Hello readers! I’m taking a very brief break from Black Friday posts (no I’m not done yet haha) to share my swatches and thoughts on 21 items for PPU’s Winter is Coming theme! I’m totally digging the inspirations here, and we have some AMAZING goodies to get through! Let’s get to the swatches!
Baroness X acetone antidote in the scent: I want a pink Xmas tree!
- Description: a blend of light powdery evergreen with a touch of berries, tart green apple and spun sugar.
- Inspiration: Pink Christmas Trees
- Price: $4.50
- Cap: 145US/10UK
This month’s acetone antidote smells lovely! It’s got a touch of super fresh Christmas tree smell with a light undertone of powder and tart. It’s VERY refreshing as I’m not usually big on evergreen. If you’re new here, acetone antidote softens your pure acetone so you can keep on with the removing power of your acetone but it’ll leave a lingering scent after removal and moisturized cuticles. I use 2-3 drops in my dappen dish for cleanup, and also use an entire vial in a 8 ounce pump. This month’s bottle comes with the adorable holo sticker shown below.
Baroness X Ice Bubble Flambe
- Description: a blurple to light pink thermal with blue to violet shimmer and microflakes, a light dusting of large particle holo pigment and ultra thin silver holo microglitters.
- Inspiration: flammable ice bubbles that form in ice in some lakes
- Price: $11
- Cap: 80US/3UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula feels like a dense crelly on application and plumps out perfectly at two coats. The thermal properties are very reactive and easily transition. You’ll get a lovely fine particle sparkle across the nail too. Ice dries down somewhat matte, so I’d recommend a glossy topcoat.
Blush Lacquers Meet Me Under The Mistletoe
- Description: an olive holographic nail polish with small holographic flakes and varying sizes of iridescent glitters that subtly shift from hints of orange, yellow and green.
- Inspiration: Mistletoe
- Price: $12
- Cap: None
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a dense jelly and really packs a punch in holo. The iridescent glitters behaved perfectly and give a lovely soft sparkle against the linear holo. No texture after topcoat.
By Dany Vianna Cozy by the Fire
- Description: a rusty red-orange with holographic pigment.
- Inspiration: Cold weather
- Price: $11.50
- Cap: 200US/15UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula is ultra smooth, buttery and rich on application. I’d classify this as a one coater, and there is just so much depth here. The base color is very unique to me, it’s a brick red with a strong burnt orange undertone. This dries down glossy so I think any topcoat will work.
Cameo Colours Lacquers Sunkissed Snow Banks
- Description: an icy blue-grey crelly scattered holographic with a strong gold sheen, gold metallic and silver holographic micro flakes, as well as blue to violet to copper ultrachrome flakes.
- Inspiration: a picture of the namesake
- Price: $11
- Cap: 95US/5UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a dense crelly and builds up quickly. The shimmer is very strong, and appears as a backlit golden glow. Sunkissed dries down matte, so again I’d recommend a glossy topcoat to really make it pop.
Crystal Knockout Pastel Mirror
- Description: a soft pink with a chrome finish, a golden shift, and purple iridescent shimmer.
- Inspiration: Inspired by a wintery lake scene
- Price: $11
- Cap: 80US/10UK
Swatches show three coats with topcoat. Formula is on the sheer side, but builds up nicely. This leaned almost like a neutral against my skin tone, but still flattered like crazy. The shimmer is very strong, giving a vintage vibe and is very luminescent in person.
DRK Nails Gratitude
- Description: a pastel duochrome shifting from pink to green, with a foil and holographic finish and iridescent flakes in blue/purple.
- Inspiration: The makers feelings for this year
- Price: $12
- Cap: 130US/20UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a jelly, and I think if you have slightly longer nails you might need a third thin coat. My swatches did not do the sparkles justice, as it’s that lovely fine particle dense type in person. The shimmer gives off a strong pink glow that shifts over to gold at extreme angles. No texture after topcoat.
DRK Nails Snowflake Plate (stainless steel)
- Price: $7.50
- Cap: 50US/10UK
Swatches show a black cream against DRK’s polish for this month. The plate is very sturdy and deeply etched so I think it’s a great plate for a beginner. I had no troubles picking up images with a clear jelly stamper on the first go and very strong image transfer.
Emily de Molly Capture the Dream
- Description: a dark purple base with a silvery magnetic effect
- Inspiration: Blades of Glory
- Price: $11
- Cap: None
Swatches show two coats magnetized with topcoat. Formula is smooth and creamy on application. It feels light on the brush strokes, but applies very opaque. This is such a flattering cool toned purple.
Fair Maiden Polish Snow Berries
- Description: a white crelly polish with red/gold/magenta/violet shimmer and multichrome flakes.
- Inspiration: Its namesake
- Price: $11
- Cap: None
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula is crelly like with a touch of squish to the brush strokes. The flakes really pop against the stark white base, and the shimmer gives a lovely glow in the background. Those with longer nails might need a third thin coat, and no texture after topcoat.
Girly Bits I Came, I Thaw, I Conquered
- Description: a soft and feminine lilac purple with colour shifts that travel from blue and light turquoise, to purple, pink, and violet.
- Inspiration: Ice Age
- Price: $13
- Cap: To Be Announced
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a crelly and has a bit of squish to it. I went in with a thin coat and then a slightly thicker coat, so I think applying that way or three thin coats will be perfect. This is crazy luminous in person and has loads of shift to it.
Glisten and Glow Olive, the Other Reindeer
- Description: a white based glitter crelly packed with various size and shape red, green, and gold glitters.
- Inspiration: The children’s book of Olive the Reindeer
- Price: $12
- Cap: 160US/20UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a cream, and is very smooth on application. I had no issues with the glitters and I had great payoff on the brush strokes. I topcoated normally, and had no texture.
Glisten and Glow Cuticle oil and Cuticle remover pen duo
- Description:
- Cuticle remover: softens and removes excess cuticle in 60 seconds. Gently push back the skin after generously applying and wash away with soap and water.
- Oil: a blend of jojoba oil, vitamin E oil, grapeseed oil, sweet almond oil, sunflower oil, argan oil, castor oil, acai berry extract, tea tree oil and fragrance oil.
- Scent: Winter Cheer- a custom blend of orange, cinnamon, clove, cranberry, and baked vanilla.
- Price: $12
- Cap: None
In my swatch video I have a mini tutorial on how I used the remover. They’re both scented in a lovely holiday like scent. It’s like spiced fruit. I really enjoyed the remover as it performed perfectly in a gentle way. The oil is lovely and really soaks in fast to the skin.
Indy by Patty Lopes Welcome to My Castle
- Description: a white crelly base with micro holo blue glitters and a mix of white and blue glitters.
- Inspiration: a frozen castle
- Price: $11
- Cap: 80US/5UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula is crelly like but applies smooth and creamy. This is on the delicate side, in that it might show VNL regardless at 2-3 coats. You can definitely wear a white undie to prevent that, but I thought it looked so pretty on its own. It reminded me of a gel polish after topcoating, and I had no texture after.
Lemming Lacquer Flame of Hope
- Description: a winter blue crelly base with red/bronze/copper shifting shimmer, green/gold/orange/red iridescent flakes and scattered holo dust.
- Inspiration: The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen
- Price: $13
- Cap: 125US/25UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula is on the heavier side, and applies very opaque on the nail. There’s a strong iridescent effect from the medium and larger flakes and loads of shimmer in the background. This dries down matte, so I’d recommend a glossy topcoat to really make it pop.
Night Owl Lacquer Nothing Burns Like the Cold
- Description: a smokey navy blue filled with copper/red/gold/green color shifting crystal chameleon flakes and a sprinkle of holo micro flakies
- Inspiration: a quote from George RR Martin
- Price: $12.50
- Cap: None
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a medium cream and is very smooth on the brush strokes. This builds up quickly to opacity and the flakes contrast nicely against the base. I feel like my swatches and my video are showing this color accurate on my monitor; it’s a lovely dusky navy with a teal undertone. No texture after topcoat.
Poetry Cowgirl Polish It’s Snow Cold
- Description: a delicate sheer white base packed with iridescent glitters and sparkles, and a hint of pink-purple-orange shifting shimmer
- Inspiration: the look of fresh fallen snow in morning light
- Price: $11.50
- Cap: 140US/10UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies like a crelly and has a touch of squish to it. This is in on the delicate side, so I think a touch of your free edge will show if you wear it between 2-3 coats, so please note you can definitely layer over a white undie. I thought it looked just fine on it’s own and really allowed those iridescent glitters to pop through.
Pretty Beautiful Unlimited Wonderland
- Description: a lightly tinted grayish leaning blue holographic based, with unicorn pigment that shifts purple to gold to green and topped off with crystal chameleon flakies
- Inspiration: a snowy winter scene
- Price: $12
- Cap: 150US/15UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula applies somewhat crelly like and really builds up quickly. This will definitely depend on how you apply, so I’d say 2-3 coats for opacity. There’s lots of holo here and the flakes give a strong iridescent effect. No texture after topcoat.
Pretty Beautiful Unlimited Wax Bundt Cake in the scent Da Bomb!
- Description: Inspired by the colors of the Alaska Bomb dessert, but scented like grandma’s baking up a storm during the holidays. Almonds and cherries mingle with the sweet candied fruits of fruitcake. Followed by citrus and spice with hints of vanilla and cream. This reminds me of a holiday kitchen! The cake is approximately 2.75+ ounces.
- Price: $4.50
- Cap: 58US/6UK
This adorable cake smells so good. I thought it smelled like a fruit cake, and even asked my husband to confirm (without telling him the notes) and he totally said fruit cake too. I can smell the fruity notes prominently, with a light bakery undertone in the back. Very nice, and good throw on my warmer.
Quixotic Polish Make It Stop
- Description: a golden super holographic polish loaded with red to green multichrome shimmer
- Inspiration: Mariah Carey’s famous song
- Price: $11.50
- Cap: 300US/25UK
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula is ultra smooth and feels chrome like on application. This has such a strong holo flame in person, and the shimmer is so crazy vibrant in person. You’ll easily see a copper red glow with green at angles.
Scofflaw Nail Varnish BrontoSNOWrus
- Description: a light blue jelly with shifting blue-green shimmers, icy flecks, green microglitters, and scattered holo
- Inspiration:
- Price: $12.00
- Cap: None
Swatches show two coats with topcoat. Formula feels like a dense crelly and really builds up quickly to opacity. I really can’t see anyone needing to go the a third coat on this. The base color is very flattering and reminds of a minty green with a blue undertone. There’s lots of sparkles from the shimmer and micro glitters. This one does dry down matte, so I’d recommend a glossy topcoat to really make it pop.
Polish Pickup opens up at a different time this month, and most products are heavily capped! Wish listing is currently open now, so follow the link below to check out the shop! The site will open for purchase December 2nd through December 6th. Be sure to check out my swatch video to see these pretties in action!
Thanks so much for reading! ❤
The Polished Mage 
Oh wow there are some lovely polishes here ❤
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