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Clinique Turnaround Body Cream: Turn Around Dry Skin

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clinique turnaround body cream

When I slather on Clinique’s new Turnaround Body Cream ($28), I feel compelled to belt out Bonnie Tyler’s power ballad, Total Eclipse of the Heart.

“Turn around
Every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you’re never coming round
Turn around
Every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears.”

bonnie-tyler

If you were born after 1986, you might be more familiar with Nicki French’s cheesier and less powerful version of the tune.

Either way, stop playing like you don’t know the lyrics because I know you do!

In addition to bringing about weird singing urges, Turnaround Body Cream also hydrates crazy good.

It’s part of a crop of new exfoliating face and body treatments Clinique released earlier this year. Clinique says the cream does double duty, eliminating dryness and reviving dull-looking skin with ingredients like time-released salicylic acid and shea butter.
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Ready or Not, Here Comes MAC Colour Ready

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mac colour ready 1

MAC works hard to keep us on our toes. Doesn’t it seem like they always have something new up their sleeves? I just love that!

Next Thursday another new collection arrives. Colour Ready, a small release containing just nine products, includes three new additions to the MAC Prep+Prime makeup primer line along with a smattering of colorful lip and eye goodies.

My friends at MAC sent over a few of the new Prep+Prime products to preview. I’m still in the midst of testing (oh, please, oh, please don’t break me out!), but I thought you gals might want a quick look.

mac colour ready 6

Leave it to MAC to take regular old makeup primer a step forward. Prep+Prime Skin Refined Zone ($19.50) specifically targets the t-zone area (forehead, nose and chin), where many women have trubs with excess oil and large pores.

According to MAC, Refined Zone’s the ultimate multi-tasker. It controls oil, minimizes pores and primes the t-zone for foundation. In addition to all these things, Refined Zone also treats skin, exfoliating clogged pores with salicylic acid.

mac colour ready 7

MAC designed the clear, colorless gel to be worn beneath or on top of makeup. I patted some on my t-zone this morning. It dried lightning fast, and my skin felt instantly smoother. I really hope it doesn’t break me out, *crosses fingers.*

If you have a sensitive nose like I do, take heed — my tube has a weird smell that reminds me of barbeque coals. Hmm…

mac colour ready 2

The second item, Transparent Finishing Powder ($21), also looks interesting.

It’s a loose powder that sets makeup, eliminates shine and adds a glow to the skin without looking heavy or caked on.
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Comment to Win MAC Perfect Topping Mineralize Skinfinish

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The giveaway is now closed, and the winner will be contacted soon.

mac perfect topping mineralize skinfinish giveaway

If you haven’t satisfied your MAC Sugarsweet tooth yet, would a pan of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Perfect Topping help?

Satiate that sweet makeup craving by adding some highlighting shimmer to your cheeks with Perfect Topping’s mish-mash of pretty peach, pink and purple.

The prize

One you of sweet thangs will dine on MAC Perfect Topping Mineralize Skinfinish, a $27 value.

How to enter…

There are a two different ways to enter the giveaway, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.

First, enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. In the comment, describe your perfect day of pampering. 🙂

In my perfect day of pampering, I’d awaken at a fancy resort somewhere warm and tropical like Hawaii and hit the beach for some easy surfing (where I’d catch every wave!). After a couple hours riding waves, I’d be served breakfast on the beach and spend the rest of the day getting every spa treatment known to man!

Second, enter by subscribing to my updates by email if you haven’t already. They’re once-a-day emails with my latest makeup tutorials, crazy cat pictures and beauty product news.
(note: if you’re already subscribed, you’re automatically entered to win.)

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. Sign up for my updates by email if you haven’t already. Just enter your email address using the form below, or click this link.

Enter your email address:

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

Bonne chance, sweets!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

My Dark Circles and I Spy DuWop Circle Block and the Foundation of Youth

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duwop summer 2009

Right now my dark under-eye circles and I (we’re inseparable!) are at Sephora checking out DuWop’s new Circle Block concealer ($28).

It’s a two part system with a pan of creamy peach waterproof color corrector in the cap and a liquid under-eye concealer in the jar (available in three shade families: light, medium and dark).

Applied first, the peach color corrector is supposed to cover dark circles and prime them for the concealer, which gets applied directly on top of the corrector.

duwop circle block

I’m trying to decide between the light and medium shades…

duwop foundation of youth

Also from DuWop for spring, the new Foundation of Youth oil-free foundation ($28) comes in six shades that look perfect for travel. The tube comes with a built-in brush, which you don’t see every day with foundation. That’s kinda cool.
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Two Tasty Tidbits from MAC Sugarsweet: Aquavert Eyeshadow and Cakeshop Shadestick

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mac sugarsweet aquavert cakeshop

When I was a kid, my mom would sometimes take me to work with her on the weekends. Throughout the day, I’d sneak into the break room and shove *hella* sugar cubes into my mouth — four or five, sometimes six at a time.

I’d then spend the next hour sprinting down the halls and drawing feverishly in my notebook. My favorite subjects were pictures of calico cats in business suits. 🙂

Mom never quite figured out the source of all my “energy.”

I think my crazy sweet tooth partly explains why I really wanted to like the MAC Sugarsweet collection.

It arrived last week, a springy, pastel collection for eyes, cheeks and lips. Have you had a chance to check it out?

mac sugarsweet aquavert cakeshop
Aquavert (top), Cakeshop (bottom)

Overall, I’m on the Sugarsweet fence because I feel like the pinks, peaches and yellows aren’t the most flattering shades in the world for my skin tone, like they look too pale and cool on me, but I am drawn to a few of Sugarsweet’s tasty treats.

Two products really stand out because of how they work with my coloring — Aquavert Eyeshadow ($14.50) and Cakeshop Shadestick ($16.50).

mac sugarsweet aquavert cakeshop 3

Patting Aquavert onto my lids, curling my lashes and then adding lots of black mascara is like an instant sugar rush. The shimmery mint green adds a surprising touch of brightness to my eyes, making me look, for all intents and purposes, like I’m actually alert and well rested, LOL!
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Are Your Shoes a Sore Subject? Try the Foot Petals Stiletto Survival Kit this Spring

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foot petals stiletto survival kit

In spring I pretty much live in high heels, but my prettiest pairs rarely start out comfy. Some take doctoring up with press-in shoe inserts by brands like Dr. Scholl’s and Foot Petals.

I’ve mentioned Foot Petals before, but your comments about springtime on the Clarins Nature Temptations giveaway post (there’s still time to enter!) got me thinking about strappy spring shoes and sandals.

Foot Petals sells the Stiletto Survival Kit ($50), a seven-piece kit that comes with everything a girl needs to make all her high heels more comfortable.

aerosoles-napa-valley-shoes-green-yellow
My favorite spring sandals (these are $20 Aerosoles, circa July 2008. I have the yellow pair!)

The kit isn’t cheap (and there are workable drugstore alternatives), but if you’ve ever tried Foot Petals before, you know how good they feel.

With the kit Foot Petals covers cushions (they’re squishy and adhesive) for the toe, heel and arch areas of your shoes. Also included are a non-slip pad for shoe soles (have you ever had your heels slip on a slick surface? Not fun!) and thin adhesive strips to reduce friction (and the raw skin it causes) between sandal straps and your skin. You even get a cute shoe pouch, to boot.

My love for the line runs deep. Their $12.95 Killer Kushionz full arch inserts got me through my friend Jen’s 10-hour wedding and reception last November.

If you have a few pairs of high heels you’d like to wear more often but don’t because of comfort, the Stiletto Survival Kit might help you breathe some new life into ’em.

What are your favorite spring shoes?

I’m wondering what our favorites have in common. My guess is that most women like their most comfortable sandals, but I don’t know. Do you have a favorite pair of spring shoes or sandals? What makes ’em great?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Are You Thinking About Changing Your Hair Color?

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makeup tips makeup reviews how to apply makeup

I usually change my hair color a couple times a year, especially when it warms up outside. That’s when I’ll go lighter. I’m thinking about caramel highlights for spring! How about you?

Are you thinking about changing your hair color this spring?

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I have to admit… There’s another reason why I’m itching for highlights.

I’m dying to try Redken’s new Color Extend line (more on that in a few), and I really want to see if lighter hair makes me look a little younger.

In my teens and 20s, people would always say I looked young for my age, but I feel like I’ve aged a TON in the past few years. Sometimes I look in the mirror and can’t believe all the business that just keeps popping up — a wrinkle here, a white eyebrow hair there — lovely.

I know I can’t stop the clock, but I wouldn’t mind slowing it down, LOL!
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Sweaty Girls Can Benefit from Bad Gal Waterproof Liner

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benefit cosmetics bad gal waterproof liner

You know how dance studios usually have huge mirrors on the walls, right? Well, sometimes I hate that.

Last night I went to dance class for the first time in two weeks because I haven’t been feeling very skinny in my skinny jeans. I’m on a renewed mission to get my fitness on, but it was mortifying to watch. Note to self: the six step? That sh*t is hard!

benefit cosmetics bad gal waterproof liner

Then again, watching stuff jigging from all angles really motivates one to lay off the brownies.

At least the mirrors come in handy when I want to check my makeup. As I was gasping for air between counts, I kept noticing the waterproof Benefit Bad Gal liner ($20) I was wearing.

New to the Benefit family, Bad Gal Waterproof Liner’s a smokey black pencil that comes with a sponge tip for smudging.

benefit cosmetics bad gal waterproof

In the past, I had trubs getting Waterproof’s famous predecessor, Bad Gal Eye Pencil, to stay put. I used it a few times and got it all over the place, but its heir works way better.
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