Loving Clinique!!! This is just in time for summer!

Ok, so I have been seriously slacking in my posting duties, but life calls and the first 6 months of the year are always hectic with birthdays, get-togethers, etc... plus I was waiting for a product I really loved to come along... and my wishes were granted.
As a subscriber to Glamour magazine, I always look forward to their picks for favorite lotions, potions and fast fixes. So as I thumbed through the May edition, I came across a tear-out insert from Clinique. Normally this is something I rip out and toss in the trash since it interferes with my page flipping... but this time I was stopped by a small sample attached to the tear-out that included a smidge of their new Even Better foundation. The description indicated that after 4-6 weeks, I would see improved clarity, even skin tone, diminished discolorations and yes... even acne scarring. I was sold and decided I would try it myself the following day.
That was yesterday and I have been itching for more of this stuff ever since.

My hubby, who normally doesn't worry about noticing something new since I change and experiment with new stuff all the time, asked me "Did you do something different? You look so good!". The fact that my husband noticed a difference had me wishing the local mall wasn't so far away or I would have run out for it right then! The small amount I was provided made me think I would be able to test this on maybe my cheek, but wasn't I pleasantly surprised when that slight amount gave me full coverage. It was smooth, it covered well without being cakey, and it didn't settle into my pores or make me look like an oil slick halfway through the day. I have to say that I am absolutely in love and the mere possibility that I could improve my complexion so much that I could one day soon walk out of my home without a stitch of makeup on, is enough to warrant the cost of $24.50 for a bottle of this fabulosity.

So head on over to Sephora, or any department store makeup counter for Clinique and let's all get back to the natural, makeup free beauties we all are... with the help of a little makeup of course.

Glad to be back bitchlings... more to come...

AVON Calling!

For all of you bitches who have felt that Avon is for old ladies, listen up:
Avon has come a long way since you were little and your mother was ordering Skin So Soft for you. It is alive with bright fun colors, new and improved foundations, and better deals than you will find in-store or online anywhere else!
My lovely little sister, Amber, is Avon's newest representative. So head on over to her Avon site (which you can conveniently reach by clicking on the title of this article) and take a look around! Free shipping when you spend at least $30.
I will be reviewing any samples she receives, so if you would like to know about something before you buy it, let me know.

Get on over to Avon bitchlin's, it's not your momma's makeup anymore!

Spring is coming, time to lighten up!

Spring is right around the corner, ladies, and with spring comes an opportunity to tone down the heavy perfumes left over from all of the holiday parties you had to attend. Warmer weather = fresh, crisp and light fragrances. The best option? A body mist as opposed to perfume. The best place to find one to fit you? Bath and Body Works of course!
With scents ranging from their newest called "Butterfly Garden" to the crisp scent of "Coconut Lime Verbena" (My personal fave), I promise there's one for you. And best of all, right now if you buy 3 items from the collection of your choice (which include body wash, lotions, creams, butters, sprays and perfumes), you get 3 FREE!!!! According to BBW, that could be a savings of $88!

"Spring" on over to your local BBW or head to their online shop (no worries, click on the title of this article and find yourself whisked away to their online store). One more surprise? Free shipping on orders over $60!
So get going, and get ready to shed the sweaters, scarves and the sultry scents in favor of skirts, shorts and summery spritzes!

TODAY ONLY! So get moving!!!!

Avon is currently running 60% off site-wide on specific items and free shipping on any order!!! If you have never tried Avon before, now is a good time. You will find everything from lipgloss to eye creams, all of which work wonderfully for a bargain price!
Get going bitchlings... beauty waits for no one!

Pasty no MORE!

Ok, so after a short hiatus from my beauty reviews, thanks to a recent illness that spread through my family, I am now back and ready to tell you all about a fabulous new product I have discovered. It's called Ocean Potion Ever Glow. It is a sunless tanner, comes in a giant 20 oz. bottle with pump, smells WONDERFUL (kind of like bubblegum), and best of all? It cost me $4.88!!! I came across it at my local Walmart while I was looking for a good self tanner. The price is what got me, and I decided that even if it didn't make me look tan, it still smelled good!
So I got home and put on my first application. It goes on smooth, dries quickly and even later on in the day I didn't get that "self-tanner smell" to my skin. The bottle claims that after 7 days you will have that summer glow without the sun, but I found that my ivory skin looked healthy and glowing after only 3 days!
I will definitely have to mark this product down as a must have, must buy and must go get RIGHT NOW! Gear up for summer without paying the high prices of tanning beds and risking *GASP*... WRINKLES!

Go get your glow on my bitchlings!

Simply Ageless? I think not...

So you have all seen the commercial by now with Ellen touting the amazing wrinkle covering abilities of Covergirl's new Simply Ageless foundation. Since I was running low on my own foundation and the prospect of covering that damn forehead wrinkle that has plagued me since I was 15 was too much to pass up, I decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, Covergirl has disappointed this time.
When I first put it on, I was amazed at the coverage. It did hide the wrinkles better than my other foundation, it went on smoother than I expected and I didn't need to use much at all. Then a couple hours went by and when I glanced in the mirror, I was a little more than upset to find that not only had it SETTLED into my pores and wrinkles, but my face looked like I had caked powder on it! My skin felt dry and tight and not comfortable at all. I tried to take a makeup sponge to smooth it out and it wouldn't budge! Also, the colors are lighter than other Covergirl foundations. Normally I use their foundations in IVORY. Well the ivory color for Simply Ageless made me look washed out, powdery and pale. But I was willing to overlook the color issues if it had worked, which it did not.
Please do not waste $15.99 on this. There are so much better foundations out there and as a long time user of Covergirl products, I am truly disappointed. I will be utilizing their money back guarantee and spending it on something I know will work.

As a side note, I did also purchase Covergirl's Tru Blend minerals in the Mineral Veil option. I do love this product. It looks good on the skin and feels good. My ONLY complaint would be the size of the well for the powder to shake into. It's not big enough to dip the whole brush in, so it causes a bit of a mess. Other than that, I would definitely recommend this product.

So that's the verdict. Simply Ageless is simply not worth the cost or the false hope of covering up those stubborn wrinkles.
Ahhh beauty... it's a never ending search for perfection.

Yet another Sephora Sample Scrutiny

Ok, so this time we are taking a good hard look at Dr. Perricone's Ceramic Skin Smoother. It claims to fill in lines and wrinkles while reducing pore size. It works exactly like a primer would and best of all, it's oil free.
Seems good right? Well, there's a catch...
This stuff, which comes in a 1 oz. bottle by the way, costs $75!!
Now I don't know about you bitches, but I thought paying $42 for Smashbox primer was pushing the limits of sanity for the sake of beauty.
Granted, this stuff does what it says it will. It fills, smoothes and gives a matte finish once it's dry. But come on ladies! $75!!!????
This Bitch is gonna have to pass.

If you want a good primer, try Sally Hansen's new line of cosmetics called Natural Beauty, inspired by Carmindy (TLC's What Not To Wear, resident makeup artist). http://www.sallyhansennaturalbeauty.com/product-detail.cfm?id=13&type=skin
This stuff works, it runs about $10-$14 depending on where you go, and it works! Did I already say that? Just in case you didn't hear me... IT WORKS!!!

So forgo the expensive stuff... it's like crack to a junkie and pretty soon you'll find your jonesing for a fix and selling blood to afford the stuff. Why hassle with that when you get the same thing for an 1/8 of the cost?
So like I always tell you bitchlings... get out there and get it!

For my Bitchlin's on a budget... and even those who aren't!

Head over to http://www.beautycrunch.com/ and check out their special event for STILA products! Quantities are limited and this event will not last long! (Although, you can get GREAT deals here anytime!)
Some of the best deals include a shimmer pot trio that normally would sell for $48, but is currently being sold for $12!! You can also pick up a Smokey Eye Talking Palette for $10 (normally $40), the only downside to this one is that it speaks in Korean... but hey! who said beauty only spoke in English??
So get going, supplies will go faster than you can say "나는 나의 eyeshadow에서 한국어를 배웠다!" (Translation: "I learned Korean from my eyeshadow!")

GoSmile is a NO-GO!

In my previous post, I mentioned the generous amount of samples I was recently given at my local Sephora store. Among the many samples was a handful (17 to be exact) of little tubes containing teeth whitening goodness... or so I thought.
The GoSmile system typically contains 14 little tubes, a 1 week supply, and retails for...wait for it.... $89 DOLLARS!!!!
Ok, first off, if I am going to spend that much then I might as well get professional whitening that will last longer and take less time. But it was free, so I went ahead and used it. After almost 2 weeks, I did notice some of the coffee and soda stains were gone, but as far as beng worth the cost, I think not.
First of all, if your gums or teeth are already sensitive, (as mine are), then forget this stuff now. I found this out the hard way.
Once I figured out how to use the damn things, (flip the cardboard over to the other end exposing the little sponge applicator, "pop" the tube, pray you don't take out an eye and then squeeze the contents into the applicator and apply in a circular motion to the surface of teeth. WHEW!), I thought I was in for a bright white smile! Instead, I got a nasty taste in my mouth, gums so sore I thought they were on fire and not much whiter teeth than I already had.
I have previously used Crest Whitestrips and for less than half the cost (plus a coupon you can download from their site http://www.crest.com/denplan/specialOffers.jsp for $5 off), they work BETTER with less irritation.
So there you have it, my first free sample review. More to come of course, but for now, if you need whiter teeth, head to your local drug store, pick up some Crest White Strips and use the money you save to get a pedicure...cuz you know sandal season is just around the corner, and yes, I can see your cracked heels from here.

Bye for now, Bitchlin's!

What do YOU want to know?

Thanks to the generous employee at my local Sephora, I received a large bag of samples to play with, try on and ultimately review for your pleasure! However, this bag o' goodies I have only covers a small portion of the products out there. So I want to know what you want to know.
Do you need help picking the right shade of shadow, bronzer or blush? Need to know what skincare line would be best for your skin type? (Trust me, I have tried them all!)
Then don't be shy, ask away!
I am here for you and your beauty questions, from head to toe!
So let me know what you want to know, and we'll get you on the road to fabulosity!

Looking to lay a better foundation with your foundation?

This past Sunday, my best friend Ro and I decided it was high time for girly day. This typically consists of lunch, a couple drinks, shopping and LOTS of laughing! After a full meal, we ventured into the mall and headed straight for Sephora (our own personal slice of heaven) and started to shop. As we wandered in and out of lipsticks and glosses, primers and powders, Ro decided she wanted to find some foundation. Not just any foundation mind you, but THE foundation. One that covers but doesn't cake, one that glides on but doesn't feel like an oil slick, one that finally does what it says it will.
So we asked one of the MANY Sephora employees who are there at your beck and call to guide you to the right product for you. We were led to the section of Make Up For Ever products. We were told tales of grandure! "It will cover everything without being cakey" she said, "You won't even need powder to set it!" she proclaimed!!!
I looked at Ro and saw her skepticism, but she decided "Why not, I've tried everything else". So they located her perfect shade, and then, for $34 dollars, she purchased the Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet Liquid Foundation.
Let me tell you my little bitchlin's, she is gorgeous! With barely a squirt of foundation on her face, she was transformed. Her skin glowed, the tone was even and SHE NEVER HAD TO SET IT WITH POWDER!!!!
So the final verdict? If you need a little more coverage for acne scars, blotchiness, redness and you hate carrying a compact around for touch ups during the day, grab this stuff!!! It is definitely $34 well spent. And if you don't agree, take it back! Sephora does have a generous return policy within 60 days of purchase, so you have nothing to lose and a gorgeous face to gain!

You've mastered the smokey eye... now let's take it to the next level...

You've lined, smudged and powdered your way to your smokiest eye yet, let's not ruin it with tarantula lashes!!
Covergirl has come out with an even better version (something I did not think was even possible!) of their Lash Blast Mascara. It's called Lash Blast Luxe and it's FABULOUS!!
I saw an ad for this and since I am already a huge fan of Lash Blast original, I thought I would give this a look. So I ran to the store and selected Black Platinum (other options include Black Cabernet and Black Emerald) and ran back home to try it on. The result: I have found a new love!!
When I read the package it mentioned how shimmering my eyes would be, which caused me to momentarily flash back to junior high, but I quickly came back to reality and decided to continue on. Ladies let me tell you there is not a hint of gaudy sparkle but a light smattering of eye brightening goodness!!!!
It's subtle enough for everday use yet dramatic enough for a night out! It's the perfect compliment to smokey eyes, shimmering shadows and easy to wear alone even!
I am definitely going Luxe from now on, and you should too.
Let's get shimmering, bitchlin's!

Want free full size product? head to your local department store tomorrow!

Macy’s and Nordstrom are among more than a dozen retailers who will be giving away cosmetics and perfumes on Jan. 20 as part of a class action lawsuit.
The giveaway is part of a 5-year-old settlement involving price fixing on beauty products. The retailers have claimed no wrong-doing.
If you purchased items from a manufacturer defendant between May 1994 and July 2003, you are eligible, and you won’t have to show proof of purchase. All you have to do is show up on Jan. 20 at a participating store and sign a registry.
As part of the settlement, $175 million in cosmetics will be given away, one per person on a first-come, first served basis while supplies last.
Brands include Estée Lauder, Clinique, Lancome, Clarins, Guerlain, Givenchy, Chanel, Boucheron, Cody, Calvin Klein, L’Oréal and Christian Dior.

Here is a list of the free FULL SIZE products that will be given away while supplies last:
Boucheron (USA) Ltd.: Femme Eau de Toilette (1 ounce/30 ml)

Chanel, Inc.: Coco Mademoiselle body lotion (3.4 fluid oz)

Christian Dior Perfumes, Inc.: J’Adore Eau de Parfum (15 ml)

Clarins U.S.A., Inc. (customers will have a choice of ONE of two products, while supplies last): Clarins Energizing Morning Cream (30 ml) OR Clarins Beauty Flash Bomb (30 ml)

Conopco, Inc. (distributed by Coty, Inc. on behalf of Conopco, Inc.) (customers will have a choice of ONE of three products, while supplies last): Calvin Klein Euphoria Bath and Shower Crème (6.7 oz) OR Vera Wang Princess Body Polish (5 oz) OR Lovely Sarah Jessica Parker Shower Gel (6.7 oz)

The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (customers will have a choice of ONE of two products, while supplies last): Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair (15 ml/0.5 oz) OR Clinique Moisture Surge (30 ml/1 oz)

Guerlain, Inc.: My Insolence Eau de Toilette (15 ml)

L’Oréal USA, Inc. (formerly known as Cosmair, Inc.) (customers will have a choice of ONE of eight products, while supplies last): Lancôme UV Expert 20 OR Lancôme Cils Design Pro Mascara OR Lancôme Fatale Mascara OR Lancôme Courbe Virtuose Mascara OR Lancôme Primordial Skin Defense OR Ralph Lauren Romance Shower Gel (6.7 oz.) OR Giorgio Armani ACM Shower Gel (6.7 oz) OR Lancôme Hypnôse Shower Gel

Parfums Givenchy, Inc.: Very Irresistible Givenchy Eau de Toilette (15 ml)


Don't ever turn down free product! Go get it!

Hair misbehaving? Skin driving you crazy? Blame your shower!

Yes ladies, your shower is giving you bad hair days!
Chlorine (among other things) vaporizes in the steam of your shower and you are breathing that in! Don't believe me? Turn your shower on hot, leave the bathroom and close the door behind you. Wait a few minutes for the bathroom to get nice and steamy and then walk back in. Smell that? That's chlorine in the air!
So, instead of breathing in chemicals, and ruining your bright and shiny new haircolor with chemicals that are stripping the color right back out, get yourself a shower filter!
These filters contain charcoal to neutralize the chlorine, therefore leaving you with nothing but clean water which will give you softer hair and skin. Most filters last for about 3 months and you can get one for around $25- $30. Whole shower systems cost more, but sites such as http://www.mrwaterfilter.com/ sell filters that fit your current shower head.

There's no need to wait, better hair and skin are just a shower away!
Go get it my bitchlin's!

Happy Monday! Here's a tip...

You know that girl... or maybe you are that girl, the one who's lip line is visible from 30 yrds? The one who has a ring so dark around her lips it looks more like she's on her way to her gig as a clown with Ringling Brothers than trying to make her lips look fuller.
You know the look... admit it. But do you know how to avoid it? Here's how: Buy lipliner that matches the color of your LIPS, not your lipstick! By lining your lips with a tone that matches your natural lip color, you will create that line that defines your lips and distracts from any little lines or imperfections. You can even use it to extend above your lipline (slightly now!) to even out uneven lips or to fake a little more fullness. Another bonus of using lip colored lipliner? If you fill in your entire lip with the lipliner and then apply your lipstick, it will help it last longer!!!

So there you go my bitchlin's, now get out and get some gorgeous lips!

Todays Tip: Smokey Eyes for Beginners

So, imagine this: You go online and locate step by step instructions for creating a smokey eye. Feeling confident, you grab your eyeshadow and brush and head off to the closest mirror to beautify your eyes and await the transformation from girl next door to mysterious vixen! You can't wait to hit the town with your new look.
You start to apply your shadow and realize, it's looking more like a black eye than a smokey eye. The culprit? YOUR BRUSH!
Instead of trying to use the applicator that comes with your shadow, (they never work) and you've made the attempt to use that $10 "blending" brush, why not try a smudge brush?
These little brushes (snag one for $1.00! at www.eyeslipsface.com) are the perfect tool to apply your smokey eye. The little sponge tip is perfect for applying the darker shades in the crease and along the lash line. They also work well for lining the lower lash as long as you are light handed with it.
So the next time you attempt this sultry and sexy look, remember the smudge brush! And once you have mastered the smokey eye, feel free to use the recommended brushes to achieve the look, but you just might find you don't need to!

Good luck my beauty bitchling's! If you need step by step instructions or a video how to, let me know!

In the coming months....

I will be creating several looks for eyes. From day to evening and beyond!
If you are interested in seeing how a specific look is done along with easy to follow instructions, then let me know! I will have models of all eye colors so that you can see what would look best on you!

I will also be working on "Looks of the Month" where I take different look options (such as natural, extreme, evening, bronze glow, etc...) and show you how to accomplish the look you want! I am also taking suggestions on which looks you would most like to see, so get those comments and posts going!!

Check it out!

Sephora is currently having a sale of up to 75% off on some of their greatest stuff!
Head on over there and check it out, I will be!