IBS NY- International Beauty Show 2011 - Recap

On March 6-8, the International Beauty Show took place at Jacob Javits Convention Center. This year was the first year I attended this show in New York and I was super excited to go! I went on the first day and it was so crowded but so worth it.. Had fun meeting up with a few of my blogger pals too! :)

Makeup trade shows are a great chance to learn more about my favorite brands and new ones as well. Lots of beauty professionals, vendors, and the press attended this event to get the latest scoop on what's new in the beauty industry. The great thing about going to these shows is learning new brands and seeing your favorites as well. I saw a lot of focus on hair & nails, which were fine because I got some goodies for my nails! :)

Stay tuned for my haul!
I took a few pictures of my favorite booths..

To see more including Stila, Moroccan Oil, China Glaze, Essie and OPI...


Moroccan Oil products


Stila eyeshadows, lip glosses and more!
Essie's French Affair nail polishes & OPI's 90210 nail polishes


China Glaze polishes... :)

If you missed the show, there's two more coming up in NYC.. stay tuned for more info!

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Tarte Cosmetics from Meg's Makeup

Last week I received the most wonderful surprise from Meg of MegsMakeup.com! I usually get treats from her when I redeem my makeup points, so this was truly unexpected! She was so sweet to send me a "rewards" package- which included a few goodies from Tarte Cosmetics and a Lash Em! Since Tarte came out with new products earlier this year with Amazonian Clay for long lasting power, I have been eyeing a few of them to add to my collection. The reviews on Meg's Makeup also made me want them even more!

My thoughts on the products?

	Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful - If you're looking to look "Blissful" this warm peach color will give you a gorgeous glow. It's got Amazonian Clay, Vitamins A, C & E so it's great for your skin.
	Tarte Illuminating Serum - This serum will help brighten your skin. It's formulated to control oilies & hydrate your skin naturally with Amazonian Clay's many benefits. When doing a swatch, I got a weird allergic reaction. But I'm testing it again (for the love of BEAUTY) to see if it was just a fluke.. stay tuned!

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Looking for Free Beauty Events?

My friends and I are always on the lookout for a good beauty event to attend. Whether the event is free or not, (probably better if it's free & fun!) beauty events are great for a girl's night out. I recently came across a site called Free Beauty Events, that lists beauty events nationwide. So whether you're staying local or traveling, you can do a quick search for nearby events by city/state/zip.

In addition to their Free Beauty Events listing, they have a monthly giveaway! In March, they will be giving 10 lucky readers a L'Oreal gift set including L’Oreal Visible Lift Serum Absolute Advanced Age-Reversing Makeup, EverStrong Bodify Shampoo, and EverStrong Hydrate Shampoo! Enter here!

What else does FreeBeautyEvents.com have to offer? They also have occasional contests, beauty reviews and more on their beauty blog. :) So if you're looking for free beauty events, makeover, product demos, or if you even know of any nearby, you can do a quick search OR submit your own events on this site!

Check out www.freebeautyevents.com for more info! :)

Bliss Products at the W Hotel

Ahh, Bliss! Get Bliss-ful at the W Hotel with their toiletries from Bliss Spa in the Lemon & Sage scent (one of my absolute favorites b/c of its pleasant citrus-y scent). You can get squeaky clean when you try their soap, shampoo, conditioner, body butter and body wash! (Also face wash which I didn't take home)

Read more Totalbeauty.com reviews on Bliss Lemon & Sage products here.


My review..
The soap is one of the first products I have tried from Bliss over 6 years ago. I like how it has little bumps at the end which acts as a massager. The shampoo/conditioner combo left my hair smelling fab. The body butter is also very moisturizing after using the body wash to get sudsy clean. Overall, you can't go wrong with a lot of their products from Bliss. Smells delicious and if you're a fan, I recommend the Body Butter b/c you can keep applying to smell it all day long.

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Mally Beauty Evercolor Shadow Stick Review (from Meg's Makeup)

Happy March! My latest makeup obsession are sticks- eyeshadow sticks, chubby lip sticks, etc.- so I was excited to get from my Meg's Makeup gift package last month the Mally Beauty Evercolor Shadow Stick in Gunmetal. (read more TotalBeauty.com reviews here!)

I have heard wonderful things about Mally Beauty products so I was psyched to try this. Eyeshadow sticks are the best way to get quick easy color on your lids- can double as an eyeliner- and create a gorgeous smoky eye look. The staying power of Mally's shadow stick ($25, USD) is incredible. Smudgeable right after you put it on but once it sets, it stays! Putting on eyeshadows in the morning takes me just a few minutes. :)

See more from my Meg's Makeup gift package...


Gunmetal is a great dark silver color to wear during the day and evenings. The intensity is built when you apply a second layer but one is recommended for a daytime look. Easy to wear, and simple. The formula is great I'm hooked on Mally's products now. 'Smoke on!

I kinda want to try the Mally City Chick Smokey Eye Kit too.

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NYC PrettyCity & JAFRA Color Makeup Launch- Recap

Last Thursday, NYC PrettyCity gals celebrated the new color makeup collection of JAFRA USA at Marquee. Gals were getting makeovers with JAFRA makeup artists, nail polish changes, dry styling and snacking on artichoke pizza and cupcakes! (yum, yum!) The overall ambiance was great- lots of people were mingling and enjoying themselves. I too had a good time- got my hair curled and played with JAFRA products. :)

Check out more pictures for yourself...

These were delicious cupcakes by the way!!



JAFRA foundation- didn't try these but there are plenty of shades to choose from.


Eyeshadows galore! Singles & trios- We got a trio eyeshadow in our goodie bags too.

The dessert table- jelly beans and Rock candy (not shown) along with JAFRA makeup in the back as decoration. However by the end of the night, people were taking them the makeup and they were all gone.


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PrettyCity & Sothy's event- Goodie Bag

At the recent PrettyCity & Sothy's event, all attendees received a delightful goodie bag, valued at over $200. Each bag contained a plethora of beauty products from brands such as Sothy's, DuWop, Everyday Minerals, China Glaze and more!



Like the goodies? Then don't miss the next event on Thursday, March 3 for the launch of JAFRA makeup's Spring collection !


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2011 Oscars: Hairstyle Predictions

Hairstyle Predictions for the 2011 Oscars

See how we think the Oscar nominees, presenters and guests should wear their hair on Sunday

This is a TotalBeauty.com celebrity hairstyles article We picked some of our favorite hairstyles seen in the past and thanks to Photoshop placed them onto the heads of these following actresses that will be at the 2011 "Academy Awards." So … what do you think? See hairstyles

JUARA Skincare: Facial Moisturizer Sample from MegsMakeup.com

In one my goodie packages from Meg's Makeup last year, I received a sample of the JUARA Skincare Sweet Black Tea & Rice Facial Moisturizer. I intended to use it for travel but since I didn't go anywhere this winter, (hello snow!) I couldn't wait any longer.

My thoughts? I was impressed with how good this moisturizer felt on my skin.. It has a very pleasant scent, made of fermented sweet black tea and rice bran oil and a lightweight formula that made my skin instantly smooth. My cheeks are particularly dry during the winter and so I slathered this on right before I went to bed. It's the combination of the scent and the way my skin feels so nourished that I am itching to get the full-size bottle of this moisturizer!

On their website, Juaraskincare.com, I was only tempted to get MORE stuff, including their top seller- Rice Facial Cleanser and their oil-free moisturizer
Sweet Black Tea & Ginger Mattefying Moisturizer for the summer!

Read more reviews on JUARA Skincare at TotalBeauty.com!


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New Anti-Aging Beauty Products

New Products Alert: Anti-Aging Goods

Short of building your own time machine, these anti-aging technologies are the newest innovations in fighting those stubborn lines

This is a TotalBeauty.com anti-aging skin care article When meeting a certain age (which shall remain numberless), time becomes the enemy. But, that doesn't mean you can't fight back. To help you in your war, we're here to share the latest anti-aging innovations. See products

February 18 is National Wine Day!

Today's is National Wine Day! Now that NY Fashion Week is officially over, there's another reason to celebrate. While you're out at your favorite bar tonight or staying in with your girlfriends, have a drink in one of Lolita's beautifully designed wine glasses. Here are some examples:

There are new Stemless Wine Glasses from Lolita and this is by far my favorite SPRING design called "Ooops-a-Daisy." Check it out here.

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Heart Healthy Foods with Beauty Benefits

8 Heart Healthy Foods with Beauty Benefits

See how these foods affect your beauty from the inside out

This is a TotalBeauty.com health and beauty article To get the full scoop on precisely which beauty bonuses we can expect from eating the top 8 heart healthy foods (February is heart health month, FYI), we talked to three experts in the field. Find out what they had to say … See foods