I love Essie nail polish. I’ve had a love affair since they had mostly all neutral shades that were chic, sophisticated, timeless, and a staple for brides everywhere on their wedding day. Since then, the brand has really evolved by creating lush brights that really pop on the nails. The Essie Spring 2012 Collection has a little bit of something for everyone with pastels, a neutral, and rich brights. To see swatches of the entire collection, read more…

One of my fondest memories growing up is collecting Caboodles to store my “makeup” in. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t always makeup, but more like hair scrunchies, slap bracelets, and whatever my mom would give me from her makeup collection, but the storage was the coolest part. Everyone I knew owned one, and they came in different colors and sizes. Every year I would ask for another one, and every year I would happily wake up on Christmas morning, shredding the wrapping paper open to find a shiny new Caboodles container! Now known as the “Classic,” they still sell Caboodles, and have expanded their brand beautifully. Caboodles is twenty-five years old, and celebrating strong with a gorgeous collection of modern, updated makeup storage and organization. In the above video, I wanted to show you in detail the two products I love, as well as how I use them, and a little bit of my makeup storage. To see photographs of two products from their collection, as well, read more…

The other half to Zoya’s Summer 2012 line is the Surf Collection. This one contains six nail lacquers that have a metallic shimmer to them, whereas the “Beach Collection,” is all cremes. I have to be completely honest here for a minute…I was not expecting to like this collection as much as I liked the Beach set. For some reason, they just didn’t appeal to me as much in the actual nail polish bottles. Once I started applying these on my actual nails, though, it was a whole different ball game. These are super opaque and rich in color, and they glow like crazy in the sunlight. You’ll see what I mean after seeing all the gorgeous swatches, read more…

Happy May! I couldn’t have chosen a better shade representation for a summer collection than Zoya did for their Beach Collection. I love that their shades are all bright and colorful, and that they represent the colors of the rainbow. I’ve been storing these on top of my desk where I work because it looks so pretty in the packaging. I may put them back there after this article just because the colors are so cheerful and happy! As I was swatching these, I was blown away by the formula, which was pure perfection. Each shade was super opaque and creamy, the perfect consistency…not too thick or too thin. To see photographs and swatches of the full collection, read more…

Another incredibly fun new launch from OPI Nail Lacquer, this time inspired by The Amazing Spider-man movie, set to open July 3rd, 2012 in theaters. I actually saw the preview for this movie while I was waiting to see The Hunger Games, and I have to tell you, I absolutely love Emma Stone. I think she is perfect for the role of Gwen with her girl-next-door likeability. Whether you’re a fan of superhero movies, or you just love nail polish, I think this collection has a little somethin’ somethin’ for everyone.

“OPI is so excited to work with Sony Pictures in welcoming Spider-Man back on the big screen,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “This film explores a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy that’s going to be both dark and sexy. The colors created for this promotion capture the movie’s exciting atmosphere, with standout shades like the deep shimmering blue Into the Night and the metallic golden green Just Spotted the Lizard.”

To see photographs and swatches of the full collection, read more…

I was so excited when I received this collection, because who doesn’t love Disney? It’s like hating butterflies, babies, and rainbows! Four shades in playful, pretty hues of red and pink, and you’ve got bold yet feminine nail lacquers.

“OPI is so excited to collaborate with Disney and draw inspiration from one of the world’s most popular characters,” explains Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director.  “This collection brings together the expertise of OPI and the iconic style of Minnie Mouse to inspire the distinct palette of vibrant, feminine shades for summer Nails will pop against summer skin in these classic, saturated hues – holding their own alongside the bold prints of the season.”

With that being said, let’s go ahead and take a look at these four gorgeous shades of nail polish, read more…

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Earth Day 2012, Sensible Six Beauty Products: Hair, Skin, & Nails

This slideshow shows my top six favorite hair, skin, and nail products that are considered sensible for Earth Day. Some of them are natural and some of them are eco-friendly, but all of them are just plain smart. Click through the photographs to see each product and learn more about them!

The Safer Nail Polish: Zoya Nail Lacquer

Zoya Nail Lacquer is toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate free. Using safer nail polish allows you to paint your nails as often as you'd like without worrying about harsh chemicals or irritants, especially if you're pregnant.

The Zoya Badge of Safety

Zoya is considered a safe and healthy polish for pregnant moms and smart women worldwide. This is also great if you have children, such as teenagers, and would prefer them to use safer nail lacquer.

Zoya Beach Collection - Summer 2012

The six-piece Zoya Beach Collection for summer 2012 features bright hues for pretty fingers and toes! I love that this collection mixes brights with pastels.

Zoya Surf Collection - Summer 2012

The Zoya Surf Collection for summer 2012 features shimmering, metallic versions of the previous "Beach Collection." The colors are very similar except that these have a ton of gorgeous shimmer in them.

The Natural Cleanser: Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash

This cleanser contains no perfumes or dyes, as well as vital vitamins and nutrients that your skin needs. If your skin is sensitive or you would prefer to use a face wash with as few additives as possible, this is a great option!

Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash

I stumbled across this face wash in my local drugstore, which happens to be a skincare brand from the United Kingdom. Since this product contains no perfumes or dyes, it is super gentle on your skin.

The Natural Shampoo & Conditioner in One: L'oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner

This brand new product is a shampoo and a conditioner in one. It contains no sulfate, which often only further dries out your hair. This is a low-lathering formula that you place on your scalp and hair, massage in, and then rinse out.

L'oreal EverCreme Cleansing Conditioner

This product not only saves time, but it also saves your hair. The sulfate-free product keeps your hair from dying out, especially if your hair is coarse, curly, or color-treated. I really love this new product and have noticed a huge difference in my hair!

The All-Natural Makeup Primer: Reviva Labs Makeup Primer

Makeup primer is a must-have for applying underneath foundation and/or concealer. This product will fill in lines, conceal pores, and control excess oil. Most makeup primer's break my skin out, but this all-natural formula leaves your skin prepped and primed, smooth as can be, for makeup.

Reviva Labs Makeup Primer

The ingredients in this makeup primer include Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Olive Oil, and Coenzyme Q10. There are no harsh ingredients like silicone in it which tends to cause breakouts.

The Sea Moisturizer: Gabriel Cosmetics Seaweed Nourishing Moisturizer

This moisturizer is formulated for normal to combination skin, and is super protective for your skin. With blue green algae from the sea and rose hip seed oil, it will smooth your skin and prevent aging.

Global Inspired Natural Beauty: Bella Lucce Tropical Hawaiian Fruit Peel

Bella Lucce is a globally inspired spa and beauty company that creates products from nature around the world. This company has been featured in Vegetarian Times for their cruelty-free, natural products. Every product feels so luxurious and brings the spa to your home. Also, the owner and company is from Columbia, South Carolina, where I reside!

Bella Lucce Tropical Hawaiian Fruit Peel

The beautiful packaging is only half of the luxury. This face peel comes in powder form, which you then mix with some water or warm milk. The attached spa fan brush helps you apply the product. This product can be used on the face and on the body.

Bella Lucce Tropical Hawaiian Fruit Peel

This peel has natural vitamins and enzymes harvested from tropical coconuts, mangoes, papayas, and pineapples. This will purify your skin and transport you to a tropical place. Plus, having the product in powder form means it will last you for a very long time!

Beauty Gala's Earth Day 2012 Appreciation

Questions or comments about any of the products listed here? Feel free to comment below. Stay tuned for a makeup slideshow!

[ALL PHOTOGRAPHY ON THIS SITE IS TAKEN BY REBECCA KAZIMIR. NO PHOTOGRAPHS ARE TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION.]

[This article contains a sample product sent by PR. Beauty Gala's opinions are our own, and we commit ourselves to honesty in our reviews and descriptions at all times. Sample products are not guaranteed a review. For consideration of your product, please send all PR requests to Rebecca@beautygala.com, or by using our Press Inquiry Form.]

When it comes to trailblazing new beauty solutions, Mally Roncal is no stranger to firsts: the first to create “bulletproof” makeup that really stays put and the first to develop a truly clear translucent powder with her one-of-a-kind Face Defender formula. Now, Mally is revolutionizing the beauty landscape again as the first makeup artist to create a gel polish manicure kit that includes everything you need from start to finish! Here are four reasons why you should try Mally’s 24/7 Professional Gel Polish System:

•  Lasts up to two full weeks; approximately twice the length of a traditional manicure.
• Easy to apply and provides a glossier finish than traditional manicures.
• Will not chip! It can withstand constant hand washing, typing, opening boxes, cooking, and is the perfois solution for that week-long vacation!
• Completely dries as soon as your manicure is done since the UV light bakes it right in!

Mally Beauty is releasing this brand new product tonight, April 13th, 2012 at 10pm EST on QVC Network.

I’m personally really excited about this product because it takes the traditional gel manicure, which is extremely popular right now, and makes it available to do-it-yourself at home. Talk about not only saving money, but pure convenience!

For Easter weekend I typically go with something pastel or even some fun nail art, but I wanted to do something different this year. Milani Cosmetics released a brand new collection of nail lacquers and one of my favorites from the collection is Key West. It is in-your-face gorgeous with tons of turquoise shimmer and sparkle. It reminds me of the ocean at Cocoa Beach, Florida, where I was two weeks ago. This shade will look amazing on any skin tone, and it would look fabulous as a pedicure, too! Basically, I fall in love with nail polish shades from time to time and right now this is my favorite! To see more photographs and swatches, read more…

The first time I tried magnetic nail polish was when I spotted it in a Sephora store. I was so entranced by the idea that I actually dropped over fifteen dollars on a single bottle of it. Now that the trend has picked up, we see major brands coming out with magnetic nail polish such as the China Glaze Magnetix Collection. China Glaze changes the game up a little bit with a cool little gadget that contains three different magnet designs, as well. Oh, and the price of this nail polish is much more reasonable, at only $5.99 a bottle at Sally Beauty Supply. To see photographs, swatches, and how to use this nail polish, read more…