Back in the Saddle
Nearly 10 years after selling their company, European Touch founder John Meyerovich and business partner Joe Galati have returned to the industry with a new enterprise, Coninuum Footspa. The new foot spa has features that enhance the original European Touch foot spa that Meyerovich created more than 20 years ago. He and Galati describe the new spas as having a different, more lavish look with pulsating pipeless jets and a pivoting approach to leg supports.
This is the first time the twosome has ventured back into the nailcare industry since the sale of the original European Touch in June 1998 and its spin-off into an independent company several years later. The ideas for this new foot spa had been brewing for five years. "Life was too boring," Meyerovich recalls. "This is a new challenge, and it's a lot of fun."

Robanda Acquires Realys
San Diego-based Robanda Intl., a manufacturer of skincare products, has acquired Realys Inc., a nail file manufacturer based in Huntington Beach, CA. Robanda president David Leib says his company plans to maintain Realys as an independent company. "Realys undoubtedly makes the best nail files in the business, and part of our growth plans will be to increase the private label side of the business, as well as the Tropical Shine brand," he says.

Virtual Favorites
The female-friendly website Sheckys.com has announced the winners of its Beauty At Its Best 2007 awards. These include:

• Best Sole Softener: Barielle 60 Second Pedicure
• Best Cuticle Oil: CND SolarOil
• Best Moisturizing Arsenal: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant

• Best Nail Color, Light Shades: Essie Cosmetics polishes in Allure, Ballet Slippers, Power Lunch and Waltz
• Best Nail Color, Red Shades: OPI Products lacquer in Got the Blues for Red
• Best Topcoat and Best Basecoat: Poshé Super-Fast Drying TopCoat and FDA Registered Anti-Microbial BaseCoat

• Best Tweezers: Tweezerman Stainless Steel Slant Tweezers

Happy Hearts
The month of February plays host to the most romantic holiday of the year, but it also serves as American Heart Association Month. To raise awareness of and funds for fighting heart disease, Olan Laboratories has dedicated 25% of the sales from three of its most popular red nail polishes-Red Your Mind, Cosmopolitan Red and Cherries Jubilee-to the American Heart Association. The "Go Red" promotion will take place throughout the entire month. "Heart disease is an issue that touches us all; nearly everyone knows someone close to them who has been diagnosed with it," says Lisa Minuto, Olan's fashion director. "Since hearts are red, we believe nails should be red too."

On Her Own
As of January 1, Vicki Peters Nail Products will be independent from its former home, Kupa. The two companies will continue to work in conjunction, but also as separate entities. Vicki Peters will keep holding Nail Kamps in sites throughout the United States in 2008 and has already scheduled the 2009 Nail Those Profits At Sea cruise, during which both CND's Doug Schoon and Young Nails' Loni Jensen will provide education.

On The Road

OPI Products educators John Hauk and Joey Brown recently toured the United States with OPI Academy on Tour, featuring one-on-one education with OPI Absolute Liquid & Powder Technology system. The new system allows techs to offer express services. "OPI is committed to the ongoing education of nail professionals," says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI's executive vice president and artistic director. "The OPI Academy on Tour is a wonderful way for nail techs to learn the newest techniques and strategies from true experts in the field."
      Hauk and Brown were later joined by OPI guest artists Nadine Harvey, Doni Horn and Candace Roswell for Academy at Sea, a cruise to various ports in Mexico that included a number of educational sessions on OPI products for the 91 nail techs on board.

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Go Team!

When The Industry Source and OPI Products decided to become new business partners, The Industry Source president and CEO Larry Gaynor found a creative way to share the news with his employees: Santa Claus paid an early visit to the company's headquarters in Farmington Hills, MI, in the form of a disguised OPI president George Schaeffer. After St. Nick's true identity was revealed, Industry Source workers learned that their employer was embarking on a new venture with OPI: As of January 2, 2008, all OPI products would be available in The Industry Source's catalogs, stores and websites. "OPI is a leader and an innovator in the industry and this is an amazing gift for The Industry Source and all of our nail and spa clients," Gaynor says.

Party Time
October 15, 2007, was a big day for Houston-based Farouk Systems Group. The beauty manufacturer,

Farouk Shami

which produces Chi nail lacquer, commemorated its 21st anniversary, honored the birthday of company founder Farouk Shami and celebrated the opening of its third, 100,000-square-foot warehouse. Houston restaurant Pappas Bar-B-Q catered the event, which featured a mariachi band and dancing. After being serenaded with "Happy Birthday," Shami took to the stage and announced a new project, the Chi Alliance Program, which will offer healthcare coverage to beauty professionals. The project is a nod to Shami's own humble beginnings: He founded Farouk on October 19, 1986, with only $1,000.

Project Runway
Southern California-based China Glaze provided manicures for the models backstage at the Tart fashion show during Los Angeles' fall 2007 Fashion Week. Nail tech Melissa Bozant combined the Gilded Treasures and III polishes to create a "nude pantyhose" look for the beauties walking the catwalk during the October 26 show at Smashbox Studios. Bozant efficiently moved from model to model on a rolling stool, keeping her implements handy in her China Glaze apron. "With China Glaze doing nails and MAC doing the makeup, these models looked incredible for their walk down the runway," Bozant says.

Macho Men
When the National Football League wraps up its season this month (Super Bowl XLII takes place on February 3), it's safe to say that many professional football players will be supporting salon services during the off-season. Members of the Arizona Cardinals recently helped out during the "Making the Cut" charity event at a salon in Scottsdale by providing hand massages to raise money, while two other players received manicures while being filmed for a promo shoot. Next, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez taped a spot for NFL Films in which he reviewed various plays while enjoying a manicure. However, his macho side took over: First he asked whether his teammates were also requesting services and then, whether there was a nail polish color that would make him run faster! And Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward appeared on ESPN before Monday Night Football while undergoing a manicure and pedicure. With the abuse these boys take on the field, it's only fair that they get some post-season pampering.

Revamped Website
Sanijet Corp., manufacturer of pipeless spa and pedicure baths, has launched a new website, sanijet.com. The site features an extensive new video section with informational clips about Sanijet products. Users can also view behind-the-scenes photos of the spas, resorts and hospitals that have installed Sanijet tubs, and browse product pages.

Read Up

You can stock up on salon literature thanks to the efforts of the Nail Manufacturers Council (NMC). Co-chaired by CND's Doug Schoon and OPI Products' Eric Schwartz, the NMC has published various brochures on multiple topics of interest to salon workers, including proper sanitation practices and chemical exposure from nail products. These brochures are available for download on the NMC's website, probeauty.org/nmc, in multiple languages (including English, Spanish, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese). According to Schoon, the adaptability of the information is especially important in this era of trumped-up salon inspection. "A lot of people are behaving as though there's no education in the industry," he says. "These brochures are available; they're just not getting into the right hands.