OPI Rally Pretty Pink

From OPI's Serena Williams "Glam Slam" collection is Rally Pretty Pink, which is a light pinkish purple base with a gold shimmer.  If you already own Zoya Faye, well this is her twin.  Same color, same shimmer, different brush (Pro-Wide).  I used a base coat of OPI Natural Nail, 3 coats of polish and a top of nubar Diamont.  Formula was super smooth.

In the sun you can see that depending on how you hold your hand tells whether you see the pink/purple color or the gold shimmer.

The shade works with both colors.

And finally indoors with the flash shows a heavy gold shimmer and not a quite opaque purple/pink base.  Lovely but not unique at all.


So sad panda, my local Trade Secret is gone.  I don't know what happened - I went to the mall and they were completely out of there.  I'm going to try and find out if it's relocating or gone for good because it was one of the few places for me to buy OPI.

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

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

CND Shellac

Shellac Day 1

Ever since CND launched Shellac in May 2010, I've been wanting to get it.  Part of my hesitation was in the fact that it was the same color for so long, part of it was the limitation in the actual colors, and the obvious of "I live in a small town where people are all about long squared french nails; Shellac what?".  When I literally lucked into getting a Shellac manicure during Cosmoprof last month, I was pretty ecstatic to finally try this out from the people who made it.  (Part of that was an experiment because now I know exactly how it's supposed to be applied!)


Before I get into my experience, let me tell you that six new colors are launching this month:

1st Row: Zillionaire & Asphalt
2nd Row: Moonlight & Roses & Purple Purple
3rd Row: Studio White & Hotski to Tchotchke

• Zillionaire - a dazzling multi-colored effect (great for layering over any color)
• Studio White - semi-sheer soft white (natural french manicure option)
• Moonlight & Roses - opalescent pink
• Purple Purple - iridescent azure violet
• Asphalt - concrete grey
• Hotski to Tchotchke - vibrant teal

This brings the total of Shellac colors to 30.  Now on top of there being these 30 colors, you're able to layer colors with each other, so that's exactly what I decided to do.

After looking at some color wheels that were at the CND booth, I chose a 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 new Zillionaire added for some glitz.  We playfully named it "Bridezillionaire".

So Shellac is literally marked down to a science.  First, Kristina Saindon from Denver, Colorado (a CND Educator Ambassador who also owns a salon called Kristina's located at 6660 W. 38th, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 in case you're in the area) prepped my nails with CND ScrubFresh and cleaned up my cuticles.  I had an artificial nail on my index finger of my right hand, so I figured Shellac wouldn't be able to be applied but surprise #1 (of many), you can put Shellac over false nails!  She did have to rough the surface ever so slightly of the artificial nail but my natural nails needed no other prep work.

Next, Kristina applied a base coat of the CND Shellac UV Base Coat, making sure to wrap the tips.  Then it goes into the CND UV Lamp for 10 seconds.  Oh yes, just 10 seconds.  Next we added one coat of Rock Royalty (again, wrapping the tips) and my hand went in for 2 minutes.  Thin coats are used after shaking the bottle vigorously.  This seems to go against what I've always heard about polish, but thin is better with Shellac.  As for the lamp itself, there are little grooves in the lamp so you know to stop moving your hands in.  The lamp has bulbs on all sides so the sides of the nail are cured as well as the top.  My third coat was Iced Coral - 2 more minutes.  Coat #4 was Zillionaire which gave it such a pop of sparkle.  The last coat (#5!) was the CND Shellac UV Top Coat for 2 minutes.  If you're keeping track, that's less than 17 minutes for the entire polishing process.  After the top coat was cured, a tacky layer is left behind which Kristina wiped off with a cotton pad soaked in 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and I was done.  The manicure was extremely shiny and completely dry to the touch.  She gave me a little bag that included a mini SolarOil, the CND Shellac Remover Wraps, an orange stick, and some literature on Shellac.

Remember how one of my problems with Shellac was that you're stuck with the same color the ENTIRE time you have the manicure?  Surprise #2: No you're not.  You can use ANY polish over Shellac and when you want to remove said polish, just use non-acetone remover.  I tested this (a lot) using A Beautiful Life natural soy remover without any harm to my Shellac - not even dulling the shine of the manicure.  Can we say winning?  WINNING.

Time for some pictures.

Day 2

Day 6

Day 6

Day 6

Day 9

Day 12

Day 12

Day 12

Day 12

After 12 days, you can see there really wasn't much new growth and the shine is still spot on, & tip wear is non-existent.  Amazing.

Finally on Day 20, I decided it was time to remove it.  I started being annoying and picking it at the new growth edge and was able to literally peel it off my finger (NOT RECOMMENDED).  You can see there is zero damage to my nail (thankfully!).

Day 20

Now, CND does not recommend you remove the Shellac yourself, but instead go back to a salon.  This is what they should do though:

The CND Shellac Remover Wraps feature an integrated cotton pad that limits fingers and skin exposure to acetone and built-in adhesive tabs secure.  The edge of your finger should be at the top of the cotton pad, which needs to be soaked with pure acetone.  I used an eye dropper to make sure it only got on the pad.

A good argument for going back to a salon is because you will next fold the pad over the finger and secure it with the adhesive tab.  The CND logo should be where your nail is (if you've done it right - not too tight, not too loose).  Wait 10 minutes (no more, no less).

After the 10 minutes, I slid off my wrap to reveal this:

Okay so my tip was clear, the Iced Coral and Zillionaire was pretty much gone - what about the rest?  What I didn't know about Shellac is that tiny (not visible to the naked eye) tunnels are created in the Shellac system that allow acetone to flow down all the way to the base coat of your polish.  The 10 minutes exposure allowed the acetone to break up the polish so I used needed my orange stick to flake off the rest of the polish.

Like seriously flake it off!

This was my hand after using the CND Shellac Removal Wraps:

Now, you can see a bit of residue is still left - I feel this is because I tried to apply the wraps myself and didn't get them completely placed in the right place (which is also why you can see the whites on my cuticles of the acetone).  At this point, I took my Zoya Remove+ on a cotton pad, and just started working to remove the rest.  After some of that, some SolarOil and a bit of Lush Lemony Flutter...

Tada!

I'm totally sold.  I would definitely get Shellac for a long vacation, or just to let my nails grow out - get it in Studio White so my nails could grow underneath and I could still wear other colors on top of the Shellac.  (Now granted, layering white under polish will make any color appear brighter - not good for blogging purposes, but great for actually wearing colors - even sheers!)

CND Shellac did make my nails appear a bit thicker than normal but it also made them stronger.  Not even three days after removing my Shellac did I break THREE nails (which is why I'm back to super nubbins). 

Thank you so much to Kristina, CND, and RED PR for allowing me to try out Shellac at Cosmoprof.  Definitely a very positive experience for me and one that I can't wait to try again in the future.  I'd LOVE to get a pedicure like BeautyJudy did since I have no desire to change my toenail polish like I do my fingernail polish.

Disclosure: The product[s] in this post was [were] provided to me by the company during the Cosmoprof North America - Las Vegas 2011 Convention for no charge.  For more information, please read this post.

OPI Glam Slam!

Please enjoy the following press release from OPI!

OPI Celebrates Launch of Glam Slam! U.S.

Nail Lacquers with Serena Williams

  

LOS ANGELES – August 26, 2011 – Tennis champion Serena Williams joined OPI co-founder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann at a New York City event on Thursday afternoon, August 25, to officially launch the final series of nail lacquers in her Glam Slam! by OPI promotion.

Williams, who is currently in New York training for the upcoming U.S. Open, co-hosted the small private event at Oceana restaurant.  Along with Weiss-Fischmann, Williams formally shared with the press the new colors included in the Glam Slam! U.S. limited edition duo-pack. Glam Slam! U.S. features two high-shine shades: a shimmering red named Love is a Racket and a glittering bronze titled Pros & Bronze.

“It has been so wonderful to work with Serena. She has a fierce passion for nails and knows how to make a fashion statement both on and off the court,” said Weiss-Fischmann. “Serena helped us to create tones that exemplify her personality and style. Packed with shimmer and highly-pigmented, all eleven shades, including three Shatter hues, have been hugely successful.”

The Glam Slam! promotion kicked off January 2011, with the global premiere of OPI’s now-bestselling Black Shatter coat. New shades have been launched throughout the year in conjunction with Grand Slam tournament dates, beginning with Glam Slam! Australia and followed by France, England and now, the U.S. During a guest appearance on The Oprah Show in late 2010, Williams revealed her love for nails and unofficially announced her partnership with OPI, with each audience member receiving an OPI manicure to showcase on-screen.

Glam Slam! lacquers are currently available at professional salons nationwide.

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. 

Color Club FNO

Please enjoy the following press release from Color Club!

COLOR CLUB CELEBRATES FASHION’S NIGHT OUT WITH

LIMITED EDITION FNO RED & FNO NAIL DUO

August 2011 - New York, New York - Color Club, the veteran nail color brand announced today the launch of a Limited Edition FNO Red Nail Polish. Created for Vogue Magazine and in celebration of Fashion’s Night Out, Color Club’s FNO red will be sold individually, and as part of Color Club’s Limited Edition FNO Nail Duo– FNO Red paired with Color Club’s Black Fractured polish.


What better way to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out, than with a long-wearing formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, and paraben-free shade of red. Pair it with Color Club’s Black Fractured Nail Polish for the ultimate FNO-worthy look.


Color Club’s FNO Red and the FNO Duo will be available on Fashion’s Night Out at Color Club's Mobile Color Bar located in New York’s Meatpacking District @13th + 9th street from 6:00 – 11:00 pm or at http://www.shopcolorclub.com


ABOUT COLOR CLUB
A favorite of celebrity manicurists and nail color fans worldwide, Color Club is renowned for its high performance rich shades and exceptionally safe products. From the brightest neons, to glitter and French, all nail colors are vegan, Formaldehyde, Toluene, DBP and paraben-free - and made in New York, NY with the best raw materials. Color Club products are never tested on animals. Products are available at shopcolorclub.com.


*A portion of proceeds from the sales of FNO Red will benefit the New York City AIDS fund.




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China Glaze Haunting

Last month I showed you some pictures of China Glaze Haunting, now here's the official press release! Enjoy!

HAUNTING BEAUTY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

China Glaze Introduces a Daringly Dark Collection of Purely Pigmented Crèmes and High Coverage Glitters for Halloween 2011

Los Angeles, CA – (July 2011): Halloween is all about over-the-top style and China Glaze has just what every girl and ghoul needs to complete their costume.  Put the finishing touches on any look with the new China Glaze HAUNTING collection – a six-piece set of mysterious colors and effects perfect for All Hallows Eve, including a glow-in-the-dark Top Coat and a ‘crackling’ top coat for a cobweb effect.

China Glaze captures the spirits lurking in the dark in six sexy, sophisticated shades that are on trend, exciting and will be on every costume crafter’s “must have” list.  Whether a look is dark and mysterious, or bold and dramatic, China Glaze’s HAUNTING collection pulls together any ensemble and will undoubtedly make heads turn – just like China Glaze’s celebrity followers (Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Nicole Ritchie and Dita Von Teese, to name a few)!  Colors in this collection include:

•         Haunting:  Shadowy black with shimmering silver glitter
•          Crimson: Deep purple crème with a hint of blood red
•          Near Dark: Rich mossy green crème
•          It’s Alive: Vibrant green glitter
•          Ghoulish Glow: Glow-in-the-Dark top coat
•          Black Mesh: Crackle Glaze top coat for a cobweb-like crackle effect

The China Glaze HAUNTING collection will be available as open stock colors, 18 piece counter display, and as part of a special “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” set featuring China Glaze Fast Forward Top Coat. 

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde.

China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, visit: http://www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChinaGlaze

China Glaze is a division of American International Industries.

About American International Industries

For nearly 40 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women.  Our product lines include Ardell, Andrea, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, Jeris-Lustray, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks, Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s, and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com. 

Cala Nail Strips

Please enjoy the following image release from Cala.  Cala was at Cosmoprof, and I got to chat with them for a few minutes.  These nail strips are already available for purchase in stores.

Groupon: Stress Free Massage Therapy - Corpus Christi, Texas

I have another Groupon** posting today.  Last month, there was another massage Groupon in my local area (still 45 miles away) but instead of buying three like last time, I only purchased one.  This was for the Stress Free Massage Therapy at 4925 Everhart Road, Ste. 121, near McArdle in Corpus Christi, Texas.  For $30, you received a 60-minute deep-muscle therapy (a $70 value) or for $45, you received a 30-minute massage of your choice (a $45 value) and a 30-minute coconut-lime feet retreat (a $45 value; total of $90 value).  I went for the 60-minute deep-muscle therapy for $30.  There were 228 Groupons purchased.


Stress Free Massage Therapy doesn't have a Facebook Page, but does have a personal account located here.  I had decided to drive to Corpus Christi semi-last minute so I didn't think I'd be able to get an appointment on the same day I was calling, but I tried anyway.  My call went to a voicemail and within 7 minutes, I was receiving a call back saying that an appointment was available at 2 p.m. (it was almost noon when I called).


This location is inside of an L-shaped one story business building - near the end of the building.  Unfortunately, the signage is located on a wall of the building that you don't see when driving up, so I spent a few minutes in panic trying to find it.  When I walked in, owner Johnny Valenzuela was calming waiting (and reading a Bible sitting in the waiting area) and warmly welcomed me.  The waiting area has a couple of chairs & a small table where I filled out my questionnaire.  We ended up talking for 11 minutes (I timed it) about Groupon, my walking boot/rheumatoid arthritis, and a bit about his business before we went into the next room where his table was set up.  Johnny and his wife love to help others, from volunteering at the soup kitchen, to massage therapy.  Their motto is "Great Strength comes from Faith in GOD".


The massage room was about the same size as the waiting room, high ceilings painted in a forest green with some inspirational words on the wall and a large mirror on one wall.  The mirror was a bit awkward when I was getting under the table because it was so large, but later it would be useful when making sure my makeup wasn't smeared.  (Thank you Urban Decay potion primer & eyeshadow and MAC mascara!)  There was a small wall hanger for my purse and a chair that I could put my clothing but no hanger (which I'm always iffy on hangers anyway - jeans can be very heavy when hung, but if I had on a nice dress shirt, I wouldn't really want to just throw it on the chair...) but he did have a hair clip available which was awesome since I forgot mine.  He gave me a few minutes to disrobe and get under the sheets on the massage table and said to just vocally let him know I was ready.


I had listed that I was having problems with my right shoulder and I had mentioned the edema in my left ankle/foot, so I was hoping those two places would definitely have more time spent on them.  The lotion that was used was very lightly scented (very appreciated) and had enough give to it that the massage was comfortable (unlike the oil from the last experience).  The pressure was just right and there weren't any distractions.  The ambient music was all instrumental and at a calming tempo with the right volume located near my feet, not my head so I could still hear if Johnny asked me about pressure or how I was doing.  The majority of my massage was done while lying on my stomach which was great for the sore shoulder and ankle which both did have extra attention given.  After the back/shoulders were done, he asked me if I would be okay with a hot towel on my back.  I said yes, and three towels were applied at an appropriate temperature before a final draping was added.  During the foot massage, I fell asleep (always a good sign).


For the final 15 minutes of my massage, I turned over and he asked what I would like focused on, and I mentioned the shoulder again.  He spent the whole time working my neck and shoulders (so they were evenly relaxed) and I definitely felt much better than when I walked in.  After he left so I could redress, I checked the time, and I received an entire hour of massage, even though we started over 11 minutes late.  A true testament for me that someone would honor the entire massage time, even when we didn't start on time.  (Please note that they do require you to show up for your appointment time.)


Upon exiting the massage room, I was offered a cold bottle of water and was not pressured to re-book or purchase any extra services.  This is especially valuable to me, as I was on a time schedule and don't like the pressure of purchasing more after a relaxing massage.


Unfortunately, this location does not take debit or credit cards, and I didn't have any cash on me whatsoever, so I was unable to leave a tip.  I did take a business card so I could mail a check in later (he does take checks).  While this is his business, he does have 2 female masseuses available as well.  When I asked him about a tip, he asked that I only leave a review on his website - that was enough of a tip for him.  I have one better - I'm going to be booking another session.  He does offer some price specials if you're a repeat customer (another great incentive) but that wasn't mentioned until after I said I wanted to re-book at a later date using his website.


Overall this location is definitely an A+ for me: relaxing atmosphere, knowledge and polite masseuse, and great customer service.


Stress Free Massage Therapy has a policy that if you are not satisfied within the first 15 minutes of your massage session, you may request to end the massage and you owe nothing.  They are open week days from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m and you may call or use their online form to request an appointment.  


Disclosure: The services in this post were purchased by me through Groupon.  Stress Free Massage Therapy did not know I would be blogging about my experience but will receive a copy of this blog posting via Facebook message & on their Reviews section of their website.  For more information, please read this post.

**The above following link is a referral link.  I will receive $10 if you sign up for Groupon using my unique link.

OPI Spark de Triomphe

Part of the Glam Slam! collection is Spark de Triomphe which was listed as a monumentally marvelous silver glitter but as you can see, it's definitely not silver - but rather a gold.  This was another in my failed attempt at a black and gold manicure (I ended up wearing Rally Pretty Pink to the game which had nothing to do with school colors, but was just a pretty color).  This color was supposed to be paired with White Shatter which I reviewed back in June.  I used a base coat of OPI Natural Nail, 3 coats of polish and a top coat of OPI Top Coat.

Definitely not opaque as you can see here.  The "dirty" smile line on my middle finger is actually dried blood from my nail trama on Monday - my fingernail was totally torn off and bled quite a bit.  It's just now getting to the point where it isn't sore to the touch.  Fun times.

In the shade, you can see the microglitter that is part of the sheer base of this polish but you can also see the loads of VNL.  I originally thought this was a gold glitter in a yellow base but it's more of a gold hexagonal and microglitter in a clear jelly base.

Indoors with the flash and again you can just tell how this is more of a layering polish than anything else.  While I would buy it in the set because of the White Shatter, this polish is going to probably see more shelf life than anything else for me.

OPI is available at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and Ulta, for $8.50 ($10.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. Please visit their website for details [official website].  

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

China Glaze 5 Golden Rings

Last night was the first home football game for my alma mater high school, where the school colors are black and gold.  I was attempting a manicure that was a gold bottom and a black crackle over it, but well - I had some issues.  One of the first golds that I thought to wear was China Glaze 5 Golden Rings, from the Loves You Snow Much collection.  I used a base coat of Zoya Get Even, 3 coats of polish and a top of nubar Diamont.  The formula was a tiny bit thick, but not unmanageable.

As you can see in the sun, this isn't a fully opaque glitter - more of a yellow gold glitter in a slightly yellow base.  While it's not completely sheer either, it just wasn't going to work for the look I was trying to achieve last night.

In the shade, the color looks more opaque but it's still not fully there.  I also pulled the glitter up on my index finger a bit.

Finally indoors with the flash - it really gave me lobster hands for some reason with this color.  I think this would be a lot better as a layering polish than a stand alone.

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].

Jesse's Girl Stiletto

Jesse's Girl Cosmetics has partnered with JulieG from YouTube to create the JulieG Collection!  Today I have Stiletto, a purplish grey (promise!) with some light silver shimmer in it.  It's kind of like a putty grey but you'll see in a bit that there is some dusty purple in it.


I used a base coat of Zoya Get Even, 2 coats of Stiletto and a top of nubar Diamont.  The formula was nice and smooth, but I did feel like the brush was a little on the thin side for me... sometimes I feel a little spoiled by the OPI Pro-Wide brush because I have a lot of OPI's here (to swatch!).

Oh yes, I'm back to super nubbins.  :[  I broke 3 nails over the course of a day, including my middle finger way down under the free edge (ow).  Super nubbins make me look like I have baby hands!  So as you can see, there is a slight shimmer but it's a lovely grey at the same time.  I haven't watched all of Julie's videos to know why she called this Stiletto, but it's a very interesting color!

In the shade, the shimmer is shown in the bottle but lost on the nail (go figure).

Indoors with the flash, you start to see the shimmer a bit again but overall just the lovely dusty color of the polish.


Now when I was appling Stiletto, I immediately thought it looked like deborah lippmann's Waking Up In Vegas so I pulled out my handy dandy nail sticks that I've been working on (see this post from More Nail Polish to see what I'm talking about) to check it out.

Close, but not quite!  Waking Up In Vegas (stick 185 on the left) is more light grey than Stiletto (stick 177 on the right) where you can start to see that purple grey that I originally mentioned at the top of this post.  This is why nail sticks are SO handy for me.  I don't have to paint my nails with each color anymore, just look at my spreadsheet, pull the sticks, and check it out!  #winning


The JulieG Collection is a limited edition collection available at Rite Aid stores starting Labor Day weekend and will be available online at Jesse's Girl Cosmetic's website (not available yet).  They retail for $3.99 each ($1 more than the original core line).

You can visit Jesse's Girl on their website, Like them on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter.

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

Rite Aid's Glam Camp Presents Jesse's Girl Cosmetics!

So you know how I hinted at the super secret beauty project a couple of weeks back?  Now it's live!


Jesse's Girl Cosmetics invited me to take some photographs and feature a water marbling look using their products for Rite Aid's "Glam Camp" website and Glam Book.

Glam Products page - there are my nails!

Jesse's Girl's page with my nails & my water marble!

If I get a chance to get a copy of the actual Glam Book (probably in October), I'll be sure to show everyone, and the actual Water Marbling tutorial will hopefully be posted on Jesse's Girl's website or I'll scan in the page here (or something - heh).  The Glam Book is being distributed to some 200,000 subscribers which is SO awesome for me.  I haven't done anything this big in print since I worked with Teen People as a teenager!  Thank you Jesse's Girl and thanks to all who support PolishGalore!


Bonus picture - here is the completed water marble :)  Colors used: Wham Bam, Crush and Spring Break from the core line.