China Glaze Concrete Catwalk

While I'm still on my hunt for the perfect grey, Concrete Catwalk seemed like a logical choice to check.  This is also from the 2011 fall collection "Metro".  This whole collection screams NYC to me, but that may be the Glee-episode in me talking...  Or something.  Sadly, I don't recall which base and top coat I used and I believe this was 2 coats.


Also, I suffered a devastating loss - goodbye nails, hello nubbins.

So, not my perfect grey - this one has too much of a dark presence for me.  I do like it much better on nubbins that on long nails though, so I'm sure I'll wear it again, especially in the long winter months.

In the shade this almost has a blue tone to it, but I do believe it's just bad lighting.  Bad blogger too.

Finally indoors with the flash - and some bad focus.  You can see a little bit of patchiness on my pinkie fingers.  You'll notice that on the last post too - you need to make sure to cover the whole nail surface with the polish so you don't end up with patchy spots.




China Glaze [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply as well as TransDesign.

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

CPNALV: Legislative Update

46 days left!!! Please enjoy the following release regarding Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas. (All images courtesy of Y! PR)

It's All In The Details: The Legislative Update At CPNA

Learn How To Protect Your Business And Our Industry

Making a return to Cosmoprof North America (CPNA) this year, the Legislative Update conference will feature the industry’s top three beauty associations focusing on the Safe Cosmetic Alliance and how this group helps to protect the beauty industry as a whole.

Introduced last September, the Safe Cosmetic Alliance is a diverse coalition of industry professionals that support science-based federal legislation designed to strengthen U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) oversight of the industry, increase transparency and enhance existing consumer safeguards. The Alliance includes professionals from the Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors (ICMAD), Personal Care Products Council (PCPC), Professional Beauty Association (PBA) as well as the Direct Selling Association (DSA) and the International Fragrance Association North America (IFRANA). The proactive Alliance represents every sector of the beauty and personal care industry such as local salon and spa owners, retail employees, and licensed beauty professionals.

Join members from the Safe Cosmetic Alliance as they discuss pending legislation on proposed regulatory bills impacting the beauty industry and modernizing the current laws. In addition, the group will highlight recent issues affecting certain ingredients and the overall safety of consumer products. The “It’s All In The Details: The Legislative Update” session will be held at CPNA on Monday, July 23, 2012 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in Pavilion D. Leaders of the top three beauty associations will participate in this not-to-be-missed conference, featuring:
 

Personal Care Products Council: Lezlee Westine, President and CEO – Covering the political dynamics in Washington, Westine will highlight how Washington works, how those dynamics are affecting the industry and what the Council is doing on behalf of the industry to advance issues in Congress.

  

Independent Cosmetic Manufacturers and Distributors: Pam Busiek, President and CEO – Reviewing what is currently happening in the industry and cover new developments in proposed federal legislation which has industry support.  She will discuss the need for modernization of existing cosmetic regulations.  Busiek will also update attendees on new trends and initiatives that will affect their businesses.

Professional Beauty Association: Steve Sleeper, Executive Director – Providing clarity on cosmetic ingredients to proactively working toward a fair taxation of the salon industry, PBA’s government advocacy efforts is extensive. Sleeper will provide an overview of current pressing issues such as, tax/tip legislation and grassroots legislative campaigns.

This session is complimentary to all CPNA show attendees.

Cosmoprof North America will take place July 22 - 24, 2012 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.  Stay tuned for regular CPNA show updates, and for more information, visit cosmoprofnorthamerica.com and Facebook.com/cosmoprofnorthamerica. 

China Glaze Urban-Night

Yes, I know it's June but this is a fall color.  I'm a rebel.  Rawr.  Urban-Night is from the China Glaze Metro 2011 Fall Collection.  It's a simple red plum creme that isn't super fancy, but does the job on the nail.  Good bottle of polish.  I used a base coat of Poshe, 2 coats of color and a top of nubar diamont.

So I'm still trying to rock dark colors on long nails.  I just don't feel like I have the personality to go with it.  Then again, how many people wear dark purple on a regular basis anyway?  Be a rock star.  You can see that the color looks a little sheer near my cuticle... you do have to make sure you apply the color fully since the first coat was just a tiny bit sheer but two coats made it nice and opaque.

Now, I do love this color in the shade even more than in the sun.  The vampy purple is up my alley, despite my normal loathing of fall colors.

Indoors with the flash - you can see that it's definitely opaque.  Despite the bleeding into my cuticles, this wasn't a bad formula, and it didn't stain my nails, so win win!


China Glaze [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] can be found online through several etailers, including my favorite Head2Toe Beauty, Sally's Beauty Supply as well as TransDesign.

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

Safety facts about UV Nail Lamps

Okay, ladies (and the occasional gentleman who wanders this way).  I'm a little tired of all the negative backlash about UV lamps.  No, we don't need to go looking like Tan Mom but at the same time, we can't just let some snippet in a magazine or blurb on the news scare us from things like gel manicures.

Image via HLNTV

Good Morning America aired a segment in April about gel manicures and UV nail lamps.  Unfortunately, I was not able to watch it (silly work), but I wanted to share the information that CND sent out.  You can also read more here and if you have any questions, ask in the comments!  I am not a nail technician but CND has extended an invitation to PolishGalore readers to ask questions and they will help me get you the right answer.  :]

UV Nail Lamp Safety Information

 As of April 11, 2012

• According to Dr. Robert M. Sayre, Ph.D., of Rapid Precision Testing Laboratories one of the creators of the SPF rating system: “UV Nail Lamps are safer than natural sunlight or sunlamps.”

• Dr. David Valia, Director of Research and Development for CND, compares the exposure from a UV lamp to that of indoor fluorescent lighting. He explains, “The amount of energy from a UV lamp during a nail service would be roughly equivalent to the amount of UV exposure one would experience during a typical day of exposure in indoor fluorescent lighting.”

• According to Dr. Sayre:  “People who are indoors have little to no skin risk due to long term exposure to fluorescent lighting. People who sunbathe or work outdoors have real risks of excessive UV exposure, the cause of sunburn and skin cancer.”

• “The CND UV Nail Lamp bulb emits almost exclusively (more than 99%) UVA-1, the safest part of the ultraviolet spectrum,” says Dr. Sayre.  

• The exposure from a bi-weekly UV manicure is equivalent to “an extra 1-2 minutes in daylight each day between salon visits,” says Doug Schoon, CND’s Chief Scientific Advisor and author of Nail Structure and Product Chemistry.

• Although hands are the most exposed, they’re also the least susceptible to UV sensitivity. According to Dr. Sayre, “It would take 6 – 10x more exposure to your hands to produce mild sunburn than it would to produce a burn on your face, abdomen or back. UV Nail Lamps are used on one of the least susceptible parts of your body.”

• Hands get more UV exposure holding the steering wheel of a car or talking on a cell phone outside than they do from the use of UV nail lamps.

• UV nail lamps have been on the market for over 30 years and there have been no proven reports linking them to premature aging or skin cancer.

• Just like you put sunscreen on your face, we recommend putting sunscreen on your hands throughout the day, especially after washing them.

NCLA Eight Days A Week

So yesterday was the Texas Primary Election, and as I have mentioned a few times on Twitter, I'm running for local office.  Well, I was also running unopposed in my party so YAY I WON!  The real test will be Tuesday, 6 November 2012 when I go against the incumbent.  So in a small victory dance, I'm wearing NCLA Eight Days A Week and singing the song loudly... in my head at least.  This is a beautiful cornflower/powder blue that has a hit of dusty lavender in it.  It's a great creme that was opaque in just 2 coats.  I use a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of nubar Diamont.  This is also from the "Summer of 69" collection.

Look how vibrant this color is!  I also love that it's not too warm for my hands... or too cool - it's just the right shade.

Even in the shade, this color truly pops.  I really want to use it and dot against it with white or purple.  OR ADD SPECTRAFLAIR.  Or even some Connect the Dots...

Now, inside with the flash, this color does look a bit harsh, but still vibrant and opaque and that to me says "GOOD POLISH."  I'm about to go crazy, weeding down some of my collection to send to my dear Destany along with some other goodies that are overdue for her...  but watery layer polishes are not my favorite and this is definitely not one of those!  YOU STAY.  Good polish.  *pat*


NCLA [Website] [Facebook] [Twitter] [Tumblr] is available on the website for $16.00 a bottle and in a variety of stores.

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