Cant Afford a Face Lift? - Try a Faith Lift Instead!

I recently had the opportunity to try a brand new product that has come onto the market that claims to be: 

"a non surgical facelift system that gives dramatic results your clients will love even after just one treatment" 

"Faith Lift non-surgical facelift gives dramatic results in an instant, it lifts, tones and firms leaving the complexion refined and radiant giving you a younger fresher look"

Now - being a person of 'above the age of having the most youthful looking skin' (for those younger ones out there - that is above the age of 25!  I know!!!) I couldn't turn this opportunity down of trying it out!

So thanks to Enhance Direct I set aside some time last week to try this facial mask out!  

As a fully trained Facial Therapist it is recommended that this mask is initially used as part of a full facial  - for those of you that aren't a training facial expert thats a thorough double cleanse, exfoliation preferably with a foaming sugar exfoliator and tone.  Then its time to apply the 'mask'.   

The mask product is like a thick gloopy gel compared to many other masks I have used, so the application method is one that needs to be followed and practised to get it right.  The full details are all provided on how this is best done luckily or you could end up with a right sticky mess!  

Once the mask is applied you need to avoid any facial movement as the product dries for 10 minutes (for a firmer lift it is best left on for 30 minutes which I did - I need all the help I can get).  Now don't be alarmed by the tightening sensation as the mask begins the lifting and toning process.  Its is a very weird feeling and if you do move the mask will potentially crack therefore not achieving the best results - this I know from experience and turned my neck during the first 10 minutes and it just looked like my skin was just peeling away!  So the best thing is once applied take some chill out time and lie completely still.  Which if you are having this done as part of a professional facial treatment is a great opportunity to re-charge those batteries and maybe perhaps have a little power nap too!

When the mask is dried it feels very tight on your skin and - when I looked in the mirror I looked just like an alien is disguise!  And also looked like I had aged by 50 years all in one go!!!!  Not a nice look - just for a laugh have a look at the picture of me just before I took the mask off! Although I do feel a public warning needs to be issued first!!!!!!   I cant believe I am actually showing you guys a picture of me with no makeup on!!!!

You can see from this where I moved my necked and the mask cracked so if you try this out avoid doing this if you can.  When the mask is dried it can be quite painful to try and talk so dont go and answer the phone when it rings!!!!!


A good 30 minutes later I removed the mask with warm mittens and after looking in the mirror before I took the mast off I felt a little concerned to say the least - well what a pleasant surprise I had.  I applied my normal daily moisturiser and my skin felt fantastic!  It was lovely and smooth  and really hydrated and plump (if that makes sense).   When I looked in the mirror what I saw wasnt a face that looked like had gone through surgery to remove the excess baggage but that healthy glow that certainly looked younger and more healthy than it did before.  The lines around my eyes were less obvious than before and for a while after I had that feeling in my eyes - as if my muscles around them were being pulled tighter and therefore making my eyes smart slightly - so I know that the muscle tightening effect was still working for some hours after.  


Faith Lift is an easy-to-use mask that works to gently stimulate circulation and increase blood supply to help restore the skin''s muscle tone and elasticity. It leaves the face looking and feeling firmer with a fresher, brighter and more youthful complexion.


When I put my makeup on the day after my skin still felt great and made me feel more confident and yes - I did feel like it was putting my makeup on younger skin!

Unfortunately I havent got any before or after photos of my experience to show you.  I was so pleased with how I felt about my skin I forgot that I would be showing you guys too.   

So I have attached here some photos of 'before and after' shots provided via Enhance Direct Faith Lift Facebook page and as you can see for yourselves the difference is amazing:   And this is just after the first faith lift treatment.

What not to expect -'dont expect miracles to happen' - it wont cut away the excess skin that was there before like face lift surgery does.  'Dont expect permanent ever lasting results' - it is recommended that to maximise the results you should have the treatment done twice within the first week and then weekly for 5 weeks, then monthly maintenance thereafter.   So to keep this result going you need to be committed to maintaining your treatments schedule.   But once you start receiving this facial you should be able to buy the faith lift mask from your facialist.    Personally I would recommend that my client come to have this done professionally at least once per month as a full facial treatment.

This is a very new treatment so you may not have heard about it before but Enhance Direct and Faith Lift have also just launched the face cream and eye cream to maximise the ongoing effect on a daily basis and have also launched a 'Faith Lift' Lip treatment which I am going to look into more at a later date.


I am so impressed with this treatment I shall be offering this as a treatment to my clients as a professional treatment and will also add the new Face Cream and Eye Cream as part of my retail products too.


For you Professional Facialists that would also like to try this system out - contact Jane or Lyndsay at Enhance Direct:


www.enhancedirect.co.uk/


or their Facebook page:  Faith Lift or Enhance Direct

Artistic Colour Gloss - Diva Chic - October Colour of the Month

As promised here is a live picture of this months Nail Colour of the Month - Diva Chic by Artistic Colour Gloss

It is a fabulous dark red - I think has more of a shimmer than a sparkle as previously described and is a fantastic rich Autumn/Winter colour.

The nails done show the colour as it is with no added bling or art.  But those of you know me will expect to see at some point over the next 2 weeks some added bling - so I will keep you posted when I do.

I am also loving this water photo app for ipad/iphone.  Dont know whether it masks or shows my poor photo taking skills but I love the effect it gives. :)

Nail Colour of the Month - October - Diva Chic

As promised (although a little later than I liked) a decision has been made on the nail colour of the month for October and I am really pleased to share with you all the fabulous Diva Chic from Artistic Colour Gloss.








 As sophisticated as its name, this warm deep red with sparkle adds the perfect touch of glamour to your nails.

I will hopefully post you a picture of the colour on real live nails tomorrow but just wanted to share. x x x

Nail Colour of the Month

Ok guys - from now onwards I shall be having a new Gel Polish/Power Polish "Colour of the Month".   

I would love you guys to help and choose.  First of all - feedback on the type of colour you think is going to be popular for the season.  Then -   about a week before the 1st of the month I will list some brand specific colours  to choose from that I dont have. 

I will order the first colour of the month on the 1st October - so please let me have feedback on the up and coming seasonal colour to have!

Look forward to hearing your views! x x x

Nail Design of the Day - Gelish Efx Design - A little Multi Colour

It is time for me to do my nails again - but just didnt have a clue what to do!!! (I am sure there is a song in there somewhere) :)

So - fancied using the Gelish Efx colours but didnt know which one - so I ended up with 4 of them!

Because I was messing about for so long not knowing what I wanted to do with them - I started with a base colour of Night Shimmer (shimmery silver white) on all my nails.  I played about with the Aurora Efx colours for a while and ended up with 2 feature nails (thumb and ringer fingers) as you can see above.

Now, the next question is - do I keep the design as feature nails or do I do this design on all the nails?  What do you guys think?  All or feature? 

Video-Efx - Gelish Aurora - Just Look at the Bling!

It has been extremely difficult to show in a picture how effective a colour fade of the Gelish Aurora Efx range is so I have done a quick video clip for you to see if it helps:

Does seeing this in a video help?

New Artistic Colour Gloss UK Website Launch

For all you professionals out there Artistic Colour Gloss how have their dedicated UK website designed to showcase the Artistic Colour Gloss Gel Polish:

www.artisticcolourgloss.co.uk

With Artistic Colour Gloss continuing to receive rave reviews from influential beauty bloggers (hey - thats me too! :)) and online magazines, as well as in printed media, this website is a great way for professionals to gain local leverage from Artistics national PR campaign too.   Its going to include a database of all salons offering Artistic Manicures and Pedicures so customers will be able to put in their postcode to find their nearest salon specialist. 

I have no doubt that this brand is going to take off massively in the UK.   The fact that this label is loved and worn by many on the Hollywood A listers such as J-Lo, Cameron Diaz, Katy Perry and Victoria Beckham itself will generate a sought after following.   This is all thanks to the fab Celebrity Manicurist Tom Bachik who has launched this brand.  All the colours that Tom is introducing to the brand are perfectly 'on trend' and inspired by the latest catwalk styles and colours.   Many of the UK stars are getting their Colour Gloss Manicures in the "flagship store Urban Retreat @ Harrods" and "Groom @ Selfridges" - all giving the brand a more "Upper Class" image and style!



I have it on good authority (wink, wink)  that Tom has created 6 fall (Autumn for us UK peeps) colours and from January 2012 there will be 2 new colours on the first of every month!   I for one cant wait to see what these colours will be but I just know they will be the latest fashion trend colours I am sure!

Tom is coming to the UK in September so I am sure there will be lots of TV coverage on his visit and celebrity clients.

Exciting times ahead with Artistic Nail Design Colour Gloss hey!

Keep watching this space for more gossip on this fabulous brand!

x x x

Artistic Colour Gloss - a Little Too Posh?

For those of you that love Gelish semi permanent polish (for those that dont know I am a big fan too) may have heard of the similar product Colour Gloss - by Artisitic Nail Design.

Artistic Colour Gloss is the brainchild of top Hollywood ‘Man’-icurist Tom Bachik, who has tended the fingertips of A-listers from Victoria Beckham to Beyoncé.  Tom trained in graphic design, but with a family to support, he called time on his days as a ‘starving artist’ to work as a nail artist. He was drawn to the beauty industry and nails in particular, because he saw virtually limitless opportunities to express his creativity.

Considered the industry’s go-to nail guy, Tom has a list of credits as long as his arm. From the Golden Globes to the Emmys, Good Housekeeping to Vogue, his work can be seen on the fingers and toes of the Hollywood elite.  His latest venture is Artistic Colour Gloss, the professional soak off gel polish treatment. He saw the need for a product to suit busy people who want perfectly-groomed nails without the need for weekly appointments.

Tom is more than just a figurehead for the brand – he is passionately involved with every aspect of its development, from the creative to the technical.

Now you professionals out there will think - "this is no different than Gelish?" and I think you are probably right.  To me even most of the colours looked identical - but just called a different name.   I believe that Tom (Artistic) and Gelish founder (Danny Haile) in fact were both original founders of Ez Flow - one of the great Acrylic and Gel nail companies.   Because I have always presumed they were the same product I never really looked any further than Gelish as I have always been more than happy with that.  However, over time what I have noticed that some of the colours that have been launched by Artistic were starting to look a little different than those of Gelish - so I decided to investigate a little bit more.

 As I said before Tom is much sought after by many Hollywood A-listers and I picked up he was inspired by one of his clients Victoria Beckham for 2 of the Artistic Colours - Posh and Vogue.  So I decided to go ahead and buy them.

Here is me wearing the colour Vogue:   Described as "The perfect blend of deep purple with the sparkle to give it the essential fashion edge".   I wouldnt describe it as 'purple' but has a hint of 'plum and mocha' colours in it.  I think it looks a little light in the photo compared to the actual.


I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS COLOUR!




Tom is fantastic at designing very classic trendy colours that remind me of the many fabulous fashion houses like Chanel and Armani to name but a few.  This is I think what does set it apart from Gelish - just seems more upper class in its image and style (although I still dont think the products are any different).

I dont have any actual photos of the other colour "posh" I bought yet  but I will update you when I do.  It is described as - A stunningly elegant nude!!!! :)

I can see many more purchases of the Artistic Colours in the future - no doubt influenced by all the new seasons colours as they happen.

So - have you heard much about Artistic Nail Design?  What do you think?

In my usual style I had to "bling it up" a little and added some Konad nail art:

The vogue colour does look a little darker in this picture and more like its true to life colour.





What colours do you guys see as being the new trend for the Autumn season?

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

As usual here is this weeks nail blog round up:

Sarah stamped a pretty red and white designwith her Fauxnad plates and using Beauty UK coral for the base http://spellbindingnails.blogspot.com/2011/08/sdp-d12-red-and-white-floral-design.html

Stacie was inspired by a Tatty Devine bunny brooch http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com/2011/08/bunny-nails.html

Claire created a paint splatter manicure with her Konad plates using OPI red as the base http://toptwentynails.blogspot.com/2011/08/opi-red-and-konad-splatter-step-by-step.html

Theresa dipped her clients toes in crystals with this extravagant pedicure http://theresabloor.blogspot.com/2011/07/swarovskidiamonte-crystal-toes-pedicure.html

Grace created a cool tuxedo manicure http://ooooohpretty.blogspot.com/2011/08/tuxedo-nails.html

Trisha showed us what she got when she broke her 3 month no buy http://www.trishadotj.com/2011/07/i-broke-down.html

Emily brought back the 80s with her pacman manicure http://emilysnailfiles.blogspot.com/2011/08/pacman-french-manicure.html

Jen shared her Brittany Femme Fatale manicure http://moondancerjen.blogspot.com/2011/08/femme-fatale-tour-nails.html

Lena showed her Nails Inc polish free with 2 dove deodorants http://thestudentsguidetonailpolish.blogspot.com/2011/08/nails-inc-copacabana.html

If you would like to be involved in future round ups email Stacie.fields@gmail.com

Reverse Layered Gelish Colour With Aurora Efx

I promised you all I would post you some pictures when I had a proper play with the new Gelish Aurora Efx Colours so last night I finally managed to get around to applying some of the fab new colours on me.




For those of you who know me I dont very often like wearing just one colour and like to do something a little different - so here it is:

I used 2 layers of the very green sparkly "The Great Googly-Moogly" first and then added a layer of "Sea Foam" swirls on top!

On one hand I also added a light layer of "Izzy Wizzy Lets Get Busy" on top but you cant see this in the photo.  It adds a very slight hint of bluey purple to the final look - like a further 3D dimension.




I have also done some colour combination/comparisons on a colour wheel for you to see.  But the problem with the new Aurora Efx range is that the 3D effect in the colours just dont show up on photos too well.  I have done each sample with half the original colour and then a swirl of the Aurora Efx done on top.

All of the Aurora Efx colours work fantastically over the darkest Gelish colours (see the example on a previous post) which will look fab over the Autumn/Winter months but they can really brighten up some of the summer colours too!  I have used each of the new Aurora colours twice on different examples to show you how each colour combination can totally change the end result!

Let me know what you think! x x x

Swarovski/Diamonte Crystal Toes Pedicure

I first saw these pedicures advertised last year when they were launched in the industry.  Basically, individual crystals are applied one at a time to the toe nails to give the ultimate "toe nail bling".     Lovers of this treatment include Holly Willoughby and was featured on the "This Morning Show"

Beautiful as they looked I decided at the time not to advertise this pedicure at Beauty by Theresa due to the fact that many clients would not be willing to pay for the cost of this treatment.  You imagine how long it takes to apply these one at a time, plus the cost of the actual crystals themselves.

So, a few weeks ago I had a call from a lovely client (who I havent seen before) asking if I did these pedicures.  After a little discussion over the time and cost involved I agreed to carry out the treatment on a test basis.


Well - here is the result: 

What do you think?

The thing is the photo doesnt do it justice and doesnt show how beautiful and "blingy" these stones really are!  

I use between 250 and 300 individual stones and it took over 2 and half hours to do!  Overall I am really pleased with how it went - for my first treatment of this type.  There are things I have learned from it and things I may do a little different next time but I will now be adding this to my treatment menu.   These weren't actual Swarovski stones but in my opinion worked really, really well!

It can be done  on all 10 toes (as featured here) or can be featured on the big toes only with either silver minx or sparkly glitter on the remaining toes.

The cost will vary depending on the treatment done but you can be expected to pay from £40 for a featured crystal toe and from £60 for a full set.

So tell me - is this something you would have done and would be willing to pay for?  Have you ever had it done?  What did you think? 

x x x

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

I know its been a while but now I have caught up with myself coming backwards here is this weeks Nail Blog Round up.   x x x

Grace designed some yummy candy striped nails http://ooooohpretty.blogspot.com/2011/07/candy-cane-nails.html?m=1

Jen created a starry manicure http://moondancerjen.blogspot.com/2011/07/pink-wednesday-tape-manicure-tutorial.html

Sharon is having a giveaway to celebrate her blog birthday http://polishinfatuated.blogspot.com/2011/07/giveaway-polish-infatuated-turns-one.html

Nicky tested out OPI it’s my year for their new collection http://nicnacksnails.blogspot.com/2011/07/opi-its-my-year.html

Claire showed us some perfect pearl bridal nails http://toptwentynails.blogspot.com/2011/07/opi-axxium-sog-french-kyoto-pearl.html

Ladyluck is also celebrating her blog birthday with a giveaway! http://ladyluckbeauty.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-first-giveaway.html

Sarah created a movie buff manicure and demonstrated some SdP plates http://spellbindingnails.blogspot.com/2011/07/sdp-d20-night-with-some-movies.html

Theresa showed us the amazing new Gelish Aurora collection http://theresabloor.blogspot.com/2011/07/new-gelish-aurora-efx-third-nail.html

Stacie played with some holographic paint flakes from ebay http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com/2011/07/holographic-paint-flakes-fun.html

Gelish Aurora Efx - Update

As promised, I said I would update you all when the Gelish Aurora Efx range arrived here at Beauty by Theresa - and guess what?????    They are here!!!!! :)






Had a busy, busy client day yesterday so havent had much chance to play yet but got up eager this morning to start playing:

There are 6 in the collection and I have done all 6 on the colour wheel on the left without any layering done - so in their true colours.  Some of them work really well like that and I think some will work better layered over other colours from the Gelish range.   

What I can tell you is that photos dont give a true reflection of the 3d colour in this range.  So - you need to see them in flesh so to speak to appreciate the different effect these really give!


I am going to have a play with some layering of colours shortly so you can see how the colours change - so yet again - watch this space!

New Gelish Aurora Efx - a Third Nail Dimension?

Well a few weeks ago I got wind of the new collection that Harmony are adding to the Gelish Semi Permanent Gel Polish called Aurora Efx - the following picture gives you an idea of what they will be like:

Well guess what?   It is now in the UK and I "should" be getting my little hands on all of them by the end of this week!!!!!!!!!!    Can you tell I am very excited!!!!!!  :)

They are designed to be warn as a colour all by them selves or you can layer them on top of another existing gelish colour to get a further fabulous 3d effect colour.    They are all based on magical and mystical themes with names such as : " Izzy Wizzy, Lets Get Busy, The Great Googly Moogly, Ali Babas Sim Sala Bim, Oocha Coocha Bing Bang Bam Alakazy Alakazam, Wiggle Fingers Wiggle Thumbs That's the Way Magic Comes".   Cant you just "feel that magic!"

This picture shows you how the layering efx works:  All the efx colours were layered over the black gelish:

These examples were done by the fab Nail Harmony Master Educator - Bev Rose - owner of Nails at Home in Lincolnshire!   See her fab work here:  Nails at Home in Lincolnshire

Thanks Bev x x x




As soon as I get them I will post you an update - so - watch this space!!!!!!!

Nail Design of the Day - Gelish Silver Fade with Black and White Design

Here is the latest set of Gelish design nails I am currently wearing:

 I wanted a design that matched any colour scheme, was a little different and - as I had a creamy colour last time I missed my 'little bit of bling' so I just had to base the design around the bling that I love.

I know this next 3 weeks is going to probably be as busy as the last 3 weeks so I might not get time to keep changing my nail design for a while so wanted something where the cuticle growth wasnt so obvious.  I know that Gelish Semi Permanent Gel Polish would give me the 3 week wear with no chips and extra strength - so this what I ended up with.

So - what do you guys think? 

The thumb has the same black and white swirl design on it too - ideal for me to see when I am typing on my I-phone  as it is my thumb that gets all the exercise there.  So ideal to remind me what a fab set of nail designs I have.

Apologies to you all

Hi guys.

Sorry I havent post very much this last few weeks.  Business has been so busy that I have actually seen more clients for treatments this last few weeks than I have seen for a long long time - so a good reason to not blog I suppose, but have missed spreading the world of Beauty with you all.

All those clients with MYscara'd lashes ans Gelish and Shellac fingers have done me proud!

Hopefully things will be back to normal now x x x

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

Morning all - here is this weeks Weekly Nail Blog Round Up:

Emily showed us how to do her fantastic tiger design http://emilysnailfiles.blogspot.com/2011/06/tiger-nails-tutorial.html

Grace showed us her amazing Jessie J inspired manicure http://ooooohpretty.blogspot.com/2011/06/jessie-j-inspired-aztec-nails.html

Trisha tried out Sinful Colors peach http://ibeatpolish.blogspot.com/2011/05/my-pink-has-peach.html

Ladyluck tried out Hard Candy Beetle http://ladyluckbeauty.blogspot.com/2011/06/beetle-hard-candy.html

Lena felt a bit cheeky http://thestudentsguidetonailpolish.blogspot.com/2011/04/cheek-y.html

Sarah stamped a fluttery design http://spellbindingnails.blogspot.com/2011/05/hb06-butterflies-in-meadow.html

Theresa caught up on the latest trends http://theresabloor.blogspot.com/2011/06/guest-blog-on-summer-nail-trends-by.html

Sharon water marbled with some awesome holographic polishes http://polishinfatuated.blogspot.com/2011/01/water-marbling-with-holos.html

Stacie created some pastel stripes and flowers http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com/2011/06/pink-stripes-with-flowers.html

Lingling met Deborah Lippmann! http://wuliaonails.blogspot.com/2011/05/deborah-lippmann.html

Jen gave us a great gradient tutorial http://moondancerjen.blogspot.com/2011/06/rainbow-gradient-nails-tutorial.html

Ari tried out Sephora by OPI silver shatter http://ari-sweetdelight.blogspot.com/2011/05/blasted-silver.html

Finally introducing Alhrayth’s blog http://pallinogirl.blogspot.com/

Hope you all enjoy x x x

Guest Blog on summer Nail Trends - by Aleya

To add variety to the blog, today we have a guest blog post by Aleya who is a blog writer for Manhattan Beauty School - Hair Design Institute.  I hope you enjoy. 

Summer Nail Trends:

Normally, when summer was rolling around you would start seeing a lot of women wearing pink, coral or marshmallow colored nail polish. This summer things have gotten a lot more fun, colorful and innovative. Here are some summer nail trends that you should check out.

Blue- Probably the most popular of all of the solid color nail polishes, blue is definitely a color that you want to try out. Just about any shade is allowed so take your pick.

Coral- Welcome the feeling of summer and feel like you’re going on vacation with coral nail polish. One of the best things about coral is that it looks great on the hands and feet.

Lilac- A soft alternative to blue polish. Lilac polish is most often seen as a matte color and not a sparkly one.

Metallic Greys- Silver and grey were very strong during the spring and have carried on to the summer. There’s a big variety to choose from so that you can find one that suits your personality.

Nudes- The best way to wear a nude polish is to pick one that is darker than your skin tone so that you can tell the difference between your skin and polish.

Cracking Nail Art- Pick a brightly colored base such as gold or royal purple and use black or another color to go over it. This design looks great on long and short nails.

Polka Dots- Combine two or more colors to create a fun polka dot design on your nails.

Artsy French Manicure- While the traditional French manicure will always be stylish, take it up a notch by adding a floral design to it. You can also use bright colors rather than the traditional ones to make it more fun.

Sparkle- Polish that has sparkles and glitter in it gives your nails a youthful look. It’s a bit difficult to remove, but it’s well worth it.

This post was written by Aleya who writes the beauty blog for a cosmetology school  that has branches in New York and Florida.

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

Apolgies for the delay in bringing last weeks Weekly Nail Blog Updates to you - been soooo busy with clients treatments that they havent let me get near updating my blog!

Stacie was inspired by Prada S/S 2011 http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com/2011/05/blue-and-white-china-pattern.html

Lena is having a clear out – fancy grabbing a bargain? http://thestudentsguidetonailpolish.blogspot.com/2011/05/updated-blog-sale-barry-m-nails-inc-no7.html

The Nail Addict created this juicy water marble design http://thenailaddict.blogspot.com/2011/05/orange-water-marble-design.html

Sharon had fun with smashing her rainbow http://polishinfatuated.blogspot.com/2011/05/shattered-rainbow.html

Grace was inspired by Lagerfeld to create this design http://ooooohpretty.blogspot.com/2011/05/nails-fit-for-harvey-nichols.html

Nic was absolutely besotted with Absolutely Alice http://nicnacksnails.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-finally-tried-it.html

Jen let her sunny disposition show with her new Zoya http://moondancerjen.blogspot.com/2011/05/pippa-my-new-obsession.html

Theresa explains exactly what Shellac and Gelish semi-permanent polishes are http://theresabloor.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-are-shellac-and-gelish-nails.html
Ling Ling tried a cool tie-dye manicure http://wuliaonails.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-haul-and-tie-die-haulter-top-mani.html

Avast me hearties! Claire tried out OPI pirates’ collection and the wicked silver shatter http://toptwentynails.blogspot.com/2011/05/opi-pirates-of-caribbean-with-silver.html

Ari use pastels for a cute nail art manicure http://ari-sweetdelight.blogspot.com/2011/05/pastel-cute.html#more

Hope you all enjoy reading! x x x

MYscara Before and After Pictures

This is my lashes with No Mascara - cant believe I actually took a photo of my eyes with no makeup on!

And this is my eye lashes after having the MYscara treatment:

I took both pictures in the natural daylight and the second day was a brighter day - but you can still see the difference in the lashes! 

The MYscara treatment was done 2 days ago - it felt very strange to sleep with what felt like eye makeup on and did take a little getting used to, but feels fine now!  It certainly makes life easier when putting my makeup on in the morning!     I also giggled to myself when I had a bath last night - normally if I havent removed my makeup the mascara would have ran all down my face and look like I had been crying for a week - but not last night! It just looked as good when I got out of the bath as when I went in!

This is going to be just perfect for holidays.  I just hate going to the beech or pool with no eye makeup but always had to as by the end of the day it would be all down my face - but not now!  MYscara will keep my lashes looking perfect for the whole holiday - and beyond!

Do you live in the Cheadle, Staffordshire Moorlands or Stoke on Trent areas?  Ring me to book in for this fabulous treatment today!   07811 114280.

MyScara in Cheadle, Staffs Moorlands and Stoke on Trent Area - Bookings Now Being Taken!

To update you all that were eagerly awaiting new on the the MYscara Semi Permanent Mascara - THE TREATMENT IS NOW HERE and bookings are now been taken for Mobile appointments in Cheadle, Staffordshire Moorlands and Stoke on Trent areas.

Special Treatment Product Launch Price £20 for a limited time only.

The waiting list for clients waiting for this treatment is rapidly growing so please ring me as soon as possible if you would like to book in.

Please ring me on 07811 114280 or 01538 750349.

x x x

MYscara youtube video

MYscara now here! In Cheadle Staffs Moorlands and Stoke on Trent!

What are Shellac and Gelish Nails?

November 2012-  a new post had been published to further update my advice on Gel Polishes which also discusses the difference in the different brands including, gelish, shellac, artistic, GeleSSe, Colour lock etc: -

  Gel Polish Products Update

I am getting lots of messages from people asking what exactly are Shellac Hybrid UV Polish and Gelish Gel Polish?  Or what is Semi-Permanent Polish Manicure?  So hopefully the below will answer any questions you have.    Oh - and yes, all of these are available as treatments here at Beauty by Theresa - available in the Cheadle, Staffordshire Moorlands and Stoke on Trent areas.

Well firstly - none of these systems extend the nails so for those of you that have been put off having your nails done because you dont want them extending - then Shellac and Gelish dont come into the same category so is a great option for you!

Shellac is probably more polish like in the look and feel, but dries in a different way than polish.  A special CND Shellac UV lamp is required to properly cure the colour, so therefore can only be applied by a trained professional.

CND's (Creative Nail Design - the maker of Shellac) have a well promoted tag line:

• On Like Polish
• Wears Like Gel
• Off in Minutes (really!!)

On Like Polish - So the first one is self explanatory as I said above.   Wears Like Gel - what this refers to is the fact that with the right care and attention the polish can last up to 14 days without chipping, peeling and smudging.  The no smudge element is fab - especially as soon as the manicure is finished everything is completely dry - NOT like a traditional polish so you dont have to walk around for hours on end waiving your hands about like a raiving lunatic! :)   Off in Minutes (really!!) - because of the nature of the ingredients in the Shellac, trying to remove like normal polish wont get you very far - but it only takes 10 minutes to do!  Really!!   It is recommended that a professional removes the product and if done correctly (it is a fairly easy process) then your own nails underneath will be in great condition!  with NO DAMAGE!

Why would you have this type of manicure?

Well - due to the fact that it doesnt chip or smudge makes it more  low maintenance during the 2 weeks of wear.  No removing and re-applying every few days like regular polish cause it looks worn!  This factor alone makes it very attractive to many people - just one salon appointment every 2 weeks - and perfect looking nails every time!  Another great thing about Shellac is that it is fab for holidays and special occasions too as they last for up to 2 weeks, easily.

See the attached video for details of how shellac is applied and how it is removed!

      

Who is Shellac not ideal for?

Like I said before if you are looking to have your nails extended or lengthened then it is not for you.  If you have pretty poor nail condition with peeling etc then Gelish may be a better option for you.

Gelish (by Nail Harmony) is very similar to Shellac in that it is applyed in the same way - and wears in the same way - like a polish that doesnt chip.  What I have found however, that it can last a little longer - 3 weeks in many cases.  I think this is due to the fact that there seems a little more strength in each of the layers.  And, the top coat is more resistant to Acetone - so for people like us nail techs that use acetone based solutions to remove clients nails etc it is an added bonus for our own nails.  You can also use a special LED lamp to sure Gelish which is quicker (it wont cure Shellac though).

 What Gelish does have extra - is an additional product in its range called Structure.  What this allows you to do is to add additional support to the nail to add extra strength - and also lets you add the correct structure to the nail (those of with Ski jump nails or damaged nails) to make it look more "normal".

Therefore, I do find that if you want to grow your nails longer then Gelish gives you more support to be able to do this.  It is possible to extend the nail very slightly with the use of this structure gel too by using a plastic tip, but I wouldnt recommend a full set of nail extensions with this because they wont be as strong as say the traditional harder Gel or Acrylic nails.

Gelish does remove in a similar way to Shellac - but I think takes a minute or two longer - perhaps due to the slight additional strength in the product.  As the top coat is acetone resistant you need to buff the top coat off first (which isnt needed with Shellac) - so if the quickest and easiest soak off is important for you then Shellac may be better. 

Shellac is currently available in 24 colours, but does have an additional 6 shades coming out in September 2011.   Gelish is available in an incredible 72 shades? (I have actually lost count) and does have occasional special additional colours (like the Japan Appeal duo).    What you can do with both systems is layer the colours to make an even bigger colour range.   You can have french style, colours  (shear or opaque) or clear.

I have also found it is easier to do different nail art effects with these systems too - perhaps because the colours them self dont start try dry until they go into the UV lamp giving more time to play about with it.   You can get colour fade where one colour blends into another too - one of my favorite looks.  These two pictures are examples of really simple nail art and colour fades.  they have both had different colours layered too!

With this type of manicure you need to remember that what needs to happen when the manicure is grown out in say 2 or 3 weeks time.  I dont recommend you do this yourself so you really need to go back to the salon to have it removed - and probably like most of my clients have it reapplied as you found it so easy to wear!   So, even though they are really maintenance free during the time you wear them you do need to keep up with a regular salon appointment to make the most of the system.  If you start to peel away the system yourself then you potentially risk peeling layers of your own nail away (not as much as if you pick at say acrylic nails though) - so please dont do this!

I myself have worn either Shellac or Gelish for the last 12 months or so and I have to say my natural nails have never been in such good condition.  Most nail techs use themselves as models for trying different nail stuff so we do tend to abuse our nails!  So for me to have my nails in such good condition it is a really big thing!  The two pictures above are of my own natural nail length.

If you have never tried this type of manicure then all I can say is - give it a go, then you will understand all that I rave about.    

I hope this answers all your questions about Shellac and Gelish but if not then please feel free and ask away here.  If you are not near me and want to have this treatment done let me know and I will contact the relevant people to find a tech in your area.

Enjoy your manicures x x x

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

Here is this weeks "Nail Blog Round Up" of Some great Nail Blog posts x x x

Jen created a gorgeous gradient manicure Glitter!

Claire’s tutorial shows the simple way to do a half moon manicure Half Moon Manicure

Nic celebrated finishing the school year with some swatches Nail Swatches

Sharon showed us her adventures in drag marbling Marble Nails

Grace had some fun with glitter to great effect Glitter fun!

Ladyluck took a break from her nails this week and created an eye look Eye makeover!

And finally introducing Erin to the blog world http://sugarstar.host-ed.net/blog/

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do x x x

Used the Groupon for Offers or Promotions?

There seems to be some real good deal on offer at the minute for Groupon Beauty related treatments but am always a little cautious and keep thinking "what is the catch"?   I suppose always believing in the saying - If something seems too good to be true - it usually is, makes me a little skeptical with these things.

So - have you ever bought a Groupon voucher for anything?   Have your ever used Group to promote your products and services?

Did it work for you?  Would you do it again?

Please guys could I have your opinions on this type of thing - or is it just me being paranoid over something being too good to be true!

MyScara Treatments in Cheadle, Staffs Moorlands and Stoke on Trent Area - Coming Soon!

Ok - so many of you have said that you would love to have this treatment done, I have decided to take the plunge and have arranged to add the MyScara Semi Permanent Mascara Treatment to my menu from June 2011!

MyScara details from Beauty by Theresa 

I am learning all there is to know about this system at the end of May (having to travel over to a great trainer in Wales) and I am sooooooo excited.  I just cant wait to get up and running with it all!   fo those of you looking to arrange the training their contact them on their Facebook page:  MYscara training in Wales 

I will do a full and frank blog review for you all when I have done the training and let you see plenty of before and after photos so you can also see how effective this is.

One of my colleagues in Ireland very kindly allowed me to use one of their before and after photos to show what a difference can be made.  As it is an actual Salon photo no photo touch ups have been made so what you see is the exact look!

Image courtesy of The Beauty Boutique, Maymooth.  Thanks for allowing me to share x x x

And - with the right aftercare this should last 3 to 6 weeks too!   Just imagine, not having to re-apply mascara everyday and not a smudge in site!   I for one cant wait for this!

Soooooo - watch this space!  If you want to know more about this treatment then please feel free to message me! 

See you laters x x x

Nail Design of the Day - Gelish Fade with 3D Flowers

I thought I would show you another one of my own creations for todays Nail design of the Day:

These were done using Gelish Semi Permanent Polish Gel by Nail Harmony over my natural nails.  The flowers were done using White Liquid and Powder Acrylic with Silver accents and Swarovski Aurora rhinestones both from from Nfu.Oh (Affiniti Nail and beauty in the UK).

Now it isnt very often you will see me be anything like happy to display any 3D work I do as the standard of what I do is not where near good enough in my opinion, but is getting better!

Let me know what you think...........

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

Here is this weeks Nail Blog Round Up:

The Nail Addict created a gorgeous water marble design pink water Marble

Jen celebrated pink Wednesday in style Pink Wednesday

Emily must be looking forward to carnival Carnival Nails

Grace went wild French wild

Theresa reversed the French in black and silverReverse french

Stacie painted her nails to match her dotty 50’s dress Black, white and red

Claire used Fimo clay flowers Flowers

Sharon is having a great giveaway Giveaway

Lady Luck wore her hearts on her nails navy baby

AJ used her BM plates to create a cool herringbone pattern Pink Wednesday

Shella was inspired by a Japanese nail art design Summer manicure

LingLing is having a great competition Contest

And finally introducing Ari she is new to blogging Strawberry Design

If you would like to be involved in future round ups contact Stacie at http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com

  

Twitter for follow Friday : #FF @kawaiinailart, @toptwentynails, @EmilysNailFiles, @pamperedbygrace, @moondancerjen, @nicnacksnails, @beautybytheresa,

Gremlin in the Works

Sorry for not posting much this last week.

As some of you know there has been some problems on blogger this week with all kinds of funny things going on - hopefully after Blogger was closed down for 'maintenance' for a while to 'sort things out' things should now be resolved - as soon as I am happy that we are all in a 'good place' again I will be posting lots of lovely new things for you.

Hope you all enjoyed the break! x x x

Weekly Nail Blog Round-Up

OK guys - here is a round up of some great nail related blogs for this week:

LingLing made her - first-franken-polish

Ladyluck shared some new polishes new babies home

Sharon was inspired to try a new rainbow look Rainbow Nails

Claire showed us her TOWIE inspired manicure The Only Way is Essex

The Nail Addict showed that spring has sprung Spring Manicure

Happy Birthday to Jen! Birthday Giveaway

Emily had a creative idea for her rainbow manicure Mario Nails

Nicole used funky donkey for some funky nails Funky Nails

Theresa reviewed some nails fit for a princess David Barton Royal Wedding Nails

Grace has more wedding fever with bridal inspired nails!Wedding Fever

If you would like to be involved in future round ups contact Stacie at http://kawaiinailart.blogspot.com

 Twitter for follow Friday : #FF @kawaiinailart, @toptwentynails, @EmilysNailFiles, @pamperedbygrace, @moondancerjen @nicnacksnails