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Hi friends! I hope everyone is having a fantastic holiday season. This is the first of 3 blog posts that feature polishes coming out in 2023. It is so weird that 2022 is already over. Like, it just started?? This year really just blew by.
So for the first PPU of 2023, the theme is Greek Mythology. This is not a subject that I am super well versed on but when has that ever stopped me from loving some nail polish?
As always, PPU opens up on the first Friday of the month which falls on the 6th of January. And I will have all of the links and sale details at the end of the post. Don’t forget to check out my live swatch video to see how these polishes apply and look moving around!
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.
Bee’s Knees Lacquer – In The Name of Hades
Inspiration: BKL is going to take inspiration from Zagreus and the game Hades
Description: a black cherry Lion sibling polish with the same red to green shimmer and holo flakes
Price: $13.50 for 15ml | Cap: None
In The Name of Hades had a really great formula. The black cherry base is exactly as described. It’s a very dark red that will pull mostly black in low lighting. However, the shimmer is so strong in here that even when the base looks black you still have a red look on the nail.
As someone who in general doesn’t like red polish, I still thought this was beautiful.
For the shimmer, I was seeing a red to gold color shift in person. I didn’t notice a green color shift. The holographic flakies were super sparkly and I saw rainbows even though it was very overcast outside. They do not dry down textured but you will want top coat for a glossy finish.
My photos show In The Name Of Hades in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. I think this will likely be a 2-3 coater depending on personal preference and nail length. Removal won’t be overly difficult but it will be messy.
This polish is pretty similar to the BKL polish Familia Es Familia (What We Do In The Shadows 3). FEF is a tiny bit more of a berry red and INTOH is more brick red. Not dupes and I can see justifying to own them both
Bee’s Knees Lacquer
15ml, 5+ Free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Cameo Colours Lacquers – My Eyes Are Up Here
Inspiration: A very cameo-esque rendering of Medusa.
Description: A deep teal (leaning blue in some lighting) base packed with red/copper/green shifting shimmer and scattered holo sparkle, with turquoise and purple metallic flakes, plus silver holo micro flakes
Price: $12.00 for 15ml | Cap: 105
My Eyes Are Up Here had a beautiful formula. Just wow, the base color on this polish is SO FREAKING PRETTY! I would definitely call it a very blue leaning teal. In some lighting, it even leans a little navy blue.
The shimmer was very strong and I was able to see the colors as described. The holographic seems a bit more obvious in this polish than some of the other Cameos, so I was able to see the rainbow flare in my indoor lighting. None of the flakes in here dry down very textured so one coat of top coat smooths everything out nicely.
My photos how My Eyes Up Here in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. I do think this looked best in 3 coats but it’s passable in 2 coats if you have very short nails. I didn’t experience any staining with this polish but I would recommend base coat if your nails are prone to staining.
Cameo Colours Lacquers
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Clionadh Cosmetics – Hydra Of Lerna
Inspiration: the ferocious, multi-headed mythological creature, Hydra
Description: Topper (or can be built up) polish featuring metallic red, iridescent indigo and purple-red-gold shifting (micro) multichrome flakes, blue-violet-pink-orange-gold shifting aurora shimmer and holographic micro glitter
Price: $12.50 for 11.5ml | Cap: None
Hydra Of Lerna had a fantastic formula. I didn’t realize when I was swatching this that it was a topper, so I opted to swatch it in 3 coats on its own and then my ring finger is 1 coat over black.
I liked this polish a lot built up. I did have very obvious VNL but coverage was still really nice. The flakie combination paired with the glitters and shimmer was just beautiful. I was seeing a violet, pink, green to yellow color shift on the nail. Plus the glitter was very holographic.
None of those components dried down super texture but you will want top coat for a smooth glossy finish.
My photos show Hydra Of Lerna in 3 coats plus both glossy and matte top coats. Removal won’t be overly difficult but it will be very messy. As per usual, I recommend the soak off method or a peel off base coat.
Clionadh Cosmetics
11.5ml, 10 Free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Use my affiliate code NicoleLovesNails to save extra!
Website | Instagram | TikTok
Fair Maiden Polish – Selene
Inspiration: Moon Goddess, Selene
Description: A smoky blue-gray thermal base when cold, peachy pink when warm filled with color shifting iridescent flakes and holo flake
Price: $12 for 15ml | Cap: None
Selene had a great but thicker formula. I found application very easy even with the thickness. My hands were ICE cold when I was swatching this one so I didn’t start to see the color shifts until I busted out my hairdryer.
This polish is a little bit sheer so you will have some VNL with it in both color states. It’s less noticeable in the cold state but if you look for your nail line you can see it. Both of the color states were as described.
The iridescent flakies ranged from small to medium sized, I saw a few larger flakeis in the bottle but didn’t get out any on the nail. None of the flakies dry down overly textured so one coat of top coat will smooth everything out.
My photos show Selene in 3 coats plus glossy top coat. Removal will be of course difficult/messy, the soak off method or a peel off coat is recommended.
Fair Maiden Polish
15ml & 5 Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Heather’s Hues – Of The Stars
Inspiration: Asteria, the Titan goddess of falling stars and nighttime divinations
Description: black-blue base as dark as the night sky and is packed with a mix of blue holo glitter, silver holo glitter, flakes, and microshreds as well as silver reflective glitters that light up like stars when the light hits them just right!
Price: $12.50 for 15ml | Cap: None
Of The Stars had a fantastic but thicker formula. I found it easy to work with and didn’t have any application issues. It does start off a little sheer and uneven but I found it built up really nicely for me.
This polish is super duper sparkly! The holographic elements pair beautifully with the reflective glitters. To me, this is like a suped up indie version of Essie’s Starry Starry Nights. You do get some significant texture from all of the glitter elements so doubling up on top coat is a must for a truly glossy finish.
The dark base does look almost black but it is clearly blue. I could see this one pulling black in very low lighting, but I found in the lighting around my house and in the shade, I could tell that it was blue.
My photos show Of The Stars in 3 coats plus 2 coats of top coat. Removal of course will be on the difficult/messy side, the soak off method or a peel off base coat will give you the easiest removal.
Heather’s Hues WiTS in Figs & Nectar
Inspiration: the favorite foods of the Greek deities, figs and sweet nectar
Scent Description: as an intriguing blend of sweet plums and fresh figs kissed with orange and lemon zest over base notes of candy apple and cedar wood
Price: $9 for 2 ounces | Cap: 100
As someone who tends to love fruity fragrances, this one was right up my alley! It is fruity but has a hint of some floral notes, sweet but not sickly sweet.
Heather’s Hues
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
KBShimmer – Looking For Love
Inspiration: Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of beauty and love
Description: a stunningly shifty multichrome shade that shifts from a gold, soft peach, pink, warm champagne to lemon yellow. Loaded with holo glow flakes
Price: $12 for 15ml | Cap: None
KBShimmer Restoration Drop Polish Thinner
Price: $7 for 4 ounces | No Cap
Ingredients: Butyl Acetate and Ethyl Acetate
KBShimmer is also bringing their Restorative Drops aka nail polish thinner to this month’s PPU! I HIGHLY recommend having a nail polish thinner in your mani arsenal. This one is compatible with ALL types of regular nail polish since it only has the ingredients Butyl Acetate and Ethyl Acetate in it.
I have purchased this thinner in the past as well receiving it in PR for previous PPU sales. I go through a lot of thinner since I do so much swatching but for normal wear folks, this bottle will last you quite a while!
KBShimmer Sugar Scrub in Oatmeal, Milk & Honey
Inspiration: Ambrosia
Scent Description: sweet and decadent notes of raw honey wrap around the sugar crystals, while tonka bean adds a complex depth to the scent. Notes of smooth whipped vanilla cream and almond milk add layers of creamy sweetness and even a tough of cherry that almond notes can often bring
Price: $10 for 9.5 ounces | No Cap
This scent really threw me for a loop! Based on the scent description, it is not a fragrance that I would have picked out for myself. However, it smells like literal heaven. I NEVER would have guessed based on the name that it would have this very luxurious and elegant scent.
I do not pick up oatmeal, milk or honey with this but it smells amazing. Honestly, the fragrance reminds me of like really expensive skin care products.
KBShimmer
15ml, 5 free, Vegan & Cruelty Free
Website | Etsy | Amazon | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group
Night Owl Lacquer – Forever Maiden
Inspiration: Hestia goddess of the hearth
Description: a greyed indigo tinted base filled with vibrant fuschia/red/orange/gold/green shifting crystal chameleon flakes and black flakes
Price: $13 for 15ml | Cap: Non
Forever Maiden had a fantastic formula. It starts off pretty sheer but it builds up nicely. This polish is jam packed with flakies but I didn’t find the polish overly thick at all.
I love the color combination that the flakies give. There is a strong magenta, yellow/gold to green color shift. With the addition of the black flakies, y’all know I loved this to pieces. The greyed out purple/indigo base also was perfection!
My photos show Forever Maiden in 3 coats plus both glossy and matte top coats. Nothing in here dried down textured but the flakies will be rather messy for removal.
I had a request on YouTube for a comparison of this month’s NOL with the polish from last month’s PPU, Falloween Always. I honestly didn’t realize how these could be looked at as similar until looking at them side by side. Aside from FA having reflective glitter (which is what makes it look so purple), Forever Maiden has a greyed out purple base which gives it a more muted look on the nail. The iridescent flakies also seem to have different color shifts.
Night Owl Lacquer
15ml, 5 Free & Cruelty-Free
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | TikTok
Sale Information
The January Polish Pickup opens up on Friday, January 6th at 11AM Eastern time on PolishPickup.com. The sale period closes the following Monday at 11:59PM. All items are sold on a pre-order basis, for more information do check out the PPU website.
There will be a TON more items available than what I have shown. The website will be open to preview this Sunday.
Polish Pickup
Website | Overstock | Instagram | Facebook | Facebook Group | Chat/BST Group
