ISSE Long Beach 2013

ISSE Long Beach 2013 The West Coast's Largest & Most Influential   Professional Beauty Event Brings Together Exhibitors, Education and Competitions January 26 - 28, 2013 │ Long Beach Convention Center │ Long Beach, California

Phoenix, AZ (October 17, 2012) - Produced by the Professional Beauty Association (PBA), the International Salon and Spa Expo (ISSE) Long Beach has become the West Coast's largest and most influential beauty event open exclusively to licensed beauty professionals, students and instructors. With more than 40,000 beauty professionals expected, ISSE Long Beach has evolved beyond the traditional "hair show" to a complete beauty event for hair, nails, cosmetics, esthetics and advanced education. With a sold-out expo floor of more than 400 top international beauty brands, almost 200 educational classes, live stage performances from top industry icons, and hair and nail competitions, ISSE Long Beach 2013 is the place for beauty professionals to stay up on the latest trends and advance their careers. Based on the highly professional nature of the show and large number of qualified attendees, ISSE Long Beach has also become the event to launch new beauty products, services and trends. From international beauty powerhouses to indie brands seeking to enter the market, ISSE Long Beach carefully curates the exhibition hall, including the EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion, to maximize the attendee's experience. PBA members continue to receive complimentary admission to ISSE Long Beach. Registration is required and exceptions apply. Details at probeauty.org/isselb. New for 2013 ISSE Mobile App. Coming Soon! From show times and class schedules, to a map of the show floor and directions, the ISSE Mobile App is the perfect way to plan your "ISSE game plan" and maximize your time at the show. Download the free app for your Android, iPhone, iPad or Blackberry device. Just search for: ISSE LB 2013. Highlights for 2013 The EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion featuring CIDESCO Section USA education continues to expand. Growing each year, the EstheticsAmerica & Wellness Pavilion provides exhibitors and attendees with a dedicated environment devoted to skincare, wellness and the latest in treatments and education for this rapidly expanding industry segment. Many of the largest esthetics brands will be on hand to offer advanced, hands-on training and certifications, including a line-up of CIDESCO Section USA education. Hair & Nail Competitions: Students and licensed professionals are invited to show off their skills, win career prestige and cash prizes at the ISSE Long Beach Hair and NailPro Nail competitions. For times, rules and to register, visit probeauty.org/isselb. Hair Competitions: All competitors use mannequins for entries and students and professionals compete separately. Categories include: Ladies Trend Cut, Color & Style; Long Hair Bridal; and Fantasy-Inspired by Hollywood. Nailpro Nail Competitions:The Nailpro competitions count toward the NailPro Cup. Categories include: Soak Off Gel Manicure; French Twist - One Hand; and Tip & Overlay. Stage Shows Featuring the Industry's Biggest Names: One of the most popular features at ISSE Long Beach are the stage shows featuring some of the biggest stars and hair teams in the industry. Attendees will see beauty experts such as: Faatemah Ampey, Nick Arrojo, BaByliss Pro, Steve Elias, Enzo Team, Mike Karg, Martin Parsons, P&G Salon Professional, Charlie Price, RUSK, Sassoon Academy, Lisa Yamasaki and more. ISSE Long Beach features three main stages, including Center Stage (formerly International Fashion Theater) and Stage Right (formerly Technical Theater), and the NAHA Stage. NAHA Stage: The North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA) continues to be the industry's premier photographic hairstyling competitions. The ISSE Long Beach NAHA Stage features NAHA winners and finalists, showcasing their talents, reviewing what a NAHA win can do for one's career, and how to create a successful entry. From learning how to select models to directing a successful photo shoot, the NAHA Stage is the perfect way to learn how to advance your career with a NAHA. ISSE Long Beach will continue to feature group registration, making registering large parties quick and efficient. ISSE Long Beach is open to licensed salon/spa professionals, cosmetology students and instructors only. To maintain a professional atmosphere, attendees must present proof of license and a valid photo ID. For additional information on ISSE Long Beach and to purchase tickets, please visit  probeauty.org/isselb.

JENsations Shooting Star

The other JENsations purchase I made was for this beauty - Shooting Star.  The item description is "silver holographic star bar glitter" but I am really not wanting to call this holographic anymore - I almost want to call it rainbow, because it's reflective of rainbow colors.  I think holographic needs to be a reserved term now a days.  I don't know.  Sound off in the comments.

I decided to layer this over my existing Style Icon manicure because I wanted to see this over a red.  I should have picked a different red, I think but this works.  This is one coat of Shooting Star topped with Cult Nails Wicked Fast.  This polish is MUCH easier to brush on and while I still had to fish a bit for the stars, I was able to get them out of the bottle without too much effort.

The bar glitter is so iffy for me.  I like the way it looks but at the same time, I have trouble making it lay flat on my nails from time to time.  I had to use nail clippers to cut back some of the glitter that wouldn't lay down.

I actually ended up using this polish for an accent nail for my Election Day polish.  (For those still following it, I lost my local election.  I only received 36% of the vote to the incumbent.)

Very pretty - and I'm sure more coats would have made this more opaque but I was just looking for a little pizzazz to my manicure - not a glitter war.

I purchased my bottle in August for $7.50 but it appears her prices have gone up slightly.

JENsations [Etsy | Facebook | Personal Blog] is available through her Etsy store for either $8 or $8.25 a bottle.  She also creates custom orders for $9.00 a bottle + $0.20 listing fee.  She ships both domestically and internationally and is currently offering a Holiday Sale for orders over $50.

Pretty Serious Emma Louise

As of press time, this shade is still available.  Only 300 bottles were made, so if you really want it, go now!

Introducing EMMA LOUISE, our very first Limited Edition shade! 

EMMA LOUISE is pure magic in a bottle. This rich purple jelly with green-gold duochrome glass fleck, purple microglitter and large green & purple hex glitter was designed by Pretty Serious friend Emma Durney in honour of a very special birthday. She chose to donate half the proceeds from all sales of this spectacular shade to the Cancer Council of NSW. Each bottle and box will be individually numbered with only 300 being produced. Once they're gone, they're gone so don't miss out. 

EMMA LOUISE will be available for purchase for $9.95 for a 11ml/0.37 fl.oz bottle from 9am AEST, October 10th. Due to the limited nature of this shade, we are imposing a limit of 5 polishes per customer. We ship worldwide too!

Pretty Serious Cosmetics are Vegan and Cruelty Free. We also love Beagles.

Come visit us at http://www.pretty-serious.com

Color Club Style Icon

Skipping around through brands and collection - today's post is from Color Club's 2012 Fall collection titled In True Fashion.  This was a 12 piece collection that was split into 6 cremes and 6 shimmers.  This is Style Icon, a blue based red jelly that was a bit vampy on the nail.  I used a base coat of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast.

Here in the sun you can see a bit what I mean about it being a jelly like polish - it looks almost watery on the nail instead of fully opaque.

In the indirect sun you can see the vampy red coming out a bit - it's much lighter than the bottle but still not too jelly.

Finally indoors you can tell that this is light and jelly while still being a bit vampy like corn syrup blood that's too thin.  Or not?  Either way, I'm not sure I'd purchase this for the sake of owning a red jelly.  I would like to test it in a jelly sandwich but I may need to just go with 2 coats tops.  Pretty, but not really my cup of tea.

Color Club is located on several etailers, including Head2Toe Beauty which has it for $3.50 or on their own website for $8.50 each.  You can also Like them on Facebook, Follow them on Twitter, follow on Instagram, follow on Pinterest and subscribe on YouTube.

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

Pretty Serious Monster Mash

I've been admiring Pretty Serious nail polish from afar as this company is based in Australia.  As much as I'd love some of their pretties, I have to wait until I can afford the shipping.  But you can still ogle over their newest collection - the Monster Mash!  This collection launched last month but is still available.

Pretty Serious Cosmetics is proud to present our Halloween 2012 collection - MONSTER MASH!

That's right, we've gone batty here at the Pretty Serious labs and this year, we're trying our hand at MAD SCIENCE! We've taken some ghastly little Halloween monsters and thrown them in a blender, finishing them off with some hair of the spider* and a little eye of newt!**

We've got six amazing new shades to help you get your scare on this Halloween!

CREATURE CRUSH

a haunting mix of black and silver glitter in an inky blue-green jelly base with large black and silver holographic hex glitter

GARGOYLE GANACHE

a multichrome shimmer with flashes of green, gold and purple through a stony gunmetal base. 

LIQUID LEPRECHAUN

Multi sized golden and green glitter particles floating in a radioactive green jelly base

MUMMY MUSH

a gorgeous golden glass fleck mulltichrome, shifting through baby blue to pink

POLTERGEIST PUDDLE

an intense blurple shimmer with a pink flash and a slight golden duochrome

VISCOUS VAMPIRE

a red jelly base that's so bright you can almost call it fluorescent, with multi-sized red and fuschia glitter

If that wasn't amazing enough, our new Halloween shades will be packaged in sensational new holographic green boxes with new Halloween art by Leigh Young!

These fabulous freaks go on sale at 9am AEST, October 10th from http://www.pretty-serious.com. RRP is $9.95, with a 10% discount for buying all six shades! Pretty Serious Cosmetics also ships worldwide. Check out our site for more details.

Bottle volume is 11ml/0.37 fl.oz. Pretty Serious Cosmetics is 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free.

JENsations Stars In Space

I have seen these pretty star bottles from JENsations on blogs and finally decided that it was high time for me to get some.  This is Stars In Space, a silver & holographic star & hexagon glitter in a clear base.  I decided to layer it over my LVX Avireo manicure to spice up the fall look a bit.

I will let you know that I did have to fish out the the stars from this beautiful polish which makes me a little sad, but I was able to get some on my nails.  I topped my manicure with Cult Nails Wicked Fast.

As you can see, I barely got anything on my pinkie finger but I was able to fish out some stars for my middle finger.  This is 2 coats of Stars In Space on all fingers in direct sunlight.

I normally choose a very dark color to layer this kind of polish over but I just wanted to mix it up.  I think I would try this over a red next.  This was taken in indirect sunlight.

Probably one of my favorite pictures of the bunch!  I love how the light plays off the glitter - and this picture was taken in the shade!  In fact, I ended up buying more JENsations last night!

This is the only picture (flash in doors) where it looked like the clear base wrinkled my Avireo manicure.  I don't know if I smudged it or what but regardless, it still looks pretty awesome.

I purchased my bottle in August for $7.50 but it appears her prices have gone up slightly.

JENsations [Etsy | Facebook | Personal Blog] is available through her Etsy store for either $8 or $8.25 a bottle.  She also creates custom orders for $9.00 a bottle + $0.20 listing fee.  She ships both domestically and internationally and is currently offering a Holiday Sale for orders over $50.

Candie's Launches Polish!

I'm a bit behind in my beauty news but love to hear that more and more companies are jumping on the nail polish trend.  

It appears that their core line contains cremes and glitters and each bottle is 10 ml for $8.00.  That's a bit pricey considering I can get unique cremes and glitters from Cult Nails for $10 for a 15 ml bottle but I cannot speak about Candie's formula or wear.

Have you tried any of them yet?

NOTD: 4 November 2012

While I'm pushing through fall and winter collections, I also wanted to show you a little NOTD that I wore to my alma mater's football game in September.  I took the plunge this year and bought season tickets and got them on the 50 yard line!  It hasn't been the best season for them, but still - I have loved going to each game.  I actually had soon-to-be Mr. PG pick out the blue for this manicure!  He doesn't have much interest in nail polish but will occasionally look at what colors I want to wear and give me suggestions.

I started with a base of Poshe, 2 coats of China Glaze Rodeo Fanatic and then topped with Cult Nails Wicked Fast.  Next I added a thin coat of Nicole by OPI Gold Texture Coat and topped that with another coat of Wicked Fast.  Cleanup was a little messy with a dark blue and then the gold shimmer but it worked for the game.

As you can see, my pinkie didn't fare too well.  I paint my nails from pinkie to thumb, so it was first and the crackle flat out didn't crackle.  If you have a crackle polish that is too thick, add a few drops of your favorite Nail Polish Thinner (Seche Restore, or a generic brand) and roll the polish in your hands (or shake if you're REALLY impatient like me) until it becomes liquid again.

Random Krystal trivia.  I didn't realize that the China Glaze logo was a "C" and a "G" until about 2 years into owning several hundred bottles.  I just thought it was a fire flame or something.  Nerd.

Crackle is iffy - sometimes I love it, sometimes I hate it.  For this game, it worked but this manicure didn't even last 24 hours before I took it off.

I purchased Rodeo Fanatic from the etailer,  Head2Toe Beauty and the Texture coat from Nicole by OPI was a press sample.

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

PBA: How to Help after Hurricane Sandy

PBA Disaster Relief Fund Now Accepting Donations and Applications for Aid from Beauty Professionals Affected by Hurricane Sandy

Phoenix, AZ (October 29, 2012) - Since 1955, the PBA Disaster Relief Fund has been there to assist salons/spas and beauty professionals recover and rebuild after devastation caused by natural disasters. As Hurricane Sandy and related storms continue to move across the greater Northeast, PBA is reaching out to beauty professionals and companies to contribute to the PBA Disaster Relief Fund so we can continue to help professionals in our communities rebuild their careers, businesses and lives. "The PBA Disaster Relief Fund is a perfect way for our industry to come together and help support fellow beauty professionals in their time of need," states Steve Sleeper, Executive Director of the Professional Beauty Association. All donations made to the PBA Disaster Relief Fund are tax deductible and 100% of all funds raised go directly to beauty industry professionals in need. Make your donation online, by mail or by phone.   Contributions can be made online by credit card by simply completing the online donation form at: www.probeauty.org/disaster-relief-fund. Check or money order donations should be made payable to PBA Disaster Relief Fund and mailed to 15825 N. 71st Street, Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. Contributions can also be made by phone by calling the PBA toll free number at 800.468.2274. Please help us spread the word. Salon professionals that have been affected by this natural disaster can apply for assistance from the PBA Disaster Relief Fund by downloading the Application for Aid at www.probeauty.org/disaster-relief-fund.   Please send completed application and any additional documents to: PBA Disaster Relief Fund C/O PBA 15825 N. 71st Street STE 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85254 The PBA Disaster Relief Fund is a program of the PBA Foundation, a 501c3 tax-exempt organization. 100% of donations made to the PBA Disaster Relief Fund will be used to help rebuild careers, businesses and lives. Donations are tax deductible as charitable contributions.

LVX Avireo

I cannot believe I haven't been actively blogging in almost 2 months now.  Being sick really takes it out of you!  My desk is overflowing with pretties, so it's time to get back into it!  With Daylight Savings Time ending this weekend, it's going to be hard to get any swatches done during the week but I'll make it work.  :]

Now, LVX has just announced their fall/winter line but I still have half the collection to show you!  I really think I may have left the best 3 for last because these colors really rocked my world.  First up is Avireo, an avocado green creme.  Now, you may notice that my bottle appears to have "streaks" in it.  Avireo was actually pulled off production to see what the deal was, and here's what the creator had to say.

"Our lab chemists came to the conclusion that this particular color was really heavily pigmented and the ball bearings have a tendency to make marks within the color. However, it in no way does it effect the color or how it performs. If it is mixed or shaken a few extra times, these flaws seen within the bottle disappear.

We had the option to reproduce it with less pigment, however it would most certainly not be the same color. We devoted hours and hours of research of hard work to develop our Summer collection colors and we do not wish to change this hue--doing so would go against our philosophy of only releasing thee top colors of each season.

  

With this being said, you can freely use Avireo, again, the streaks from the heavy pigments in no way shape or form affect the performance or application of the gorgeous green!"

I can attest that it didn't harm application to have some streaks in the bottle.  I used a base coat of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and topped it with Cult Nails Wicked Fast.  The polish was very smooth to apply but I did have a tiny bit of brush strokes in the finish, which you can see in my pictures.

I had just chopped my nails when I took these pictures after ripping my pinkie nail off (ow), so I apologize for the messy hands.  I was in need of a manicure!  However, in the sun you can see how well this applied and how pretty it is.  I know this is a "summer" color for LVX but I think it's wildly appropriate for fall.

Pretty much the same story in the shade.  I absolutely love how glossy the polish looks when paired with Cult Nails Wicked Fast top coat - it's quickly one of my favorite top coats on the market.

Finally I took a picture inside with the flash.  Now, with the flash this polish has much more of a yellow undertone which I don't care for, but thankfully that's just the photography - not the actual polish.  I can't think of another color right off that is like this that I own, so I'm very happy with it!

LVX [Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram] is available on their website. It is 10-free to include Toluene and Camphor, vegan and cruelty free. Use promo code POLISHGALORE for 20% off your purchase!

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

Cut It Out: Turn Tragedy in to Action

CUT IT OUT: Help Turn Tragedy in to Action to Help Stop Domestic Violence Sign Up Now To Receive Complimentary CUT IT OUT Materials For Your Salon

Phoenix, AZ (October 22, 2012) - Having recently marked the one year anniversary  of the salon shooting tragedy in Seal Beach, California, and now two more tragedies at salons in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Clearwater, Florida, in the past week, domestic violence continues to plague our society and was a root cause in all of these incidents. While sending heartfelt condolences to the victims, their families and the broader salon community, the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) urges beauty professionals to pledge their support for the CUT IT OUT program to help end domestic violence. CUT IT OUT is a program of the PBA Foundation and is dedicated to mobilizing salon professionals and others to fight the epidemic of domestic abuse in communities across the United States. CUT IT OUT builds awareness of domestic abuse and trains salon professionals to recognize warning signs and safely refer clients and fellow salon professionals to local resources. Salon professionals have the extraordinary opportunity to give hope and help to clients and co-workers who are in abusive relationships. What you can do: Go to www.probeauty.org/cutitout. Sign the online pledge form and select the complimentary CUT IT OUT materials for your salon, spa or school. Display the CUT IT OUT materials at your salon / spa's front desk, individual stations, break rooms and the restroom. Materials are discreet, available in English and Spanish and have a toll free number that can be easily removed where victims can call to get help, regardless of their location. Schedule a one-hour CUT IT OUT training for your salon, spa or school. Visit www.cutitout.org/training.html for additional information. Share your salon's involvement in CUT IT OUT by promoting it through social media channels. Using the "power of beauty," our industry can help women and men across this country know they are not alone and help them to get the help they need. PBA urges the industry to come together and support CUT IT OUT so that tragedies like these do not happen again! www.probeauty.org/cutitout

LVX Fall/Winter 2012

LVX has just recently launched their Fall/Winter 2012 collection and I cannot wait to see that teal in person again!  In addition, LVX is offering an amazing 20% off their polishes when you purchase on their website with the code BEAUTYBLOG20.  If you haven't tried LVX yet or are looking to expand your collection, take advantage of this discount!  It went live on 1 November and will continue until the end of the month.

Fashion forward and vegan, LVX launches their second nail lacquer collection for the Fall & Winter season.

Just as LVX shocked us with the unexpected use of black in their Summer collection, you can expect some profound choices for this seasons lavish hues. From bridging neon into Autumn and Winter, to creating luscious autumnal hues with a touch of optimism, LVX has triumphed in giving consumers the top colors for the season. Drawing inspiration from renowned designers such as Ackermann, Balmain, Balenciaga, Galliano, and others, LVX has determined the top shades that are going to define the Fall and Winter
season.

The LVX Fall 2012 Collection includes the following shades:

Greige

The perfect blend of gray and taupe, this dynamic color grounds the Fall & Winter palette.

Prussian

A deep green-blue teal and a perfect transition as we enter the darker and longer nights.

Koko

A rich espresso that is expressive and adds stability to our transitioning wardrobe.

Midori

A muted neon green that bridges our summer hues into the cooling Fall season and provides us with a positive attitude.

Sanguine

A seductive crimson that exuberates strength and drama while maintaining the passion and sensuality of the color red.

Legendaire

A unique majestic hue with complex gray undertones, it offers a romantic and soft touch that will span across the seasons.

The long lasting, chip resistant and non-streak formula is free of harsh and toxic chemicals. LVX products are VEGAN and formulated without the use of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, DBP, Toluene, and Camphor. The brand is dedicated to providing top quality, socially responsible, and eco-friendly, luxury products without compromising quality, durability and finish. LVX nail lacquer is cruelty free. All products are produced in the U.S.A. The new collection will be available October 22, 2012 on www.shoplvx.com.

Creative Bioscience Challenge: Check In

I am not a doctor.  The following post is written with my opinions and the information provided from the Creative Bioscience website.  You should discuss any weight loss treatment with your doctor before you start it.  

Well it's been a month since I started my 90 Day Weight Loss Challenge from Creative Bioscience who is sponsoring my product trial of African Mango 1200TM for 90 days in my effort to lose weight.  Now, while the website says to take one capsule 30 minutes before meals twice per day, the bottle says take 2 capsules in the morning, which is what I've been doing.  The capsules aren't hard to swallow but I don't care for the smell which lingers just a bit.  It reminds me of dry cinnamon but without the good smell of cinnamon.  I have to take both capsules by themselves with plenty of water.

Now, as you may have read, I was pretty sick for 30 straight days.  Started as a cold, turned into an upper respiratory infection and ended with me in the emergency room with pleurisy.  Three rounds of antibiotics later and I'm a million times better.

Because of being sick, I frankly didn't work out at all during the month of October.  When I finally started feeling better, every time I tried to get to the gym, something came up.  Additionally, my gym membership ended at the gym that's open 7 days a week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.  I do still have a membership with a 5 days a week gym but they are only open from 7 a.m. to noon & 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  It's going to be much trickier for me to get there (I really can only go between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.) but this month I want to make more of an attempt as I have Engagement/Save The Date photos with Macy Ryan Photography [Website | Facebook] at the end of the month!

Now for my update.  The good news is that I didn't gain any weight!  The bad news is that I didn't lose any either.  I'm only one-third of the way there so we'll see what happens next month - especially with Thanksgiving (nom nom nom).

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