stronger smell for the price. The Love Beauty and Planet Rose products have a stronger, longer lasting scent.
The “Festival Beauty Headliners” box is a good value for $7. As usual, free shipping, 5% off with my Red Card and it came with a $3 off $15 coupon. I haven’t used it yet, but I did use one of the coupons from last month! I stocked up on St. Ives Cleansers – a few weeks ago, they were running a deal for a $5 gift card with the purchase of 4, which is the same gift card I used on this order.