December 2024 Ipsy Bag – Unwrap Joy
The gift wrap detail on this month’s bag is adorable – too delicate to throw in my purse, but too pretty to not use…maybe Barbie will get it?
I tried out this month’s product choice yesterday – Pur~lisse Beauty Sheer Glow Strawberry Vitamin C Tinted Moisturizer in “Fair”. This is NOT a moisturizer – if it’s thicker than a BB or CC Cream, dowsn’t that mean it’s a foundation? That being said, I got decent medium coverage. I did have to buff it out with a kabuki brush, but it lasted well in humid weather and it only oxidized on my chin.
The only other product that I’ve tried in this month’s bag is the Catherine Malandrino Mystere Fragrance. It’s a very holiday-forward scent, with notes of orange and cranberry. I’ve been wearing it a lot this past week!
Also in this month’s “Unwrap Joy” bag: Nena Skincare Glacial Body Lotion; Pixi Beauty LipGlow in “Fleur“; and Half Caked Double Dipper Highlighter. Unsure as to whether I’ll use these…
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.
Oz-mazing
I feel like I have a lot of gold shimmer nail polishes…but as I was searching through my site to find examples, and I couldn’t find anything like this. I found mostly glitters and lots of chromes – but no gold sheer shimmer? How about that…
I suppose it is possible that OPI x Wicked “Oz-mazing” is my first sheer gold shimmer…or should I go back in time – over thousands of posts – and add color tags to every post? Ugh, I’m sure I am too lazy for that…
This is two coats of “Oz-mazing” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Lizard Grabber
It should surprise exactly no one that I chose DRK Nails “Lizard Grabber” as the first polish to try from November’s “Nostalgic Toys” Polish Pickup. I love a good green nail polish and I REALLY LOVE a good color-shifting multichrome polish.
“Lizard Grabber” is inspired by those sticky, lizard shaped toys that you find at dollar stores or gumball machines – you fling it and it sticks to whatever it touches and flings it back to you – IF it’s light enough.
This is my first time trying DRK Nails and I am really impressed. The color is so vibrant and it DID NOT stain my nails. I was expecting stains and got none. I loved it so much that I brought it to the nail salon for a pedicure. It’s a perfect holiday polish!
This is two coats of “Lizard Grabber” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Ga-Linda
I admit, I am not very wowed by OPI x Wicked “Ga-Linda”. It’s a very sheer, light pink shimmer polish, which I feel like I have a dozen of. Sinful Colors “Glass Pink” is a possible dupe?
I’m running out of Witchy Madame Alexander Happy Meal toys to hold!
This is two coats of “Ga-Linda” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Polish Pickup November 2024 – Nostalgic Toys
Oops, I went overboard on Polish Pickup again. Sorry, not sorry.
November’s theme was “Nostalgic Toys” – I wanted them ALL – Barbie, Jem, Furbies…but I tried to control myself…
DRK Nails “Lizard Grabber” ($13) is inspired by those slimy lizard grabber toys from gumball machines.
Kathleen & Co “Glow So Bright” ($13.50) is inspired by Lite Brite.
Bee’s Knees Lacquer “Ghost or Furby” ($13) is inspired by a haunted Furby.
Crystal Knockout “Dressin’ Up” ($12.50) is inspired by the 1987 Barbie & the Rockers movie, which I have NOT seen! This one is a thermal.
Garden Path Lacquers “Truly Truly” ($13.50) is inspired by the TRULY OUTRAGEOUS Jem & the Holograms.
These will be a LOT of fun! I missed December’s Polish Pickup – it was a week earlier than normal – so I hope these get me through until 2025!
Live Laugh Lava
Painted Polish “Live Laugh Lava” is from October’s “Natural Phenomenon” Polish Pickup. Doesn’t it look just like video game lava?
The polish appears black, but it’s really a dark, dark, DARK burgundy filled with gold flakies. This is my first Painted Polish – I like it!
This is two coats of “Live Laugh Lava” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
Another Wicked Haul
A $10 off $50 code from Ulta means MORE Wicked products!
I have been eyeing the Scünci Wicked Elphaba Wavy Metal Claw Clip ($14) for a bit. That’s a lot for me to pay for a hair clip, but it’s SO FANCY! I also have had my eye on the r.e.m. beauty x Wicked Tulip Field Lip Stain in “Made in Oz” ($18). I am glad I grabbed it when I did, because all three shades are out of stock online.
While looking for the Tulip Field Lip Stain, I came across r.e.m. beauty Practically Permanent Lip Stain Marker in “booked and busy” ($17). I miss the lip stain markers that Ulta used to carry and this one is even better! I might pick up a few more…
OK, I need to learn to look at the sizes of products before I buy them…tell me WHY I paid $10.20 (on sale from $17) for a Biolage Smooth Proof Deep Treatment Pack Multi Use Hair Mask that is only 3.75 ounces? I usually get Shea Moisture or HASK packettes that are 1.75 ounces and less than $2. I was expecting to get more than 3-4 uses out of this damn thing…
OH! The whole reason I started the order was NOT for Wicked goodies…it was because my favorite brow pencil – Ulta Ultra Slim Brow Pencil in “Dark Brown” was on sale for 40% off ($6.60). I added a pack of Exfoliating Cotton Rounds ($2.39, also 40% off) and an EcoTools Exfoliating EcoPouf Loofah ($2.09, just 30% off).
Fiyero’s My Mani
And we wrap up the “Elphaba” side of the polishes with OPI x Wicked “Fiyero’s My Mani”. It’s a super shiny royal blue polish. I got loads of compliments from this polish and it lasted quite a while on my nails – 6 days! It probably lasted so long because I trimmed my nails super short. I don’t know what I’ve done to them – they have been peeling and splitting lately.
I’ll be honest – this shade reminds me of the cap of an old school blue BIC pen. You know the ones – the clear shaft with the pointy plastic lid. I am looking at mine right now – it’s on the desk in my home office/yarn/Barbie room.
This is two coats of “Fiyero’s My Mani” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Champagne Toast“.
November 2024 Ipsy Icon Box – Lisa Vanderpump
I am aware that there is a show called Vanderpump Rules, and I assume that is Lisa Vanderpump comes from…but I have no context to understand how she would be relevant to my life? A quick Google tells me that she was originally one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills…so this lady is DEFINITELY not relevant to my life.
I made a boo boo with my product choices this month. I didn’t remember that I already picked 5 SENS “Life of the Party” ($65) for May’s Icon Box. Oopsie…it will make a great Xmas gift? I am IN LOVE with the Fenty Skin Cherry Dub Triple Action Body Scrub ($36) though – it smells go good and makes my skin so smooth. I have not tried the Polite Society Polite Pout Glossy Lip Balm in “Pink Grapefruit” ($21) yet, but I am sure I will love it.
I admit, the last few weeks have been busy and I have not had a chance to try the rest of this month’s products: Keys Soulcare Truly Becoming Multi Benefit Peptide Serum ($38); KVD Beauty Good Apple Full-Coverage Transfer-Proof Serum Foundation in “Light 008” ($42 – I have no idea when I’ll try this…I am now drowning in foundations!); LYS Beauty Speak Love Moisture Matte Lipstick in “Sincere” ($20); Origins GinZing SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer ($38); and tarte Tartelette Juicy Amazonian Clay Palette ($47 – I am most definitely gonna sell this on Poshmark, because tarte eye shadow is like that Tinkerbell makeup my mom used to buy me from the Avon lady).
This month’s box is only worth $307, but it feels like a lot more!
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.
Ozitively Elphaba
I pulled out another Madame Alexander Happy Meal Toy to show off OPI x Wicked “Ozitively Elphaba”. Wicked opens in a matter of days, I hope Lily and I get to go see it this weekend!
While similar to “Witch O’Clock”, the olive green has a golden pearl sheen that gives it a nice chromed look. While more difficult to use, it’s not a brush stroke nightmare like some pearled polishes – “Tokyo Pearl”, I’m looking at you.
This is two coats of “Ozitively Elphaba” over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Melt Down” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Blackberry Passionfruit“. The scent was delightful, leaning more to the passionfruit side, and dried quick and hard. I was worried that it would be tacky like “Zombie Juice”, but there’s nothing to worry about – it dried perfectly.