Pretty Serious Christmas Without Snow

I still haven't taken the Pretty Serious plunge (mostly because I'm working on cleaning out my stash as it is) but I have to say, she is bringing out some awfully cute collections!  Australia is on my list of places to visit before I die, and I think it would be kind of neat to go during the winter. Granted, it's not like I'm not used to Christmas without snow... All images courtesy of Pretty Serious.

Christmas without snow? What a preposterous notion! For the rest of the world, maybe. But down here in Australia, we love to crack out the beer and boardshorts and soak up the sun at this very special time of year. We wanted to capture the spirit of an Aussie Christmas with our very first seasonal collection consisting of six amazing new nail shades to help you celebrate Christmas the Aussie way!

BLUE GUMS ON BOXING DAY

This rich green shines with a mesmerizing blue shimmer! Perfect for those post Christmas celebrations!

HOT SUMMER NIGHTS

Shining stars sparkle in the velvet sky. This inky blue jelly with silver micro glitter is a nightscape on your nails!

PARTY BY THE POOL

Splash about in this gorgeous peacock jelly, swimming with flecks of green and blue!

SANTA'S SUNBURN

It seems that Santa's Sunburn is the best type of sunburn! This jolly red foil sparkles with tiny flecks of silver.

SEASONAL SUNSET 

Seasonal Sunset's rusty jelly base is packed to bursting with bright golden and copper microglitter particles and the result is simply breathtaking. It's a Christmas sunset on your nails!

TWINKLING LIGHTS

Like stars that sparkle in the sky, or Christmas lights twinkling in the night, Twinkling Lights will add something special to every manicure!

And to make things even cooler, our Christmas polishes will come in cute Christmas themed red holographic boxes with new artwork by our one and only Leigh Young! The perfect stocking stuffer! You won't even need to wrap them!

RRP is $9.95, with a 10% discount for buying all six shades! Pretty Serious Cosmetics also ships worldwide. Check out our site for more details.

Bottle volume is 11ml/0.37 fl.oz. Pretty Serious Cosmetics is 100% Vegan and Cruelty Free.

NCLA Rock Solid

NCLA is one of those brands that while I love it to death, these caps are going to be the death of me.  It's a false square cap that is supposed to be able to be removed to show a smaller round cap, but sometimes I can't get the square cap off and then my bottles don't line up perfectly, and THEN I RAGE. So if anyone knows how to get the fake square caps off without breaking anything, please do let me know in the comments.

Today I'm showcasing the finale of the Going Out in LA 2012 collection with Rock Solid. This is a fancy little grey that has a gritty glitter in it.  Talk about some extra texture! I used a base of Poshe, 2 coats of polish and a top of Cult Nails Wicked Fast.

I'm still hunting for my perfect grey, and this kind of comes close! The gritty glitter is definitely unique to any of my other greys, but if you don't want the sandpaper feeling, I suggest you add more thin coats of top coat.

In the shade, not much different - the glitter shows a bit more in the bottle, but I'm thinking of changing how I take pictures and show more nail than anything else. I'm working on revamping my self, you could say.

And finally in indirect light. The grittiness didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but I did catch it lightly on things. The formula was nice and smooth (yes, smooth!) with no patchiness and quite opaque. I think this would be better suited to my nubbins that I have now than on longer nails.  Cleanup was normal - just a bit more scrubbing to get off the grit.

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.

New Study Finds UV Nail Lamps Do Not Cause Cancer

Hooray for UV Lamps!  There has been much controversy over this in the past few years, and now, according to the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, you don't need to fret any longer.  Please enjoy the following from the Professional Beauty Association.

New Study Finds UV Nail Lamps Do Not Cause Cancer

Further Conclusions Made by Previous UV Research  

Phoenix, AZ (January 4, 2013) - UV lamps commonly used for drying nail polish are safe and do not increase one's risk of getting skin cancer according to a new study conducted by The Journal of Investigative Dermatology. This study disproves recent misleading Internet stories and media coverage suggesting such lamps may be unsafe and a direct cause of keratinocyte carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.

As part of its study, The Journal of Investigative Dermatology compared the UV rays emitted from three popular brands of nail lamps to low-risk phototherapy devices used in dermatology treatments (each dermatology treatment consists of 15-30 sessions). Researchers found that a salon client would need approximately 250 years of weekly manicures that involve the use of UV nail lights to develop the same risk of exposure as just one round of phototherapy sessions used to treat various skin conditions. Based on these results, researchers concluded that nail lamps do not significantly increase the risk of getting skin cancer.  

Lighting Sciences, a research company based in Phoenix, Arizona, conducted a similar study in 2010. The study was authored by Co-chair of PBA's Nail Manufacturers Council on Safety, Doug Schoon, Dr. Paul Bryson and Jim McConnell, and addressed a   potential cause-and-effect relationship between nail lamps and skin cancer. In trying to connect nail lamp use to carcinogenic lesions, the study compared UV rays from sunlight to the UV rays from nail lamps. This comparison, according to the study from The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, was not the most reliable as they believe UV rays emitted from nail lamps and those from the sun do not have the same kind of UV emission, and thus should not be compared in the same fashion.

"Comparing UV nail lamps to sunlight isn't comparing apples to apples, because sunlight is more dangerous than UV nail lamps. The reason we made this comparison was so that people could better understand the very low risks associated with the use of UV nail lamps," stated Schoon. Even so, both studies concluded that UV nail lamps do not significantly increase the risk of developing skin cancer.

Further investigation into a possible connection between nail lamps and cancer has been conducted by the world's leading photobiologist and creator of the SPF system, Dr. Robert Sayre. In numerous interviews and his soon-to-be-published research, Dr. Sayre has similarly stated that the use of UV nail lamps does not contribute to the risk of getting skin cancer and that the emissions from UV nail lamps are safer than that of natural sunlight.

     

For complete coverage of the latest nail lamp study, please visit:  http://www.probeauty.org/nmc/.

China Glaze Tranzitions

This is another collection from China Glaze where I felt like I needed the whole set!  I had some sent as press samples, and the rest I bought because I feel like there is some instant glam in being able to create nail art with just one bottle of nail polish.  Plus it's super helpful for someone like me!  Please enjoy the following release - all images courtesy of A.I.I.

COLOR + TOP COAT = ENDLESS CREATIVITY

China Glaze® Introduces Tranzitions Color Changing Collection

Los Angeles, CA – (December 2012): There’s nail art and then there’s China Glaze® nail couture.  Reverse French manicure, half moons, ombre, basket weave, dots or racing stripes: nail designs are intricate and multi-colored.  China Glaze® introduces a new way to get multi-color, unique nail art with fewer bottles of polish with the new color-changing Tranzitions collection!

China Glaze® Tranzitions’ revolutionary new nail lacquer reacts when a clear top coat is applied, changing the color from one shade to another for a stunning effect.  Wear any of the six beautiful, color-shifting shades alone, or allow your creativity to run wild and create intricate nail designs by applying a top coat in specific places.  Try different looks using nail art brushes, free-hand designs or nail guides.  Because each shade changes color, you get two lacquers in one, creating an entirely new look with just one swipe.

The China Glaze® Tranzitions collection features six shades, though with the color transition, you get 12 unique shades including:

Split Perso-NAIL-ity

Dusty pink shifts to fuchsia

Duplicityy

Mint green shifts to vibrant teal

Modify Me

Periwinkle blue shifts to indigo blue

Altered Reality

Teal blue shifts to turquoise

Metallic Metamorphosis

Silvery grey shifts to bluish-charcoal grey

Shape Shifter

Smokey violet shifts to dark purple

How It Works:

Step 1: Apply a base coat.

Step 2: Apply two coats of China Glaze® Tranzitions shade of choice.  Allow to completely dry.

Step 3: Lastly, apply one coat of clear top coat such as China Glaze® Fast Forward and watch the color change right before your eyes.

For more nail design ideas, click here to view the China Glaze® Tranzitions video.

The China Glaze® Tranzitions collection will be available in January 2013 at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide.

China Glaze is free of DBP, toluene, and added formaldehyde, and is never tested on animals.

China Glaze nail lacquers are available through salons and professional beauty supply stores nationwide. For more information, please visit www.chinaglaze.com or follow China Glaze on Facebook (@ChinaGlazeOfficial), Twitter (@ChinaGlaze) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/chinaglaze).

China Glaze® is a division of American International Industries.

About American International Industries

For 42 years, AII has been the leading manufacturer and worldwide distributor of innovative, quality beauty and skin care products for men and women.  Our product lines include Andrea, Ardell, Body Drench, Bye Bye Blemish, Checi, China Glaze, Clean + Easy, Clubman/Pinaud, Duo, European Secrets, EzFlow, Fright Night, Gena, GiGi, Gypsy Lash, IBD, It’s So Easy, Jeris-Lustray, LASH BeLONG, Nail Tek, No Tweeze/Micro Tweeze, 'N Rage, Poshe, Prolinc, RAW, Seche, SuperNail, Surgi-Care, Waterworks, Winning Nails, Woltra, Woody’s, and Youthair. For more information, visit our website: www.aiibeauty.com. 

LVX Winter/Resort 2013

I told you that I wore LVX Legendaire on my toes for my wedding - it's definitely my new favorite luxury nail polish!  I still love my mid-level and drugstore brands too, don't get me wrong but something about the big 5 free, vegan quality really makes me feel good about supporting this brand.  I have this entire collection sitting on my desk to review and I promise to get to it - especially since LVX is branching out and adding shimmers!  All images courtesy of LVX.

Chicago (November 2012): With immense excitement still circulating from the release of their gorgeous Fall Winter 2012 collection, LVX announces the debut of their third seasonal collection—Winter/Resort 2013. The Winter and Resort/Cruise season is interesting; the holidays have passed yet we enter colder nights and subconsciously yearn for brighter and warmer days. LVX has released six astonishing colors that are going to fulfill our transitioning wardrobe and slowly bridge us into early Spring.

The LVX Winter/Resort 2013 Collection includes the following amazing shades:

Tribute: This hue provides us with serenity and tranquility. This particular blue is extremely appealing because of its energetic attitude and texture.

Luxe: Brilliant, extravagant and luxurious, luxe embodies all that is LVX. This quintessential shade is versatile and adaptable and enlivens our outlook with its stimulating radiance.

Alchemy: Let this amazing shade eradicate the dark shades in your winter wardrobe. Alchemy is a flamboyant hue that pays homage to last Summer’s gold accessory trend.

Aubergine: This affluent royal hue provides us with a mysterious and romantic attitude. This refined purple is both delicate and empowering.

Dark Matter: A highly saturated gray with multifaceted undertones, Dark Matter is this season’s new gray and our alternative to black.

Creamfields: A sophisticated neutral with a soft peach nuance, this wispy hue pairs well with every color in the palette and will span across the seasons.

The long lasting, chip resistant and non-streak formula is free of harsh and toxic chemicals. LVX products are VEGAN and formulated without the use of Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin, DBP, Toluene, and Camphor. The brand is dedicated to providing top quality, socially responsible, and eco-friendly, luxury products without compromising quality, durability and finish. LVX nail lacquer is cruelty free. All products are produced in the U.S.A. The new collection will be available December 7, 2012 on www.shoplvx.com.