Month: March 2024
The Great Northern Candle Company
I had never even heard of The Great Northern Candle Company, until my sister posted one of their ads on my Facebook wall. It was an ad announcing the launch of a Twin Peaks themed fragrance called “Laura”. You sonofabitch, I’m in!
I admit, I was ready to spend $88 on a full size “Laura” perfume…but once on their site, I found that you could get a 5ml sample for $10…and THEN I saw MORE Twin Peaks themed scents! I ultimately picked a discovery set – 6 5ml samples for $42 – $7 each!
“Laura” is Sour Cherry + Woodsmoke, and is sexy and seductive. It has a note that reminds me of Rapture, maybe the apricot? This is not an everyday scent, but I could see buying a full size though.
“Blue Rose” is Rose + Cedar and I knew I would love it. I want the full size, I want the candle, I want this scent on me EVERY DAY.
“Josie” is Tobacco Leaf + Vanilla Milk and it made me sneeze uncontrollably.
“Cooper” is Musk + Coffee Bean + Douglas Fir. It’s a good unisex fragrance – very wintery.
“One Eyed Jacks” is Smoked Whiskey + Honey. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either.
“The Roadhouse” is Apple Bourbon + Cedarwood. Another more unisex fragrance that I don’t hate or love. I think I would like it more as a candle than on my body.
After I placed my order, they released a few new Twin Peaks scents! There’s an Audrey scent and a few others that are only available in candle form. Ugh, I’m going to be dropping some money here, for sure. Stay tiuned for more scents from The Great Northern Candle Company.
Oh, and if you’re interested, use my referral link for $5 off – https://thegncc.com?referral_code=bnb8b1yxflQrkgjLp – you won’t be disappointed.
March 2024 Ipsy Bag – Rewrite the Rules
March’s bag itself is adorable – I love the painted agate design and it’s fully lines and everything. The contents though…
I have no complaints with my product choice this month – Goldfaden MD Plant Profusion Night Cream. It’s creamy and smooth, with a luxe scent. It’s almost empty, actually.
The rest of the products are unlikely to be touched: Benefit Cosmetics Precisely My Brow Wax in “Shade 3” (you have to HAVE eyebrows to put wax in them); Jazmine Beauty Coastal Chic Shine Control Primer (ugh, another primer); Gloss Moderne Clean Luxury Radiant Polish for Hand + Body; and WingMe Cosmetics Mega Blending Brush 15 (ugh, another makeup brush). Ipsy needs to step it up!
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.
Jafar
Nailtopia “Jafar” is another polish from the Disney 100th Anniversary Collection, except it’s a special “Villains” collection. It’s a shiny, tomato red…just GORGEOUS.
This is two coats of “Jafar” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
While LaLa and I were at Ulta, she was looking for this polish. She had seen it at her Ulta in Lufkin, but the bottle was broken or something, so she didn’t get it. My Ulta didn’t have it and it had already been removed from the website – oh no – but I found it on Amazon for $8.99, which is better than Ulta’s $10 anyway. And YES, I made sure it was okay that I sampled the polish I was giving her.
SCRAM!
According to my mom, The Swedish Chef was my favorite muppet…but if you asked me, I would say Oscar the Grouch.
This is Sally Hansen Insta Dri x Sesame Street “SCRAM!”, inspired by – of course – Oscar the Grouch. I think it’s hilarious that THIS is the polish that gets a silver shimmer, but I guess it kinda makes sense, since Oscar lives in a silver garbage can.
This is two coats of “SCRAM!” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Coincidentally, I got my daughter to agree to watch EVERY muppet movie ever made during the month of April. She HATES muppets. <Jason Momoa voice> This is gonna be fun.</Jason Momoa voice>
Bum Bum Ulta Haul
When LaLa is in town, we HAVE to go to Ulta.
I *think* I was the one that introduced LaLa to Bum Bum Cream? We both LOVE Bum Bum Cream! We both grabbed the Sol De Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Jet Set ($30), which includes Deluxe samples of Brazilian Bum Bum Cream, Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel, and Cheirosa 6 Perfume Mist. I need full sizes of ALL of these! Oh, and did you know that they make Shampoo and Conditioner now? It ain’t cheap, so I’m waiting for a sale or coupon before I try it.
I’ve been on a indie nail polish kick for the last several months, but I couldn’t pass up this Sally Hansen x Sesame Street 4 polish set ($10.99, down from $19.99), which includes 4 shades inspired by Big Bird (“Think BIG”), Elmo (“Elmo Love Hue”), Cookie Monster (“C is for Color”), and Oscar the Grouch (“SCRAM!”). I also picked up a Garnier SkinActive Mattifying Micellar Cleansing Water ($11.99). I hope it doesn’t suck.
Oh, and the weekend we went, Ulta was offering $10 off $50 or $20 off $100 – including PRESTIGE! What a smoking deal!
$1,006 to Diamond in 2025.
Seaing Unicorns
UNICORRRRRRN!
I don’t care what my husband says…I LOVE The Last Unicorn. I remember my mom taking us to see it in the theater. I was six or seven, but my sister was four or five and LOST HER SHIT in the theater. I think she hid under the seat. I do remember how scared I was of the Red Bull and then the sense of triumph as the unicorns drove the Red Bull into the sea. This polish – MTK Designs “Seaing Unicorns” – is inspired by that exact moment. What if every nail polish was inspired by a singular moment in time? Wouldn’t that be amazing?
“Seaing Unicorns” is from the February PPU Overstock.
This is two coats of “Seaing Unicorns” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Raspberry Pop”.
Clover the Top
If not today, then when?
I’ve been sitting on these nail decals – Color Street “Clover the Top” for a few years. St. Patrick’s Day isn’t really a day I celebrate, other than going to McD’s for a Shamrock McFlurry and forcing my daughter to listen to The Pogues and Dropkick Murphys in the car…and watching a Leprechaun Movie Marathon (maybe later).
One thing…Color Street nail strips DO NOT last forever! I could tell that these strips were old – they didn’t detach fully from the tab and they seemed more delicate than a fresh pack. Use ’em or lose ’em!
Although the clover decals may be a “once a year” type thing…I can bring out the rainbows again to celebrate Pride Month in June?
Fresh Ulta Haul
I know, I know…I have a lot of random moisturizers. But I wanted THIS moisturizer – Fresh Beauty Rose & Hyaluronic Acid Lightweight Moisturizer ($46). I also wanted to use my $10 off $50 coupon. I cannot remember if this was my birthday coupon or another coupon…but it was a coupon.
I also grabbed 2 Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencils ($10) – one in “Medium Brown” and one in “Dark Brown”. I needed them, but also “needed” a 9 piece Ulta gift with my $19.50 purchase. I thought the bag was quilted, but it’s this weird, puffy pantyhose material. Inside the bag: Ulta Beauty “Violet Hour” Eye Shadow Palette, Poreless Face Primer, Tinted Eye Primer, Shiny Sheer Lip Gloss, New Heights Lifting Mascara, Matte Lip Cream in a mystery shade, a makeup brush and a blender sponge.
$1,062 to Diamond in 2025.
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???