Zooey Magazine & Exposed Cosmetics: Prize Pack!

Early July, I entered the Zooey Magazine & Exposed Cosmetics giveaway! Giveaways are so much fun to enter and although I don't win 99.9999% of the time, I occasionally do! :) I was ecstatic to win this amazing collection Exposed Cosmetics products, including many brightly colored eyeshadows, blush, lipgloss, their purifying oil and nectar (to make these shadows pop)! I've been a fan of mineral makeup for many years so to learn about Exposed Cosmetics and trying out these fun colors, I couldn't resist! They have lots more on their website, neutral everyday shades too if these are too bold.

Thank you to Zooey Magazine and Exposed Cosmetics for the giveaway!




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Summer Trend: White Makeup Tips from Carmindy

Summer Trend to Try: White Makeup

Make sure to try this hot trend before summer ends

This is a TotalBeauty.com makeup trends article It may sound crazy, but using white makeup can bring depth to your dimensions and make your features pop -- that is, if you use the color correctly. Carmindy of "What Not to Wear" gives how-to tips that will help you see how wearable this color can be. Get her tips

Earth Science beauty samples at Whole Foods

Samples galore! At a recent trip to Whole Foods, a representative from EarthScience (no, not the subject, but the skincare brand) was there to introduce customers to their products. I learned about their plethora of facial, haircare and skin products, including their new Active Age Defense line. After chatting and sampling some of the handcream, I walked away w/ a few samples to take home.

The Gentle Skin Peel- a facial with papaya and glycolic is a must for exfoliating and getting your skin at its best. I never gotten an actual "peel" so I can't compare, but I imagine this is what it must feel like. It's fruity and makes your skin feel a bit tight & tingly, but I feel like my dead skin cells are lifted away. Will be getting this the next time I visit Whole Foods again!

Citress Shampoo & Conditioner- This fruity shampoo & conditioner smells wonderful! It left my hair feeling clean & fresh! I brought this with me on my recent trip and it came in handy! Love bringing samples with me since they're easy to use and then throwaway!



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Green Your School Competition Presented by Pureology

As an Influenster member, I wanted to share this GREEN opportunity for your local schools. You can nominate your school to win a green makeover in Global Green USA's competition presented by Pureology. By entering your school in this competition, you get the chance to help your local school and benefit the children that attend. A Greener school means healthier kids in attendance, water conservation, improved student's performance and much more! If you're an Influenster member, (Sign up now!) and you enter the contest, you can even win a special Pureology gift package!

Enter now: www.pureology.com/greenschools



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Conair presents John Frieda's Hair Styling Tools

Calling all John Frieda® haircare fans! If you're looking to get some gorgeous, loose curls, then you should try the new Conair & John Frieda styling hair tools that debuted earlier this summer. The collection includes a straightener, blowdryer, as well as 3 curling irons in these sizes: 1", 1 .25", and a 1.5" curler. All curlers have an Advanced Ionic Conditioning and True Ceramic Technology to help you get smooth and lasting curls.

The curling iron above is the 1.25" barrel curler to get medium sized curls. It features a 30 second heat-up (nice & quick! Esp. when you're crunched for time) and 11 digital heat settings. Temperatures can reach as high as 400°F, uber hot so be careful! The curler comes with a heat pad so you can rest the iron.

Overall, what caught my eye is the sleek design of this curling iron. Not only does it does its job by giving my gorgeous curls, its sophisticated look livens the rest of my collection! :)

See more details...


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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My August Birchbox is here!

My August Birchbox arrived last week! I saw sneak previews of other birchboxer's and I thought I would get lots of hair samples that I wasn't interested in and they didn't seem too happy about theirs either. So I was apprehensive that mine would be the same... (See my JULY Birchbox here.)

But- and that's a big but- my box was completely different! I had samples that I am excited about using including BeFine's night cream & facial scrub, a Kate Spade fragrance sample, blinc's tube mascara (always wanted to try this!) and a LiftLab serum (not too crazy about this though). I was hoping I would get a Caudalie sample, since I attended the Caudalie & Birchbox summer break party earlier this month. But, I wasn't one of the lucky bunch. ;\

See details of the box..

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Schick Intuition Limited Edition Razors- For Travel!

Just a few more weeks until Labor Day and if you're going on a getaway this month, don't forget to pack the new Schick Intuition razor. Smooth legs go with every outfit, so whether you're camping or jetting for the weekend, the Intuition Plus razor will help you get exactly that! This is a razor that I remember coming out many years ago- a soap-bar that acts as a shaving cream around the razor blades- all in 1! These new limited-edition designs, available until September, are colorful so you can spot them in your bag!


The Schick Intuition Plus Renewing Moisture Razor above is the Pomegranate scent with a fun, pink razor handle. This 4-bladed razor & pivoting head gives you the precise shave to get you the smoothest legs possible. Each package contains a shower hanger and a travel cap, as well as two refill cartridges. For me, each cartridge can last months- even after the moisturizing solid around the razor is gone. Overall, this is a great travel choice and I already have this packed in my bags! Bon Voyage!


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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KushyFoot- New products to Kushion your Feet!

My shoes and I have a love/hate relationship. I love new shoe styles but they're never designed for my unperfectly wide feet.. hence I'm always looking for ways wide shoes and new ways to get my feet comfortable. I have seen KushyFoot products, especially their socks, at my local drugstore but recently got to try some of their newest products! These stylish and comfortable socks & flats are great to have as part of your stash. Also love that it is affordable too!

If you've tried these before, what is your favorite?

Here are some of my faves:

Kushyfoot Super Ultra Low Cut: Their Foot Covers must be their most popular item because they're the most basic (& useful) of their women's sock products. These low cut socks include padding for the front of your toes, so each step you take is definitely "kushy." The new super ultra low cut socks have an additional heel guard to protect the back of your feet, so the sock cushions all over. If you're wearing looser shoes, these will also help make your shoe fit a bit snug! These come in 2 pairs per pack for ~$8.

Lace Foot Cover: Looking for a more stylish sock? Get the same comfort of the regular foot covers in a more dressy material- lace! These come in several colors- black, nude, pink, ivory & white. The cushion is similar to the foot covers above with the great cushion on the bottom. Love wearing these under my heels and knowing that I've got lace on my feet. :)

FLATS, FLATS, FLATS!!! If you're in dire need of a handy dandy pair of flats after your feet grow tired of walking in your 3 inch heels all day, then

(TOP: Snakeskin pattern, BOTTOM: perforated pattern)

Flats To Go: If you're tired of wearing your 3 inch heels, these flats, in a convenient plastic tote, are great to store in your purse! They're super flexible and the sides are stretchy so my wide-feet even fit in these! (YAY!) These have a very thin sole though, so don't expect to wear these regularly as flats- emergencies only! They do come in cute patterns- alligator, snakeskin and a solid white with some holes. I normally wear a size 6.5 wide and I had to opt for the size 7-8 pair. Each pair costs $9.99



(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Perfect for Summer Hair Products

7 Perfect-for-Summer Hair Products

Don't let humidity bring you (and more importantly, your hair) down with these 7 new products

This is a TotalBeauty.com hair care products article From frizzy hair to oily roots, what's a girl to do to combat the nasty side effects of summer? You can keep your hair looking "effortlessly" beautiful -- humidity and heat be damned -- with this season's newest, most stellar hair care products. See products

Smashbox Limitless Beauty kit

Smashbox has a new beauty kit called Limitless Beauty. All of the products were packaged together to help you achieve a daytime look and evening look. The looks will help you achieve a soft, neutral eye during the day and a smokier eye for night. Both eye looks are achieved w/ coral lips & pink cheeks.

Smashbox's Limitless Beauty includes:
• Blush Rush in Everlasting
• Limitless Long Wear Lip Gloss SPF 15 in ’Round the Clock
• Limitless Eye Liner in Java
• Travel Size Photo Finish Foundation Primer
• Limitless Beauty Waterproof Eye Shadow Palette & Brush

See more...
As you can see, the kit contains the essentials- except for the face makeup of course!

My two faves from this kit are the eye shadow palette, which contains romantic neutrals- beautiful shimmery taupes and golden highlights, and the Blush Rush cheek color! The pinky coral powder blush is so angelic! It is a bit sheer but the color is def. buildable to your taste.

Get your kit at smashbox.com here!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers

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3 DIY Hair Treatments for Summer

3 DIY Hair Treatments for Summer-Ravaged Hair

Love the sun, but hate what it does to your once-silky hair? Restore moisture and shine to your dried out tresses with these recipes

This is a TotalBeauty.com budget hair care article Summer's all about the sun, beach, and outdoor activities -- great for your weekend plans, but destructive to your poor hair. If the last thing you can afford to drop a bunch of cash on right now is some fancy-pants salon revitalizing treatment, read on. These DIY solutions will wow you. Get recipes

Sally Hansen New Hair Removal Tools

It's DIY time! This summer I tested the Sally Hansen's new DIY Simple Spa Wax Warmer Kit for Face & Body. If you've got some peach fuzz going on, either above your lips, arms or wherever else, try this easy, but slightly messy, DIY wax kit at home. Note: This is even easy enough for newbies too. I'm a newbie myself but I have used a wax strips before and it's quite paintful!

To learn more about the kit...

As you can see, the kit comes with a jar of wax, a machine for you to plug into, 6 wooden sticks (3 small, 3 large). It took about 10 minutes for the wax to get into a gooey consistency, and using one the larger wooden stick, I slathered it on a part of my leg until it was even.

After 5-7 minutes, the wax was pretty much dry enough for me to painfully peel it off my legs. Once done, voila! Stubble-free legs! Then, it was time to slather on body butter to soften & coat my legs. The wax already contains green tea to help calm and soothe, but I like using body butter regardless. Tip: Wax in an air-conditioned, cool room if possible. No need to sweat & wax, if you get the jist!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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NYC's Eye Love New York Collection

Eye Love New York! That's the slogan for NYC cosmetics (NYC standing for New York Color) bright eye color collection that is currently available at your local drugstores. These single eyeshadows are great if you're tired of your regular shadows and need some color- ranging from bright blue to a lime green. They also have neutrals to pair w/ the brights to create a smoky effect. Here are the colors I was able to test and some swatches.

These swatches are made with just my fingers. The little brush in each eyeshadow case are too small but good for using as an eyeliner, but definitely not as a shadow. The colors are not as opaque as I thought they would be. They're bright in the packaging but not so much when I wear them. (Note: I didn't use primer for these swatches.) They were also slightly chalky at first, but they're blendable and good if you're looking for just subtle color. If you're not looking for anything too over the top, these are a great affordable alternative. :) Check out your nearest drugstore for these single eyeshadows!



My favorite teal blue shadow from the collection.

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Inifiniti Pro by Conair: Spin Air Brush

Looking to bring volume at your roots without the hassle of a brush & a blowdryer? Then you have to try the new InfinitiPro by Conair's latest product- Spin Air Brush! This handy device will dry your hair and give you the option of curling your hair or bringing volume at the roots. Replacing my blowdryer this summer, I have been using this Spin Air Brush non-stop to get smooth hair when I'm not using the "spinning" option and curled ends when I do use the "spinning" of the brush. I've been seeing less frizz on my hair after using this due to the even ceramic heating this tool provides.

When I first saw this, I didn't really think this product was going to be a hit. After my first use, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to dry my hair in several sections while giving my hair oomph!

There are two buttons (the ones sticking out) to control the rotation of the brush. It's conveniently located so your thumbs can press it down. Your hair can easily be wrapped around the brush once you press the spin button, so be careful! Once you have a section rolled around the brush, let it stay heated for a few seconds and then have it on "cool" to set.

Get your Spin Air Brush at the Conair Store here.

For more TIPS & TRICKS...


(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Thymes: New Bergamot Vert Collection

Spceialty fragrance brand, Thymes, has a new collection this summer. With a Mediterranean theme, Bergamot Vert is a blend of essentials oils to lift your spirits and make you feel like you're on vacation. (I'm already back from my Fiji trip, right? ;) I kid.) Bergamot Vert products contains notes of citrus, balsamic cypress, light jasmine and light musk. The paraben-free formula for its collection is perfect for the rest of this summer and into fall.

I tried the Bubble Bath, more as a body wash actually since I don't have a bath, and I felt so relaxed. The scent was extremely pleasant and notably zesty and musky which is a nice combination. The formula was rich and lathering (using my wonderful EcoTools shower pouf!) Thymes has done it again with another great scent, as I love their other scents that I have tried, including Agave Nectar & Kimono Rose.

These will also make a great housewarming gift for the summer, especially an assortment from this line. The products range from $12-$30, so they're affordable & chic! Enjoy the citrus.. :)

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Welcome Caudaulie-usa.com !

If you read my earlier post on Caudalie, you would have seen some of my summer picks from this French brand. They're here in the States and I am happy to announce their new website, www.caudalie-usa.com , has arrived! To celebrate, they are offering all US customers 15% off their purchase with code: NEWSITE, until 8/15/11. (See more codes or cashback opportunites at eBates.)

Caudalie were generous to send me a few more products to celebrate their launch, including my MUST-HAVE Beauty Elixir. Just in time too b/c I am almost done with my first bottle.. What can I say? It's been a sweaty summer. :)

I was most excited to try their most talked about eye cream product, Premier Cru, which by the way, Caudalie will be in this month's August Birchboxes!! (What is Birchbox?) This eye cream instantly hydrates the delicate skin underneath my eyes and I really think it has actually lightened it too. My dark bags do not seem so dark anymore and love how it makes my eyes feel like a million bucks! ($95, USD, actually) I use a bit of an eye brightener to top it off during the daytime and voila- a refreshed, new me! Check out the new website- www.caudalie-usa.com to see your favorite Caudalie products. Don't forget, with the 15% off special using "NEWSITE", you also get 3 DELUXE SAMPLES with every order & FREE SHIPPING on orders over $50!

Birchbox and Caudalie had a special SPA event for birchbox members only. :) Psyched to have attended- recap coming soon!

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Sally Hansen Crackle Overcoats- Let's get crackling!

Have you crackled yet this summer? If not, there's still time to join the crackle train! You may or may have not heard about this trend already, but these crackle nailpolishes literally crack as a topcoat. It provides a sneak peek to the shade you're wearing as a base with a nice pattern. I have pretty small nails so the crackling unfortunately for me can be quite minimal. The Sally Hansen crackle collection includes the 8 colors, ranging from glittery gold & silver to black and white. I particularly like the shimmery ones as top coats, crackle or not, so they're my personal preference. I did like the solid red and blue topcoats because they were opaque enough to actually see the crackle.

Overall, testing these polishes out were quite fun. They're something different and exciting to look at and if you mess up on the polish a bit, it doesn't really matter. You can't tell!

I do have to note that the scent is particularly strong so please work in a well ventilated area- no need to take in nailpolish fumes when you don't need to! Also I wish the brushes were the same as the Pro Manicure brushes- wide and rounded! Happy Cracklin'! :)

(Disclaimer: I received this product from this company's PR agency to test, try and share my thoughts with my readers.)

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Skincare Consultations by Clinique at participating Sephoras

Get your skincare consultations by Clinique with their new diagnostic tool on the Apple iPad in participating Sephora stores. The events kick off this Friday, August 5th at the Sephora 5th Ave. with special guest PEOPLE StyleWatch Beauty Director at 5pM. See below for the schedule.

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