OPI Joins Bond 007 for 6 New Liquid Sand Polishes

When I first heard the rumor that OPI was coming out with a polish called Pussy Galore, the inner teenager in me started laughing.  Yes, I understand that it's the name of a Bond Girl (which, by the way I have not seen many Bond movies), but I couldn't help but laugh.  What REALLY cracked me up was that the official press release started with "Polish Galore!" which was like "HEY I know you're not REALLY talking to me but I feel like you're talking to me!"  Wee.

I ended up buying all 6 of these and they are their way to me so I can play. I have a real love/hate with texture polishes... I love the way they look but I hate applying (long dry time) and removing (sandy particles all over your fingers).  Please enjoy the following release.

Polish Galore! 
OPI Joins Bond 007 to Release Six New Revolutionary Liquid Sand™ Nail Lacquers Inspired by 50 Years of James Bond 

OPI announces the launch of Bond Girls, a collection of six new Liquid Sand™ nail lacquers featuring a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle fitting the allure surrounding the Bond Girls. In hues of white, pink, blue, purple, gold and coral, Bond Girls offers a range of shimmering shades with the distinctive Liquid Sand finish. “OPI is extremely excited to partner again with EON Productions,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI co-founder & Artistic Director. “Following the success of the holiday promotion with the latest James Bond film, Skyfall, it’s been a thrill to create colors for the women who’ve captured Bond’s attention over the last five decades. “The six shades are named after some of the most iconic – and my favorite – Bond girls, including: Solitaire, Pussy Galore, Tiffany Case, Vesper, Honey Ryder and Jinx,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “Worn without top coat, these Liquid Sand lacquers give nails a pebbled, matte finish worthy of the captivating ‘Bond Girls’ name.” 

Bond Girls by OPI features six Liquid Sand nail lacquers: 

Solitaire
This diamond-sparkling white is totally engaging. 

Pussy Galore
This light feminine pink has the purrrfect amount of shimmer. 

Tiffany Case
A classic light blue worth investigating.

Vesper
A mysterious and intriguing deep purple.

Honey Ryder
Take a ryde on the wild side in this shimmery gold.

Jinx
This mesmerizing matte coral has lucky sparkle. 

OPI Liquid Sand lacquers should always be worn without top coat. Bond Girls by OPI nail lacquers feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. These six new shades will be available beginning May 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Chatters, JCP Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer. For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

ABOUT OPI
As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

About Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions 
EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with MGM, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films as well as all worldwide merchandising. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company which makes the James Bond films. The 007 franchise is the longest running in film history with twenty-three films produced since 1962. Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli succeeded Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and have produced some of the most successful Bond films ever including CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE and SKYFALL.

OPI Now Available at ULTA.com, First Authorized E-Commerce Source in United States

I'm in a few Facebook Groups that are about nail polish and/or blogging and one question I see a lot is "Where can I buy OPI online?" There have been online stores that have popped up but they have all been shut down because OPI had not authorized them to be an e-commerce source in the USA.

However, in March 2013, OPI made two large Ulta announcements.  The first was that you can no longer use your Ulta coupons for OPI purchases (other big brands have this same restriction). The second was that OPI would now be available on Ulta.com.

I know people have questioned why Ulta and not Sephora, but if you recall, Sephora has their own OPI line called Sephora by OPI. Some have dubbed it $OPI because the brand is more expensive than OPI, yet are the same quality and at times, the exact same colors (or very close duplicates/dupes).

In addition to selling OPI online, Ulta.com will always have nail treatments, lotions and certain OPI manicure/pedicure tools.

OPI is available now on ULTA.com. For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com. Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

Sally Hansen Relaunched Complete Salon Manicure collection

Sally Hansen holds a dear place in my heart. My mom used to only wear a rose gold polish when she was young and when I started blogging, she really liked my Sally Hansen Raisin the Bar. I mentioned she passed away in January, but as I was preparing this blog posting, I found where she hand modeled the bottle for me.
 Definitely made me smile.  I also found this one.

Ah mom - miss ya.

The Complete Salon Manicure used to be a 5 in 1 system all in a bottle, but this March, they completely reformulated in to be a 7 in 1 formula. (Oh yeah buddy).

On top of that, they have loads of new colors - please enjoy the following.

THE BEST GETS BETTER
SALLY HANSEN COMPLETE SALON MANICURE DELIVERS 7 BENEFITS OF A SALON MANICURE
IN 1 BOTTLE


WHAT IT IS: A breakthrough way to maximize your manicure. As the ultimate color authority, Sally Hansen has always been at the cutting edge of nail innovation. First, Sally Hansen introduced the first-ever polish to deliver five steps of a professional manicure with the Complete Salon Manicure collection. Now the nail care leader is upping the ante with two additional benefits—gel-like shine and chip-resistance—for the ultimate 7-in-1 formula. 

THE TECHNOLOGY: Reformulated with three proprietary time-released protecting shine enhancers, Complete Salon Manicure now delivers lasting shine—the closest you can get to a gel effect without a gel manicure. Housed in breakthrough nano-tubes, the shine enhancers are released as your nails flex during daily wear and tear, helping provide an additional benefit: maximum chip-resistance.

THE BRUSH: The Precision Brush is rounded to fit the curve of your cuticles and is perfectly shaped to hug the contours of your nails.  With an 800-bristle count, shorter brush length, and precision product pickup, the brush promotes better application for better wear. 

THE COLORS: Combining universally flattering shades with the latest effects and looks, Sally Hansen offers the must-have hues of the moment in the most comprehensive formula yet: Complete Salon Manicure. Shades include:

Metal-Morphasis: Metals are evolving beyond silver and gold to capture coppers (Copper Penny), bronze and gunmetal (Shoot the Moon).  Oversized particles in metals and holographics (Snow Globe) create a luminous effect.

Barely Blush: Innocent nudes and sheers are a soft response to the vibrant color culture.  White sheer (Sheer Bliss) and shimmer glaze (Debut-tint) give a new look to the classics.

Earthy Delights: Opaque skin tones (Pink Pong), terra cotta (So Much Fawn) and stone (Greige) create grounded colors for a modern spin on looks from the 70’s.

Garden Party: New pastels are dusty (I Lilac You), urban (Gray-T Escape) and not your standard pink or lavender (Pink a Card) for a more wearable and less traditional spin.

Fruity Florals:  Floral (Rosey Outlook), Coral (Peach of Cake) and Orchid (Punch Drunk) colors are combined to create gorgeous brights.

Red Desire: Classic Orangey Red (All Fired Up) and plummy wines (Ruby Do and Trouble Maker) complement the purple fashions of the season.

Under the Sea:  These marine shades range from sea foam (Jaded) to Cobalt (Blue My Mind) to a fantastical mix of blue and green (Mermaid’s Tail).

WHAT THEY COST: $7.99 each


WHERE TO FIND THEM: Sally Hansen products are available at chain drug stores and mass retailers nationally








OPI & Disney's Oz The Great and Powerful collection

I know that these came out two months ago and I actually found some on clearance at my local Ulta, but I do enjoy posting press releases for collections if nothing else, for my own research purposes. I ended up buying Which Is Witch which to me is like Save Me and Servin' Up Sparkle had a baby.

Additionally, there was some outcry that When Monkeys Fly had curling "taco" glitter, where the large reflective gold disc glitter would not lay with the nail and instead stuck up, allowing for peeling of the polish. OPI said on their Facebook that they would replace certain batch numbered bottles for replacement bottles. Please read this Facebook posting for more details.

And now, for the press release!

OPI Celebrates Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful with Limited Edition Nail Lacquers, Including NEW Liquid Sand Hue 

OPI announces the launch of six limited edition nail lacquers and a new Liquid Sand™ shade, inspired by Disney’s Oz The Great and Powerful. With an all-star cast that includes James Franco and Michelle Williams, this highly-anticipated film opens in theaters on March 8, 2013. “OPI is very excited to take this fantastical journey with Disney,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “Inspired by the magic of Oz The Great and Powerful, this SoftShades collection captures the whimsy seen in the film, from glittery shades packed with white, gold and silvery iridescent confetti – Lights of Emerald City, When Monkeys Fly! and Which is Witch? – to soft neutrals in white, beige and pink – Don’t Burst My Bubble, Glints of Glinda and I Theodora You. “The new Liquid Sand nail lacquer – What Wizardry is This? – features OPI’s groundbreaking technology for a textured, matte finish infused with reflective sparkle,” adds Weiss-Fischmann. “This rich taupe hue was designed for James Franco’s character, the great Wizard of Oz, and is sure to make a bold statement this spring.” 


With a mix of soft crème and warm glitter shades, the line is ideal for layering to create rich, complex looks. In addition to the Liquid Sand nail lacquer in What Wizardry is This?, the promotion includes: 

Lights of Emerald City
White confetti adds city girl flair and style to nails. 

Don’t Burst My Bubble 
Don’t wake me...I’m dreaming about puffy clouds of white.

When Monkeys Fly!
I’m simply bananas for this gold confetti.

Glints of Glinda
Only a good witch could turn beige from meek to chic.

Which is Witch?
Is this silver glitter with iridescent sparkle or the other way around?

I Theodora You
This adorable, sheer pink is bewitching on you.

As with all OPI nail lacquers, the shades inspired by Oz The Great and Powerful contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and feature OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. This limited edition promotion will be available beginning March 2013 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, jcp Salons, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $9.00 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each nail lacquer. For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com

Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

ABOUT OPI As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics.

ABOUT Oz The Great and Powerful Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved wizard character. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great wizard but into a better man as well. “Oz The Great and Powerful” is produced by Joe Roth, with screen story by Mitchell Kapner and screenplay by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire. Grant Curtis, Palak Patel, Philip Steuer and Josh Donen are serving as executive producers. “Oz The Great and Powerful” opens in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2013.

CPNA Announces Initial Discover Beauty 2013 Lineup

Discover Beauty is a great place to learn about brands, so I'm excited to see the new brands that will be there this year!  My husband is obsessed with the Kyoku for Men Sake Infused Shave Creme - Kyoku was a Discover Beauty brand in 2011.


DISCOVER BEAUTY 2013 OVERVIEW ANNOUNCING THE INITIAL LINEUP FOR THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM 
Las Vegas, NV (March 5, 2013) – The Discover Beauty program, an exclusive initiative of Cosmoprof North America (CPNA), returns for its seventh successful year of matching leading retailers with emerging beauty brands in 2013. Companies from all over the world must be approved to participate in Discover Beauty, ensuring an exclusive array of unique, cutting-edge brands that are sure to be the "next big thing." For these brands, CPNA show organizers arrange pre-scheduled sales meetings and events with important retailers, however, the area is open to all attendees throughout the 3-day event. CPNA is proud to announce the initial Discover Beauty line-up for 2013: African Botanics, Greenland, Jenetiqua, Manuka Doctor, Marilou Bio, MDSolarSciences, Million Dollar Hair, Mirabella Beauty, Skin&Co Roma and VitaMan.

The Discover Beauty program is a high-end, curated section centrally located on the show floor combining the best of both worlds: a one-on-one customized buyer program complete with pre-arranged face-to-face meetings to take place in private meeting room spaces as well as a traditional exhibition presentation.  This allows the brands to enjoy the exposure to all attendees at the show, but it also guarantees the face-to-face time with select specialty retail buyers to secure placement into key accounts. 

All Discover Beauty brands are automatically enrolled for the 2013 Discover Beauty Award. This award is given to one brand, which is recognized for its creativity in concept, packaging and overall ability to succeed in this competitive retail market. The winner is selected by industry leaders, beauty editors and participating retailers. The Discover Beauty Award winner will be announced on the evening of Sunday, July 14, 2013, as part of a private reception. 

Below is the initial list of the 2013 Discover Beauty exhibiting companies:
 

AFRICAN BOTANICS – SOUTH AFRICA
African Botanics is a luxury beauty brand; the first to offer a curated collection of pure, powerful indigenous South African botanicals merged with fair trade and wild-harvested Marula oil. Their Marula collection is a modern day skin care miracle with potent anti-antioxidants, omegas, nutrients and the brilliant benefits of therapeutic essential oils that are perfectly hand crafted to transfuse the true essence of Africa’s nature. africanbotanics.com 

GREENLAND – NETHERLANDS

Greenland, a natural and organic bath and body brand, uses the utmost care when developing its products. The fruit extracts, essential oils, milkies and natural butters in combination with the stunning packaging and design make greenland products not only great for your skin, but also for your senses. Greenland treats your senses, naturally. greenland.nl


JENETIQUA – CANADA

Jenetiqa invites you to discover their scientifically innovative luxury skin care line based on the science of Ubiquinol. Ubiquinol is a recently discovered, patented and highly bio-available antioxidant that fights free radicals at the source and greatly enhances cellular energy and cellular turnover. jenetiqua.com



MANUKA DOCTOR – NEW ZEALAND

Manuka Doctor is an independent brand from New Zealand that has developed a range of groundbreaking formulations based on two key ingredients; Certified Manuka Honey, known for healing & moisturizing & the brands' own patented Purified Bee Venom: refined, concentrated and 100% bee-friendly, that nurtures cell regeneration and encourages collagen production. The brand has earned cult status in the UK anti blemish and anti-aging skincare category, earning the title 'nature’s answer to botox'. manukadr.com


MARILOU BIO – FRANCE

MARILOU BIO believes in making certified organic cosmetics affordable to all women who want to pamper themselves while being ecofriendly.  Their goal is to introduce their customers to ecological and cleaner products that benefit the environment.  mariloubio.com


MDSOLARSCIENCES – U.S.  

Everyone knows the sun is the skin’s number-one enemy, but most of us still skip sunscreen, finding what’s available to be heavy, pore clogging, and filled with irritants.  Faced with this knowledge, dermatologic oncologist Dr. Robert J. Friedman, a Clinical Professor at the NYU School of Medicine, with a commitment to advance the science of photo (sun)-protection and skin cancer prevention, founded and created MDSolarSciences™. mdsolarsciences.com 


MILLION DOLLAR HAIR – NORWAY 

Million Dollar Hair belives that it is important to use natural ingredients in their products because research has proven that natural ingredients provide the best results for hair and skin care. Million Dollar Hair products have healing properties that will help your hair in a natural way. Without harsh man-made chemicals. milliondollarhair.com
 
MIRABELLA BEAUTY – U.S.

Mirabella is makeup with personality. Clean cosmetics in fashion-forward colors which create beautiful looks for whatever your day may bring. Vitamin-enriched long-lasting formulas moisturize and condition, while providing antioxidant protection and anti-aging properties.These mineral-based products are Paraben-free, Talc-free, Lead-free, Gluten-free, FD&C/D&C Dye-free. mirabellabeauty.com
 
SKIN&CO ROMA - ITALY

In 1953, Giuseppina Balestra got the idea of bringing botanical oils based on her old traditional recipes into her skincare line. Science has now shown that the fresh ingredients in these oils, such as Truffle and Argan contain extremely beneficial compounds in their natural form and are now scientifically proven to have great anti-aging benefits. skinandcoroma.com
 
VITAMAN NATURAL GROOMING FOR MEN – AUSTRALIA

Born from the harshness of the Australian environment, nature is at the very core of the VitaMan Brand.  The first skincare company to introduce the therapeutic properties of unique native Australian botanicals, VitaMan has created a natural, high performance line that is results driven, free of harmful synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances and colours. vitaman.com.au


Cosmoprof North America will take place July 14 - 16, 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.  Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica

Organizer: Cosmoprof North America is organized by North American BeautyEvents LLC a joint-venture company between BolognaFiere Group and the Professional Beauty Association
BolognaFiere Group, the world’s leading trade show organizer in the cosmetics, fashion, architecture, building, art and culture sectors, features in its portfolio more than 80 exhibitions, both domestic and international. SoGeCos Sp.A., a company of BolognaFiere Group, is the organizer of Cosmoprof, an international platform, with events in Bologna (established 1967), Hong Kong (established 1996) and Las Vegas (established 2003).
 
The Professional Beauty Association (PBA) advances the professional beauty industry by providing our members with education, charitable outreach, government advocacy, events and more. PBA is the largest organization of industry professionals with members representing salons and spas, distributors, manufacturers and beauty professionals/NCA. Visit probeauty.org or call 800.468.2274 (480.281.0424) to learn more.

KBShimmer Summer 2013 Collection

I have yet to try KBShimmer myself, but I feel like it's going to be in my next Indie purchase. Please enjoy the following release.

KBShimmer is excited to announce the addition of 9 new colors to their 3-Free glitter polish line and an expansion to their nail prep line.  Owner Christy Rose says “With warm weather and sandals popping up, June is the perfect time for bright, bold colors and patriotic themes to celebrate a fun and exciting summer.”

The summer lineup includes one glitter top coat, two glitter crellys in a white base and six bright, bold polishes, two in a matte finish.  KBShimmer will also be expanding their nail care line to include two scented cuticle oils and liquid nail prep. “Our new line was created to play off the bolder palette of summer, some inspired by the 80’s and 90s, but also to celebrate the patriotic season. One of our polishes plays off the color of the year, Emerald Green, and will ease people into the summer while two others were inspired by the fall 2013 Pantone colors Koi and Vivacious. Both will make for an easy transition through the summer and into the fall.  We are also excited to unveil two scented cuticle oils in an easy-applicator pen.  We hope to inspire and motivate people to go out in the sun and show off their nails!” says Rose.

KBShimmer– SUMMER 2013 COLLECTION

What’s Your Damage? – White crelly polish with neon green, neon pink, and black glitters.
Don’t Pink Twice – Bright near magenta pink with subtle blue shimmer - matte
24 Carrot Bold – Orange red polish with gold shimmer - matte

Blinded By The Bright – Neon yellow polish with a scattering of hex glitters in the 6 primary and secondary colors
The Dancing Green – A almost neon green with blue undertones, accented by fuchsia, sapphire,  green and chartreuse glitters in different shapes and sizes
Totally Tubular – A blue-green crelly polish with fuchsia circle glitters in two sizes and fuchsia micro slices, aqua circle glitters and sapphire hex glitters.

Totally Razzical – A red-violet shade leaning towards the purple side of raspberry. Loaded with holographic hex glitters in magenta, silver and pink.
Grayscale – Black, White, and Gray glitters are suspended in a clear base. Circles, hexes, rectangles, and squares in so many sizes complete this glitter top coat.
Pimp My Pride – This white based polish features metallic red and blue glitters. Best worn in three coats, or 1-2 coats over your favorite white.

Shipping June 1, 2013
KBShimmer products can be found at Http://www.KBShimmer.com.  For sales outside of the US visit http://www.HarlowandCo.org.


KBShimmer was founded in 2008 by the husband and wife team of Jason and Christy Rose.  KBShimmer offers unique and colorful nail glitter nail polishes that are Big 3 Free, with all glitter formulas being completely free of chemicals such as toluene, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).  KBShimmer glitter polishes feature a flat glitter grabbing brush for easy application.  KBShimmer also offers a 2-free quick dry polish top coat, olive oil lotion, sugar scrubs, lip balms, cold process soaps and other skin care products.

CPNALV 2013: TV Shopping Challenge Search


If you have a beauty brand or know of one, this is an amazing opportunity!

Cosmoprof North America - 2013 Product & Talent Scout

THE TV SHOPPING SEARCH – DOES YOUR BRAND HAS WHAT IT TAKES?

This year, Cosmoprof North America (CPNA), named one of the fastest growing trade shows by Trade Show News Network introduces the first-ever TV Shopping Challenge Search. The beauty industry is a constant when it comes to innovation, trends and consumer demand. The objective of every brand is to partner with a successful retailer and who does not want to connect with the consumer via television to get their story out to the world? Home shopping such as HSNQVC and HOME SHOPPING connects with billions of consumers who watch and shop from the privacy of their homes making shopping as easy as 1-2-3. At CPNA, merchants from HSNQVC and SHOPPING CHANNEL are amongst the retailers who participate in our successful buyer program looking for such innovation to unveil to their viewers.  With the success of CPNA’s brand/retailer matching-making program, the show organizers will be unveiling the TV Shopping Channel Search this year.

This year, HSNQVC and The Shopping Channel will participate as the panel of judges looking for the next hot beauty product. The competitionwill take place on Sunday, July 14th inside TALENT SEARCH booth located on the show floor at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. Beauty executives from these shopping networks will be present to meet the brandfor their presentations. All brands will come to the booth prepared with their three minute PRODUCT PITCH. The search will be open ONLY TO Exhibitors and each brand will only get one time toaudition. The booth will be open July 14th from 10am to 6pm. The merchants will reveal the winners (for their perspective shows) on Tuesday, July 16th. The announcements will be held at the talent booth.

The winning beauty brands will be awarded a 30 – day mentorship towork with the teams at HSNQVC and The Shopping Channel topotentially launch their product. The entire learning process is to educate on what it takes to work with these home shopping giants and getprepared for their possible debut on televison.

JulieG Tokyo Nights


Hello lovelies! I am getting ready for family photos but I wanted to share this stunner with you from JulieG - Tokyo Nights! This deep blue creme was a part of the expansion release of JulieG colors earlier this year.

Now I'm not normally a fan of blues and I'm always scared they are going to stain, so I decided to use one of my trusty Cult Nails Get It On and paint on one coat. It was SO pigmented that I decided to stop there, add some Cult Nails Wicked Fast and clean up the edges. This polish did run into a few of my cuticles but I also was a bit out of practice on wearing nail polish so you can also blame my unsteady hand.

Now, you may see a little VNL line here in the bright sun but I didn't see it while wearing the polish. I was really surprised at how pigmented it was, and am always glad to have that in polish. I don't have time to add layer after layer after layer and then wait for them all to dry - no thank you!

I tried to get a shot indoors but my nails were so shiny that you just see lots of background reflected in my nails (sorry!). I only wore this polish for about an hour but thankfully in that hour I didn't have ANY staining. That was such a relief. I don't wear polish for days at a time when I just can't make up my mind so I like being able to have clean naked nails. (Not totally naked because I always wear base coat on my nails to help keep them protected.)

So overall, if you're looking for a true pigmented blue, pick this up! The application is awesome and the price is always right with JulieG.

You can purchase JulieG in Rite Aid stores across the US or shop online at Jesse's Girl Cosmetics which ships worldwide!  JulieG sells for $3.99 for a 0.35 fl oz (10 mL) bottle.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company for consideration.  For more information, please read this post.

Pamper Mom Pretty with CND

Mother's Day is Sunday (ahem) and if you're anything like me, you'd love a gift certificate for a manicure & pedicure. Give her the honor of a great manicure and pedicure from a quality salon with quality products like the following from CND!

Now, the best way to find a CND certified salon is through the CND website. It's important that the salon location that says they have Shellac is actually using all the proper products, tools and procedures to make sure you get all the benefits of the CND services.  You may remember that I reviewed a local salon that uses Shellac, and I know that they are using all the proper tools but they haven't been CND cetified yet (working on it).

Start out with the CND Citrus SpaManicure to exfoliate, refine and moisturize the hands leaving them silky smooth for days and follow with the CND Marine SpaPedicure, a conditioning ocean-inspired bled.

Then follow it up with Shellac! New to summer are four bright colors.
Grape Gum
Lobster Roll
Pink Bikini
Water Park

Not a fan of the brights? There are 51 other CND Shellac colors and remember, you can always layer shades for a custom look.  

So far I've tried:

  • One coat of Purple Purple and one coat of Moonlight & Roses which resulted in a nice lilac shade.
  • Two coats of Hollywood, a pretty red, with a top coat of Mother of Pearl, a light holographic scattered glitter, much like China Glaze Fairy Dust for a scattered holo red.
  • My own "Bridezillionaire": pre-designed "rock-n-roll darks" of Rock Royalty with Iced Coral.  This results in a purple base with a blue to green shift shimmer.  Then I had a layer of the Zillionaire added for some glitz.
The combinations are endless. Not to mention 14 days wear, mirror-shine and zero dry time. Go one step further and give her a follow up appointment so she can have her Shellac safely removed by a professional and try out another combination!  Happy Mother's Day!

Beauty Blog Coalition Spring Giveaway!



The Beauty Blog Coalition is a group of Beauty Bloggers who work to bring you the latest on all things beauty. This spring we have collaborated to put together a giveaway of $500. Follow the Rafflecopter instructions below to enter. Giveaway is open to international participants.

Here is the list of the member's participating in the current giveaway - be sure to check them out for some enjoyable reading:
Blushing Basics
PolishGalore
Clumps of Mascara
Justina's Gems
Beyond Beauty Lounge
Beauty 101
Cosmetics Aficionado
Just For Trendy Girls
Peek & Ponder
Pretty In Pink
Aquaheart's Obsessions
InTruBeauty
Beauty Info Zone
Moxie Reviews
Prime Beauty
Midnight Manicures
Geniabeme
Blushing Noir
Beauty by Miss L
Peace Love Lipgloss
TheFabZilla
polarbelle
My Highest Self
MinaSlater.com - Fabulous Awesomeness
george&bear
Lipgloss Break
Painted Ladies



a Rafflecopter giveaway