Sephora by OPI It's Real 18K Gold Top Coat

When I started PolishGalore back in December 2009, I really had two goals.  One was to get back into writing which I feel I've done well with... the second was to justify my nail polish purchases.  Today, that's coming into effect I feel.

This is It's Real 18K Gold Top Coat by Sephora by OPI.  I found it in my local Sephora last month, was intrigued, bought it (as the fiancé is saying "another bottle of nail polish?!"), and then realized "Holy crap, how much was it?"  This little 0.5 Fl Oz of yes, real 18K gold flakes is $30.00 USD.  That's more than my monthly Internet bill each month.  But I decided that I bought it, mostly for novelty... now - what to do with it?

It comes in a flashy box.

And contains Gold, Silver and Copper Powder (watch out, those with allergies).  Seriously, the box says "This product contains silver, avoid contact with broken or abraded skin."

I decided to use my existing Cult Nail Annalicious manicure because hey, it's a beautiful manicure, and added just one thin layer on top.  I did not use a top coat.

Good news - just one thin layer covers quite well, and as you can see, I still have plenty of gold flakes left in the bottle.  They were not hard to spread on the nail at all.

Here's another sunny picture - gold flakes, check.

Obviously in the shade, the flakes stand out even more.

Again in the shade.

COME MY PRETTIES.

So here's my issue.  Obviously I'd want to wear this over a manicure that I plan on keeping awhile - not just a one day thing.  But then it becomes an issue of do you tell people you're wearing real 18K gold on your nails?  Is this like one of those "I'm wiping my tears with $100 bills" metaphors?  Heh, I don't think it's that bad, but I did question when I'm realistically going to wear this top coat.  Maybe on a gel polish before the last top coat?  (Is that possible?)

The Plastic Diaries had an OPI exclusive that OPI will have a gold leaf top coat this winter in their 007 Collection, and I heard on Zoya's Facebook page that they have a similar prototype in the works.  Cult Nails offers real gold flakes in their store for only $5 for a 1" vile (currently sold out).  

Are you into this gold phase?  Are you hoping for a silver top coat next?

It's Real 18K Gold Top Coat may be purchased at Sephora stores or at Sephora.com for $30 a 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.

CND: Shellac Fall 2012

During my meeting at Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas with CND, I got to see some of the new items coming out for Fall 2012.  While they haven't abandoned their colours and effects line, they aren't expanding it right now.  However, they are coming out with 6 new Shellac shades in the fall, bringing the total of Shellac shades to the perfect number... 42.  Yeah buddy.

The one thing that I hate to part with, but will be giving my local salon, is the Shellac nail card.  This has the current 36 Shellac colors plus a few layered looks.

Oh I love Shellac.

So, more on these upcoming fall colors.  I wasn't able to see them swatched or in the bottle but I was assured they are lovely.  :]

And now, please enjoy the press release that goes with it.

Winter Wonderful: 6 New CND Shellac™ Power Polish™ Shades

Color Palette Extends to 42 Shades of Gorgeous

June 20, 2012 – CND launches six new shades of CND Shellac™, the original Power Polish, available November 2012. The new, luxe line-up features a range of rich tones accented with shimmering metallics designed to perfectly accessorize graphic florals, chromatic finishes and tea stained fabrics inspired by the top looks from the Fall 2012 Fashion Week runway.

CND Shellac helps you accessorize any outfit with the only resilient color that promises non-stop mirror shine, zero dry-time and 14 days of flawless wear. Worn by fashionistas, Hollywood’s elite, everyday women and nail professionals alike, CND Shellac has paved the way for a new category of nail color.


CND Shellac comes off gently with convenient, hygienic CND Shellac Remover Wraps that help to limit skin exposure to acetone by keeping the remover on the nail. Building off CND Shellac’s convenient and gentle ten minute removal process, CND Shellac Nourishing Remover, out in September 2012, will reduce removal time to eight minutes. CND Shellac Nourishing Remover is infused with macadamia and Vitamin E oils to condition nails and softly remove color.

CND Shellac is a professional salon service product. Manicure prices typically range from $25-$45 and pedicures from $40-$60 depending on location. Visit cnd.com to find a salon near you.

About CND
Founded in 1979 and based in Vista, CA, CND (Creative Nail Design, Inc.) is the global leader in professional nail, hand and foot beauty. Deeply committed to advancing the nail care industry, CND devotes significant time and resources to product research and development, education, and customer support. CND is an industry-leading advocate for the role of nail care in personal beauty and fashion.

CND Additives

So the #1 complaint I've heard about CND Shellac is that "there aren't enough colors."  Well, this summer, CND came out with 12 pure cosmetic-grade pigments that can be layered over CND Shellac or mixed into gels or acrylics.  Now you're only limited by imagination.  I tried to go play with these while at Cosmoprof, but as luck would have it, the Additives got locked behind a closed door meeting when I showed up.  Instead, I have the pretty press release!  CND Additives are only sold to professionals, so ask your salon when they are getting them for your next CND Shellac manicure!

Ask for ADDITIVES! CND Introduces ‘‘Additives’’ for No-Limits Artistry at the Nail Salon


July 2012 --- CND introduces an exciting new way to achieve the ultimate nail artistry at your local salon -- Additives. This vibrant collection of 12 pure cosmetic-grade pigments enhances any manicure or pedicure and can be layered over CND Shellac™ or mixed into gels or acrylics, making your nails truly unforgettable. Sophisticated, runway-inspired and chic, Additives are fashion’s hottest way to redefine "nail art." 

"Women like to make statements with their nails. CND Additives let you explore the inventive and personalized world of nail art. Prepare for your nails to get noticed in a whole new way!’’ says CND Co-Founder, Jan Arnold


Now, nail addicts can experience an even more valuable, creative and customized service with CND Additives signature colors, textures and finishes. Ombre, opalescent glass, sparkling finish, nearly neon --- there are infinite possibilities!

CND Additives are a professional-only product launching in salons globally in July 2012.

Cult Nails Annalicious

So let me say a little something about Cult Nails.  I love this brand.  Not only does the creator, Maria, work hard to have fantastic formula, new colors not available by every single other company out there, and a story behind each color but she also makes things a family affair.  Her newest collection is called Coco's Untamed Collection, and it was created by her daughter Coco and launched on Coco's 13th birthday (July 11th).  Seriously, how cool is that?  And seriously, I mean this teenager actually hand mixed the colors herself and had her own marketing team (which was her BFF Anna) create the names & descriptions behind each one.

Today I have Annalicious from said collection.  It is being discontinued so get it from their shop ASAP.  The description is a "shimmery red with an orange influence packed full of red and gold glitter."  I used a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Seche Vite. My experience with Cult Nails is that the first coat goes on thin but the second coat evens everything out and makes for a beautiful manicure!  Cult Nails is big 4 free to include Camphor.

I was having a conversation with a certain Queen of Nails who mentioned that she doesn't understand why people don't polish their nails all the way to the cuticle.  My answer? I'm lazy and bad at it.  But I'm trying now.  You can see I still need help in clean-up, and yes I do have a bad spot on my middle finger in the middle of the cuticle but it's healing.  Meanwhile, LOOK AT THIS COLOR!  The perfect red with some orange and yes it has shimmer.

You can really see the shimmer in the bottle here in the shade and while it looks like it's lost on the nail, it's just hiding from the camera.

I even had to go for an indirect sun picture because I love this color so much.

And one happy picture with the flash.  Lovely.

I seriously need to post more of my Cult Nails polishes.  Maria just had a birthday sale where I ended up buying 3 more polishes and her "Get It On" base coat.  I already have her top coat "Wicked Fast" but I like to match my brands from time to time.

Cult Nails [Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram: CultNails] is available in their shop for $12 a 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.

Epsom Salt - Inexpensive Beauty Tips

Photo Courtesy of EMA

Randomly I get press releases from time to time that may, or may not, be relevant to PolishGalore.  I've gotten pitches about the "faulty nature of the TSA" and "how to tip" and while I didn't go Bloggess on them and Wil Wheaten their pitch, it did make me laugh a bit.  However, when I got this email about Epsom salt, I giggled at first, but then I actually read it.  My family has used Epsom salt in the bathtub for years but only for sore muscles (my dad was a college football star back in the day).  I've also used some of it in my son's bath that was scented with lavender to help him sleep.  Granted, it kind of backfired on me when he decided to DRINK his bathwater... Epsom salt can help constipation - I'll leave it at that.

Anyway - here are a few quick down and not-so-dirty (hah) tips on how you can use Epsom salt in your beauty routine.  I really want to test out the first one - my face has been crazy this past month.  Please enjoy.

Some people may remember Epsom salt only as something their grandparents kept in the medicine cabinet, but many experts use Epsom salt to look and feel better (http://www.goop.com/newsletter/33/en), it leaves your skin radiant and glowing and you can find some in your local pharmacy or supermarket for just a few dollars.

You can learn more at www.facebook.com/epsomsalt or www.epsomsaltcouncil.org.

Tips include:

• Glowing skin exfoliating treatment: Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches.
• Microdermabrasion Facial: Mix 1/2 TSP of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.
• Bathtime Bliss: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.
• Pedicure Perfection: Dissolve a half cup of Epsom Salt into two quarts of warm water. Pour the water into a container and soak your bare feet for fifteen to twenty minutes. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Massage the entire foot with Epsom Salt concentrating on the heels and ankles to remove any dry, rough spots. Then, rinse your feet off with clean tap water and dry them thoroughly.
•  Stress relieving soak: Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.

Revlon Orbit

So I had heard through the grapevine that Revlon came out with some "dual ended flakies" but had yet to see them in my local stores.  The other day, I was feeling down, so the fiancé took me down to my local Walgreens, and there they were - very picked over, but they were there.  I grabbed one of each and went to the register and paid before really even paying attention to what happened.

Obviously.  Note the black in the center?  That's from someone putting this brush into the purple side (which is a very dark purple, despite what the picture shows) and THEN putting it back into the flakies side.  Also, notice how EMPTY my bottle is?  I'm really kicking myself that I didn't walk back in and say "Take this back."  Revlon did not have any kind of tamper resistant seal (what nail polish company does?), but let's just say my sails were deflating fast on the "Moon Candy" train.

So the concept is simple.  Paint your nails with the side marked "1", which is the solid creme color.  Let it dry and them paint your nail with the side marked "2" - the flakie.  This is Orbit which is a dark purple creme on one side and a shredded blue and purple flakie in a light purple base.  To be honest, it looks like the flakie shreds bled off into the base, but I don't know that for sure.

I used a base of Poshe, 1 coat of polish from each side, and topped with Seche Vite.  After doing my pinkie and ring finger with the purple, I decided to switch to Sephora black for my middle and pointer fingers.

Can you tell the difference in the black and the purple?  Yes, I can but barely.  I was NOT impressed with the purple creme at all, and that's saying something considering how much I LOVE purple.  It was way too dark for me, but did cover well.

In the shade, you can see the shredded flakie a bit better.  I wasn't too thrilled that the flakie was so hard to apply.  The base that it sits in was very thick, like a suspension base, and globbed a bit on my nail.  Now, I'm not sure if this is typical of the product or if someone messed mine up when they were obviously painting their nails in the store and used up 25% of the bottle.

Indirect sun shows that again, the flakie isn't that strong but does have a green/blue/purple shift and you might be able to tell that it's definitely not smooth either.  Considering what I've seen from companies like Nfu-Oh, Nails Inc and even China Glaze, this product does NOT fit the bill.

I paid $8 for this "Nail Art" which is about $4 a side.  There is no way I can justify paying $8 for this.  I'm so mad that I want to take the others back and say "Never mind."  However, I can't find my receipt so I guess this is one that I get to eat the cost of.

PS: None of this review is related to what's been going on with the Revlon/Sinful Colors picture debacle.  I just feel this is a crappy product.  I can't even find it listed on Revlon's website.

Revlon [Website | Facebook | Twitter] can be found in several grocery and drug stores - price may vary from $3-5 but the Moon Candy polishes were $8.

Layla & The Bloggers: A Cocktail Party

Tonight's posting is more for fun.  While at Cosmoprof North America, the lovely ladies behind Layla Cosmetics threw a cocktail party for this awesome group of bloggers who attended.

We met up at the eyecandy sound lounge at Mandalay Bay, drank, shared stories, and got to see the new Layla goodies coming up for the rest of 2012 (and heard some secrets of things to come as well!)

Many many many thanks to the ladies of Layla Cosmetics, LUXCON, and Y! PR for the opportunity to relax and get to know each other!  Now it's time for just some fun loving pictures!

Our amazing hosts - Babila and Tatiana from Layla Cosmetics

More beautiful hosts - April from Y! PR and Paula from LUXCON

Claudia from Chromatic Misadventures, Gia from Bottles & Bottles of Polish & Connie from LUXCON

Lindsey from Neverland Nail Blog & Yasmin from Zadidoll 

Maria from Cult Nails, Claudia and Kimberly from Libby's Pink Vanity

Ria from Ria Loves Pawlish, Shelley from Polarbelle and Destany from Confessions of a Sarcastic Mom

This is how we roll.

Kelly and Drew from SparkleCore

Stephanie from Aquaheart, Bren from OMG! Bren and Alyson from The Gloss Menagerie

Ria, Shelley, Sinead from Self Tanning Queen, Destany, Carly, Babila, Colleen from Y! PR (front), Romy from RomyRaves, Lindsey and Yasmin

Judy from BeautyJudy, Destany, Carly from Lacquered Lover and the ladies behind Ninja Polish

Kimberly, Maria, Yasmin, Bren, Claudia, & Gia

Alyson, Shelley, Ria, Lindsey, Kelly & Drew

Please click to enlarge - photo courtesy of SparkleCore

So yes, there are pictures of me, I promise.

You have no idea how much I've missed Judy from BeautyJudy.  Like, if we lived anywhere near each other, she'd have to kick me out of her house because I just want to talk to her for hours.  She's been a rock for me, someone I can vent to, cry with, be angry with, gossip about polish.  She's the sister I always wanted.  And I had no idea she was making that face in the second picture.  Rock on Judy.

Romy from Romy Raves.  I really didn't get to talk to Romy much which is a dang shame because she is freaking fantastic.  I really hope to cross paths with her again because she was amazingly awesome.

(Same goes for Sinead who I got to share a cab with and it was probably the most hilarious cab ride I've ever taken.  PS: I want a "Put It Back Together" fund too.)

This is Brianna from Makeup Minutes.  She came up to me in the Press Room and introduced herself and I was so intrigued by her look and her presence that we exchanged business cards and I invited her to our party.  Do go check out her blog - she has some great posts going on.  Plus she has a fantastic middle name even if she does spell it with 2 L's.  (Michele for LIFE yo.)

Okay, so you may be asking what's up with my lashes.  Long story short, they are Ardell Wild Lashes and are actually feathers.  I'll write more about them later, I promise.

Photo Courtesy of @Ardell_Lashes

nubar Romance

From the upcoming fall nubar collection called "Simplicity Meets Elegance", this is the lovely Romance, a light purple creme.  I decided to play matchy-matchy and used a base of nubar Foundation, 2 coats of polish and a top of nubar Diamont.  I thought (while in my house) that this applied quite beautifully.  It didn't drag or pull, didn't pool into my cuticles, wasn't thick and wasn't too thin.

When I walked out in the sun, I saw a bit of patchiness.  I probably should have used 3 coats.  Oops.  I really love this purple - it's so elegant (hah!)

Same story in the shade - lovely, simple, elegant.  ROMANTIC.  (Yes, I went there.)

Finally indoors with the flash and again, a bit of patchiness on my pinkie, and a tiny bit on my ring finger but otherwise quite pretty.  I'm having some slight issues with my middle finger cuticle, so while that's mending I'm trying to keep one color on for awhile (yeah right).  Time for Neosporin!  

This collection was debuted at Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas last month but I don't see it on their website just yet.  If I get more information, I'll update this posting.

Edit: The collection is now available on their website.

nubar [Website | Facebook | Twitter] can be purchased on their website for $8.00 a bottle in the US.  They do have international retailers in Russia, Sweden and the UK.  

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

FingerPaints Beach Bound

More on my purple kick, today I have the FingerPaints Beach Bound from the Summer in the City Summer 2012 collection.  This is a great medium purple (like, Barney the dinosaur purple) creme that was very pigmented.  I used a base coat of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and finished with nubar diamont.  Formula was nice and smooth.

As you can see in the sun, this color covers the nail - no bald spots and really no issues with application either.  It reminds me of China Glaze Grape Pop but less blue and more purple.

Same with the shade - good coverage despite the lobster hands I have going on.

And indoors with the flash - nice, pigmented, smooth.  Winner.  The price is right and the color is fantastic.

FingerPaints [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Blog] can be found in Sally's Beauty Supplies stores and online for $4.99 USD each.

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