Right on the Nail ~ CND Rouge Red Stocking Stuffer Kit Swatches and Review

*press sample* 

CND Rouge Red (2 coats)

If you are interested in trying the CND Vinulux system, there are a few stocking stuffers available that may pique your interest. The Rouge Red kit includes full-sized versions of the Rouge Red color with the weekly topcoat as well as 2 oz of the Scrub Fresh which is basically a nail prep cleaner for your nails before you apply polish. I used every part of this set before my trip to Minneapolis and I had zero chips during my 6 days away. Listen, I am so impressed with this nail system. Rouge Red is a bright red creme that is perfect for this holiday season. The formula and application were absolutely flawless, but make sure to use a light hand with the topcoat because it can sometimes get a little streaky.

Right now you can get this 3-piece set at Loxa Beauty for only $19.98. CND polishes normally retail for $10.50 and are a little hard to find. You can sometimes find them at Ulta, or any time online at popular e-tailers such as Loxa Beauty (who also happen to have Morgan Taylor and OPI polishes you can buy without the need of a license). Find more about CND on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

*These polishes were provided by the company or PR representative. All reviews are based solely on my opinion. For more information, please see my full disclosure at the bottom of the site*

Right on the Nail ~ CND Vinylux Aurora 2015 Holiday Collection Swatches and Reviews

*press samples*

So it's Monday again. On the bright side, many in the US have a short work week with it being Thanksgiving. I remember when I was in high school and worked at the local video store and had to work on every holiday including Thanksgiving and Christmas. I must say it is nice to work at a university and to get the main holidays off. Tonight I have the four-piece CND Vinylux holiday collection to show you. I hear that those up north are getting upwards of 10 inches of snow so I guess winter is here in some parts of the US. Follow me after the break to view some more swatches from the collection and to see my thoughts on the polishes.

A Christmas Manicure

CND Pretty Poison (2 coats) and China Glaze Long Kiss on accent nail

Sorry I've been MIA lately, but you know how it is this time of year. If you celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas! I received (and hopefully gave) some wonderful gifts, but still have a few to go with other parts of the family. Whatever you're up to, I hope you are happy and safe. I got sick yesterday so I've been sleeping most of the time. Boo! Anyway, have a good one!

Love,

Audrey 

CND Vinylux Weekly Polish Review and Swatch: Daring Escape

CND Vinylux Daring Escape (2 coats) Day 2

CND Vinylux Daring Escape (2 coats) Day 4

When I first saw the CND Vinylux Weekly polishes at my local nail supply, I knew I had to try them. CND is a well-trusted brand, especially for their popular Shellac gel polishes. They recently released around 62 (or so) Vinylux polishes that they recommend you use with their Weekly Top Coat for a manicure that will last a week with no basecoat needed. I tested this out exactly the way they recommended until I had to take the polish off. I used no basecoat and 2 coats of Daring Escape which is a dusty blue with blue shimmer. 

I had no issues with the application or the formula, but I found the Weekly Top Coat to be rather dull and not very shiny. As you can see, on day 2 I had no issues (this was only taken about 36 hrs after application, but close enough). By day 4, I had major tipwear and a chip on my middle finger that was enough for me to take it off. Being a scientist, I'm rough with my hands (I have to peel things off, wash my hands all the time, etc.) so that could be a part of the problem. I still love the color of the polish, but I don't think anything but real gel systems could be chip-free for me for at least a week or 2. CND polishes can be hard to find in real life, but you can purchase the Weekly Top Coat and polishes at online e-tailers like Transdesign for $5.45 apiece. Have you tried the Vinylux system, and did it work for you?

CND Introduces "Additives" Pigments and Effects!

September 2012 - CND introduces an exciting new way to achieve the ultimate nail artistry at your local salon - Additives. This vibrant collection of 12 pure cosmetic-grade pigments and effects enhances any manicure or pedicure and can be layered over CND Shellac™ or mixed into gels or acrylics, making your nails truly unforgettable. Sophisticated, runway-inspired and chic, Additives are fashion's hottest way to redefine "nail art."

"Women like to make statements with their nails. Additives let you explore the inventive and personalized world of nail art. Prepare for your nails to get noticed in a whole new way!" says CND Co-Founder, Jan Arnold.

Now, nail addicts can experience a unique creative and customized service with Additives signature colors, textures and finishes. Ombre, opalescent glass, sparkling finish, nearly neon - there are infinite possibilities!

Additives is a professional-only product line that launched in salons globally in July 2012. To get an Additives-enhanced manicure at a salon, visit cnd.com for a CND Master Nail Professional near you.

About CND

Vision: To inspire and partner with the Beauty Professional with the ultimate purpose of helping consumers feel beautiful. 
Mission: For CND to be valued globally by the Beauty Professional and their clients as THE resource for innovative and reliable products and services.

CND Releases 12 New Shellac Colors

November 2010 - CND will unveil 12 new Shellac shades in March 2011, with colors ranging from beige to black.  This exciting addition expands the Shellac line to 24 chic shades plus countless layering options.  Shellac addicts will now have more choices for the convenience of a 14-day manicure.  "This new range features perennial classics and fashionable favorites to give salon-goers a wide variety," says Jan Arnold, CND Co-founder and Style Director.

Shellac's May 2010 launch spurred a major shift in the global nail industry.  Unprecedented waitlists at salons around the world for this innovation have been the beauty equivalent of the much-buzzed-about iPad. If it doesn't say "CND" on the bottle, it's not Shellac.  Shellac is hypo-allergenic and 3-Free (no formaldehyde, toluene or DBP), leaving a brilliantly shiny finish with maintenance-free wear and safely removes in 10-minutes.  Shellac's status has instantly grown from 'cult following' to 'modern must-have.'  Within one month of its introduction, Shellac sold out four times over. 

Creative Nail Design (CND): Sugar Baby

CND Sugar Baby (2 coats of 3 coats of Blue Nirvana)

Happy Friday! I was so happy that a swapper from Australia gave me this awesome flakie from CND that was released awhile ago (again, see the old bottle). The flecks shine green, orange, pink and gold resuspended in a weird gold jelly polish. The yellow doesn't show up on the polish thank goodness, just the flakies. If you compare this to Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure, the flakies in this one are much more sparse and I had to use two coats here and it's still not overwhelming with flakies. I do like this one, but perhaps not quite as much as HT, but unfortunately both are fairly hard to find. If you want a flakie polish that is easy to find, definitely look at Nubar's 2010 or the ones from Nfu Oh.

Creative Nail Design (CND): Blue Nirvana

Creative Nail Design Blue Nirvana (3 coats)

Good evening everyone! Thanks for the anniversary wishes, we had a pretty good day even though we had to work. I've been working on the China Glaze Holiday Collection so that should be up in the next week or so. I'm so excited about them! I also ordered 6 polishes from Zoya (I think Kelly is backordered so I'll be getting that....at some point). It feels like forever since I've ordered from Zoya. Anyway, up tonight is an old CND polish called Blue Nirvana (I honestly don't know exactly how old it is, but it is in the old bottle type so I'm calling it old). It is a cornflower blue polish with a subtle mix of blue shimmer. While it is a nice color, it is a bit sheer and needed at least 3 coats and isn't the most unique polish I own. You can find CND polishes online at Transdesign.

Creative Nail Design (CND): Asphalt

CND Asphalt (2 coats)

I love this polish. I think this is possibly the most opaque polish I have ever tried. I did use 2 coats because that's what I'm used to, but only 1 was necessary. If you don't own a deep grey creme, I definitely suggest this one to you. What an appropriate name for this polish! After all my complaining lately, I want to mention that not all polishes have crazy names. Thanks, CND! I've seen lots of bloggers use this polish with the CND effects and they all look great, so if you own any topcoat effects, you may want to use this polish. Neutral colors seem to be sticking around this fall. What do you think?

The CND Daily Nail: Elegant City Slick Nails at 3.1 Phillip Lim

September 15, 2010 - At 3.1 Phillip Lim Women's, City Slick nails were inspired by urban reflections on oil slicks, for "elegance with street cred," as described by Designer Phillip Lim.  Angi Wingle created the look using one coat of Asphalt topped with Copper Shimmer Effect for a bronze nail with black undertones.  These versatile manicures and pedicures accessorized airy, textured dresses in tan, blue, black and white.  Here's how to get the runway nail looks from today's collections:

 For 3.1 Phillip Lim, Angi Wingle created a city slick nail by layering Copper Shimmer over Asphalt for a gorgeous, reflective urban nail with attitude.

At Gottex, Wanda Ruiz created a washed-out chrome manicure using a custom blend of Silver Chrome, Putty, and Ice Blue Shimmer to accessorize glamorous swimwear, silver-heeled shoes, and chunky jewelry.

CND's Co-Founder Jan Arnold and Nail Professionals Roxanne Valinoti, Angi Wingle, Amanda Fontanarrosa, Kristina Estabrooks, and Wanda Ruiz are joining forces with 21 designers this season for runway manicure expertise.  Stay tuned for the "Daily Nail" upcoming shows:

Isaac Mizrahi L.A.M.B.

The Blonds

*This post with pictures were provided by the company or PR representative*

Coming up from CND

The CND Daily Nail: Jason Wu Wooed by Oxblood Red

September 10, 2010 - Jason Wu's show marked the debut of the exclusive Jason Wu Colour & Effect Collection in collaboration with CND.  To complement his vivid color palette and 40's/70's silhouettes, Jason Wu chose classic oxblood red Veronica Colour from his new collection for manicures.  Pedicures were done in peachy nude Perfectly Bare Colour from CND's limited edition Spring Colour & Effect duo (available in March 2011).

The show introduced Jason Wu's first foray into nails and CND's first product designer partnership.  All show guests received the Jason Wu Collection, which will be available worldwide in May 2011.

CND's Co-Founder Jan Arnold and Nail Professionals Roxanne Valinoti, Angi Wingle, Amanda Fontanarrosa, Kristina Estabrooks, and Wanda Ruiz are joining forces with 21 designers this season for runway manicure expertise.  Stay tuned for the "Daily Nail" upcoming shows:

Behnaz Sarafpour Carolina Herrera Diego Binetti Gottex Herve Leger Isaac Mizrahi Joseph Altuzarra Karen Walker L.A.M.B.

Malandrino Marc by Marc Jacobs Marc Jacobs Monique Lhuillier Sally LaPointe The Blonds Twinkle 3.1 Phillip Lim Women's

CND Gold Sparkle

Creative Nail Design (CND) Gold Sparkle (1 coat) over 3 coats Color Club Pardon my French

Guys, I am exhausted. The move was...bad. I mean, nothing really horrible went wrong (no accidents or anything), but several really annoying things happened. I'll spare you the details for now. I feel really bad, but this is going to have to be short and sweet tonight. I hope you can understand. Anyway, up today is CND Gold Sparkle which is a topcoat effect recently released from the company. At first it sort of looks like a flakie, but it really isn't. Even with only one coat it produces a really nice gold shimmer to the polish. I was really stupid the night I tried this one out because I put it over Color Club's Pardon my French which is just too light to really show the golden shimmer. I can't wait to try it out over a darker color (black, darker purple or blue) because I think it will look much more pronounced that way. Anyway, it's not the best usage here, but I can really see how it will lighten up some colors and add a little texture. The only downside that I can really see is that the bottle is only 0.33 oz instead of the normal 0.5 oz so you're getting less bang for your buck. The good thing is that you really only need 1 coat to cover. I bought this one at Transdesign for $5.50.

Creative Nail Design Fall 2010 Trends

I admit, I don't really follow many trends. This isn't to say that many don't or you shouldn't. It's nice that specific brands such as CND will release what's new on the runway. Here is what CND has to say:

Leaf Through the Hottest Trends This Fall!

CND Introduces Fall’s Limited Edition Colour & Effect

“Texture adds to the strength of the look – and autumn is all about dimensional manicures,” says CND Co-founder Jan Arnold.   Nails take their cue from striking blue-greens, effervescent reds, and offbeat beige, camels and grays this season.

Steely Dan

Extravagant midnight manicures and tonal shades of heathered mushroom and gray nails complement this Fall’s masculine palette of mossy greens, black leather and textured fabrics.  To achieve Ruffian’s “Lunar Eclipse” manicure, pair deep blue Inkwell with Gold Chrome around the cuticle edge for a metropolitan look.  For greige nails like those that complemented Marc Jacobs’ refined menswear-inspired collection, or Rag & Bone’s chic boyish styles, use dark, concrete gray Asphalt.  To get a denim manicure, try CND’s limited edition Urban Oasis Colour, a spruce crème, or layer it with limited edition Teal Sparkle Effect for a greenish-blue glimmer. 

Power Surge

Classic red nails make way for rich, darkly modern reds with a fiery, defiant attitude.  Oxblood red Dark Ruby was topped with Super Shiney™ Top Coat for a provocative, 1930’s liquid finish to accessorize the urban street ensembles seen at L.A.M.B.  Porcelain doll perfection was achieved with Monique Lhuillier’s ultra-shiny, molten manicure in Rouge Red.  To reach ultimate glam status, sweep Crimson Sparkle over Scarlet Letter as seen at The Blonds for an electro-luxe manicure.    

Balanced Beauty

Glazed neutrals balance feminine tailoring and ethereal designs seen on the catwalk.  To get the cashmere manicure from Behnaz Sarafpour, layer opaque, nude Desert Suede topped with Super Matte Top Coat for a touchably soft finish.  For pristine, mattefied, limestone nails as seen at Jason Wu, layer Silver Chrome with Putty and Super Matte Top Coat.