UV Gel Polish Shellac Manicure - What is it ?

Ok. It goes by a lot of different names.


UV Polish
UV Light Cured Polish
Shellac (usually used by one company CND)
Lacquer UV Nail Polish
Gel Polish
UV Polish Manicure
and so on....


There are a TON of brands, some more chemical friendly than others.
CND Shallac, Gelish and LeChat are a little lighter in chemicals and no discernible difference in quality WHEN PROPERLY APPLIED AND CURED (more about this later).


Personally, I am a BIG fan of Le Chat because it seems to last the best for me, I LOVE the range of colors and best on all those 3, they are "3-Free" meaning free of toluene, formaldehyde, DBP (phthalates).
All things you DO NOT want (in addition to parabens) on or near your skin and being adsorbed by your body. They are known carcinogens and can cause cancer among other things and don't ask me to cite a source, but you can Google and read a lot if you're interested.


Some other brands may be 3-Free (and probably are, they are all moving towards 3-Free), but I haven't looked into that a lot just yet (but I will later for you), however, 


So what is it ?

• It IS a nail polish
• It is NOT fake gel or acrylic nails that are built with fake nails, then layers of smelly chemical acrylic or gel or silk or whatever else they market these days, then filed into shape with an electric drum file. Those need refills etc, Gel Polish doesn't... it is a Nail Polish, it's different.
• It's important to know that and it's the difference between an applied fake nail and a gel polish.
• UV Gel Polishes are ALWAYS in a non-transparent bottle. This is because UV rays harden (cure) them, so they are usually in opaque white, black or some other color bottle to be protected, thus you'll often be asked to choose your color from painted nail samples.

What make Gel Polish a big deal ?

It's a special kind of nail polish that is applied right onto NATURAL NAILS (and it doesn't harm them if applied correctly, although your natural nail will need to be "cleaned" first of all oils and lotions , then roughed a little bit so it grabs the base coat, but should never have too much roughing filing), then started with a clear base coat, then usually 2 coats of the polish color (and they can be different, like a light pink first coat and a glitter next coat) and finally a sealing top coat.

EACH COAT must be "Cured" coat, by coat. 

Curing is done in either a UV (2 minutes per coat) or LED (usually 30 seconds per coat), LAMP that you pop your hand into as you go, (which lamp used varies by salon and UV lamps are neither strong enough nor are you under it long enough to cause skin problems.. that's a myth, most are 36 watts minimum and that's perfectly sufficient and harmless for a UV Lamp).
A Lamp looks something like this (this is mine).. it's not hot or uncomfortable.

This curing sets and hardens each coat and the formula and when the last top coat has completed it's 2 mins under the lamp, your nails are spritzed with alchohol and rubbed with a lint free cloth to remove the "tackiness" of the final coat.

What you then have is an instantly dry, very hard, highly chip resistant, gorgeous glossy polished manicure that will last up to 3.5 weeks (average 2 and a few days) that is really, REALLY hard to chip or scratch.

It's also instantly dry and hard (but it's a flexible hard), so no more smudged manicure when you dive in your bag to pay the salon.

It also protects your nails underneath and lets them grow without splitting, tearing, breaking etc.

You can also paint over whatever color has been applied, so if you have a black polish and want to put a cool holographic polish or glitter top coat over it, you can ! Just make sure you remove it with acetone-FREE polish remover (a few bucks at drugstores) and you'll still have your original glossy gel polish left on your nails.


Oh and no reason it can't be done on toes as well, but not all salons do that or are set up for it.

Perfect right ?

Almost.

The main three cons to this are :-

1. Removal : This is the big one. You can't just rub it with nail polish remover to get it off. It's like a paper thin plastic coating on your nails and has to be soaked off with pure acetone. Usually done at a salon by holding your fingertips in a bowl of acetone for 5-10 mins or with "wraps" soaked in acetone and applied to your nails with an elastic bandage type system or held in place with foil wrapped around your fingers. Acetone doesn't hurt you when exposed for this short amount, nor is it cumulative. So unless you're drinking it, it's no health risk, but it can be tedious and boring, but hey, so is repainting your nails every 3 days, right ? When the acetone softens up the gel polish,it's gently scraped off and your manicure proceeds as normal.... hopefully onto your next gel polish that will last about 3 trouble-free weeks :-)
2. The poor technician. This is a problem because if inexperienced or short on knowledge, the polish can wind up being thick, uneven and gluggy and can look more like a fake acrylic nail. Gel Polish Manicures are racing into salons and most salons that do manicures, do UV Polish now, but there is still a learning curve out there. Just be aware, ask if they are experienced and if you're not happy, say so and why. A Gel Manicure should look lovely, glossy, clean edges and add only a tiny bit of even thicknesss to your natural nail, maybe a hair more than a normal polish manicure that uses a base, 3 coats and top cost in normal polish. Heavy-Handedness is the single biggest problem in salons with Gel Manicures, because they're used to globbing on 2 thick coats of regular polish for you. Light-handed is better with Gel.
3. Cost : Salons will charge anything from $25 - $60 average (depending on where you live, what type of salon you go to and how high end the salon is). Sometimes they don't include an actual manicure, just a Gel Polish, so be sure and ask. I think for the time and expense, around $30-$45 is reasonable if done properly and includes manicure.. (Gel Polish is not cheap, even at wholesale, plus lamps need to be maintained and of course, the technicians time). HOWEVER, you get so much more wear out of a manicure, so less salon visits, less of your time wasted on visits or re-doing it yourself at home constantly, so I think it about breaks even or maybe better if you're a salon-a-holic because you like perfectly polished nails.

Anyway, go somewhere good and get one. Like most of us that are converts, once you get a UV Gel Polish Manicure, you're hooked.

Enjoy !

My Picks for Salons in Colorado doing UV Polish

North Metro Denver Area - Escape Uptown Salon & Spa 720 259 1370

Denver/Cherry Creek Area - Posh Nails

From the Glam Junkie

Best Hair Care Item EVER - ThermaFuse Serum

We all know I'm a product junkie and hair products are no exception, so when I was given samples of ThermaFuse products, ESPECIALLY the Dry Oil Treatment with Certified Organic Oils, including my fave oil, Argan Oil, I was excited to try it.

And OMG, this stuff ROCKS !
First, it really is a "dry" oil, meaning it's made up of a blend of oils that are not heavy and viscous, like say, coconut oil, it's light dry oils like Argan (Moroccan oil) that absorb really fast and don't leave your hair or skin greasy, oil and shiny.. they're quite remarkable and it's why they're a fave with skin and hair care developers quite apart from their health and repair properties.

So this is what ThermaFuse say
"This lightweight, dry oil serum contains Pure HeatSmart Complex for maximum heat protection. Instant hydration and a smooth satiny finish are just a treatment away. Your hair never felt more manageable or looked more healthy."
And that is pretty much right on the money. It isn't just oils, it's the blend and "carrier", plus it's certified organic oils, healthy and soooooo good for your hair.

The results ? For me (bushy frizzy, naturally horrible wavy white girl hair that is thin and fine.. yay :( NOT, with tons more in the back than on the top), so I need MOISTURE, but I can't have the top and crown weighed down.
I used about a dime size blob, that's all you need (I have mid back length, fine hair, so less if you're short, about the same if you're thick haired, you lucky doggette, a bit more if it's long and very full.... we hate you).

It did NOT make my hair greasy and oily. I let it air dry first time after washing with my normal KMS Califronia stuff (LOVE) - I use Freeshape or Volume Shamppo and Moistrepair Conditioner

  

So I slept on my damp hair, got up at dark thirty to catch a plane, quickly flat ironed it and was a bit in love with myself. *wink* Which is a good thing through 3 grumpy plane changes and 12 hours travelling.










That style lasted through 3 planes, drying airport & plane air and more and still looked good when we arrived at our international destination later that night and had dinner and a late chat with friends.
It STILL looked fine the next morning and during the day, not greasy, flat and draggy (you know what I mean).
Anyway, late afternoon I washed/conditioned (their shamp and cond rocks too), and this time scrunched the oil through, then blew it out ready to flat iron to go to a big party we were there for.
Now usually I get better flat iron results from an Air Dry, given my Thin Frizzy (haha), but with this oil, it actually was no worse with the blow dryer fuzzing everything up after I ironed it.

THAT RIGHT THERE put it over and above anything I have ever previously used for flat ironing and blow drying and I told the owner of Escape Uptown Salon & Spa as much (they gave me the samples, but I don't review anything glowingly AT ALL unless I love it). It's not cheap, but it really lasts and there are different sizes, however, you can probably stop buying a bunch of other "moisture and flatironing" products anyway, so you may be in front $$ wise if you convert.

Ok, so after said flights, dinners and parties, I was dead. My hair still looked good next morning, so I made that sucker last that night and the next 2 DAYS and it never looked limp or dirty. I gave in and washed it for the last day, blew it mostly dry, let it finish air drying, then ironed it again.
So for plane rides home and next day it nicely held up as we stumbled around, got home, then bumbled out the day after we got home and did all that shopping and getting settled back stuff you always have to do.


Can I also mention, I didn't use any other styling products except a spritz of KMS Free Shape Quick Blow Dry on the days I blew it out first... and a spritz of Aquage Finishing Spray on the top for the fly-aways and a little under the layers at the roots for root lift (swear this works great.. finish flat ironing, then lift your top layers, spritz some finishing spay under there, let the layers fall back, then slide your fingers up underneath and wriggle your fingers. Works a charm, no root lift product needed.





General Flat Iron Tips :: Even if your flat iron says it's for damp and dry hair, don't flat iron damp hair, you are essentially boiling the moisture in the shaft and wrecking your hair or making the frizz start up even faster. If your stylist does it, she/he knows what products to use to protect it and how long and what temp to keep the flat iron on your hair for your hair type, but don't do it yourself.
Second, NEVER EVER flat iron over hair sprayed hair. Don't even be tempted to just do a little touch up on dry, sprayed hair. This melts the lacquers, chemicals and polymers onto the hair shaft which can damage your hair and break it horribly if it's heavy lacquer spray or, best case if you use a lighter or healthier spray, it will cause heat-fused buildup that is horrifying to try and remove. If this happens, getting an all over color [semi, demi or permanent on more than 20 mins] or a professional moisture heat treatment will help remove it.
Or to try yourself, get a MOISTURE treatment (not protein or keratin) and leave it on damp hair for over an hour with a shower cap on, then shampoo out. Do it again if you can still feel the gunk on your hair or go to a professional. Fixing it quickly is the key to stopping breakage and damage.

Ok, so there you have it, my new fave hair product and one I know I'll love for a LONG time, there's just no downside to it unless you slap on too much and get a little greasy (but it's hard to do that with this dry oil.. it's just a waste to do that) or really balk at the price (but remember it really lasts and it's SO good... I still have my little 10ml sample from my trip and that's 5 or 6 washes now), PLUS there's 3 other products this one will replace that I'll never need to buy again.

You can get all of these products and expert advice from Escape Uptown Salon & Spa and even if you're not in the area, talk to them or email them... they are really good !

From the Glam Junkie

Fave Last Minute Gifts

These are the website ones, that you'll have to pick expedited shipping on, but if you're running late with everything, it's a small price to pay to have stuff just show up at the door and avoid the malls and shops, which I noticed Saturday are getting a bit picked over :-(

These things are my picks from Touch of Europe. They have a coupon at the moment ~ DG100 at checkout ~ for 10% off when you spend $100 or more and given that they rarely put anything on sale, it's a DEAL for these high quality goodies.
The thing about Touch of Europe's affordable and luxurious stuff, is that they put FULL SIZE products, not tiny samples, in the baskets and sets, so it's the BEST VALUE Gift Baskets out there.

First up, the Manicure Basket

Manicure and Pedicure Luxury Gift Basket with FULL SIZE Products

Next, for the Click here for a huge assortment of Gourmet or if you want to splurge, go for this divine set below (hello, I love Foie Gras if anyone's asking).



Lastly, if you need a bunch of stocking stuffers or those unique gifts to have on hand that don't break the bank, Click the little gifts below for GORGEOUS stuff under $20 !

Happy Holidays !

From the Glam Junkie

Tomorrow - ideas for local shopping... what every girl wants

LOVE the new KMS California Hair Care

So, my favorite Hair & Spa joint, Escape Uptown Salon & Spa, has unfortunately dropped the I.C.O.N line of hair care. It just never caught on, despite it being a great line.
The great news is, they now carry the FULL Range of KMS California Hair Care & Styling Products and having now tried about 6 products, I am in LOVE !

First, Kelly at Escape touched up my color, the usual and shampooed/conditioned me with Moist Repair - because I have colored, porous, but very baby fine hair that breaks easily and moisture, not protein is the main factor to helping that kind of hair.... just divine.

Then, she went about concocting the best use of KMS products to do the style I wanted, which was smooth and glossy on top with volume and cascading waves at the bottom (I have long hair).
She started with HAIRSTAY STYLE BOOST in the roots of my crown, sort of lifting my hair at the scalp with it while damp.
Now this stuff is AWESOME. It CRACKLES.. yes, crackles like pop rocks, in your hand (too cool)... that's how it activates out of the bottle to give you a medium hold and shine, but so light and without stickiness.

Then she went to SILK SHEEN : both the Styling Creme and Polishing Serum.
The effects of this were apparent after a blow dry (which went quicker than usual... this stuff is like PM's quick slip, but better, so you're hammering your head with heat even less of the time).

So because you blow it out for less time and the products are heat protective AND with the light hold in the product, you wind up with a faster, healthier, shinier looking style.
Now what's not to love about that !

That lovely style lasted through that afternoon, Thanksgiving the next day, Black Friday shopping and sleeping on it in between for those 3 days and never got heavy, greasy or dull and never lost it's shine or took more than a few minutes re-styling to get it back into place when I got up and I got plenty of compliments along the way.

Now, I'm not gorgeous like Kate Walsh, but this is basically the style I asked for and it's what I got and lasted for days, with yes, that much shine on my multi-colored red, pink & copper blond highlighted fine thin hair.
Now THAT'S not bad if you ask me.

Next I'm trying the different set of sample KMS California products Kelly sent home with me (ok, I already have and LOVE them, but that's another post).

Remember for winter, 

1. Make sure your hair is well moisturized in winter with moisturizing, rather than protein products because of the cold dry air, heating and static wanting to make it crackle and break. Purely Protein products make your hair hard and brittle.
2. Keep heat styling to a minimum, ALWAYS using a heat protectant product when you do blow out or flat iron. Let hair dry to 90 % dry before you do ANYTHING heat related yourself.
3. Get a professional demi, semi or permanent color or glaze in winter. It helps seal and smooth down the hair cuticle and make it less prone to breaking and drying out.
4. Try and use a leave in moisture masque or treatment (argan or monoi oil based ones are my fave) at least twice a month. You'll be shocked at the difference after just a few months. You can even sleep in them with a shower cap on if your time is jammed.
5. SKIN : Exfoliate those dead dry winter skin cells off with every shower or bath. I just LOVE these Soaping Sponge Squares to do it gently, then Moisturize... A LOT.

Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie

De-Frizzing your hair in dry weather

After talking to the owners and hair experts of Escape Uptown Salon and Spa, I asked about the common, but seemingly ignored problem  of the dry frizzies in COLD DRY weather, not just humid.... they said that frizzy hair can be difficult to manage in any weather, but dry air in cold weather can exacerbate the problem. Before you hide under a hat, follow these steps to tame and smooth your out-of-control, frizzy locks in dry weather.

 CONDITION YOUR HAIR EVERY DAY

Even if you aren't washing your hair every day, you need to condition it each day without fail, particularly in dry weather with a MOISTURE conditioner, not a protein one. You need one that ADDS moisture. That's what repairs in dry weather, something like Aquage Hydrating Balm in the shower and after conditioning in the shower, rinse your hair with cool water (to seal down the hair cuticle), and follow up with a leave-in condition on damp hair. Biomega Moisture Mist is a must have standby that yields amazing results on frizzy hair by sealing and smoothing the cuticle. 

Once a week, use an oil treatment or masque with Argan Oil or other heavy moisture ingredients to keep your hair shiny and reduce the frizzies or even smooth on a bit of Oil everyday (but just on the ends and lightly) I.C.O.N's India Oil is the bomb or for a really intensive moisture treatment Aquage Healing Conditioner as masque for as long as you like with a shower cap or plastic bag on your hair to heat the goodness in.

SKIP THE BLOW DRYER

Towel dry your hair by blotting it with a thick towel - don't rub it vigorously or just comb with a wide tooth comb after your leave in moisture or Oil and let air dry. Excessive rubbing can damage your hair and cause it to frizz out even more. If you absolutely don't have time to let your hair dry naturally, use a diffuser on your blow dryer to reduce any possible heat damage. If you long for straight hair, use a tourmaline or ceramic flat iron to get get silky straight locks for special occasions. However, you should avoid using any heated hair tools every day.

USE HAIR SERUM

Many hair serums are designed specifically to combat frizz and revive dry, damaged hair. I.C.O.N Anti-Age Therapy Serum is a high gloss, polishing serum that is enriched with vitamins and UV protection. It smooths away frizz, protects hair from the elements and leaves it incredibly shiny. You can also smooth a little oil and I mean little, like less than a pinky nail for long hair), rubbed between your hands to warm it, over the outer layer and ends of the hair, don't rub it into the scalp or roots, that's asking for droop !

FRIZZY HAIR STYLING TIPS

•  Don't cut your hair too short. Short, frizzy hair can make you look like a clown.
• Get your hair cut often. A trim every 6 weeks will reduce split ends, frizzies and flyaway hairs.
• Splurge on a salon conditioning treatment and shine glaze (colorless color, in other words) or a semi or demi permanent color. All of these help fill and smooth the cuticle of the hair shaft and tame frizzes down

All products mentioned and more are available at Escape Uptown Salon & Spa, where the experts really know their products and can give you great hair care tips.




Ciao!

from a
Bona Fide Glam Junkie