Schneewittchen
Schneewittchen…now that’s a mouthful. Translation – “Snow White” in German.
Yes ma’am, I stacked two Snow White-themed polishes from February’s Polish Pickup back to back. This one is inspired by the Brothers Grimm version of the fairytale…it’s so bloody and so, so German.
Lurid Lacquer “Schneewittchen” is my first Lurid Lacquer. Quality is very good and I was impressed with the shimmer.
This is two coats of “Schneewittchen” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
March 2025 Ipsy Bag – Main Character Energy
Do I give off Main Character Energy?
I’m sure we all think we do, regardless of how uninteresting we may be. I admit, I’ve occasionally felt like the Main Character before…but really, I feel like I give off NPC energy. Like, the kind of NPC you come to for a very difficult quest, or to get the local village gossip. I am Bella Goth, seducing Bob Newbie. Or maybe Princess Peach…
This month’s bag is a weird mix of products. My product choice was Mudmasky Melting Mud Cleansing Mask, since I’ve gotten several different Mudmasky masks is previous ipsy AND Allure Beauty Boxes. Hoping to get to try it out this weekend. The rest of the items were really…odd. I got Balance Me BHA Exfoliating Concentrate; Beauty Vaulte Beaming Lip Liner Duo (do non-Kardashians even use lip liner?); e.l.f. Cosmetics Brow Laminating Gel (I would eyebrows in order to laminate them – I’ll hand this one over to one of the kids); and Gloss Moderne Luxury Eye Elixir. I don’t know if I’ll use ANY of these!
The bag, on the other hand, is super cut and has a strawberry zipper pull. Why am I sucker for zipper pulls?
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.
Fairest of Them All
Mirror Mirror, on the wall…who is the fairest of them all?
The answer, of course, is Cuticula “Fairest of Them All” from February’s “Fables & Fairytales” Polish Pickup. I am pretty sure that this was the first one I added to my cart. I had no idea that it was the magic mirror – when I saw it, I thought of a piece of green marble streaked with gold (I saw it at Floor & Decor and I want it for my bathroom.)
And yes, this is two Cuticulas in a row!
This is two coats of “Fairest of Them All” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
Polish Pickup February 2025 – Fables & Folklore
February’s theme was “Fables & Folklores” and I am so proud of myself! Not for shopping conservatively – I did not pick any of the several Taylor Swift themed polishes…at least I don’t think I did?
As much as I love Zoya Remove+, I also love making cheap, shitty nail polish remover into the good shit…I’ve passed by the last few scents, but Baroness X Acetone Antidote “Lemon Shortbread Cookies” ($8.50) sounded too good to pass up.
Cuticula “Fairest of Them All” ($13) is inspired by Snow White.
Indie by Patty Lopes “Renaissance” ($13.50) is inspired by the Phoenix. It’s magnetic, too.
Lurid Lacquer “Schneewittchen” ($14.50) is inspired by the Brothers Grimm version of Snow White, the badass bitch version of Snow White.
Zombie Claw “Persephone” ($13.50) is inspired by Persephone and eating pomegranate seeds.
BCB Lacquers “Aesops Fables” ($13.50) is inspired by…wait for it…Aesop’s Fables.
I cannot wait to dig in!
Dance With Me
Mardi Gras was last week and I chose Cuticula “Dance With Me” for my Fat Tuesday nails. It’s from January’s Masquerade Polish Pickup and is inspired by…a Masquerade.
“Dance With Me” covers all the bases for traditional Mardi Gras colors – the base is a wine jelly and it is filled with flakies that color shift from green to gold.
This is two coats of “Dance With Me” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
Red Licorice
I think I’ve got a new favorite red nail polish. If you haven’t been paying attention – SHERRY – my original favorite was Zoya “Sooki”…but more recently, I’d say it was Atomic Polish “Redrum”…until now, that is.
Meet Holo Taco “Red Licorice”. It’s a strawberry red linear holographic polish…and I cannot get enough. (I had to google the different between linear and scattered holographic nail polishes. Basically, the linear holographic make a rainbow in a line and the scattered is an all over rainbow effect? Help!)
This is two coats of “Red Licorice” over Holo Taco Pink Smoothing Base Coat and under Holo Taco Glossy Taco Top Coat.
An Itty Bitty Birthday Haul
I couldn’t bear to let my $10 off Birthday coupon expire at Ulta, so I filled my cart with random items…
I’ve been wanting to try the megababe Blade Bar ($8) and I tried it out over the weekend. It’s basically a bar of soap that you can use to shave your legs…I’ve done it before with regular soap (when I was poor and/or desperate), but this bar is so much better…it’s mainly shea butter and it made my legs feel super moisturized. I didn’t knick myself either – win win.
Of course, I snagged a back-up Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” ($11), but I also came across a NEW brow product…Ulta Longwear Brow Stain in “Dark Brown” ($11). All I have to say about this product is WOW. It is LIFE CHANGING. It takes a lot of confidence to use, but once I figured it out – this stuff stays on and does NOT come off unless you scrub it off…and it looks like natural eyebrows! Remember when I got the eyebrow stamping kit? That one was a miss for me, but this little baby is my new holy grail….
What else did I pick up…hmmm…a replacement Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Water ($11.99)…Holo Taco “Red Licorice” ($14)…and another lip stain marker – Ulta Magic Marker Lip Stain in “Raspberry Kiss” ($10 – the perfect color for me).
Oh, and did I mention 6 piece Makeup Gift with my $60 purchase? It included a Real Techniques Makeupsaver Sponge (ooooh….absorbs 90% less makeup); stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner; Lancome Idole Lash Mascara; Benefit The POREfessional; Estee Lauder Double Wear Smooth & Blur Primer; and another NYX Duck Plump “Clearly Spicy”.
Just $910 to Diamond in 2026…
Miss Runway
Emily de Molly “Miss Runway” is inspired by a dress (probably for a masquerade ball) because it’s from January’s Masquerade Polish Pickup.
“Miss Runway” is a magnetic polish and although I did get what I thought were adequate results with the ring magnet, they are not striking enough to be picked up in picture. I counted to 30! and it still wasn’t long enough…I need to practice, because in the sample pics, I should be able to get a more striking light blue magnetic effect. Arghhhhhhhhhh.
This is two coats of “Miss Runway” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“.
February 2025 Ipsy Icon Box – Gabrielle Union
Leave it to Gabrielle Union to come up with an ipsy Icon Box that I’ll actually try ALL of the products, instead of giving half of them away!
After several quarters of reality show stars and “influencers”, ipsy has nabbed an actually CERTIFIED movie star in Gabrielle Union. Homegirl is four years older than me and she looks as amazing as she did in the 90s. How even?
As soon as I saw it was an option, I SNATCHED the Anastasia Beverly Hills Nouveau Eyeshadow Palette ($55). Believe me when I say this palette might be as good as the OG – Modern Renaissance. (My eyes popped when I saw the price increase in just 8 years – from $42 to $55.) Nouveau has a full range of shades – classic neutrals to sparkling metallics to moody darks. I’ve only played with it once or twice, but I cannot wait to have an opportunity to go all out that isn’t a grocery store trip.
My other product choices were Origins Clear Improvement Blackhead Clearing Mask-To-Scrub ($37) and Dew of the Gods Amalfi Glaze Body Serum ($36). I did not read the label (AGAIN) on the Origins Mask and used it as a scrub in the shower the first time – oopsie. I used it as a mask the next time and I really liked it – it sucked the oil out of my pores like a fucking SHAMWOW. The Amalfi Body Serum smelled nice, but it made me sparkle like a stripper. I’ll save it for a special occasion.
Gabrielle’s picks included Beautystat Triple- Plump Coconut Milk Serum ($42); Byroe Oat Yogurt Moisture Barrier Cream ($106 – I’ve been using it as a night cream and it is SO luxurious…wish it wasn’t so spendy); First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub 10% AHA Fresh Strawberry ($30 – I love this for my bikini line…I’ll rotate it into my shower after I finish the Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Scrub); Make Up For Ever The Professionall 24HR Double-Ended Lifting & Volumizing Mascara in “Black” ($28 – I love the double brush design that lifts and thickens); and NARS Powermatte Lipstick in “American Woman” ($34 – although I love the Lolita-esque Chestnut Rose color, it’s a lipstick and didn’t last through a Taco Bell run).
This might be the best Icon Box I’ve received so far! $368 worth of products for less than $75…
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.
Year of the Snake
So…I already mentioned that my reading comprehension is shall we say – lacking? Allow me to explain…
I was so excited to try the Le Mini Macaron Lunar New Year Nail Polish + Sticker Collection – Year of the Snake. I opened that sucker up and started in with the red one (after a base coat, of course). My first thought was that this stuff sure is goopy. Thick and goopy. I soldiered on. After two thin coats, I started adding stickers to each nail. The stickers slid around a bit, but I’ve seen that before. Surely a coat of Glitter Grabber would help…it did not. Now the red polish has turned to jelly. I make a last ditch effort with my top coat…and the polish totally liquefies. I have red jelly glitter shit dripping from my nails and I have to pick my daughter up from work in 10 minutes. I quickly remove the polish so I can touch my steering wheel. While I’m waiting for her to get done closing down, I start googling…I have made a grave mistake. This gel polish requires a UV light to cure. I do not own a UV light, nor am I interested in getting one. I just spent $40 on stickers.
Ultimately, I redid the manicure using Atomic Polish “Redrum” starting with Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat, two coats of “Redrum”, my $40 stickers, Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber, and Glisten & Glow Top Coat. About half of these fucking stickers decided to lift off, but the other half stayed nice and flat. What’s the secret? Someone MUST know!!!
There is a happy ending though – my son’s girlfriend does have a UV light, so I gave the polishes to her. I kept the stickers.
P.S. I’m saving some of the extra snake stickers for Reputation (Taylor’s Version).