image courtesy of The Industry Source wholesale buying guide - pardon the quality snapped with my iPhone
Color me excited! I was just browsing through my new beauty supply catalog and came across a new item that will be appearing late this Fall. Popular nail color brand OPI is slated to introduce a new advancement in the wildly popular gel service category called gelcolor. gelcolor wears like gel (lasts up to two weeks without losing shine) and looks and feels like regular nail polish. Some may wonder – how will this differ from CND’s Shellac or OPI’s axxiūm Soak-Off Gel (previously post about both). I suspect gelcolor will apply and remove much like Shellac – applies from a polish bottle with brush and removes easier than stronger gel formulas like axxiūm. What’s new with gelcolor is that each coat cures in 30 seconds under a LED Light (rather than the traditional UV nail lamps used for Shellac and axxiūm). That’s a significantly faster curing time – foundation to finish in under 4 minutes.
Don’t expect to find this in the drugstores for do it yourself manicures – this is likely to be a product sold for professional use in spas and salons. Personally, I’ve tried both axxiūm and Shellac (both in salons and at home). I always liked the color selection of axxiūm a bit better, and I think it wears a bit longer (also applies a bit more precisely with the gel brush). However, I felt axxiūm was a bit harsher on the nail and more challenging to remove than Shellac. I will most likely be trying out gelcolor when it become available…I’ll probably try in a salon because I’m not likely to invest in the price LED Light for home use (as I already have the UV one).
Initially, it looks like there will be 30 familiar OPI shades available in gelcolor.
Wow, it’s been a while since I updated here, but I wanted to share some great news – the opening of my very own skin care studio!
Opening my own business to treat skin care needs has been a dream of mine for a very long time. It’s really exciting to see it finally coming to fruition…it’s also a bit nerve wracking. For those of you in the North Dallas area interested in skin care treatments, please check out my site (under construction) – Rox Skin Studio
This is something I’ve been meaning to write about for a while, but I’m just now getting to. It seems pretty relevant because it’s currently 21℉ where I live (and that’s about the highest it’s been in the last 3 days). That means the cold and running the heater in the house and the car are taking their toll on my skin! My favorite local professional Skin Care Therapist/Esthetician, Renée Rouleau, has some pretty sound advice on her blog about how to deal with winter weather and make sure skin stays in peak condition.
I use a collection of Renée’s skin care products. I have to say that:
leaving skin damp with the toner before applying serums and moisturizers
have made a HUGE difference in my skin. These are all tips Ms. Rouleau provides, and I’m so glad she shares!
There were times in the past when I just didn’t get the point of toners…but I think that was due to not finding/using the right formulation. Finding the right product and putting it on the right way – makes all the difference! If you’re in the market for a new toner, find your skin type and try one from Renée Rouleau. I bet you won’t be sad that you did.
I’ve previously posted about Bobbi Brown’s Skin Foundation SPF 15. Which, I have to say, is still one of my number 1 top foundations (neck and neck with Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation.) I like Bobbi’s Skin Foundation better for everyday – as it’s very light weight and gives a very natural “no foundation” even finish. I was just browsing the Bobbi Brown Cosmetics site, and came across this lovely video on foundation. I’d say my thoughts align pretty closely with Bobbi regarding her theory on foundation and its application. I, however, don’t necessarily believe yellow-based is the end all be all for everyone’s skin. There is the occasional face where yellow-based foundation makes the person look sallow and like they have jaundice, but I digress.
I just wanted to share this video with those of you that might not have seen it already. I’ve embedded the YouTube version, but I actually like the version the Bobbi Brown website a lot better. You can find it when you’re browsing through the info about foundation. You can also find an entire catalog of Bobbi Brown “How To” videos HERE.
I dropped the ball on this one…I overlooked an email earlier this week from spalook.com indicating they were offering a storewide 20% promotion code! Should’ve got the word out sooner!! However, you can still shop all weekend…the sale ends Monday, 11/8/10. Spalook.com has some killer skin care products & brands…Unfortunately, not every items is eligible for the discount, but a lot of really great products are. I’ve got my eyes on La Roche-Posay’s Anthelios 60 Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid and maybe dermalogica’s AGE smart multivitamin thermafoliant.
It’s been quite a while since I provided a relevant update…but hopefully I will continue to blog on a semi-regular basis. Lot’s of things have been going on in the last few months – my husband and I relocated…new jobs, etc. All is well on that front – so, onward with MAKEUP related material!
I’ve been “on the go” A LOT lately. It seems like my makeup application time has really been shrunk down. I find there are few products that I keep in a small makeup bag which lives in my purse…and these products save my life on a daily basis.
Ok, Ok…that’s dramatic…but they do help me look A LOT more fresh without having to spend much more than 5 mins on makeup application. I’ve been using Laura Mercier’s Secret Brightener and her Secret Concealer for what may be like 5 years now. Whenever I notice either one is getting low, I immediately buy another…so that it’s on deck to replace it’s predecessor. The Secret Brightener provides a lovely and light luminosity to brighten up and correct dark under eye circles. Secret Concealer is a dream under eye cover up – because it’s moisture rich, blends flawlessly and really covers/neutralizes darkness under the eyes.
When I’m on the run, these are my first two makeup steps…followed by a dusting of powder, a swipe of lip gloss, and some mascara. If time permits, I throw in a little eyeliner and blush…voilà, fast face!
So, I’ve been reading up on the advances in various nail products. I’m all about going in for a regular pedicure and treating myself to a little “me time”. It’s nice that polish usually lasts for a couple weeks on my toes, but manicures almost always seem like a total waste of money! I’m very much a natural or nude color gal for my finger-tips (all time fave is OPI Bubble Bath). The nice thing about wearing a a lighter color – the chips don’t show as much when they start appearing – which often times is after just a few days.
Well, there’s now a couple of new options for gals that don’t want to go the tips and acrylics route – CND’s Shellac is a “hybrid” of nail polish and gel. Reviews are saying folks are getting 2 weeks (14 days) of near perfect wear from their Shellac manicure! The revolutionary polish wears like gel and is easily removed in minutes. Shellac was introduced in May 2010, and is available as a treatment from professionals that offer the specialized service (use this link to locate a Shellac Salon near you). Since I’m a beauty pro, I’ve been trying to get my hands on Shellac – however, it’s practically sold out everywhere. I’ll update when I have some first hand experience (in the mean time check out the video review at BellaSugar).
I also recently got an OPI Axxium Soak-Off Gel Manicure (read Michelle’s description of Gel polish on her blog All Lacquered up). I chose Bubble Bath for my color, but it’s notably sheerer than the polish color. The application process is a lot like getting nails polished, but the gel being applied definitely had a different consistency than polish. Also each layer (base, color, top coat) is cured with a UV lamp. There’s no drying time – which is AWESOME. My nails have survived a week so far and look exactly like this picture – I have another manicure schedule in a week. I’ll know more then about the process of soaking off and reapplying. I’ve read that some people find that the removal process is labor intensive and takes too long – so we’ll see.
Several months back, I became obsessed with facial treatments that utilize an ultrasonic skin spatula. These amazing tools are currently used primarily by estheticians/skin care therapists. However, I’m noticing a big trend toward putting these in the hands of consumers for at home use. (MOVE OVER Clarisonic® Skin Brush!)
I think bliss® was first on the scene with their pore-fector gadget – as I’ve already seen that one on shelves in Sephora® stores. Check out the video below for more info on that gadget:
So what’s the benefit of using an ultrasonic spatula?? Well, these tools employ ultrasound frequency to:
gently exfoliate dead skin cells (think Microdermabrasion without the crystals)
deep clean oil, dirt, and dead cell build up from the pores (think extractions without all the squeezing – many estheticians find ultrasonic spatulas can help make manual extractions easier and more efficient)
help penetrate skin care products (serums and creams) deeper into the layers of the skin
I was on mission during my recent visit to the International Congress of Eshetics and Spa to purchase one of these amazing tools, and I ordered a bt-micro™ from Bio-Therapeutic® and it finally arrived in the mail this week. I’ve already used it on my husband (who actually got complements at work on his skin that day) and myself…and I’m loving it. (See video for bt-micro™ below.)
This is definitely bringing high-tech skin care into your own bathroom.
As I’ve mentioned in my last few posts, I was at the Dallas International Congress of Esthetics and Spa at the beginning of this week. I had the pleasure of attending a workshop hosted by Éminence Organic Skin Care of Hungary titled “The Organic Way: Treating Acne, Rosacea, and Eczema with Natural Ingredients”. The workshop was conducted by Éminence President and Master Trainer, Boldijarre Koronczay. The workshop was amazing, and Boldijarre is a definitely a knowledgeable and entertaining speaker. He shared some wonderful technical info on treating these common conditions and showed some fantastic advanced massage techniques. By the end of the workshop, I was wanting to find where Boldijarre offered treatments and schedule an appointment!
Éminence is an amazing line of clean, green and extremely effective skin care. This is certainly a burgeoning trend in our industry, and this was obvious by the estheticians and other spa industry folks flocking to their booth on the trade show floor.
Of course, yours truly had to pick up a few items as well. My favorite purchase, so far, is the Coconut Milk Cleanser. So, my passion for coconut milk apparently extends beyond it’s use in Thai cuisine…This fabulous smelling cleanser is a fluid milky cleanser great for normal to dry skin types. The key ingredient – coconut milk – hydrates and nourishes the skin. The cleanser is also formulated with virgin coconut oil which moisturizes while providing anti-oxidant protection. Coconut Milk Cleanser, like most of the Éminence cleansers, is formulated with Biocomplex™ (an antioxidant booster of Vitamin A, Vitamin C Ester, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10, Alpha Lipoic Acid). This is definitely one of those products that fits in the “joy to use” category. It just feels and smells divine – as most of the Éminence products do. Stock the guest bathroom with this product, and they’ll feel like they’re staying in a top name resort.
I was first introduced to IMAGE as an aesthetic’s student, and I really enjoy using some of their products. I completely fell in love with the Solar Defense Organic SPF 30 – so I was totally psyched to try the tinted version. (Also, this line gives great support and education to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, independent licensed aeshteticians and other licensed medical professionals.) The line’s approach to caring for this skin is deeply rooted in medical science and they utilize only the purest and highest level of professional grade pharmaceuticals in their formulas in order to achieve the best possible results.
My favorite features of this tinted SPF so far:
pure formulation; paraben free
high SPF; UVA/UVB protection
light-weight/non greasy
blends easily
sheer tint/coverage
water resistant
vitamins and anti-oxidants offer additional protection from free radical damage
Tinted moisturizers are a great as summer heats up and you’re looking for a lightweight alternative to foundation. On really hot days or whenever out at the lake/pool – I like to apply tinted moisturizer and dust a tiny bit of mineral powder to set.
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This is something I’ve been meaning to write about for a while, but I’m just now getting to. It seems pretty relevant because it’s currently 21℉ where I live (and that’s about the highest it’s been in the last 3 days). That means the cold and running the heater in the house and the car are taking their toll on my skin! My favorite local professional Skin Care Therapist/Esthetician, 
I also recently got an OPI Axxium Soak-Off Gel Manicure (
