Press Sample
Greetings, dear readers, and happy Monday! I'm cutting it close with this post as the December Polish Pickup opens TODAY in just a few hours, but at least I didn't miss it! If you're eagerly anticipating the opening today, let me give you another look at two of the offerings available this month. KBShimmer is offering a nail polish and a sugar scrub; I'm not sure which one I enjoy the most! As I often start my manicures with a scrub, let's start off with that first. Let's do this!
Cocoa & Cookies Sugar Scrub
There's something special about heading outside to build a snowman, or to drag your sled to the top of a hill just to zoom back down on a crisp winter's day. For me, making snow angels and getting into snowball fights made for the best outdoor fun. But a day of winter play wouldn't be complete without heading inside for a warm cup of cocoa and a fresh cookie.
Cocoa & Cookies sugar scrub is inspired by the cold weather treats of the same name. This scrub starts out with notes of warm steamed milk and rich chocolate. A hint of vanilla and sugary sweetness along with the tan color of the scrub bring to mind fresh-baked sugar cookies. Like your favorite sprinkles, a hint of gold mica completes this yummy scrub. For use all over your body, this scrub will help even the driest winter skin.
I've not kept it a secret that I love the KBShimmer sugar scrubs- they always smell so delicious and they leave my skin feeling oh-so-soft! I like to use them on my hands between manicures to slough off any dead skin that may be lingering around causing rough patches, and some make their way into my shower for full body exfoliation. I like to use these every 2 to three days in the shower. The scent selection is generally what determines if the scrub stays at my sink or goes on the ledge in my shower stall.
I love baking cakes, cookies and brownies, but I'm not particularly fond of smelling like them. This is what intrigues me the most about this particular scent offering from KBShimmer. There is a slight sweetness to this fragrance, but it is far from too sweet. It's not too intense chocolate (although I wouldn't mind that!) for the cocoa aspect, and I agree with the description that the vanilla is subtle. It is a beautiful balance of warmth and sweetness, not leaning too far in either direction. While I originally thought this sugar scrub would end up staying on my sink for hand scrub use only, I adore the scent balance and will actually be enjoying this in the shower as well. While the scent is certainly there, it isn't too intense for my sensitive nose!
Retail: $10
No cap
Un-brrr-lievable Nail Polish
Growing up in Minnesota, we joked about having four seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction. While it's not really that bad, Minnesotans have learned to embrace and even celebrate the cold. One way we do that is with our annual Winter Carnival. Featured as its centerpiece is a giant ice castle constructed of ice blocks and ice walls, each colorfully lit for an amazing visual experience that can only be described as Un-brrr-lieveable!
Un-brrr-lieveable is a cool-toned polish that starts out as a rich purple hue. When your hands are warm, the purple quickly shifts to a bold icy blue reminiscent of those majestic ice castles. Iridescent flakes in tones of pink, purple, aqua, green and gold light up this wintery nail polish shade, while micro holo glitters add a hint of sparkle and shine.
I do NOT do cold weather, but I have to admit visiting an ice castle sounds pretty awesome and worth bundling up for one of these years! That said, I still love polishes inspired by cold weather, and this one is no exception. How gorgeous is this polish! I've a huge fan of flake-filled polishes with a matte finish, so since this is my blog, that's what you're gonna get the most of today!
The formula was really easy to work with, and I applied two coats to my nails for these photos. Under the bright light setup I can see a hint of visible nail line, but in normal lighting conditions, I didn't notice it at all. Those with longer nails or very white nail lines may want to use a third coat for opacity. Alternately, you can opt to layer it over a lighter shade. That leads to the question: do you layer over a light blue or a purple? I guess it depends on if you tend to lean more towards cooler or warmer temperatures naturally! I also added a layer of matte top coat for these photos.
I didn't want to leave you completely hanging, so here are a few photos where I added a glossy top coat (KBShimmer's new Free & Clear 5-free Quick Dry Top Coat). It's certainly pretty either way, although the shine fights with my light setup and glare some here. If you're a fan of blues and purples, this is a must have polish for your collection! My love of flakes has cooled off, no pun intended, but this one is fabulous!
Retail: $10
No cap
KBShimmer has certainly contributed two fantastic options this month, and I'm not sure which one I enjoy more! Both of these will be available for purchase TODAY on the Polish Pickup website at 11am EST / 8am PST. They are using a different format regarding days this month, and it will remain open through Friday, December 6th.
Please keep in mind orders submitted through the Polish Pickup are submitted as a preorder; allow up to three weeks for shipping out to you. Unless your order contains exclusively domestic items that can be received by Polish Pickup headquarters quickly for earlier shipping, your packages likely will not make it in time to you for Christmas (for those of your celebrating). I've had my recent overnight and priority packages taking 5 days to get to me, and I'm not expecting it to improve with Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday shopping items about to flood the postal service. I don't want to discourage anyone from shopping as there are incredible creations to choose from this month, but I want to make sure you're prepared in case you're shopping for a gift. Now if you're celebrating the 12 days of Christmas, which officially starts on Christmas day, you should be set!
Are you excited for the opening of the December Polish Pickup? What all are you planning to pic up this month? Are you a fan of sugar scrubs? Do you prefer Un-brrr-lievable with a matte or shiny finish? I'd love to hear from you!
Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!
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