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Archives for November 2009

Two Ways to Win Philosophy’s Hope for the Best!

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win philosophy hope for the best top

Winter’s right around the corner brrr..., and for many of us that means switching up ye olde skin care routine to include richer, more moisturizing products.

But no matter which season we’re talking about, one product I won’t stop turning to is Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser.

A creamy face wash for dirt, oil and makeup, it never rubs my combination dry/oily skin the wrong way, and that makes it a staple in my skin care arsenal.

It also brings me to the topic of this post…

Ready for a mid-week giveaway? 🙂

The prize

One lucky lady will win Philosophy’s Hope For the Best kit, with a bottle of Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser, one Hope in Jar face cream and an Eye Hope eye cream (a $42 value).

win philosophy hope for the best box 1

win philosophy hope for the best box 2

How to enter…

2ways2enterEntering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.

First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. In it, tell me about something you hope for. Your answer can be as long or as short as you like.

I hope my friends and family stay healthy for many years to come, and even though the odds are totally stacked against me, I kinda hope I win the lottery.

Follow me
Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

RT @karenmbb: RT to win Philosophy’s Hope for the Best skin care (a $42 Value) http://bit.ly/4iRSBL

Recap…

  1. Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
  2. Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:

    RT @karenmbb: RT to win Philosophy’s Hope for the Best skin care (a $42 value) http://bit.ly/4iRSBL

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday, November 13.

ขอให้โชคดี!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Too Faced Glamour To Go III Palette: These Eyes Have It

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Too Faced Glamour To Go iii Palette Review closed

The folks at Too Faced Cosmetics are making sure good things come in small packages.

Their latest Glamour to Go Palette (Glamour to Go III, $20) — the third in a series of travel-friendly sets for face, cheeks and eyes — is a lean, mean makeup machine!

Too Faced Glamour To Go iii Palette Review pocket palette

Too Faced nailed the “to go” part, stuffing this slim shady (I love the pink roses on the front!) with eight eyeshadows, a blush and four lipglosses. The sturdy palette easily fits in the palm of my hand, yet despite its diminutive stature looks like it could take a beating from phones, keys and random cans of cat food squirreled away in a purse. 🙂

Color-wise, I think the stars of this show are the eyeshadows. With a good mix of wearable neutrals and fun accent shades, the eight shimmery shades of gold, light pink, dark pink, taupe, black, bronze, silver and violet cover a wide range of potential looks, and I really like them for quick washes of color on my lids.

Too Faced Glamour To Go iii Palette Review swatches
Eyeshadow swatches, top row: gold, light pink, dark pink and taupe; Eyeshadow swatches, bottom row: black, bronze, silver and violet

As for texture and color payoff, the smoothness and rich pigmentation of these shadows remind me of something Urban Decay would create. In other words, good stuff.

Oh, and if you’re a fan of Benefit’s Coralista, check out Glamour to Go III’s blush — a shimmery, peachy pink with a hint of gold that I’m guessing would look great with a snowboarder’s tan.
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Sandra Bullock: Her Best Hair?

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sandra-bullock-hair-poll

The year was 1995; the movie was The Net, starring newbie movie starlet Sandra Annette Bullock (born July 26, 1964).

Does anyone else remember watching that movie and wondering, “What’s this Internet thing they keep talking about?” LOL! Times sure have changed. 🙂

Sandra was just three credits shy of a degree from East Carolina University when she dropped everything and headed to New York to pursue acting.

Things worked out, to say the least, with more than 30 films to her credit, among them, Speed, Miss Congeniality, Crash and, most recently, The Proposal (which I really liked!).

Which of Sandra's hairstyles do you like best?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

The Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate Brush Set for Holiday 2009: Elegant, But Do They Bring It?

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sonia kashuk holiday 2009 twist of fate brushes in clutch
Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate Brush Set, $20

Earlier this decade, Sonia Kashuk reinvented the budget brush market, making drugstore makeup brushes cool. For the holidays this year, she’s taking that budget luxe philosophy another big step forward by introducing a line with twisted faux-sliver handles that won’t break the bank.

But looks aren’t everything, and to find out if Sonia’s new brushes bring the noise, I put ’em to the test.

The six-piece limited edition Twist of Fate Brush Set ($20, on sale now at Target), Sonia’s premium collection of brushes for the holidays, joins five limited edition holiday makeup palettes and accessories (also on sale at Target).

Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate

With a black clutch purse to carry them in (one that looks like it could cost more than $20 by itself), these six short-handled brushes will be traveling in style.

  • A powder/blush brush
  • A foundation brush
  • A crease brush
  • An eyeshadow brush
  • An eyeliner brush
  • A brow/lash comb

sonia kashuk holiday 2009 twist of fate brush heads

Pros

  • Look expensive
  • Brush heads feel soft against my skin and apply/blend product well
  • Clutch purse fits everything with room to spare
  • Brushes feel lightweight — perfect for girls on the go!
  • Fantastic deal; breaks down to $2.86/per item (including the clutch)

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Tuesday Beauty Tips: 9 Things to Do on Your Next Trip to San Francisco

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Welcome to San Francisco

Ah, the things we do for Cupid…

After I met and fell in love with El Hub, I wanted to be closer to him, so I left my favorite city of San Francisco and moved the 10 miles north across the Golden Gate Bridge to the suburbs of Marin.

I like it here, but I’m a city girl at heart. I miss SF’s bustling beauty scene, and the city’s diversity, restaurants, museums and clubs.

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San Francisco at dusk

Which is why I love to visit. 🙂 If you’re planning a trip to San Francisco and looking for Bay Area adventure, you’ve come to the right place! Here are 9 of my favorite things to do in the city.
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