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Tahitian Vanilla Keeps Pacifica Island Vanilla Body Butter Away from Cookie Dough

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pacifica island vanilla body butter

In college I had a lab partner who smelled just like Play-Doh. Bless her heart. She was a cool girl, and we got along well, but whenever she was around, the air was thick with the doughy scent of edible modeling clay; consequently, I couldn’t titrate to save my life.

It wasn’t until later that I put two and two together and figured out the reason why: vanilla body butter. She was wearing some kind of vanilla body butter.

Makes perfect sense, too, because it can be tough to find a vanilla body butter that doesn’t smell anything like cookie dough or plastic. So many of them do, especially to people with very sensitive noses.

I guess that’s why I was so surprised by the new Pacifica Island Vanilla Body Butter ($18 for an 8-oz. tube; $12.50 for a 2.5-oz. tube), a Sephora exclusive scent. It’s made with Tahitian vanilla, and whether that’s responsible for the floral quality Pacifica claims the butter has, I don’t know. I think the product does smell more authentically vanilla than usual, though, and it makes all the difference in the world.

pacifica island vanilla body butter tube

“Something magical happened to vanilla in Tahiti. It changed from its native South American flavor to become sexier, more lush, with floral notes and a little fruit deep in the structure of the scent. Inspired by this beautifully distinct version of the classic fragrance note and many surfing trips to the South Pacific, this is my vision of the perfect vanilla.”

— Pacifica Co-Founder and Lead Perfumer, Brook Harvey-Taylor

pacifica island vanilla body butter back
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Sofía Vergara: Her Best Hair?

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Sofia Vergara: Her Best Hair?

So great they had to name her twice, Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara was born July 10, 1972, in Barranquilla, Colombia. The Emmy nominated Latina’s luxurious locks and sassy sense of humor (“Jay!”) have been spicing up episodes of ABC’s Modern Family since 2009.

Sometimes, life’s a beach, like when you’re just cruising along one and a photographer discovers you. Right away, Sofía, who was in her late teens at the time, landed a Pepsi commercial that aired throughout Latin America. The commercial led to runway and catalog work, and then to a job co-hosting a travel series on the international Univisión Spanish-language television network, which made her a fixture on international TV.

A young mom at 19 living in an unstable country at the time (her older brother was murdered in 1998 in an unresolved crime), Sofía took an opportunity with Univisión to move to Miami, and when her contract with the network ended, she went to work for ABC.

Like Gloria Delgado-Pritchett, the character she plays on Modern Family, Sofía usually wears her hair long, dark and wavy, but she’s actually a natural blonde. On why she chose to go dark, she says, “I would go to auditions and they didn’t know where to put me because I was voluptuous and had the accent — but I had blonde hair. It was ignorance: They thought every Latin person looks like Salma Hayek. The moment I dyed my hair dark, it was, ‘Oh, she’s the hot Latin girl.'”

I think she looks just as great as a blonde. 🙂

Which of Sofía's hairstyles do you like best?

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Two Ways to Win an Autographed Bottle of Michael Kors Perfume (FOUR WINNERS)

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  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners are Jennifer, Jahneel, PS and and Nikki B! Congratulations, ladies! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

I must say — I love Michael Kors.

Michael Kors

Reason No. 1: His hilariously “out there” observations on fashion design and pop culture every week on Project Runway.

A few of my favorites from the recent past…

“Next thing you know, it’s big button earrings and you’re on The Facts of Life.”

“I feel like a pope at a sex club.”

“She looks like a barefoot Appalachian Lil’ Abner Barbie.”

Crack. Me. Up! Seriously, how does he come up with these things?! Because I want whatever he’s having.

Reason No. 2: My birthday shoes!

I treated myself to his Braided Chain Platforms for my birthday last June, and I swear to gawd! — they’re comfy enough to sleep in, and, well, when I wear ’em, I feel kinda hot.

Reason No. 3: Today’s kick-@ss giveaway featuring two MK fragrances autographed by the man, the myth, the legend himself! — Michael Kors.

A Makeup and Beauty Blog Giveaway!

Four lucky ladies (or gents) will each win either a golden bottle of Michael Kors 10th Anniversary Eau de Parfum Signature 3.4-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $95 value), or a bottle of Michael Kors Gold Eau de Parfum 1.7-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $75 value), each one personally signed by Michael Kors. 🙂

The larger golden 10th Anniversary Eau de Parfum bottle was created specifically to commemorate that fragrance’s tenth birthday. As a keepsake, it would make quite a nice addition to any fragrance collection (as there are only 10 of the signed bottles in the world).

The other scent, Michael Kors Gold, was just released last month. It’s a newer, fresher take on Michael’s original fragrance. This one’s also pretty rare (with the autograph), with only a handful of signed bottles existing in the world.

The prize includes…

  • One (1) signed bottle of Michael Kors 10th Anniversary Eau de Parfum Signature Fragrance 3.4-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $95 value)

Or…

  • One (1) signed bottle Michael Kors Gold Eau de Parfum 1.7-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $75 value)

Each scent’s official fragrance notes…

  • Michael Gold Kors Gold Eau de Parfum — Tuberose, freesia, magnolia, violet, peppery peony and ambergris
  • Michael Kors Eau de Parfum — Dewy freesia, tamarind, Chinese osmantus, incense, fresh tuberose, white wings peony, blue orris, arum lilies, cashmere woods, musk and vetiver Haiti


Michael Kors Gold Eau de Parfum 1.7-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $75 value)


Front: Michael Kors Gold Eau de Parfum 1.7-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $75 value); Back: Michael Kors 10th Anniversary Eau de Parfum Signature Fragrance 3.4-oz Eau de Parfum Spray (a $95 value)

  • There are two ways to enter, 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, a comment about anything at all, like, do you have a favorite Michael Kors piece? Who do you think will win Project Runway this season? What’s your fashion philosophy? Do you prefer to wear gold or silver jewelery? — you get the idea.
  • Second, you can enter by following me on twitter Twitter @karenmbb and retweeting (RT) the following message:
    • Follow @karenmbb and an autographed bottle of Michael Kors perfume! http://bit.ly/pRSkCr

  • The deadline to enter is Sunday, September 25, 2011 at 11:59PM (PT).
  • Entrants must enter using a valid email address and/or Twitter account to win.
  • A maximum of two (2) entries per person — one within the comments at the bottom of this post, and a second entry via Twitter addressed to me @karenmbb.
  • Contest is open to individuals of the United States 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).
  • Tabs and I (heretofore referred to as “T-Money and K-Dawg”) will select four (4) winners at random from the entries either left in the comments at the bottom of this blog post or addressed to @karenmbb on Twitter.
  • The winner will be announced here within 48 hours of the deadline.
  • Void where prohibited by law.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

  • WINNER: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners are Jennifer, Jahneel, PS and and Nikki B! Congratulations, ladies! If you entered but didn’t win this time around, keep trying, and click here to enter any ongoing giveaways before you jet. 🙂

Clothing Ideas for a Fall or Winter Trip to the Tropics

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Clothing ideas for a fall or winter trip to the tropics
Hawaii, Christmas 2009

Lucky MBB reader Rachael is taking a potentially BIG tropical trip this January, and she’s shopping for packing ideas.

“My boyfriend and I are taking a trip to Hawaii the first week of January, and I’m at a loss for what to bring. I am possibly the palest person and still have scars from a bad sunburn in the Bahamas when I was a teenager, and I do not want that to happen again.

I also think that on this trip my boyfriend will propose because he’s terrible at keeping secrets and has slipped more than once. I need to know what will take me from hiking to the beach and an engagement but keep it all easy to travel.”

— Rachael

Hey Rachael,

Congrats on your upcoming trip (and hopefully proposal)! 🙂 Sounds like the makings of a marvelous month.

Whenever I travel to someplace tropical, I try to pack as many multitasking products and pieces of clothing as possible. Clothing-wise, for a one-week trip, that means a few lightweight, versatile dresses in stretchy fabrics that resist wrinkling, because I can easily dress them up or down.

When I head to the beach, I’ll slip a dress over my bikini, step into a pair of flip-flops, put on a wide-brimmed hat (great for extra sun protection to complement SPF), and drop a sarong or a wide, lightweight cotton scarf into my beach bag, just in case I end up in direct sunlight for a while and want some extra coverage for my shoulders.

I like Coolibar’s Silk Infinity Scarf ($39). Made from hand-dyed twisted silk, it’s lightweight, hardly takes up any space in a bag or luggage, and provides excellent UV protection. One caveat, though: it’s dry clean only.


How about a hat? Clockwise from the black hat on the lower left: Coolibar Shapeable Poolside Sun Hat ($45); Collection XIIX Bold Stripe Floppy Paper Straw Hat ($25); Kinda Shady Straw Sun Hat ($14); August Hat Bead Trim Paper Straw Kettle Hat ($19)

For nice dinners or nights out on the town, I’ll jazz up a dress with a bold necklace, bracelet or earrings and put on a pair of strappy sandals (dressier than flip-flops). I’ll also add a button-down sweater and/or another scarf if it gets chilly at night.

Which reminds me — I love bringing scarves when I travel, even to the tropics. They’re easy, affordable ways to switch up an outfit, and if they’re wide enough, you can even wear them as a wrap on a cool night.

As for hiking, dresses can still work, believe it or not. I’ve done it before. Granted, not on hard-core hikes, but for easy trails.

If you don’t mind looking a little silly in a dress and hiking boots, a dress should do you just fine. For more strenuous activities, though, don’t forget to pack a pair of shorts and a t-shirt in your beach bag or backpack (TIP: If you’re trying to make every cubic inch of packing space count, keep in mind that you can usually find super cheap t-shirts for sale at many tropical tourist destinations, including Hawaii).

With autumn here, this might be a good time to grab some great outgoing summer stuff on sale. Here’s a few ideas I found online…


Nordstrom dresses on sale from the left: BP. Double Scoop Tank Dress ($12); Stem Pleat Front Dress ($20) and Remain Knit Dress ($25)


Lulu.com dresses from the left: Alternative Apparel Racer Tank Grey Dress ($40) and Sidewalk Bistro Striped Dress ($38)
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MAC Unsung Heroes: Sumptuous Olive Eyeshadow

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mac sumptuous olive

Adulthood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. There are bills to be paid, work to be done and calories to count (lame). On top of everything else, it becomes harder to meet up with your friends. Getting together with my gal pals used to take a quick phone call (on a LAND line) or a five-minute walk. Now, lunch with the girls requires weeks and sometimes months of planning, eight e-mails, a few Twitter DMs, GPS (or Google Maps), babysitters and bridge tolls.

Yup.

But there are, of course, perks to getting older, like learning when and how to improvise. After stumbling and bumbling enough, you start getting better at rolling with the punches, and figuring out how to “make things work.”

I like to think of today’s Unsung Hero as a master of improvisation. Shimmery golden khaki MAC Sumptuous Olive ($15 for a regular eyeshadow; $11.50 for the Pro Refill Pan shown here) is one of my favorite “improv” shades.

mac sumptuous olive

Like, if I were to withdraw a handful of random colors from my eyeshadow drawer, Sumptuous Olive would probably go well with any of them. I love the way it looks with gold, brown, bronze, beige and black, but I also think it works with many brighter colors, too, like purples, pinks and blues. I feel it’s one of the most versatile shades in the MAC eyeshadow line.

mac sumptuous olive swatch
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What’s Your Favorite Decade or Era of Makeup and Beauty?

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Favorite decade or era of makeup and beauty?

Although there probably wouldn’t be a wide range of colors for tan gals like me, I have a soft spot for ’40s style makeup and beauty. The red lips, waved hair and wee bit o’ liner along the upper lash line — so classically simple yet glam at the same time.

How about you? What’s your favorite decade or era of makeup and beauty?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!

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