Hello, lovelies! I hope you're all having a wonderful day. Halloween is one of the best holidays a makeup addict could ask for, don't you agree?
What are you going to be? I'd love to hear about and see your costume and makeup ideas, so if you have any photos to share, please be sure to let me know!
Happy Halloween! :)
Happy Halloween!
MAC Free Shipping for Three Days Only!
Just as a quick heads-up, MAC online is now offering another period of free standard shipping on ALL purchases! Great for those of us who missed the last one!
This particular offer is in effect from October 31 to November 2 only, so if you don't have a MAC store around, get your butt over to the website and place your order ASAP!
Remember to use code 3DAY at checkout to receive your savings. Happy shopping!
Tag, You're It!
I was tagged by Emma... thanks for the opportunity to do this! :)
Here are the Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself
4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs
5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website
1. While my dream is to eventually get into cosmetology school and become an aesthetician, I'm currently attending a university studying for a BA in Japanese language! I absolutely love most things related to Japan, so I guess that makes me a bit of a geek. :)
2. Thanks to my boyfriend, I like certain types of video games, too. My favorite right now is Rock Band - I'm pretty good at drums and singing!
3. Speaking of music, I'm also a violin player of 12 years.
4. I was actually a tomboy growing up! Once I discovered makeup, though, there was no turning back...
5. I live in the desert, but I'm naturally fair-skinned... and my boyfriend won't let me get a tan! LOL.
6. My current favorite fragrance is Diesel Fuel for Life Pour Femme.
I can't find six people who haven't done this yet, but I'm tagging Fabuless Beauty and Nikki!
Review: Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss
I love free beauty products as much as the next girl - seriously, who doesn't? - especially when we're talking about high-end beauty products. It really gives me the chance to try something I wouldn't normally purchase myself.
So imagine my excitement when I win a contest over at Temptalia (that woman was holding giveaways all summer long!), and part of my prize pack involves a very popular lip product from Clinique. I couldn't wait to try it out!
Did the Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss live up to my expectations?
Product Description: Lip balm with a colourful twist. Gorgeous colours treat your most undermoisturized skin to helpings of soothing shine. Instantly relieve dryness, protect with antioxidants and more. Dip in.
Price: $13.50
Results: In short, no, this product did not come near my expectations - don't worry, I'll explain fully.
There isn't really anything wrong with this product, per se, but is there anything fantastic about it? Negative. I received the color Apricot, which is a pretty, sheer, coral shade, and very shiny, but that's about where the list of pros ends.
The first thing I noticed was the unpleasant texture and feel of the gloss. It felt very thick on my lips, much more like a gloss than a balm, and was not slick enough for my liking - it was almost a struggle to slide my lips across each other. In fact, it felt goopy, heavy, and uncomfortable after application, and with continued wear.
Additionally, it wasn't very moisturizing at all! I thought that perhaps I wasn't leaving it on long enough to experience the full effects of the product, so I did an experiment and left it on overnight, only to discover my dry, chapped lips had hardly improved by morning. Definitely not up to my standards for a moisturizing lip treatment, gloss, or balm. This is not a fix-all for severely undermoisturized lips such as mine.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect, however, is the severe lack of fun factor. It is completely devoid of shimmer, glitter, scent, flavor, or SPF... and when you take all these things away, the product as a whole is pretty bland. It isn't even very pigmented, so I imagine all the colors would look about the same on me.
So what do we have left? A thick, filmy balm-gloss that isn't very moisturizing at all, nor is it very super. In fact, it's completely uninspiring and overpriced not to mention ineffective. I think I'll pass.
Budget Deals: ULTA $5 Off $10, New Blockbuster
It's time for more great savings from ULTA!
While the company frequently offers coupons of $3.50 off any purchase of $10 or more, they are now offering a coupon of $5 off any purchase of $10 or more! This means that purchasing an item that costs $10 will give you savings of %50... how fabulous is that? Even if you spend more, it's a great value!
This coupon is valid through November 1, so you'll have to act fast. And if this offer wasn't good enough, ULTA has also released a brand-new, 65-piece blockbuster set!
The collection includes:
• 29 eye shadows
• 12 lip colors
• 6 cheek colors
• 4 full-size lipsticks
• 2 mini lip glosses
• 2 pot lip glosses
• 2 shimmer powders
• 2 concealers
• 2 pencils
• 2 eye quads
• 1 lip quad applicators
All packed in a beautiful, three-tier patent leather case, in your choice of three colors! Better yet, with the $5 off coupon, you can receive the Blockbuster for only $19.99 (that's a $195 value!).
If you want in on this deal, hurry to your nearest ULTA, because it'll be gone after November 1.
First Look: Bonne Bell 2008 Cosmetics Collections
While Bonne Bell might not be the first brand that comes to mind when thinking makeup, this name is filled with fun products that are great for young girls and women who are on a budget or just starting with cosmetics. What has the maker of the famous Lip Smackers been up to lately? Creating cute new cosmetics collections that make perfect gifts for the holidays!
Four new sets are now available in stores, each including 3 beauty products in a convenient matching carrying bag:
Pretty Pinks
VitaGloss20 Sponge-On - Strawberry SpritzerEye Style
Eye Style Shadow Box - Girlie Pinks
VitaGloss20 Moisture Stick - Watermelon Wellness
Glamorous Neutrals
VitaGloss20 Sponge-On - Watermelon Kiwi Slicks
Eye Style Shadow Box - Hip Hop Charcoals
VitaGloss20 Moisture Stick - Simply Strawberry
Fresh PinksLip Lites - Cream Pop
Eye Style Shadow Box - Big City Pinks
Lip Lites Glossy Tints - Watermelon Sorbet
Natural NeutralsLip Lites - Cappuccino
Eye Style Shadow Box - Café Classics
Lip Lites Glossy Tints - Vanilla
These cosmetics collections are available online at Color and Flavor Shop and at the store for $8.95 each! A great bargain for a coordinated and stylish gift. Personally, I love the Eye Style Shadow Boxes, which are super-soft and pigmented, but Bonne Bell is also well-known for its great lip products.
Budget Deals: Alice Cosmetics Annual Fall Sale
From now through the end of October, the lovely Alice Cosmetics is offering a great discount on all orders for the Annual Fall Sale!
This lovely mineral makeup company, which features many great high-quality and innovative products (reviews coming soon!), is giving a 25% discount on every order placed now through October 31! Alice Cosmetics never contain bismuth, talc, or parabens - only pure ingredients.
I highly recommend the eyeshadows and buff palette, but all of Alice Cosmetics' products are fantastic - so I suggest you get your pretty little self over to the website now and check them out!
Budget Deals: Urban Apothecary Goodie Bag Sale
Want a bag full of Urban Apothecary goodies and treats for a special discounted price? Good news - the Goodie Bag Sale has been extended for another day! You still have time to order yours!
After choosing your skintone, you'll receive either $100-125 worth of Urban Apothecary for $35, or $150-200 worth of products for only $50. That amounts to savings of 60-75% off!
Now is the best time to try Urban Apothecary, but you have to hurry... the offer only lasts until midnight, and there are just a few dozen still available!
In addition, if you order today, UA will throw in a FREE eye shadow palette, worth $25!
Click here for more information. Happy shopping!
Giveaway: Total Beauty, Total Cure Campaign
Good morning, beauties, and welcome to my first sponsored giveaway - it's a big one! In case you didn't know, this particular giveaway is very special in that it is part of the Total Beauty Total Cure Campaign, designed to raise breast cancer awareness!
This giveaway is hosted by the amazing Pristine Recovery, a relatively new beauty brand dedicated to healthy, natural beauty products, free of harmful chemicals, additives, parabens, and more.
So what will the two lucky winners receive? Either a gorgeous Pristine Beauty Bag or Pristine Beauty Vanity Set, filled with three beautifully natural products specially designed for those women undergoing or who have undergone treatment for cancer, but perfectly suited for anyone looking for healthy and chemical-free skin and hair care! An amazing gift for the cancer survivor in your life, or a treat for yourself.
Each set includes:
Each set includes:
Brallywood Butta™ Skin Cream This underarm and décolleté massage butter smells like a delicious slice of lemon meringue pie. It is 100% natural, mineral oil free, phthalates free and paraben free. I created this product because so many lotions, including baby lotions contain chemicals and some known carcinogens. Having had numerous surgeries, this product was made with ingredients known to help scarring, stimulate the lymphatic glands, calm soothe and moisturize fragile skin. It is also meant to be used while doing your self-breast exam.
No More Scary Hairy™ Hair and Scalp Revival SerumDispense a dime size divvy of the confection into the palm, and rub hands together so the blend is evenly dispersed. Gingerly massage into the scalp and hair from root to tip. Use a natural Boars hair bristle brush which is gentle on the hair and scalp and helps work the product in effectively. The ingredients in this product promote healthy lustrous hair while improving its overall texture and shine quality. It is most effective on dry hair and scalp.
Take A Whiff!™ Natural DeodorantGive that waft a Pink slip and forsake the funk by using effective and natural Take a Whiff!™ Deodorant. At last a natural deodorant that actually works! We realize that you can’t create a product that works on everyone but this product should come pretty darn close. I worked with chemists diligently for a long time to come up with a product to help with perspiration while keeping things natural.
We used a combination of ingredients and with the addition of a organic white sage and a European odor fighting ingredient that also fights perspiration, we came up with a keeper. You and your friends will be saying TAKE A WHIFF!
To enter to win, enter your name, e-mail address, and a breast cancer fact in the box below. Do NOT leave a comment with your information - it will not be counted! If you can't see the entry form, try using a different browser or contact me.
Please note that due to the restrictions of this giveaway, it is open to residents of the US and Canada only who are age 18 and over. The contest begins at midnight on October 9 and ends at midnight on October 10, 2008.
Good luck, ladies!
I'm Back!
Hello lovelies! It looks like I decided to extend my vacation by a few days, right? Sorry, but it was hard to resist... :) Thanks to everyone who wished me a great trip!
I'm back from California now, though, and had a fantastic time! The resort we stayed in was absolutely gorgeous, the weather was beautiful, and the spa was a positively divine experience! I wish I never had to leave!
While in California, I of course had to visit Rite-Aid a few times, which has a superior beauty department compared to anything we have here! I was so jealous, but I did manage to pick up a few goodies along the way. (Can we say, "New ecoTOOLS brushes?!").
Vacation!
Hi everyone! Sorry for the short notice, but just to let you all know, I'll be away from my computer from today until Monday or so. I'll be visiting beautiful San Diego, California with my boyfriend as an anniversary surprise!
We'll be staying at the Four Seasons Aviara Resort in Carslbad, a five-star resort! I'm so excited! This is the trip I've been planning and saving for exactly six months, and hopefully all my hard work and limited spending will finally pay off!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend - I'll be spending mine lounging around, being pampered at the spa, and relaxing at the beach. I'll be sure to write about my adventures when I return. See you soon!
Total Beauty, Total Cure Campaign
Every three minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. This staggering statistic resonated deeply with the members of the Total Beauty blog community, many of whom have been personally touched by the disease. So in the spirit of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Total Beauty blog community is hosting a month-long initiative that integrates breast cancer awareness, fundraising to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Fund and beauty giveaways to engage women in the quest for the cure.
Total Beauty blog community will engage its readership through daily giveaways that require entrants to answer breast cancer trivia, making the contests educational and fun. Giveaways will also be hosted on the Facebook and MySpace pages of Total Beauty, Total Cure. Become a friend of the page to be entered in a drawing to win some beauty booty!
Total Beauty, Total Cure is dedicated to increasing awareness about the importance of prevention and early detection, and arming women with the knowledge and resources to bring us one step closer to a world without breast cancer. This unique collaboration of beauty bloggers, beauty brands and Total Beauty is one to show a united voice of strength and hope that, someday soon, we will close in on a cure.
Breast cancer, your days are numbered...
In short, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Total Beauty blogging community is helping spread the word through a series of great giveaways all month long that will require participants to provide facts on breast cancer. Yours truly will be hosting a giveaway as well. But you'll have to wait until next week to find out what's up for grabs!
The first giveaway today, held at The Beauty Bunny, is offering an amazing CHI prize package - be sure to check it out!
Stay tuned for more updates on the campaign, and be sure to visit October 9 for the lovely giveaway! Also feel free to visit and friend the Myspace and Facebook pages, linked above, and make a donation - the box will be located to the right.
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