Greenhouse Semi-Annual Sale
I hit that Bath & Body Works Semi-Annual Sale the Sunday before the actual sale started in stores…although it’s fun hopping to different stores, it is kind of annoying when you cannot find matching products! I loaded my cart and ended up smelling like my greenhouse.
That’s right – I bought the whole “Off the Vine” collection – Shower Gel, Body Cream and Fragrance Mist. It doesn’t exactly smell like tomatoes…more like tomato leaves. The geranium notes are also pretty strong, but not off-putting. I cannot wear it every day – but it’s a nice change every few weeks or so.
I also grabbed Shower Gel, Body Cream and Fragrance Mist in “Carrot Charm”. Again, it’s not exactly carrot scented, but carrot adjacent? There’s a lot of nectarine in the scent, which is nice. Again, this is not a daily wear fragrance.
And then there is “Lemon Pomegranate Cream” – this is a scent I could wear every day! I probably should’ve gotten two Shower Gels instead of just one.
They only had Shower Gel in “Always & Forever” – it’s a traditional rose scent, so I can use it with “Rose Water & Ivy” or any of the other dozen rose scents I’ve got.
I also threw a few Wallflowers in the cart, as well as a cool Snake Wallflower plug. I got a few “Covered in Roses” Hand Creams for the purse and an “Aurora” Lip Gloss, which is a disappointing clear goo.
Oh, and did I mention the free shipping? The only buzzkill was having a duplicate order made – the website is hella glitchy, but the return process was fairly simple.
Even though I hit the stores a few more times – like when I had to return the duplicate order – I never did end up buying more past this original order. I didn’t even get any hand soap – I never caught prices below $3.50, which pissed me off.
Polish Pickup June 2026 – Famous Steves
That’s right, June’s Polish Pickup theme was “Famous Steves”. I used to date a guy in high school named Steve (the non-famous kind). He dumped me in a Ruby Tuesday’s because his wife wanted to get back together. They ended up getting divorced anyway, Ruby Tuesday’s went out of business and I got a college degree.
Lurid Lacquer “Out of the Box, Into the Sun” ($14.50) is inspired by the Sun Sensation Steven doll from 1991. (Ken finally got a black friend!) Looking at the box, I can see the inspiration.
Glam Polish “Gold Dust Woman” ($14) is inspired by the white witch herself, Stevie Nicks.
I cannot remember the inspiration for Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Pink Sugared Lemons” ($10) and I cannot find it online…shucks.
All Mixed Up Lacquers “That’s America’s Ass” ($13.50) is inspired by the ass of Captain America – Steve Rogers.
Oh, and my order included Paint it Pretty Polish “Grab n Go” from May’s “Vending Machine Snacks” Pickup.
Oh, and my ex-Steve had a mullet.
Leprechaun
Baroness X “Leprechaun” is from February’s “Cute but Deadly” Polish Pickup. The leprechaun from Lucky Charms – cute, but not deadly…unless you count the diabeetus. The leprechaun from the films – not cute, but certainly deadly. Somewhere out there, there is a cute AND deadly leprechaun…
I should’ve gotten off my ass and used this polish in March for St. Patrick’s Day, but anytime is a good time for green nail polish, am I right? The gold magnetic effect is really strong, just like the leprechaun’s proverbial put of gold. I was paranoid that this polish would stain my nails…but it didn’t! Hallelujah.
This is two coats of “Leprechaun” magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
Icarus
Poor Icarus, he flew too close to the sun. The wax on his wings melted and he plummeted back to earth…
Pahlish “Icarus” is from March’s “Sky Creatures” Polish Pickup and it’s yet another stunning magnetic polish. Instead of just magnetic particles, there are stunning rose gold flakies that are revealed when the magnetic particles are pushed aside…I could look at this polish all day and all night.
This is two coats of “Icarus” magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
Beija Flor Travel Ulta Haul
I’ve got a few trips coming up and I decided to switch out my Bum Bum travel minis with Beija Flor minis with the Sol de Janeiro Beija Flor Jet Set ($34), which includes spray, body wash and elasti-cream. While I was at it, I added a backup Vichy Dercos Hair + Scalp Moisturizing Conditioner ($19.99) and another Ulta Beauty Magic Marker Lip Stain in “Rose Goals” ($11.50).
My paltry purchase was enough to qualify for THREE gifts with purchase, even after using my 20% code. I got a NARS Beauty Break, with NARS Blush in “Orgasm” (YES – I ran out) and “Orgasm Rush”; NARS Afterglow Lip Balm; NARS The Multiple in “Orgams Crave” and a NARS Powermatte High-Intensity Lip Pencil in “Cruella”, which seemed to be extra because it was only supposed to include 4 items. My free Diamond gift was CeraVe Air Foam Cleanser, which is really soft and airy. Finally, I received a Mystery Gift that included Dolce & Gabbana “Devotion”; Dolce & Gabbana “Light Blue”; Tatcha The Longevity Serum; Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream; Biore UV Aqua Rich Broad Spectrum SPF 50; and 2 tubes of Smashbox HALO All-in-One Tinted Moisturizer.
Just $628 to Diamond in 2027.
Fire in the Hole
I hate Minions.
I consider myself blessed that my children thrived through the early part of the 21st century without becoming obsessed with Minions and Minion-adjacent things. I’ve never seen Despicable Me, much less Despicable Me 4 – the inspiration for one of the most amazing magnetic polishes I’ve ever seen.
Whatcha “Fire in the Hole” is from May’s “Vending Machine Snacks” Polish Pickup. It’s magnetic, with a galaxy-like shifting effect and multi-sized round glitter. I have a whole new respect for indie nail polish creators when I consider all of the risks and experimentation that must have gone into just this one nail polish.
This is two coats of “Fire in the Hole” magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
June 2026 Ipsy Bag – Blend the Rules
I’m not gonna lie…the first thought in my head when I saw this month’s ipsy bag was…those look like luscious lips. Juicy, wet, FLAPPY lips.
I’m not gonna lie…this month’s bag is mostly a dud. While I love my product choice – Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cream – the rest are very underwhelming. Also inside the flappy lips: Beauty for Certain Lip + Cheek Stick in “Sangria” (will be giving away); Bodyography Lip Pencil in “Timber” (meh); Skin&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Amino-Peptide Complex Face Serum (I got this in my very first Birchbox – I have been using it at night); and BISHA Essential Baby Eyeshadow Duo. The stuff isn’t horrible – it’s just not exciting.
I subscribe to the original ipsy bag for $14/month (recently increased from $13/month) and ipsy Ultimate (formerly Icon Box, and before that – 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.
Here Be Dragons
First off, ignore how shitty the tips of my nails look…I kept forgetting to take a picture and by the time I remembered, I had been wearing the polish for four days or so.
Alchemy Lacquers “Here Be Dragons” is from March’s “Sky Creatures” Polish Pickup and is inspired by a game called Stellaris. I googled it and I can totally see it. The polish is rather sheer and since I used two light coats, the edges of my nails wore pretty quickly,
I loved it so much that I took it to the salon for my pedicure last weekend. It is an amazing summer polish!
This is two coats of “Here Be Dragons”, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
I No Longer Try to be Good
Garden Path Lacquers “I No Longer Try to be Good” is from April’s “Album Covers” Polish Pickup. This beautiful magnetic polish is inspired by the Florence + The Machine album, ‘Everybody Scream.’
It’s a lot like “Trapped in Time”, no?
This is two coats of “I No Longer Try to be Good” magnetized with a neodymium magnet, over Cuticula Mic Drop Base Coat in “Froot Loops” and under Cuticula Limitless Top Coat in “Vampire Blood“.
Polish Pickup May 2026 – Vending Machine Snacks
May’s theme is “Vending Machine Snacks” and I originally ordered three polishes, but I got a note that Paint It Pretty Polish “Grab and Go” would be arriving with next month’s order. Boo!
Whatcha “Fire in the Hole” ($14) is inspired by scene in Despicable Me 4…there are four of those movies? I have not even seen one of them.
Envy Lacquer “Who are you Calling a Cootie Queen?” ($13) is inspired by those hilarious Orbits Gum commercials from years ago. You Lint Licker!
A conservative month…maybe I will catch up?