Tag: Alchemy Lacquers
Here Be Dragons
First off, ignore how shitty the tips of my nails look…I kept forgetting to take a picture and by the time I remembered, I had been wearing the polish for four days or so.
Alchemy Lacquers “Here Be Dragons” is from March’s “Sky Creatures” Polish Pickup and is inspired by a game called Stellaris. I googled it and I can totally see it. The polish is rather sheer and since I used two light coats, the edges of my nails wore pretty quickly,
I loved it so much that I took it to the salon for my pedicure last weekend. It is an amazing summer polish!
This is two coats of “Here Be Dragons”, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
Use Your Illusion
How many times have I written here that Guns ‘N’ Roses was my very first concert? I was turning sixteen and I BEGGED my mom for tickets…so she brought me, my younger sister, and my best friend at the time, who…just a few short months later, would have sex with my first boyfriend and take his virginity. Yes, forty four years ago and I’m still salty – what about the girl code??? Uteruses before duderuses! Anyway, I am petty and she has 4 different baby daddies these days and we are NOT friends, frenemies or even acquaintances. Estranged, if you will…which is also one of the most underrated G’N’R songs off that album.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Alchemy Lacquers “Use Your Illusion” from April’s “Album Covers” Polish Pickup. It references the cover of ‘Use Your Illusion II’ flawlessly. I am really getting the hang of magnetic polishes – that’s pretty much all I wear these days.
This is two coats of “Use Your Illusion” magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
Polish Pickup April 2026 – Album Covers
Oh, I love a good album cover…do kids even care about album cover art these days? Even though the theme slapped, I showed some restraint…my untried are backed up all over the coffee table.
Alchemy Lacquers “Use Your Illusion” ($13) is magnetic polish inspired by Guns ‘N’ Roses ‘Use Your Illusion’, specifically by the color scheme of ‘Use Your Illusion II’. I have a hard time picking a favorite between I and II, but II does include ‘Estranged,’ which is one of my faves. Did you know that G’N’R was my very first concert?
Cuticula Limitless Top Coat “No Doubt, It’s Fruity” ($10) is inspired by…No Doubt probably?
Garden Path Lacquers “I No Longer Try to be Good” ($13.50) is a magnetic polish inspired by Florence + The Machine’s ‘Everybody Scream.’
As soon as I catch up, can I buy more?
Polish Pickup March 2026 – Sky Creatures
I went a bit overboard with March’s Polish Pickup….but how can I resist “Sky Creatures”?
1422 Designs “Flamboyance” ($13.50) is inspired by a flamboyance…which is a group of flamingos!
Arcana Lacquer “The Firemind” ($14.50) is a magnetic polish inspired by Niv Mizzet from Magic: The Gathering. (I haven’t played Magic in 30 years, but Google says it is a dragon wizard.)
Alchemy Lacquers “Here Be Dragons” ($13) is inspired by the dragons in the game, Stellaris.
Pahlish “Icarus” ($15) is a pricey magnetic polish inspired by the tale of the mortal that flew too close to the sun.
Haunted Polish “Odette” ($13.50) looks very similar to “Icarus”, but seems to be inspired by Swan Lake.
Sassy Cats Lacquer “Sky Fairy” ($13.50) is inspired by my second favorite moth, the luna moth.
Tyler’s Trinkets “Luck Dragon” ($13.50) is the third white-ish polish in the bunch, inspired by Falcor in The Neverending Story.
I’ll be having lots of fun with these polishes!
Karma Chameleon
Of COURSE, I picked Alchemy Lacquers “Karma Chameleon” to try first. I mean – just look at it!
I realize that green iguanas are not the same as chameleons. They change color, but slowly. Anyway, this polish reminds me of the bluish green coloration on the green iguana (Cheech) that he had when I met him. I miss Cheech sometimes…I hope he is still living his best life in Hurst. We gave him up when I got pregnant (20 years ago), but when those friends moved to Cali, they had to give him up, so he became the star resident of this pet store in Hurst.
This is two coats of “Karma Chameleon” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Raspberry Pop”. This combo lasted a really, REALLY long time in nail polish days. No chips and very little edge wear – I was impressed.
Polish Pickup February 2024 – Wild Animals
I *may* have went HAM on Polish Pickup. Again.
February’s theme was “Wild Animals” and I was excited to pick out some of my favorite animals. I was also excited to try some new nail polish brands.
Cadillacquer “Northern Cardinal” ($14) is inspired by the ubiquitous (at least in Texas) Northern Cardinal.
Cat Tail Nails “Little King Trash Mouth” ($12) is inspired by a raccoon that lives behind Bob’s Burgers. Oh, and it’s a solar polish.
Penelope Luz “Hummingbird” ($13) is self-explanatory. I had to have it.
Alchemy Lacquers “Karma Chameleon” ($12.50) is inspired by a chameleon.
Which one shall I try first???
Oddities
Alchemy Lacquers “Oddities” is the third polish I’ve tried from September’s Polish Pickup. It’s inspired by the medicinal plant garden at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia.
There are not enough chartreuse nail polishes in my collection. This one is even better than the usual chartreuse ones, because there is a shifting shimmer that shifts from purple to red to orange. I tried several different angles and lightings, and this is the best pic I could capture of that shimmer.
This is two coats of “Oddities” between Vibrant Scents Double Bond Base Coat in “Island Petals” and Vibrant Scents Top Coat in “Island Petals”.
Polish Pickup September 2023 – Haunted History
I cannot remember the last time I spent $65 on nail polish…but I couldn’t resist September’s theme, “Haunted History.” I’ve got to celebrate Spooky Season!
Danglefoot Nail Polish “Hair Raising” ($13) is inspired by past hair disasters…I’ve had a few of those myself.
Sweet & Sour Lacquer “The Saw is Family” ($13) is inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre…supposedly based on a true story, at least according to the kids in my daycare. (For those of you NOT from Texas, it’s not…Ed Gein notwithstanding.)
Alchemy Lacquer “Oddities” ($12.50) is inspired by the medicinal plant garden at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia. I am intrigued. And it’s NOT red!
Baroness X “Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary” ($13) is inspired by…guess who…Bloody Mary.
Lilypad Lacquer “Haunted forever” ($14) is inspired by…an image on the web. Not sure which image, hmmmm…
I seriously had to limit myself to just 5…I wanted at least 15 other polishes. Which one should I try first???