Tag: Polish Pickup
Actually Romantic
My first Pahlish is Pahlish “Actually Romantic” from December’s Polish Pickup.
“Actually Romantic” is inspired by ‘Actually Romantic’, a song from Taylor Swift’s most recent album. For those of you who are not chronically online, the song details Tay Tay’s amusement at a fellow songstress constantly talking shit about her and musing about living rent-free in her head. The songstress in question is thought to be Charlie XCX, who released a song on Brat that was thought to be about Taylor. As Charlie once opened for Taylor, it can be inferred that drama may be influenced by Charlie’s marriage to one of Matty Healy’s 1975 bandmates. Matty Healy, of course, being the brief yet fiery romance that inspired Taylor’s previous album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department.’
I will be fifty years old in a few weeks. I have a masters degree and a career…and I just wrote the above paragraph without having to research it first. Help.
This is two coats of “Actually Romantic” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
The Winter of My Discontent
2025 SUCKED…and 2026 isn’t looking much better.
I thought a bright blue polish would cheer me right up, so I picked Bluebird Lacquer “The Winter of My Discontent”. This polish is from December’s Polish Pickup and is inspired by the struggle to get through 2025.
Not thermal, not magnetic – just a pretty little scattered holographic polish. It’s sheerer than I expected, but still nice coverage in two caots.
This is two coats of “The Winter of My Discontent” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Polish Pickup December 2025 – Maker’s Choice
Maybe I splurged a little bit on December’s Maker’s Choice…the polishes were so good though!
Pahlish “Actually Romantic” ($14) is inspired by the Taylor Swift song of the same name – fuck off Charlie XCX.
Colores de Carol “Dreaming North” ($13.75) is a magnetic polish inspired by the Aurora Borealis.
Bluebird Lacquer “The Winter of my Discontent” ($13) is inspired by the struggle to get through 2025. PREACH.
Phoenix “Succulents” ($13.50) is another magnetic inspired by…duh…succulents.
Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” ($10) was a grab because I needed more Cuticula Base Coat…too bad I just used up my “Froot Loops” Top Coat.
Finally, Sassy Cats Lacquer “The shadow on the moon” ($13.50) is also magnetic and inspired by Oogie. Who is Oogie?
Choices, choices….
Emotional Metamorphosis
After a few years with Polish Pickup, I’ve noticed that I gravitate towards the same dozen or so makers. I get really excited when I pick out a polish from a maker I haven’t tried before. This is my first polish from Chamaeleon Nails and I’m really excited about it.
I’ve tended to avoid thermal polishes lately because my nails have been fairly short. There’s just no amount of hair & nail vitamins that can keep my nails strong through the winter. But Chamaeleon Nails “Emotional Metamorphosis” has such a strong shift that I thought I would give it a try. I was not disappointed.
It’s giving Glinda & Elphaba, isn’t it? ISN’T IT? (The flakies shift green in sunlight, but it’s hard to see in pictures. Just trust me on this one.) I specifically chose this polish to wear in Vegas last week, knowing I’d be going to see The Wizard of Oz at Sphere. In case you wondered, it was FANTASTIC.
This is two coats of “Emotional Metamorphosis” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Haunted Vibes
I grabbed Emily de Molly “Haunted Vibes” from July’s REWIND, but it was originally from September 2024’s “Vintage Halloween” Polish Pickup. It’s inspired by ‘The House on Haunted Hill’ – and I was almost indignant that a movie I remember seeing in the theater can be considered “Vintage Halloween”…and then I remembered that I’m old as shit. (It came out in 1999.)
The midnight blue and copper combination is giving Guardians of the Galaxy, isn’t it?
I think I FINALLY figured out the key to getting a good magnetic effect with my neodymium magnet! I had been using the flat side of the magnet, but this time – I used the thin edge, and DAMN what a difference! I need to continue experimenting with it, but I think I NAILED IT. (I am so, SO sorry for that pun.)
This is two coats of “Haunted Vibes” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Inner Balance
This polish is giving C-3P-HOE!
Baroness X “Inner Balance” is from November’s Polish Pickup and is inspired by the need to balance emotions within ourselves. The gold with silver shimmer is totally spaceworthy AND holidayworthy. It’s also a magnetic polish, but either it’s VERY subtle or I didn’t leave my nail on the rare earth magnet long enough. I think I’ll try again with the neodymium magnet…
This is two coats of “Inner Balance” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“.
Polish Pickup November 2025 – Mood Rings & Emotions
“Mood Rings & Emotions” was November’s theme for Polish Pickup. I still have my mood ring from the 90s – it came with my Fossil Mood Watch, which I still have somewhere…because I’m a hoarder – and PROUD of it.
This was a light month – is it me, or do all the polishes just look like a variation of one you already have after a few years of Polish Pickup?
Cuticula didn’t offer a base coat this month, so I decided to try KB Shimmer Fillin’ Groovy Ridge Filling Base Coat ($8.50).
I run through top coats rather quickly, so I got Cuticula Limitless Quick Dry Scented Top Coat in “Vampire Blood” ($10).
Chamaeleon Nails “Emotional Metamorphosis” ($14) is a thermal polish (haven’t gotten one of those in a while) inspired by emotional transformations.
Baroness X “Inner Balance” ($13.50) is inspired by the need to balance emotions within ourselves – and it’s a gold/silver magnetic!
I’ve already tried one of these – review coming soon!
Psychedelic Glow
Cuticula “Psychedelic Glow” is from October’s “Optical Illusions” Polish Pickup. It’s inspired by a flower that looks like it’s moving when you stare at the center of it. But to be fair, when you are on psychedelics – everything looks like it’s moving when you stare at the center of it.
“Psychedelic Glow” is a purple jelly base with pink/green/yellow/lime shifting crystal flakes, and black flakes. The shiftiness is amazing – it was hard not to get lost staring into these nails. I will admit that – like all flakies – the edges tended to lift and chip more than regular polish. It was frustrating, but still looked nice with the edge wear.
This is two coats of “Psychedelic Glow” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Huckleberry“. I was in Washington State a few months ago and had a few different Huckleberry-flavored things and I concur that this top coat absolutely hits that Huckleberry scent.
Lost to Eternity
Guacamole. FAIRY guacamole is what this polish is giving me.
The fairy guacamole is Pi Colors “Lost to Eternity.000”, which is inspired by the cover of a Star Trek novelization of the same name. I assume it is a time travel story, since the polish is from August’s Time Travel PPU.
This is my first Pi Colors polish and I found it to be a really nice formula – lots of shimmer and long lasting.
This is two coats of “Lost to Eternity.000” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Froot Loop“.
Vampire’s Blood
Penelope Luz “Vampire’s Blood” is the final polish I got from September’s PPUWEEN. It’s one of the most amazing magnetic polishes that I’ve tried…
Not only does “Vampire’s Blood” magnetize well, it also changes colors with a top coat. You’ll notice that my pinky is more of a pinkish mauve – that’s the polish without a top coat. Once I added a top coat to the rest of the nails, they turned more of a blood red shade. I used a round rare earth magnet to give a velvet french manicure effect.
This is two coats of “Vampire’s Blood”, magnetized with a rare earth magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Froot Loop“.