nubar Fall 2012 & Gelicure

Photo Courtesy of nubar Facebook Page

I finally found my missing camera pictures from Cosmoprof North America, which included my visit with nubar nails.  nubar is a cruelty free, vegan, big 3 free brand that is available only through their website for $8 a bottle.  They also have treatments (I tried the cucumber cuticle oil!), nail art tools & accessories and their own line of gels called Gelicure.

I also took a few pictures of some of their collections.

Then I got to see the new fall collection, Simplicity Meets Elegance.  It's a great collection of cremes that are available now.  I reviewed Romance earlier this month.

Now Gelicure soak off gel polish.  This line launched at IBS 2010 Long Beach, can be cured in a UV or LED lamp, lasts for 3 weeks with no chipping or peeling and soaks off in just 15 minutes.  Because I knew I'd have a lot of nail polish to wear, I opted to just have one nail done.

First my nail was cleaned and prepped.  Then the base coat was applied and placed in the LED light for 20 seconds (would be 1 minute for UV light).  Next we went with 2 coats of Purple Aster NPG037, a lavender creme.  Each coat was cured for 30 seconds in the LED light (120 seconds for UV).  Then we added a coat of Purple Pyrotechnics NPG046, a very glitter purple.  Finally the top coat was added and that was only 20 seconds as well.  We finished off with the cucumber cuticle oil.

24 July 2012: Freshly done

Nine days later on 2 August 2012...

The thickness compared to my natural nail

As you can see, I've had very little lifting (only on my side where a bit of gel got on my skin), no chipping and no tip wear.

On 7 August, I decided it was time to remove, only because my nail had grown so much - you can see the gel is still fine.  The main issue was that I was getting my hair caught under the gel where it had grown out.

First I used the nubar VIP file to remove the Gelicure Top Coat Sealer from the nail surface to expose the color and assist in the soaking procedure.

Now, honestly, I don't think I removed enough of the top coat but this was my first time and all.  Next I took a cotton ball soaked in Zoya Remove+, placed it on my finger and wrapped my finger in foil.  I waited 10 minutes and got this.

So as you can see, that didn't really work.  It took another application in foil with pure acetone, and quite a bit of scraping off before I got all the Gelicure off my nail.  Even then, I didn't get it all off and my nail has a weird texture right now (27 August) - kind of like the nail was roughed up, even when it wasn't.  Please note that I am not a nail tech, I have not been to cosmetology school, and you should have your gels removed by a professional if you don't know what you're doing (like me).  Regardless, I would get Gelicure again - my nail was super strong while the gel was on and they offer a lot of different colors.

nubar [Website | Facebook | Twitter] can be purchased on their website for $8.00 a bottle in the US.  They do have international retailers in Russia, Sweden and the UK.  

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

China Glaze No Plain Jane

I was super excited when I heard that China Glaze was coming out with a line of duochromes but I wondered how they would hold up.  The New Bohemian collection came out this month and sadly, I wasn't super awesome happy with several of them.  This is one of those.  No Plain Jane is a light purple with a brownish/orange duochrome that you can see a bit on the sides of the bottle.  Also, you'll notice my cap looks weird... my bottle wasn't closed tightly in shipping and it leaked out onto the bottle.  I took acetone to clean it up and it also stripped the silver coating on the lid.

For this manicure, I used a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast.  While this is a pretty color, it didn't do what I wanted.

Purple?  Great!  Duochrome?  No!  I just don't see it.

even in the shade - lovely purple but where's my gold?  I even tried holding my nails at a crazy odd angle, but nada.

Here's some indirect sun - maaaaaaaybe a little duochrome peeking through here.  Maybe.

With the flash?  Forget it.  I'm out like whoa.  (I also need sleep.)  So pretty purple - deal.  Duochrome, no Jane.  No.  Sad Krystal.

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.

Nail Files: Pageant Crowns & Glitter Showdowns Breakdown

Image Courtesy of TV Guide Network Facebook Page

Now I'm caught back up!  The episode that aired tonight was definitely one I was looking forward to... Katie is going to be at a beauty pageant for kids!  (Judging AND doing some free manicures!)

In The Salon
So where is the staff?  Lisa's father-in-law's had a stroke, Joyce is late (uh manager, what? Blame others, what?).  I'll tell you from this side, when my nail tech is running late, I'm not happy about it either.  Instead of just owning up, she gives Anna crap, and wants to quit.  Seriously?  Here's a life tip - nothing in life is "fair".  Deal with it.

Celebrity Sighting!
None this week.

In Katie's Life
Katie does it again and gets Walter to accept her new fur baby, Dolce.  I can't say too much - I got my "I don't want cats" fiance to agree to 6 indoors cats at the moment.  (Don't judge, I have a large house and 2 are just here temporarily.)  However, he's freaking out over the new dog that is poo'ing everywhere and he's trying to work.  Here's where the tv show and real life, start to blur.  That wasn't "made for tv fun" - that was a serious wall being breached and I feel bad that the cameras were rolling.  Thankfully, they were able to hash it out over the phone and are still totally in love.  I love watching them.

Meanwhile, Katie and Amy are going to be heading to Sin City, I mean Las Vegas, in her new wrapped smart car from stickercity.com for the pageant.  Katie rocks the night away in a VIP suite, with sparkly dresses, boys, and shots.  Okay, maybe it's the douche crew trying to feed her fruit... He didn't even know who Katie was - just probably saw the camera crew and got excited.  The day before the pageant, Katie decides to do some free manicures, but I'm shocked she brought colored polish... in the pageant world, it's all about stripper nails - Um, I mean French manicures.  She got told when a woman pulled out a nailene art kit and then a guy "with 9 pounds of makeup on" wants white tip, no glitter.  I feel like I'm in a bad comedy.  Doesn't help that he calls her a b***h to her face and plenty of times off camera.  

I'm kinda irritated that the actual judging won't be until next week... TV Guide, I want hour long episodes.  Got it?  Good.

The Mish Mash
It's always fun when Katie can talk about blow and porn in a tv show.  I have yet to see her comedy routine but I'm thinking it's pretty blue.  And that's Katie - she's business when it's time to talk business but when she's having fun - it's a freakin' riot.

Additionally, Katie, I'm going to steal your sparkly purple Louboutins.  I know you're like a size 5, and I'm a 8.5 but I'll Cinderella-wicked-step-sister my foot into that thing.  DO WANT.

Nail Files: Katie in the Dog House Breakdown

Image Courtesy of TV Guide Network Facebook Page

In the second episode, which was also premiered on August 19th, Katie is still reeling from the Lisa Foot Scrub incident, but wait, there's SO much more!

In The Salon
Seriously Lisa?  When your boss could be sued for your actions, you seriously need to eat your pride and shut your mouth.  But this is reality tv, and she has a camera to listen to her.  Thankfully, the client felt better when she got home so crisis averted.  But Lisa is still all hopped up after Anna changed her schedule "and flavoring her friends" and is now mouthing off... again.  If your boss says you're like sand in your girly bites - well... let's say that's not what you want on your resume.

Meanwhile, Katie has decided to name a Sunday Manager for the hair salon (Joyce) and is met with blank stares.  Granted, it was pretty unexpected but she finally says thank you but the deer in the headlights look made for some awkward tv.  Please don't blow it, but I'm sure you will.  (Great.)

To celebrate her 3rd year of the Painted Nail, and to launch the hair/makeup bar, Katie decides to throw a party and how!  Katie has some crazy ideas but that's what party planners are for (even if they want to take $14,000 of your money).

Celebrity Sighting!
None this week.

In Katie's Life
Sad news, Sugar crossed the Rainbow Bridge in between season 1 and 2, and Katie's other dog Pookie is feeling the loss.  Walter and I are on the same page... let's get rid of the dog entirely.  Katie however, wants to go rescue another dog.  MAJOR props and thank yous for adopting instead of paying a breeder - Katie, you did good there.  While Walter is busy with business, Katie and her BFF Amy of Brown Sugar (nom amazing cookies & cupcakes nom) go and adopt the freakin' dog.  Walter is ticked.

A little foreshadowing - Katie will be working (and judging!) a kid pageant soon, and she's so ridiculously excited.  Somehow, I don't think Toddlers & Tiaras will be wanting to showcase her anytime soon and yet at the same time, I could see Katie having a pageant for dogs.  They are planning to take Katie's smartcar which is currently being wrapped in Painted Nail pretties.  I love smartcars.  I saw my first one in Europe back in 2005 and was obsessed.

Beep beep! The original smart fourtwo in Europe.

The Mish Mash
When Walter said being at the shelter was like being in a Sarah McLachlan commercial, I actually spit out my drink.

While Katie was talking to Anna about Lisa, I noticed two words on her computer... the first was Kowtow and the second was Wattle.  I don't know if Katie is doing a word of the day or what, but I feel more educated now.  Kudos.  And Namaste. 

Nail Files: Foot Scrub Cocktail Breakdown

Image Courtesy of TV Guide Network Facebook Page

She's baaaaaaaack!  Katie Cazorla, owner of the Painted Nail in Sherman Oaks, California, is back for another season of her reality show Nail Files.  And I'm back with your episode breakdown.  (By the way, I know I never did the season finale of last season.  I was in denial that the show might be over so I refused to do a review.  When I heard that season 2 was officially ordered, someone had deleted it from my DVR.  I blame the cat.)

Now, not-really-a-spoiler alert, I got the opportunity to pre-screen this episode before it aired and let me tell you, I was laughing on the couch.  In fact, it was so good, that the fiance even stopped to watch it (and that's saying something, although I've gotten him to watch Teen Mom and Toddlers & Tiaras with me before too!).  Anywho here's what happened on Season 2, Episode 1 titled "Foot Scrub Cocktail."

In The Salon
So Katie decided to hire a brand new staff to help her with the salon.  Did someone call Tabatha?  She also got rid of the boutique she had next door (slight boo from me over here only because I heard she might carry GingerKittyDesigns there), added a hair salon and makeup bar and HELLO - she's working on a new location in Miami, Florida?! Um, time for me to go to Florida again.

By the way, Katie has two Annas now - Anna the Manager and Anna the Assistant.  I'm okay with her calling them AM and AA.  Just saying.

Lisa.  Oh Lisa.  You get your own paragraph.  Lisa is a Class C... for Crazy.  Not only does she constantly want to be the center of attention, but the girl doesn't understand that vegan and organic DOES NOT MEAN EDIBLE.  So yes, she feeds a client some foot scrub, and duh, the client gets sick.  When we had dinner with Katie, we told her we wanted a margarita minus foot scrub.  I thought Katie was going to throw nail polish at us.  ^_^  Lisa looks like she's going to be a bundle of trouble this season, so she may have her own subtitle in my breakdowns.  However, Anna the Manager should have jumped off her chair and said "OH HELL NO, we don't feed the clients foot scrub."

Celebrity Sighting!
This week's celeb was Marissa Jaret Winokur from Hairspray.  She's almost 40 (yes, 40!) but she looks absolutely amazing.  Although I have to say, I do not have nail polish on my 5 year old son but hey, rock on Marissa.  (In case you missed Marissa being pregnant, you didn't really.  They had a surrogate and Zev Isaac was born in July 2008.)

In Katie's Life
I had no idea that she had been with Walter for 7 years, but I hope that one day I get to meet him - you can see the love he has for her!  The ASCAP awards were the center of Katie's episode, and while she may not know exactly what it stands for, she knows it writes his checks and she'll let him Ascap that ass later.  (Thanks Katie, you always were punny.)

As with many photographed celebrities, Katie needs a new dress for the event and after a ridiculous "dress" fitting with a definitely now-unemployed stylist named Sam, Katie finds the perfect dress from Sassy.  At least my closed captioning thinks his name was Sassy.  I feel like Katie was calling him Sessy though.  Either way, they go, and it's a grand time.  Well, Walter may have some cold feet for the red carpet but Katie's a professional - she can lead the way.  

The Mish Mash 
Looks like this is going to be a crazy season - from the expansion, to the staff, Katie's life, and as I told you before, there's going to be a whole new Painted Nail coming from bottle designs to colors!