NOTD: 24 October 2013

Press Sample 
I finally updated my polish spreadsheet earlier this week when I couldn't sleep and realized I have a LOT of nail polish. Additionally, I have a lot of nail polish that I haven't worn. So a few nights ago I decided to just randomly grab a color and GO.
I had a base coat of Cult Nails Get It On when I decided to grab Morgan Taylor Bronzed & Beautiful, a metallic gold polish. I used two coats and realized metallic gold and I don't go well together. The polish was fantastic - great formula, didn't pool in my cuticles, nice opacity... but my skin tone and gold? Nah.
So I decided to add dots! I can do this. I used Morgan Taylor Lost In Paradise a beautiful Tiffany blue creme. I placed a drop of polish on a plastic nail wheel and dipped my essence dotting tool to add random dots on my ring finger. Okay, not bad - but I just wasn't feeling the dots. The blue didn't pop against the gold as well as I hoped. I topped my manicure with Cult Nails Wicked Fast and decided to sit awhile and think about what I could do when it hit me.
I have a tiny striper brush in my ORLY Instant Artist polish! Now this was apart of the Nail Art Society relaunch kit and it's a funky but awesome concept. The polish (or paint as they call it) is water based so if you mess up, you can just wipe it off with water. Oh yes, you heard me right. Also it's super opaque (which is SO RARE) and then it's a thin brush so you can really draw some lines. So I decided to draw lines around my dots and BAM a leopard mani that Snooki would be proud of.
I attempted to photograph this today but I learned that I've gone WAY too long without taking photos and just about every single one was blurry. Lame.  But I did get this.

Yay! I was actually really proud of this manicure. I was even able to paint my Cinderella hand with the accent too. That's saying something.
PS: Super cool random fact, this is my 1500 post on PolishGalore! Yay milestone!

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

Halloween Nail Art

I'm currently rocking some nubs after snapping not one but three nails last week, so hopefully this posting helps you and I alike find some creative ways to celebrate Halloween with our nails - long or short. All images courtesy of their respective companies.

If nail art isn't your thing, Dermelect Cosmeceuticals has 4 brilliant colors that will help accent your costume or show off your holiday spirit.

Head Turner

A brilliant tangerine creme - perfect for pumpkin related costumes.

Decadence

A metallic espresso - great for a witch or zombie look.

Red-iculous

This classic red creme works great for blood related manicures.

Persuasive

This delicate peach is perfect for princess costumes.

Dermelect ME Anti-Aging Nail Lacquers ($14) at Dermelect.com and high-end apothecaries, beauty boutiques, salons, spas, medi-spas and doctors offices.

Next, Pure Ice has 18 scintillating and stylish shades in their new Perfect Potion Halloween Collection including a Glow in the Dark polish to help you mix and match for the perfect manicure.

Perfect Potion Halloween Shades

-Glow In The Dark

-Cheatin' (glittery purple)

-All Night Long (sparkle blue)

-Hit The Floor (sparkle red)

-I'll Never Tell (glitter brown)

-Superstar (white)

-Blackout (black)

-Can't Stop (coral pink)

-Free Spirit (sea green)

-Silver Star (silver)

At only $1.99, the price is definitely right to collect them all and rock several different looks. Pure Ice is available at Walmart and Walmart.com

CND is constantly being the innovated one that thinks outside the box, and this Halloween they created Hollywood-inspired nail looks to die for. Ask your favorite salon to help recreate these Shellac looks or the last one is done with Vinylux for the at home DIY-er!

 The Redrum - Inspired by the cult classic "The Shining". Created by Heather Reynosa-Davis, CND Education Ambassador.
1. Apply a thin later of CNS Shellac Base Coat and cure for 10 seconds in the CND UV Lamp.
2. Apply two thin layers of CND Shellac in Wildfire. Cure each layer for 2 minutes.
3. Apply a thin layer of CND Shellac in Black Pool - DO NOT CURE.
4. Use a style to etch the letters into the wet Black Pool revealing Wildfire underneath. Cure for 2 minutes.
5. Apply a thin layer of Shellac Top Coat and cure for 2 minutes.
6. Wipe with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove top film.

The Dracula - Inspired by Bram Stoker's 1931 classic horror film. Created by Kris Kiss, CND Education Ambassador
1. Apply CND Shellac Base Coat and cure for 10 seconds in the CND UV Lamp.
2. Apply two coats of CND Shellac in Cream Puff. Cure each layer for 2 minutes.
3. Apply CND Additive in Black Pigment from cuticle towards the center.
4. Apply CND Additive in Red Pigment from the edge towards the center.
5. Apply drops of isopropyl alcohol randomly on black pigment area.
6. Lightly apply CND Shellac in Wildfire over red pigment area and cure for 2 minutes.
7. Lightly dust CND Additive in Steel Dreams over black pigment area.
8. Apply CND Shellac Top Coat and cure for 2 minutes.
9. Wipe with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove top film.

The Alien - Inspired by Steven Spielberg's 1970s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Created by Torie Bastian, CND Education Ambassador
1. Apply two coats of CND Vinylux in Steal Gaze and wait for it to dry (8.5 minutes).
2. Using a striping brush, draw two large almond shaped eyes using CND Vinylux in Black Pool.
3. With a striping brush, outline the shape of the alien's head and fill in the surrounding area with CND Vinylux in Midnight Swim.
4. For additional effect, use a sponge dipped in CND Vinylux colors of your choice to create a nebulous, space-like look. Let dry for 1 minute.
5. Apply CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat.

ORLY brings you 4 polishes that are sure to give you just the right of glitz and glam for any Halloween Look.

Black Pixel, Right Amount of Evil, R.I.O. and Monster Mash; $10 each at OrlyBeauty.com. Additionally, ORLY is offering free shipping on all orders over $16 with the code FALLFREESHIP from now until November 15th. Any guest who makes a purchase using FALLFREESHIP is additionally eligible to receive a coupon code for 20% off their next order. All 20% off coupon codes are eligible for savings through December 15th.

Finally, Gelish brings you a great Spooky Eyes nail art from head manicurist Danielle Candido. This is great for those who may not be able to dress up at the office but can rock a look on their nails! (And it's also for someone like me who may be a little nail art challenged!)

Prep the nails first: Apply Gelish MINI Nail Surface Cleanse on to a lint-free wipe to clean the nails. Push back the cuticle and clean the surrounding nail. Apply an adhesive tab to the plastic pusher and lightly buff the nail to remove the shine. Apply Gelish MINI Nail Surface Cleanse to a lint-free wipe to remove the dust and clean the nails. Dehydrate the nail plate with Gelish MINI pH Bond. 

1. Apply a thin coat of Gelish MINI Foundation Gel to the nail, making sure to cap the free edge. Use a clean orangewood stick to clean up any excess Gelish MINI Foundation Gel from around the cuticle or under the nail. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. After curing Gelish MINI Foundation Gel, a tacky surface will remain. 

2. Apply a thin coat of Gelish MINI Black Shadow to the entire nail bed from the cuticle to the free edge.  Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. Apply a second coat of Gelish MINI Black Shadow for full coverage. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. Darker colors, such as Gelish MINI Black Shadow may need to be cured longer. 

3. Using the larger end of a double-ended dotting tool, place two dots of Gelish MINI Sheek White on the nail bed next to each other. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED light for 45 seconds. Using the smaller end of the double-ended dotting tool, place two smaller dots of Gelish MINI Black Shadow inside the dots of Gelish MINI Sheek White. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED light for 45 seconds. 

4. Seal with a thin coat of Gelish MINI Top It Off Sealer and cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. Your nails will remain tacky until they are cleansed. 

5. Apply Gelish MINI Nail Surface Cleanse to a lint-free nail wipe to remove the tacky surface. To finish, apply Gelish MINI Nourish Cuticle Oil to the skin surrounding the nail plate and massage into the cuticles.  

There you have it! No matter what your skill level or what products you have, there are many options to rock a great manicure next week for Halloween. Stay tuned to PolishGalore to see what I ended up wearing next Thursday!

ORLY Updates

ORLY has really worked hard this year to revamp their line, starting with the new logo and working all the way to their new website. (All images courtesy of ORLY)

They have also released several awesome collections. First is the fall 2013 collection Surreal. This was a pretty full palette of duo-chromatic shimmers and soft cremes. 

Purple Poodle: Fuchsia duochrome shimmer

Digital Glitter: metallic duo-chrome glitter

Angel Rain: Light blue duo-chrome

Pink Waterfall: Pink creme

Teal Unreal: Teal creme

Pixi Powder: Light purple and gold shimmer

The Surreal Collection launched in September and are available for $8.50 each.

Also launched in September was the new Matte FX collection. I got to sneak peek these at Cosmoprof North America and it was so unique! While most polish companies are just pushing out a matte top coat and calling it on trend, ORLY took it one step further and added flakies to the mix.

Three top coats - to include just a plain Matte Top (clear, matte finish).

Green Flakie Top Coat

Sheer green base with purple, blue and green flakies.

Pink Flakie Top Coat

Sheer pink base with multi-colored iridescent flakies

And to throw it into the mix, two lacquers as well.

Iron Butterfly

Charcoal matte shimmer

Purple Velvet

Purple matte creme

Launching this month in support of Breast Cancer Awareness, ORLY is re-introducing the Pretty in Pink Collection in which 20% of the profits will go towards Cancer Schmancer. Founded by actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher, Cancer Schmancer is an organization that focuses on education, prevention and early detection of cancer. The Pretty in Pink Collection includes one all new glitter shade, Pink Your World.

Fight On

Chunky Pink Glitter/Blue Pearl

Pink Your World

Pink Glitter w/Holo and Gunmetal Glitter

You Are Not Alone

Cool Tone Pink Glitter

And there you have it! I can't wait to see what they come out with this winter and in the months to come. I've already fallen in love with their water based stripers (soon to come on PolishGalore!) so I'm looking forward to what's next!

#31DC2013 Day 5: Blue Nails

I told you I'd catch up! Challenge #5 is Blue Nails - and I was worried about staining so I decided to go with a lighter blue.

I used a base coat of Seche Natural for a matte finish, 2 coats of China Glaze Sci-Fly By which is from the Hologlam collection and then attempted The Nailasaurus waterfall manicure using ORLY Instant Artist in Crisp White, Jet Black and True Blue.

I don't think I totally nailed it, but I'm excited about how simple this was! The stripers on the ORLY Instant Artist are the perfect size for small lines like this - although I think I need to make my lines closer in size and maybe just make more lines in general.  I had tried a few weeks ago and it wasn't really a win.

But hey, it's a learning experience and I'm learning!

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

#31DC2013 Day 4: Green Nails

Day 4 means green nails - one of my least favorite of the polish colors. I started with a base of Cult Nails Get It On followed by 2 coats of Zoya Meg, a shimmery apple green polish. Next I added dots using Ruby Wing Birdie and outlined them with ORLY Instant Artist striper in Jet Black. I did not add a top coat but voila - we have instant cheetah print... in wild colors.

Simple - not overly complicated! The toughest part was outlining the dots as my hand isn't as steady as I'd like but I think it went over okay!

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

#31DC2013 Day 2: Orange Nails

Happy Labor Day to all my USA friends! I literally spent the day doing labor, but what can you do.  Today's challenge was "orange nails" and I had a hard time finding an orange in my stash that I wanted to wear today!

I ended up going with the Jesse's Girl JulieG Beauty Guru as my base. This was part of the original JulieG launch before they got their own bottles.  I started with Cult Nails Get It on for my base coat, 2 coats of polish and Cult Nails Wicked Fast as my top coat.  Then I tried to get overly ambitious with my ORLY Instant Artist water-based paints in Crisp White. I'm one of the new Nail Art Society Nail Art Gurus and these ORLY Instant Artist water-based paints will be in the new box that is coming out. I promise to write more about that later - but I have to say it was really easy to use.

Day 2.

Trying to use my new point-and-shoot camera. It's a Canon PowerShot A4000. I bought this to replace my beloved PowerShot A2000 which broke on the bottom earlier this year.

I think every thing went well until I got to my pointer finger and then I got crazy and it was bad.  But hey, working on it just means I have somewhere to go up!

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

Live from Cosmoprof North America 2013!

So after missing my flight, being rerouted 5 hours out of my way, and showing up 7 hours late, having my laptop wireless card go southside, my iPad not charge and a migraine the size of Texas, I am in Las Vegas for the Cosmoprof North America show!

Yesterday I met with a large diverse group of brands - NCLA (yes, it's in all caps!), China Glaze (Gelaze anyone?!), OPI (item coming this fall that I am jumping up and DOWN for!), Barielle (great story line behind each collection), Seche (much more pigment and boldness!), ORLY (flakie IN matte top coat!), Jessica (glow in the dark snowman ornaments anyone?), nubar (where have they been), and much more.

Tonight I have more meetings set with brands like essie, and CND plus something extra special that I hope I can talk about. Unlike last year, more items are embargoed this year... some I can't talk about until December! Some I couldn't photograph. But despite that, just know that this is the place to learn about new nail trends ... when I can talk about them!

Be prepared, tell your friends. 

Cosmoprof posts are coming!

Happy polishing!

ORLY Mash Up Collection

What do you think of the new ORLY logo? I hate not having my bottles the same but I'll get over it because I HAD to have Sparkling Garbage.

Take risks. Rock opposites. Start a riot with envy-inciting style. Now is the time to blur the line between energetic and outrageous — with Mash Up, the Summer 2013 collection from ORLY. Turn up the heat to the extreme, with hyper-brights and high-attitude hues that work the weird and wonderful with wild abandon.

The six lacquers in the Mash Up Collection include:

Choreographed Chaos: Bubblegum pink chrome

Harmonius Mess: Lavender crème 

Mayhem Mentality: Vibrant orange crème

Sparkling Garbage: Saturated green with holographic glitter

Pretty-Ugly: Teal chrome

Beautiful Disaster: Magenta chrome

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Mash Up Collection are not formulated with DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin.

The Mash Up Collection will be available starting May 2013 for $8.50 each. ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 100 countries worldwide. 

ORLY MegaPixel FX Collection

Please enjoy the following press release. 

MegaPixel FX

ORLY’s Spring 2013 Special FX Collection 

Slip on some sparkle this spring with six new shades of pixelated perfection from the MegaPixel FX Collection. ORLY’s innovative 3D formula provides millions of glitter pixels for a multi-dimensional finish. Just two quick drying layers create a long-lasting, hi-res manicure. 

Pro Tip: MegaPixel FX can be worn two ways 
For a 3D, textured finish, do not apply topcoat 
To smooth out the texture, apply 1-2 coats of topcoat for a glossy shine 

The six lacquers in the MegaPixel FX Collection include: 

Silver Pixel: Silver 3D Glitter Nail Lacquer with a Pixelated Finish 

Rose Pixel: Rose 3D Glitter Nail Lacquer with a Pixelated Finish 

Pink Pixel: Pink 3D Glitter Nail Lacquer with a Pixelated Finish 

Aqua Pixel: Aqua 3D Glitter Nail Lacquer with a Pixelated Finish 

Plum Pixel: Plum 3D Glitter Nail Lacquer with a Pixelated Finish 

Black Pixel: Black 3D Glitter Nail Lacquer with a Pixelated Finish 

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the MegaPixel FX Collection are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin. 

The MegaPixel FX Collection will be available starting March 2013 for $10 each. 

ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 100 countries worldwide. Visit us online at www.orlybeauty.com. 

ORLY and founder Jeff Pink draw inspiration from the strength and natural beauty of women. By creating innovative tools and superior nail products ORLY provides the medium to produce quality manicures, allowing consumers and salon professionals to express their most colorful desires. From the conception of timeless nail looks, such as the Original French Manicure®, to cutting-edge nail color, treatments, textures and design, ORLY meets the style needs of women in over 100 countries, with the finest and safest ingredients.

ORLY Spellbound Trio

More of the Flash Glam FX collections are trickling out from ORLY!  Please enjoy the following press release.

Spellbound this Halloween with ORLY

Halloween is right around the corner and while it may not be appropriate to wear a costume to the office, sporting spooky and spirited nails is an easy and fun way to celebrate. Whether a gory goblin or a devilish villain, ORLY has a wide range of polishes ideal for Halloween festivities.   

The ORLY Spellbound trio from the new Flash Glam FX collection adds a touch of glitz and glam to fingertips with chunky, Halloween-inspired glitters.

 Monster Mash, Right Amount of Evil and R.I.P. ($10 each)

All ORLY lacquers can be found at Ulta stores and ORLYBeauty.com

Win It From ORLY!

I do apologize for my absence - I'm currently battling an upper respiratory infection, as is my whole family.  Fun times!

Please enjoy the following from ORLY!  This is time sensitive - you have until October 5th!  *PolishGalore is not sponsoring the following giveaway.

Please click to see larger

In conjunction with the DVD release of Tim Burton’s “Dark Shadows” ORLY will be giving away the Blu-Ray DVD and ORLY Dark Shadows inspired collection to three winners each day from Sept. 25 to Oct. 5.  To enter, simply have to “like” the ORLY Facebook Page, then fill out the information on the Dark Shadows Blu-Ray Giveaway tab!

ORLY Pretty In Pink

I saw these at Cosmoprof but now the official press is out!  Please enjoy the following from ORLY (images courtesy of LaForce + Stevens)

ORLY Pretty in Pink Support Breast Cancer Detection and Prevention

 In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, ORLY is launching the Pretty in Pink Collection in which 20 percent of the profits will go towards Cancer Schmancer. Founded by actress and cancer survivor Fran Drescher, Cancer Schmancer is an organization that focuses on education, prevention and early detection of cancer. All polishes in the Pretty in Pink Collection are adorned with a free Breast Cancer Ribbon Charm. The collection includes two lacquers from the Flash Glam FX Collection, Be Brave and Embrace, as well as one new glitter shade, You Are Not Alone. 

 The three Lacquers in the Pretty in Pink Collection include: 

 You Are Not Alone

Cool Pink Glitter 

Be Brave

Purple Holographic Bar Glitter 

Embrace

Pink Holo Glitter  

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Pretty in Pink Collection are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin. 

 The Pretty in Pink Lacquers will be available for $10.00 each starting October 2012. ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 100 countries worldwide. 

Jeff Pink founded ORLY in 1975 with a simple idea: to innovate natural nail care. By creating leading-edge products and tools designed not only to beautify, but to respond to the needs of salon professionals, ORLY’s beauty experts have redefined nail care and nail fashion. ORLY’s dynamic color palette includes over 150 Lacquer shades that are completely free of DBP, formaldehyde and toluene. As much a trendsetter as a nail care innovator, ORLY also introduced the first-ever iconic nail look: the Original French Manicure® and reinvented Lacquer application with the award-winning Gripper Cap™. ORLY embodies quality that beauty professionals in over 100 countries worldwide rely upon.

ORLY Fired Up

I first saw this collection at Cosmoprof and now it's available!  Please enjoy the following press release from ORLY!  (Images courtesy of LaForce-Stevens)

ORLY Fired Up 

Break free in fall 2012 with rich, high gloss shades

Set sprits ablaze this fall 2012 as ORLY introduces Fired Up - a dynamic collection created to showcase inner power. High gloss shades mimic the inner workings of the human body, providing a natural explosion of color. The collection ranges from fiery red and deep wine tones to bright accents of golden yellow and vibrant orange balanced by hues of pewter and chocolate brown. Lacquers in the Fired Up Collection offer a dynamite seasonal touch of color to fingers and toes.

The six lacquers in the Fired Up Collection include: 

Glow

Taupe Crème 

Flare

Pale Gold Shimmer 

Flicker

Rust Duo Chrome Shimmer

Ignite

Red Crème

Smolder

Deep Wine Shimmer

Rapture

Chocolate Brown Crème

All ORLY Nail Lacquers including the Fired Up Collection are free of DBP, Toluene and all traces of Formaldehyde and Formaldehyde Resin.

The Fired Up Collection Lacquers will be available starting September 2012 for $8.50 each. ORLY Nail Lacquers and Treatment products are available at orlybeauty.com, Sally Beauty, Ulta and other purveyors of beauty throughout the U.S. and in over 100 countries worldwide. 

For more information visit us online at www.orlybeauty.com. 


Jeff Pink founded ORLY in 1975 with a simple idea: to innovate natural nail care. By creating leading-edge products and tools designed not only to beautify, but to respond to the needs of salon professionals, ORLY’s beauty experts have redefined nail care and nail fashion. ORLY’s dynamic color palette includes over 150 Lacquer shades that are completely free of DBP, formaldehyde and toluene. As much a trendsetter as a nail care innovator, ORLY also introduced the first-ever iconic nail look: the Original French Manicure® and reinvented Lacquer application with the award-winning Gripper Cap™. ORLY embodies quality that beauty professionals in over 100 countries worldwide rely upon.