Showing posts with label Gelish. Show all posts

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.

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Cosmoprof North America 2017


Nothing To Disclose


 Cosmoprof North America was a BLAST! On top of seeing some of my favorite bloggers, I also got to meet with some of my favorite brands, as well as meet some new ones! It's always a pleasure to head out to Las Vegas for a few days to see all things beauty.

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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.
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PolishGalore: Nails In Real Life

Press Sample 

 2015 has been really crazy, really scary, and really awesome all at the same time. I had a baby, I quit a really good job but for an even BETTER job, and I've been really busy on the home front. I'm still attempting to balance home, work, and fun but while I'm figuring that one out, I wanted to show you a few "nails in real life" - polishes that I didn't review for the blog but I actually wore. Some were press samples (which is why I've labeled this post as such) but some I bought myself. I tend to post more to Instagram when it's quick snapshots like this but now I hear that even Instagram is limiting what people see (thanks Facebook for buying Instagram and applying the same 'pay for play' business model).

 In July, I went to Cosmoprof North America for less than 24 hours. Not sure that I will ever put my body through that again, but it was still fun. I really wanted something flashy so I knew I was going to wear ILNP "Mega (X)" from the Summer 2015 collection but I wanted some base creme to layer it over, so I went with Love, Angeline "Did You Say Peppercorn?!" which is a matte grey creme.  Add 2 coats of "Mega (X)" and we were in business.

After Cosmoprof I needed something nice but neutral for my job interview so I went with ILNP "Long Walks" from the Summer 2015 collection. It's a dusty purple/taupe with a little bit of bronze shimmer - nothing too flashy but still had something to keep me interested.
A photo posted by PolishGalore (@polishgalore) on

After my neutral color, I wanted something flashy, so I grabbed F.U.N. "Goodness Of The Dawn" from the Summer 2015 collection. Only 2 coats and removal wasn't too terrible despite the glitter overload.
A photo posted by PolishGalore (@polishgalore) on

So I didn't get to see any of my Cosmoprof beauties for a few days because I had to have them shipped to me (THANK YOU SO MUCH THE DAILY NAIL!) but one that wowed me was Fair Maiden Polish - "Just a Mirage". I already love all things purple and holo but this was a nice plum with red base and only 2 coats.

After getting my new job, I knew I wanted to start off with some color. I blindly picked China Glaze "I Brake For Colour" from the Spring 2015 Road Trip collection. I felt like I wimped out a bit by not going crazy neon holo nuts but I didn't want anyone to think I was too crazy (yet).

My second week of work seemed to be a bit more demanding on my hands, so I opted for Gelish MINI "From Rodeo to Rodeo Drive" from the Fall 2015 Urban Cowgirl collection. It reminded me a little of ILNP "Long Walks" minus the bronze shimmer. This was only 2 coats but I should have used 3.

Then I snapped a few nails so I decided to cut them down to super nubbins - absolutely no free edge. I forgot how liberating they can be, especially when typing! To show off, I used ILNP "Missed Calls" which is a fantastic charcoal black holo that I am obsessed with.

Next I decided to go with Colors by Llarowe "As Rome Burned" from the August 2015 A Box, Indied collection. I seriously want to wear this all the time. NO staining either which is something I was really worried about. Only 2 coats but it did dry matte so I needed a good top coat to bring out the shine.

I decided to go for another Gelish MINI after that - this is "Brights Have More Fun". I was nervous about trying a neon without a white base coat, but you can see it did pretty well on its own.
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Two weeks later and my nubs got out of control as well as my cuticles. I also tend to get hangnails on my index and middle fingers and I really try to leave them alone. But to feel pretty, I put on Glam Polish "Bohemian Rhapsody".

But then I decided to go dark blue to match my outfit when we were headed to a wedding. This is ILNP "After Midnight" from the Fall 2015 Collection.

Just one day later, I was moving to ILNP "Money Bin" to coordinate with the La Palmera #ReadySetGold Fashion Show that I attended.

 Just a short time later, I was heading to Florida for training at my new job. I was super excited to go on a trip so I decided to bring a little ILNP with me. This is "Walking Home" and the purple holo is SO in your face. I was obsessed.
A photo posted by PolishGalore (@polishgalore) on

Despite owning tons of ILNP, I hadn't worn any of the multichrome crazy polishes yet so I decided I was going to wear ILNP "Cameo". I ended up going almost a whole week in this polish and couldn't stop playing with the color shift from purple to green to gold. Loved it!

Last week, a friend was eloping, so a bunch of us did manis to surprise her. I wanted something red and holo-y so I used both Morgan Taylor "Ruby Two-Shoes" with Starrily "Poisoned Apple" for this beautiful combination.

And now on my hands I have Polished by KPT "No Makeup Needed" which is a nude holo. After all the red and purple I had been wearing, I felt like wearing something a little neutral. I'm on Day 5 of this mani and while I need to remove it before Saturday (family photos!), it's held up very well.
A photo posted by PolishGalore (@polishgalore) on

And there you have it! That's been my "Nails In Real Life" and while I wished I had properly photographed and written a review for the blog, I'm glad that I at least documented them on Instagram. Do you have any favorites from what I wore?

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

How cold is it where you are? We are bouncing between the 30s and 70s here in South Texas but I can still pull out some Gelish MINI winter gels to feel in season!

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Gelish MINI Snow Day Escape Winter Color Collection


Any of my readers from the northeast? I hear you're probably pretty sick of snow days but don't overlook this winter collection from Gelish and Gelish MINI. My stand out color is definitely 360 Black Flip.
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Gelish MINI Nail Art Kits

For some, nail art comes naturally. For me, it's a bit harder. I constantly feel like I need a guide book. Gelish MINI has made it a little easier with 3 new nail art kits.

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Gelish MINI Trends


I stopped in Sally's this past weekend and was intrigued to see this new collection of Gelish MINI polishes for $15.95 each. I had to reach out for more information because we all know how knowledgeable some employees can be.

This new collection is called Trends and it's a seasonally-inspired grouping of the most sought after colors and textures for layering on top of other Gelish colors or wearing alone. Sixteen brand new colors, people!

No more talking, LOOK AT THESE. (Images courtesy of Gelish)

All That Glitters Is Gold
Gold glitter

Candy Shop
Green & blue glitter

Let Me Top You Off
Purple, red & blue glitter

Too Tough to Be Sweet
Magenta glitter

Girls' Night Out
Chunky silver glitter

Concrete Couture
Black & silver glitter

Rough Around The Edges
Iridescent holographic flakes

Am I Making You Gelish?
Silver holographic glitter

A Pinch of Pepper
White & black dots

Feel Me On Your Fingertips
Purple glitter

Lots of Dots
Fine multi-colored dots

Sweet 16
Pink glitter

Life of The Party
Red glitter

#PartyGirlProblems
Blue, pink & silver glitter

Getting Gritty With It
Blue, pink and turquoise glitter

Are You Feeling It?
Turquoise, blue & green glitter

-dies- I seriously had to stop myself from just buying them all. My must haves are Are You Feeling It?, Rough Around the Edges, Am I Making You Gelish? and A Pinch of Pepper. Don't even pretend like you know I'm not obsessed with black and white glitter.  LOVE.

Bonus: Did you know Gelish MINI has their own website now? 
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Halloween Nail Art

I'm currently rocking some nubs after snapping not one but three nails last week, so hopefully this posting helps you and I alike find some creative ways to celebrate Halloween with our nails - long or short. All images courtesy of their respective companies.

 If nail art isn't your thing, Dermelect Cosmeceuticals has 4 brilliant colors that will help accent your costume or show off your holiday spirit.
Head Turner
A brilliant tangerine creme - perfect for pumpkin related costumes.

Decadence
A metallic espresso - great for a witch or zombie look.

Red-iculous
This classic red creme works great for blood related manicures.

Persuasive
This delicate peach is perfect for princess costumes.

Dermelect ME Anti-Aging Nail Lacquers ($14) at Dermelect.com and high-end apothecaries, beauty boutiques, salons, spas, medi-spas and doctors offices.

Next, Pure Ice has 18 scintillating and stylish shades in their new Perfect Potion Halloween Collection including a Glow in the Dark polish to help you mix and match for the perfect manicure.

Perfect Potion Halloween Shades
-Glow In The Dark
-Cheatin' (glittery purple)
-All Night Long (sparkle blue)
-Hit The Floor (sparkle red)
-I'll Never Tell (glitter brown)
-Superstar (white)
-Blackout (black)
-Can't Stop (coral pink)
-Free Spirit (sea green)
-Silver Star (silver)

At only $1.99, the price is definitely right to collect them all and rock several different looks. Pure Ice is available at Walmart and Walmart.com

CND is constantly being the innovated one that thinks outside the box, and this Halloween they created Hollywood-inspired nail looks to die for. Ask your favorite salon to help recreate these Shellac looks or the last one is done with Vinylux for the at home DIY-er!


 The Redrum - Inspired by the cult classic "The Shining". Created by Heather Reynosa-Davis, CND Education Ambassador.
1. Apply a thin later of CNS Shellac Base Coat and cure for 10 seconds in the CND UV Lamp.
2. Apply two thin layers of CND Shellac in Wildfire. Cure each layer for 2 minutes.
3. Apply a thin layer of CND Shellac in Black Pool - DO NOT CURE.
4. Use a style to etch the letters into the wet Black Pool revealing Wildfire underneath. Cure for 2 minutes.
5. Apply a thin layer of Shellac Top Coat and cure for 2 minutes.
6. Wipe with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove top film.
The Dracula - Inspired by Bram Stoker's 1931 classic horror film. Created by Kris Kiss, CND Education Ambassador
1. Apply CND Shellac Base Coat and cure for 10 seconds in the CND UV Lamp.
2. Apply two coats of CND Shellac in Cream Puff. Cure each layer for 2 minutes.
3. Apply CND Additive in Black Pigment from cuticle towards the center.
4. Apply CND Additive in Red Pigment from the edge towards the center.
5. Apply drops of isopropyl alcohol randomly on black pigment area.
6. Lightly apply CND Shellac in Wildfire over red pigment area and cure for 2 minutes.
7. Lightly dust CND Additive in Steel Dreams over black pigment area.
8. Apply CND Shellac Top Coat and cure for 2 minutes.
9. Wipe with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove top film.
The Alien - Inspired by Steven Spielberg's 1970s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Created by Torie Bastian, CND Education Ambassador
1. Apply two coats of CND Vinylux in Steal Gaze and wait for it to dry (8.5 minutes).
2. Using a striping brush, draw two large almond shaped eyes using CND Vinylux in Black Pool.
3. With a striping brush, outline the shape of the alien's head and fill in the surrounding area with CND Vinylux in Midnight Swim.
4. For additional effect, use a sponge dipped in CND Vinylux colors of your choice to create a nebulous, space-like look. Let dry for 1 minute.
5. Apply CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat.

 ORLY brings you 4 polishes that are sure to give you just the right of glitz and glam for any Halloween Look.
Black Pixel, Right Amount of Evil, R.I.O. and Monster Mash; $10 each at OrlyBeauty.com. Additionally, ORLY is offering free shipping on all orders over $16 with the code FALLFREESHIP from now until November 15th. Any guest who makes a purchase using FALLFREESHIP is additionally eligible to receive a coupon code for 20% off their next order. All 20% off coupon codes are eligible for savings through December 15th.

 Finally, Gelish brings you a great Spooky Eyes nail art from head manicurist Danielle Candido. This is great for those who may not be able to dress up at the office but can rock a look on their nails! (And it's also for someone like me who may be a little nail art challenged!)

 Prep the nails first: Apply Gelish MINI Nail Surface Cleanse on to a lint-free wipe to clean the nails. Push back the cuticle and clean the surrounding nail. Apply an adhesive tab to the plastic pusher and lightly buff the nail to remove the shine. Apply Gelish MINI Nail Surface Cleanse to a lint-free wipe to remove the dust and clean the nails. Dehydrate the nail plate with Gelish MINI pH Bond. 
1. Apply a thin coat of Gelish MINI Foundation Gel to the nail, making sure to cap the free edge. Use a clean orangewood stick to clean up any excess Gelish MINI Foundation Gel from around the cuticle or under the nail. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. After curing Gelish MINI Foundation Gel, a tacky surface will remain. 
2. Apply a thin coat of Gelish MINI Black Shadow to the entire nail bed from the cuticle to the free edge.  Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. Apply a second coat of Gelish MINI Black Shadow for full coverage. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. Darker colors, such as Gelish MINI Black Shadow may need to be cured longer. 
3. Using the larger end of a double-ended dotting tool, place two dots of Gelish MINI Sheek White on the nail bed next to each other. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED light for 45 seconds. Using the smaller end of the double-ended dotting tool, place two smaller dots of Gelish MINI Black Shadow inside the dots of Gelish MINI Sheek White. Cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED light for 45 seconds. 
4. Seal with a thin coat of Gelish MINI Top It Off Sealer and cure in the Gelish MINI Pro: 45 LED Light for 45 seconds. Your nails will remain tacky until they are cleansed. 
5. Apply Gelish MINI Nail Surface Cleanse to a lint-free nail wipe to remove the tacky surface. To finish, apply Gelish MINI Nourish Cuticle Oil to the skin surrounding the nail plate and massage into the cuticles.  


There you have it! No matter what your skill level or what products you have, there are many options to rock a great manicure next week for Halloween. Stay tuned to PolishGalore to see what I ended up wearing next Thursday!
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