News

It’s No Secret: I’m Looking Forward to the Dolce & Gabbana Secret Garden Collection This Spring

January 4th, 2011 by Karen 46 Comments

CORRECTION: 1/13/2011 — The promotional pictures in this post have been replaced with color corrected versions provided by Dolce & Gabbana.

dolce & gabbana secret garden

I wonder what Lewis Carroll would have thought about the secret garden of pink Post-It notes that decorate my desk…

…and my notebook.

Of course, the note’s totally unnecessary, because there’s no way I’m going to forget about the new 12-piece Dolce & Gabbana Secret Garden collection for eyes, nails, face and lips. When it hops into town this spring, I’ll need a fainting couch to catch me when I fall (in love). 🙂

The colors look so bright and authentically springy that I can almost smell fresh-cut grass and sunshine when I look at them (I swear I can smell the sunshine).

But the story behind the collection, according to Dolce, is one of mystery…

“With Secret Garden, we wanted to provide a kind of privileged information — or a secret formula — for the women we love so much, so she could effortlessly achieve that illusive look of intrigue that all women crave.”
–Domenico Dolce

I haven’t quite figured out the mystery angle yet, but designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana say they played with the idea of a hidden paradise in which a mythical, delicate beauty seduces the senses.

Perhaps she’s wearing a flower-print dress to a garden party. Yes, I think I can see her now. She’s walking barefoot across a large lawn of vivid green grass. I don’t know who she is, but I feel like I should go to her.
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The Psychology Behind Bold Beauty Claims

December 31st, 2010 by Karen 30 Comments

Do you question bold beauty claims?

16x — that’s not too far off the mark. We’ve all seen these claims before: 4x brighter eyes, 74% thicker lashes, removes 6x more makeup than cleaning with water alone, clearer skin in 2 weeks guaranteed.

In the December issue of Global Cosmetic Industry magazine, Alisa Marie Beyer has a piece called “The Claim Game” about these bold beauty claims, and how crafting a compelling claim can mean the difference between a bestselling beauty product and a flop.

“Generally speaking…claims fall into two categories: emotional (for example, painful acne blemishes will disappear in two days) and numerical (such as, 97% of women saw smoother skin in two days).
— Alisa Marie Beyer, “The Claim Game”, Global Cosmetic Industry, December 2010

The magazine is a trade publication, and Alisa’s audience is mostly made up of cosmetics company executives. It got me thinking about beauty claims and how important it is for consumers to know what goes into the marketing, and how it pays to take every claim with a grain of salt.

The big companies study the psychology behind our purchase decisions. They know that most of us respond positively to seeing big numbers in claims, but they also know that if they make too many big claims, it’ll sound too good to be true.

It reminds me of that episode of Mad Men where they bring the girls who work in the office into a focus group. I can’t remember the product… I think it was Pond’s Cold Cream, and they talk about all sorts of things, like the ritual of taking off your makeup at night, and the hopes and dreams of the girls in the room — all to better target the advertising.
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Help Shape the Future of Makeup and Beauty Blog By Taking This Quick Survey

December 29th, 2010 by Karen 13 Comments

Hi, ladies. I’ve been thinking about redesigning the layout of the blog (the equivalent of giving her a new outfit), and I know you have a great eye for design. I would really appreciate your feedback. Can you spare a few minutes to take a quick redesign survey (eight questions)?

Any feedback, suggestions, wishes or ideas that you have are welcome. I can’t promise to put every suggestion into place, but I can promise to read everything you have to say.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I Like the Wind Beneath My Wings Hawaii Jewelry

December 1st, 2010 by Karen 34 Comments

Eight years ago, Wings Hawaii, an all-woman run clothing and jewelry company, started as an art project at the University of Hawaii.

Now the Maui-based line sells their handmade, beach-inspired designs at stores all over Hawaii (Oahu, Kauai and Maui), the mainland (New York, California, Georgia and Washington) and online at wingshawaii.com.

I couldn’t resist this ring ($40) and pair of earrings ($50) I spotted at a Local Motion T-shirt store.

All of their jewelry is made from sterling silver, 14-karat gold fill, semi-precious stones and shells from local beaches. Prices range from $20 for a sterling silver ring to $1,800 for a sapphire necklace.
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Your Breast Cancer Awareness Month Support Signs on Facebook: Our Community Cares

November 1st, 2010 by Karen 32 Comments

Look at those lovely faces. 🙂

Ladies, thank you for sending your signs and for sharing your stories last month. Now, come look and see what you helped make possible. We showed how much we care as a community of women (and beloved pets). Damn if it sounds trite, but we’re all in this together. Much love and respect to you all.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Does Estee Lauder Nail Lacquer in Extravagant Pearl Score a Base Hit?

October 20th, 2010 by Karen 13 Comments

Whether in beauty or baseball, no one bats a thousand, not even Estee Lauder (GO, GIANTS!).

Of their two new holiday nail polishes, I’m totally into sparkly purple Extravagant Night ($18), but frosty champagne Extravagant Pearl just isn’t a base hit for me.

Looking at it on my nails, I’m not seein’ beautiful bubbly. More like — sorry, EL — coagulated leftover oatmeal.
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The Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway: Send in Your Sign Today!

October 5th, 2010 by Karen

Good luck!

Heya, honeybears! I just wanted to show a few of the wonderful entries in The Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway.

Look at these lovely ladies standing up to raise awareness this month!

Kudos, Amber! [INSERT RAUCOUS APPLAUSE HERE]

Love your smile, Michelle 🙂

Kerry, you’re so creative!

The Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway

Email or link to a picture of yourself holding your support sign (like the examples above), and leave a comment on the original post. Not only will you be showing your support for the cause, but you’ll also be entered to win a $400 prize package of makeup from MAC and Chanel.

To Enter…

Take a picture of yourself with a sign that reads, “October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” Whether or not you show your face is up to you, but I think it would be great to see your lovely mug. 🙂
Send it to me. You can either email it to karen@makeupandbeautyblog.com, OR post it on your blog/facebook page and leave a link to the pic in the comments on the original post, OR upload it to Twitter and send a tweet to me @karenmbb.
The giveaway is open to US and international readers, but you must be the age of majority according to your country’s local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
One entry per person.
Deadline to enter is October 31, 2010 at 11:59PM PST.

You gotta comment on the original post to enter (and not on this post here).

Come on, ladies! Let’s raise awareness together, so send in your sign today.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. Does your phone have a camera? You might be able to snap your pic and email your entry from there. 😉

The Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway

October 1st, 2010 by Karen 207 Comments

karen from makeup and beauty blog holding her october is breast cancer awareness sign

The Breast Cancer Awareness Month Sign Project and Giveaway

WINNER: Drum roll please… Katie! Congratulations, you’re the winner of $400 in makeup from MAC and Chanel.

Hi, ladies. As many of you know, breast cancer has touched my family, as it has many of yours. It’s something I think about all year long, but especially when October rolls around.

For the past two years I’ve run donations for breast cancer charities, but this year I’d like us to try something different — an e-rally of sorts.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about many things — remembering friends and family, promoting the importance of early detection, helping to raise funds for research and treatment, and standing in support of those affected by the disease.

That’s why I made the sign you see at the top of this post. It’s one easy way to say, “We’re all in this together, and I’m here with you.”

You’ll have many opportunities to give and show financial support on other sites and in stores this month, but this gesture’s simply about emotional support and the strength of solidarity.

Will you make your sign and stand with me?

Join me this Breast Cancer Awareness Month by taking a picture of yourself with a sign like the one at the top of this post. You’ll also be entered to win a $400 prize package of goodies (20 products in all) from MAC and Chanel. Scroll down for the full deets…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Emotion ($30)
Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Nude ($30)
Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in Perle ($30)
Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara in Brun ($30)
Chanel Le Crayon Sourcils Precision Brow Definer in Blond Clair ($28)
MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Faithfully Yours ($16)
MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Good to Go ($16)
MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Perpetual Flame ($16)
MAC Pro Longwear Lipcreme in Prolong ($16)
MAC Dazzleglass in Phiff! ($18)
MAC Dazzleglass in She-Zam ($18)
MAC Dare to Wear Lipglass in Ban This! ($18)
MAC Dare to Wear Lipglass in Gimme That! ($18)
MAC Dare to Wear Lipglass in So Bad ($18)
MAC Dazzle Lipstick in Baby’s on Fire ($14.50)
MAC Dazzle Lipstick in Wham ($14.50)
MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Of Royalty ($14.50)
MAC Lustre Lipstick in Surprise Me ($14.50)
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Ever So Rich ($18)
MAC Superslick Liquid Eye Liner in Marked for Glamour ($17.50)

A 20-piece prize package, $400 in makeup

First, take a picture of yourself holding a sign (or ask a friend to take one of you) that reads, “October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”
Second, post your sign pic somewhere online — Facebook, Twitter, your own blog, a photo sharing site like flickr, etc. — or email it to me directly at karen@makeupandbeautyblog.com.
Third, leave a comment at the bottom of this post with either a link to your picture or a note to tell me that you sent it by email.

The deadline to enter is Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 11:59PM PST.
Entrants must have a valid email address to win.
A maximum of one entry per person; entries must include a picture (linked or emailed) and a corresponding comment left at the bottom of this post.
Giveaway is open to individuals of any country who have reached the age of majority according to their local laws (18 in the United States with these exceptions: Alabama and Nebraska, 19; Mississippi, 21).
I will choose the winner at random (1 winner) from all of the entries received by the deadline on October 31.
Your entry picture must remain online and visible for a minimum of 48 hours after the deadline.
All entries become the property of Makeup and Beauty Blog (specifically Tabs) and will not be returned; they may also be republished in this or a future post on the blog.
The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
If the winner cannot be contacted or does not respond within three (3) days, an alternate winner will be selected at random again.
Void where prohibited by law.

Chanel Lipsticks

Chanel Mascara
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