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Happy Halloween! Today’s blog post is for the November Polish Pickup. For November, the theme is Game Night. I have quite a few amazing products to share with you all this month. There are also a few new-to-the-blog brands!
On top of all of that, I am also hosting another giveaway. I recently hit 800 subscribers over on my YouTube channel and to celebrate, I am giving away a gift certificate to shop on the PPU website!
The November PPU opens Friday, November 5th. As always, full sale and giveaway details can be found at the end of the post.
Live Swatch Video
Polish Pickup aka PPU is a monthly collaboration of indie polish and other handmade product makers based on a chosen theme. There’s a new theme with new products each month from dozens of makers. Items are available the first Friday – Monday of each month for pre-order.
All Mixed Up Lacquers – Skip, Reverse, Draw 4
Inspiration: Game of UNO
Description: a coppery red base loaded with a rainbow assortment of metallic flakes.
Price: $13.50 for 15ml | Cap: 250
Skip, Reverse, Draw 4 had a great jelly formula. This polish has a lot of flakies in it so while the base didn’t feel thick, it was a lot of flakies on the brush. However, it applied very easily. The base starts off on the sheer side so you will want to build it up for opacity. I found the base color is a burnt reddish orange shade.
I found this looked best in 3 coats. It was passable in 2 but to get the color you see in the bottle, you’ll want to use 3 coats. The flakes in this dried down flat so I used 1 coat of top coat for my swatch.
All Mixed Up Lacquers
15ml, 5 Free, Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
BCB Lacquers – A-Musing
Inspiration: the game Muse
Description: A teal green that shifts green/blue/gold with holo.
Price: $13.00 for 16.5ml | Cap: 300
A-Musing had a beautiful formula. It went on buttery smooth with zero application issues. I found the teal base looks just slightly minty paired with the shimmer. In person I found the shimmer mainly looked golden with a green shift and blue at very extreme angles. The holographic element looks amazing in the sun.
This will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on your nail length. I used 2 coats for my photos. Nothing in here will dry textured or be difficult to remove.
BCB Lacquers
16.5ml, 5 Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Bee’s Knees Lacquer – Beware of Winter’s Cold
Inspiration: Demeter, from our current favorite game Hades
Description: a pale blue based pastel multichrome which shifts from silver to pink to green
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: None
Beware of Winter’s Cold had a fantastic formula. This polish is EXTREMELY color shifty! In person, I was seeing all of the described colors. Paired with the blue base, this appears to also have a blue toned color shift. The multichrome has a larger particle so that it doesn’t show any brush strokes.
This polish is slightly on the sheerer side so you will want to build it up for the most opacity or pair it with another polish. I swatched it in 3 coats on its own as well as in 1 coat over a black creme (Heather’s Hues Shadow). In 3 coats I had a tiny bit of VNL depending on the angle.
Bee’s Knees Lacquer
15ml, 5+ Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Cameo Colours Lacquers – Preying On Phantoms
Inspiration: Prey (2017)
Description: A is a medium grey crelly, full of holo sparkle, indigo/purple/red shimmer, violet-pink-gold and lime-blue-gold UCC flakes, and holo micro flakes.
Price: $11.50 for 15ml | Cap: 105
Preying On Phantoms had an amazing formula. It didn’t feel overly thick or thin and I didn’t have any application issues. I found the grey base to be slightly on the more sheer side so you will want to build this up for opacity. The shimmer is very strong, in person I was seeing a purple, gold to a pinkish color shift.
The flakes spread out very evenly and easily on their own without feeling textured. I feel like they might sink a little in the bottle, a few minutes had passed between me doing my middle nail (live swatch) and other nails, and I noticed that the live swatch nail didn’t get the same amount of UCC flakies on it as the other nails.
I think this will likely be a solid 3 coater. I found in 2 coats it was still pretty sheer. Nothing in here dried textured or will be difficult to remove.
Cameo Colours Lacquers
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Color Spectrum Polish – Not The Letter Z
Inspiration: Scattergories
Description: A red jelly with navy to purple to red shifting flakies, black holo glitter and white hex glitters that represent the dice
Price: $12 for 13ml | Cap: 115
Not The Letter Z had a wonderful jelly formula. This starts off on the sheer side so you will want to build it up for opacity. The large hex glitters give a very light scattering on the nail. I found I got more out by holding the bottle upside down between coats.
The holographic in this is very delicate. It will look really pretty in natural lighting. I found the flakies are all spread very evenly and mainly looked dark on the nail.
My photos show Not The Letter Z in 3 coats. Depending on how many of the hex glitters you get out on your final coat, this might dry very slightly textured. I used 1 coat of top coat and I had just slight texture in a few spots.
Color Spectrum Polish
13ml, 7 Free, Vegan & Cruelty free
Website | Etsy | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Colores De Carol – Every Letter Counts
Inspiration: Scrabble Deluxe Board Game
Description: Every Letter Counts is a blackened multichrome red with iridescent chameleon flakes
Price: $12.50 for 15ml | Cap: 300
Every Letter Counts had a really great formula. The flakes hospital very evenly and easily on their own out drying off drying down textured. The base for this is a very color shifty red I was seeing the shades of like a deep red to an orange to a gold. This will likely be a 2 to 3/4 depending on personal preference. I use two coats but I feel like I was being very picky on that. Nothing here will dry down texture but you will want to cook for a nice glossy finish. The flakiness look absolutely amazing matte.
Colores De Carol
15ml, 5 Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Crystal Knockout – Giggle
Inspiration: Girl Talk
Description: A bright pink jelly base with holographic and golden shimmer, holographic micro glitter, matte dot glitters in blue, purple, and pink, and glitter stars in holographic silver and matte turquoise
Price: $11 for 15ml | Cap: None
Giggles had a fantastic formula. The base didn’t feel thick however, this has a TON of glitters in so if you aren’t used to working with glitter heavy polishes, this will feel thick to you. I found it applied very easily and the glitters all spread out nicely as well. I didn’t need to hold the bottle upside down between coats to get a lot of glitters out on my nail.
Since this is a jelly, you will want to build it up for opacity. I found in 3 coats, I reached full opacity. This could also be used as a topper. Due to the number of glitters in this one, it will dry very textured. To smooth this out, I used the Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber paired with the Colores De Carol quick dry top coat.
Removal on Giggles will be very difficult if you try to scrub this polish off. I would highly recommend soaking it off or pairing it with a peel off base coat. Click here for my tutorial for easy glitter polish removal.
Crystal Knockout
15ml, 5 Free & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Cupcake Polish – Dream Phone
Inspiration: the 90’s teen favorite game Dream Phone
Description: a glowy magenta to indigo duochrome
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: None
Dream Phone had a fantastic formula. The base color is hard to pinpoint. I feel like it’s a reddish coral-y type of color paired with a glowy magneta to indigo duochrome. I didn’t see any brush strokes.
This will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on preference.I found the third coat *slightly* deepens the base color but this has great coverage in 2 coats. My photos show Dream Phone in 3 coats. This does dry dull so you will want top coat for a glossy finish.
Cupcake Polish
15ml, 5 Free & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Garden Path Lacquers – I Will Create the Perfect System
Inspiration: 1982’s classic gaming movie “Tron”, and Clu’s endeavor to create the perfect system.
Description: an ultramarine blue crelly base accented with bright aqua to purple aurora shimmer and large jade/blue/purple shifting metallic flakes
Price: $13 for 12ml | Cap: None
I Will Create the Perfect System had fantastic formula. This polish is VERY color shifty! In person, the shimmer appears to shift from an aqua to blue to purple. The flakies in here spread out very evenly on their own without giving off any texture.
This had pretty good coverage in 2 coats. If you aren’t overly picky about VNL, it’s passable in 2 coats. I found in 3 coats you get much more opacity. There were some *slight* hints of VNL depending on the lighting but nothing super obvious.
Nothing in this polish dried textured nor will it be overly difficult to remove. I didn’t experience any staining.
Garden Path Lacquers
12ml, 5 Free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Glisten & Glow – On Thin Ice
Inspiration: Thin Ice
Description: an icy powder blue polish loaded with color shifting shimmers that shift from orange/red/yellow/green
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: none
On Thin Ice had a fantastic formula. The icy blue base starts off pretty sheer but builds up for full opacity. The shimmer is very color shifty and I was seeing all of the described colors in person.
This polish will likely be a 3 coater on pretty much everyone. In 2 coats it was still on the more sheer side but it was fully opaque in 3 coats. Nothing in here will be difficult to remove and I didn’t experience any staining.
Glisten & Glow – Glitter Grabber
Description: an amazing product that gets applied after any glitter or flakie dense manicure is done and it’s fully dry and before your top coat. It aids in creating a smoother surface for your top coat or matte top coat all while “grabbing” that extra texture!
Directions: After you have applied your glitter or flakie polish and have fully let it dry, you add a nice layer of Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber on top. It is a shiny formula upon application and will add that extra layer of protection and smoothing action to that texture. Allow to fully dry and then add your glossy or matte top coat! It works at grabbing that extra texture that glitter or flakies can have!
Price: $8 for 15ml | Cap: none
I have been a fan of this top coat for years now. I swear by Glitter Grabber for all of my glitter polishes. I recently started playing around with it on certain flakie polishes, and it works fantastic.
I highly recommend this as a staple product to have in your nail polish arsenal.
Glisten & Glow
15ml, 5 Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Heather’s Hues – SpyMaster
Inspiration: A game called CodeNames
Description: a deep magenta (cold) to colorless (warm) crelly based thermal filled with iridescent flakes and glitters and a touch of multichrome flakes.
Price: $12.50 for 15ml | Cap: None
SpyMaster had a fantastic formula. It didn’t feel overly thick or thin and I didn’t have any application issues. This has a TON of flakies and glitters in it so it will feel a little textured to apply. All of the components spread out very evenly and easily. The warm state is a clear with some cool undertones. The cold state is a medium/dark magenta.
I was really surprised at how opaque this polish was in 2 coats. I was tempted to go in for a third but the cold state was perfectly opaque. Since this is a color to clear thermal, there will be some VNL in the warm state. I found that the amount of VNL was pretty minimal thanks to all of the flakies and glitters.
This does dry a little textured so I used 1 coat of the Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber before going in with my KBShimmer Clearly On Top top coat. Removal will be on the tricky side due to all of the flakies and glitters.
Heather’s Hues
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Kathleen & Co – King Me
Inspiration: Checkers
Description: a red crelly base with small black flakies
Price: $12.50 for 15ml Cap: None
King Me had a wonderful formula. The red crelly base is a warmer toned red. I found this pulled just slightly orangey on me, as reds often do. I found the base to be a true red. It didn’t feel like a seasonal red shade. The flakies are very small in this so they all spread out very evenly and easily without giving off much texture.
This will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on personal preference. I found in 2 coats it was just *slightly* sheer but still passable. I used 3 coats for my photos. You will want top coat to completely smooth this out as well as to give it a glossy finish.
Kathleen & Co
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Kbshimmer – That’s Taboo
Inspiration: The board game Taboo
Description: A totally teal base is loaded with holo glow flakes for a silvery holo flash in the sun that accents a rad fuchsia shimmer. The teal color deepens indoors and in indirect lighting, allowing the color-shifting shimmer to shine and shift into shades of lavender and rose pink. A glimmer of peachy gold or a pop of yellow can be seen at some angles.
Price: $11 for 15ml Cap: None
That’s Taboo had a fantastic formula. The teal base leans on the blue side. The holographic flakies spread out very evenly and easily without giving off any texture. The shimmer is in this is VERY color shifty. I was seeing all of the described colors in person.
This will be opaque in 2-3 coats depending on personal preference. My swatches show it in 3 coats. Removal won’t be overly difficult but it will be messy if you scrub it off.
KBShimmer Sugar Scrub Peppermint
Inspiration: As a child, board games were a fun family activity. Whether sliding down shoots, being hungry as hippos, or getting into trouble, these games kept my sister and me busy on many rainy days. One favorite took us through a magical candy-filled world where gingerbread people moved along colorful blocks, winding around sweet lands of lollipops and peppermint sticks. This candy-inspired game and its Peppermint Forest helped inspire our Pure Peppermint Scrub.
Description: Pure peppermint essential oil scents this creamy sugar base swirled with streaks of pink for a minty winter treat for your skin. Peppermint essential oil has a tingly, cooling effect to refresh and pamper tired legs and feet. We don’t recommend using peppermint scrub on any sensitive bits, as the cooling effect can be intense. Featuring a heat-sealed lid for no leaks in transit, this naturally scented scrub would make a perfect holiday gift!
Price: $10 for 9.5oz Cap: None
I have sung the praises on this sugar scrub over and over again. This is my go-to sugar scrub for all over the body and the one I always keep handy in my bathroom. Pairing with this a pumice stone will give you the best pedicure ever.
This month’s fragrance smells very strongly of peppermint. I’ll be honest, this isn’t a fragrance that I would pick out for myself. I tend to prefer sweet and bakery scents. If you like peppermint, you will love this fragrance!
KB Shimmer
15ml, 5+ free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Leesha’s Lacquer – Intergalactic Badass
Inspiration: Samus from the series Metroid
Description: a tri-thermal polish that shifts from purple to red to clear with purple/blue/green flakies and a touch of holo
Price: $12 for 15ml | Cap: 250
Intergalactic Badass had a fantastic formula. It started changing on me right away. This polish is on the more sheer side so you’re definitely going to build it up in three coats for the best opacity. I found the coldest state was a burgundy leaning purple, the mid-state was a pinkish/coral leaning red and the warmest state is colorless.
I really loved how the flakies looked paired with all of the colors. You will have some VNL with this polish in the warmest color state. The other colors are opaque.
My swatches show Intergalactic Badass in 3 coats. Nothing in here will dry textured or be difficult to remove.
Leesha’s Lacquer
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Etsy | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Psst.. You can use my code NicoleLovesNails25 on the Leesha’s Lacquer site to save 25%!
LynB Designs – Professor Thirst Trap
Inspiration: Clue
Description: a blackened plum base with black to red to orange shifting multichrome and added holo sparkle
Price: $13 for 15ml | No Cap
Professor Thirst Trap had a fantastic formula. It starts off slightly on the sheer side but builds up nicely. I found the base looks like a purple leaning black. The multichrome pigment is very color strong and color shifty. It is also VERY holographic in both my regular indoor lighting and in direct sunlight.
This polish will be a 2-3 coater depending on personal preference. My photos show it in 3 coats. It had great coverage in 2 coats but I found the third coat did deepen the color really nicely.
Nothing in here will dry textured but you will want top coat for a glossy finish.
LynB Designs
15ml, 5 Free & Vegan
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
MTK Design – Flames, on the Side of My Face
Inspiration: The Infamous Madelyn Kahn’s Mrs White improv from Clue (movie)
Description: a bright cherry red jelly with iridescent flakies, multi-chrome flakes, and some shifting shimmers and sparkles.
Price: $12.00 for 15ml | Cap: None
Flames, on the Side of My Face had a fantastic jelly formula. The flakies all spread out evenly and easily on their own without giving off any texture.
Red polishes very often lean orange on me and found that in my photos this leans very orangey. In person I found this to be a true red shade. Somewhere between a slightly darker candy red to a nonseasonal red.
This had great coverage in 2 coats however to get the color you see in the bottle, you want to use 3 coats or go in for thicker coats.
MTK Design
15ml, 5 Free & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
My Indie Polish – Pac Man
Inspiration: Pacman (the board game)
Description: a black jelly base with teal shimmer and a variety of glitters
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: None
Pac Man had a fantastic formula. Since this is a jelly, you will want to build it up for opacity. The shimmer to my eye, looks like a blue leaning teal. It really reminds me of the old PacMan video game! This is also jam packed with glitters. I found to get the most star glitters out on the nail, holding the bottle upside down between coats works best.
This will be a 2-3 coater depending on nail length and personal preference. I used 3 coats for my photos as I wanted a ton of glitter out on my nails. This dried down a little textured so I paired this with the Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber before going in with top coat.
Removal will be difficult due to all of the glitters. Pairing this with a peel off base coat or soaking it off will be the easiest way to remove it.
My Indie Polish
15ml, 7 free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Native War Paints – Dressed In Jewels
Inspiration: Pretty, Pretty Princess board game
Description: Tons of red/orange/gold shifting shimmer with blue/green/gold shifting flakes in an aqua crelly base with a hint of holo.
Price: $13.00 for 15ml | Cap: 150
Dressed In Jewels had a fantastic formula. It didn’t feel overly thick or thin, and I didn’t have any application issues. The shimmer and flakies pair really well with the aqua base. I found in person, the shimmer looks like it has a pink to a gold color shift. The holographic gives this a nice sparkle.
I swatched this polish in 3 coats. I found was a tiny bit sheer in 2 coats. Nothing in here will be difficult to remove.
Native War Paints
15ml & 5 Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
NeVerMind Apothecary – Eye Of the Beholder
Inspiration: D&D Beholder
Description: A teal crelly with red/orange/gold multichrome flakes and a strong red/orange/gold aurora shimmer
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: 250
Eye Of the Beholder had a fantastic formula. The base didn’t feel overly thick or thin and I didn’t have any application issues. The flakes all spread out very evenly and are really color shifty. I found the shimmer paired really nicely with the base color.
I feel this one looks best in 3 coats. It’s passable in 2 but I thought it looked better in 3. You will want top coat for a glossy finish. Nothing in here dried textured or will be overly difficult to remove.
NeVerMind Apothecary
15ml, 5 Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Night Owl Lacquer – Wordy Birdy
Inspiration: The game A Little Wordy, word type games are my favorite!
Description: a grey tinged with blue filled with black/red/copper/gold flakes
Price: $12.60 for 15ml Cap: None
Wordy Birdy had a wonderful crelly like formula. The base color is like a grayish bluish tone. I found the flakies all spread out very evenly and easily. They look so pretty paired with the base color.
My photos show Wordy Birdy in 3 coats. I feel like I was being overly picky with that third coat, it looks perfect in 2 coats. Nothing in here will dry textured or be overly difficult to remove. I didn’t have any problems with staining.
Night Owl Lacquer
15ml, 5 Free & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Nvr Enuff Polish – Sparx
Inspiration: Spyro the Dragon and his dragonfly companion, Sparx
Description: a purple base with a green shimmer, a dash of copper sparkles and linear holo
Price: $12 for 15ml Cap: None US / 20 UK
Sparx had a fantastic formula. It was *slightly* on the thicker side of normal but it applied very evenly and smoothly. The shimmer paired with the copper sparkles gives this a shifty shimmer-like effect on the nail. I was seeing a green to pinky/copper look. There were just a few brush strokes through the shimmer after the polish dries.
I found the holographic element only showed up for me in direct sunlight. This was very opaque! I used 2 coats for my photos. If you use a thicker coat, this will be opaque in one. Sparx dries down slightly dull so you will want top coat for a glossy finish.
I did experience some slight staining on my overlay with this polish.
NvR Enuff Polish
15ml, 5 Free & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Poetry Cowgirl Nail Polish – For Horrible People
Inspiration: card game Cards Against Humanity.
Description: a black/grey (cold) to clear (warm) thermal packed with black and white hex and square glitters, and a hint of red-gold shifting shimmer.
Price: $12.00 for 15ml Cap: None
For Horrible People had a great formula. This is jam packed with glitters so there will be some texture. I found the glitters all spread out very evenly and easily without needing to do anything special. I found the shimmer to be very subtle on the nail.
The thermal aspect was a little finicky for me so I had a hard time getting it to the coldest color state. I was told by Kristen (Owner/maker of the brand) that the thermal pigment she used was an older batch so customer bottles will have a fresher pigment in them. I found the cold state was a very dark grey that leaned black in some lighting. Since this is a clear to black/grey thermal, this will be really fun to play with as a topper.
I swatched For Horrible People in 3 coats. Of course, there will be some VNL, especially in the warm state. I also showed this in 1 coat over a blue Orly polish. The sky is really going to be the limit when it comes to using this as a topper.
Since this polish does dry textured, you will want to pair it with either a glitter smoothing top coat or doubling up on a thick quick dry top coat. I paired this with the Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber.
Poetry Cowgirl Nail Polish
15ml, 5+ free, Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Pretty Beautiful Unlimited – Simlish
Inspiration: The Sims
Description: a lightly tinted medium blue jelly base with holographic sapphire micro glitters, holographic micro flake pigment and a mix of 4 crystal chameleon flakies.
Price: $13.00 for 15ml | Cap: 200
had a great formula. It was slightly on the thicker side of normal but it applies easily. This is a very flakie dense polish so make sure that you don’t have any flakies sticking off the ends of your nails.
I found this applied very evenly so if you don’t mind it being a little sheer, this is passable in 2 coats. However, to get the color you see in the bottle you will want to go in for 3 coats. Nothing in here dried texture nor will it be difficult to remove.
I would recommend doubling up on base coat with this if your nails are prone to staining. When I removed this, my overlay was blue but I was able to scrub it a bit to remove the “staining”,
Pretty Beautiful Unlimited – Toffee & Bourbon Sea Salt Caramels
Inspiration: Game Night Treats
Description: has top notes of caramel, light syrup and condensed milk. Middle notes of light barrel aged Bourbon, Brown Sugar, rich warm butter, and dark brown sugar. Bottom notes of sea salt, light rum and vanilla extract.
Price: $6.00 for 2.5oz | Cap: None
Toffee & Bourbon Sea Salt Caramels had an amazing scent throw! The fragrance on this is something that I didn’t know for sure if I would love but it smells so delicious. This smells very sweet from the caramel. The bourbon gives this a little extra oomph and smells just slightly boozy.
I was particularly amazed by the scent throw on this wax melt. I had 1 cube in my warmer in the nail room, and fragrance moved through a large part of the downstairs of my house! PBU always impresses me with scent throws but this one was really amazing.
I have been asked a few times which warmer I use in my house. I really like this one that I grabbed on Amazon. I prefer electric warmers over tealight warmer.
Pretty Beautiful Unlimited
15ml, 5 Free, Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | TikTok
Red Eyed Lacquer – Survival Mode
Inspiration: Battlefront
Description: a black Jelly base with red/orange shifting shimmer and matching flakies and holo flakies
Price: $12.50 for 13ml | Cap: 200
Survival Mode had a fantastic formula. Since this is a jelly, you will want to build it up for full opacity. The shimmer is VERY strong and color shifty. It has a very firey look to it as well as shifting to green at very extreme angles. The holo flakies are fairly small so they won’t be textured or be difficult to remove.
This polish had pretty good coverage in 2 coats but I used 3 coats for my photos. It will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on personal preference.
Red Eyed Lacquer – Da Balmer Twinkie
Inspiration: Game night junk food
Description: Use a sparingly amount onto hands, arms, elbows, legs, everywhere that needs a boost of moisture! (Please avoid the face area). Scented in a blend of warm caramel vanilla and Angel food cake
Ingredients: Mango Butter, Shea Butter, Kokum Butter, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, Arrowroot Powder, and Skin Safe Fragrance
Price: $7.50 for 1oz Cap: 100
So I have been using this balm regularly for the past 2ish months. It has definitely lived up to the hype! My skin has been *extremely* dry lately and I have been really loving this balm.
This month’s fragrance is light and sweet but not overly sweet. It smells to me like some kind of baked good but it has been so long since I had a Twinkie, I couldn’t say if this is what a Twinkie smells like.
I have noticed that this brand tends to lightly fragrance the Da Balmer so if heavy fragrances aren’t your jam, you will really like these. The fragrance dissipates very quickly and doesn’t linger.
Red Eyed Lacquer
12ml, 5 free & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Restored By Polish – What Are You? A Vampire?
Inspiration: the dog scene in the movie Game Night!”
Description: a white crelly base with small red glitter shreds and red square glitters
Price: $11 for 12ml | Cap: 100
What Are You? A Vampire? had a fantastic crelly formula. All of the components spread out evenly and easily on their own. I did find that the square shaped glitters sank just a tiny bit so holding the bottle upside down between coats will give you more of those out on the nail.
This had really great and even coverage for a white crelly base. This was perfectly opaque and streak free in 2 coats. However, my photos show it in 3 coats as I just wanted more layers of glitter on my nails.
None of the components in this dried textured so I used 1 coat of top coat for my photos. Removal on this will likely be on the more difficult side so I would recommend wearing a peel off base coat or using the soak off method for the easiest removal process.
This polish would be great for both bloody Halloween nail art and candy cane Christmas nail art.
Restored By Polish
12ml, 10 Free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Sassy Sauce Polish – Itty Bitty Tiddledy Committee
Inspiration: The game, Itty Bitty Tiddledy Committee
Description: A dark green (cold) to colorless (warm) thermal, with glowy red/gold shifting shimmer and black/red multichrome flakies
Price: $12.50 for 15ml | Cap: 500
Itty Bitty Tiddledy Committee had a fantastic formula (and the name is freaking hilarious!). The thermal aspect started changing on me right away. I found this was exactly as described. The shimmer is VERY strong and very glowy.
This polish will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on your own personal preference. I used 3 coats for my photos. Since it is colorless in the warm state, this would be a fun polish to play around with as a topper.
Nothing in this polish will dry textured or be difficult to remove. However, you will want top coat as this dries dull.
Sassy Sauce Polish
5 Free & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Twisting Nether Lacquer – Twilight Princess
Inspiration: Zelda
Description: a beige crelly with violet, blue and gold holographic glitters micro flakes and sparks
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: 200
Twilight Princess had a fantastic formula. All of the glitters spread out even easily without needing to do anything special. They also dry down fairly smooth on their own so I don’t think you will need multiple coats of top coat for a nice smooth finish.
This post would be a 2 to 3 coater depending on your own personal preference. I did find that it looks best in three coats but y’all know I’m obsessed with glitter.
You will want top coat as this dries down slightly dull and you won’t really see the flakes/sparks well without top coat. Nothing in here dry down textured but I would anticipate removal being slightly tricky due to all the glitters.
Twisting Nether Lacquer
15ml, 5 Free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
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Giveaway
Nicole Loves Nails 800 Subscriber Giveaway!!Other Products Used
- Base coat: Vapid Commitment Issues (peel off) & Heather’s Hues 1st Base
- Top Coat: KBShimmer Clearly On Top, Glisten & Glow Top Coat, Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber & Sweet & Sour Lacquer Gloss Sauce (gifted (save 10% with my code SweetNicole10)
- Matte Top Coat: Glisten & Glow Matte
- Heather’s Hues Shadow (black creme)
- Blacklight flash light
- Wax Melt Warmer
Sale Info
Polish Pickup
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These items will be available on PolishPickup.com starting Friday November 5th at 11AM Eastern time. The UK site, PolishPickup.co.uk opens this Thursday.
Orders to the same name/address on the US site are automatically combined and shipping on multiple orders refunded. Details on shipping charges can be found here. Items purchased during the sale period are a pre-order and generally ship 3-4 weeks after the sale period is over.
A note on thermal/solar polishes…
I want to note that thermal and solar polishes do have a shelf life on how long they will change colors. Generally, they are guaranteed to change colors for 6-12 months depending on the brand. Be sure when shipping thermals during the summer months to not let them sit for an extended time in your mailbox as the heat will kill them.
My oldest thermal that still transitions is from 2018. My oldest solar is from 2019 and also still transitions. To get the most out of a thermals/solars (all nail polish really) you’ll want to store them in a cool, dark place. I store my thermals with my other nail polish in the Ikea helmers. Once a thermal no longer changes color (aka dies), you can still wear them! The thermals that I own that have died, all stayed in the warm state but it’s not guaranteed to stay in the warm.
