Month: September 2024
You Betta Recognize
I love a good pinkish red polish.
Sweet Heart Polish “You Betta Recognize” was another one originally from February 2024 – Wild Animals, but I picked it up in July’s rewind. Haven’t we ALL had a betta fish this color? My son had a betta fish (that he named “Alan Rickman”) and I believe it was this kind of red.
I feel like I am starting to blindly buy similar polishes again, because it reminded me of “Seaing Unicorns” once I had it on. I feel like I like this one better, though.
This is two coats of “You Betta Recognize” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
September 2024 Ipsy Glam Bag – Soft Era
Look, I don’t know what a “Soft Era” is…but I am guessing it has to do with skincare (and Taylor Swift), since this is a very skincare heavy bag this month?
My product choice this month was NIP+FAB Salicylic Fix Clay Mask. I tried it last Saturday and it was nice enough. I should be able to get 2 uses out of the sample tube, which is nice.
The REN Clean Skincare Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk is a bit weird. I feel like it doesn’t rinse clean from my skin. The Innisfree Cherry Blossom Glow Jelly Cream is a light moisturizer. It doesn’t have much of a smell and is very light on my skin.
I am unlikely to use the last two products this month – Eloise Beauty Blush in “Bloom” and Toyfactory CliqueStick Eye Shadow Crayon in “Fantasy”. The basic tan shade of both products just screams “Beige Mom”. NO.
The bag is cute – I think it might make the cut for Barbie accessories!
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.
Bling Pop
THIS polish made buying the whole set worth it. To be honest, I wasn’t that impressed with The Berry Best or Grape Expectations…but Sally Hansen Insta Dri x Ring Pop “Bling Pop” is a nearly perfect polish. It’s a high coverage hot pink sheer shimmer, with a brilliant flash of blue fire. It lasted for nearly a full week and looked brilliant and shiny until I removed it.
This is two coats of “Bling Pop” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Now I just have to try the plain yellow polish that came with the set…ugh, maybe in 2026.
The Battle of the Labyrinth
I keep buying the same polish, over and over again.
I cannot help it – I really want to be a mermaid when I grow up…except for the fact that I hate the beach. All that sand and all those creatures, living under the sea. Can’t I just be a mermaid that lives in someone’s pool? Not a hot tub, though – those things are TOO HOT. Or how about a Sea Monkey? I’d make a GREAT Sea Monkey…I’ve done it before…shhhh…
Whatcha “The Battle of the Labyrinth” is inspired by the Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan. My son moved on from Harry Potter fairly quickly and was really into Rick Riordan for a long while. I’m really glad my son hasn’t snatched all his books from my house – I need to hurry up and read them before he can afford a bookshelf for his apartment. Luckily, Riordan is not a TERF piece of shit, so I won’t have to feel bad enjoying his works.
This is two coats of “The Battle of the Labyrinth” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Sour Apple Rings
It’s not too late for BRAT Summer is it?
It was 96 degrees outside today…tell me that’s not summer!
Atomic Polish “Sour Apple Rings” was another score from July’s Remix, but was originally released in May 2023 – Junk Food. Those who know me, KNOW how much I hate sour apple flavored things – even green apple jolly ranchers…but this color is not that. This is the best neon polish I’ve ever used. No white base coat, nothing extra – just neon glowing goodness. I did get a few chips the first day – but that’s my fault for digging in the dirt and gardening.
Atomic Polish is quickly becoming one of my favorite Indie brands…check out “Redrum”!
This is two coats of “Sour Apple Rings” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Polish Pickup August 2024 – Book Covers
After overdoing it with July’s Rewind, I was conservative and only selected 3 polishes from August’s Polish Pickup. The theme was “Book Covers” which is a cool twist on doing a literary theme.
Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Tropical Oasis” ($10) doesn’t seem to be inspired by…anything? I need to start jotting descriptions down when I buy these things.
Lemming Lacquer “Dead to the World” ($13.25) is inspired by the creator’s favorite book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries Series (True Blood for non-readers), ‘Dead to the World’, of course.
Whatcha “The Battle of the Labyrinth” ($13.50) is full of ocean-inspired flakies. It’s inspired by Percy Jackson, my son’s favorite series of books as a kid. I haven’t yet read the books…waiting for my husband to finish the first one, so I can start!
Not a huge order, just a few really cool polishes.
Never Sleep Again
Until the “Chucky Renaissance” of the last few years, Freddy Krueger has been my main man. Michael Myers isn’t a big talker, and Jason Voorhees is just a big dumb lug. Pinhead is sexy and all…but he has no sense of humor. I like my men with a sharp wit…and sharp nails.
Cuticula “Never Sleep Again” just SCREAMS Freddy. It’s a shimmery blood red, filled with different black glitters. It seemed to chip quickly, but I suspect that too many vacations and not enough hair & nail vitamins is to blame for the poor condition of my nails. They’re peeling away to nothing!
Originally from October 2022’s “Scary Vibes” Polish Pickup, I grabbed “Never Sleep Again” from July 2024’s Rewind.
This is two coats of “Never Sleep Again” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Golden Pineapple
I like pineapples…but not like THAT.
Swingers have totally ruined pineapples for me. Walking through an airport with my son a few weeks ago, I commented that one of the geriatric flight attendants was a crusty old swinger because she was wearing an upside-down pineapple necklace. Just a few moments later, we were dying laughing because the couple in front of us heard me, and were like, “SEE! I told you so!” [Note: The man in the couple had a pineapple tattoo on his leg as well, and I might have pondered whether they found each other on the flight…oops.]
In any case, I just want to eat my Dole Whip in peace, and not worry about whether or not my flight attendant likes spouse swapping. I just need to mind my own business.
Anyway, this is Nailtopia “Golden Pineapple” from the SpongeBob Squarepants 25th Anniversary Collection. I love this polish for traveling, because it hides chips like a CHAMP.
I painted two coats of “Golden Pineapple” over Glisten & Glow Ridge Filling Base Coat and under Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
Fire Fighter Ulta Haul
I was sitting in my local Ulta a few Saturdays ago, waiting for the bleach to process, and texted my daughter to find out if she needed anything from Ulta. She said no, then I told her to ask her dad…she told her to tell me to get more lube. I could feel her CRINGING through the phone. I was relaying this to my stylist…and she was like – WE SELL LUBE? I pulled up the app and showed her all the different options, and as I was scrolling, I saw the Smile Makers “The Fire Fighter” ($60)…since I had a 20% off coupon that was about to expire, I decided to splurge on my vajayjay with “The Fire Fighter”, as well as Unbound Jelly ($18) and Unbound Jolt Enhanced Stimulating Water-Based Gel ($24). Let me tell you, “The Fire Fighter” is one DAMN fine machine. Reach out for more details…
Even though summer is almost over, I occasionally shave in the winter…I love rose scented bath stuff, so Tree Hut Moroccan Rose Bare Moisturizing Shave Oil ($12.99) and Moroccan Rose Foaming Gel Wash ($11.49) were a no brainer. I even got a free Tree Hut Shower Sponge with my $20 purchase.
My purchase qualified me for a free Platinum & Diamond Exclusive 12 Piece Skincare Gift with $60 purchase, which came with Real Techniques Real Clean XL Makeup Remover Wipes; COOLA Sun Silk Drops Sunscreen; bareMinerals Ageless 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate; Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair; Cocokind Resurrection Polypeptide Cream; Philosophy Hope in a Jar Smooth-Glow Multi-Tasking Moisturizer; Perricone MD Cold Plasma+ Sub-D/Neck; Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar; Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+; Sun Bum Sunscreen SPF 30; Juice Beauty Green Apple Age Defy Serum; and Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil. I will use every single one of these!
Getting my hair done, plus this haul, leaves me with just $63 til Diamond in 2025.