MAC Dazzleglass Found At The Outlet Mall

Hey girls! Just a quick post on this 7 degree Chicago morning. I was at the Chicago Premium Outlet Mall in Aurora yesterday and while browsing in The Cosmetic Company Store I could not believe my eyes. What's that shiney tube of lip gloss I see? Could it be? Yes! There were 5 shades of MAC Dazzleglass on the shelf. Even better - They were priced at only $10!!! Obviously I grabbed them like there was no tomorrow. Unfortunately, like an idiot, I left my bag in my Sweetie's car so I do not have all of the shades in front of me. I do know that Spankin' Rich and Steppin' Out were two of the shades I got (I'm pretty sure).

Not only did they have Dazzleglass, but The Cosmetic Company Store was stocked with other great items. They had 5 different Bobbi Brown palettes ranging from $24.50 - $38.50. They also had Bobbi Brown Metallics Eye Shadow palette from last year in Midnight. On the MAC side they had many pieces from the Nordstrom exclusive Colorforms line (that one actually made me mad that I forked over so much money and was dupped by the limitedness of the line) including the palettes and the brush collections. It was like Christmas morning. Everywhere I looked was some kind of great deal on top name cosmetics and fragrances.

So if you're like me and obsessed with Dazzleglass run to your local Cosmetic Company Store to see if they have any in stock. Happy Shopping!

HSN Live From Sephora 5th Avenue

HSN.com is broadcasting live from Sephora's 5th Avenue store today. Shows air at 1 pm and 6 pm Central time. They are offering FREE SHIPPING on tons of Sephora products (not just Sephora brands, but products offered through Sephora). Along with the FREE SHIPPING, they are also offering sale prices on select products and gifts. Even better, HSN will donate $1 to the St. Jude Thanks and Giving campaign for every Sephora item purchased today.

Don't forget to check out Sephora's Beauty-Ful Buy for this visit. This time, they're offering Too Faced World Domination Tour All Access Backstage Beauty Kit with Lash Injection Mascara at the bargain price of $34 with FREE SHIPPING. This kit has a retail value of over $150. What's even better is that this kit, unlike the one available on Sephora.com, comes with the Lash Injection Mascara. Too Faced is one of those brands that seems to be well known, but is not talked about very often. It's too bad because their products are exceptional and are of a very high quality, but they seem to be more affordable than some of the other products made of the same quality. I've had many a Too Faced kit and can testify that they have been worth every penny, are long lasting, and are very versatile.

SIDE NOTE - For my girls from the Chicagoland Area, did you by any chance watch the WGN Morning News? They had a make-up artist on to offer make-up tips for the holiday party season and the Too Faced World Domination Tour All Access Backstage Beauty Kit with Lash Injection Mascara was the first product she featured. She did a gorgeous smokey eye on the model and went on about how this kit contains everything you could possibly need to create many looks. How ironic is that?!?!

If you can't tune in today, don't worry. The sale prices and FREE SHIPPING offers are available on HSN.com through December 6th. My only recommendation is that if you see something you want, don't wait too long to get it. Many items are known to sell out quickly when Sephora is on the air. Happy Shopping!

LORAC Croc Mocktail Collection

It’s nice to see a new lip gloss kit from Lorac this year. It seemed that for the past few years it was the same old lip gloss kit featuring the Lorac Lip Polishes in the same old colors. This year, the LORAC Croc Mocktail Collection features the Mocktail lip glosses. This collection contains glosses named and flavored especially for the holiday season. They include Mistletoe Mojito (mint, sugar & melon), Champagne (sparkling pear), Sugarplumtini (plum & berry), Spiced Cider (red apple), Candy Cane Cosmo (peppermint), and Irish Coffee (vanilla latte). All of the flavors sound so tempting! The colors range from deep pinks to copper reds. Each lip gloss tube also has a mini mirror attached to it making it easy to do touch ups anywhere.

I've done a review on these in the past (too lazy to find the old post!), but I'll do a mini-review right now. These Mocktails smell amazing!!! I am especially in love with Candy Cane Cosmo...nothing says Christmas like the smell of candy cane. These glosses feel so velvety on your lips. The staying power is decent, but its not like MAC Pro Longwear. The coverage is more opaque than sheer. Perfect if you hate to give up your lipstick for a gloss, but still perfect if you want the coverage of lipstick but only want to use a gloss.

This kit has a retail value of $55 but is priced at $25. It is a limited edition and is currently available at Sephora.com. Happy Shopping!

Free Almay Mascara At Walgreens

Sorry for the lack of posts as well as the lack of response to comments and emails. I have been dealing with a cold that will just not go away. Top that with a coming and going sinus problem that is aggravated by the crazy weather we're having in Chicago right now (really cold to really warm - sunny to rainy and dreary). Truth be told, I've been spending more time at Walgreens and CVS these days than at Sephora and Macy's. However, had I not been sick, I may not have found out about the FREE Almay mascara deal from Walgreens.

For those of you who are not drugstore shoppers (I have just started couponing and as such have just become a drugstore shopper), Walgreens has a rebate book each month. It is a little catalog looking book that is available at the front of the store with the sales ads. Usually, there are one or two items that are free each month after rebate. This month, Almay mascara is completely free after rebate.

This week, Almay Cosmetics are buy one, get one free. So, if at least one of the products that you purchase is the mascara, you can send in for the rebate and get both of them for free. What's even better...if you have an Almay coupon you can turn it into a money maker. I was fortunate enough to have 2 $2 off any Almay product. So I spent $2.99 upfront for 2 Almay mascaras and will receive a rebate of $6.99. Pretty nice, huh?


I'm sure you're wondering why I would want Almay mascara when I would never be able to let go of my Dior and Tarte mascaras. Well, usually I would keep one of these free Almay mascaras in my car, just to have on hand (sorry, but I can't leave such expensive mascaras to just sit in my car knowing that I won't use it that often), but with Christmas quickly approaching, I plan on making up gift baskets for local women's shelters. Like I said before, in the past month or so I have jumped onto the couponing wave (you know, those stories you see on the news more and more often now that the economy is so bad about people who use coupons to get free stuff...yeah, that's me!), I have gotten sooooooooo many health and beauty products for free or just pennies on the dollar. So I plan to make up gift baskets with body washes, lotions, toothpaste, deoderant, make-up, etc. and pass them out to the women in the shelters. It's not much, but it's practical and I'm sure that many women in these shelters would think twice before purchasing some of these more "luxurious" items.


The buy one, get one free Almay deal is only available this week (through Saturday), but the rebate program continues through the month.

NARS Sephora Exclusive Lip Gloss Collection

There seems to be an excess of lip gloss sets being released this holiday season. And let me just tell you, that is fine by me! I’m excited to say that even NARS has got in on the lip gloss gift sets this holiday season. NARS Sephora Exclusive Lip Gloss Collection is comprised of some of the best shades of lip gloss NARS has to offer. Triple X (a clear shine), Harlow (a silvery mauve), Striptease (a pearlized beige sheen), Bloodwork (a red vinyl), and Orgasm (a peachy pink shimmer) are all available in this convenient set. Ask any NARS girl for a list of her favorite shades of lip gloss and I guarantee that you will see at least half of these shades will appear on each list.

Unfortunately, these are not full size lip glosses, but that being said, these are not minis either. Personally, I think these are more than big enough (figuring that most gift sets do not contain full size products), especially for the $45 price tag. On top of it, this kit makes owning all five of these lip gloss shades affordable. Many people would most likely not want to shell out $24 for each full size gloss, but $45 for all of them in a slightly smaller size is all good.

This will make a great gift for the seasoned NARS addict or the newbie who has always wanted to try NARS famed lip glosses. This is a limited edition that is sure to sell out quickly. It’s also exclusive to Sephora. It retails for $45, but if you pick it up during the Friends and Family event you’ll only have to pay $36! Happy Shopping!

DuWop Moodswing Palette

One of the reoccurring questions that seem to pop up in my life is warm or cool? Yes, do I go with the warm palette or the cool palette? Truth be told, often times I empty my bank account and pick up both. I love that I don’t have to ask myself that question with DuWop’s new Moodswing Palette. This is really two palettes in one. On the left side, the warm tones and on the right side, the cool tones. Each side contains a mini version of Lip Venom (the warm side has gold shimmer in it and the cool side has silver shimmer), a lip stick, a lip gloss, three eye shadows, and a gradated shimmer brick. The palette also includes a full-size Reverse Lip Liner and two brushes. All of the shades in this palette are great for the fall and winter. It’s available for $42. It is a limited edition and is currently available at Sephora.com. Happy Shopping!

Stila Eyes & Shine Smudge Pot Trio Gel Eyeliner

I am so excited about this post about another holiday gift set. Not only because it is a product that I absolutely love, but because it is a new gift set that we have not seen in the past. Introducing the Stila Eyes & Shine Smudge Pot Trio Gel Eyeliner. This is a definite must buy kit this holiday season. Stila totally surprised me with this set this year. This kit features 3 Stila Smudge Pot Gel Eyeliners in Black, Bronze, and Gray and also comes with a mini eye liner brush. It’s great that this set features 3 basic, must have eye liner colors (although, I would be just as crazy over it if it featured some off the wall colors) so that it will be desirable to everyone.

I own at least 10 Stila Smudge Pots. Of course I have the basics like black and gray, but I am also a sucker for limited edition colors like purple, blue, green, etc. I absolutely LOVE these! These eyeliners glide gracefully across your lids. They are very blendable and buildable. Whether you want to create a thin line or a thick line, every look is very achievable. Being as they are “Smudge” Pots, they are great to smudge into a dramatic smoky eye. The bonus of these babies is their staying power. Even after a long tiring day full of rubbing my eyes out of exhaustion, the eyeliner is still there when I go to take my make-up off at night.

If you have yet to try Stila’s Smudge Pots but have always been curious, I 100% recommend this set for you. Trust me – Once you try just one shade, you are going to immediately want to get your hands on more!

Oh, I almost forgot, another great thing about the Smudge Pots is the fact that a little goes a long way. It will take you a very long time to get through a whole pot.

This is a limited edition set that retails for $32 (it has a value of $70). It is currently available at Sephora.com. Happy Shopping!

Bobbi Brown Holiday Collection 2008

Bobbi Brown’s holiday palettes are always a must have for me. I was so excited to see what she had in store for us this year. Let me just tell you, she does not fail to deliver! There are so many things available that time does not allow me to comment on each of them. Below are highlights of some of my favorites, but you can go to BobbiBrown.com to see all that Bobbi has for us this holiday season.

Today at Macy’s I picked up my first piece from the Bobbi Brown holiday collection. How could I resist the Lip & Eye Palette? Packed with 4 new and exclusive Metallic Eye Shadows and 4 new and exclusive lip colors, this palette is definitely the star in the whole holiday line, well at least in my eyes! It also included a mini eye shadow brush and a mini lip brush. Everyone knows that I am absolutely in love with Bobbi’s Metallic Eye Shadows! If you loved the Brown Sugar palette from last year, you are going to love this palette! The eye colors include Champagne Quartz, Gold Dust, Golden Bronze, and Galaxy. All very shimmery, but very neutral and wearable. The lip colors include Berry Mauve, Pink Sequin, Dusty Mauve, and Ruby. Don’t let these shades fool you – they look very dark in the palette, but on they are very sheer and, just like the eye colors, wearable. As is expected, the lip colors and eye colors are perfectly paired. This palette is a limited edition and retails for $60.

Bobbi also released 2 eye shadow palettes each with 4 shadows: Velvet Plum and Basics. Both look very pretty, but I also think they have their own draw backs. First, while this may not be a problem for some, Velvet Plum only has one Metallic Eye Shadow, while Basics doesn’t have any. Second, reading the descriptions of the colors online, it states that all of the shades are “new, exclusive,” but I know for a fact that shades like Bone and Navajo were available in other collections. Third, with regards to Velvet Plum, while talking with one of the Bobbi Brown girls at the counter, she informed me that the Velvet Plum Metallic Eye Shadow is supposed to be the same as the solo Velvet Plum shadow that is currently available but isn’t. She stated that the color comes off much darker when applied than the original shade does and also is much more grittier than the Metallic Shadows usually are. Nothing is worse than gritty eye shadow! On the other hand, the plus sides of both of these palettes is the fact that there is a variety of shadow types in both, that is shimmers and mattes. I am personally going to pass on these palettes, but that is mainly because I have many Bobbi products that contain some of these shades already, and based on the fact that I did get the Lip & Eye Palette. Both of the Eye Palettes are limited editions and retail for $45.

The next palette from Bobbi’s holiday collection that I’m going to get is the Moon Rock Long-Wear Eye Palette. Bobbi gives us 2 Long-Wear Eye Palettes, Moon Rock and Night Sky. Both palettes contain 2 Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadows and 2 Long-Wear Gel Eye Liners. I think these palettes are more unique than anything else out there right now. I’m definitely eyeing the Moon Rock palette because I am a sucker for the grays, blacks, and whites (you can see I’m totally trying to avoid saying “smoky eye” yet again!). Bobbi’s Long-Wear products definitely are long wear so if you’re looking for something to wear to a holiday party where you don’t want to have to worry about sneaking away for touch ups, I definitely recommend these palettes. Both are limited editions and retail for $55.

Especially for the holiday season, Bobbi has taken her classic Lip Balms and infused them with glitter to create, Glitter Lip Balms (how clever). The Glitter Balms are just as moisturizing as the originals, but with an added touch of shimmer. The name “Glitter Lip Balms” is accurate in describing the shine and shimmer factor of these glosses, but is inaccurate in the sense that it would leave some to believe that the balm would be chunky and gritty due to the glitter. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Just like the original Lip Balms, the Glitter Balms go on smooth and feel creamy instantly. The Glitter Balms are available in 3 shades: Copper Diamond, Crystal Diamond, and Pink Crystal. The names are pretty self explanatory. These glosses are limited editions are retail for $19 each.

Finally, no Bobbi Brown collection would be complete without a Shimmer Brick! The Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Compact contains 5 shades Candlelight, Gold, Copper, Beige and Sand and comes housed in a chic gold metallic compact. Brush it on your face, neck, shoulders, and décolletage for a beautiful golden glow. This Shimmer Brick is a limited edition and retails for $40.

So there you have it. Some of my favorite items from Bobbi Brown’s 2008 Holiday Collection. The collection is currently available online at BobbiBrown.com as well as at your local Bobbi Brown counter. You can also see the rest of the holiday collection at BobbiBrown.com. Happy Shopping!

MAC Dazzleglass And Red She Said Collection

Hey girls! So I just got back from Macy’s. It wasn’t a planned visit…just a quick pop in after running to Bath & Body Works. I’m glad I went in because I was able to score another MAC Dazzleglass lip gloss. As I mentioned in a previous post, MAC released a few new shades of Dazzleglass in their new Red She Said collection. Some of these shades were re-releases, while others were new. I was intrigued by Miss Dynamite, but based on the color swatch online I was worried it may be too gold or too orange (when am I going to learn not to judge a lip gloss by a swatch online???). Word quickly spread that many MAC counters had sold out of the Dazzleglass lippies almost immediately. I thought I had missed my chance to try before I buy. I was ecstatic to see that my counter did in fact have a few of each shade left.

After trying on Miss Dynamite, I cannot believe I have waited to so long to get this color. It is gorgeous. The MAC website describes this color as “sheer orange-y copper with pearl.” That sounds like a whole lot is going on in there. When I applied Miss Dynamite to my lips I was blown away. At first, it did look very orangey and even rather heavy, but as I evened everything out it was a very sheer almost nude look. Very sparkly and shiny; as you would expect Dazzleglass to be. After MAC, I hit up the Bobbi Brown counter and both of the girls there commented on the gloss and asked what I was wearing.

Not being a fan of matte lips, this is the perfect glossy look to compliment smoky eyes. Not very much color at all, but tons of shine. Also, this is the perfect gloss for those who like to layer lip colors. It is especially stunning over red lipstick.

In addition to the Miss Dynamite Dazzleglass, I also picked up the Beauty Powder Blush in Stark Naked (also part of the Red She Said line). Both of the Beauty Powder Blushes in this collection are packed full of shimmer, perfect for the holiday season. Stark Naked is a pinky-mauve shade.

Both of these products are limited editions. I would guess that the Dazzleglass is even more limited. If you want any of the Dazzleglass shades, I wouldn’t wait too long. Like I said, many counters are completely sold out and those that aren’t only have a few. MACcosmetics.com currently only has 4 of the shades available. Happy Shopping!

Friends And Family Sale At Prescriptives.com

Another thing that I love about the Fall season with regards to the world of beauty besides the arrival of holiday gift sets is the fact that many companies bestow “Friends and Family Sales” upon us! Prescriptives.com is currently having their Friends and Family event right now! Through tomorrow, October 24th, save 25% and FREE SHIPPING on your order with coupon / promo code FRIEND8. Unfortunately, the discount is not available on holiday gift sets or custom color creations for eyes and cheeks. Happy Shopping!

Philosophy Under The Mistletoe Ornaments

Philosophy always seems to have the cutest packaging for their gift sets. They are so cute that they probably wouldn’t even need to be wrapped. This year is no exception. The Philosophy Under The Mistletoe Ornament is just too cute for words. The packaging has a touch of nostalgia to it if you ask me. The ribbon on top makes it able to be hung from your Christmas tree. And what’s inside the ornament is even better. Philosophy is offering its lip shines in three scrumptious holiday flavors: Gingerbread, Orange Cranberry Spritzer, and Spicy Pear Cobbler.

I love Philosophy’s lip shines. Let me just tell you, boy do they ever shine. Especially the ones that have shimmer in them like this trio does. Not only do they shine, but they are very emollient too. Although it may not feel like it when you apply the gloss being as it is a gloss and not a balm, this product is so moisturizing. You quickly learn this when you see how great your lips feel after wearing this product. The name of this set completely fits the bill because after using these glosses you are going to be ready to meet your sweetie under the mistletoe!

This limited edition trio available now at Sephora.com for $28. Happy Shopping!

DuWop Venom Rocks

It seems like it has been awhile since DuWop has come out with a new gift set. It seemed like for awhile there they were coming out with a new 3 piece Lip Venom set every season and then it just stopped. While there now seems like there are hundreds of cosmetic companies that have lip plumping glosses, DuWop was one of the first and thus still holds a special place in my heart. I’m happy to report that DuWop has some new sets out.

DuWop Venom Rocks is a new 3 piece collection of DuWop’s famous tingling glosses. The shades include Garnet (sheer deep berry with gold sparkle), Pink Quartz (translucent hot pink with gold sparkle), and Amethyst (clear light lavender with silver sparkle). Garnet definitely has to possibility of being a gothy looking gloss, but with a light hand, you can create just a look with just a kiss of color. This set is unlike DuWop’s past Venom gloss sets in the sense that these glosses do not come in the squeeze tubes. Nope, they are housed in twist off tube with a wand applicator with a sponge tip. Its priced at $21.

I have always, always loved DuWop Venom Glosses. The slight stinging/tingling sensation is something that I, while others might not, love. The first time I had it on, my Mom even commented on how great my lips looked. She has been a DuWop girl since then too! Now, whether or not these glosses actually plump your lips is debatable. All I know is that the tingling sensation makes me pout my lips more, thus giving the illusion at least of fuller lips. So there's my two cents on DuWop glosses.

More posts on DuWop and other gift sets to come! Happy Shopping!

Bare Escentuals Extreme Glitters

Everyone who knows me knows that I love shimmery, sparkly things. I love to put ting-ting in my flower arrangements and my Christmas tree. I prefer Swarovski crystal embellishments to pearl beading. Don't even ask about how sparkly my engagement ring is. Given this, of course I love sparkly make-up too! But there has to be a balance. I like sparkly and elegant, not sparkly and cheap.

I picked up Bare Escentuals Extreme Glimmers Kit about a month ago and have quickly deemed this my holiday season make-up. The kit contains three "extreme" eye shadows in silver, plum, and bronze, a starter size Prime Time Eyelid Primer, and an Extreme Glimmer Brush. The shimmer and sparkle are outrageous without being over the top. Does that even make sense? What I mean is that there is definately sparkle there, some of the best I have ever seen; but at the same time it doesn't look cheesy or cheap. Applied properly (try to hold back that heavy hand), your eyes pop with the sparkle of a movie star.

This kit does have the potential to lead to drag queen-esque eye make-up. The key to achieving the movie star look is to properly apply the eye make-up using the Bare Escentuals technique. First of all, USE THE PRIMER!!! It's in the kit for a reason! I've mentioned before that I am not a primer addict...I hardly use it. This is a situation where primer is a must. The pigment and glitter are loose thus allowing them to fly all over the place if not properly contained.

Secondly, you must use the "swirl, tap, buff" Bare Escentuals method. I am surprised by the number of people I talk to who love Bare Escentuals cosmetics but have never seen a demonstration on QVC nor have they watched the starter's DVD or read the instructions for application. I cannot recommend watching Leslie herself showing you how to properly use her products!!! I was also one of those who was like, "What's the deal with this swirl, tap, buff nonsense? Just dip the brush in and swipe it on!" So wrong! Every BE product should be applied with swirl, tap, buff.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, here it is. Get just a dab of product in the lid of the container. One way to do it is to just skim the product with the brush and transfer it to the lid. What I like to do is flip the container over, tap the lid to "push" the excess back into the jar, unscrew the lid and, voila, just enough product in the lid. Next, take your brush and swirl it around in the lid to sweep up the product. Then tap the brush on the side of the lid to get rid of the excess. Finally, buff it on. Based on my experience, if you apply the Extreme Glimmers this way, you should have minimal glitter on your face and it should also cut back on the feeling of chunkiness that the glitter particles may create.

Photo Borrowed From BareEscentuals.com (Click picture to be taken there)

In the event that you do get some glitter on your face, don't worry. Simply take a face brush (an extra one that you don't use), spray a little bit of hair spray on it (don't saturate it), and gently sweep it over your face. That should get most of the loose product off.

Bare Escentuals Extreme Glimmers Kit is a limited edition kit that is only available at Sephora. It is priced at $32 with a $44 value. Happy Shopping!

"Be Kissed" LipFusion Color Shine Mini Set

How many lip glosses are too many? I think I may soon find out. I can’t help it! I am totally addicted to lip glosses! My collection is about to get 6 new members. LipFusion is rolling out their holiday collection with "Be Kissed" LipFusion Color Shine 6-piece Mini Set. The set includes the shades Clear, Bare, Sugar, Dream, Sexy, and Blush. They are in the mini size, perfect for tucking into your clutch for the party season this holiday season.

I’ve posted about LipFusion glosses before. I love the shine that you get with this gloss and I love the tingling effect of the lip plumpers. My lips feel so lush and full. If there is one thing about Fusion Beauty products that I don’t like, it is their prices. But that little problem with their kits like this one. You get all six glosses for only $49. This is a limited edition set and is currently available at Sephora.com. Happy Shopping!

DuWop Cosmetics Benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness

Continuing with Breast Cancer Awareness beauty products, DuWop Cosmetics offers two great items. First,DuWop Ice Shimmer Shadow Palette is a limited edition highlighting shimmer powder. Brush this pink powder over your skin to reflect the light and even out skin tones. I believe that a pink highlighter is a must during the holiday party season. It makes skin look heavenly in those candlelit type settings. It is available for $18 with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Cosmetic Executive Women Cancer and Careers Foundation.

DuWop also offers the Liplingo Multi Effect Lip Palette. What I love about DuWop Liplingo Palettes is the fact that it features a lipstick with four compatible lip glosses. All too often a lip palette contains either lipsticks or lip glosses and not a combination of the two. Here, you get the best of both worlds. This limited edition palette contains a rose lip color with glosses featuring "a subtle gold frost, a pale pink shimmer gloss, a rich pink sherbet tone with sparkle and a pink tinged clear balm with a high shine." It is available for $32 with a portion of proceeds again benefiting the Cosmetic Executive Women Cancer and Careers Foundation.

I am genuinely touched by DuWop Cosmetics products benefiting Breast Cancer Awareness. The packaging for their BCA products contains the names of "women we know and love who have been affected by this disease" as a "physical tribute."

As far as I can tell, these DuWop limited editions are only available at Beauty.com. Happy Shopping!

Happy Birthday Sephora

It's hard to believe that Sephora has only been around for 10 years. What did we do before Sephora??? I can remember being frustrated when certain Marshall Fields (oh how I long for those days before Macy's took over) only carried certain brands forcing me search all over for coveted cosmetics. I remember the first time I ever walked into a Sephora. It was like Charlie walking into the chocolate factory. Everything shined and seemed to call my name. I wanted one of everything, but surprisingly, I managed to walk out with only a single palette. Now, I'm lucky if I can walk out spending less than $100.

To celebrate Sephora's 10th birthday/anniversary, some of the top cosmetics companies have put together limited edition beauty products and gift sets at great prices. Most of these products are even "Best of Sephora" award winners.

Bare Escentuals has created Mineral Veil On The Go Mineral Veil for the occassion. For the first time, the best selling Mineral Veil is available in a portable device. For those of you who have yet to try Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil, it is a sheer translucent powder that you apply as a finishing powder on your face. It gives skin a flawless, airbrushed look while absorbing oil from your face. I absolutely love the packaging. I will say this though, it is a bit big and bulky. This is not a product that would fit easily in your clutch for touchups during a night on the town. This is a limited edition item that is available for $28.

TIP - If you already have a ton of Mineral Veil (I know I do because it is included in a lot of Bare Escentuals kits) and don't want to pick up this product, but want to have the on the go ability I have a suggestion. Simply take a retractable fact brush, brush it in the Mineral Veil, retract it, put the cap on it, and you're ready to go. Also, most retractable brushes I have seen are smaller than the On The Go product currently available so this tip may prove helpful if you're looking for something smaller to fit in a clutch.

No Sephora celebration would be complete without a gift set from Stila. Stila offers its Stila Loves Sephora 10th Anniversary Can. The can is filled with some Stila's fan favorites including Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, Convertible Color in Peony, Kajal Eyeliner in Onyx, Mini Multi-Effect Mascara, and Brown Sugar Lip Glaze. There was a time when I would never leave Sephora without getting a new shade of Stila Lip Glaze! This kit totally takes me back to that time. Even if you don't get this kit, I highly, highly, highly recommend the Convertible Color in Peony. This is a multitasker that every beauty addict needs. Use it on you lips, eyes, and cheeks. Its dusty rose hue is perfect for the fall. This kit is a limited edition priced at $40 (with a $90 value).

Another Sephora shoppers favorite brand is Philosophy. Who amongst us hasn't spent many an hour at Sephora smelling her way through the entire Philosophy display telling her girlfriend that the products smell good enough to eat?!?! I know I'm guilty!!! And then comes the dilema of trying to select just one scent to take home. For Sephora's 10th Birthday Philosophy has helped us out with that problem. Introducing the Philosophy Classic Cookbook, a collection of ten of Philosophy's favorite scents. The Classic Cookbook includes 2 oz. bottles of Strawberry Milkshake, Red Velvet Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Senorita Margarita, Coconut Frosting, Cinnamon Buns, Double Rich Hot Cocoa, Raspberry Sorbet, Vanilla Birthday Cake, and Melon Daiquiri. This is a great gift for any Philosophy addict as well as for the person who has never tried Philosophy but has always wanted to. How could you go wrong with 10 of Philosophy's best scents??? This limited edition set is available for $40.

There are many more 10th Anniversary gifts from companies like Fresh, Clinique, Urban Decay, Too Faced, and, of course, Sephora. These were just a few of my favorites that I could personally recommend. All of the 10th Anniversary items are limited edition and are obviously only available at Sephora. Happy Shopping!

Tarte Holiday Gift Sets

While I shouldn’t be surprised at all, Christmas items are popping up all over the place. Some people think that Christmas is rushed upon us, but I am not one of them. If it were up to me, I’d decorate for Christmas all year long. Christmas decorations just seem to make people happier. When I saw that my local Target and Menards had already had aisles with Christmas items in them, I knew it was only a matter of time before Holiday Gift Sets were going to be available from the beauty world. Today I found out that this is true.

Let’s start with Tarte Cosmetics. It’s no secret that I love Tarte Cosmetics. I look forward to Maureen Kelly’s collection of jam packed gift sets and unbelievably affordable prices each and every year. This year’s line continues to impress me.

Tarte Purse Your Lips Limited Edition Lipgloss Clutch is a lip gloss addicts dream come true. These glosses feature Tarte’s t5 super fruit complex™ making them packed full of antioxidants and vitamins that work to keep your skin looking young and gorgeous. This collection features nine (yes, 9) beautiful glosses in shades ranging from nudes to pinks to coppers to reds allowing you to create many versatile looks. The glosses come packaged in a gold clutch purse, perfect for the holiday season. The best part? The price! This $106 value is priced at only $39! That breaks the glosses down to a measly $4.33 each. Talk about a steal!

Year after year a favorite must have gift set is the Tarte Mini Cheek Stain set. This year they packaging is even jazzed up for the holidays. The Tres Cheek Limited Edition Mini Cheek Stain Set features 3 brand new shades of Tarte’s best known and most beloved product. Posh is a beautiful soft plum shade. Fierce is a light strawberry red. Chic is a golden coral peach. Just like the lip gloss set, I love this collection because the colors cover a wide range of shades. You can create countless looks with just these three shades. They are so sheer and blendable; don’t be afraid to combine shades to create a whole new look. The cheek stains also contain the t5 super fruit complex™ to keep you looking beautiful. The 3 cheek stains come packaged in a cute gold pouch (makes a great change purse or a small make-up case) and the tubes housing the cheek stains are gold for the holiday season too. This $50 value is priced at only $25.

Finally, The Vanity Limited Edition Palette is a must have for every make-up addict. I have the palette from last year and it still hasn’t run out! This year’s palette is chocked full of 16 BRAND NEW eye shadows, 16 BRAND NEW lip glosses, a deluxe Lights, Camera, Lashes! mascara, a deluxe Mineral Powder Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess, a deluxe luminizer, four powder blushes, and deluxe eyeshadow and eyelining brushes. I don’t even need to say anymore because this palette totally speaks for itself. This is the biggest value Tarte has to offer. It has a retail value of $494 and is a steal at the price of $52!

All of these gift sets are limited editions and are currently available at Sephora.com. Happy Shopping!

Bare Escentuals

There are a few things I wanted to talk about regarding Bare Escentuals. Instead of giving each one its own post, I figured I would just lump them all together.

First, I wanted to mention this awhile ago, I am so happy about the new Get Started Kits. I have given more of the original Get Started Kits as gifts than any other beauty product. It was always such a great way to introduce a friend to one of my favorite brands because they were super affordable and came with many products. That being said, most of the products were solely face products. Don't get me wrong, the Foundation and Mineral Veil put Bare Escentuals on the map, but what about eye shadows and lip colors??? That is why I love the new Get Started Kits. These new kits include 2 eye shadows, 1 eye liner, 1 blush, a Buxom lip gloss, a Heavenly Brush, a Double-Ended Contour & Define Brush, and a Angeled Blush Brush all for only $49. And just like the original Get Started Kits, these versions come in different sets for different skin tones.

Next, Bare Escentuals has created a new form of the Buxom Lips line. Buxom Lips Full Color is packed full of color for more full coverage than its Buxom Lips counterpart. The brush applicator (as opposed to the sponge tip applicator of the original Buxom Lips) allows you to pile on as much of the color as you desire. Although it is a gloss, it has the coverage ability of a lip stick.

I've tried this product and will say that it absolutely does deliver where full coverage color is concerned. However, I am disappointed because all of the colors available in this product are just too dark. Add Bare Escentuals to the list of cosmetics companies jumping on the dark lip band wagon. Perhaps they will introduce lighter colors in the Spring/Summer lines. Until then, I will pass. But I would recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a darker lip. You will not be disappointed.

Finally, if you are looking for some purplely eye shadows, the Face Fashion - The Look of Now Kit is a must have. This limited edition kit includes The limited-edition collection includes a Metallic Lavender Eyecolor (gray lavender), a Plush Purple Eyecolor (mulberry plum), a Smoky Sequins Liner Shadow (gunmetal gray), a Vintage Peach Blush (peach poppy), and a Mini Jessica Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish (copper pink). The eye colors make a beautiful smoky eye...much more subtler than the traditional black smokey eye, but just as powerful. The Jessica Buxom Lip Polish is a perfect compliment to the shadows as well. Just a hint of color so as not to distract from the eyes. This is a $55 value priced at just $34.

Don't forget to use coupon / promo code 10DAY to get a FREE 10 DAY SAMPLE OF BARE MINERALS SPF15 FOUNDATION AND BABY KABUKI BRUSH WITH ANY ORDER!!! Happy Shopping!

Let's Do Lunch Thursday At Smashbox

Time for another Let's Do Lunch Thursday at Smashbox.com. Today's free with purchase product is an Blush Soft Lights Duo in Sunbeam/Glimmer. This is a great product to give you a little sunkissed glow on your cheeks, especially as summer starts to wind down. Don't forget, you also get FREE SHIPPING with any order. Happy Shopping!

Limited Edition Lancome Juicy Tube In Rose Fishnets

Speaking of Lancome, have you guys seen the new Juicy Tube shade at Sephora??? Rose Fishnets is a new LIMITED EDITION shade that's "only at Sephora." It is gorgeous. I'm so excited that there is finally a new lip color that I am excited about. Although, I will admit that I was kind of looking forward to saving some money on lippies this Fall since I am not buying into the Goth look. Rose Fishnets is a rosey-nude shade that has a hint of gold sparkle to it and it packs great shine. I love it! It's a very universal shade that should compliment everyone's skintone. I've already picked up my tube, but I think I may need to get another one because I love this shade and don't want to run out anytime soon. It's available for $18.