Polish Pickup February 2021 World Travel Swatches and Reviews

 *press samples*

Hi folks! It's been another hot minute since I've posted, but I've honestly not bought/received any new polishes lately (that is, until a week ago). Most polishes I buy are from Polish Pickup, and I don't like to post about polishes you cannot get anymore. This week I will be back with 2 monster reviews coming from Noodles Nail Polish that have a total of 11 polishes! I was quite the busy beaver this past week. Natalie is taking off February due to this large release, so I've just got 2 products from Starlight and Sparkles to share with you for this month's Polish Pickup. The theme for February is World Travel which is a kick in the teeth during a time that nobody can travel. That said, we can admire the inspirations that these polishes came from and look forward to a day we can once again travel. New to PPU? If so, here's how it works:

Definitely join the Polish Pickup Facebook Group. You don't necessarily need to actively participate in the group, but it will give you a look at the polishes that will be available in the coming month. PPU themes are chosen by the people, often a few months in advance (brands need time to find their inspiration and test their polish). Any indie brand that has been around for at least a year can participate and each has their own specific inspiration picture and polish for that month. All you need to do is go to the Polish Pickup site during the pre-order window (the first Friday-Monday of the month) to make all of your purchases of these exclusive polishes. There's no need to pay for multiple shipping charges; since this is a pre-order, all polishes get sent to Polish Pickup and they send you the polishes you ordered. Yup, it's that simple. Oh, and shipping is a flat-rate of $3 to the US (more for international and they just had to increase the pricing to Canada). Recently they also opened a UK site which you can find here. Since all orders are pre-orders, shipping will take place about 3 weeks after the end of the pre-order.

PPU starts Friday, Feb. 5th at 11:00 AM ET and ends on Monday, Feb. 8th at 11:59 PM (but if a polish has a cap and sells out before the end of the pre-order, it's gone, unless you get lucky and the cap gets raised...which is rare) on the PPU website. The website is now open for wishlisting, so go check out this month's offerings STAT. Time for swatches!

Starlight Polish Swan Castle (3 coats)

Inspiration: Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany! The castle is a work of art, inside and out. It was commissioned by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who didn’t live to see it finished. Work began in 1868, when he was 22, with the preparation of the site, and had not been completed when he died 18 years later in 1886. I was able to see it in person (and take the guided tour) when I was living in Germany as a child, and it’s one of the places I would love to see again.

Schloss Neuschwanstein translates to “New Swan Castle” (“schwan” meaning “swan”), and there is definitely a lot of swan in this castle – in addition to the name itself, the castle was built in a region called Schwangau, near a lake now called the Schwansee, originally called Burg Schwanstein.  It overlooks Hohenschwangau Castle, Ludwig II’s childhood home.  Ludwig II was inspired by Lohengrin, the Swan Knight – both the tale (depicted in murals in Hohenschwangau) and the opera by Wagner. Additionally, the swan is the heraldric animal of the knights of Schwangau. In keeping with all this, swans can be found throughout the castle in artwork, furniture, fabrics, carvings, and even one of the windows! 

Price: $11

Cap: 120 bottles 

I just love how descriptive Issa is in writing about her inspiration. I didn't know that she lived in Germany as a child which is super interesting. The Swan Castle polish was inspired by the castle exterior and is a lapis blue crelly base with white flakes and a sprinkling of red/green/blue/gold shimmer. I went ahead and used 3 thin coats for my photos, but you'll likely get away with 2 if you use thicker coats or have shorter nails. It dried quickly and with no texture, so 1 coat of regular topcoat is all you'll need. Such a beautiful shade of blue!

Starlight and Sparkles Swan Castle Earrings

Inspiration: the bay window alcove in Ludwig II's bedroom with richly embroidered blue and gold upholstery and stained glass windows 

Price: $15

Cap: 50

 I absolutely adore these earrings! It's hard to see the deep blue color in indoor light, but it really stands out in sunshine. These are made with round lapis lazuli beads, a Swarovski crystal drop, and gold plated wire and beads (lead-free and nickel-free). I am one of those people sensitive to nickel in earrings, so I really appreciate this. These are hook earrings (as opposed to posts, leverbacks, or clips), and will come with a small, flower-shaped silicone stopper on each hook – some people don’t use them, but I like to have things like that to make sure the hooks don’t come off (who hasn't lost an earring that way?). Each earring is approximately 1 and 7/8" long (approximately 4.76 cm). These are big enough to stand out without being too large or heavy. 

There you have it, folks! A few of these items have a cap, so it's best to add your items to the cart the night before the sale goes live. You need to have an account and sign in first before adding your wish listed items to the cart. Easy peasy. What do you think? What are you picking up this month? 

*These polishes were provided by the company or PR representative. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*