Product Girl

MAC's Gold Fever

2008-07-24T20:39:10Z

Tarte's Friends and Family Discount

2008-07-24T15:19:58Z

Starting today, Tarte has an amazing Friends & Family discount going on that you can take advantage of right now. By using discount code FF08, you can take 40% off your purchase from now until Sunday, July 27th.

While you're shopping, definitely consider Tarte's Enbrightenmint glosses. These glosses do double duty and we'll be reviewing them soon! What are you picking up?

Product Girl Wants You

2008-07-22T19:00:00Z

In case you haven't noticed, things have slowed down here at Product Girl quite a bit. We've had a busy summer and it's been hard trying to keep up everything that's been going! Because of that, we're now looking for new writers to contribute to and help manage Product Girl.

Do you love beauty products as much as we do? Then send me an email with a writing sample. We'd love to have you write for Product Girl. Here's what we're looking for:

Basic familiarity with various beauty brands.
Ability to write in a casual, breezy manner.
Willingness to test and review beauty products within a specified time frame.
Ability to contribute 3 to 5 posts per week.
Interest in helping to manage Product Girl is a plus!
Knowledge of basic HTML and familiarity with Wordpress is a plus!

While this is not a paid position, you'll get free beauty products and sneak peeks at the newest products in the industry and chances to attend beauty events depending on your location. Also, Product Girl is a great exposure for your writing!

My Favorite Time of Year: Pt. 2

2008-07-17T17:00:00Z

We are down to less than 24 hours and counting until the big sale begins and I'm so looking forward to it so I wanted to share a few more picks with you. I'm not sure what's better though, the start of the sale or that The Dark Knight is finally in theatres. Beauty products or the hotness that is Christian Bale? That is a very close race.

From the moment I first smelled this perfume in a Nordstrom catalog a few months ago, it was love, or rather obsession. As part of the sale, Prada is now putting this fragrance in a gift set. The Prada Infusion D'Iris' Gift Set goes for $95 and includes 3.4oz eau de perfume spray and body lotion. I've been holding back on buying this fragrance for awhile because it is rather pricey but with a matching body lotion, I might just make the leap. You can find an in depth review at Now Smell This.

Next up is Trish McEvoy's Little Black Card. This card is part of her Sable Collection and features all over face color, blush, 3 eyeshadows, 1 powder eyeliner, concealer and 4 lipglosses with SPF 15 all in one little package slightly bigger and thicker than a business card. Can it get any more portable? I think not. I've only tried a few of this line's products but I think this will be my perfect introduction into the rest of her line. I was at the counter yesterday and already spotted a few glosses that are on my wishlist, like Pretty.

The Smashbox Socialist Beauty Collection includes an two different eye brighteners, an eyeshadow quad, a blush/bronzer duo, cream eyeliner, lipgloss and mascara packed in a cute little woven clutch. There's also a matching brush set. I have some experience with Smashbox but not a ton. This collection peaked my interest though; I think it's a pretty good value for what's in it and again, a good way to get more familiar with the line. There are a few products in this collection that I've been curious about so I'm scooping this up.

Last but certainly not least is Trish McEvoy's Beauty To Go Refillable Pen. I've been lusting after YSL's Perfect Touch Radiant Brush Foundation mainly because it looks so convenient with the brush built in but now I can have the same convenience with this product. I checked it out yesterday and the brush is not as wide as in YSL's but I really love the idea behind this product. You can put your favorite foundation or tinted moisturizer in it and have it ready to go with just a few clicks. You got to love that portability.

Of course there are plenty more Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives and you can check them all out here. What have you ordered or will you be picking up?

Rock the Vote

2008-07-16T14:00:00Z

Voting has never been so pretty! This election year Stila is teaming up with Rock the Vote to raise awareness for voter registration. Stila created a new limited edition lipstick called Rock the Vote Red with a pink-red hue. Stila's Rock the Vote Red will go on sale tomorrow on their website. Also, Stila will donate 25% of the proceeds from the first 500 lipsticks sold to Rock the Vote in support of all their efforts to mobilize young people to get involved in the political process.

Are you registered to vote? If not, what are you waiting for? You can find more information on registering to vote at Rock the Vote.

My Favorite Time of Year: Pt. 1

2008-07-15T12:00:00Z

My favorite time of year is almost upon us, the fabulous extravaganza that is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! Every year Nordstrom asks their different brands to create something special just for them and that is my absolute favorite part of the sale, checking out all of the Beauty Exclusives they will be featuring. Every year I make a list of the things I'll definitely be picking up and the things I'd like to pick up... the two don't always get along. Here are my picks for this years Beauty Exclusives from MAC Cosmetics.

Every year I tell myself I can have one palette from MAC, since I'm a bit of a collector. This year my choice is the their Colour Forms Warm Eyes palette. I've swatched the colors in person and they are right up my alley, they are all shades I can imagine using on a regular basis. I was a little surprised that MAC went a little low key with their Anniversary release this year. The palettes and brush sets have a minimal design in comparison to previous releases but sometimes minimal is good. I have to say, I'm still a little confused on this one though... the images make it seems as if the shades are all one big brick of color. When I saw these in person, it didn't appear that way. Maybe the display versions were just set up that way? Either way, this one coming home with me for sure.

This item is not coming home with me but only because I already own all these brushes in their full size. If I didn't, I'd be snapping MAC's Colour Forms Basic Brush set. It's the perfect brush starter set because it contains the essential brushes, the ones every gal should have. It features the 129 SE, 190 SE, 224 SE, 242 SE and 266 SE brushes. What I like about this set is that MAC is finally starting to feature 224 SE brush in their sites, this is a great eye brush. This set also features a trendy little red nylon bag in addition to the bag the brushes come in. When someone asks me about starting to buy their own brushes, I always tell them to wait for MAC to come out with a set.

This product had me at hello, I am the most excited about picking up these little gems. This is MAC's Colour Forms Richmetal Highlighter. It's a metallic cream to powder highlighter that is packed with shimmer. My friend and I swatched these highlighters and were amazed at how rich they were, just a little dab and we had plenty to work with. This product is buildable so you can create a look as intense as you would like. I'm told that these do not crease on you like the cream eyeshadows from Metal X so you can use them on your eyes if you would like. Now my only decision will be which ones to take home!

You can pre-order all of these items now or pick them up in person this Friday.

Havaiannas Giveaway

2008-07-14T21:00:00Z

I practically live in flip flops during the summer so I was pretty excited about teaming up with flip flop company Havaiannas to do a giveaway for our readers. Havaiannas has a variety of styles to choose from and you can now win 2 pairs of your very own!

From now until Tuesday, July 22nd, you can enter to win 2 pairs of your very own Havaiannas. To enter, just fill in your name and email address in the form below (please note that leaving a comment is not enough to enter this giveaway). We'll announce the winner on Wednesday, July 23rd. Good luck!

Check out Havaianna's Facebook page for the latest information on new styles and up to the minute event photos!

Out of This Galaxy

2008-07-14T16:30:00Z

My latest makeup obsession is dark, shimmery eyeshadows. I fell in love with Gallapagos from NARS the moment I saw it and then yesterday I fell in love with a whole new set of eyeshadows from Too Faced. The hard part is deciding which ones to give a home to.

Too Faced's Galaxy Glam Eye Shadows are simply gorgeous and have the potential to create the most stunning smokey eyes you've ever seen. These black shadows have opalescent pigments baked right into them to create gorgeous new shades. Don't get discouraged by their swirly appearance, the result is simply stunning. They wear a lot differently than what their exterior leads you to believe. These eyeshadows are very richly pigments and wear for quite awhile.

If you're a fan of the smokey eye, you need to check these shadows out. You're bound to find one you love in Deep Space (black with cobalt blue), Moonbeam (black with laser light green), Shooting Star (black with galactic gold), and Supernova (black with peach and pink). I was leaning heavily towards Deep Space but I want them all!

We'll Be Back Monday

2008-07-11T04:21:35Z

We've taken a bit of an unexpected break but we'll be back Monday with beauty news, new reviews and a new giveaway... see you then!

Economic (Beauty) Stress

2008-07-07T16:00:00Z

Just about every one I know has been affected by our down-turning economy. With gas prices rising, unemployment and homeless rates skyrocketing it becomes a little harder to justify spending half a paycheck on a pair of shoes.

One unique caveat of the beauty and cosmetics industry is that they are able to anchor in customers who would normally never be able to afford the brand. A taste of luxury is offered in relatively affordable perfumes and fragrances. For example, items of Christian Dior clothing/accessories that I own: 0; number of Christian Dior Diorshow Mascara that I've gone through: countless.

Historically, when the rest of the economy was hit, the beauty and cosmetics industries stayed fiscally strong for that reason, but it seems like this time around, we are not immune to the turn of events.

Molly Prior of WWD writes, "In gloomy periods gone by, shoppers continued to seek out little luxuries: a lipstick instead of a designer handbag, or a fragrance in lieu of a gown. This time around, practicality has set in, as consumers begrudgingly absorb the ballooning costs of energy and food prices."

Personally, I have cut back on a lot to save money. I will rarely treat myself to a manicure of pedicure, and am trying to make my hair cut and highlights stretch. I am also becoming more skeptical about buying the next hottest thing that I read about in Allure magazine, waiting until there is an actual buzz "in the streets" rather than by people who may be profiting off of it.

Have you recently changed your beauty spending habits? In what ways, if not, why not?

Beauty Duty for 6/24

2008-06-24T14:09:59Z

A Touch of Blusher looks at Dior's fall 2008 makeup collection.

KRiSTOPHER is wanting, wearing, hating DvF dresses.

Check out the hottest blush for summer over at Makeup Bag.

Makeup Moxie wants to get glowing with the new Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Stones.

SugarShock Beauty wonders: when it comes to mascara brushes, does bigger necessarily mean better?

TheMakeupGirl has a BONUS June Contest! This week only, enter to win one of FIVE Burt's Bees Radiance Kits...

I <3 Brushes!

2008-06-23T14:00:00Z

This Friday night I spent the evening at home relaxing, watching makeover shows like "10 Years Younger" and "What Not To Wear." I suddenly got the inspiration to clean my makeup brushes. All 20 of them. As I stood in front of the sink for about an hour, gently cleaning each and every brush, I couldn't help but think, "Wow all that was hiding in there? Gross!" I also became well aware of how long I've actually held on to many of these tools and how essential they have become in my routine. I thought I would share my top 5 favorites:

1) MAC Cosmetics #187 Duo Fibre Brush (a.k.a. "skunk brush") – I'm sure you've heard about this beloved face brush and its odd dual texture of dense black goat hair and lighter, fluffier white synthetic hair. This tool is a must with airbrush foundation. I usually spray foundation onto a jar lid or the back of my hand, stipple the white part into the foundation, then "buff" onto my face with light, circular motions. The structure is really unique, as it allows color to be picked up by the softer hairs but supported at the denser base.

2) Bare Escentuals Flawless Face Brush – Having acquired a few of these from various BE "Get Started Kits," I tend to use them a lot. I really love the soft, light, fluffy texture. I have used this brush for mineral makeup but find myself using it for regular applications of face powder more frequently. I use it daily with my Napoleon Pardis Camera Finish Powder Foundation, lightly sweeping across the T zone to eliminate shine. I also use this as a back up blush brush. I find that the shape is perfect for dabbing color onto the apples of the cheeks.

3) Sephora Rounded Smudge Brush – I got this one years ago, when I was much younger and none the wiser. I thought it would be a good crease brush, given the round shape. Every time used it, the bristles were too dense and it almost drew color on, making for a streaky application. Well, duh that's because its made for smudging liner! I'm not sure of when I actually came to my senses, but I started using it to blend creamy liners. I love that I don't have to worry about the application because it will smudge out evenly. Sometimes I simply dip it in a brown shadow, then black and use as a liner. It has helped me create various looks from a natural looking almost-not-there liner to smoldering smoky dark eyes.

4) Stila Double Ended Shadow Brush #30 – After my realization that I still needed a crease brush, I found this this double-ended wonder. It really saves time and space in my makeup bag. After using a flat shadow brush to apply color to the lids, I follow up with a darker one in the crease using the fluffier tapered end of this tool. I then dip the denser, shorter end into a pearly white and use as a highlighter on top of brow bones and in the inner corners of the eyes.

5) Eyelash and Brow Wand by Eyes Lips Face – I am a true believer in the philosophy of "you get what you pay for" especially when it comes to skincare and makeup. Several items from e.l.f. have proven to be the exception. This brush is perfect for brushing brows into place or separating lashes after you apply mascara. I actually lost this, and on a whim ended up replacing it with MAC's #204 Lash Brush for 10 times the price, figuring it would be worth the extra expense because it would be a better brush. Not so. I have found that it performs just the same as M.A.C.'s and holds up to frequent cleaning and "defuzzing."

What are your favorite brushes?

Benefit's B Spot Perfume

2008-06-19T21:55:29Z

Benefit has introduced a new perfume called B Spot. This is their second perfume, the first being Maybe Baby (a name that I love by the way), and for now you can find it on their website until it hits stores later this summer. Their packaging it pretty clever, it features a body map to help you find your "B spot". The notes sound interesting as well, Benefit's B Spot features notes of mango, freesia, peony, sandlewood and amber.

What do you think? Does this sound like something you'd try? I'm certainly going to try it when it hits stores.

Now on MySpace, Facebook & Twitter

2008-06-19T18:00:00Z

Sometimes I am a little slow to do certain things and setting Product Girl up for social networking is one those things but it's finally done now!

We are now online with Facebook, Myspace and Twitter so add us as a friend or follow us to see what we're up to. You may even hear about our giveaways and promotions before they go live!

MAC Cosmetics Volcanic Ash Exfoliator

2008-06-18T16:30:00Z

In my hurry to post about the MAC Family and Friends discount on Monday, I completely overlooked that this product was sold out online before I mentioned it. Might have been helpful for those shopping online, right? Sorry about that but today I'm mentioning it because you should still look for this in stores.

MAC Cosmetics Volvanic Ash Exfoliator is a scrub made with natural volcanic ash and sugar crystals from the islands of Vanuatu and can be used on the body as well as your face.

From the moment I opened up this jar, I was intrigued by what I saw inside. I won't lie, it doesn't look like something you'd want on your face... it's dark and gritty but a little grit is good, right? At least it is for me. The granules in this product are a little more powerful than in MAC's Microfine Refinisher (which is a definite plus for me) so there's the potential to over-exfoliate skin but it's easily diluted with a bit of water to something softer. They say it also foams but in all of the times I've used it so far, I've only seen light foaming once. Either way, this shouldn't be a deterrent. This product does a good job and the pricing for this is great, you get quite a bit of product for your money here.

You can really go to town and exfoliate your skin with MAC Cosmetics Volvanic Ash Exfoliator but sadly, this product is limited edition so stock up while you can... I'm getting backups for sure.

MAC Cosmetics Prep & Prime Microfine Lip Refinisher

2008-06-17T20:00:00Z

As part of their Future Earth collection, MAC Cosmetics released a new product called Prep and Prime Microfine Lip Refinisher. It is a lip balm and exfoliator in one with exfoliation on one side and conditioning on the other.

As a conditioner, MAC's Prep and Prime Microfine Lip Refinisher is a great product, it's got that MAC vanilla scent we've all come to know and love but when you enhance it with exfoliation, it loses it's magic for me. I like grit, I'm a gritty gal and this product seemed to really lack that on the exfoliation side. I used it for quite a while before I felt it was sloughing anything off of my lips. The exfoliating side just seemed too moisturizing to really do the job well. It didn't do a whole lot for me, I've used other products that did a much better job of prepping and priming them for color like The Body Shop's Lip Scuff or Tarte's FRXtion. Each one of these is slightly cheaper so they are definitely worth taking a look at.

That's not to say the Future Earth collection from MAC doesn't have something good in it for you. It certainly does, we'll be taking a look at that tomorrow.

Beauty Duty for 6/17

2008-06-17T14:56:22Z

99 Products makes an explosive discovery and checks out MAC's new Volcanic Ash Scrub

A Touch of Blusher looks at YSL's fall 2008 makeup collection.

All About the Pretty is really enjoying her new Soap & Paper Factory Fig Soap.

Beautiful Makeup Search asked some beauty blogger friends' what their three must-have Summer products are - check out their suggestions!

KRiSTOPHER gets her skin as smooth as a 12-year-old Eastern Euro model’s butt, with MD Skincare

Preview Prescriptives Fall 2008 collection DARING at Makeup Bag.

Makeup Moxie is buzzing over the new Lancome Oscillation Mascara.

SugarShock Beauty is loving Zooey Deschanel's on-trend yet vaguely retro look.

Lianne from TheMakeupGirl declares that the 80's are back with her brighter than bright makeup picks for summer. (Flashdance cut off sweatshirt not included).

Essie Neon Collection

2008-06-17T01:00:00Z

Essie's new Neon collection is 4 nail colors that are loud and eye popping but in a good way. Simply put, these new shades from Essie are just fun to wear. This collection features:

Shorty Pants - a light up the night electric yellow
Short Shorts - a shockingly flamingo pink
Bermuda Shorts - a high-voltage violet
Mini Shorts - a vibrant orange pop

I've been wearing Bermuda Shorts on my fingernails this week and I still get a little kick out seeing this shade on my hands, especially in different lights. I tried this out with Essie's First Base base coat and Essie's Good to Go top coat so we'll have reviews on those two products soon.

What shade would you pick? What are you wearing on your nails this week?

MAC Cosmetics Friends & Family Discount

2008-06-16T20:03:42Z

Need to stock on your MAC Cosmetics favorites? Today is a good day to do that. For today only, you can save 15% off your purchase and get free shipping when shopping online. Just enter in code MACFF8 to get started.

Looking to try something new? Their new Volcanic Ash Exfoliator is definitely worth trying out (we'll be reviewing this tomorrow morning).

Update: the promotion has been extended until tomorrow!

Laura Mercier's Flawless Face Kit

2008-06-16T12:00:00Z

Attention Beauty Insider members! Sephora now has an exclusive Laura Mercier kit that is only available to their Beauty Insiders. I got all fluttery inside when I saw this.

This Laura Mercier Flawless Face Kit features smaller versions of some of the lines more popular products for only $65. Get acquainted with why the Laura Mercier line is known for their "flawless face" with their Foundation Primer, Tinted Moisturizer, Undercover Concealer, Loose Setting Powder, a velour puff and 2 brushes.

I can't wait to see this kit in person so I'm ordering this in Nude, I think it would be quicker than waiting for Sephora to stock it in their stores! Cross your fingers that the shades will work for me!

What's in Erin's Bag?

2008-06-16T00:00:00Z

Now it's Erin from Scandalous Beauty's turn to show us what she's carrying around in her bag.

My bag is my little home away from home. It's a Jacobs by Marc Jacobs tote that I bought at the Marc Jacobs accessories store in Soho, NYC last month. Everything is a steal in that tiny little store, I don't remember seeing anything over $50! After you get an amazing cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, you must hit Marc Jacobs!

Take a peek inside:
2008 Planner
Sprint Treo (Which I hate, by the way)
Pen (from MAC Naughty Nauticals Event!)
Wallet

So, let's indulge inside the beauty bag. MAC NC50 Select Cover Up Concealer and MAC Studio Fix NW43 are my staples, I can't seem to live without them! I use the concealer in place of foundation most days. Do you remember MAC Smoke Signals collection last year?? Well, I couldn't get enough, and still can't! I keep half of the collection in my bag, including Ablaze Blush and the Gentle Fume Eyeshadow Quad. NARS Taj Mahal Blush is my all time favorite cheek color, it gives the truly sun-kissed glow that we all love!!! Billy B. Beauty Brush #3 is recycled for my powder, brush and emergency buffing of concealer. His brushes are sooo perfect for travel because they are short-handled!! I didn't realize that I have 3 tubes of mascara, 2 of MAC Zoomlash and Chanel Imitable Mascara! And clearly, there are a slew of lipcolors including MAC Lipcolors in Love Nectar, Style Minx, Hey, Sailor, Viva Glam VI, Swelter and Warm Smile Tendertone. Poor little Becca Lipgloss in Flirtini is all by her lonesome! Wow. I need to clean out my bag! Ciao Bellas!

And that's it, this is the last "What's in Her Bag" post we'll be featuring for now. Thanks for bearing with us! We'll be back to our normal content tomorrow.

What's in Ellen's Bag?

2008-06-15T19:11:30Z

Today is the last day of our look into the bags of my fellow beauty beauty bloggers. I've had a lot of fun looking into their bags and I hope you had fun too. Today we're wrapping things up with Ellen from Lipstick, Powder and Paint and Erin from Scandalous Beauty. Let's see what Ellen's carrying...

I am addicted to handbags and am loving this Cole Haan one. It is pretty much my everyday bag for the summer.

These are some not so exciting items that are in my bag every day:
Sunglasses to protect my baby blue peepers
Wallet
Cell phone (it's such an oldie - but it works)
Business card holder - cause you never know you you'll meet
Pen
Listerine Pocket Mist and
My Tylenol Extra Strength - I get migraines all the time.

The fun stuff in my MAC Fafi Makeup Bag:
Chanel Allure Sensuelle fragrance - my absolute favourite in the world!
Guerlain Terracotta Moisturizing Bronzing Powder Long Lasting in Makeup Artist
L'Oreal Paris Infallible Lipgloss in Sangria
Guerlian Gloss in - I have not idea what colour!!
Rimmel Vinyl Stars Mirror Shine Lipgloss in Born to Bling
Lancome Powder Brush
Susan Posnick Colorflo Mineral Foundation with built in brush
Benefit Posie Tint

The "I would be crazy not to bring" stuff:
La Roche-Posay Antherpos - I just recently found out I have sun damage on my lips - yikes!
Travel size Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 60 for my body
Vichy Capital Soleil SPF 30 for my face
My Vichy UV Alarm bracelet that will warn me when harmful UV rays are out to get me!
Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

Later today we'll be peaking into Scandalous Beauty's bag so check back later this afternoon.

What's in Amber's Bag?

2008-06-14T19:00:00Z

Today we're looking at what is in Amber's bag. Amber is the amazing blogger behind Beauty Blogging Junkie. Not only is her blog fantastic but she has the best Lost recaps ever. Being a Lost gal, I look forward to them every week. Here's what she says...

The bag is a Tory Burch canvas tote gifted to me by L'Oreal when we visited the L'Oreal store in the Beverly Center during the Total Beauty Beauty Tour of LA. I am in LOVE with it. You've caught me at a very edited-down state, makeup-wise. First, I was recently on vaca and so this isn't my typical handbag and second, I am just not feeling makeup in this 95 degree heat we're undergoing in NYC. Here's what Tory is containing lately:

A Jaqua Treasure Bag - this pink and brown and pink confection is perfect for keeping in your purse.
Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Cocoa - this is a preview shade (it's not out yet) I got from Clinique that I am lurving.
Elizabeth Arden Flawless Finish Maximum Coverage Concealer - hides dark circles on the go.
MAC Tendertone Lip Balm SPF 12 in Hot N' Saucy saved my life by the pool on my recent sojourn to the Bahamas.
Benefit Dr. Feelgood - is the answer to the anti-powder girl's shine issues.
Kiss My Face Organic Cranberry Orange SPF 15 Lip Balm - is an odd combo of flavors, but it tastes surprisingly divine.
Beauty Rehab Rose Salve - is the anti-pot-balm gal's substitution for Smith's Rose Salve.
Nailtiques Cushion Sponge File - I'm lost without this teeny tiny file, which fixes snags in an instant.

Come back tomorrow when we'll be peaking into the bags from the gals at Lipstick, Powder and Paint and Scandalous Beauty to wrap up our What's in Her Bag series.

What's in Jennifer's Bag?

2008-06-13T19:00:00Z

It's time to take a look at what Jennifer from Beauty in Real Life is carrying. I'll let her introduce herself.

I'm Jennifer co-editor over at Beauty in Real Life. In addition to being a beauty blogger, I'm also a stay-at-home mom. Here's what's in my bag. The bag was a gift from my husband, from a couple of years back. It's a Louis Vuitton Monogram Multicolore Speedy 30 and it's the pride of my Vuitton collection. Inside I have:

a brand new Motorola Q 9c that is my first PDA. I cannot believe that I have gone this long without one. Really.
a Louis Vuitton wallet that I've had for ages.
my husband is a police officer, so that why I have that black id case. Inside it has his badge number and says Officer's Wife underneath it. I love it because I take a little part of him with me wherever I go.
Chanel sunglasses that I wear constantly.
a black makeup bag from Bobbi Brown...because I draw the line at a makeup bag that costs several hundred dollars.
Redpoint Hydraboost Firming Powder compact...amazing, it really looks like you have nothing on.
a Chanel La Petite Pinceau makeup brush...I'll use it with the pressed powder.
two Chanel Glossimers in Equinoxe and Spark...both sparkly sheer berry colors. Love.
a Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Buff...goes with mostly everything and gives my a my-lips-only-better color.
a Bobbi Brown Lip Tint in Peony..sheer pink. I love the minty smell and the fact it has an SPF of 15.
a Tarte Super Fruit Dual Ended Lip Gloss in Dallas and Cherry (part of a set)...love these. The cherry color to me seems to have a bit of a coral thing happening that looks gorgeous on.
a Tarte Enbrightenment BriteSmile Whitener & Tarte Lipgloss in Radiant Red. Hands down my favorite of the bunch. The color comes out an absolutely beautiful sheer red. Plus it has a teeth whitener at the other end. What's not to love about that?
Aquaphor...great for everything, including a two year old's boo-boos.
Sally Hansen Gentle Plumping Lip Treatment in Clear...an essential gloss to carry.
Bobbi Brown Lip Balm in SPF 15...another lip product that I can't do without. Perfect for being outside at the playground with my toddler.

I also normally carry a small container of Kiehl's Creme de Corps, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, a packet of Wet Wipes, and a sheer sunblock stick for when I head outside with Little L (my son). You can never be too prepared.

Check back tomorrow, we'll be looking at what Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie is toting around.

Dreams Are Made of This

2008-06-13T13:00:00Z

Normally I do not write about this kind of thing but I had an interesting shopping experience last week so I wanted share it. Lea and I went to Nordstrom on Monday to look around as we often do. We usually spend the most time in Beauty but I wandered over into the Lingerie section intrigued by the gorgeous bras and before I knew it, I was being fitted. Did you know that 8 out of 10 women wear the wrong bra size?

I was a little apprehensive of having someone in a dressing room with me. Like Miranda, I have a "no visitors" policy in the dressing room so this was a little awkward for me. Danielle, the sales assistant at the Seattle Northgate Mall Nordstrom, was marvelous though... go see her if you're in the area. I felt like I was on How to Look Good Naked with the lighting and the mirrors but she did the most amazing job of putting me at ease and making me feel comfortable with each fitting. She explained what I should look for in a bra and how the right size band can help get rid of unsightly "back fat". She was very sweet, I left with a new bra size and feeling that this may have been the best shopping experience I've ever had at Nordstrom.

So what did I buy? Well, in the last week I've spent way too much money on bras but there is one that I'm absolutely in love with. It's the Le Mystere Dream Lace Tisha Bra. A version of this bra was featured on Oprah's Favorite Things in 2003 but this one is a little more feminine and what's not to like about lace? Normally I don't do well with underwire, for a fuller gal like myself it can be a challenge sometimes, but this bra was comfortable and gave me great support. It was nice to find a bra that didn't dig into my sides and is actually flattering. I went back to an older bra the day after I wore this one all day for the first time and I felt like something was missing.

The downside with this bra is that it's pretty pricey. They say that you should have a bra for every day of the week and at that rate, I would have to spend the equivalent of 1 month's rent on bras. It seems ridiculous to even say that but sometimes a well made bra is worth it. Since I developed this new bra obsession, I've seen a few sales on a few sites so I'm going to keep an eye on them and slowly but surely stock up. Before I know it, my everyday bras will be replaced and from then on, it's all ~~gravy~~ lace.

What's in Jazmin's Bag?

2008-06-12T19:00:00Z

Today we're looking at what's in Jazmin's bag. She's blogs over at Makeup Moxie and she's got some great product reviews you should check out. Here's Jazmin...

You're looking at my well-loved (i.e. regularly abused) Kenneth Cole bag. There are lots of hidden pockets and compartments in it, so there's undoubtedly something lost in there that I didn't include in the photos. And, no, I don't actually keep the Chihuahua in my bag (though he might be able to fit in there). He just likes weaseling his way into pictures.

So here's what's in my bag:

My Coach wristlet holds all my most important must-haves (wallet, phone, keys, lipgloss, gum). That way, if I don't feel like schlepping my whole purse around with me, I can just pull out the wristlet and be on my way. The cute little makeup bag with the hand-embroidered llamas on it is a souvenir that one of my sisters bought for me in Peru. While I don't want to wear it out by using it everyday, I love it and it makes me happy so I use it anyway.

Inside the llama bag, I keep my Global Goddess Foundation/Concealer compact, MAC Tendertone Lip Balm, Cargo Mattifier, Neutrogena blotting papers (yep, I'm seriously into oil-control), and a Shiseido eyelash curler (don't tell my Shu Uemura curler that I'm cheating on it when I'm away from home). I also always have my trusty Tweezerman folding lash comb."

Other random stuff in my bag:

Netflix DVD's that I've been meaning to return for, like, two weeks. I think the discs in there are the last disc of Rome: Season Two and Glengarry Glen Ross.
Rechargeable batteries for my camera (which is also often in my bag)
A couple of USB keys with my websites and other files on them
A digital security key for my PayPal account
Eyedrops (summer in the desert makes my eyes super dry)
A couple of cheap pens from the Bellagio and Silverton casinos :)

Tomorrow we'll be showing you what's in Jennifer's bag from Beauty in Real Life.

Lavender with a Little Mint

2008-06-12T16:00:00Z

Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Lavender Mint Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner are the newest products in Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree line. I've used Tea Tree products for years and loved it when I discovered this one did not give me that tingly feeling. Some people may like that but it's not for me. It also has a nice scent to it that is very calming, especially with all the steam in the shower.

The shampoo is appropriately thick for a moisturizing shampoo and it forms a nice lather but its how it rinsed that surprised me a little. My hair didn't feel very moisturized afterwards, it felt almost stripped which concerned me a little bit given that I've recently colored my hair. Even though the shampoo is color safe, it's not one I will be using on it's own unless I'm looking for that type of clean. However, what the shampoo lacked the conditioner made up for. It has the same appropriate thickness and detangled my hair immediately. It rinsed out really well without leaving my hair feeling heavy or still saturated with product. This conditioner leaves my hair feeling very soft and manageable. These products did not leave my hair heavily scented either, which I like in this particular shampoo/conditioner combination. I'd like my current favorite perfume to get a chance to "shine" instead of what I used in my hair.

One last thing worth noting is that every purchase of a Paul Mitchell Tea Tree product generates proceeds for America Forests. This a non-profit that ensures trees are planted to offset all carbon emissions from the line’s manufacture and distribution. Not a bad reason to give this a try.