Can't Live Without My Lipstick

Bare Escentuals & QVC - TODAY

2009-07-30T09:49:00.007-04:00

Check out this great deal from QVC: you can order today, before it airs, their Today's Special Value for August 1st!! That's when BARE ESCENTUALS appears for 3 segments throughout the day. It's is a BARE ESCENTUALS 6-piece starter kit for under $33!! It's called the bareMinerals Makeup Revolution Starter Kit and it'll only set you back a mere $32.92 (plus, shipping & handling, of course, and tax, if applicable to your state - gotta get the fine print in).

Includes:

0.06 oz bareMinerals SPF Foundation in Fair, Fairly Light, Light, Medium Beige, Medium, Medium Tan, Tan, Dark, or Golden Deep; choose shade based on your skin tone
0.02 oz Bisque Multitasking Concealer in Original, Summer, Honey, Dark, or Deep based on your foundation choice
0.05 oz Mineral Veil in Original or Tinted based on your foundation choice
0.08 oz Mini Sugar Cookie Natural Lip Gloss (pink peach)
Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush
Flawless Application Face Brush
Application tips brochure

Kathie Lee's Favorite Things

2009-07-17T16:23:00.005-04:00

On Friday mornings, during the fourth (yes, fourth!!) hour of the TODAY show, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb start the hour with a little show and tell. They each bring out a few of their favorite things ranging from snackfoods to alcoholic beverages (lots) to beauty products. Love that they share some of their favorite beauty goodies - kinda like looking inside their makeup bag, and don't you love to get a peek inside someone's makeup bag, hoping to discover a secret potion or find out what that perfect lip color is? Anyhoo...this morning KLG shared a product that I own and think is great, particularly for summer. Nothing fancy or expensive - CLEAN & CLEAR Oil-Absorbing Sheets. These are blotting papers that feel like little rubbery sheets, not the powder covered paper ones most people are used to. They really suck the oil right off your face (as Hoda saw, and didn't particularly enjoy witnessing, when KLG blotted and the sheet came back oil-slicked). They come in 50 sheets to a pack and the pack is very small and slender - perfect to fit in your purse and keep on hand to get rid of any shine. And at around $5.49, it's a bargain!

Thanks, Kathie Lee!

Keeping Secrets

2009-07-09T15:17:00.004-04:00

Overheard in the haircare aisle at Target, where I was getting my awesome Elnett:

Couple, early 30's

GUY: Who are you getting that haircolor for? You?

GIRL: (quietly, sheepishy): Uh-huh.

GUY: But isn't that your natural haircolor?

GIRL: Well...it's almost my natural haircolor!

Shhhhhh-- what beauty secrets, routines or procedures do you keep a secret from your significant other? Don't worry - I won't tell. It'll be our little secret!!

NIVEA Touch of Sparkle FREE Sample

2009-07-07T09:26:00.002-04:00

Hey - head over to WALMART.com and get your free sample of NIVEA Touch of Sparkle Cream Oil Body Wash. According to Nivea, the sparkle comes from a touch of diamond powder. Oooh, fancy, huh? Sounds great for summer!

Also, Walmart.com continually offers new samples, so keep checking back to see what else you can try for free.

SEPHORA Blog: STILA SUMMER GIVEAWAY! Over $400 worth of product.

2009-07-02T12:19:00.004-04:00

Had to let you in on this great summer product giveaway! The SEPHORA blog - Beauty and the Blog - is having a giveaway of a basket filled with over $400 worth of STILA products including:

Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, $34Stila Sheer Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 Oil Free, $36Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, $32Stila Bronzing Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15, $32Stila Illuminating Powder Foundation, $28Stila Stila Sun SPF 15 Bronzing Powder, $26Stila Lip Glaze, $22 (in 5 shades)Stila SPF 20 Shine Lip Color, $22 each (in 5 shades). Pretty awesome, huh?!

Enter by leaving a comment with a summer sun mishap (hopefully you won't have one. I had a few, unfortunately!), and leave your e-mail. They didn't list an end-date, so get over there ASAP to enter by clicking on the link below. Good luck, and thanks to our friends at Sephora!!

Beauty And The Blog: STILA SUMMER GIVEAWAY! Over $400 worth of product.

DOVE Winners!

2009-06-30T21:18:00.003-04:00

Thanks so much to all that entered and shared their favorite summer beauty products (several of which I am dying to try!!). I wish there could be more than 2 winners, but the winners tonight are:

ANGIE

ELISABETH

Congratulations, Ladies!!!

I've sent you both e-mail requesting your mailing address so DOVE can send your prize to you!

Thanks to all who entered, and I hope you all will come back and visit! I will have more giveaways this summer!

DOVE Giveaway!!!

2009-06-26T12:23:00.004-04:00

On May 1st, I wrote about the new DOVE Ultimately Visibly Smooth Wild Rose Anti-Perspiring/Deodorant (click here to read). Well, it's been almost 8 weeks since I started using it, and I'm happy to say that overall I'm really pleased with this new deodorant. It has made the hair softer and, surprisingly, I did notice that my underarms do look better and smoother. I've always had issues with that, because as someone who is pale but has dark hair, even when freshly shaven my underarms still didn't look quite hair-free (this was particularly angst-inspiring during my teenage years). But the other day I noticed my underarms looked really good and didn't have the pit-version of the five o'clock shadow going on. Yay!

DOVE wanted to give you the chance to try this new product (if you haven't already!) and is going to give 2 lucky readers a full-size DOVE Ultimately Smooth Wild-Rose Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, along with coupons for $2 off future purchases of Ultimately Smooth - enough for you to share with your girlfriends. All you have to do is leave a comment for this post telling me what summer beauty product you Can't Live Without, and I will pick 2 winners at random on Tuesday, June 30th, @ 9pm EDT. You'll need to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you so I can get your mailing address to forward to DOVE.

Once again, here are the rules to win:

1) Leave a comment on this entry by Tuesday, June 30th@ 12 midnight (EDT)

2) Include your e-mail address and your favorite summer beauty product

3) One comment per person

4) U.S. residents only

Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale

2009-06-17T21:48:00.005-04:00

It's not just bras and panties that are marked down. Check it - makeup and other beauty products on sale for 75% off!! That is one secret I cannot keep! I wasn't planning on stopping in, but had to stop at the mall today to shop for a Father's Day gift for my hubby from our 4 year-old (another gift, actually, to go with the Elmo t-shirt we got for him last week. So cute!). But then I saw the sign for the Semi-Annual Sale and it said makeup on it, so into the store I went. I could have bought more, but I had a hungry child with me, though she did enjoy looking at all the pretty colors of body lotion and shower gels, so that kept her occupied,oh, for about 5 minutes. Anyway, I managed to score 4 products for $12.50. Sweet. And that included 2 - that's right - 2 full-size Very Sexy lipsticks. Uh huh. I also bought Bare Bronze Self Tanning Body Spray with Buriti Oil and an Everything Refresher Spray. The Bare Bronze was the splurge at $4.50. I am digging the Bare Bronze because I'm already seeing some color, which I desperately need, and it does not have that odd, immediately recognizable self-tanner smell. It does have a scent, and I can't say I love it, but you might. It's not offensive, but it's more perfumey than I like in a scent, but again, I don't think it's a giveaway that you just applied self-tanner. My store had plenty of makeup on sale, I just didn't have the time to open all the little boxes to see what was inside, though I did see eyeshadows, nail polish, lip glaze, plus the normal body lotions, etc., and more.

Happy 75% -off Shopping!!

SEPHORA:Pretty Minis for Maximum Fun!

2009-06-16T12:04:00.006-04:00

If you're a SEPHORA fan (and, come on, who isn't?), you must remember the Lashstash collection of mascara samplers that Sephora offered - twice!! Well, for summer, they are releasing several different sample-size kits, and they'll be available starting tomorrow (6/17). Get some pretty minis in a variety of categories, all for less than $40!!! I'll be putting the Sephora gift card I got for my birthday to good use with these favorites. And it should come as no surprise, judging by the name of this blog, that I will be going for the Get Pinked Pink Lip Deluxe Sampler (shown below). Other kits include: Skincare & Makeup Sampler, Eye Deluxe Sampler, Fragrance Samplers for women and men, two different Mousturizer Deluxe Samplers, along with another Lashstash kit, and a waterproof mini-mascara kit called Splashstash!

Which one (or five?!) are you going to get?

Here's what comes in the Pink Lip Set!!

This set contains: - 0.34 oz Laura Geller Lip Strip - 0.1 oz DuWop Prime Venom - 0.0676 oz Korres Cherry Oil Lip Gloss in Fuschia - 0.23 oz Sephora Super Shimmer in Think Pink - 0.02 oz Stila Cherry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain - 0.1 oz Smashbox O-Gloss - 0.09 oz Calvin Klein Lipstick in Mesmerize - 0.26 oz Urban Decay Lipstick in Jilted - 0.17 oz Calvin Klein Plumping Gloss in Bloom

My Birthday Wish Came True!

2009-06-10T12:03:00.000-04:00

Check out what my fabulous sister Lindsay gave me for my birthday (along with a gift card to Ann Taylor LOFT) - the SEPHORA Color Play Palette!! It's kind of like the Crayola 64 color crayon box for makeup-loving grown-up girls. It's got 36 eye shadows, 12 lip glosses, 3 blushes, and a bronzer (and the appropriate, if not minuscule, applicators- you'll want to better ones that you should already have in your makeup bag). I like it because I pretty much stick to neutrals when it comes to eye shadows, but this gives me the chance to be a bit more daring, and I already found out I love the bright teal shade - it really makes my brown eyes pop. The purple shade, eh, not so much, looks more like a bruise - but now I don't have to end up with yet another eye shadow pan gone to waste, along with cost of buying an individual eyeshadow.

Alas, I just saw that it is temporarily out-of-stock on sephora.com, and at only $22, no wonder. Check out your local Sephora bricks-and-mortar store, they may have some.

Lancôme Travel Chic GWP at Macy's

2009-06-01T15:55:00.004-04:00

It's Gift With Purchase (GWP) time with Lancôme at Macy's and Macys.com now thru June 7th*, where you can get Free Shipping with a $55 purchase by entering the promo code TRAVEL. However, to be clear, you only have to spend $29.50 to get the gift, but $55 get you free shipping, if you buy online. Got it? Good.

It's a pretty nice GWP - it's partially a build-your-own gift. Everyone receives HYPNÔSE Custom Volume Mascara in Black, COLOR DESIGN Sensational Effects Eye Shadow Quartet in Daylight, Dirty Pink, Bikini Golden, & Couture, and BI-FACIL Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover.

Then the real fun starts! First, you get to pick your anti-aging moisturizer: RENERGIE MICROLIFT R.A.R.E. Superior Lifting Cream SPF 15 Sunscreen -or- ABSOLUE PREMIUM ßx Replenishing Cream SPF 15 Sunscreen -or- HIGH RESOLUTION REFILL-3X Anti-Wrinkle Cream SPF 15 Sunscreen. Next, choose your lipstick (this would be the hard part for me!): COLOR DESIGN Sensational Effects Lipcolor [Full-Size] in Visionary -or- COLOR FEVER Lasting Radiance Lipstick [Full-Size] in Rose Defile -or- L'ABSOLU ROUGE Lipcolor Pro-Xylane SPF 12 [Full-Size] in Luxe Mahogany. Finally, you get to choose your Lancome Signature Bag in Your Choice of Red or Blue Stripes. Very nautical-looking, perfect for summer!

*Offer good while supplies last.

Burt's Bees Giveaway!!

2009-05-28T09:51:00.002-04:00

In celebration of BURT'S BEES 25th Anniversary, the good folks there are giving away 25,000 of their well-loved Beeswax Lip Balm. Everyday for 25 days, they'll be giving away 1000 (in the form of a coupon). Today's giveaway has not yet occurred (sometime between the hours of 9am-12pm EST). So, you still have 24 days to get yours! Buzz here to try and win yours! Also, in honor of their anniversary, if you don't win one, for every $25 you spend, you'll receive a free Beeswax Lip Balm.

Cleansing with Kate is Great!

2009-05-14T10:01:00.003-04:00

I've been using KATE SOMERVILLE's Purify Exfoliating Cleanser for a little over a week now, and I can already see a difference. This foaming gel cleanser is for normal to oily skin, and my pores are, thankfully, clearer. I like it because my skin feels really clean, but I don't get that tight-face feeling afterwards. And it's very refreshing - it contains peppermint and rosemary extracts (natural antiseptics) - a great pick-me-up first thing in the morning! It uses salicylic and lactic acids to naturally exfoliate - that means no exfolitating beads, in case you're looking for them. It's a little pricey (for me at least, for a cleanser), $32 for 4oz., but when I find something that works, I'll pay.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T15:20:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to wish all you beautiful mommies out there a very Happy Mother's Day!!!

Sweat-Free AND Hair-Free Underarms? Nice.

2009-05-01T17:43:00.003-04:00

I just received a sample today of DOVE Ultimate Visibly Smooth Wild Rose Anti-Perspiring/Deodorant that will be appearing on store shelves this month. DOVE claims that this new product will help women feel stubble free for longer, and with regular use, it will minimize the visual appearance of hair over time. Uh, to me that's a lot of jibber-jabber meaning that Dove is not going to claim this new deodorant actually STOPS hair from growing, but only makes it look like it's not growing. But that's cool, I suppose, because I do want to to look like I don't have hairy underarms. Anyway, DOVE says it works by using a unique, new formula called Pro Epil Complex. Within weeks, you’ll start to notice that your underarm hair feels, soft, fine and is easier to remove. Now, since I've only just received it, I can't possibly review it for at least a week, probably more in order to see if it really lives up to its promise, but since we're coming into warmer weather, which means, more skin showing, I though you might want to at least know about it. DOVE also sent me a some $2 coupons for this new and, hopefully!!!, fantastic new deodorant, so if you would like a coupon (or two, maybe even three? I'm feeling generous), let me know, and I'll send 'em your way. Leave a comment with your e-mail and I'll contact you to get your address, unless you don't mind leaving it in the comments section. Or, even better and will save me $ on postage, head over to Dove to print out a coupon!

L'Oreal RevitaLift Sample

2009-04-22T20:29:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a great money-saving website I read every day called Freebies 4 Mom, I found out about a free sample of L'Oreal RevitaLift . Click here: Freebies 4 Mom: L'Oreal RevitaLift Sample#links. You will be required to register at the L'Oréal site, but members have access to other samples and coupons. You may be able to get a sample of the new EverPure sulfate-free shampoo, if there are any left. I have not received mine yet, but can't wait to try it when it finally shows up in my mailbox.

And if you love deals for things other than beauty products, sign up for Freebies 4 Moms -even if you're not a mom, Heather lists plenty great deals you can take advantage of - coupons, free samples, giveaways. Check it out!

Prescriptives' New Vibrator

2009-04-21T10:47:00.003-04:00

NO, ladies, not that kind of vibrator!! PRESCRIPTIVES is hopping on the pulsating and oscillating mascara bandwagon by the introducing its first mascara of the type called MOTOR-EYES with a unique VIBRATING BRUSH that quickly coats and separates lashes for instant impact. Just one turn of the brush and instantly turns up volume, color impact, lift and curl while turning down clumping, smudging, flaking and application time. Enjoy FREE SHIPPING with any purchase through 4/25/09 using code MOTOREYES at checkout. To learn more about new Motor-Eyes Instant Action Mascara, please visit: http://www.prescriptives.com/.

Bobbi Brown Free w/Purchase

2009-03-10T21:00:00.003-04:00

Get a FREE BOBBI BROWN full-size Mauve lipgloss with any $65 purchase for members. Which, I'm guessing, you become a member by registering your e-mail. That's all I did. It's pretty easy to hit 65 smackaroos at Bobbi's site, so why not get a great full-size freebie if you're going to order anyway?!

MAC Free Shipping!!!

2009-02-24T10:58:00.002-05:00

Great deal for MAC lovers:

FREE SHIPPING ALL PURCHASES FEB 24 - MAR 1.

Enjoy free standard shipping on any purchase online at www.MACcosmetics.com

No offer code necessary.

Allure/Dior Giveaway

2009-02-12T13:30:00.002-05:00

Any beauty junkie knows that ALLURE magazine is the print source for all things beauty. They also have some super sweet giveaways. The latest and greatest is DIOR's spring 2009 makeup collection — it's filled with gorgeous pinks, nudes, and taupes. Enter now for your chance to win it all: three eye-shadow palettes, eight lip colors, a limited-edition face palette (it's an Editors' Favorite), nail polishes, and more—all worth more than $500!! Just look at how pretty those colors are. Win this collection, and you'll be the loveliest spring flower around. That is, if spring could hurry up and get here...

Revisiting

2009-02-04T20:47:00.000-05:00

In these sad times of severe economic downturn, instead of buying new stuff (ok, instead of buying new stuff at my previous level of spending), I'm trying to go through my considerable stash of beauty products and revisit them - see what works now, items that I may have not given enough of a chance to win me over before, for whatever reason. I find it very difficult to throw cosmetics away - unless they smell funky or separate, obviously, those have to go. But I figure you never know - you might just need that orange nailpolish for something! Anyhoo - I recently picked out a NARS eyeliner pencil in a shade called Mambo and have been using it nearly everyday! NARS describes it as a warm chocolate brown, but to me it looks more like a shade one might refer to as "eggplant." I was surprised to see NARS categorized it as brown. As a brown-eyed girl, I find the eggplanty-brown shade makes my eyes pop, but is not quite as harsh as black (for day) or quite as ho-hum as basic brown. The only thing I don't like is that it is very soft - good for smudging, if you want a smokey eye, but bad if you don't. I have slightly oily eyelids, and this liner tends to disappear more quickly than I am happy with. So, on the whole, I'm happy with the color (NARS always has great colors in their collections), but I could do without so many touchups during the day!

EXTRA POINT!!! Bobbi Brown Free Shipping!

2009-01-30T11:23:00.003-05:00

At Bobbi Brown online this weekend, get Free Shipping when you enter BLUSHED at checkout!! *Offer code required. Valid 1/30/09 - 2/1/09 (midnight ET) only on BobbiBrown.com.

I just love that the Superbowl celebration is overflowing to the makeup world!!

SCORE!! Sephora Ships Free...

2009-01-30T10:43:00.003-05:00

Gimme an S-E-P-H-O-R-A!! What's that spell? FREE SHIPPING!!

It's almost game day and pretty makes a pass!

FREE SHIPPING on all SEPHORA orders, all weekend long.
Use promo code PLAYPRETTY at checkout.*

Shop sephora.com, and score >

* Enter promotion code PLAYPRETTY to receive free standard shipping on your online merchandise order. Not valid in Canada, retail stores, or on previous purchases. Cannot be used in conjunction with other promotion codes. Offer valid through 2/2/09 at 11:59pm PST. Sephora reserves the right to end or change this promotional offer at any time.

Origins Youthtopia Event

2009-01-22T10:21:00.000-05:00

ORIGINS is holding a Youthtopia™ mini-facial event from January 22-25. Get a complimentary skin-firming facial and receive a free 2 week supply of Youthtopia™ Firming eye cream with any skin care purchase. Check out before and after pics here showing the effects of using the new Youthtopia™ Age-correcting serum with Rhodiola. Origins claims that you’ll see and feel tighter, tauter skin texture, fewer lines and wrinkles and a complexion that appears significantly younger. Origins also states that the patent-pending Rhodiola, the legendary adaptogenic herb linked to longevity, kick starts skin’s natural repair to help reenergize, visibly correct lines and renew skin’s vibrant and youthful function. The pics do show some impressive improvement. At the very least, I'm up for a free facial!

Bye-Bye Bush!

2009-01-19T15:53:00.000-05:00

Though this is a great sale, I am posting this promo from BLISS in honor of W's last day more for the "funny" than the deal (but definitely take advantage of the offer if you can). Thanks for the giggle BLISS copywriters!!

Fine print: *20% service discount is valid on Brazilian Bikini Wax appointments at participating Bliss Spa locations for appointments booked between 1/19/09 and 2/1/09 only. 20% product discount is valid on Ingrown Hair Eliminating Peeling Pads, Poetic Wax Kit and Get Out Of Hair! lotion only, in participating Bliss Spa locations and at blissworld.com only – offer expires 2/1/09.