Press Sample of the December 2018
Polish Pickup | Enchanted Forest

How has another month gone by already? I have to admit, this month was a bit brutal with Black Friday and Holiday releases, but I somehow managed to balance it all. I also kept up on Polish Pickup stuff, so here we go – my review of the December 2018 Polish Pickup | Enchanted Forest!

This was another big month – and I have 45 of this month’s offerings to share. There should be 46, but the Canada Post strike delayed one from arriving (My Indie Polish) but if it arrives before the shop is over, I’ll add it to the post.

Fair warning, this will be photo heavy. 45 polishes, about 4-6 photos per polish. If you are here to look at a specific shade (and you’re on desktop) go ahead and hit CTRL + F and search the name to go to the specific shade. Otherwise, settle in for a photo heavy post.

At this point, I think we all know what Polish Pickup is. It’s a monthly shop that allows you to purchase polishes and some products all created with a certain theme in mind. December’s theme is Enchanted Forest. The items within this post will be available between December 7th and December 10th only – then they are gone.

December will be slightly different than before. Rather than only a few having caps and the rest being preordered – all polishes are capped. Some are much higher caps than others, but it was necessary to try to beat the holiday rush.

ALL items will have a cap. Please keep that in mind, many will sell out.

Let’s jump in and look. I’m starting this on my lunch break, but I guarantee it won’t be done until late tonight. This is a 5-6 hour commitment so if I start talking about night time and being sleepy – that’s why.

77 Nail Lacquer | A Gathering of Faeries

Inspiration: Enchanted Forest Image at Night

Description: A Gathering Of Faeries is a sheer dusty grey jelly based scattered holographic with purple shimmer, pink shimmer, copper micro flecks, taupe microflakes, and iridescent flecks. I used 3 coats for these photos.

This is not a full coverage shade, so you can build it up like I did – but I did not reach full opacity in 3 coats. If you prefer opaque shades, I would recommend using it as a topper over a black or dark grey base (or any color you wish really)

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 50 Bottles

Alter Ego Nail Enamel | Chione

Inspiration: Chione,the Greek Goddess of Snow

Description: Chione is another shade that can be used alone or over another shade. This is a clear base loaded with metallic silver and pearl white microflecks. There appears to be a small amount of iridescent microflecks mixed in as well. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This shade only needs 1 coat of top coat for a smooth finish, but it may take a little elbow grease to remove due to the small flecks. 

Price: $11.00 | Cap: 50 Bottles

Anchor & Heart Lacquer | Snow’s Sanctuary

Inspiration: Deep in the woods, Snow White finds refuge with seven curious little men in their quaint cottage. Their home and that cozy yet elusive sense of safety is the inspiration for this polish.

Description: Snow’s Sanctuary (gotta say – I love the name) is a blackened purple jelly base loaded with green to aqua to purple multichrome pigment, red to orange to green aurora shimmer and red to copper to gold ultrachrome chameleon flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

The shimmer and pigment give the base a purpley brown hue, and in most lighting it does look like a warm, dark chocolate base. All of the elements play well together, and the base is the perfect consistency to “float” the flakes.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 75 Bottles

Baroness X | Unicorns w/Frickin’ Light Saber Horns Acetone Antidote

Inspiration: Well… Unicorns w/ Frickin’ Light Saber Horns. Obviously.

Description: First off, I get a lot of questions about how my nails haven’t fallen off with the crap I put them through. I use several products, but Acetone Antidote is a key factor so my skin doesn’t shrivel up and break off. 

Unicorns w/ Frickin’ Light Saber Horns scent is a fruity mix of passionfruit, nectarine, mango and apple puree finished with a touch of plumeria and fresh lemon zest.

My personal thoughts? This smells like a Jamba Juice smoothie with a touch of sweetness from the plumeria scent. The fruity notes are the stars, but the plumeria does sneak in and mellow it out.

Price: $4.50 | Cap: 150 Bottles

Ingredients: glycerin, jojoba oil, h2o, fragrance, polysorbate 80 (emulsifier)

Baroness X | Unicorns w/Frickin’ Light Saber Horns

Inspiration: Well… Unicorns w/ Frickin’ Light Saber Horns. Obviously.

Description: Unicorns w/ Frickin’ Light Saber Horns is an original unicorn pee (red to gold to green shift) topper with magenta to copper to gold to green magnetic pigment and a touch of scattered holo. 

This is meant to be a topper, however I used it as 3 thin coats on it’s own. If you use it over a dark creme, it will make the elements pop. I did it by itself so you can see it without any assistance. That way if you buy it and don’t realize it’s a topper – you can see it functions as a stand alone nicely as well.

Price: $17.00 | Cap: 275 Bottles 

Blue-Eyed Girl | Oh, The Torture

Inspiration: Agony from Into The Woods

Description: Oh, The Torture is a steel blue linear holographic with a flash of blue, gold shimmer and blue micro flakes mixed in. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 50 Bottles

BLUSH Lacquers | Little Maroon Riding Hood

Inspiration: Little Red Riding Hood

Description: Little Maroon Riding Hood is a maroon jelly based scattered holographic with holographic microflecks mixed in. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $11.50 | Cap: 150 Bottle

By Dany Vianna Esmaltes Artesanais | Forest of Gold

Inspiration: A Gold Forest Photo

Description: Forest of Gold is a golden yellow jelly base with a semi subtle scattered holographic effect, as well as metallic gold micro flakes, purple to blue to green to gold multichrome micro flakes, gold galaxy glitters and gold holo microglitter. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

My photos pull more gold than it is, it’s a more mellow yellow in person.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 45 Bottles

Cameo Colours Lacquers | Keebler Paradise

Inspiration: The Elven Tree… where my favorite cookies ever are made.

Description: Keebler Paradise is a medium deep moss green base with golden magnetic shimmer, silver holographic microglitters and red to bronze to copper ultrachrome flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $11.00 | Cap: 80 Bottles

Chirality Polish | Bewitching

Inspiration: Bewitching Forests

Description: Bewitching is a medium blue crelly base loaded with purple shimmer, black and purple micro glitters, black and purple shred glitters, blue to purple shifting micro glitter, and dark blue micro glitter. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos. 

There is a slight texture to this polish due to the shreds. You my need 2 coats of top coat for a smooth finish if you use a thinner top coat.

Price: $10.00 | Cap: 46 Bottles

Colors by Llarowe | Roads Less Traveled

Inspiration: Enchanted Forest

Description: Road Less Traveled is a deep red leaning burgundy jelly base loaded with green and gold shifting shimmer, prismatic holographic flecks and original unicorn pee. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos

Price: $11.00 | Cap: 200 Bottles

Crystal Knockout | Oracle of the Grove

Inspiration: Not Specified

Description: Oracle Of The Grove is a sheer purple leaning pink jelly base with red to gold aurora shimmer, purple irirdescent flakes, green ultrachrome chameleon flakes, red to gold micro flakes, green to gold chameleon micro glitter,gold flakes and purple and orange holographic micro glitter. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This is a sheer shade, so depending on the thickness of your coats, you may not reach full opacity until 3-4 coats. I do thinner coats, so I did not reach full opacity. There is also a slight texture to this shade from all the flakes, so you may need thicker top coat for this shade to reach a super smooth finish.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 60 Bottles

Dollish Polish | Test Thy Courage

Inspiration: The Great Deku Tree from The Legend Of Zelda – Ocarina Of Time 

Description: Test Thy Courage is a turquoise jelly base with green to aqua shifting aurora shimmer and microflecks. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 125 Bottles

Ethereal Lacquer | Spellfrost

Inspiration: A frozen pine forest lit by an enchanting sunset swirling with light

Description: Spellfrost is a sheer periwinkle jelly base loaded with iridescent flakes that shift red, copper, pink and purple to green, violet blue and aqua with a strong violet shimmer and a bit of holographic sparks. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos, but you can use it as a topper as well.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: TBA

Fair Maiden Polish | Vintage Fairy

Inspiration: A wistful fairy with a vintage aesthetic

Description: Vintage Fairy is a medium taupish khaki crelly base loaded with gold to green to blue shifting microflakes and scattered holographic. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $11.00 | Cap: 250 Bottles

Flirtin’ Cosmetics | Dark Fantasy

Inspiration: Enchanted Forest Poster

Description: Dark Fantasy is a black jelly base loaded with pink and purple holographic microglitters. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price; $11.00 | Cap: 35 Bottles

Grace-Full Nail Polish | Fairy Footprints

Inspiration: Fairies

Description: Fairy Footprints is a metallic heavily pink leaning rose gold base with rose gold and silver metallic flakes and a subtle baby pink holo micro glitters. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 70 Bottles

Great Lakes Lacquer | I Speak for the Trees

Inspiration: The Lorax/Truffula Tree

Description: I Speak For The Trees is a white crelly base loaded with iridescent shifting flakes, orange to gold to green aurora shimmer and holo microflakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This dries with a light texture.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 150 Bottles

Indie by Patty Lopes | I Believe in Fairy

Inspiration: Fairies

Description: I Believe In Fairy is a clear base loaded with red to gold to green aurora shimmer, holographic glitters in squares and hexes, as well as red to gold to green multichrome flakes. I used 3 thin coats for these photos.

This shade can be used alone of over a base color.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 32 Bottles

Jior Couture | Bwa Kayiman

Inspiration: Bwa Kayiman is the forest site of the voodoo ceremony during which the first major slave insurrection of the Haitian revolution was planned.

Description: Bwa Kayiman is a copper to red to orange holographic multichrome loaded with blue to green aurora shimmer. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $11.50 | Cap: 125 Bottles

Jreine | Mystical Mayhem

Inspiration: Enchanted Forest

Description: Mystical Mayhem (for clarity – my bottle says Mystikal, but the shop listing says Mystical) and this is a deep navy blue with strong red to green shifting shimmer and a subtle scattered holographic. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 200 Bottles

Kathleen & Co | Snow Frosted Dawn

Inspiration: Dawn’s sunlight on a snowy morning

Description: Snow Frosted Dawn is a thermal that goes light blue when cold to white when warm, and it’s packed with aurora shimmer that shifts pink to blue, as well as iridescent micro flakes. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 75 Bottles

Lollipop Posse Lacquer | Sass Those Boys Up Nasty!

Inspiration: “I’m gonna sass those boys up NASTY!” -Tree Trunks, Adventure Time, season 3 episode “Apple Thief”

Sass Those Boys Up Nasty! is a soft green jelly base that has an almost dusty appearance, with red to green multichrome shift, as well as red to gold shifting flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This shade is on the sheerer side and would probably look incredible over a deep green creme.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: TBD

Lucky 13 Lacquer | The Unicorn’s Lilac Wood

Inspiration: The Last Unicorn

Description: The Unicorn’s Lilac Wood is a tri thermal that shifts from a bright spring green when warm to a dusky purple to a midnight blue when cold. It has aqua to violet color shifting shimmer and aqua to teal to violet color shifting crystal flakes. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

My photos don’t capture the middle shade too well. It’s a solid dusky purple, but it’s cold here, and my body temp runs cold – so I went from heating my hands up straight back into the cold shade.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 100 Bottles

LynBDesigns | Let That Shiitake Go

Inspiration: Enchanted Mushrooms

Description: Let That Shiitake Go is a pale, pastel multichrome that shifts light green to aqua to purple to pink and is loaded with holographic micro flakes, as well as green to copper to red to gold to blue to red ultrachrome chameleon flakes. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 100 Bottles

Moon Shine Mani | Only Shooting Stars Break the Mold

Inspiration: Donkey from Shrek and the opportunity we all have to break the mold.

Description: Only Shooting Stars Break The Mold is an intense ruby pink jelly base loaded with bright gold to fuchsia to blue aurora shimmer, as well as violet to red to orange and green to gold to orange chameleeon flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This shade is pinker in person.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: TBA

Moonflower Polish | La Isla del Encanto

Inspiration: The colors of the Puerto Rican parrot and our rainforests, because we are known as The Aisle of Enchantment, and I couldn’t think of a better and more enchanting forest to use for inspiration.

Description: La Isla del Encanto is a dark green base with green blue multichrome sparkle to indigo to purple to red shimmer. This stamps or can be a stand alone shade. It can be stamped over any shade, but it really stands out on deep shades. On index and pinkie I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat.

Price: $14.00 | Cap: 50 Bottles

Nailed It Nail Polish | Love, Trust, & Pixie Dust

Inspiration: Pixie Dust

Description: Love, Trust & Pixie Dust is a metallic like silvery white base with a subtle linear holographic, strong pink to gold shifting shimmer, pink to red to green to gold crystal chameleon flakes, pink to purple ultrachrome chameleon flakes, as well as holographic and iridescent micro glitter. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This dries down with a slight texture.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: TBA

Necessary Evil Polish | Total Birch!

Inspiration: Red Birch

Description: Total Birch! is a garnet red creme base with silver and gold shimmer mixed in. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 35 Bottles

Pahlish | To-to-ro?

Inspiration: Totoro, our favorite enchanted forest creature!

Description: To-to-ro? is a lavender grey creme base loaded with holographic pigment, flakes and a warm purple to copper multichrome shift. This shade looks different in just about every angle. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 200 Bottles

Poetry Cowgirl Nail Polish | Jackson

Inspiration: Jackson Pollock painting “Enchanted Forest”

Description: Jackson is a pale offwhite crelly loaded with red to orange to gold ultrachrome flakes, gold shimmer, as well as red, white and gunmetal micro flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: TBA

Rogue Lacquer | On a Whim

Inspiration: Not Specified

Description: On A Whim is a dusty mint crelly base with scattered holographic, as well as magenta, copper, green, and cyan ultrachrome chameleon flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 200 Bottles

Sassy Pants Polish | So Foxy

Inspiration: Painting by Surreal Impressionist Gottfried Berlin

Description: So Foxy is a deep cool toned purple jelly base loaded with metallic microflecks, blue to green holographic micro glitters, flakes in indigo, green to gold, neon purple and electric blue, as well as green to blue to violet chameleon iridescent flakes.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: TBD

Savannah Lacquer | Take Me There

Inspiration: Unspecified

Description: Take Me There is a deep navy blue crelly base loaded with strong pink shimmer, as well as holographic and iridescent micro glitters. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: TBA | Cap: TBA

Scofflaw Varnish | Was that a Magic Mushroom

Inspiration: Trippin’ Balls on Shrooms in the Forest.

Description: Was That A Magic Mushroom is a vibrnat turquoise crelly base with rainbow shifting opal flakes, as well as green to violet shimmer. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 113 Bottles

Serum No. 5 | Hidden Lights

Inspiration: Descanso Gardens’ Enchanted: Forest of Lights art installation 

Description: Hidden Lights is another shade that was made to be a topper – but it looks so beautiful on t’s own, that I decided to show it that way. Hidden Lights is a silver holographic topper filled with rainbow shimmers in red, gold, blue, green and violet with copper-gold-fuchsia flakes that glows white in the dark. I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Dries down to a satin finish.

Price: $14.00 | Cap: 38 Bottles

Starlight Polish | Always Be Polite to Dragons

Inspiration: The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede, particularly the first two paragraphs of the fourth book, which is chronologically last, but is the one she wrote first.

Description: Always Be Polite To Dragons is a rich green jelly base with gold to green unicorn pee sibling pigment, aurora flakes, and green to gold microflakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $16.00 | Cap: 75 Bottles

STELLA CHROMA | Sinking Sun

Inspiration: Sinking Sun is inspired by a picture Pam took of a sunset in her own enchanted forest.

Description: Sinking Sun is an orchid pink crelly base with blue aurora shimmer, gold, blue and charcoal flakes, as well as a bit of gold holographic microglitter. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This dries down with a slight texture. A good, thick top coat will smooth it out. 

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 90 Bottles

STELLA CHROMA | Sugar Scrub by STELLA CHROMA

Inspiration: Unspecified

Description: Sugar Scrub is back! This month’s scent is Harvest Moon. It’s a warm cinnamon with a hint of clove. Since we were time crunched, I received a scent vial instead of the full sugar scrub so I could help with the scent description.

The cinnamon is the overwhelming scent and it’s incredible. I love cinnamon so – it’s fitting. The spice is accentuated with clove.

Price: $5.50 | Cap: 80 Jars

Supernatural Lacquer | Foolish Fire

Inspiration: Will-o-the-wisps, a world wild atmospheric phenomenon believed to be caused by many things including fairies, witches and unbaptized souls. Foolish Fire is the literal translation of their Latin name, ignus fatuus, drawn from the notion that they may metaphorically or physically draw people away from the safe path. 

Description: Foolish Fire is a deep periwinkle with blue to purple shifting color flakes, blue illusion flakes, peridot green metallic micro flacks and blue to purple shifting aurora/duochrome blend. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 125 Bottles

Sweetheart Polish | Forbidden Forest Stag

Inspiration: Forbidden Forest from Harry Potter

Description: A Deep slate blue jelly base loaded with holographic micro glitters, blue flakes and linear holographic. Dries with a slight texture, so you may need 2 coats of top coat if you use a thinner top coat. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

This polish also comes with a Harry Potter inspired keychain that glows blue in the dark.

Price: $12.00 | Cap: 85 Bottles

The Lady Varnishes | Beetle Juice

Inspiration: Iridescent Beetles

Description: Beetle Juice is a dusty rose jelly base with strong green to gold to violet shimmer and sparkle. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 35 Bottles

Top Shelf Lacquer | Resistant to Magic

Inspiration: Sprite Darter Hatchlings from World of Warcraft

Description: So one night I was chatting with Amy of Top Shelf Lacquer, and she said she had to go come up with a Polish Pickup idea for December. I said I had an inspiration idea if she wanted help, and of course she was willing to listen. I sent a photo of the Sprite Darter Hatchling from World of Warcraft, and oddly enough – she already had a polish ready that was PERFECT for my inspiration.

Resistant  To Magic is a deep, dusty taupe creme base with strong green to teal to red to purple shifting shimmer and scattered holographic. I used 2 coats for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 100 Bottles

Wildflower Lacquer | Nemophilist

Inspiration: Enchanted Forest Image

Description: Nemophilist is an indigo jelly base loaded with copper shimmer, red to gold and purple to blue ultrachrome chameleon flakes, as well as scattered holographic flakes. I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 67 Bottles

Zombie Claw Polish | Lost Wood

Inspiration: Lost Woods from Legend of Zelda:  Breath of the Wild 

Description: Lost Woods is a deep turquoise multichrome that shifts purple and gold, with holographic micro glitters and 3 different ultrachrome micro flecks that show pops of teal, blue, gold, purple and red. I used 2 coats and a glossy top for these photos

Price: $11.50 | Cap: TBA

December 2018 Polish Pickup | Enchanted Forest

Okay first and foremost – this month is all capped items. Some are still To Be Announced and they are waiting on wishlist tallies to get an idea of how many they should cap at. If there are polishes you want, especially TBA ones – I strongly urge you to add them to a wishlist so makers get a decent idea of demand. The more demand, the more they will make.

Second – because of caps, this may get a little Hunger Game-y in the shop. My advice – get in the shop asap on opening day. Order your MUST HAVE items first, especially if they have low caps. Check out, then go back in for items you want that have higher caps or that you won’t be as upset about missing out on. When shipping time comes, your orders will be combined and extra shipping will be refunded, so you don’t have to worry as much about multiple orders.

You might still miss out on some, but this is truly the best method for things like this.

Where To Buy: Polish Pickup Shop

Shop Dates: December 7th at 11am EST through December 10th at 11:59pm EST

Shipping Price: $3.00 Within US  (regardless of how many you buy!) 

The Polish Pickup Shop is already open for previews, so you can start loading up your wishlists! Again – if there are TBA polishes you want, get them on your wishlist so the makers can try to create accordingly. This doesn’t guarantee you’ll get yours, but it means there will be more made to accomodate.

See you December 7th… and may the odds be ever in your favor.