Press Samples // Some Paid PR // Affiliate Links
Polish Pickup May 2025 | Tropical Forest
Disclosure: I am a paid employee for Polish Pickup. While this post is not sponsored by Polish Pickup, I do have a relationship with the hosting collaboration shop.

This month really snuck up quick! Tonight I have my post for Polish Pickups May 2025 shop, and the theme is Tropical Forest!

We will be looking at 51 items this month, at least one more is on the way, but USPS is all over the place, and I don’t know when it will arrive – so the show must go on.

To see all 51 items swatched and demonstrated – check out my YouTube below!

The theme for May 2025 is Tropical Forest, and the makers brought their A game for this one!

For the fine details – for all photos shown – I used a clear latex peel off base, and for the glossy photos I did Monarch Lacquer Hi-Def Shine Top coat (sent as PR and I’ve also purchased.. and that’s an affiliate link).  For all textured polishes, I did use Glisten & Glow Glitter Grabber (PR) and Monarch Lacquer top coat over it. 

For my lighting setup, since I use artificial lighting due to my day job, involves 2 Neatfi XL Lamps from Amazon (affiliate link) as well as this Daylight Company Duo Daylight Lamp (affiliate link).

And lastly – I do use artificial gel nails that I do myself at home. In this post (and video) I am using Apres Gel X Nails in Extra Short Stiletto, which are clear nails. I do not use blurring base coats or anything to increase opacity of the nails – and it shows during my YouTube videos especially. With the clear nails, if you can see through the tip still – then odds are you will also see VNL through the polish I have on. If you cannot see through them, then opacity was likely reached.

I did get a new camera a little over a month ago and I’m still getting the hang of it. I now have a Nikon Z30 which is a little fancier than my previous Nikon L830. If I see any discrepancies in real life and my photos – I will mention it.

Okay… on with the show! Let’s take a peek at what we have this month!

1422 Designs | You Urned It

Inspiration: Inspired by the urn plant

Description: You Urned It is rose pink polish with pink-gold aurora shimmer and holographic flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

In person – this has a more muted, almost neutral rosey pink base.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 250

Alchemy Lacquers | Kaleidoscope of Butterflies

Inspiration: Inspired by a swarm of Blue Morpho Butterflies on a tree

Description: Kaleidoscope of Butterflies is an indigo jelly base with cyan to blue to purple shifting iridescent flakes.

I used 2 coats, glitter smoother and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 500

All Mixed Up Lacquers | Livin’ Like a Moss

Inspiration: Inspired by moss

Description: Livin’ Like A Moss is an olive jelly base with copper to gold shimmer, micro use flakes, iridescent colorshift flakes, and scattered holo.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 400

Atomic Polish | Victoria Amazonica

Inspiration: Victoria Amazonica is inspired by the amazon water lily.

Description: Victoria Amazonica is a pale purple jelly base with blue to green shifting pigment and silver magnetic particles.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

I did the index and pinky nail with a velvet magnet, middle and ring with a catseye magnet, and thumb is unmagnetized

Price: $14.00 | Cap: 500

BCB Lacquers | Cuticle Oil in Baja Blasted!

Inspiration: Inspired by Baja Blast Soda.

Description: Baja Blasted is a 6ml click bottom brush on pen with a twist off cap.

The scent is a blend of Lemon, Lime, Fizzy Pop, Coconut, Grapefruit and Sparkling Effervescence.

It smells super close to the fizzy Taco Bell drink (although you can buy cans too!)

Price: $8.50 | Cap: 250

BCB Lacquers | May The Forest Be With You

Inspiration: Inspired by the Poison dart frog, the Dendrobates auratus species.

Description: May The Forest Be With You is a bright teal crelly base with a strong green to blue to purple shimmer and black flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.75 | Cap: 400

Beaux Rêves Lacquer | Toucan Tango

Inspiration: Inspired by the beak of a toucan

Description: Toucan Tango is a bright orange leaning coral with pink to green shifting shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: None

Bluebird Lacquer | Because I Got Hibiscus

Inspiration: Inspired by the pink hibiscus and its vibrant colors.

Description: Because I Got Hibiscus is a neon pink crelly base with green to purple to pink shifting micro flecks and shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 500

Cameo Colours Lacquers | …Had a Frog of Glass

Inspiration: Cochranella euknemos, also known as the San Jose Cochran frog.

Description: …Had a Frog of Glass is a buildable baby blue crelly base with a touch of holo sparkle, blue to purple and green shimmers, blue to green shifting larger particle shimmer, and yellow micro glitter.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 250

Chamaeleon Nails | Glowing Morpho

Inspiration: Inspired by the beautiful and fascinating Blue Morpho butterfly.

Description: Glowing Morpho is a baby blue polish crelly base with pink/orange iridescent flakes and a scattering of tiny silver holographic glitters. It also glows a vibrant aqua in the dark.

I used 2 coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

I did use a UV flashlight to charge my nails for photos since I take photos at night, but this also charges with normal UV/Daylight

Price: $14.00 | Cap: 300

Clionadh Cosmetics | Peach’s Orchid

Inspiration: Inspired by orchids that grow on trees in tropical forests. Specifically the “Princess Peach” orchid known for its beautiful pinks and sunset hues. Princess Peach herself would not only have that orchid, but love this polish as well!

Description: Peach’s Orchid has a warm pink base with a cool pink shimmer that shifts peach-chartreuse and large iridescent gold-green shifting flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: None

Colores de Carol | Secret Falls

Inspiration: Purple Falls

Description: Secret Falls is a deep reddish violet jelly base with purple to pink to orange shifting magnetic pigment.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

I used a velvet magnet on index and pinky nails, catseye on middle and ring nails and thumb is unmagentized

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 400

Cracked Polish | Pink Underwing

Inspiration: Inspired by the elusive Pink Underwing Moth

Description: Pink Underwing is a semi sheer, medium grey jelly base with pink to gold falkes, pink shimmer and holo pink gitters.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

The pink with the grey give it an almost taupe like look in the base.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 1000

Cupcake Polish | Stinking Corpse

Inspiration: Inspired by the world’s most notorious flower – the Stinking Corpse Lily.

Description: Stinking Corpse is a deep wine red shimmer nail polish with scattered holographic micro flakies. 

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: None

Cuticula | Peacock Plume

Inspiration: Inspired by bright peacock feathers.

Description: Peacock Plume is a bright cerulean blue jelly with pink to red to purple shifting shimmer, aqua to blue shifting glass flakes, and metallic fuchsia flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: None

Dam Nail Polish | Harley Noticeable

Inspiration: Inspired by the Harlequin poison frog native to the Chocó region of western Colombia. 

Description: Harley Noticeable is a light blue crelly with assorted red glitters and a dusting of red to orange shimmer that is fairly subtle.

I used 2 coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 600

Danglefoot Nail Polish | Monstera Deliciosa

Inspiration: Inspired by the giant Monstera leaves.

Description: Monstera Deliciosa is an emerald green jelly base loaded with green to teal shimmer and pink reflective glitters.

I used 3 thin coats, glitter smoother and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 250

Dreamland Lacquer | Eleanor Doesn’t Wanna Talk to You

Inspiration: Many years ago I was in Harrods in London in their pet department, and there was a female eclectus parrot (native to the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Indonesia). She had a sign on her cage that said Eleanor, so I said, “Hello, Eleanor.” And Eleanor replied, in a perfect English accent, “Eleanor Doesn’t Wanna Talk to You!”

Description: Eleanor Doesn’t Wanna Talk To You is a warm purple (cold) to vibrant red (warm) with gold to pink to violet shifting flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 500

Ethereal Lacquer | Dream Water

Inspiration: Inspired by a hidden lagoon in a lush forest.

Description: Dream Water is a milky aqua lacquer with a soft and glowy pink to orange to gold shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 600

Garden Path Lacquers | The Birds Sing Words

Inspiration: Inspired by a retro Enchanted Tiki Room poster.

Description: The Birds Sing Words is a neon green base with the slightest touch of neon yellow pigment, and filled with a gorgeous aqua shifting Aurora shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: None

Glam Polish | Shimmering Wings

Inspiration:

Description: Shimmering Wings is a blurple jelly with green-purple aurora shimmer, black flakies and galaxy glitter.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $14.00 | Cap: 250

Glisten & Glow | Bromeliad

Inspiration: When visiting Everglades, I fell in love with the very colorful and large Bromeliads! I especially loved the coral/orange variety

Description: Bromeliad is a soft coral jelly base with orange undertones loaded with color shifting shimmer that shifts green to yellow to purple to pink.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: None

Glisten & Glow | Cuticle Oil and Cuticle Remover Duo

Inspiration:

Description: Glisten & Glow is back for May’s IPU with our Cuticle Remover & Cuticle Oil Pen Duo

Cuticle Remover is Unscented

Cuticle Oil is scented in Tropical Vacation and it’s like stumbling upon an island oasis where sultry breezes linger with notes of lychee, passionfruit and Jasmine, as well as crisp grapefruit and sweet pear nectar.

Benefits of Glisten & Glow Cuticle Oil Pens – Hydrates cuticles, nail plate, eponychium, hyponychium and proximal nail fold. Soften and protect all the above areas. Stimulate nail growth. Improve texture of all the above areas -Increase nail flexibility, preventing breakage -daily nail care maintenance

Price: $12.50 | Cap: None

Glisten & Glow | Top Coat

Inspiration:

Description: Glisten & Glow top coat is perfect for nail art and stamping and is a long lasting glassy quick dry top coat. It dries fast, has a very glossy, high shine and floats well over nail art.

This top coats dries fast (about 4 minutes on me) and glows under blacklight. Also pairs beautifully with G&G Glitter Grabber if you picked that up in previous shops.

I used the Hit The Bottle Vintage Grunge 01 Plate for the mani and Ethereal Memento Mori for the stamping polish (previous paid pr)

Price: $9.50 | Cap: None

Great Lakes Lacquer | Your Orchid Tariffs Are Killing Me

Inspiration: White Orchids

Description: Your Orchid Tariffs Are Killing Me is a pale grey crelly with a purple to red to orange shifting shimmer.

I used 2 coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $14.00 | Cap: None

Hearts and Promises | Tropical Paradise

Inspiration: Inspired by an amazing tropical sunset on a beautiful island reminding you of a tropical paradise.

Description: Tropical Paradise is a semi sheer, deep purple jelly base with orange to gold to red aurora shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

This shade was still a bit sheer at 3 coats, which is harder to tell in the photos – but you could see through my tips a bit with 3 coats.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 300

Jen & Berries | Booty Call

Inspiration: Inspired by an adult male mandrill, who has a colorful rear end to help others follow them through the forest (plus it impresses the ladies)

Description: Booty Call is a sheer pale periwinkle base with glowy blue to purple shimmer, scattered tiny pink to gold flakes and loads of holographic flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.75 | Cap: 445

Kathleen & Co | Tropical Lagoon

Inspiration:

Description: Tropical Lagoon is teal jelly base with silver to green to aqua shimmer and a dusting of holo. 

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 500

Hand & Body Scrub by KBShimmer | Cool Coconut

Inspiration: Heading to the tropics is an experience—lush green trees, vibrant florals, and endless coconut water. Give me a beach chair, sunscreen, and a good book, and I’m set for days. Cool Coconut is a tribute to the iconic tropical fruit

Description: KBShimmer’s sugar scrubs are good for all over the body or as a hand scrub, the sugar particles are medium grit so they do a good job getting dry spots on your body situated.

Cool Coconut is a blend of coconut milk and vanilla. It’s simplistic but delicious smelling. The coconut water scent is the star and the vanilla is much lighter.

Price: $11.00 | Cap: 400

KBShimmer | Lei One On Me

Inspiration: Tropical plumeria flowers are as beautiful as they are fragrant. Blooming in shades of pink, coral, yellow, white, orange, and red, they are a true island staple. With their vibrant colors and intoxicating scent, it’s no surprise these flowers are often part of Hawaiian leis.

Description: Lei One On Me is a coral jelly base with orangey gold to salmon pink shimmer, and it glows a yellow-orange in the dark.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

I did use a UV flashlight to “charge” the glow for these photos since I take photos at night.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 700

Lemming Lacquer | Rainbow Scarab

Inspiration: Inspired by the rainbow scarab.

Description: Rainbow Scarab is a multichrome that shifts from red to copper to gold to green in a blue-black jelly base with holographic microflakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 250

Lumen | Electric Jaguar

Inspiration: Inspired by the Wild and untamed Jaguar shifting and moving through the jungle with fierce power.

Description: Electric Jaguar is a blackened purple base with a red to green to gold multi chrome shift.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: None

Lurid Lacquer | On the Prowl

Inspiration:

Description: On the Prowl features a reddish purple jelly base with vibrant copper to gold shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $14.00 | Cap: 600

LynBDesigns | Any Fin is Possible

Inspiration: inspired by the parrot fish

Description: Any Fin Is Possible is a vibrant magenta crelly base with aqua to blue to violet shifting shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: None

ManMade By J&S | SSsassy Makeup Pouch

Inspiration: We were inspired by the beautiful Bamboo Pit Viper and its gorgeous coloring.

Description: Manmade by J&S went with a beautiful mint green and lavender snakeskin faux leather makeup pouch. It has a stunning purple zipper and multichrome snake zipper pull and is lined with a lavender waterproof canvas.

Size: 8x4x3 inches

Price: $20.00 | Cap: 50

Monarch Lacquer | Pink Canopy

Inspiration: Tropical flowers adorning treetops creating a beautiful pink canopy.

Description: Pink Canopy is a hot pink glitter mix paired with a color-shifting aurora base that shifts between green, teal, and violet.

This can be used as a topper or stand alone polish. For most of these photos I used 1 coat over OPI Vogue En Violet, and the thumb I used 2 coats, glitter smoother and glossy top coat.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: None

Moon Shine Mani | Hold Onto Your Butts

Inspiration: Inspired by the OG Jurassic Park

Description: Hold Onto Your Butts is a midnight grape jelly base with a super-icy aqua to sapphire to indigo shifting shimmer and holo microflakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 600

Night Owl Lacquer | Feels Like Falling

Inspiration: Inspired by tropical waterfalls.

Description: Feels Like Falling is a bright cyan jelly base filled with glowy shimmer that shifts green/aqua/blue/violet and holographic dust.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: None

Painted Polish | Feelin’ Froggy

Inspiration: Tropical Tiger Frog

Description: Feelin’ Froggy is a vampy teal jelly polish with silver and crushed gold metallic flakies. 

I used 3 thin coats, glitter smoother and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: None

Pampered Polishes | Let’s Fla-mingle

Inspiration:

Description: Let’s Fla-Mingle is a pink leaning peach crelly with matte black flakes.

I used 2 coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

This is actually a bit lighter and less peach in person.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: None

Paradox Polish | Amazon Orchid

Inspiration: Orchid

Description: Amazon Orchid is a mauvey pink base with a duochrome lavender and magenta, with linear holo and scattered holo flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 300

Penelope Luz | Arara Azul

Inspiration: Inspired by the typical bird skin of Brazilian tropical forests

Description: Arara Azul is a medium purple tinged grey crelly base loaded with blue to purple magnetic pigment.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossytop coat for these photos.

I used a velvet magnet on the index and pinky, catseye on middle and ring nail and thumb is unmagnetized

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 1000

PI Colors | Tabebuia.000

Inspiration: Inspired by the beautiful pink, gold and purple flowers of the tabebuia tree, also known as a trumpet tree.

Description: Tabebuia.000 is a cool toned pink with strong golden shimmer that shifts green to blue.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.00 | Cap: 250

Psyche Minerals | Waimea or Bust

Inspiration: Our inspiration was our 2008 trip to Maui and the Waimea Valley Botanical Gardens.

Description: Waimea or Bust is a clear base loaded with aqua to blue to violet large particle aurora shimmer, light green reflective glitter and red to orange to light green iridescent flakes.

I used 3 thin coats, glitter soother and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 275

Red Eyed Lacquer | From The Gecko

Inspiration: Electric Blue Day Gecko

Description: From The Gecko is a medium sky blue crelly base loaded with holo flakes.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 400

Rogue Lacquer | Hibiscus

Inspiration: This is inspired by the beautiful purple hibiscus plant.

Description: Hibiscus is a blurple shimmer base with magenta to purple magnetic pigment.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

I used a velvet magnet for the index and pinky nails, catseye for middle and ring and my thumb is unmagnetized

Price: $13.00 | Cap: None

Royla Lee | Enchanted Elytra

Inspiration: We drew inspiration from the Rainbow Leaf Beetle.

Description: Enchanted Elytra is a purple leaning fuchsia jelly base with red to gold microflake shimmer and aqua to green shifting crystal flakes. 

I used 3 thin coats, glitter smoother and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.75 | Cap: None

Sassy Sauce Polish | Hot Damn Anthurium

Inspiration: Inspo a photo of a tropical forest, particularly the anthurium flower. 

Description: Hot Damn Anthurium is a bright red with pink to copper to gold shifting delicate shimmer.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy and matte top coat for these photos.

While this is bright, it does react to UV like a neon would – so its pretty intense and stunning.

Price: $13.50 | Cap: 500

Tyler’s Trinkets | Let Me Speak To Your Tanager

Inspiration: Inspired by the brightly-colored Green-Headed Tanager bird found in tropical forests.

Description: Let Me Speak To Your Tanager is a bright turquoise/teal crelly base with black micro flakes, gold-green crystal chameleon flakes, gold-green aurora shimmer, and aqua glow in the dark pigment.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Since I photograph at night – I did use a UV light to charge the polish for GITD photos.

Price: $12.50 | Cap: 250

Unicorn Magic Skincare | Deluxe Liquid Gold Honey Hand Creme in Tropical Paradise

Inspiration: Inspired by tropical forests

Description: We have a newer to PPU item from Unicorn Magic Skincare! This is their Deluxe Liquid Gold Honey Hand creme, and I think it was last seen in November of 2025 – but I adore this formula! This is a thinner creme than their usual stuff, it’s light, fast absorbing and non greasy. Perfect for every day use and those of us who lotion up all day at work and can’t leave marks on papers and folders!

Tropical Paradise – An explosion of tropical fruits; juicy tangerine, coconut, orange peel, lemon and sweet pineapple, intertwined with exotic tiare and plumeria flowers.

This is an incredibly light tropical scent. It’s also sort of clean fruity? If that makes sense? I can smell the mix of citrus and coconut but also the light floral. I wouldn’t have guessed Plumeria as the floral but it mingles well with the fruit mix. If you like scented products but don’t like overpowering – this would be excellent to pick up.

Price: $9.75 | Cap: 200

Zombie Claw | I Like to Move it!

Inspiration: Julien / Lemur

Description: I Like to Move it! is a sheer greyish beige jelly base loaded with electric blue to green shimmer, black flakes and silver reflective glitters sprinkled in.

I used 3 thin coats and a glossy top coat for these photos.

Price: $13.75 | Cap: 300

Polish Pickup May 2025 | Tropical Forest

I thought last month was fantastical but … damn. The makers are bringing it once again. Each month this year has been better than the last!

Where To Buy: Polish Pickup Shop

Shop Dates: May 2nd at 11am EST through May 5th at 11:59pm EST

I’m giving away TEN $10 Gift Cards to shop with sponsored by Polish Pickup!

Giveaway will end Friday May 2nd at 1am Eastern. The codes can be used in future shops and are not limited to this month.