Bling Pop
THIS polish made buying the whole set worth it. To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed with The Berry Best or Grape Expectations…but Sally Hansen Insta Dri x Ring Pop “Bling Pop” is a nearly perfect polish. It’s a high coverage hot pink sheer shimmer, with a brilliant flash of blue fire. It lasted for nearly a full week and looked brilliant and shiny until I removed it.
This is two coats of “Bling Pop” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Now I just have to try the plain yellow polish that came with the set…ugh, maybe in 2026.
The Battle of the Labyrinth
I keep buying the same polish, over and over again.
I cannot help it – I really want to be a mermaid when I grow up…except for the fact that I hate the beach. All that sand and all those creatures, living under the sea. Can’t I just be a mermaid that lives in someone’s pool? Not a hot tub, though – those things are TOO HOT. Or how about a Sea Monkey? I’d make a GREAT Sea Monkey…I’ve done it before…shhhh…
Whatcha “The Battle of the Labyrinth” is inspired by the Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan. My son moved on from Harry Potter fairly quickly and was really into Rick Riordan for a long while. I’m really glad my son hasn’t snatched all his books from my house – I need to hurry up and read them before he can afford a bookshelf for his apartment. Luckily, Riordan is not a TERF piece of shit, so I won’t have to feel bad enjoying his works.
This is two coats of “The Battle of the Labyrinth” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Sour Apple Rings
It’s not too late for BRAT Summer is it?
It was 96 degrees outside today…tell me that’s not summer!
Atomic Polish “Sour Apple Rings” was another score from July’s Remix, but was originally released in May 2023 – Junk Food. Those who know me, KNOW how much I hate sour apple flavored things – even green apple jolly ranchers…but this color is not that. This is the best neon polish I’ve ever used. No white base coat, nothing extra – just neon glowing goodness. I did get a few chips the first day – but that’s my fault for digging in the dirt and gardening.
Atomic Polish is quickly becoming one of my favorite Indie brands…check out “Redrum”!
This is two coats of “Sour Apple Rings” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Polish Pickup August 2024 – Book Covers
After overdoing it with July’s Rewind, I was conservative and only selected 3 polishes from August’s Polish Pickup. The theme was “Book Covers” which is a cool twist on doing a literary theme.
Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” ($10) doesn’t seem to be inspired by…anything? I need to start jotting descriptions down when I buy these things.
Lemming Lacquer “Dead to the World” ($13.25) is inspired by the creator’s favorite book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries Series (True Blood for non-readers), ‘Dead to the World’, of course.
Whatcha “The Battle of the Labyrinth” ($13.50) is full of ocean-inspired flakies. It’s inspired by Percy Jackson, my son’s favorite series of books as a kid. I haven’t yet read the books…waiting for my husband to finish the first one, so I can start!
Not a huge order, just a few really cool polishes.
Never Sleep Again
Until the “Chucky Renaissance” of the last few years, Freddy Krueger has been my main man. Michael Myers isn’t a big talker, and Jason Voorhees is just a big dumb lug. Pinhead is sexy and all…but he has no sense of humor. I like my men with a sharp wit…and sharp nails.
Cuticula “Never Sleep Again” just SCREAMS Freddy. It’s a shimmery blood red, filled with different black glitters. It seemed to chip quickly, but I suspect that too many vacations and not enough hair & nail vitamins is to blame for the poor condition of my nails. They’re peeling away to nothing!
Originally from October 2022’s “Scary Vibes” Polish Pickup, I grabbed “Never Sleep Again” from July 2024’s Rewind.
This is two coats of “Never Sleep Again” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Golden Pineapple
I like pineapples…but not like THAT.
Swingers have totally ruined pineapples for me. Walking through an airport with my son a few weeks ago, I commented that one of the geriatric flight attendants was a crusty old swinger because she was wearing an upside-down pineapple necklace. Just a few moments later, we were dying laughing because the couple in front of us heard me, and were like, “SEE! I told you so!” [Note: The man in the couple had a pineapple tattoo on his leg as well, and I might have pondered whether they found each other on the flight…oops.]
In any case, I just want to eat my Dole Whip in peace, and not worry about whether or not my flight attendant likes spouse swapping. I just need to mind my own business.
Anyway, this is Nailtopia “Golden Pineapple” from the SpongeBob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Collection. I love this polish for traveling, because it hides chips like a CHAMP.
I painted two coats of “Golden Pineapple” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Fire Fighter Ulta Haul
I was sitting in my local Ulta a few Saturdays ago, waiting for the bleach to process, and texted my daughter to find out if she needed anything from Ulta. She said no, then I told her to ask her dad…she told her to tell me to get more lube. I could feel her CRINGING through the phone. I was relaying this to my stylist…and she was like – WE SELL LUBE? I pulled up the app and showed her all the different options, and as I was scrolling, I saw the Smile Makers “The Fire Fighter” ($60)…since I had a 20% off coupon that was about to expire, I decided to splurge on my vajayjay with “The Fire Fighter”, as well as Unbound Jelly ($18) and Unbound Jolt Enhanced Stimulating Water-Based Gel ($24). Let me tell you, “The Fire Fighter” is one DAMN fine machine. Reach out for more details…
Even though summer is almost over, I occasionally shave in the winter…I love rose scented bath stuff, so Tree Hut Moroccan Rose Bare Moisturizing Shave Oil ($12.99) and Moroccan Rose Foaming Gel Wash ($11.49) were a no brainer. I even got a free Tree Hut Shower Sponge with my $20 purchase.
My purchase qualified me for a free Platinum & Diamond Exclusive 12 Piece Skincare Gift with $60 purchase, which came with Real Techniques Real Clean XL Makeup Remover Wipes; COOLA Sun Silk Drops Sunscreen; bareMinerals Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair; Cocokind Resurrection Polypeptide Cream; Philosophy Hope in a Jar Smooth-Glow Multi-Tasking Moisturizer; Perricone MD Cold Plasma+ Sub-D/Neck; Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar; Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+; Sun Bum Sunscreen SPF 30; Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum; and Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil. I will use every single one of these!
Getting my hair done, plus this haul, leaves me with just $63 til Diamond in 2025.
I Made a Promise, Mr. Frodo
I promise…I did NOT know this in advance…but Dave Grohl’s favorite color is green (at least according to some meme I saw on the internet.) That’s why Pinnacle Polish “I Made a Promise, Mr. Frodo” was the perfect choice for attending a Foo Fighters concert in Portland a few weekends ago. I admit it, age has caught up with me and I wore earplugs through the whole concert and it was still plenty loud. Sorry, not sorry.
For some reason, I had assumed this polish was textured from the promotional shots…but it’s a scattered holographic polish. It had fantastic staying power and barely chipped.
This is two coats of “I Made a Promise, Mr. Frodo” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
August 2024 Ipsy Icon Box – Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
Oh. That girl from the lip sync show and her husband (I think he is a singer?) put their name on this quarter’s ipsy Icon Box. Cool cool.
I’m being a little sarcastic…of course, I know who Chrissy Teigen is. I don’t hate her or anything – she just exists in a realm so outside of my interests, that I don’t really have much to say about her – negative or positive.
That being said, this quarter’s Icon Box is pretty weird. The product choices were pretty lame. I picked Make Up Forever HD Skin Twist & Light 24HR Luminous Finishing Powder in “Light” ($45) and it was SO complicated to figure out how to use. I finally realized that twisting the bottom will fill up the middle reservoir with the powder. The powder seems to be a mix of skintone, pink and purple powder, so it makes my skin kind of…fairy-like and glowy? I haven’t even tried the other two product choices – Too Faced Better Than Sex Volumizing Mascara ($29) and Moon Oral Care Kendall Jenner Rose Mint Teeth Whitening Pen ($24.99). I know I have a strict anti-Kardashian/Jenner rule, but maybe I can sell it on Poshmark?
I have tried several of the other box items: Femmue Brilliant Cleansing Gel ($32 and a BITCH to rinse clean from my face); GXVE Beauty Most Def Clean Instant Definition Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil in “4 – Neutral Medium Brown” ($24 and an intriguing blade-like pencil – I really like this for my brows); Il Makiage Color Boss Master Eyeshadow Palette ($61 – REALLY – and I haven’t tried it yet); Lithe Beauty Everyday Brush Set ($48 and the last thing I need is more makeup brushes, but I didn’t have a choice); and MZ Skin Calming Moisturizer ($130 – I’m using at night and WHAT THE FUCK is up with the price?).
Supposedly, this is $394 worth of weird ass products. The only one I’d buy again is the $24 Gwen Stefani Brow Pencil…Here’s to hoping the next quarter is better.
I subscribe to the basic ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and Icon Box (formerly Glam Bag X) for an extra $60/quarterly (recently increased from $43/quarterly). If you’d like to try Ipsy – click here. I’ll earn 250 points if you sign up through my referral link.
You Will Respect My Authoritahhh!
I bet you thought THIS polish would be the first one I’d try…because it’s South Park related!
Lilypad Lacquer “You Will Respect My Authoritahhh!” is inspired by Officer Cartman and his memorable catchphrase. This royal blue polish with gold iridescent flakies is reminiscent of his mirrored shades and blue uniform. It’s a GORGEOUS polish in person – this picture doesn’t do it justice.
This is two coats of “You Will Respect My Authoritahhh!” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“. (I used up “Raspberry Pop” – I am so sad, I loved the scent, but this one isn’t bad.)