Stargazer Lily
Leave it to Beaux Rêves Lacquer to create another polish that is nearly impossible to photograph accurately.
Beaux Rêves Lacquer “Stargazer Lily” is from April’s “Celebrate!” Polish Pickup. It’s another magnetic polish and is a sister polish to “Blooming Azalea”.
Since I used the Velveteen Magnet, there isn’t a clear line to see the magnetic effect, but since I’m using a ring light, you can see a pink to blue transition on my nails. Since I was velvetizing, I did not bother with DRK Nails Magic Effect.
This is two coats of “Stargazer Lily” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
Persephone’s Pomegranate
Zombie Claw “Persephone” was one of my picks from February’s “Fables & Folklore” Polish Pickup and is inspired by Persephone eating pomegranate seeds. I like the IDEA of eating pomegranate seeds, as well as the taste – but in real life…it’s such a pain in the ass.
I was struck by how similar in tone this polish is to Julep “Persephone”. I wonder how they’d look together?
This is two coats of “Persephone” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
We are like the Dreamer who Dreams
I didn’t need another notebook or another totebag…but I did need THIS particular notebook ($18) and THIS particular totebag ($32), designed by The Great Northern Candle Company. I haven’t decided what to used them for…but I will.
The main purpose of my order wasn’t even to get merch – I wanted wax melts. The wax melts are a GREAT deal. I thought I was paying $14 for a 2 oz pack of 6 – but $14 gets you 2 2oz packs! I ordered “Log Lady” – Cashmere + Cedarwood – and “Great Salish” – Sweetgrass + Cedar Smoke. Someday, I’ll get to go there in real life…
I also got a few more 2ml sample vials ($9 each). “Noir 315” is heavily inspired by Fire Walk With Me and is mainly Cedar + Labdanum. (Dale Cooper also stayed in Room 315 at the Great Northern.) It leans masculine, but I like it on me. I also got “The Woodsmen”, inspired by the murderous Woodsmen in The Return. The Campfire + Chocolate scent reminds me of Toblerone Dark Chocolate – I want to smell it, but I am not sure I want to smell like it? Does that make sense? I also got a another free sample of “The Roadhouse” – these folks are so generous!
Even though I’d gotten a scratch card in my last order for $10 off $65, there was a 20% off sale the weekend I ordered, so I’ll save that card for the next order…I think I need a full bottle of “Noir 315”.
Cheesecake & Candlelight
If cheesecake is involved, it’s automatically a celebration. Even if I wasn’t veering dangerously close to Golden Girls territory – at the ripe old age of 49 – this would be a universal truth.
Royla Lee “Cheesecake & Candlelight” is from April’s Polish Pickup and is inspired by the Golden Girls and their nightly cheesecake ritual. Truth be told, I CANNOT WAIT to live with my girlfriends and eat cheesecake and talk shit about the ugly neighbors. Of course, I’m a Dorothy – and I’ve got my friends slotted accordingly. In fact, the more the merrier – I know at least 6 or 9 Golden Girls that might be interested after their husbands (mysteriously?) pass away…
This is my first Royla Lee polish and it is quite nice. Like most chromed shimmer polishes, I did get a few visible brushstrokes, but they weren’t hideous. I ended up taking a lot of “thumbs up” pictures while I was in San Francisco the weekend before last, so I’m glad I was wearing such a pretty polish.
This is two coats of “Cheesecake & Candlelight” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
Polish Pickup April 2025 – Celebrate!
Celebrations! is April’s Polish Pickup theme. Who doesn’t love a good celebration?
With all the magnetic polishes I am collecting, I got a neodymium bar magnet ($3) and an SJ 3Designs Velveteen Magnet ($12). I’m excited to try both.
By Vanessa Molina “Easter Egg” ($13.50) is a magnetic polish inspired by Easter and the eggs that come with.
Royla Lee “Cheesecake & Candlelight” ($13.75) is inspired by one of my favorites – The Golden Girls.
Colores de Carol “Power Number” ($13.50) is a CRACKLE polish…not sure of the inspiration.
Baroness X “Empty Orchestra” ($13) is another magnetic polish, inspired by…an empty orchestra pit? I cannot remember exactly.
Beaux Rêves Lacquer “Stargazer Lily” ($12.50) is inspired by my FAVORITE flower and is a sister polish to “Blooming Azalea”.
I cannot wait to bust out the magnets!
Disco Bum Bum Haul
Don’t come at me for spending $64 on sunscreen, just because you know I never go outside anyway…for those few occasions I do step into the sunlight, I want to be assured that I don’t burst into flames AND smell good, so I decided to try out Sol de Janeiro Rio Radiance SPF 50 Body Spray ($32). and I thought my Lala would like it, too. I’ll let you know how it goes the next time I get to visit the farm.
Tell me why I paid $2.49 (down from $4.99) for essence My Heart Beats Disco Glitter Switch Liquid Lipstick? Because it’s a better formula than Urban Decay’s Vice Liquid Lipstick “Trap Queen” ($18) which was basically the same concept?
It was free Ulta gift with purchase time, so I got another Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($11) and Ulta Weightless Water Lip Stain in “Sangria Splash” ($11 – I think this is the only color I didn’t have already) to meet the $19.50 threshold. I chose the coral flowered bag, which contained an Eye Shadow Palette; Matte Lip Cream; Shiny Sheer Lip Gloss; Inner Glow Eye Primer; Soft Glow Poreless Face Primer; New Heights Mascara; an Eye Shadow Brush and Makeup Sponge. I kind of hate that they don’t put the lippie color anywhere on these packages – what if I wanted a buy a full size?
There were a lot of other freebies when I placed this order, too. I got a free Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Cream with the $40 purchase above. I got a free 13 Piece Clean Ingredient Sampler with $85 shipped purchase, which came with Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Elasti-Cream (cannot really smell it until I fully recover from the ‘rona); Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel; Manyo Pure & Deep Cleansing Foam; belif The True Cream; Peach Slices Snail Rescue Intensive Wash-Off Jelly Mask (I’ll save for Lily, since she uses this brand); NOYZ Sh**ty Day; Peach & Lily Retinal For All Renewing Serum (keeping for myself); Living proof. Perfect hair Day high-shine gloss; Vanicream Gentle Face Cleanser; Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream; Briogeo Farewell Frizz; Innersense Sweet Spirit Leave In Conditioner; and Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum. I also got a free mystery gift with…I have no idea what I bought that gave me this. The mystery gift mostly dumb card samples: tarte Creaseless Creamy Concealer; Clinique Moisture Surge Active Glow Serum; Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Gel Tint; Ilia Barrier Build Skin Protectant Cream; Yves Saint Laurent Y; Tiffany & Co. Rose Gold (I actually have the full size, so I ain’t mad); and NYX The Face Glue Gripping Primer.
Since I splurged, I used the remaining $53 in Ulta points I had built up, as well as a $3.50 off $15 coupon, so I got all this for about $32.
Around $710 to Diamond in 2026…can I do this?
Crazy Plant Lady
I honed a lot of skills during the lockdowns, but one of my proudest accomplishments was turning my black thumb into a green one. Okay, maybe I am exaggerating a bit, but at least I can now keep ivy and succulents alive. I learned enough to be able to proudly wear this nail polish though – Paint It Pretty Polish “Crazy Plant Lady”.
“Crazy Plant Lady” is from March’s Under the Microscope Polish Pickup and it’s another MAGNETIC polish. It’s inspired by plant cells under the microscope and I feel like I’ve seen plant cells under a microscope before…but that was like 40 years ago, so I’m just gonna agree. This is also my first Paint It Pretty and it was a nice formula and easy to use. I used the exact same method as “Secret Allure” and I love the velvetized french manicure look.
This is two coats of “Crazy Plant Lady”, magnetized with a round rare earth magnet using DRK Nails Magic Effect and over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
Laura’s Blue Rose
I was in Atlantic City recently and I had packed my vial of “Blue Rose” and was horrified that it was empty! Imagine me, in a dark hotel room at Caesar’s Palace, placing an emergency order from The Great Northern Candle Company, on my phone in the dark, trying not to disturb my husband…
All I ordered was a 1.7oz “Blue Rose” eau de toilette ($38) and 1.7oz “Laura” eau de toilette ($38), as well as a 2ml sample vial of “Isn’t it Too Dreamy?” ($9). The folks at the GNCC were so generous that my box was full of freebies! I got a “Josie” perfume, a “Cooper” wax melt (which is scenting my bathroom right now), and a “Rose City” Candle.
And did I forget to mention that a surprise event was going on and I used a 20% off code?
This order definitely took me straight to the White Lodge.
April 2025 Ipsy Bag – Spring Into Self-Care
Where did April go? I haven’t touched a single sample from this month’s “Spring Into Self-Care” bag…
My product choice this month was NIP + FAB Vitamin C Fix Hybrid Gel Cream 5%. I don’t remember what the other choices were, but I guess this was the best one? I have been super into face care lately, so it was probably more lip liners or plumpers. Nope.
My other products this month were Benefit The POREfessional Deep Retreat Pore-Clearing Clay Mask (oh yes, I am HERE for clay masks); blinc UltraVolume TUBING Mascara Mini in “Black” (but the tubes always drop off and land on my cheeks?); Kiramoon Silkie Rinse Gentle Hydrating Cleanser (popping in my bag for my flight tomorrow); and KVOSSNYC Lip Trip Lip Liner in “Soho” (giving away).
Not a horrible bag this month, but I think I need to change my profile to stop sending me so much mascara?
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.
Milky White Shimmer
Well…this polish certainly IS a milky white shimmer.
At first glance, Holo Taco “Milky White Shimmer” looks like a boring white nail polish…but if you squint, you can see a TINY bit of silver shimmer. I don’t remember why I even bought this polish. Probably so I could get something free? I think I’ll try this under a shatter…
This is two coats of “Milky White Shimmer” over Holo Taco Pink Smoothing Base Coat and under Holo Taco Glossy Taco Top Coat.