Hippety Hoppity...

Apparently Easter is this weekend. I say apparently because I never seem to remember when Easter pops up on the calendar. I only know that I keep seeing plastic eggs and crazy bunnies in all the stores I've been going to lately.

If you're like me, you'd rather skip the Easter egg hunt and opt instead to fill up your own brand of basket--a Sephora basket--with some Spring-inspired goodies. Bunny-hop to Sephora and treat yourself to these wonders:

• Sephora by OPI in Iris I Was Thinner ($9) – This pale, iris purple is the perfect way to wear an Easter pastel without spending a fortune. I really hate the name of this shade, but it's pretty, so I'll give it a temporary pass.
  
• Leslie Blodgett Santa Barbara Eau de Parfum Rollerball ($16) –This luminous scent lingers on the skin for hours and the travel-friendly packaging makes it great for a quick pick-me-up on the go!
  
• Sephora Colorful Mono Eyeshadows ($12) – Let your peepers make a festive statement with these high-pigment shadows. Now available in 79 shades.
• Tarina Tarantino Gem Gloss ($19) – Coat your lips with this sweet shade of lightweight vitamin-enriched gloss. Available in 12 shades.
  
• Sephora “Tricks of the Trade” Perfecting Lash Primer ($14) – Your mascara will outlast your biggest expectations with this primer that helps volumize and lengthen your lashes.
  
• Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush ($25) – This cream blush naturally sculpts and highlights cheeks for a healthy, spring glow. Available in 14 shades.
  

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Sephora's Winning Lineup!

The Super Bowl may have come and gone, but Sephora still has top beauty brands’ MVP and Rookie must-haves. Proven all-stars show off in the MVP category – but don’t let the rookies fool you. They have some cool new moves that will make you want to change your game plan.

Sephora’s 2010 MVP Roster:

• Dior DiorShow Mascara ($24) – A cult-classic that leaves lashes thick, long and curled, making it Sephora’s MVP – most valuable product, that is!
• Philosophy Hope In A Jar ($38) – No games played here, this long-loved moisturizer provides soft, healthy and glowing results.
• NARS Blush in Orgasm ($25) – A five-year-long Sephora winner, this beauty editors’ favorite is a universally flattering shade of pinky-peach.
  
• Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream ($62) – A “lineman” of wrinkle fighting cream that works to minimize flaws and maximize the tone and texture around your eye area.
  
• Marc Jacobs Daisy Gift Set ($84 Value, $65) – This set has the spirit of a playful innocence with its fresh and feminine kick. Perfect for the tomboy in you.

Sephora’s 2010 Rookie Lineup:

• Dior DiorShow Extase Mascara ($28) – Plump up your lashes, inside and out! With built-in treatment benefits and twisted wand layers for strong, high-impact lashes, it’s hard to believe this mascara is new to the game!
  
• Philosophy Miracle Worker Miraculous Anti-Aging Moisturizer ($55) – New to the team, but packing a punch, this age-fighting hydrator will balance, nourish and soften your skin.
  
• NARS Orgasm Illuminator ($29) – Joining the NARS Orgasm family in a must have, an illuminator! Get an instantly refreshed, radiant and glowing look with a new twist of the brand’s most beloved shade.
  
• Kinerase Restructure Firming Eye Cream ($55) – A rookie formula with the results of a seasoned veteran, this revolutionary elastin-strengthening, firming hydrator will lift and smooth!
  
• Marc Jacobs Lola Gift Set ($70, $107 Value!) – Treat yourself to this trophy-worthy trio! With a spray, lotion and gel, your skin will smell sweet and sexy.

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Star Spangled Beauty at Sephora!

Wow. The 4th of July is almost upon us...already! 2009 is flying by. Today I'll be telling you about some great Sephora products to ring in Independence Day. Tomorrow I'll have other patriotic beauty products with the 4th in mind.

Make this Fourth of July a spectacular one! Celebrate your true beauty with patriotic picks from Sephora - from radiant red lipstick to pretty white polish and baby blue liner, you’ll be looking hot enough to compete with this year’s fireworks.

Shine on with these glam goodies:

• Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner in Azur Blue ($5) – Add some pizazz to your look with this soft, highly pigmented eye pencil.
• Sephora by OPI Nail Colour ($9) – These chip-resistant trend-setting shades in red, white and blue are sure to show off your patriotic pride.
• Burberry Classic Summer ($49) – A refreshing fragrance comprised of crisp fruits, delicate flowers and cool woods – perfect for a hot summer's day!
• NARS Orgasm/Laguna Blush Bronzer Duo and Orgasm Nail Set ($49) – Get the “Oh My” glow on both your cheeks and nails with this sun-kissed set.
• Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter Lite ($29) – Shed some 'light' on summer beauty with this weightless super smoothing solution that delivers 100% hydration without the greasy feeling.
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Goddess ($16) – Get eyes that sparkle with this midnight blue shade sure to steal the attention away from the fireworks!
• Tarte MultiplEYE Lash Enhancer ($65) – Get an eye-popping look with a natural lash enhancer that increases the length of eyelashes by 152%!

Head over to Sephora for these...and other...amazing beauty products.

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Go Green, Get Gorgeous!

We all want to look our best and use amazing products that help us achieve the perfect look. But we also want to use products that don't contain harsh chemicals and other yucky ingredients, and we want our products to be as eco-friendly as possible.

If you're looking to give eco-friendly beauty gifts to your friends and family this holiday season, here are a couple product lines to check out:

ALIMA PURE MINERAL MAKEUP
Mineral makeup is all the rage. Alima Pure's mineral makeup is made from 100% certified natural products. They even carry the European BDIH “Certified Natural Cosmetics” seal which guarantees that it’s safe for both the body and the environment.

Be sure to check out their vintage-inspired holiday line for some Silver Screen glam this gift-giving season. They have two sets for the holidays (shown above):

• Act 1: four lovely eyeshadows that are all coordinated to help you (or your lucky recipient) achieve a chic smoky eye
• Act 2: three stunning shades that sculpt your cheeks, giving you highlighting and color in all the right places.

Both holiday sets cost $25 each, with $2 of the sales going to the Global Fund for Women. Nice!

ecoTOOLS
ecoTOOLS are great! They make high quality makeup brushes that are environmentally friendly. The brushes are made from animal-free taklon bristles (made from soft and pliable synthetic hair, with the metallic ferrule made from recycled aluminum cans.) They're also housed in reusable pouches and printed with plant-based ink, utilizing resources that minimize the negative impact on the environment. And they'll help you save a little green (as in cash) this holiday season since ecoTOOLS are extremely reasonably priced and they're available at your local Wal-Greens, Kmart, or Ulta.

Check out a few of their new products like:

• Retractable Kabuki Brush ($7.99), which is perfect for applying face powder or bronzer. It also features a sleek retractable case made of recycled aluminum.
  
• 5 Piece Brush Set ($9.99) is not only a good stocking stuffer but it’s perfect for travel. The set comes with a mineral powder brush, concealer brush, eye shading brush, baby kabuki brush and hemp and linen cosmetic bag. This set is the way to go when you are in a hurry and need something quick and easy to throw in your bag.
  

My sister-in-law is trying out the retractable Kabuki brush for me and she loves the brush's softness and compact design. I could always use more tools--these are great stocking stuffers!

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Holiday Gifts: Luxury for a Little

Are you sick of hearing about how bad the economy is? I sure am! But, like you, I am also looking for ways to save money this holiday season. While price is going to be a major factor in my holiday shopping, I also don't want to sacrifice quality.

Here are a few products to consider this holiday season. They're all under $45 and will surely pamper your lucky recipient:

For the girls:
LaLicious Sugar Souffle Scrub Samplers are a great addition to any stocking, and because they are customizable with any three of LaLicious eight scents (Lily Mango, Island Guava, Coconut Cream, Tahitian Flower, Vanilla, Passionfruit Lime, Peppermint, and Coffee), you can personalize them to make each gift extra special. Your friends will have perfectly exfoliated, yummy smelling skin, all for only $30.

For your fashionable friends:
Pop Beauty's Beauty Goddess Clutch costs only $32 and is a makeup clutch containing all of your glowy essentials. This clutch allows you to get a glow and go with the flow. The deluxe silver crock clutch allows you to tote your beauty products in style. It contains eight velvety eye shades, two nude next-to-nothing cheek glows, and one silky lip glow. The best part? Once you are done with the makeup, you can use the case as a clutch!



For the Spa Lover:
Sundari's new gift sets are each devoted to the gift of beauty and wellness, and makes a great gift for your mom, aunt, sister, or even the metro-sexual man in your life. Available in Commitment healing set for all skin types, Perseverance ultra-moisturizing set for dry skin, and Resolve firming set. They all include a beautiful votive sized Sundari candle to enhance the luxurious Sundari spa experience.

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NARS for the Holidays

Even though it's barely November, I am already into my second week of telling you about amazing beauty products for the holidays. Today, I want you to get to know about NARS and their holiday collection.

NARS products are exceptional in many ways: they are high quality and they're beautifully packaged. You can tell the minute you open one of their iconic black boxes that you're getting a luxury beauty product. Plus they have titillating product names like Orgasm...who doesn't want to get something called Orgasm as a gift!?!

Head over to the NARS website today to check out their holiday 2008 collection! Here are some highlights:

• Super Orgasm Blush $25 – NARS takes the classic Orgasm Blush to the next level with this new favorite. Richly concentrated and enhanced with more intense golden flecks, this blush is sure to become a staple in your makeup bag.
• Jolie Poupee Duo Eyeshadow $32 – Chic and compact, this new eyeshadow boasts shades of vibrant violet and pearlescent purple, the ultimate for creating a bold eye for the holidays.
• Night Life Single Eyeshadow $22 – Add light and shimmer to your lids with this ultra-festive silver shadow infused with silver particles.
• Silent Night Single Eyeshadow $22 – Gild your eyes with this new shadow enhanced with flecks of gold.
• Canaille Lipstick $24 – The ultimate in chic, this satin lipstick is now available in a shade of shimmering mahogany.
• All Night Long Lip Gloss $24 – Impart color and shine to your lips with this new semi sheer dusty raspberry shade.
• Orgasm Nail Polish $16 – Complete your holiday look with this new shade of polish in the classic peachy pink an golden shimmer hue.

More holiday collections next week!

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Brand Overview: Pur Minerals

A couple of years ago, when I started out my blog, I made the switch from using liquid foundation to using mineral makeup. Like most beauty consumers, my transformation into a minerals user came via Bare Escentuals. While BE is the reigning champ on the mineral makeup world, there are plenty of mineral based cosmetics out there that can give BE a run for its money.

I recently started testing out Pur Minerals. All through July, I have used products from their Pur-fect Starter Kit. For $35, this kit contains the following:

• 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Makeup: The cornerstone of Pur Minerals, this one-minute mineral makeup miracle is your mineral foundation, powder, concealer and SPF protection all in one neat makeup compact. Completely free of oil, alcohol, talc, fragrances, preservatives and chemical dyes, this mineral foundation is actually good for your skin!
• Mineral Glow: A touch of sun in a makeup compact, this mineral powder will impart a natural, sun-kissed glow to your skin.
• Universal Marble Powder in Pink: Give your skin back that rosy glow you were born with. Universal Marble Powder corrects, brightens and imparts antioxidants into the skin. This multi-purpose mineral makeup can be worn on your eyes, lips and cheeks.
• The Chisel Makeup Brush: The magic behind the mineral makeup look! The only makeup brush to use for application of your 4-in-1 Mineral Makeup, it provides maximum coverage and an amazingly smooth finish.

Here are my thoughts on these products:

WHAT I LIKE:

• The price. At just $35, the Pur Minerals starter kit is a deal, especially when you compare it to BE's starter kit that will set you back $60.
• The convenience. The 4-in-1 makeup is a huge time saver. I get a completely covered face in one quick step. There is no need for extra concealer or "setting" my makeup with a finishing powder.
  
• The lack of mess. I've mentioned before that mineral makeup can be a little messy, what with all the loose powder flying around. The Pur Minerals products seem much less sloppy. They way they are made and packaged makes it easy for me to toss the pots of product into my makeup bag without worrying that I am going to have a wasteful mess getting in my way.
• The look. The products in the Pur Minerals starter kit are excellent and give me a great look for my casual, everyday life.
  

WHAT CAN BE IMPROVED:

• The brush. Maybe it's just me, but the brush that came with the kit could use some improvement. I had a lot of excess hairs come off the brush and onto my skin. I switched over to a Kabuki-style brush I have in my makeup bag and found that I had better coverage and no stray bristles.
  

FINAL THOUGHTS:
As a BE user, I was pleasantly surprised by Pur Minerals. If you want to get on the mineral makeup bandwagon but are uneasy about spending a ton of money, give Pur Minerals a try. They offer very good products with excellent value. You can't go wrong!

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