Gelish Mini All About the Glow

Neon gel? Yes please. While I'm still learning all the ins and outs about Gelish MINI (the consumer side of Gelish, the professional gel polish), I have loved the variety in colors. It's also great to have long lasting gel when you go on vacation or are just plain too busy to change your manicure out.

THIS SUMMER LOOKS BRIGHTER THAN EVER

Gelish MINI Presents Six New Eye-Catching Colors for the 2013 Summer Season

BREA, Calif. – (April 2013) –Gelish MINI® is preparing to launch what will be the “brightest collection, yet.” Bold words, for bold colors, now known as the Gelish® MINI All About the Glow Collection.  All About the Glow is expected to be available starting May 2013.

Originally sparked by the idea of big city lights and party glow sticks, the idea was to capture those same bright colors you would see at night, on a summer day.

Women with tan skin, wearing brightly colored swimsuits on the beach gives that excitement of summer, and with this collection, the Gelish® MINI team wanted to bring that same feeling to anyone, any time of year. And besides, what woman doesn’t want to glow?

All About the Glow features six new colors, each appropriately named to match the theme for the collection:

Sometimes A Girl’s Gotta Glow

Brilliant lime green

Radiance Is My Middle Name

Vibrant teal

You Glare, I Glow

Electric purple

Brights Have More Fun

Hot pink

Make You Blink Pink

Light pink

I’m Brighter Than You

Vivid coral

Gelish® MINI products are available exclusively at Sally Beauty Supply stores nationwide and online at sallybeauty.com. Follow Gelish® MINI on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and on Instagram (@GelishMINI).

Gelish® MINI comes in an array of colors, applies like polish, with a twist cap and applicator, but are cured in an LED lamp for 30 seconds or in two minutes with a traditional UV lamps, just like gels. Gelish® MINI stays on the nail for up to three weeks of beautiful wear, with no chipping or peeling. Gelish MINI® soaks off completely in only 15 minutes. For more information, please visit www.gelishminis.com. 

LVX Rive

Press Sample

So I almost forgot about LVX Rive, the soft nude tan from the Summer 2013 collection. This is a great staple nude for my collection, although it definitely won't work on every skin type. I used a base coat of Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of Rive and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast.  The polish was opaque and highly pigmented as always.

Here in the shade, you can see how it works well with my skin tone - great for office appropriate manicures or as a base for a sleek black French manicure. I've been dabbling more into nail art so this is a great add to my collection for "undies."

Indoors with diffused sun light you can see how well pigmented and opaque this is for just 2 coats. I really get cranky when polishes are watery or take clumpy but this is just right. LVX has consistently done well with their formula which is why I'll buy them at $16 a bottle, even though my budget has been tightened lately.

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.

LVX Chambord

Press Sample

Fitting that as I finish showing the LVX Summer 2013 collection, the Fall 2013 collection has been announced. Today is LVX Chambord, a berry purple creme. As with the majority of LVX polishes, this is highly pigmented and opaque in just 2 coats.  I used a base of Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of polish and Cult Nails Wicked Fast for top coat.

The weather hasn't been cooperating lately, which is normally the case when I have pretty polishes to show but hey, at least you can see that this is shiny, opaque, and berry goodness. 

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.

PolishGalore is on Lacquer: The Best Medicine!

While I'm recovering from some minor surgery, I invite you to check out Lacquer: The Best Medicine where I am guest posting today!

And yes, that's a "vintage" bottle of Enchanted Polish - so get your butt over there and read all about it!

iFabbo Social Media Conference: October 12, 2013

Image via iFabbo Facebook Page

Earlier this year, iFabbo announced that they would be having a Social Media Conference in San Francisco, California this coming October. I have been a member of iFabbo since June 2011 but have never really taken full advantage of my membership, including the wealth of knowledge that is available to bloggers.

I met iFabbo owner Sinead Norenius last year in Vegas during Cosmoprof North America 2012 and after talking a little back and forth with her and looking at my schedule and available airports, I decided to just go for it and booked my ticket.

This will be my first blogger oriented convention, and I look forward to the different panels. In addition to my day job, being a mom, and writing for PolishGalore, I'm also the Social Media Strategy & Development Manager for Y! Public Relations and I'm a social media contractor for another public relations firm, so this trip will play double duty in helping my blogger duty and in my PR jobs.

So what if you want to go too? First, you must be a member of iFabbo already. Secondly, get your ticket here. Presale ticket prices have expired so the current price is $100 USD. Please note that the cost at the door will be $175.

Next, get your airfare and hotel figured out. I had booked everything before iFabbo came out with the handy "where to stay" cheat sheet and opted for a hotel closer to the airport that has an airport shuttle. However, I will have to get from the hotel to the conference venue, the Merchants Exchange Building (465 California Street San Francisco, CA 94104). I am highly considering Uber. I used to work for one of their strategic advisers and have only heard good things about them. It will cost me about $100 in car fares but knowing that I have a car that will be right where I need it, when I need it, without having to fumble with cash or cards? Priceless. I do have a referral link here where if you use it for a ride, we will both get a $10 credit. And this is not just for San Fran, Uber is in 41 cities globally.  

The rest is up to you. I am going to be getting new business cards through Moo - which I have a referral link here which gives me $7.50 if you place your first order, and you get 10% off said order.  Go crazy!

Are you going to iFabbo's Social Media Conference? Have you been to a blogger conference before?

Reviva Labs Vitamin E Oil Stick

Press Sample

Reviva Labs is a skin care company that has been in the business for over 40 years and has been working hard to produce all natural skin-care products that will leave your skin healthier and more youthful looking.  I received a gift box with several products including their Spider Vein and Rosacea Day Cream and their Tan Without Sun Face & Body Milk but what I really liked was this Vitamin E Oil Stick.

It's packaged like a tube of lipstick but don't been fooled - this isn't just for lips. In fact, I used it more for my cuticles and on a rough patch of skin on my elbow. The stick is soft being that it's a beeswax base with soy, Vitamin E and allantoin, so don't push too hard.  It also has SPF #15 sun protection as well.

The best part is the price point - $4! That's less than a tube of lipstick. It's great to stick in my purse and use in place of cuticle oil or even as lipgloss when I want softness without color.

Reviva Labs [Website | Facebook | Twitter] can be purchased online or in professional salons.

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

LVX Fall 2013

Here I am, posting all the summer pretties from LVX when they announce their fall collection. Can you believe this is their SIXTH collection? Please enjoy the following press release! 

With continuous excitement circulating around SS 13’s it color, LVX debuts an intensified and deep adaptation of the stunning gemstone for Autumn. Emerald, named Color of the Year by Pantone, is 2013’s go to color. Drawing inspirations from influential designers, the luxury vegan brand continues to deliver the top shades with their distinct and bold seasonal palettes.

The top shades that will define the Fall 2013 season will include:

Cashmere Dove Gray   

Viridis Deep Emerald  

Dahlia Sultry Burgandy

Relique Royal Taupe  

Cliquot Whimsical Rosé  

Azzurrum Timeless Navy  

I'm most excited about Cashmere. It looks a little light in the promo picture, but I'm still really hunting for my perfect grey. 

COOLA Classic Sport SPF 30 Unscented Spray

Press Sample

Yesterday was soap, today is sunscreen?! Skin care is actually really important, especially when you live in a place where you have triple digits daily. I've been running my a/c since JANUARY. Blah.

COOLA is a new brand to me - it's an organic line of suncare products that are supposed to withstand even the sweatiest of summer days. I received the Sport SPF 30 Unscented Sunscreen Spray. Being that it's only SPF 30, you need to reapply about once every 40 minutes. The cool stuff includes that 70% of this sunscreen is organic ingredients and the SPF is Broad Spectrum meaning it protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Downsides - it's not cheap. You're going to pay $32 for just 6 fl oz/180 mL. The good news is that it does apply well and being it's unscented, it's great for those with sensitive noses.

The spray immediately attaches to the skin and leaves you protected without feeling greasy or oily.

It's nice to throw into the beach bag for the day but for my daily usage, I'd need something with a higher SPF and I do prefer a cream over a spray. Sprays can be great for kids though - always on the go!

COOLA [Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest] can be found be purchased on their website or you can use their store locator for in stores or other etailer locations.

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

LVX Mynt

Press Sample

Getting towards the end of the Summer 2013 LVX collection, yay! This is LVX Mynt, which is a light green creme. I used a base coat of Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of polish and a top coat of Cult Nails Wicked Fast. Good consistency, opaque and a pretty green.

Because I was sorely hurting on the sun, this was in the shade. You can see that it's a nice creme but yes, still a ridge showing polish. Either buff your nails or get a ridge filler because these cremes hold no prisoners. 

In some indirect sunlight, this color looks a little more avocado than mint. Still lovely though.

By accident, I had the flash on during a photo and got this color. And you can really see how my cat made an appearance once again (the cat hair on the pinkie). Having a long hair cat is hard. Having FOUR is really hard.

This was my midrange pick for LVX. It's pretty but not something I'd wear very often. I'm still on the fence with green polishes.

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.

Layla Softouch 3 - Stone

Press Sample

One of my favorite things about Layla is the long brushes inside the glass bottles. I didn't think I'd like the long brush but it's actually easy to hold and handle.  This is "3" which is also called Stone in their catalog.

I didn't use a base coat (as Layla says not to) and two coats of polish. The Softouch line looks like a matte but it doesn't get glossy with a top coat, so I didn't add a top coat either. It's this lovely dusty purple gray. I kind of wish that it would turn glossy to see those shimmers but hey, I'll live.

Here it is in the sun. This is two coats of polish and you can see how it's soft, matte, and pretty at the same time.

Meanwhile in some indirect light, it looks more grey. Even without a base and top coat, this polish did well. It wore well on me without tip wear or chipping for four days. Also, it didn't stain my nails which was great. 

The price on these polishes do vary - the current price I've found is $9.95 but sometimes you can find them on sale at Ulta.

Layla Cosmetics [Website | Facebook | Twitter] is distributed to the US through the Luxcon Group who has a Facebook Page to several online websites including Ninja Polish, Zappos, AVEYOU, Brigette's Boutique, Amazon, and Drugstore.  It is also available at Ulta.

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

Crabtree & Evelyn Conditioning Hand Wash - Lavender

Press Sample

Today, I am writing about hand soap. Hand soap? Yes. The best freaking hand soap you'll ever see in your life.

I'm not really a fancy person. I have certain MUST HAVES including Charmin Ultra Strong toilet paper and lavender scents when all possible. Normally my hand soap is the 5 for $25 at Bath and Body Works in a range of scents. However, when I got a pitch for Crabtree & Evelyn's new Conditioning Hand Wash Collection that launched this past June, I had to see what made it so special.

So there are 8 different scents and them come in pretty jewel tones. The bottle is 8.8 oz/250 mL and claim to be luxuriously lathering and pH balanced to be gentle on hands.  Each Hand Wash is formulated without parabens, propylene glycol, phthalate or mineral oil.

The Lavender was listed as "A delicious way to enjoy the classic scent of Lavender every day. Embrace the scent of fresh lavender enhanced with violet, tonka bean, lemon leaf and soft musk." 

I immediately took it to work where I wash my hands the most, and put it in the bathroom I share with my coworker. Normally we have Softsoap liquid soap or lately it's been the Dial foam soap - both which create bubbles which my inner child loves.

The Crabtree and Evelyn Lavender Hand Wash however doesn't produce bubbles but does feel quite luxurious. The directions (yes directions) say to wet your hands first, then add the hand wash and yes, it does make a difference. The hand wash is thick like honey so when you add it to dry hands, it's hard to distribute it on your hands.

The hand wash comes off cleanly but leaves your hands feeling soft and smelling like lavender. I LOVE lavender so I was caught more than once smelling my hands but I'm not ashamed.

My coworkers however do not enjoy the smell of lavender and like their bubbles so I brought it home to be in my guest bathroom which is decorated in lavender towels and shower curtain. (And will be painted lavender when I get the chance.) 

Now at $18 a bottle, this isn't something I want my son to waste (he's 6) but I will definitely buy for my guest bathroom each time. I'm also wanting to try the Rosewater for my own bathroom. A local pharmacy downtown actually carries this brand so I'm heading over there this week to see what they have. It's a small luxury but if you're washing your hands twice a day (at minimum), then this will last you awhile. Plus it's pretty and smells amazing.

Crabtree & Evelyn [Website] can be purchased online or in stores. Check their Store Locator for both domestic and international locations.  You can like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

Holy cow and they have nail polish now too.

Photo Credit: Instagram

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

LVX Celeste

 Press Sample

Continuing with the LVX Summer 2013 collection, this is my personal favorite, LVX Celeste, a sky blue creme. I had this as my Twitter picture for a few months because it was just such a pretty color - and I'm not one to say that about blues normally.  I used a base coat of Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of polish and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast. Make sure that you use thin coats and let the polish dry fully before adding your second coat or it may drag across the nail like my middle finger did. Thanks middle finger. 

Tada, sun! You can see how it looks a little chalky on my middle finger - total user error. Also I hadn't buffed my nails in quite some time so you can see all the ridges.

Meanwhile in the shade, you can see lots of squishy goodness but it's definitely a creme - not a jelly.

I miss taking indoor shots like this with the sun streaming in through my storm door. My storm door met its demise last month at the hands of a weed eater. Boo.

If I had to pick any color from the Summer 2013 collection that was a MUST HAVE, it was definitely this one. If you weren't able to pick it up during the Gloss48 sale, you can still always pick it up on the LVX website.

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.

LVX Deco

Press Sample

The other day, I saw someone complain that it's cold outside. Well, it may be getting to be fall (what?) in some parts of the country but it's been triple digits here all summer long and my a/c has been doing triple duty trying to keep me cool.  Speaking of cool, let's check out LVX Deco, alright? It's this awesome peachy creme that leans pink. Salmon, maybe.

I used Cult Nails Get It On, 2 coats of polish and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast.  Opaque, check. Well formulated, check. 

Sunshine, here she comes. This doesn't give me true mannequin hands (thank you spell check) but it does do some pretty things for my skin tone. It also provides me a fantastic base for nail art.  

PolishGalore and nail art? Oh yes, it's coming. Why? Because I'm a Nail Art Society Guru (seriously. More on that another day). 

Back to the polish.  So the shade didn't want to cooperate with my camera. Fine shade, be shady.

So indirect sun will have to do. Speaking of, I have to buy a new storm door. While I was on vacation, it was smashed into tiny little pieces thanks to a weed eater. I am sad but am excited to pick out a new glass door with screen. Yes, things like this make you excited when you're old.

And I'm getting old.

What's not old is this timeless peach. Deco is definitely a good staple if you're looking to have that sort of thing. And I like that sort of thing.

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.

Announcing: Season 3 of Nail Files!

While I was at Cosmoprof North America - Las Vegas in last month, I got to sit down with Katie Cazorla and some of my favorite bloggers to talk about all things Katie.  She introduced the Color Flash System (review coming soon) and gave us all little Mini Nail Pods & two colors (which is FANTASTIC because I already purchased the full sized lamp & 4 colors so now I have 6!).  It was such an awesome dinner... I was seated between Karie Frost, Beauty Director for NAILPRO & Nail It! Magazine and Beth Livesay, Senior Editor at NAILS Magazine & author of Salon Fanatic. Can we say ultimate fan girl dinner?

Then she told us what's coming down the pipeline for her - not one, not two but THREE TV shows!  First off, the news I've been waiting for!

SEASON THREE OF NAIL FILES!

If you've been following her Instagram, she posted this bittersweet photo in April

"Thanks for a great 4 years TPN! On to a new look and new location! WOW! Long ASS day, not gonna lie! But very excited for tomorrow! #onward #bittersweet #innovate #nails4life" @ThePaintedNail

So what does this mean for Nail Files? Well you should know by now that Katie doesn't stand still. This fall, she will be opening a "nail lounge" inside the W Hotel in Hollywood!

It's OFFICIAL!! My new Nail Lounge is going into the W Hotel in Hollywood! Let the planning begin! Fall 2013 #nails #nailart #nailsalon #nailfashion #colorflash #cocktails @ThePaintedNail

I'm super excited because the W Hotel is a part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts line, and I LIVE for the Westin and the aloft hotels in my limited but fabulous travels.  (Oh man, if I could get a Katie Cazorla Nail Lounge inside the Westin La Cantera in San Antonio... I'd probably move up there and beg to work there - not even remotely kidding.)

Other cool things to be looking for - Katie has a segment on beauty on The Real talk show on FOX - Looks like something else to go into my DVR!  The other is in production right now - think salon help from a gentler side. Until I'm allowed to say more, that's about all you're getting from me!

Catch up on previous seasons of Nail Files on Hulu here. Purchase the Color Flash system on Katie's website here. Don't forget to like Katie's Facebook Page here, the Painted Nail Facebook Page here, and then you can follow Katie on Twitter and Instagram as well!

It's So Easy Summer Nail Art Contest + Giveaway!

Deadline to submit is 31 July 2013

Last year, It's So Easy held their first ever summer nail art contest and due to the success and creativity of the participants, they are holding another contest this year! To refresh your memory, here is last year's winner - Hung from Gretna, LA.

So how does it work? First, get your supplies ready and be ready to call for crunch time because this contest has been accepting submissions since 1 July. The last day to enter is 31 July, which is coming up way too fast in my opinion.

Your superiority in nail art can land you some serious cash and prizes. First prize wins $1000 cash! Second place receives $500 cash and third place will receive $250 cash. On top of that, twenty (20) congratulations prizes will be awarded consisting of $25 gift cards to Sally Beauty Supply.

To enter, participants must visit www.itssoeasynails.com and upload one nail art look. Again, the deadline to enter is Wednesday, July 31st. On August 1st, online voting will open to nail enthusiasts to help their favorite design win. Voting ends on August 15th and will determine the top 50 finalists. Final judging will be conducted by the It’s So Easy® Professional Nail Art Team, and winners will be announced shortly after.

Participants must be 16 and older to enter, live in the USA, and entries are limited to nail lacquer and nail art paint only - no embellishments allowed.

Tag the It’s So Easy® contest on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #ISENailArtContest2013.

In addition to but totally separate from the above contest, It's So Easy has a special opportunity for all PolishGalore readers! That's right, I'm having a giveaway! One lucky person will walk away with a fantastic It's So Easy prize pack. My giveaway (below) ends the same day as the It's So Easy Summer Nail Art submission - so 31 July (a week from today). All entry options are optional & you can tweet once a day using the last entry. All terms and conditions can be found in the Rafflecopter widget - please allow to load fully before starting to click away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CPNALV 2013: China Glaze Ombre - Part 2!

The last thing from China Glaze that I'm able to talk about right now are the new China Glaze Ombre sets. China Glaze had seen a good response from the first three sets that were Sally's Beauty Supply exclusive. If you recall, I reviewed the Wait Teal You See! in March. (Don't remember? Click here.)

The four new Ombre sets will be coming out next month, but some keen readers have already spotted it in their local beauty supply stores. Not only are there more sets, but it's no longer a Sally's exclusive, so you may be able to find them in your favorite China Glaze spot.

I had to compliment the ladies of China Glaze on the "blogger pose" because I really liked the organic feel, and they were really giddy... like they had done well.  And they have done well. I did mention that I hated the hexagonal sponge because if you have wide nail beds, then you end up wasting so much of the sponge per finger. It was good feedback from them. I'm still totally on board with the Ombre sets because you get 4 polishes for ~$13. 

The embargoed stuff is equally cool.  Just saying.

Happy polishing!