Cult Nails Nevermore

Coming soon to Cult Nails - it's this amazing one coat black creme Nevermore!  This will be launching in September along with the 5 new "toppers" or color changing top coats that Maria hinted about back in May 2012.  Right now, you can sign up for Gloss 48 for free and get 3 of the new toppers as well as many of your other Cult Nails favorites for only $7.  Fortunately, Nevermore is one of the colors on sale right now, so I have to show you how awesome this is.  

I used a base of Cult Nails Get It On, one coat of Nevermore and no top coat.  Yes, I have Cult Nails Wicked Fast but frankly, you don't need it.  Maria put something magical into this polish so that it dries to a super shiny finish - not rubbery, not matte, no shimmer... perfect.  While I love my cheap Sephora black, it's hard to find.  I love my CND Blackjack, but it's also hard to find.  Cult Nails?  Shop online and shipped with reusable cotton balls for packaging?  Fun times.

I have to apologize for the far away photos.  I was using my DSL camera to try and get some good pictures for Gloss 48, and well - I still need to learn how to use it.  Plus I want to buy a macro lens and well - I need to save some pennies up for that one (like 30,000 of them).

Look how amazingly shiny this polish is!  And opaque?  Oh yeah buddy.

To consistently have a one coat black creme for just $10?  Sold.  I'm sure this will be the second polish that I use until it's empty (the first being my CND Blackjack).  Love love love!  I'm a Cultie!

For your first look at the Color Altering Top Coats, please check out the post here written by moi on The Glossy Pages.  I'll be writing about them too but check it out on Gloss48... the sale only lasts until August 31st!

Cult Nails [Website | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Instagram: CultNails] is available in their shop for $12 a 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.

OPI New DS Shades

Please enjoy the following press release from OPI - all images courtesy of Harris Shepard.

Indulge in Luxurious Lacquers!

 OPI Launches New Diamond Dust-Infused Designer Series Shades for Fall 2012

            OPI releases two new high-shine hues – DS Indulgence and DS Luxurious – to join the Designer Series by OPI collection this fall. Fusing fashion and technology, the Designer Series lacquer formula is enhanced with real diamond dust, offering light reflecting, multidimensional color.

DS Indulgence, a radiant red-violet with a shimmering, golden finish, will launch along with DS Luxurious, a captivating coral-red with a golden glisten. With these two additions, Designer Series by OPI will offer 12 glitter-filled, highly-saturated, breathtaking colors.

            “Red nails are the epitome of glamour, and this fall OPI is adding two dazzling reds to the Designer Series line,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “With vivid color and intense shimmer and shine, these lacquers create a bold, high-fashion accessory statement. DS Indulgence provides a deeper, classic red look, while DS Luxurious incorporates rich auburn pigments.”

Designer Series by OPI nail lacquers contain no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde, and each includes OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. DS Indulgence and DS Luxurious will be available beginning September 2012 at Professional Salons, including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret, and ULTA, for $12.50 ($14.95 CAN) suggested retail for each Nail Lacquer. 

For more information, please call 800-341-9999 or visit www.opi.com.  Follow OPI on Twitter @OPI_PRODUCTS and become a Facebook fan!

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ABOUT OPI

As the world leader in the professional nail care industry, OPI is committed to providing high-quality products and services to both salons and their customers, along with a focus on industry safety and innovation. Known for its exceptional formula, fashionable colors and iconic names, OPI’s heavily-pigmented lacquers are super rich, long-lasting and chip-resistant – offering an affordable luxury to consumers. OPI nail lacquer is available in over 200 shades and contains no DBP, Toluene, or Formaldehyde. Each lacquer features OPI’s exclusive ProWide^™ Brush for the ultimate in application. Currently, OPI is available in over 100 countries and retails a full line of professional items, including nail treatments, finishing products, lotions, manicure/pedicure products, files, tools, gels and acrylics. 

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.