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.

Sparkle and Wine 2014

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During Cosmoprof North America, indie brands KBShimmer and Girly Bits organized an after hours events for indie brands and media to come together AND IT WAS AMAZING. Representatives from NAILPRO Magazine, Nail It! Magazine and Nails Magazine were in attendance along with various bloggers from around the United States. There was so much to see and I hope I got most of it photographed accurately.

Pam from Girly Bits, me, Melissa from The Daily Nail
Photo by mackenzieheil

This event was truly amazing. My first year at Cosmoprof, indies were pretty much unheard of. My second year, we had a very impromptu dinner at the Tropicana where a few indies handed out some polishes. Last year there were two dinners (one at Tropicana again which I attended) where indies were able to hand out polishes but this?! This was a great concentrated area that was meticulously set up by KBShimmer and Girly Bits with displays and the most amazing gift bags but all that will be coming soon.

Girly Bits had a nice display of their polishes and rings of nail swatches for our viewing pleasure. Additionally, we received a bottle of her new What Happens In Vegas... Ends Up On Instagram polish. This will become a limited run polish on her website, so stay tuned for that. This was also the 2nd in her series - last year was "What Happens in Vegas... Ends Up On Facebook" which I have a mini bottle of in my stash.

KBShimmer also had a sweet set up including her new nail vinyls! I received some sheets from her that I'm excited to use - I hadn't tried nail vinyls yet so this is fun. She also had the nicest media kit I've received to date that included a branded USB with product information, press releases and high res photos; the Beach Themed 6th Anniversary Trio, nail vinyls, SOMETHING EMBARGOED THAT I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT, a bottle of her Clearly On Top quick dry top coat AND a 2 oz refill bottle (!), a 2 oz pink sugar scrub and the coolest 4 oz bottle of pink sugar moisturizing nail polish remover. Perfect items for Vegas but also just for a great starter kit into KBShimmer. I seriously hope she offers those kits on her website some day soon because they would be a fantastic gift for friends and family. I also got to see some photos of her warehouse and her wall of glitter containers which literally made me squeal like a 12 year old girl. It was fantastic looking. This husband and wife team are extremely sweet and have really helped change my mind on indies in general. They are doing everything right.

Victoria of Serum No 5 and myself
Photo by Victoria

Serum No 5 has GROWN since the last time I saw her polishes! Last year I received a bottle of Day Glow but then I misplaced it and it slipped my mind. This year, she had so many polishes that I literally did a jaw drop and double take! In addition to polishes, she is also coming out with nail vinyls. Victoria is so sweet as well - she hugged me and asked for a photo (which I was such a fan girl all night). She gave us this cute cube that included Flashing Lights, Another Year, Let's Cheer which just launched last week, another of her polishes, a cuticle serum pen and a sugar scrub cube (to be released later this year). 

I grabbed a photo of Alter Ego Nail Enamel before she had finished setting up her display - oops! Cynthia is a sweetheart and young at heart even though she has been doing her nails longer than I've been alive. She included two of her shades including best selling Penny Pincher in my bag.

Misfits on 8th is a supplier for those who want to start making their own polish. She included a starter kit for us to create our own colors, as well some extra glitter, her top coat, and 2 of her mini polishes to try. If you're looking into starting your own line, check her shop out!

Jaded Nail Co was also there with her line of unique polishes. I got to speak to her a bit the day prior and she's a blast.

Polish TBH is a girl after my own heart. Her polish line started out of an obsession for Britney Spears Fantasy line of perfumes and we all know that I'm a Britney fan forever. She included a few colors including a neat color changing glitter polish.

Linda from Nail Vinyls had a great station set up for us to play with. Her tagline is simple but perfect - Place. Polish. Peel. I had received a sample with my Cult Nails order earlier this year but hadn't used them yet but now I have LOTS to play with and that makes me happy. I'm going to step up my nail art game! Nail Vinyls are now available in a variety of shapes and have made its way into over 10,000 homes so far. She's also moved into decals for your every day life including ENOUGH HOLOGRAPHIC VINYL TO COVER A HELMER. Hello sparkles.

I knew Glisten & Glow made balms and top coat but did you know they also have creams, lotions, hand sanitizer and NOW POLISH?! She had goodies for us to play with and just for you! Take 10% off your order from now until 1 September 2014 using the code Cosmoprof14.

I literally squealed (again) when I saw Chaos & Crocodiles. I had preordered the entire "Secret Agent" collection (the 10 out of focus polishes in the back) last month on a whim and turns out it was the best decision ever. Then, like a real secret agent would, owner Sarey slipped me a bottle of Operation Vegas.

IT'S PURPLE. IT'S HOLOGRAPHIC. SHE KNOWS ME. SHE GETS ME. Ahem.  I feel really bad that we didn't get to hang out more - we had made semi-plans and then it just fell apart on me. Blah. But she is so sweet and her polish is SO awesome.

Elevation Polish had this cute set up on the end table and I was taking photos when she put up a sign that said "Take One." Due to the sun setting, I decided to use my iPhone light to check out the polishes when I found out that she has some amazing holos in her collection! I snuck up and asked her how many could I "REALLY" take because I fell in love and she held up some fingers and I ran away like a little kid. And now I have some awesome polishes to wear for you later to come.

Sweet Heart Polish had the most adorable thrones for her polish set up! I hadn't tried her polish before but she included a couple of bottles inside a cute packaged box with cut out window that made me smile.

Llarowe started as an e-tailer in the United States that offered amazing indie brands and international brands that were hard for us to obtain otherwise. Now she has her own line - Colors by Llarowe that has over 60 colors! She debuted her Show Me and Emily's Imagination collections and gave us several shades to try. Even more amazing, she will be opening a brick and mortar store in Colorado later this year and will be offering things like "Polish Making Parties!"

Now, Leah Ann had recently announced a new logo change which was not well received. I asked her what her final decision was and she surprised me with her answer. "We are keeping our original logo for now and will be going back to the drawing board for a new logo. If my customers don't like it, I'm not going to do it." That was awesome to hear - a company actually listening to her customers. I look forward to the new design to come.

Glitter Daze is another company that has grown quite a bit! A fellow Texan, she has all new packaging now and a new website! Apparently there was a Cosmoprof exclusive polish given out but somehow I missed it and I'm kicking myself for it. She has also gotten rid of her mini bottles, which I had reviewed previously.

Cupcake Polish was another new-to-me company with a sweet showing. Sadly, the USPS didn't deliver her boxes in time for the event so all she had was what she carried on the plane with her but it was still a sweet showing!

We also received information and samples from Emerald & Ash (who now has my favorite polish name ever - see Instagram AND probably the best bottle of cuticle oil I own - photos to come); Model City Polish whom I've been wanting to try and now get to; Pahlish's own Cosmoprof exclusive and I THINK that is all!

Again, tremendous thanks to all the indies that made this event possible. I wish every single one of you the best of luck and I'm so honored to have been apart of this event!

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