Archives for May 2009

10 Days of Giveaways: Comment to Win Philosophy Unconditional Love Spray Fragrance

May 24th, 2009 by Karen 185 Comments

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I was a late blooming water baby…

Large bodies of water terrified me until I hit my mid-20s, before which time I could barely handle the shallow end of a pool!

Things changed on my 26th birthday.

That’s when I treated myself to a week of surf lessons with a couple girlfriends. We found the place online, booked the class and drove down from the Bay Area to San Diego in Southern California. The lessons and accompanying basic swimming instruction helped me get over my fear of the water for good.

By no means am I a great swimmer, but now, when I’m in the water I feel light, free and at peace with everything; all my worries slip away, and I feel loved — pure, unconditional love.

Was that too corny?

Sure it was, but it leads us to the prize in today’s giveaway. 🙂

The prize

philosophy-unconditional-love

One lucky lady will win a bottle of Philosophy’s Unconditional Love Spray Fragrance (a $40 value).

In Philosophy’s own words…

I can totally get behind that!

The scent smells like a yummy blend of blackberries, vanilla and musk. It’s one of those food fragrances that tempts me to gnaw off my arm when I’m wearing it, but I’m told that would be unwise. 🙂

How to enter

To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment at the bottom of this post. In it, complete the following sentence: I unconditionally love _______.

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59PM PST Sunday night (tonight).

Good luck, beauties!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Swim Fins and Snorkels: A Quick Hi from HI

May 23rd, 2009 by Karen 51 Comments

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Hi, ladies. 🙂 Happy Saturday. This was me at Shark’s Cove yesterday. Snorkeling was a lot of fun. When I get back to California in a couple days, I swear I’m going to get a pair of fins and snorkels to use at the community swimming pool. I don’t care if it makes me look crazy.

Right now I’m sitting here in the living room of my in-law’s place listening to the oldie’s radio station (which they listen to constantly) and sipping some coffee.

Let me know what you’re up to this weekend. I hope you’re having a good one.

Trying to look graceful at Shark's Cove
It’s hard to look graceful walking in swim fins…

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

21 MORE Skin Care Tips

May 23rd, 2009 by Karen 18 Comments

21 MORE Skin Care Tips

Here at my in-law’s, *everybody* falls asleep by 9. I’m a night owl by nature, so I’ve been staying up after they’ve all gone to bed, watching MTV shows on my laptop in the dark.

Last night I watched an episode of True Life that featured young people dealing with severe acne. It chronicled their journeys through various acne treatments and the emotional trauma caused by bad acne.

The show got me thinking about how appearance can affect self-esteem.

I remember going through a terrible bout with acne on my cheeks and forehead at age 19. It undermined my confidence and left me so emotionally sensitive that I’d cry whenever my mom or a close friend would even bring it up.

My skin eventually improved (it was Accutane that finally worked), but I’ll never forget the way I felt over that trying time in my life.

Because knowledge is power, I’m always looking for new skin care tips. Here are 21 more tips to go with the ones I posted last week.

I hope you find them as handy as I did. 🙂

Flawless Looking Skin: In this awesome video, YouTube member kandee describes how she cares for her skin, her favorite tips and product recommendations.

Aubrey’s Skin Care Routine: YouTube member Aubrey lists the products she uses to get her gorgeous, glowing skin.

What is Laser Skin Resurfacing ? Wonder what a laser peel is? This article answers some of the most important questions.

How to Exfoliate the Nose: It’s a tough area to work around, but the tips in this video can help.

Substitute with Soy Milk: Having trouble with acne flareups? A simple switch from dairy to soy milk may help, and here’s why.

What to Eat for Glowing Skin: To steal a quote from 30 Rock, one of my favorite TV shows, “Tracy, science is what we make it.” LOL! Not quite, but this post does have some scientific answers to why certain foods can help to heal and brighten a dull or damaged complexion.

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Lovin’ LUSH Massage Bars

May 23rd, 2009 by Karen 20 Comments

Today Jessica RD of Just Another Beauty Blog shares why it pays to venture inside fragrant stores.

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Here’s the story with me and LUSH: I’ve walked past the brand for 10 years, covering my nose each time I’d walk by one of their stores because I just couldn’t stand the strong smell (if you’ve ever walked by one, you know what I mean!).

I’d never even stepped inside, but one day I read in a magazine about LUSH Massage bars and thought the idea sounded pretty cool, so I decided to hold my breath and give it a try.

I am SO glad I did!

First, LUSH Massage bars can be used for much more than mere massage.

Other ways to use LUSH massage bars

Use it all over your body for intense moisturizing that leaves you smooth until you wash it off
Dab it on your lips for an ultra-soothing lip balm
Pre-shaving if you don’t have water around
Post-shaving to sooth irritation and dryness
As an air-freshener; leave it on your counter, and it will fill the room with its scent
Melt a bit in your hands, and put on gloves overnight for that just-manicured softness
And, of course, let it melt a bit, and use it for massages!

So quite a few uses — and those are just the ones I discovered!

These bars are so luxurious. They melt by the warmth of your skin and are the single most intense moisturizer I’ve ever used!

You can purchase them online from lushusa.com or lush.ca, or from your local LUSH store or counter. The prices vary somewhat for the different bars, but they all cost between $8-9USD each.

Bargain

When you buy any two, LUSH will throw in a tin to store them in (I recommend this because they can get a little messy on a hot day, leaving residue on your counter), but a good ol’ soap dish works just as well.

Natural

Keep in mind LUSH’s wonderful tradition of fresh, handmade cosmetics from natural and organic sources. These bars are something you can feel good about slathering all over!

Here are a few of the ones I love…

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Soft Coeur

This tiny heart-shaped massage bar was a hit around Valentine’s Day, and with real chunks of chocolate in it, how could I have ever resisted? This one’s definitely the richest of the bars I’ve tried; perhaps a little too rich for everyday moisturizing, but perfect as a luscious lip balm. The scent is nice, but you just don’t get enough for the price! It’s pretty — but I’d try a different one first. B+

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Nutts

The scent is just like it sounds — a very strong nutty, cocoa-butter smell which might be a little overpowering for some. The bar melts fast, which makes it great for massages or moisturizing quickly on the go, and the oval shape fits perfectly into the massage bar tin. A

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Mange Too

With honey and white chocolate, this is the bar I leave out to fill my room with its wonderful aroma. It’s also one of the biggest bars available and lasts a long time.

The bar stays fairly solid, which is great when moisturizing all over (you don’t want it goopy!); however, the only downside is the honeycomb shape doesn’t fit into either the square or the oval tin… which is why I cut mine in half! Other than that it gets top marks for the amazing scent. A

Others that people are raving about…

Therapy

Made with organic Neroli oil. It delivers a more aromatherapeutic scent (instead of one that makes you crave dessert), while also helping to reduce stretch marks!

Heavanilli

It’s the latest addition to the LUSH massage bar collection and one I am dying to try! If you love the scent of vanilla, you may not be able to take your hands off this one!

Let me know

Let me know what you guys think of LUSH Massage bars and if you’d recommend any other LUSH products!

Oh, and about the store, once you’re inside it only takes about 20 seconds to get accustomed to the smell 🙂

This post was written by Jessica RD of Just Another Beauty Blog. When she isn’t blogging or creating video makeup tutorials, you’ll find her studying to be a doctor, beautifying others as a freelance makeup artist or working in a medical office. She loves MAC, NARS, Benefit, NYX, Coastal Scents and Covergirl.

10 Days of Giveaways: Comment to Win NARS Sandra Eyeshadow Duo

May 23rd, 2009 by Karen 156 Comments

NARS Sandra Eyeshadow Duo
The beach at Haleiwa on Oahu’s North Shore

Snorkeling doesn’t bite

I’ve mentioned Shark’s Cove before as a top snorkeling spot here on Oahu. Another, more famous one is Hanauma Bay, but Shark’s Cove is free and easily accessible (there’s a fee to park and visit Hanauma Bay).

The cove gets its name from the shape of the reef as seen from above and NOT because it’s crawling with sharks. 🙂

It’s located right off the side of the road across the street from a grocery store and a snorkeling rental shop, and visiting is as easy as parking the car.

Yesterday El Hub and I spent a few hours tooling around in the water, joining schools of fish and looking for sea turtles (no luck!).

NARS Sandra Eyeshadow Duo

After a summery afternoon spent exploring undersea worlds, a girl’s gotta have colors she can wear out at night, like the two colors featured in today’s giveaway.

The prize

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One lucky lady will win the NARS Sandra Eyeshadow Duo (a $32 value).

NARS used the same longwearing crease resistant formula they use for their single eyeshadows in this useful color combination of Bone and Silver Mist. Worn together or alone (wet or dry), they can be applied sheer or built up for a more dramatic effect.

Richly pigmented powders
Effortless blending and color coordinated
Multifunction: use as eyeshadow, eyeliner or on eyebrows

How to enter

To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment with the name of your favorite eyeshadow duo OF ALL TIME!

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59PM PST Saturday night.

Onnea!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order: The Next Sizzling Summer Shade for Your Nails

May 22nd, 2009 by Karen 17 Comments

Today Johnie, makeup artist and blogger behind The Beauty Junkie, shares why you shouldn’t miss Sephora by OPI’s Mermaid to Order nail polish.

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Remember Sephora’s Metro Chic? It was their OPI “it” color for Fall 2008, and its popularity made it hard to snag online or in stores for months. An interesting gray with a hint of purple, it quickly became one of my favorites.

Well, Sephora has done it again. Their latest “it” color for Summer 2009, judging by the attention it’s getting, is Mermaid to Order ($9), a color from the new Mermaid in the Shade collection.

The collection was just released online, and I have a few friends who helped me pull the color from stock they hadn’t yet put on the sales floor. They tell me I’m the first to own it in my area!

According to the Sephora sales associates I know, Mermaid to Order is the next Metro Chic — the color they’re all craving and raving about, and that includes me!

Sephora says the Mediterranean island of Capri inspired the Mermaid in the Shade collection, how it “captures the deep blues and aqua hues of the oceans.”

Mermaid to Order is described as a “shimmering deep green blue.” I love love love its gorgeous metallic finish!

The shade makes a beautiful mani or pedi color for summer, being particularly eye catching on piggies and perfect for summer!

If you haven’t picked it up yet, you better hurry. This one’s predicted to sell out fast.

Mermaid to Order retails for $9.

The Mermaid in the Shade collection includes five other can’t-miss shades as well. Next one I’d like to try: Underwater Fantasy. It’s a shimmering cornflower blue, and like the other colors in the collection, it’s limited additions (LE), so it won’t be here forever. 🙂

This post was written by Johnie, a makeup artist and self-proclaimed beauty junkie who writes about the beauty world from an insider’s perspective. Follow her online at The Beauty Junkie.

Make Up For Ever 101

May 22nd, 2009 by Karen 10 Comments

Today Krasey Beauty of KraseyBeauty.com gives us some essentials to look for when getting started with the Make Up For Ever line.

Make Up For Ever

Divas, listen up cause I’ve got something to say
I have some hot little numbers heading your way
Pigment like whoa
Makeup lovahs say HO!
Colors so smooth they will blow you away
MUFE, what, what?!

OK, so I may not have a future career in rapping, but this freelance artist and beauty blogger is here to spread the word about a little brand called Make Up For Ever.

Created in 1984 by painter-turned-makeup artist Dany Sanz, Make Up For Ever has become the go-to brand of professional artists and hardcore makeup junkies alike (click here to see some looks).

The beauty of the brand is that it isn’t about fancy packaging or limited editions but rather quality and versatility. All Make Up For Ever products are suitable for applications from everyday to runway. No fillers and synthetic fragrances are used, so all you get are pure pigments and high performance.

What started for me as a cosmetic one night stand quickly turned into a full-on hot and heavy relationship. My humble collection of just one eyeshadow soon morphed into a dozen lipsticks, 48 eyeshadows, foundation, sculpting powder, star powders, and everything else under the sun.

So what are the essentials?

Well, here we go! — and I promise; no more rapping 😉

The Eyeshadows

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Without a doubt, one of the brightest stars of the Make Up For Ever line has to be the eyeshadows. Providing a full spectrum of colors, these eyeshadows are hella pigmented and smoother than David Beckham on the soccer field.

What are the color must-haves? Well, I thought you would never ask.

If you can only get one color, without a doubt it should be number 92; a matte vibrant purple.

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow No. 92

Have a little more room in your budget? Go for 5 (orangey coral matte), 168 (shimmery turquoise blue), and 10 (a shimmery gold).

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow No.5

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow No.168

Make Up For Ever Eyeshadow No. 10

My list of must-have shades goes on and on, but I recognize that not everybody’s last name is Rockefeller or Hilton. That being said, you can definitely save some green by purchasing the shadows in refill pan form (available in the studio story only). A shadow pan sans compact is only $13, NICE!

HD Foundation

Released in 2008, Make Up For Ever’s HD Foundation caters to the HD TV generation. Offering buildable coverage, this foundation conceals imperfections, and mimics skin’s natural texture. The end result is neither dewy nor matte; but somewhere in between. It literally makes you look like you have flawless skin! With a range of 25 shades to choose from, you should definitely be able to find a match!

Star Powder

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If you’re a fan of MAC pigments, then you will LOVE the Star Powders. These multipurpose loose powders come in an array of gorgeous shimmering shades.

The Star Powders are super smooth, with kicked up microshimmers, and I’m especially fond of 920 (golden sunny yellow), 955 ( a plum with heavy blue duochrome) and 910 (a shimmery lime).

Aqua Creamliners

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These might just be the sleeper hits of the collection. Not as well known as the Aqua Eyes pencils but just a bit more fabulous.

For an eyeliner that won’t budge for love or money, look no further than the Aqua Creamliners. Available in 6 matte shades, these cream liners go on smooth without skipping and will last through pretty much anything. I find that MAC Fluidlines tend to be a bit too creamy and thus tend to skip.

These Creamliners, however, are definitely dryer and therefore aren’t as prone to skip. I love that they’re matte, too, as shimmery liners can sometimes appear uneven.

Want the full color spectrum? Definitely go for 4 (a brilliant turquoise), 5 (deep plum), and 6 (vibrant hunter green).

Well, there you have it — some of my favorite MUFE morsels! 😉

It took every ounce of strength I had not to reach for the soapbox and wax poetic about my love for this brand.

This post was written by the lovely Krasey Beauty of KraseyBeauty.com. Born and raised in New York City, she blogs about the best in beauty from her hometown.

10 Days of Giveaways: Comment to Win Redken Color Extend Products

May 22nd, 2009 by Karen 129 Comments

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The Shark’s Cove tide pools and snorkeling spot on Oahu’s North Shore

You have been targeted for termination, McG!

Happy Friday, girls. This week flew by, didn’t it? Got anything fun lined up for the weekend?

Are you a fan of the Terminator movies? The new one with C-Bale just came out. I loved the first two films and liked the TV show (I heard it got canceled, SHOOT!), but the new McG movie has my spider sense tingling, and not in a good way.

If you see it this weekend, let me know what you thought. Did McG do a good job, or should he have stuck with Charlie’s Angels movies and music videos?

Cyborg hair

Like cyborgs (now there’s a transition you don’t hear very often), we humans can change the color of our hair pretty easily. Earlier this month I dyed my roots, and now it’s a matter of extending the life of the coloring before I have to do it again.

That’s where the products in today’s giveaway come in…

The prize

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One lucky lady will win two products from the Redken Color Extend line (a $27 value):

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How to enter

It’s easy to enter and only takes a minute. To enter, just leave a quick comment on this post describing the color of your hair.

I’ll choose the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59PM PST tonight (Friday).

Semoga Beruntung!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen