This was a busy week in beauty blogging land. There were some great posts – required reading for beauty lovers!

Charlestongirl at Best Things in Beauty, has reviewed Rouge Coco, Chanel’s blockbuster new lipstick introduction. There has to be a shade with your name on it! The choices are gorgeous. A new contest started here yesterday, courtesy of Snubbr. Make sure to enter!

Kelly at Gouldylox has the latest, greatest Perricone MD giveaway contest! She has an Advanced Face Firming Activator to give away – good stuff for your skin. You need to enter by March 20, so get over there and do it now!

Gaia reviewed the Edward Bess All Over Seduction Cream Highlighter in Sunlight at The Non-Blonde. Gaia, you are costing us money, honey! While you are at The Non-Blonde, you can find out what’s happening with some of our favorite brands.

Amber is currently loving Vapour Organic Beauty. Go to Beauty Junkies Unite to find out how you can get your glow back with 100% natural and chemical free products that have a minimum of 70% certified organic ingredients.

We have to give a shout out to new beauty bloggers (this is hard work!). The darlin’ Kristen, a girl obsessed with everything beauty (and an Armani veteran), is writing Belle La La. She reviewed Bath & Body Works Summer Vanilla this week. She chose Lemon Vanilla. Which one grabs you? Make sure to read about Aunt Liz at Belle La La!

Are you a MAC addict? Lianne at The Makeup Girl has the scoop on the new Too Fabulous Collection. It looks “too pretty”!

KarlaSugar posts fabulous swatches on The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping Yourself. Want to see Dior’s Extas Pinks and Mystic Smokys, eye shadows for spring? Head over for some armchair shopping!

Do you nails need help? Did winter leave them brittle and breaking? Annieytown has the cure at Blogdorf Goodman with Dior’s Creme Abricot. “Sitting down with the Creme Abricot, the orangewood stick, and a cup of hot Earl Grey tea, and just taking a bit of time to take care of myself” – sounds pretty good!

Jennifer at Beauty In Real Life keeps us grounded! She let us know how to get our hands on the latest, greatest CoverGirl mascara, LashBlast Fusion. The availability is limited right now, so hurry!

DivaDebbi trolls the beauty aisles at CVS (like the rest of us!), and she found a great lip liner! Now we all need to try Q135/Plum Lasting Lip Pencil from CoverGirl’s Queen Collection, named after Queen Latifah. Debbi, Charlestongirl’s CVS has the gel eye liner you want. Want her to pick one up for you?

Felicia at This That Beauty is also going to cost us some money! L’Occitane has unveiled a brand spanking new makeup collection that draws its inspiration from the peony – the beautiful, fragrant, voluptuous peony. New makeup from L’Occitane – that’s news!

We hope you will enjoy these posts from beautyland. Have a great weekend!

Recently, while perusing one of my countless magazines I saw that Anastasia Beverly Hills had this mini wax kit.    Anastasia is known for her celebrity brow styling and for us non-celebrities a variety of eyebrow grooming kits and related products that we can purchase to pretend we can get brows like the celebrities on our own.  HA!   I’m only kidding, I do really like the Anastasia products and they work really great.

Since her other products are fantastic, I figured this must be too.  I’ve tried another brand of pre-wax strips and had horrible results.  I have been on the hunt for a wax kit, but I really dislike the thought of having to keep a huge jar of wax and then heat it up, blah blah blah.    I just don’t want to mess with it, but I want to be able to wax the annoying eyebrow strays and the really annoying lip hairs that drive me crazy.   So I ran to Sephora to check it out.  Only my local Sephora doesn’t have it.   I didn’t feel like ordering it online, well, just because I didn’t.  It’s only $12 and the shipping would probably be half of that again.

Then I ran into my local Ulta – we have a new mega Ulta near my home which I am thrilled about and paranoid at the same time because it’s just too close!   But I did run into one of the little kits and I grabbed it up.    The jar of wax is tiny (PERFECT!) only .5 oz – think of a jar of eye cream size which typically is the same size, just not with all the excess pretty packaging that eye creams have.   There are 5 small wooden sticks for application and 14 substantially sized muslin strips, and instructions on how to use the kit.  This seemed like the perfect kit to me.

You only have to heat the wax about 10 seconds in the microwave and apply with the stick.  The muslin strips are quite large and can be cut in half to easily remove the mustache lip hair.  Each half of the strip works on each half of the lip area and I would say the same for the eyebrow area as well.  Lickity split – the hair was gone, I’m able to save myself a wad of money by not having to go have my lip hair removed professionally and spending no less than $15 each time.   $12 for this kit will give you many uses before it is gone – at least 14 uses (the number of strips).  So lets do the math:  $15 x 14 trips to have a lip wax = $210, (not including tip) so I figure I’m saving myself at least $200!   This is the bargain of the century!

I think that qualifies as Beauty on a Budget – don’t you? 

p.s. – the Ulta website has the incorrect price of $21.  It is only $12 in the store – they really should fix that.

I’m sure many of you are fans of Lancome products.  I know I am!  It’s funny how I used Lancome for years when I was in my 20’s and then it faded into my beauty background for no particular reason.  About two years ago I had a facial and the facialist used several Lancome skin care products and started raving about them to me.   I purchased a few products and fell back in love with Lancome in my mid to late 40’s.   

After reacquainting myself with the skin care I decided to check into the makeup line, more than just the oh so popular mascaras.   I think I now wear at least one if not more, makeup product from Lancome on my face daily.  

I’ve been fortunate enough to have met a few of the women that work at Lancome PR, like Patricia, Kerry and Erin – all lovely women and so happy to have met them.   One year ago (where does time fly!) Kerry started writing a blog for Lancome, so they’re celebrating their birthday by doing a giveaway.   One lucky winner will get a chance to win 5 Lancome beauty products of their choice!   The Lancome Blog is one of my favorite “Daily Must Reads” and Kerry keeps us up to date not only on the Lancome beauty scene, but with fashion, what’s hot, who’s cool and of course, cupcakes!

Be sure to head on over to the Lancome Blog and enter for your chance to win!   And tell Kerry Happy Birthday from Fab Over 40!

Finally!  Here they are, one of the first looks at the Degree Women Natureffects new body mists and deoderants in their new scents.  I told you a few days ago about the new fragrant combinations created by Ann Gotleib, now you can enjoy them yourselves as well.

Beauty on a Budget – that’s what Degree Natureffects has for all of us.  Beauty in scent and protection and at a budget price of only $3.99 retail!   These fresh new scents were created to release your “Outdoorphins”.   Now that Winter is waning and Spring is knocking on our doors, these new scents make me anxious for Spring. 

Avaialable at retailers nationwide.

Is a bar of soap the best way to wash your face?   I’ve always heard to never use a bar of soap on your face.  They’re supposedly drying, make your skin easily irritated, strip your skin of the good nutrients.   So to be honest, I was actually hesitant to give this Erno Laszlo Blue Firmarine Treatment Bar a try.  But I did anyway.

And I was pleasantly surprised!  

This bar has the texture of a glycerin bar, creates a lot of lather and it cleans my face exceptionally well.  After washing with this and rinsing I mistakenly took my WHITE towel and dried my face.   As soon as I had done that, I thought – oh no!  There goes my white towel with makeup on it.   But no!   My white towel didn’t have a speck of left over makeup on it, it was actually spotless.   Then I waited several minutes before applying the remainder of my nighttime ritual skin care, I wanted to see if my skin felt dry.   No again.   My skin felt clean, but not dried out, just smooth.   I have been using this treatment bar for several weeks and my skin still doesn’t feel dried out like I had originally expected.   At $39 the bar is not inexpensive, but it lasts FOREVER!   Like I said, I have been using this for several weeks and it doesn’t look like I’ve used any of the bar.

Here’s what the company says about the treatment bar:

It’s unique delivery system releases ingredients gradually over time to ensure activity long after cleansing strengthening skin’s barrier and allowing visibly firmer, smoother skin.  Spirulina Maxima and Algae Extract to firm skin by helping cell renewal and improving skin texture.  Vitamins C & E to provide long lasting anti-oxidant protection.  Glycerin Sorbitol and Palm Kernel to help hydration and retain moisture by binding water to the skin.

I thought Cameron Diaz had one of the most beautiful hairstyles of the evening at the Academy Awards. Gatsby Salon is showing us how to recreate this Veronica Lake look at home. (Gatsby Salon did not create the look for Cameron)

Simple at-home steps to recreate this look:

1.      Start with using a volumizer on damp hair’s roots. (Try Gatsby Salon’s Texture Lift, $12.50 available by calling 732.752.4247)

2.      Use a blow dryer to remove excess moisture from hair.

3.      Section hair into five sections. A right and left section at the nape of the neck, a section on the right and left sides of your head, and the top of your head.

4.      Blowdry each section using a round brush and dry hair in a vertical direction, pulling the hair straight up from your head to create volume and lift at the root. 

5.      After entire head is dried, form the same 5 sections.  Use a 1 ½ inch barrel curling iron to curl sections, beginning at the bottom of hair sections.

6.      To create an arch and bend at the root, place the iron on the root and pull upwards as you move it to the ends of the hair. 

7.      Once the iron has reached the ends, keep the curling iron horizontal as you rotate the iron back towards the root area, creating a curl. Once hair is heated in this position, release the iron from the hair, letting the hair fall.

8.      Follow immediately with a flexible hold hairspray (Try Gatsby Salon’s Structura Shaping Spray, $14.95) and allow hair to cool.

9.      Repeat steps 6 through 8 until your entire head is curled.

10.Allow at least ten minutes for hair to cool entirely before touching it.

11.Turn head upside down and use a paddle brush to brush through your entire head.

12.Create a part that suits your style and use your fingers to tame and place hair to the direction you desire.

13.Complete style by using a holding spray to secure this look.

Here Sandy Linter, Lancome’s Beauty at Every Age Expert gives us a visual instruction on how to get the perfect brow.

Lancôme abassador Kate Winslet looked resplendent at the Academy Awards yesterday, clad in an Yves Saint Laurent gown and bold jewelry from Tiffany & Co. Kate’s long-time makeup artist, Jillian Dempsey, topped off the look with soft, ethereal makeup. Both the eyes and the lips got equal attention on this Oscar winner. Shimmering, champagne-pewter shades highlighted the eyes, while very saturated mascara delivered that extra definition. A pop of pink blush on her cheeks gave Kate just a hint of a natural flush. Jillian topped off the look with nude-pink lips.

The products used:

 EYES

• Jillian Dempsey for Avon Professional Kohl Eyeliner in Black
• Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara in Excessive Black
• Avon True Color Eyeshadow Quad in Blushing Raisins (using the Raisin shade for definition)
• Lancôme Brow Expert in Naturel

 FACE & CHEEKS

• Avon MagiX Face Perfector SPF 20
• Lancôme Photôgenic Lumessence Foundation
• Lancôme Dual Finish Powder Foundation
• Shu Uemura Blush in Pink 30

LIPS

• Lancôme L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere
• Lancôme Color Fever Gloss in Hotness

Demi Moore was a complete vision at the Academy Awards, from her dusty rose Versace gown to her easy updo to her softly dramatic makeup. Celebrity makeup artist Jo Strettell did the beauty honors for the always-stunning Demi.

For Demi’s complexion, Jo mixed two Giorgio Armani foundations—Luminous Silk Foundation and Lasting Silk UV SPF 34 Compact Foundation—and swept YSL Touche Éclat under the eyes and around the nose.

Lancôme’s Blush Subtil in Rose Fresque, just on the apples of the cheeks, brightened her complexion.

Jo created the soft, smoky eye with Lancôme Color Design Eye in Ciel du Soir on the lid and Color Design Eye in Honeymoon as a highlight from right above the lid to the brow bone and on the inner corner of the eyes. Lancôme’s Le Crayon Khôl in Gris Noir lined the eyes and Jo softened the look by smudging the line. The lashes were curled with a Shu Uemura lash curler, followed by several coats of Lancôme Hypnôse Drama in Excessive Black on the top lashes and Ôscillation Mascara in Black to the lower lashes.

For Demi’s lips, the combination of Lancôme’s L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere and Juicy Tubes in Spring Fling created a pretty, nude lip that had just enough pop.

Are you ready to add a touch of beauty to your home?  These flowers are the 3rd of the senses to pique my (our) interests.   Instead of actual touch – it’s the figurative of the word touch this time.   There’s actually nothing more wonderful than to add nature to the inside of your home -especially in the dreary, winter days.

The flowers represent some of the elements in the new Degree Women Natureffects line, with olive leaf, orange flower, honeysuckle and tea tree oil.   The new Natureffects line was designed by world-renowned fragrance expert Ann Gottlieb – “the nose” behind some of the most successful and prestigious fragrances.  I can finally divulge to you what are some of the scent combinations in the products:

• Honeysuckle & Tea Tree Oil
• Olive Leaf & Pink Pepper
• Orange Flower & Cranberry

These lovely 3 scents will have a retail price of only $3.99 for body mist and deoderant. 

A survey by Degree Women found that 88% of those being surveyed agreed that bringing nature into their homes lowers stress and makes them happier.   I’m going to add that I think the same applies for bringing nature into your office too – because isn’t that where we spend most hours of the day anyway?   I know all these elements of the new Degree Women line is really making me anxious to give them a try!  How about you?