Archives for April 2010

Good morning, ladies. As you probably already know, today, all across our “pale blue dot,” people are celebrating Earth Day, the annual event founded 40 years ago to promote environmental awareness and appreciation.

I know I could do more to reduce my carbon footprint, but I try. I recycle what I can and watch my energy consumption (Target has great prices on fluorescent bulbs), and lately I’ve been altering the menu at home a few days a week (to which El Hub has reluctantly complied).

Here’s to a great Earth Day, ladies. Below are some recent posts that came to mind. We’re all in this together. 🙂

The EcoTools Bamboo Bronzer Brush: A $30 Brush in $12 Clothing

“A $12 brush swept me off my feet today, and they call it the Ecotools Bamboo Bronzer Brush. Compared to department store brushes costing $20 and up, it’s a bargain superhero — affordable, with dense, super-soft bristles that deposit just the right amount of color on my skin.”

Yes to Carrots Lip Tints Say YES to Affordable Lip Color

“My favorite thing about them? — how pigmented they are (for lip tints). These puppies pack *lots* of color, applying with semi-sheer to medium coverage. The resulting lip’s a casual look that I can see myself wearing a lot on weekends or to the gym (and don’t miss these other products in the line).”

DIY Beauty with Kitchen Cosmetics

“There’s just something about making homemade beauty products, isn’t there? — the idea of whipping something up from scratch, skipping the preservatives and really *feeling* the ingredients in your hands? It turns out that homemade versions of many popular beauty products are easy to make with ingredients that most cooks have readily at hand.”

Spring into Action with Josie Maran’s Natural Wonder Powder Palette

“I LOVE the brights in this palette! Both Hope (the blueish purple) and Desire (the greenish teal) are downright iridescent — like alive, with colors that are multi-dimensional without looking too frosty or shimmery. I think it makes them pretty easy to wear (even for daytime looks to work).”

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• The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to winner Amber! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

It’s a cold, gray Wednesday here in the San Francisco Bay Area, homies, and the ache in my knees tells me that rain’s a-comin’!

On the bright side, April showers bring May flowers, and perhaps even a bit of MAC. 🙂

Today’s giveaway features something water-resistant, you know, just in case it rains. MAC’s smudgy Greasepaint Stick in Slick Black is a jill of many trades, a multitasking maven unafraid of wet and wild days.

The prize

One lucky lady will win long-wearing MAC Greasepaint Stick in Slick Black, a creamy black eye crayon ($18 value) that works well as a liner, a shadow or even as a base for powder eyeshadows (busts out some FABOOLICIOUS smokey eyes).

How to enter…

Entering 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, share one or more of your favorite eyeliner tips/tricks.

To get a soft, barely-there liner look that puts the focus on your eyes, 🙂 dot the lash lines with an eyeliner pencil, and smudge the dots together with an applicator sponge.

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

Follow @karenmbb and RT to win MAC Slick Black Greasepaint Stick (an $18 value) http://bit.ly/9maYIQ

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:
   
   Follow @karenmbb and RT to win MAC Slick Black Greasepaint Stick (an $18 value) http://bit.ly/9maYIQ

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Friday, April 23.

Ke o lakaletsa mohlohonolo!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

• The giveaway is now closed. Congrats to winner Amber! Before you go, check the home page for ongoing giveaways.

P.S. So much yummy MAC goodness to look forward to, ladies! Tomorrow Pret a Papier, already available online, drops on counters. To put it mildly, I’m stoked.

And I can’t wait for the new Superglass glosses ($18 each). Those boogie on down to MAC counters on May 6.

MAC says the nine glosses are even more blinged-out than their super-sparkly Dazzleglass line, and they used something they call “snowflake-shaped helicone pearls” to ramp up the sparkle while NOT ramping up the grit. We’ll see!

From top: Cherry Electric (a bright cherry pink), Disco Blend (a light tan), Fab Frenzy (a deep blueish purple), Gift Wrap (a light pinkish peach), Sugar Overload (a beige-y white), Superflash! (a mid-tone yellowish pink), Sweet Tart (a pale baby pink), Totally Bang! (fuchsia), Tunnel of Love (a deep blueish brown)