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For the month of March, Polish Pickup will be jumping back into the the past and allowing it be the inspiration. Under the theme, Ancient History, the makers have once again brought their best. If you’re thinking of a bunch of drab browns and grays, think again!  Color and wow awaits!

Polish Pickup is a fun Facebook Group where members submit and vote for one theme for the month. Afterward, indie makers create a polish or product based on the decided theme. Members can make purchases through the Polish Pickup website during the four-day shopping window, where you can pick as little or as many items as you desire. The flat rate shipping price of US $3.00/CAD $5.00 is the cherry on top. Evidenced by its rapid growth, PPU is a very clever concept that has introduced me to many new indie brands, as well as given a wider stage for smaller, well-loved ones.

Recently Indie Pickup has been following the same sale and shipping schedules as Polish Pickup and this month, posts from makers are being combined in the Polish Pickup Facebook group. Indie Pickup was created to house most of the extra non-polish items that came along after the explosive growth of Polish Pickup. The Facebook group still exists but has been made redundant, with all sharing being move to the Polish Pickup Facebook Group. All your Pickup products in one place!

Polish Pickup March 2020 – Ancient History

By Dany Vianna – Pharos

Babylon Lighthouse

Thermal

Starting things off is Dany’s Pharos. The polish is a white-pale pink to red thermal with gold shimmer and white rectangles glitter. While transitioning, the polish takes on a pink hue because of the mix of the white pigment and the red thermal. I like the distribution of rectangular glitters here. They don’t overtake the polish and they lay well. Depending on where you have the glitter lay, you might have some bumpiness left behind, but overall, the polish lays smoothly.  I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$12.00 | 210 Bottles Available 

By Dany Vianna: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Cameo Colours Lacquers – Dank River Valley

Mesopotamian imagery from video “History of the Entire World, I Guess” by Bill Wurtz

Dank River Valley was inspired by imagery taken from the video “History of the Entire World, I Guess” by Bill Wurtz. It’s fine entertainment if you have 16 mins to spare, with her inspiration appearing around the 4:30-5:00 minute mark https://youtu.be/xuCn8ux2gbs.

The polish is taupe crelly with a slight bronze shimmer, bronze flecks, and a touch of holographic sparkle. It’s bursting with shifty lime to blue to gold and blue to violet to copper UCC flakes, sprinkled with small caramel, gold, and rose glitters, as well as silver holographic micro flakes. This is one of those shades that I think will show up much differently on a variety of skin tones. It’s easy to wear with the flakes elevating a nude look. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$11.00 | No Cap

Cameo Colours Lacquers: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Cupcake Polish – Bath House

Roman Bath House

Sara created Bath House. A refreshing minty polish filled with iridescent flakies that shift from pink to orange to gold to green. She drew inspiration from an image of the sun reflecting off an ornate Roman bath house. My camera failed at capturing the full brightness and flakie goodness of this polish. It looks like how I want to feel when I jump into the pool on a hot day. I hope that makes sense because it is the best description. There are a lot of flakes in here so I’d advise on allowing the layers to dry sufficiently before applying another coat. This will prevent dragging. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$13.00 | No Cap

Cupcake Polish  Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Glisten & Glow – This is Sparta!

300 Movie Quote

Jill was inspired by King Leonidas’ iconic line from the movie, 300. This is Sparta! is a multichrome with shifts from deep plum to red, bronze, golden yellow and green with the addition of color shifting iridescent flakes that shift pink to orange to gold to green. It’s very fluid in its shifts and the flakes boost the color palette appeal.  I’m wearing two coats with a glossy topcoat.

$12.50 | No Cap

Glisten & Glow  Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Glisten & Glow – Quick Dry Top Coat

Jill will also be offering her topcoat this round. The Glisten & Glow Top Coat is an award winning fast drying glossy topcoat. It’s something I’ve had great results using for years and was used to top several of my manis in this post. 

Glisten & Glow Top Coat! It’s an award winning fast dry glossy top coat. Its benefits include: 2-4 minutes or less and your nails will dry, durable, long lasting with days or weeks of no tip wear, or chipping! And let’s talk about that crystal clear shiny glossy “wet/gel like”” appearance. Intensifies any special effects polishes! Looking for something that is also black light responsive, you have found it here!

$7.50 | No Cap

Glisten & Glow Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Great Lakes Lacquer – Cuddling Continents

Pangaea

 For this blue beauty, Mariah was inspired by Pangaea, when all continents were one. Cuddling Continents is a rich cobalt blue overflowing with orange to gold to green iridescent flakes, a bit of shimmer to match, and a touch of scattered holographic. The blue here is so deep and stunning and the flakes play so nicely within. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy top coat.

$13.00 | No Cap

Great Lakes Lacquers: Shop |  Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Jior Couture – Is Such a Thing Even Possible?

Magnetic, Glow in the Dark

Sacha took inspiration from ancient aliens for her March magnetic, glow in the dark polish. Specifically, this polish is named after the famous History Channel and meme starring Giorgio Tsoukalos, where he talked excitedly about aliens.  “Is Such A Thing Even Possible?” has a shifty dark blue to light blue to teal-turquoise multichrome magnetic base with a celestial blue glow when activated. It applies with a syrupy, jelly consistency with ease and builds to color quickly. As per usual with magnetics, I used three coats, applying the magnet in between the second, third and top coat. I’m using a glossy topcoat in these photos.

$11.50 | No Cap

Jior Couture: Shop |  Instagram |  Facebook |  Fan Group

JReine Cosmetics – FOMO Pixie Magic Kit

Magnetic

Jill has a new Pixie Magic kit and in this one, the powder is magnetic! I KNOW! FOMO is a magnetic burnishing powder that shifts from blue to green to lime and isolates copper and bronze when your magnet is applied. Jill’s kit has everything you need to get the burnished, magnetic look. It includes 0.30 grams of pixie magic powder in FOMO, a 5ml bottle of Super Base, a 5ml bottle of Fleur De Crystal Top Coat (not pictured) and an applicator.

To achieve this look, I started out with a terra cotta orange creme base. I applied topcoat then floated Jill’s Super Base allowing it to dry for about 30 seconds. Next, I applied the powder using the applicator brush. Since I did not have Jill’s topcoat at the time, I used a non quick dry top coat, then magnetized the powder for 90 seconds.

$15.00 | Cap TBD

JReine Cosmetics Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

JReine Cosmetics – Temple of Temptation

Ruins at Sunset

The polish contribution from JReine is Temple of Temptation. The polish has a hot pink jelly base with a strong fuchsia to pink to gold to green shift. It’s delightfully squishy, shifty and bold! Temple of Temptation dries to a nice glossy finish. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$13.00 | No Cap

JReine Cosmetics Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

KB Shimmer – Pomegranate Sugar Scrub

Perspephone & Hades

Christy’s pomegranate scrub carries notes of musk, with tropical notes of pineapple and guava for a bold pomegranate scent perfect for welcoming the Spring. The scrub is swirled in white, red and pink. I can pick up the tropical notes pretty easily in there. This is a very moisturizing and juicy smelly scrub that is a wonderful exfoliant. 

Greek culture has the most wonderful mythology.  From Zeus to Athena, to Aphrodite and Ares, the mythology was full of more drama than today’s soaps.  One of most drama filled stories in my opinion is Hades and Persephone. 

 

Hades ruled the underworld and on a trip topside, saw Persephone and decided he had to have her. One kidnapping later, Persephone was living in the underworld, eventually falling in love with Hades.  But all is not good in the world above. Persephone’s mom Demeter missed her so, and in her grief neglected her job of making things grow. Long story short, the world revolted, and forced Hades to give Persephone back, but not before he fed her four pomegranate seeds, forcing her to return for 4 months each year.  And this is why we have winter – Christy

$10.00 | No Cap

KB Shimmer: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

KB Shimmer – Sól What?

Sól, Norse Mythology

Sól What? Is a soft purple jelly base accented by flakes shift that shift from a fiery orange and warm gold and grass green. Micro holographic flakes are added in for extra shine. In different lights and with the flakes, at times it can be hard to tell what color this polish really is. The flakies and dense in there and the transparency of the jelly base really allow them to spit out rainbows. I had no texture left behind after it dried. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

Though their origin story varies, Norse mythology states there was a being so beautiful that she was named Sól, after the sun, and her brother Mani after the Moon.  This angered the Norse gods that their father, Mundilfari, would be so arrogant to name his children after the sun and moon. So the gods punished Sól, and made her drive a chariot of the sun around the earth as punishment, followed by Sköll, an evil wolf, and her brother Mani and the wolf Hati, to ensure they never stop moving.

When researching Ancient History and different mythology, artwork of this sun and moon based story inspired our March 2020 polish, Sól What? – Christy

$10.00 | No Cap

KB Shimmer: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Moonflower Polish – Those Who Came Before

Ancient People of the Caribbean

Next, we look at Nadia’s creation for March! Those Who Came Before is blue-gray creme with hints of blue to green to purple color shifting aurora shimmer and iridescent blue micro flakes. She was inspired be ancient people of the Caribbean Islands. As usual, Nadia’s polish serves dual purpose as a stamping polish and has a bit of a thick but workable quality. It dries to a satin finish and topcoat brings out the shimmers and micro flakes. I’m wearing two coats with glossy topcoat.

$12.50 | 75 Bottles Available

Moonflower Polish: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Nailed It Nail Polish – Earth Shaker

Tiara has another jelly flakie stunner for us this round. Earth Shaker has a teal jelly base packed with pink to green to gold crystal flakes, red to gold shifting shimmer and a dusting of holographic micro flakes. It is incredibly shifty thanks to the flakies in there. Everything applies and lays well. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$12.75 | Cap 150 

Nailed It Nail Polish: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Necessary Evil Polish – The WABAC

Mr Peabody’s Time Machine

Tamara has two offerings this month. Her polish, The WABAC is red jelly with orange to pink to gold iridescent flake with red to gold shimmer and scattered holographic sparkle. This has a “no fuss, no muss” application with a nice glossy dry down. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$11.50 | No Cap

Necessary Evil Polish: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Painted Polish – Nobody’s Damsel

Meg from Disney’s Hercules

Lexi created Nobody’s Damsel inspired by Meg from the animated movie, Hercules. This polish features cobalt blue color-shifting flakies in a purple crelly base. The color contrast works beautifully here. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$11.50 | No Cap

Painted Polish: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Paradox Soap Co – Giant’s Causeway

The Giant’s Causeway

Tamara’s second contribution, under her soap company, is inspired by and called Giant’s Causeway. The colorful soap features notes of juicy apple, earthy sage, tart pineapple and refreshing coconut water. The colors are inspired by the orange sky, white caps in the waves and the green moss/kelp on the interlocking basalt columns. When I smell it, I’m hit most with the juicy, fruity notes with a bit of a herbal hit. 

7.50 per 4-4.5 oz bar | 27 Bars Available

Paradox Soap Company: Shop | Instagram | Facebook 

Red Eyed Lacquer – Celadon Celebration

Korean Celadon Pottery

We welcome Bianca and her debut shade to the Polish Pick up! Inspired by Celadon Pottery from her Korean culture, she created Celadon Celebration. A jade base with taupe micro flakes, touched with bronze to green aurora shimmer. The polish has such a pleasant composition and application. The taupe micro flakes aren’t especially flashy but they add such beautiful color to the cool base. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$12.50 | 75 Bottles Available

Red Eyed Lacquer: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Rogue Lacquer – Persian Nights

Ancient Persia

Rachel created Persian Nights with ancient Persia, one of the oldest civilizations, in mind.  Persian Nights is a bright orange-reddish coral with vibrant red, gold indigo and gold color shifting flakes and micro holographic shreds. This polish is so bold and bright and the flakes give it a lit from within look. Be sure to let it dry sufficiently in between coats. It does have the tendency to leave some bumps when it dries. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat. 

$12.00 | Cap TBD

Rogue Lacquer Store | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Sassy Cats Lacquer – Goddess Isis

The Goddess Isis

Mohrayma pays homage to Goddess Isis in making her the namesake of her stunning polish for March. This ultra multichrome features shifts from gold to green, pink to purple with gold flakes and a scattering of gold holographic glitters. I could have taken thousands more photos of this polish and I don’t think I could have captured all of its shifts. I especially love how the flakes show up in here. I’m wearing two coats with a glossy topcoat.

$13.00 | 75 Bottles Available. Cap may be modified based on demand

Sassy Cats Lacquer: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Sweet Heart Polish – Mighty Aphrodite

Primavera by Sando Botticelli

Cassandra was inspired by the famous painting Primavera by Sandro Botticelli. Mighty Aphrodite has a creamy, shimmery coral base with green and gold micro specks and a pink to gold shifting shimmer. It has a delicate disposition with the shimmers giving it some pizzazz. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$8.00 | No Cap

Sweet Heart Polish: Shop | Instagram | Facebook

Vapid Lacquer – Pestilence

Bubonic Plague & Plague Doctors

Krys has two items to serve to the Ancient History. She was inspired by Pestilence, the plague doctors, their masks and the inevitable effects of the bubonic plague.

The polish, Pestilence has a black jelly base with iridescent flakes that shift blue, purple and green. It also has a touch of holographic sparkle. This is such a simple mix but it works so beautifully. The contrast of dark and bold is so striking. I’m wearing three coats with a glossy topcoat.

$13.00 | Cap 420 

Vapid Lacquer: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

Vapid Lacquer – Pestilence Whipped Body Butter

Bubonic Plague & Plague Doctors

We wrap things up with Krys’ new item, whipped body butter. It is scented in Pestilence, that carries notes of smokey sweet tobacco, tangled with musky vanilla, clean hints of lavender and the smoothness of Tonka bean. It’s thick and very moisturizing but not greasy or overly oily.

For me, I note a very light sweetness first with the depth of tobacco with the smokey notes trailing behind.

$10.00 for 4 oz |  No Cap

Vapid Lacquer: Shop | Instagram | Facebook | Fan Group

All items will be available from Friday, March 6th, 11 am EST, to Monday, March 9th, 11:59 pm EST from

Polish Pickup Online

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