Announcing: Season 3 of Nail Files!

While I was at Cosmoprof North America - Las Vegas in last month, I got to sit down with Katie Cazorla and some of my favorite bloggers to talk about all things Katie.  She introduced the Color Flash System (review coming soon) and gave us all little Mini Nail Pods & two colors (which is FANTASTIC because I already purchased the full sized lamp & 4 colors so now I have 6!).  It was such an awesome dinner... I was seated between Karie Frost, Beauty Director for NAILPRO & Nail It! Magazine and Beth Livesay, Senior Editor at NAILS Magazine & author of Salon Fanatic. Can we say ultimate fan girl dinner?

Then she told us what's coming down the pipeline for her - not one, not two but THREE TV shows!  First off, the news I've been waiting for!

SEASON THREE OF NAIL FILES!

If you've been following her Instagram, she posted this bittersweet photo in April

"Thanks for a great 4 years TPN! On to a new look and new location! WOW! Long ASS day, not gonna lie! But very excited for tomorrow! #onward #bittersweet #innovate #nails4life" @ThePaintedNail

So what does this mean for Nail Files? Well you should know by now that Katie doesn't stand still. This fall, she will be opening a "nail lounge" inside the W Hotel in Hollywood!

It's OFFICIAL!! My new Nail Lounge is going into the W Hotel in Hollywood! Let the planning begin! Fall 2013 #nails #nailart #nailsalon #nailfashion #colorflash #cocktails @ThePaintedNail

I'm super excited because the W Hotel is a part of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts line, and I LIVE for the Westin and the aloft hotels in my limited but fabulous travels.  (Oh man, if I could get a Katie Cazorla Nail Lounge inside the Westin La Cantera in San Antonio... I'd probably move up there and beg to work there - not even remotely kidding.)

Other cool things to be looking for - Katie has a segment on beauty on The Real talk show on FOX - Looks like something else to go into my DVR!  The other is in production right now - think salon help from a gentler side. Until I'm allowed to say more, that's about all you're getting from me!

Catch up on previous seasons of Nail Files on Hulu here. Purchase the Color Flash system on Katie's website here. Don't forget to like Katie's Facebook Page here, the Painted Nail Facebook Page here, and then you can follow Katie on Twitter and Instagram as well!

It's So Easy Summer Nail Art Contest + Giveaway!

Deadline to submit is 31 July 2013

Last year, It's So Easy held their first ever summer nail art contest and due to the success and creativity of the participants, they are holding another contest this year! To refresh your memory, here is last year's winner - Hung from Gretna, LA.

So how does it work? First, get your supplies ready and be ready to call for crunch time because this contest has been accepting submissions since 1 July. The last day to enter is 31 July, which is coming up way too fast in my opinion.

Your superiority in nail art can land you some serious cash and prizes. First prize wins $1000 cash! Second place receives $500 cash and third place will receive $250 cash. On top of that, twenty (20) congratulations prizes will be awarded consisting of $25 gift cards to Sally Beauty Supply.

To enter, participants must visit www.itssoeasynails.com and upload one nail art look. Again, the deadline to enter is Wednesday, July 31st. On August 1st, online voting will open to nail enthusiasts to help their favorite design win. Voting ends on August 15th and will determine the top 50 finalists. Final judging will be conducted by the It’s So Easy® Professional Nail Art Team, and winners will be announced shortly after.

Participants must be 16 and older to enter, live in the USA, and entries are limited to nail lacquer and nail art paint only - no embellishments allowed.

Tag the It’s So Easy® contest on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #ISENailArtContest2013.

In addition to but totally separate from the above contest, It's So Easy has a special opportunity for all PolishGalore readers! That's right, I'm having a giveaway! One lucky person will walk away with a fantastic It's So Easy prize pack. My giveaway (below) ends the same day as the It's So Easy Summer Nail Art submission - so 31 July (a week from today). All entry options are optional & you can tweet once a day using the last entry. All terms and conditions can be found in the Rafflecopter widget - please allow to load fully before starting to click away.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CPNALV 2013: China Glaze Ombre - Part 2!

The last thing from China Glaze that I'm able to talk about right now are the new China Glaze Ombre sets. China Glaze had seen a good response from the first three sets that were Sally's Beauty Supply exclusive. If you recall, I reviewed the Wait Teal You See! in March. (Don't remember? Click here.)

The four new Ombre sets will be coming out next month, but some keen readers have already spotted it in their local beauty supply stores. Not only are there more sets, but it's no longer a Sally's exclusive, so you may be able to find them in your favorite China Glaze spot.

I had to compliment the ladies of China Glaze on the "blogger pose" because I really liked the organic feel, and they were really giddy... like they had done well.  And they have done well. I did mention that I hated the hexagonal sponge because if you have wide nail beds, then you end up wasting so much of the sponge per finger. It was good feedback from them. I'm still totally on board with the Ombre sets because you get 4 polishes for ~$13. 

The embargoed stuff is equally cool.  Just saying.

Happy polishing!

CPNALV 2013: China Glaze On The Horizon

One of the most difficult things about attending a business-to-business conference like Cosmoprof North America Las Vegas is that there are items on the show floor that you can see but a lot of times you can't photograph, write about or talk about for months later. That was the case for China Glaze. I was able to preview six amazing collections but my lips are sealed and the photos I was allowed to take are being hidden in folder upon folder until the day that they can be released.

One thing we could share was the On The Horizon "feathered finish" polishes that will be launching in September.  This is a 6 piece collection that featured small bar glitter in a various of color combinations. It only takes 2 coats for each polish to be opaque.  The official press release states "This free-spirited collection introduces six new lacquers using interwoven matte particles to create a feathered finish."

As you can see, the colors are as fun as the names. My quick picks are All A Flutter and Flock Together.  The China Glaze® On the Horizon collection will be available in August 2013 at fine salons and beauty supply stores nationwide with an SRP of $10.

Official Bottle Images from China Glaze:

All A Flutter

Pastel Peach, Soft Blue & White Particles interwoven to apply like a feathered finish in one quick swoop over the nail 

 Flock Together

Mint Green, Bold Blue & Black Particles interwoven to apply like a feathered finish in one quick swoop over the nail

Flying South

Orange and Soft Yellow particles interwoven with a Red glitter to apply like a feathered finish in one quick swoop over the nail 

 Light As A Feather

Orange, White & Black Particles interwoven to apply like a feathered finish in one quick swoop over the nail

 Party Fowl

Bold Blue, Orange & Black Particles interwoven to apply like a feathered finish in one quick swoop over the nail

You’re A Hoot

Soft Yellow, Orange & Black Particles interwoven to apply like a feathered finish in one quick swoop over the nail 

CPNALV 2013: China Glaze Gelaze

When I first made my appointment to meet with China Glaze this year, I was told that they had something so awesome it was going to make me giddy. Now, we all know that China Glaze has had issues with people leaking their information, both domestically and internationally, so I was skeptical until I saw the China Glaze instagram on Sunday morning and literally responded with WHAT IS THIS.

Meet the newest revolution of China Glaze - Gelaze. But with an accent mark on the a. I'm sure I could find the hot key to make the ' but for now, pretend or use a Sharpie on your monitor. (Don't use a Sharpie.)

Gelaze is a 100% gel with a base coat built in. The bottle is powder coated in the actual shade so you know exactly what you're getting. China Glaze took the top 36 selling shade including Ruby Pumps and Fairy Dust, and created this new gel system

To use, prep and shape the nail as normal, then use one thin coat. Cure for 30 seconds in an LED lamp or 60 seconds in a UV lamp. Remove the tacky layer that remains with a lint free square pad soaked in Isopropyl Alcohol. Then add a second thin coat of gel, cure in the lamp again (30 sec LED/60 sec UV) and remove that tacky layer are you're done.  The Gelaze top coat is optional but cure times are the same.

When it's time to remove the Gelaze, you'd break the seal with a nail file, wrap the nail with a cotton pad soaked in acetone and wait for the gel to break down.

Gelaze also has 3 treatments available as a base coat for those who are needing to work on the integrity of the nails. They are Therapy, Foundation and Maintenance.

China Glaze is coming out with their own LED lamp for your convenience to use with the system as well.

Gelaze will be available at Sally's Beauty in late October, early November. The line will include a 0.5 fl oz bottle for professionals that cost $14 and a 0.33 fl oz "mini" bottle for consumers that cost $12.

When more information become available, it will be posted! Happy polishing!