Sally Hansen Wine Stock

Press Sample

Today is my last Sally Hansen Miracle Gel™ polishes to review and it's Wine Stock. This is a deep red creme leaning purple. It's a very vampy, holiday color!

Sally Hansen Can't Beet Royalty

Press Sample

I only have two more Sally Hansen Miracle Gel™ polishes to review and today is Can't Beet Royalty. I had high hopes for this polish since I really loved the Beet, Pray, Love from the other day. This is a deep red creme.

Sally Hansen Apollo You Anywhere

Press Sample

Happy New Year! I'm starting the year off with Sally Hansen Miracle Gel™ Apollo You Anywhere. This is melon pink with golden shimmer.

Sally Hansen Beet, Pray, Love

Press Sample

Today's Sally Hansen Miracle Gel™ polish is Beet, Pray, Love. This is a dark mauve that I was really excited to on my short nails.

Sally Hansen Out of this Pearl

Press Sample

I have another Sally Hansen Miracle Gel™ polish today - Out of this Pearl. This a frosty rose gold polish.

Sally Hansen Mauve-olous

Press Sample

I have a few more Sally Hansen polishes to go through and today I pulled out the Miracle Gel™ collection that I was sent by the company. Today I'm using Mauve-olous, a melon creme. According to their website, Miracle Gel™ is patented technology for longer wear with no UV lamp required.

Sculpted by GG - Kingsville, Texas

Image courtesy of Sculpted_by_gg

Nothing To Disclose
My nails have been a WRECK. March was so unbelievably busy with work, kids, and life in general. It's been hard finding time to get my natural manicures in and I have been going from location to location, trying to find one that works with my time, budget, and standards.

Pink Mask Delilah

Press Sample
You know I had to have a purple in my collection! I was really drawn to Pink Mask Delilah, a lilac creme and was hoping that this would really pop with a matte top coat.

Pink Mask Red John

Press Sample
I love a good classic red polish so when I saw Pink Mask Red John, I knew that it would be a good staple in my collection. I love the durability of gel polish especially when I have a long work week coming and I need to look polished without worrying about chipping.

Pink Mask It's A Boy

Press Sample
Being a #boymom, I've embraced blue nail polish more in the past 6 years. When I was first looking over colors for Pink Mask, I chose It's A Boy, a cornflower blue creme that looked right up my alley.

Pink Mask Brut Rose

Press Sample
One of my favorite parts of Pink Mask is that they have the swatch of the color on the top of each bottle. This is especially helpful when I've put my bottles in my Helmer, away from light and exposure. Today I have Pink Mask Brut Rose, a shimmery rose gold gel.

Pink Mask Gel Polish

Press Sample
Back in July, I got a lovely email from Pink Mask, an Argentinian company that launched in the USA this July with their gel polishes. While they have been around since 2015, this was my first experience seeing their product.

Gelish Mini Plum-thing Magical

 Press Sample
If you've been following my Facebook, you know that I'm in purge mode. I'm finally going through my polishes and getting real about what I'm keeping because there are so many polishes I love and almost forget I own and I want to wear what I own. Especially when they are as beautiful as today's polish - Gelish Mini Plum-thing Magical.

Memorial Day 2016 Nail Art featuring UNO by Gelish MINI

Press Sample
If you've been reading PolishGalore for any length of time, you'll know that I'm pretty terrible when it comes to nail art. I love the look, I love the creativity, I just don't have "it" when it comes to creating half the time. That's why when I got these new UNO by Gelish MINI 1-step soak off gels, I knew that I could probably create something awesome for Memorial Day using vinyls. Let's see what happens, right?

UNO by Gelish MINI is a single-step process for DIY gel manicures. That's right, no base coat, no top coat, and no cleansing involved. Just get an LED light and your choice of over 20 colors and get to work. These durable, high-shine manicures boast a 7-10 day wear time, providing you wrap your tips, keep the gel off your cuticles, and use thin coats when applying. Please do not confuse "1 Step" with "1 Coat". 

Side note: Do not use a LED lamp that has more than 18 watts. I have absolutely no idea the wattage on my LED lamp but it seemed to work fine with my nails.

First, as with any manicure (gel or not), I properly cleansed my nail, removing all my old nail polish, and making sure my cuticles were off the nail plate. Next was prepping the gel bottle - this doesn't sound like much but you do need to shake the bottle to make sure all the product is properly mixed, as gel tends to be thicker than normal polish. Then I started with one thin coat of the red creme called Traffic Stopper and cured in my LED lamp (60 seconds). Then I added a second thin coat of Traffic Stopper and cured that for 60 seconds. Next, I used the Starburst vinyl from NailVinyls and placed it about halfway on my nail before using the blue creme called Very Blueberry and cured for another 60 seconds. Afterwards, I removed the vinyl and was good to go. Very Blueberry was pigmented enough that I didn't need a second coat.

Now the only downside about using a vinyl with a 1-step gel is that there isn't a top coat to "seal" the edges of the vinyl. My vinyl didn't lift or get caught on anything but at the same time, my nail wasn't as smooth as the others, so I made this an accent nail only. A top coat would have smoothed everything out but that would have defeated the purpose of using UNO.

To remove, start by gently filing the surface of the gel with a 180 grit file to remove the shine (the nail should look matte), then place a cotton ball with your choice of remover on the nail and wrap with foil. There are many different products on the market to help aid you in removing your gel - I prefer the Steam Off by Katie Cazorla. You still file the surface but then you place your hand in the machine for 10 minutes and the steam created from the acetone penetrates to the polish and steams it right off. I've been using it every time I wear gel, without any issues.

The final look! I wore this to a baseball game on Sunday and it lasted me well. I did not wrap my tips and because of it, I had tip wear after Monday's chores of washing dishes and doing laundry. I will be wearing more of the colors as this month goes on as June will be really busy for us and can't wait to show you more colors!

UNO by Gelish® MINI products are available exclusively at Sally Beauty Supply stores nationwide and online at sallybeauty.com for about $11.50 for a 5 mL/0.17 fl oz bottle. Follow Gelish® MINI on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and on 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.

Gelish MINI Mali-Blu Me Away

Press Sample 
Happy Monday! As I said last week, I started a new job today. I will be closer to home and my hours are different so I'm hoping that means lots more time for blogging! I have missed showing you what I'm wearing, and it helps me learn what I like and what I don't. This falls into the latter.

Gelish MINI Mali-Blu Me Away is from the Colors of Paradise collection. I had decided one day that I wanted to wear blue polish on my semi-long nails. I normally reserve my non-traditional colors for shorter nubs but I wanted to be wild. Are you one to wear the non-traditional colors on long nails as well? Let's just say this look won't be my go to for the office.

I followed proper Gelish MINI steps for a manicure - cleanse & prep the nail. I used the Gelish MINI pH Bond which is a dehydrator followed by a thin coat of Gelish MINI Foundation (base coat). I cured that in my LED lamp, then started on the colored coat.

Gel polish is its own animal. You have to really shake, and I mean SHAKE the bottles to make sure if they have separated, that they get put all back together. I even have a craft paint machine to help me in case my hands just won't have it. However, even with shaking, this baby took three, count them THREE, coats to be opaque and even then... Yeah, I still have VNL (visible nail line). I finished with Gelish MINI Top It Off, and then used the Gelish Cleanser to take off the tacky layer.

Now, my gel application isn't perfect but I'm definitely getting better. Thin coats is where it's at, even if you want to glob that sucker on. You'll just end up with pockets of uncured gel and that's a huge issue. You can barely see the VNL here in my light box, but it's there.

Outside, my hands just looked washed out. One thing you HAVE to do after a gel manicure is use some type of oil for your hands -which I forgot. Gelish MINI kits come with a bottle of Nourish, which is an oil that soaks in fast, but I forgot to use it. Therefore, you see dry cuticles.

This last photo was after a few days of wear and with the flash inside. The color definitely looks deeper but you can still see some VNL. Additionally, I have a bit of scratching and wear across my nails because I was pretty rough on them.

So would I wear this color again? I'm not entirely sure. I may use it for a special occasion like a baby shower for a boy or maybe something with my alma mater as this is the same blue that in our school colors. But otherwise, this bottle will be collecting dust.

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. 

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

Gelish MINI Watch Your Step, Sister!

Press Sample 
Miss me? I've missed you. So since my little Squish was born, I hadn't been wearing polish because time & I didn't want to mess with chipping & that's when it hit me... Hello, Gelish.

Now, if you recall, I tried Gelish over 3 years ago and I hated it (read more here) but after careful trial and error, it's because I'm a dummy and didn't know you had to file off the top layer of gel before removal. Yeah, makes ALL the difference. That's kind of why gel tends to be professional only.

Gelish actually is a professional product but the Gelish MINI bottles are sold at Sally Beauty Supply for everyone to try. Just be smart and read all the directions first.

Also, I am obsessed with gel now because I bought The Painted Nail Steam Off system which literally steams your gel manicure off in 10 minutes or less. I will never soak again.

Back to the polish.

So I randomly picked out of my box and came up with Watch Your Step, Sister! from the Cinderella collection that came out in February. I was a fan of the Morgan Taylor polish sister (read the review here) but I was shocked to see how BRIGHT the Gelish was!

Here in the sun you can see it's a tab brighter than the Morgan Taylor polish sister. I'm still learning with gel and you can see a bit of tip wear and a little bit of VNL. Also, when I was applying, I was in a rush and tried to do my entire hand at once (instead of 4 fingers and the two thumbs separately) so I had pulling issues on both my pinkie (shown) and my thumb (which I'm hiding). Again, READ THE DIRECTIONS. 

I wore this manicure for almost an entire week before removing - after about 6 days, I tend to get a little pulling up at the cuticles from new growth which gets caught in my hair when showering. 

Gel is a great alternative for those who don't have the time (or energy) to keep up with regular polish. I go back to work tomorrow (and my Squish starts day care) so I'm going to see how I'm able to keep up with everything.

ALSO I will be attending Cosmoprof North America next month for one day only so I will be trying to squeeze in all the important sights. Be sure to follow my Instagram for the latest.

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. 

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

Gelaze by China Glaze Update

So speaking of Gelaze, they are coming out with new colors! And more importantly for the professionals out there, Gelaze is finally launching their 0.5 fl oz PRO bottles!

The new PRO bottles are launching now at professional beauty supply stores but not at Sally Beauty Supply. Sally will continue to carry the mini sizes for the non-professional (like me!) to get their Gelaze fix.

Coming in January 2015, 23 new shades will be launched. Unlike Ever Glaze, Gelaze is the gel version OF existing China Glaze lacquers. These 23 shades will all launch as minis and as pro 0.5 bottles but just a quick heads up - of the above 23, Sally Beauty Supply will only be carrying 6. (The names were not available at press time.)

Also available now are the Gelaze starter kits for mini and pro which includes a lamp, remover and removal wraps. Larger bottles of the remover are also available.

Layla Gel

I have a love/hate relationship with gel polish - can you blame me? But one of the coolest things to come out of the polish world is gel effect polish without the light.  Say what?  Yes, seriously!

Layla Gel Effect Nail Polish is the revolutionary new gel nail polish that does not need a UV lamp to dry and has a long lasting brightness and luster similar to what you get in the salon!  This unique at home gel polish comes in 12 vibrant colors and has the performances of a semi- permanent gel polish in terms of brilliance, scratchless and is a ridge filler!

What Makes Layla Gel Effect different?

The Layla Gel Effect Nail Polish has the shine and color of a salon gel polish with the ease and simplicity of using it at home without a UV lamp! As with all Layla nail polishes, no base coat needed and 3 free!

This polish will last up to 12 days and dries in 3 minutes flat! The Layla Gel Nail Polish has extreme brightness, an amazing filling power, and a silky and ultra smooth texture. The Gel Effect Nail Polish comes in 12 gorgeous shades!

How to Use Layla Gel Effect:

1. Add two coats of the new Layla Gel Effect Nail Polish
2. No UV lamp  needed
3. Let dry for 3 minutes and enjoy this gorgeous semi-permanent Gel Polish for up to 12 days!
4. Add favorite Top Coat (optional).   We recommend our Layla Eco Base and Fix
5. Easily removed with regular nail polish remover

Layla Gel Effect is available at Aveyou.com / Zappos.com and retails for $10.00

Gelish MINI: An Experience Take 2

I was slightly skeptical but also interested to receive a Gelish MINI set from Nail and Harmony. Gelish is the professional only brand, Gelish MINI is the consumer brand (also available at Sally's Beauty Supply).

Because I wasn't ready to gel myself (haha), I decided to force my co-worker to let me do her nails. She's a tomboy who tends to chew her nails, so I didn't know how much of a challenge this would be. She told me I could paint her middle fingers.

The application booklet that came with the kit was very straight forward (which is great) and I felt pretty confident that I could do this.

First I had to prepare her nail. I applied Gelish Cleanser (the blue larger blue bottle) to a lent free wipe and wiped the nail plate. Then I pushed back her cuticle with an orange stick. Then I used the cushion file to remove the shine on her nail and used the Gelish Cleanser again to remove any dust from the nail.

Next is the Gelish pH Bond (bottle with orange writing on the right) which dries instantly on the nail. Then a thin coat of Gelish Foundation Gel was added sealing the edge. Make sure you remove any excess gel BEFORE you cure under the curing light. If there is gel on the cuticle or surrounding skin, it can cause the Gelish to lift when the excess gel is removed from the skin.

I have the LED Pro: 45 curing light so I placed her nail under for 20 seconds (manually counted). Next I applied a thin layer of Gelish Soak Off Gel Polish in June/Bride to her nail (her choice) and sealed the edge. That was cured for 45 seconds (which the lamp is made for 45 seconds so when it turned off automatically). We ended up doing 2 layers of color because it's a pink glitter that doesn't have a heavy base color.

Finally I applied Gelish Top It Off Gel Sealer and sealed the edge and let it cure for 45 seconds. After this, the nail was tacky, so it was time to remove it using the Gelish Cleanser on a lint free wipe.

She was SHOCKED that she was done - that quick! She tried to put her hands up to let the nails dry and I grabbed her hands and twisted the nails to show her that no, it's really dry.  It's DONE. (I also added some cuticle oil afterwards and rubbed her nails to show her that yes, it was really dry!)

So you can see that I got gel in BOTH cuticles on the right side of the picture but overall I was pretty proud of myself for the first time.

Now, Gelish should last up to three weeks but by the 8th day, she had peeled it off her nails (ow). She said that it came off very easily, no problems with sheeting or crumbling like I had. Will I try it again on myself? YES.

The Gelish MINI Basix Kit runs about $50 USD, and the Gelism MINI Pro 45 LED Curing Light is $70. Gelish colors runs $11-$15 per 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.

The Painted Nail Color Flash Nails

First thing in the morning, I check my Instagram for what's going on in the world of pictures. Lately, I've been noticing something new and super interesting from The Painted Nail - Katie Cazorla.   
[All images courtesy of Katie's Instagram]

Katie is launching an "instant nail color" system at ShopNBC, and the concept sounds amazing.

"The Nail Pod fits in the palm of your hand, throw it in your make up bag, plug it into your iPad, laptop or go wireless! No primer, bonder, base, top or cleanser!! Just one swipe of color and in under 60 secs, you're out the door! Odorless and removes without Acetone!! Wears like a gel, goes on and off like a polish!"

"Here's the LED light that comes in the Color Flash Kit! Complete with dual USB/wall charger and a little bow with a crystal accent for the button (timer built in)."

"The bottom pops off by magnet so you can cure your toes lightning fast or custom mix your Color Flash with glitter, powders etc."

Now for the colors!  All these duo kits will be under $25.

Jade and Coral

Blush and Noir

Margarita and Citrine

St.Tropez and Monaco

Hot Peach and Bright Violet

Starlet and LaLa Land

The original images all had a launch date of March but last week, Katie posted the following:

"GREAT NEWS!!!!!!! My 'Color Flash' Instant Gel Nail Color Kit (3 colors) with Led Light and non-acetone remover paste just got approved today on ShopNBC to be the "Today's Top Value"!!!! You'll get an incredible price on a new, fun, easy and safe product for your nails! You Deserve This!! Coming 4/30"

No word yet on how glitter removal worked with a non-acetone remover... and no base, no top? Sounds like Layla's concept but I've never been brave enough to wear a dark color without a base coat. I love the concept of a gel that removes like polish - I hate that most gels have to have the top layer filed off to "break the seal". (Granted, not ALL gels, but a good percentage.)

I'll have more as soon as I get it, and follow Katie's Instagram for the most up to date news!