If you haven’t noticed, drugstore makeup lines are on a roll lately, pumping out some pretty awesome products and many of them already have a cult following.

Being a beauty fiend, I spend an absorbent amount of time on the internet looking for what’s big in the world of beauty.  One thing that seems to be on many people’s minds, well, actually lips, lately is Revlon’s new Colorburst lipstick line.  One color in particular:  Baby Pink.

I spent a fair amount of time reading reviews and staring at girls puckering up their Baby Pink lips in pictures (mostly wondering how they get those great shots) until finally I decided that I could not live without a tube of Revlon Baby Pink lipstick and I promptly high-tailed it to my favorite store (that unnamed store starts with a T and ends with arget).

I have to admit, while staring at the tube of pink lipstick, I was a little scared that my lips would look like someone melted pink cotton candy on my lips, but I decided to buck up, telling myself that I’ve never been scared of color and I’m not starting now.  But, I think what surprised me the most was what the lipstick actually looked like when I put it on.

I was expecting candy pink lipsticks, maybe even slightly porno looking lips, but what I got was a very sheer, sweet shade of pink that was very flattering on my fair skin…and the next day, flattering to my fair skin with the helpful addition of bronzer.  Nice!

So the packaging itself is ubber-cute with the quilted black tube, very much an upgrade from some of their previous (ahem, and current) lipsticks.  The lipstick itself went on very smooth and didn’t have that waxy feel that many drugstore lipsticks tend to have.  The longevity of the lipstick is about what you’d expect, especially since they aren’t claiming it’s a long-wear formula.  I managed to wear it for about 3 1/2 hours before I had to reapply and that time period included a cup of coffee and a lot of talking.

While, I’m really happy with my Baby Pink lipstick, depending on your skin tone and style, it might not be the shade for you.  But, with 20 different shades and a price tag under $10 you can splurge on more than one in your quest to find your perfect shade(s)!

Written by a girl who loves getting free stuff

I love promotional items. Sure, they may sometimes be cumbersome to have around (phone book sized catalogues, I’m looking at you) and I think that people should really stop giving out posters of any kind… But if I were given a choice between a boring old business card and a cool three-ink pen, I would take the pen!

In my bag at any given time, I can usually find a pen or two from a pharmaceutical company (I once received one that was in the shape of a syringe) and a notepad diary from a convention or conference I attended. They’re nothing I would buy myself but that doesn’t make their presence in my life any less appreciated.

Why do I love this stuff?

1. They’re free.

People just seem to have a whole bunch of them to give away! Who doesn’t love free stuff, right? Some giveaways do end up gathering dust in a forgotten corner of my closet but that only means that when I do my spring cleaning, I usually find a new mug to brighten up my desk and a bunch of never-used pens that will eventually find a home in the aforementioned mug once they pass the scratch pad test (you know, taking a pen and attacking a used piece of paper with it to find out if it works). I get a clean, uncluttered closet and new office supplies – all without spending a single dollar.

2. They’re usually something I can use.

I know a guy who loves competing in sports events – from running to ultimate Frisbee to rock climbing – and I see him with all sorts of giveaways from organizers and sponsors. He gets t-shirts, coffee cups and so much more! See, they didn’t tell me in school that being athletic meant getting a lot of cool free stuff. I would’ve tried harder in Phys Ed instead of hiding in the bleachers with a book in hand.

3. They remind of people I’ve met, places I’ve been and events I’ve attended.

I love welcome kits. You know what I mean! Those standard ones that they give out in a plastic envelope that includes a nametag, a pen, notepad, calendar of events, some candy and a huge map of the convention hall? I’ve heard that during the Oscars, celebrities get all sorts of free stuff too. They have a whole room dedicated to swag and they come away with hundreds of dollars’ worth of merchandise. Life really isn’t fair sometimes.

Sometimes I join those cheesy contests that they hold during conventions where they tell you a bunch of information about their company and then ask you questions or I drop my business card in a fishbowl and cross my fingers that my name or company gets called in the raffle draw. Sometimes the giveaways are so-so like mugs and stuff… but bigger companies offer trips for two to Cancun and other fun stuff for the grand prize. I haven’t won yet but the odds are that I will someday!

4. They’re sometimes fun.

Remind me to tell you all the different uses I have for stress balls some time. I have yellow smiley-faced ones, red ones with black font (I pretend they’re the angry emoticons) and even sports-themed ones. Stress balls are a great way to relieve stress, period.

If you’re creative (and sufficiently bored) even notepads can be fun. If you’re lucky enough to get the bigger rectangular shapes, you can use them to play basketball (your wastebasket being the net) and even landing airplanes (your co-worker’s desk being the tarmac).

5. Once again…they’re free

This part of getting promotional items will always and forever be my favorite. In my opinion this means I can mention it as many times as I want to really hammer in why I love promo products despite the cheesy advertising campaign that goes with it.

My favorite freebies

1. Embroidered Tote Bags

I like things. I like things to put things in. I therefore believe that tote bags (free ones at that) are the coolest thing ever. I like taking them grocery shopping and bargain shopping… I also like using them to organize all the paper that I seem to accumulate without even realizing it. I don’t even mind the company logo and the address that is printed on the side. They gave me a bag, the least I can do is pretend it’s Chanel.

2. Shoes (LOL. I wish.) Sewing kits

Bad things happen when you wake up at an ungodly hour and stay on your feet the whole day. Sewing kits have been a part of every conference and hotel experience I can remember since I was a kid. And since I’m not really the sewing type, I have no idea where to buy my own to bring around. I just try to make sure that I slip any unused kits in my travel bag so I have enough to fix whatever tear or loose seam that needs mending.

On a side note, have you ever heard of footzy rolls? After a long day of running around in high heels, why not give your poor, beleaguered attendees some podiatry-inspired TLC?

3. First aid kits

This is directly related to reason #2 – from paper cuts to a minor burn from a curling iron, first aid kits are a great way to let your clients (me) know that you care about me and my penchant for clumsy.

4. Pens

I have one good pen that I use for my checkbook and I stopped buying generic Bics after I graduated college. I love getting pens from conventions and companies because I don’t stress if I can’t find it after three whole days and when I need it the most, there’s always one lying around the place or hiding in my bag.

5. Notepads & Organizers

I’m always sketching and writing stuff down and I still haven’t found a better way to do that (and still be creative) than to use actual paper. I’m ashamed to say most of my organizers are half-filled up and get junked after half a year. It isn’t a reflection on the quality of the organizer, though, but it does get tiring to write down similar reminders in my phone AND my organizer.

6. Tumblers

My favorite thing about drink tumblers is that they usually come with a straw. Plus they’re really colorful and pretty. I also like reading the sides when I’m waiting somewhere that has no magazines. It’s fun. Really.

7. Mugs

In the CSI museum’s gift shop in Las Vegas, they have a black mug that when filled up with hot beverages, turns white. It’s amazing and if I had that on my desk, I would probably get a lot of looks and questions about where it came from. Also, bonus, when my coffee is hot the difference in color would tell me that it’s probably not a good idea to pick up the mug without protecting my hands first.

8. Keychains

I like key chains and I wish they came with more attractive designs. They make it easier it for me to segregate my keys and I don’t have to worry about losing my spare. Yes, I’m forgetful as well as clumsy.

9. Little flashlights

I’ve actually never gotten these before but if I ever decide to get lost in a forest at night I’m sure I’d thank the lord (as well as the company that gave me the flashlight) for providing me with a way to see more than two feet in front of me. They might also come in handy in dark theaters.

10. Candy

They’re the perfect pick-me upper after a long day of listening to talk after talk. They help me stave off some of my hunger and tide me over until I can get to that buffet in the hotel restaurant.

I have a lot of other reasons why I love promo products (they’re free) and why receiving them gives me such a weird high… we don’t have time for that today, but I can tell you that I spend more time talking to people who do give them out and letting them tell me about their company and products. What can I say? I just give ten minutes of my time and I manage to walk away with a loot bag! Sounds like a great bargain to me!

I tend to ramble, so I’m going to try to make this post short and sweet.

As you know, I’ve given my pricey mascaras the heave ho and traded them in for some pretty spectacular drugstore favs (check out past choices here and here).  While, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my economical finds, so many new frugal versions keep popping up that I can’t truly be loyal to just one.

My latest foray into drugstore mascaras lead me to L’Oreal’s Voluminous Million Lashes, an update on the line’s original Voluminous mascara.  The VML mascara got a lot of press in many of my favorite beauty and fashion magazines from makeup artists and beauty assistants raving about it, so I knew I needed to try it.

I bought my tube at Target for around $6.99, which is a steal.  While, I’m more honed in on how the product works, rather than how it looks, I do have to say I was liking the shiny gold aerodynamic packaging.  What really made me want to try it was the built-in wand wiper which helps remove excess product, preventing unsightly clumps.  I also liked that the wand head was fat and flexible, making it easy to layer on coats.

I never judge mascara on my first few uses, for me, it seems to take about a week to really break in a tube of mascara.  But, after using it for a few days I knew I had found a keeper (granted, I’ve already moved on to a new brand…it’s so hard to be loyal!!).  I loved that the mascara gave me thick, voluminous lashes, without the clumps.  I also liked that it was easy to layer on and  gave nice separation.

So, would I buy this product again?  Of course I would!  But, the odds of that happening are very slim being that so many wonderful new versions are waiting for me to try out.  But, for those of you who are still caught up in mascara snobbery (I know, it’s hard to walk away from Dior and YSL, but I did it and I’ve never been happier!) or stuck on the same old brand, you should definitely branch out and try L’Oreal Voluminous Million mascara, it’s worth the pocket change!

If you read my blog, you know that I fall in love with perfumes in the same way that Elizabeth Taylor fell in love with men.

Lately, I’ve been trying to be more faithful to my past flames, by trying to use up some of my old fragrances before splurging on a new bottle.  But, shortly after the start of the new year I started a new love affair with the newest edition from the Chloé line of perfumes, appropriately called, Love, Chloé.

It started off innocent enough with me admiring the glamorous 70′s inspired ads.  But, my interest started to peak when I realized I couldn’t find this fragrance in any of my local department stores…playing hard to get has always been a tactic I fall hard for.

Finally, while at Nordstrom, I got a whiff of the fragrance and it was love at first smell, but I didn’t quite understand why.  Most of my fragrances fall into the white floral category with a few roses/violets mixed in.  The two notes that I am most turned off by is anything musky or powdery and Love, Chloé screams both of these notes, but somehow in the most sophisticated, pretty, and somehow fresh way.  I knew I couldn’t continue without it.

It didn’t take my husband long to take ear to some of my very obvious hints and on Valentine’s Day I was gifted with the Love, Chloé gift set from Nordstrom.  Even with all the hints I was not expecting him to buy the fragrance for me…I had already been scoping out eBay for a deal, because this perfume is not on the cheap side (as if!), running $85 for a 1.7 oz bottle.  So, imagine my surprise when not only did I get my beloved perfume, but I also got the tricked out gift set!  I was in love…mostly with my husband, but also with my new perfume.

Even though I love perfume, I’m by no means a perfume expert.  However, I do know what I like and I know what smells good.  I really love finding fragrances that wake up my senses and make me feel a certain way.  For me, Love, Chloé, makes me feel sophisticated, pretty, flirty, mysterious, and fresh all at the same time.  I wear the fragrance almost everyday and have no problem wearing it to work or out for the evening.

If you think you might be smitten with the Love, Chloé fragrance, make sure to check it out and ask your local sales associate for a sample to take home (currently, Love, Chloé is only sold in upscale department stores or online) because you never know how the fragrance will develop on you (my love story could be your heartbreak).  The notes in Love, Chloé include:  orange blossom, pepper, hyacinth, iris, lilac, wisteria, heliotropine, musk, talc, rice powder.

If you’re interested in the gift set I received, it retailed for $110 at Nordstrom and  included a full size (2.5 oz) bottle of the Love, Chloé perfume, a travel size bottle of the perfume (.17 oz), body lotion (3.4 oz), and a chic little leather makeup pouch (All this is the same price as the 2.5 oz bottle, and you get that in the gift set…you can’t go wrong with the set).  All this far exceeded my expectations, but I know that I’m going to use every drop…and probably go back for more!

I generally save bronzer for the summer months to give myself a sun-kissed glow, but about a month ago my complexion was looking a few shades lighter than pasty (thanks to the never-ending sunless days here in the wonderful Pacific Northwest), so I decided to sweep on my newly purchased Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer that I had bought for my March trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

I walked into work that day, and one of my favorite co-workers (Hi, Barb!) stopped me to compliment me on my glow…then she added, “are you pregnant?”.  No, no…sorry family, not pregnant, but I was very pleased that just a few sweeps of bronzer could give me that pregnancy…uh, I mean, sun-kissed glow.

There are endless reasons why I love Tarte’s Mineral Bronzer, so I’ll start listing them: 

• paraben free
• sulfate free
• free of synthetic fragrances
• free of Petro-Chemicals
• free of Phthalates
• cruelty free
• fragrance free
• talc free (talc=clogged pores)

And if all that wasn’t enough, it’s loaded with skin-loving ingredients such as:  minerals that soothe and soften, vitamin A for some antioxidant action (see ya, free radicals!), which also promotes collagen production that can aid in diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, vitamin C, which also prevents free radical damage and premature aging all while brightening skin, and it contains vitamin E, which acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps prevent free radicals.

If this all wasn’t enough, the bronzer also gives you a beautiful, sun-kissed glow, with the slightest bit of golden sheen (not to be confused with glitter).  The bronzer comes in two-shades:  Park Ave. Princess (light yellow gold) which is perfect for fair skin-to light/medium tones (this is the shade I selected), and it comes in Hotel Heiress (deep bronze), which works best for medium/olive/dark skin tones.

Park Ave Princess

Hotel Heiress

I am so happy I found this bronzer, not only does it give me a wonderful glow (which is what a bronzer should do…stay away from orange tones, people!!), but it also has good for your skin ingredients, and hello, it’s good for the environment as well.  In the beauty world, we call that a triple threat.

…joy, joy!

Congratulations go out to Jill from Washington, Cheryl from Indiana, and Michelle from New York for winning my latest giveaway!!

Jill, Cheryl, and Michelle all won a copy of the book, Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?, written by the scientists over at the beautybrains.com.

Ladies, I hope you enjoy the book and thank you to everyone who entered to win!

xo

I’m pretty frugal when it comes to makeup brushes.  For eyeshadow brushes, I find that drugstore lines work just fine (my fav:  Sonia Kashuk for Target).  But, I have found that there are two brushes that I don’t mind spending some extra cash on…my eyeliner brush (I use this one) and powder brush.

For the last few years I have been using Bare Escentuals Flawless Application Face Brush, which I received in a starter kit from the line.  I’ve long abandoned the BE mineral powder (not a love, seemed to be on the orangey side), but I kept using the brush to apply my setting powder (which I LOVE, Physicians Formula Correcting Powder, read my review here).  But, the last few months the bristles have been looking a little haggard, so I decided to invest in a new brush.  I had no idea what brand of brush I wanted, but I knew it needed to do double duty for applying my powder and bronzer.

What I ended up with was, Too Faced Powder Pouf Brush.  After looking at countless brushes on Sephora, and reading the reviews, The TF brush seemed to be the best all around because it got great reviews, it was a good price at $32, and it was really, really cute.  I was intrigued with the “teddy bear” hair and the fact is was supposed to be cashmere soft…not to mention, cruelty-free. 

Buying the brush seemed like a no brainer, and I’m so glad that I did, because I’ m smitten with this brush.  Aesthetically this brush is super cute.  I love the pink handle and the black little bow (not sure how long I’ll manage to keep that on).  To the touch, the bristles feel amazingly soft, and the head of the brush is the perfect size for both all-over powder application and bronzer application.  But, what really wowed me was the first time I used it on my powder compact; I couldn’t believe that there wasn’t a huge gigantic mess. 

When swiping the BE brush (or any other brush, for that matter) over my powder, powder fragments would get all over the compact, my hand/wrist, sink, and my clothes if I wasn’t careful.  I never liked this, but I just kind of accepted that it went along with the territory.  But, then I used the Too Faced brush and was shocked and amazed that it could pick up the powder without creating a mess.  What I realized was the bristles were so soft, compared to other brushes, that they didn’t cause as much friction on the powder, creating a huge mess.  So, not only are you not creating a mess, but you’re also not wasting as much powder.  Genius.

So, I feel really good about my new purchase (insert a pat, pat and a smug face).  I feel like a got a really excellent product and the price was really decent.  If you’re in the market for a new makeup brush, or if you’re reading this and realizing that your makeup brush might be a stinker like mine was, you might want to invest in this one by Too Faced.  If I wasn’t happy with the rest of my brushes, I would be more than tempted to splurge on the whole Teddy Bear Hair Brush Set.  Twist, twist (that’s my arm).

A month ago, I thought I didn’t care…but, these last few weeks I have gotten sucked into the William and Kate wedding hype and I cannot stop watching all those Wills & Kate wedding shows.  Yes, yes, my DVR is officially scheduled to record the huge event on Friday morning at 2:00 am Pacific Standard Time.  I’ve already reassured my husband that he is not required to attend the viewing.

So, me, and millions of other obsessed people like me, are now pining over what she might wear, what hair style she’ll don, and will her makeup look natural or glam…I. Can. Hardly. Waaaaaaaaaaaait!

With all my new education on Kate (thank you TLC) I’m pretty sure she’ll go for a modern wedding dress design, absent of a 25′ train, simple and classic makeup like she always wears…but, where I’m stuck is her hair.  I really have no clue how she’ll wear her hair…up, down, half up?

So whether you really, really care or if you’re pretending not to care, please vote below to pick how you think Kate Middleton, future Queen of England, should wear her hair on her big day!
n

*BTW, it was nearly impossible finding an updo pic of Kate, so turn that pony into a bun or something when you’re imagining her walking down the aisle!

I don’t care how tough you think you are, if you are part of the female gender, you cannot escape the cuteness factor that is Hello Kitty.

Me personally, I’ve never been too cool for school, so when I found out that Sephora had an exclusive Hello Kitty Makeup Collection, I knew they had me at ‘hello”…kitty.

Really, here’s all you need to know, the packaging itself is enough to drop some coin, and as a bonus, the makeup and makeup accessories are quite fetching to boot.  The HK Collection includes everything from eye palettes, lip/cheek sticks, nail polish, fragrance, makeup brushes, and even a shower cap.  To find out what you can’t live without, head over here.

Here’s my, ahem, edited list of what I can’t live without:

Say Hello Palette-Memiors Of A Kitty:  This tiered palette contains a beautiful neutral-toned eyeshadow quad and two blushes, one peach and one rose, that are sure to give you a warm, cheeky glow.  For me, this palette screams summer and utter-cuteness…I’m dying for the cherry blossom embossed Hello Kitty cover with the mint green bow.  I’m also loving that the makeup ingredients include antioxidants and lovely stuff such as strawberry, apple, and grapeseed extract to help keep free radicals at bay and your skin looking youthful.

Hello Kitty Brush Set:  This set belongs on my bathroom counter.  The metallic silver Hello Kitty brush container, the candy pink tipped brushes and makeup handles…l-o-v-e love it!  The fact, that these brushes live in a gleaming metallic Hello Kitty makes this set too perfect (and, dare I use the word cute again?).  Your other makeup brushes will not only be jealous, they might even become null and void. 

Apple Balm:  I have to admit it, I don’t really care so much about the balm, as I do about the fact that the balm is housed inside an apple shape container.  Need it.  I do have to say, the antioxidant-packed balm does look pretty, and they pretty much sold me on, “non-sticky, long-lasting wear.”

Hello Kitty Shower Cap:  Why the hell not?

I truly am smitten with the whole collection and I think some of the pieces (mirrors, compacts, etc.) could become collector pieces down the road.  Whether you’re a HK super fan or just can’t resist the cuteness factor, there is something in this collection for everyone.  To sum it all up, the Hello Kitty Makeup Collection is…cute. cute. cute.

Are organic products better?  Why did my shampoo stop working?  Are my cosmetics poisoning me? Can I get hooked on lip balm?

These types of questions are why I love the world of beauty and also why I love reading the blog, The Beauty Brains.

Based on the blog, TheBeautyBrains.com, Can You Get Hooked On Lip Balm?  is an informative book, that cuts through the confusing, misleading, and sometimes false information that beauty companies bombard consumers with and provides scientific answers to hundreds of questions about cosmetics.  Top cosmetic scientists answer your questions about the lotions, potions and other beauty products you use every day.

I had the chance to preview a copy of the book and I spent an entire Sunday reading it and getting both silly and serious questions answered.  Some of my favorite questions from the book were, ‘The shampoo secret beauty companies don’t want you to know’ and ‘can saliva cure acne?’ (guess what, it can!).  This book is chock-full of informative facts and was fun to read at the same time; it’s a must-have for any beauty junkie’s library…

…what’s that?  You’re a beauty junkie?  Well lucky you, because the kind people over at Harlequin books are hosting a giveaway with CTN, and three lucky readers will win a copy for themselves (open to U.S. and Canada residents only)!  Make sure to enter to win by midnight on Saturday, April 23rd because I know you’re dying to find out the top five reasons for darkened armpits.

  

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