Just wanted to say Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all! I promise to resume regular posting, if not in the next week, then absolutely in the new year! Its a crazy time for everyone, I am sure you all understand!
Vacation Lovely!
If you have never tried Korres products, you are in for a treat. They are made from all natural ingredients and produced in the exotic land of Greece! Hence flavors like Quince, Guava, Wild Rose and Pomegranate. They have some awesome stocking stuffers for the holidays, available at Sephora, like these Butter Duo sets, available in Quince or Guava. Each contains a 1.69oz. body butter and a lip butter pot. Both are great for dry winter skin!
Gift Lovely!
It is not often that I share with you all a product I don't like, but I have seen so many positive reviews of this product, I feel I have to add my two cents. I read about DERMAdoctor's Physical Chemistry in Allure magazine awhile back. They said it was the closest thing you could get to a microdermabrasion at home because of the high acid percentage. I got a jar of it from a friend who had tried it once and thought it didn't compare to her beloved ExfoliKate by Kate Somerville. Thank god I didn't purchase it, because at $75 for 1.7oz. this stuff is not cheap! Well, after a few uses my reaction was the same as my friend's. It didn't really seem to do a whole lot. Usually after a great exfoliate, my skin feels smoother and looks brighter. Neither was happening after this stuff sat on my face for a few minutes. So anyways, I thought you should know if your were in the market for a new exfoliant, try anything else, namely my favorites: Philosophy's Micro Delivery Peel or ExfoliKate.
Exfoliate Lovely!
Ok. Stop what you are doing and go directly to Sephora.com. Type "sale" into the search box on the top left and discover all the great holiday sets that have been discounted, probably due to our slowing economy. Some are available online only, but most you can probably find at your local Sephora store. Seriously, there are some great values!!!! Check it out!!!!
Sale Lovely!
Need a great gift for that man in your life who has everything? Or maybe for a guy who doesn't have a clue was to do when it comes to finding a scent for himself. Diesel Fuel for Life is an energetic scent that's modern, yet classic and sophisticated, so a variety of guys will really enjoy it. It contains notes of star anise, grapefruit, lavender, heliotrope, raspberry and vetiver. I probably like it because it has the grapefruit (of course), but it also has enough spice and weight to make it manly and strong while maintaining the sweetness. The holiday set contains the Fuel for Life After Shave Balm, Shower Gel and Eau de Toilette in a signature Diesel canvas pouch, all for $69.50. A small price to pay for a man to smell amazing, from head to toe.
Gift Lovely!
The other week I went to grab my trusty Urban Decay Primer Potion from my makeup case and it was missing. I knew the culprit was most likely my rascally kitten whose favorite game is to knock things on the ground and bat them around, usually into a dark corner of my closet. So I was forced to go for plan b, Too Faced Shadow Insurance for my eye primer. It comes in a small tube and since I hadn't used it in awhile, the first bit was all oil. Yuck! I closed it up and squeezed it a bunch to mix it up again. The consistency was better, but still much more wet then UDPP. A little goes a long way and I ended up squeezing out too much the first few times I used it. It did seem to keep my shadow from fading throughout the day but I didn't like how oily it felt. Today, looking for an umbrella in my closet (rainy season has offically started in SF, boo hoo!), I found my UDPP! Needless to say, I reverted back to my old ways but I'll keep the Too Faced Shadow Insurance around for "rainy days." All in all, I think it is a decent eye primer that does the job well, but not a fabulous as my fav.
Prime Lovely!
I know you are running out of time to shop for your loved ones! So here are some great ideas by Lavanila. They use only 100% natural and healthy ingredients. Their vanilla-based products soothe and protect your skin with a healthy dose of 30 essential vitamins and minerals, 19 amino acids, and anti-oxidants. Anyone on your list will love them since they smell yummy and are good for your too!
The limited-edition Vanilla Spice Healthy Fragrance is a blend of Nutmeg, Sandalwood, Cardamom and Madagascar Vanilla essential oils. This warm scent just screams holiday memories and cosy winter nights. The fragrance is housed in an elegant gold package, the perfect pampering present for the holidays.
The Healthy Lip Shine Trio and Healthy Body Butter Trio make the perfect stocking stuffers. The Healthy Lip Shines put all concerns to rest with 100% chemical-free, naturally effective formulas that deliver a sheer wash of color and a natural, luminous glow while unique powerful 
antioxidants and skin-soothing oils nourish and hydrate. The Healthy Body Butters blend skin-soothing botanicals and powerful anti-oxidants in this non-greasy moisturizer that instantly melts into your skin for luxurious hydration and softly scented nourishment. How that for stuffing your stocking with goodness?!
Gift Lovely!
Have a friend or family member who travels a ton? Need a few little bottles for stuffing stockings? Ojon has a great set of 7 of their best products in travel sizes for only $39! The set include a 2-oz Ultra Hydrating Shampoo, a 2-oz of Ultra Hydrating Conditioner, a 2-oz Hydrating Thickening Shampoo, a 2-oz Hydrating Thickening Conditioner, a 2-oz Shine and Protect Shampoo, a 2-oz Shine and Protect Conditioner, and their widely popular 2-oz Rub-Out Dry Cleanser. Gives them in sets or separately.
Gift Lovely!
It might be surprising to you that up until recently, I didn't own a single mascara that was anything but black! I think the last time I did "spring cleaning" on my makeup collection, I tossed the few blues and browns had because they were gross and old. So when I had the chance to try Benefit's Bad Gal Plum I knew it was time to get some color back into my life. I know how it goes, you get very used to the way black mascara looks and anything else just doesn't seem to make your eyes POP they way it does. But honestly I think there is a time and place for this lovely Plum shade. It kinda makes your eyes look ethereal, since it is a soft purpley-brown, sending the focus on the color of your eye instead of your lashes. I used it with some gold and bronze toned shadows and the effect was pretty and soft, not super intense. I think it is a good daytime mascara, a nice change from black, black, black, but not as dull as boring brown. Try it!
Plum Lovely!
If you're anything like me then you love to watch TLC's What Not to Wear. Seeing frumpy ladies get turned into fashionistas never gets old. I think I watched an episode everyday when I was in college. Part of what makes the show so great are the hosts. I love Stacy, Clinton, and Carmindy of course, but the hair stylist Nick Arrojo is great too. I just found out the other day than not only does he have his own studio in New York but he has his own line of products. I got to try the volume foam, and if the rest of his products work as well as it does, I bet the line will do very well. It gives my hair tons of shape and body without making it feel full of sticky product and it is only $15 for 4.2oz. For the holidays, there are a few gift sets available as well. The Blow Dry Set contains the volumizing foam I like so much and both a round and paddle brush to help you get a great blow-out right at home. Perfect for ladies like me, with flat lifeless hair that needs help on a daily basis.
A beautiful home is a home that smells delicious. A part of the beauty world I love is home fragrance. A while ago I picked up a Archipelago Pomegrante Citrus candle from Nordstrom for $24 and I just love it. Here is how they hooked me: Nordstrom had one of the Archipelago diffusers in the women's bathroom and the scent intoxified me so much I knew I had to have it!
They also have a $30 set 
of mini diffusers is a great hostess gift for holiday parties, or a great addition for your own home. My favorite set contains Pomegrante Citrus, Pinapple Tangerine, and Mango Tangerine, but there are also sets of florals or woods if that is more your style.
Link Lovely!
Can a girl ever have too much lip gloss? Um, the answer would be no! These Stila Lip Glaze click pens are a great thing to have around in multiples. Through one in each purse, bag, and a few at your desk! The set of 6 available just during the holidays is only $22 and it contains some of Stila's best selling shades and a few new ones. They taste as good as they sounds, promise!
Set includes:
- Vanilla (pearly nude)
- Brown Sugar (shimmering golden nude)
- Raisin (shimmering golden plum)
- Grapefruit (frosted pink)
- Apricot (melon nectarine)
- Gumdrop (vibrant pink)
Gift Lovely!
I have written about how much I LOVE L'Occitane's hand creams before, but I have to say they are simply the best I've found. The little tubes are easily transported in your purse. The shea butter moisture is unbeatable, even in the harsh winter months. And I enjoy the plain one just as much as the scented varieties. Although the little tubes maybe seem on the pricey side ($10 for 1oz.), they last a very long time and are well worth the money. So this is why I snatched up one of the Hand Cream Trio sets at Sephora the minute I saw it. $25 for three is a steal, and I am excited to try the cherry blossom scent. It will be hard to give this gift set away, but I know it is the right thing to do this holiday season. The people I love deserve soft hands too. I guess...
Gift Lovely!
Marc Jacob's Daisy is a huge hit among women of all ages. It's pretty, flowery packaging appeals to tweens and teens yet it's scent is very lady-like and grown up. It has notes of Strawberry, Violet Leaves, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Gardenia, Violet Petals, Jasmine Petals, Musk, Vanilla, and White Woods. The gift set available right now at Sephora for $60 includes a 1.7 oz eau de toilette spray and a very cute gold solid perfume ring in a delightful gold pouch.This set will surely please many a lady (to be or otherwise) on your list this holiday season.
Gift Lovely!
Another great simple gift set I've found is Korres' Butter Duo To Go in Quince. For $18 you get a 1.69oz. of their body butter and a lip butter pot both in yummy exotic Quince flavor. Korres' products are all natural and made in Greece. The rich body butter is great for dried-out winter skin and the lip balm will help any chapped lips out there. I kinda like that they come in a plastic pouch. Its simple and yet chic. Throw that into anyone's stocking and they will be more than happy!
Gift Lovely!
If I had it my way, my entire stocking would be filled with adorable little beauty sets! This Mini
Brow Kit by Anastasia is right up my alley. Perfect for just about any lady on your list (or a man not afraid to do a little plucking!), it contains just the essentials to clean up and tame your brows on the go, all for only $25.
This set includes:
- Mini Matte Camille Highlighter
- Mini Tweezers
- Mini Clear Brow Gel
Stuff Lovely!
World AIDS Day was today. I know I'm a a little late in posting this but I wanted to share with you the latest great thing that MAC Cosmetics is doing to support such a greatly important cause:
Johannesburg, South Africa – November 24, 2008. A new grant program from the M·A·C AIDS Fund has granted $2.5 million to fighting HIV and AIDS in South Africa. The grant will go to UNICEF South Africa and (NOAH) Nurturing Orphans of AIDS for Humanity to help in testing and treating pregnant women and strengthen the community infrastructure to care for children orphaned by AIDS. The children of South Africa have been hard hit by the AIDS epidemic, where 280,000 children are living with the disease and 1.4 million have lost one or both parents.
The $2.5 million was raised $14 at a time across 16 countries when M·A·C Cosmetics customers purchased VIVA GLAM lipsticks and lipglasses. The entire sale price of the products is directed to the MAC AIDS Fund.
“It is our responsibility as a global company to invest in integrated and sustainable HIV/AIDS initiatives and programs,” said Nancy Mahon, Senior Vice President of M·A·C Cosmetics and Executive Director of the M·A·C AIDS Fund. “This collaboration will have a significant impact on addressing the alarming and rising rates of HIV/AIDS in South Africa, working in partnership with two important local grassroots organizations that are on the frontlines and have a deep and vast understanding of the issue.”
The new M·A·C AIDS Fund grant will provide $2 million to UNICEF to provide HIV testing and treatment to pregnant women and children in Kwazulu Natal, North West and Limpopo which together account for 50 percent of the 5.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the country. In addition to expanding programs for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, this grant will allow the provincial governments to incorporate HIV testing into existing immunization programs. This will provide a critical opportunity to identify HIV-positive children and bring them into care and treatment. The program will also provide treatment to 36,000 pregnant HIV positive
women to prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies and ongoing antiretroviral medication to over 5,000 women and children.
“The power of one VIVA GLAM lipstick or Lipglass never ceases to amaze me,” said M·A·C Cosmetics Global President and M·A·C AIDS Fund Chairman John Demsey. “In this case, the proceeds from hundreds of thousands of VIVA GLAM sales will support two innovative and groundbreaking HIV/AIDS programs in South Africa. The two organizations we are supporting through this global partnership really understand the needs of their country, uniquely positioning them to create and implement comprehensive programs to address the AIDS crisis in South Africa. VIVA GLAM customers should be proud to know that they are directly contributing to the global fight against HIV/AIDS.”
The M·A·C AIDS Fund began supporting HIV/AIDS programs in Africa in 2000, and has granted more than $10 million in South Africa alone. In South Africa VIVA GLAM can be purchased at one of 13 M·A·C Cosmetics stores with five locations in Johannesburg, one in Pretoria, four in Cape Town, two in Durban and one in Port Elizabeth.
The following 16 M·A·C markets are participating in this initiative: Austria, Belgium, Dubai, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
ABOUT THE M·A·C AIDS FUND
The M·A·C AIDS Fund, the heart and soul of M·A·C Cosmetics, was established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS globally. MAF is a pioneer in HIV/AIDS funding, providing financial support to organizations working in under served regions and with under served populations. As the largest corporate non-pharmaceutical funder in the arena, MAF is committed to addressing the link between poverty and HIV/AIDS by supporting diverse organizations around the world that provide a wide range of services to people living with HIV/AIDS. To date, MAF has raised $130 million USD exclusively through the sale of M·A·C’s VIVA GLAM lipstick and Lipglass, donating 100 percent of the sale price to fight HIV/AIDS. For more information, visit www.macaidsfund.org.
So get out there and VIVA GLAM it up this holiday season, and know your $$ are doing great good!
I can't believe it is December already! But that means holidays, parties, family, and presents so I'm ok with it. I am especially excited about all the great gift sets available this holiday season! I'll be devoting most of my December posts to them, so get your shopping lists ready.
A very fun, inexpensive set is Philosophy's The Recipe Box, only $18 at Sephora. It is perfect for anyone who loves to bake delicious desserts. The adorable box includes three yummy recipe-flavored, 3-in-1 shampoo, bubble bath, and shower gels (strawberry shortcake, red velvet cake, and sweet creamy frosting), as well as recipes to bake them! What a fun idea!
Gift Lovely!
