Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas 2011

Okay I really can't contain it anymore - I'm really excited to say that I'm going to be attending Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas 2011!  First established in 2003, this is an exclusive business-to-business beauty trade show where all lines of beauty come together and preview their new collections/products, educate the next generation of industry leaders, facilitate one-on-one introductions between manufactures and distributors and I feel they really celebrate all things beauty.


Deborah Lippmann is co-leading a conference "Creativity and Passion: Fueling the Brand Story" on Sunday that I'm really hoping I get to watch where she will talk about doing what she loves.


In addition, there are other bloggers that I know that are going and I'm super excited about being able to meet.  We're talking totally giddy fan girl here :]  Being able to meet people that not only understand what I'm talking about when it comes to nail polish (and beauty!) but who also inspire me is such an honor.


In the next 60 days as I prepare, I'll be posting things here and there - starting today!  I'm alI'm so stoked to be able to cover this event and at the same time hopefully see some of Vegas.  I've never been so this is going to be a real treat.  Last convention I went to was in Maryland in 2008 and I spent the entire time in the hotel asleep or the convention center, so I'm going to stock up on some 5 hour energy drinks to make this the most productive 3 days ever!  :]


60 days...

Nfu-Oh 51

I've said it before - I really don't have "lemmings" but Nfu-Oh 51 was my lemming because it was the #1 best seller of Nfu-Oh from FabulouStreet which is the only retailer of Nfu-Oh in the USA.  It's sold out a lot (but it's currently available for sale!).  It's this mix of blue, purple, red, green, yellow flakes in a purple base.  I decided to pull out my makeshift lightbox to try and capture the awesomeness that is this color.

Mmm.


Because this is best used as a layering polish, I tried over CND Blackjack and then over OPI Alpine Snow.  I'm still looking for my perfect 1 coater white, but I don't know that it exists.  I used 2 coats of Nfu-Oh 51 over each color.

This is indirect sun.  Over black, you get either a red or a green flash.  Over white, you really only see a pink flash but the purple base seriously shows its true self.

In the shade, you really only see that burning red over the black, and again a light pink flash from the flakies.

Indoors with the flash - again, lots of red.

Here's indoors without the flash - more of the red/green color.  It reminds me a bit of Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure but this is way more packed with flakies.  I love it!


Nfu-Oh is available for $12.50 at FabulouStreet in the US.  To find out where to find Nfu-Oh in your country, please visit their Community Page.

Zoya Touch

Please enjoy the following press release from Zoya!

2011 limited edition nail polish colors

TOUCH

soft sensual sexy

Zoya Nail Polish presents 3 new, full coverage nude creams - softly kissed with a bit of metallic to make them ultra wearable.

Zoya TOUCH Collection

Minka (ZP561) - latte beige cream with a metallic kiss

Shay (ZP562) - desert rose sand beige cream with a metallic kiss

Pandora (ZP563) - mauve beige cream with a metallic kiss

Zoya is the new color of fashion... The Zoya TOUCH collection was designed to recreate the custom looks developed for and inspired by the runways of New York Fashion Week - Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter 2011 collections.


Ultra long-wearing, glossy nail lacquers by Zoya are free of harmful industrial chemicals like toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that are known to cause cancer and birth
defects.


Find Zoya TOUCH as well as over 300 other ultra high-fashion Zoya shades at http://www.zoya.com. As always, each and every Zoya color is made for women so we name them after women.


TOUCH by Zoya - available for pre-order now - ships June 1, 2011
Sug. Retail $8.00 per 0.5 fl.oz. bottle (US)

Flying and Nail Polish

Google, you let me down a bit today.


So I'm getting ready to take a trip.  And you KNOW I have to have nail polish.  Last time I flew with nail polish, I had it in my purse - right there, sitting upright.  No one said anything - I didn't even THINK about it.  I realized it when I got to my hotel and my bottle was a bit bubbly.  Not THAT big of a deal, but it wasn't too fun to wait for the bubbles to all go down (it was a bottle of China Glaze Tickle My Triangle for those interested).


My first search hit from Google was from SeatGuru.com {link removed due to 404 error} - a website I've never heard of...  Not sure when this page was even posted but their Copyright hasn't been updated to 2011, so yeah it's out of date.  But it said that nail polish and nail polish remover were not allowed into carry-ons but could be placed in your checked baggage.


After some Tweets back and forth about it, I decided to call the TSA.  You know - go straight to the source.  I didn't spend that long on hold - and I listened to their automated menus for a bit before realizing if you don't press ANY buttons, it takes you to a live person (oops).  I didn't catch my agent's name but I did have to give my full name and phone number (joy).  He said that as long as it's under the 3.5 ounce requirement and in a quart sized zip lock bag, you can bring your nail polish (and nail polish remover!) in your carry on bags.  No requirements are necessary for your checked luggage.


Then he told me something kinda awesome (for nerds like me).  On the TSA home page, there is a box on the right side that says "Can I bring" and you enter your keyword and hit search.  Now it's not perfect - it just gave me basically the same information as found on their Prohibited Items list, but it was nice to see that.  I've never had a problem with the TSA to date, and this will be my first time traveling with the new body scanners - and I don't even know if the airports I'm flying to/from have them yet...  regardless.  Pack your nail polish and enjoy!

China Glaze Tickle My Triangle

Guest Blogging

While I'm celebrating my 4th year at work (WOO!) and getting ready to post a LOT of Zoya reds (!), I also found some time to write a little something for Kim over at Overall Beauty!  Please do go check it out - click here now!

Claire's Blacklight

Last time I was out at Claire's, I spied this purple with silver glitter polish that is labeled only as Blacklight, so I jumped on it.  The Zumba class I go to turns on the blacklights and party lights on Thursdays, so I was excited to try it out.


Okay, first disappointment, this polish was SUPER thick.  I didn't want to add any thinner in case I messed up the blacklight properties somehow, but I did add 3 ballz to help shake it all up.  I used a base of Seche Natural and it took me 3 coats of polish to just have an even surface to work with.  I did not use a top coat.  The formula was very messy (and thick) and it dried matte and very gritty.

Here's my semi-sunny picture.  The glitter looks silver/blue which is cool but you can see hot gritty it is.

Shade picture - more grit, more purple...


Okay the worst part?  Under the blacklight, this polish did nothing.  No glow, nada.  I was really disappointed.  :[


Claire's is available world-wide and online.  You can Like their Facebook page and Follow their Twitter pages.

FingerPaints Outta Sight Orange

Last in the FingerPaints "Peace, Love & Color" Summer 2011 Collection is Outta Sight Orange, an orange glitter.  I used a base of Seche Natural, 2 coats of OSO and a top of Seche Vite.  I loved the formula on this one, and oddly enough, the color as well.  Normally I shy away from orange (it's like yellow for me) but not this time.

Reminds me a little of orange juice and I MIGHT have a dupe for this, but I am putting dupes on hold for now  while I get reviews done.  BUT YAY SUN!

I especially loved this color in the shade - check out how the bottle almost looks like there's some pink in there near the logo!  Very vibrant color.

Finally indoors with the flash.  This was definitely a lovely surprise color for me to check out and I would totally buy it again.


FingerPaints can be found in Sally's Beauty Supplies stores and online for $4.99 USD each.  They are a Sally's Beauty Supply exclusive brand, so you can follow Sally's on Twitter and like them on Facebook as well as follow their blog.

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

Nicole by OPI Never Give Up

The final color from the Nicole ♥ Walmart collection is Never Give Up, a "persistent plum."  However, I found it to be more of a plummy red with lots of rainbow micro-glitter.  You can see a bit of it at the bottom of the bottle.  This color hated being photographed - go figure.  Doesn't help that I had a cloudy day.


I used a base of Seche Natural, 2 coats of Never Give Up and a top of Seche Vite.  The formula was nice despite not getting a lot of the rainbow glitter that I love so much.

Boo shade.

Boo clouds!

Indoors with the flash - look at all that glitter at the bottom!

A 6500K Natural Lightbulb was used for this picture... you can finally see that glitter but it's very ... well... micro.  Still a lovely color, just not what I hoped for.


Speaking of not what I hoped for - check out what the press image was for this.

I'm glad it wasn't this purple - because I seem to have a lot of this shade of purple.  The rainbow micro-glitter was a nice surprise!


Nicole by OPI is available beginning at ULTA, Meijer, Harmon, HEB, Sears, Wal-Mart and more for around $8 a bottle.  For more information, visit their website, follow Nicole by OPI on Twitter or become a Facebook fan.

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

Zoya French Twist

Please enjoy the following press release from Zoya.  I have reviews currently available for Dove and Caitlin live.

ZOYA PROMO OFFER

Limited time only

Get Zoya Dove and Zoya Caitlin FREE with ANY** purchase on Zoya.com! 

Special Promotional Offer*!

Try the Zoya "French Twist" manicure created by Haven Spa for the Joy Cioci presentation at NYFW! For a limited time with any** purchase (excluding Zoya Color Spoons) on Zoya.com you get Zoya Nail Polish in Caitlin and Zoya Nail Polish in Dove for free!! Just enter the code ZB52 when you check out! These trend setting spring colors are MUST have in any collection! This offer is only good until Monday May 23 (11:59PM EST)! Act now and try the "twist" everyone is talking about!


*Online only, cannot be combined with any other offer , promotion or coupon. US ONLY. Promotion ends Monday May 23 at 11:59 PM EST. Offer good for 1(one) open stock .5 oz bottle of Zoya Caitlin  and 1(one) .5oz bottle Zoya Dove with the purchase of any NON-SPOON item on Zoya.com. Art of Beauty Inc. will not honor promotions that are submitted after promotion has ended - No exceptions. No exchanges. No returns. Worst case scenario please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Comments, videos and pictures posted about this Zoya Nail Polish Exchange outside of Zoya.com or zoyanailpolish.blogger.com are not representative of the opinions of Zoya Nail Polish, Art of Beauty, Inc., Qtica and Qtica Smart Spa and we do not confirm the accuracy of any postings. Customers are responsible for maintaining active accounts. If username or password have been lost we (Art of Beauty, Inc.) are not responsible for restoring accounts or giving out any account information. S/H not included. 


**offer excludes Zoya Color Spoons.

China Glaze DV8

Throwback post from the 2009 OMG! collection - today is China Glaze DV8, a blue holographic polish.  I'm such a fan of this collection and really hope that China Glaze brings back this type of holographic polish.  I'm very fortunate to have paid my way to get all of these online and didn't pay over $10 a bottle, but because they are in high demand and short supply, these have become hard to find.


I used a base coat of Nfu-Oh Aqua Base and just one coat of DV8.  I did not use a top coat but this dried super fast.

The linear holo appears subtle here but it's definitely not - it's such a pretty color and in your face!

Boo shade.  I hate that the shade robs this color of the holo goodness.

Indoors with the flash allows you to see more of that holo.


Definitely a big fan of this color and collection.  Bonus detail photo!

Bam!

China Glaze [official website] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty [official website], Sally's Beauty Supply [official website] as well asTransDesign [official website].