Glamour to GO!

I love little makeup palettes because I always need to have makeup with me at all times. I realize that I may be slightly crazy. Be that as it may, Too Faced has basically read my mind.

The Glamour To Go 2 Pocket Palette by Too Faced has everything you need for beauty touch ups on the go. The set includes 8 universally flattering eye shadows, 4 lip glosses, and a shimmery blush.

The best part? The whole palette folds up and is about the size of a credit card. Not bad, if I do say so myself. It retails for $19.50, which is quite a steal for such gorgey products!

Go Commando!

Oh my. There is now a way to go commando without...going commando! Commandos has come out with Go Commandos Patches. I haven't tried them yet--I'm more of a cute panty gal, but rumor has it, they're pretty fabulous.

They are absorbent fabric patches that you attach to the inside seam of pants, jeans or tights. They act as a replacement to underwear and leave no panty lines or uncomfortable chafing (the pads are incredibly soft, you hardly notice them at all). It's almost like attaching a pantyliner to the inside of your jeans, minus the uncomfortableness. They also stay in place quite well, whereas a pantyliner won't. They even come in organic cotton.

Unfortunately, there is a downside. Cost-wise, they're a steep $16 - $18 for a package of 8.

Beauty Myths Uncovered

Now we've all heard various beauty "tips", but are they really tips after all? I found a list of 10 beauty myths that are not only false, but plain old ridiculous!

1) Does Chocolate Cause Acne? NO. Extensive research shows this is simply not true.

2) Are Organic or Natural Products Better for Skin? Not always! Many organic skincare products have a short shelf life and can harm skin if the product is expired. Other organic products are made from fruits which can irritate skin and cause allergies.

3) Should Concealer Be Lighter Than Your Skin Tone? Don't buy concealer that's a shade or two lighter than your skin tone or you may end up with that lovely "reverse raccoon" look. Not attractive.

4) Can You Use a Body Lotion on Your Face? No. Lotion formulated for the body can be drying or can irritate the more sensitive skin on your face. Your body's skin is thicker and tougher than the skin on your face so companies can get away with putting fragrances and cheaper ingredients in a body lotion.

5) Is It Unsanitary to Use His Razor? Not at all. Go ahead, raid his bathroom cabinet if you're in a pinch.

6) Best Way to Spritz Perfume: Spray First, Then Walk Into the Mist? This is actually NOT the best way to apply perfume. Walking into the mist means you're coating your clothes with fragrance and not yourself! Since fragrance is formulated to work with the heat of your body, it's best to apply perfume to pulse points -- wrists, back of the knees, the base of the throat and just behind the earlobes.

7) Never, Ever Tweeze Above the Brow. This is tricky because many women try doing this themselves. PLEASE, for the love of God, pay a professional to do this for you! You will look more polished and great eyebrows really help frame the face.

8) She Did Your Makeup, Are You Obligated to Buy Everything? We've all been there--who doesn't love a complimentary makeover at a beauty counter? Consider how much time you took up of the salesperson. If you asked for a consult and took up a lot of her time asking questions and for more makeup, then you should consider buying something as a courtesy. But if she nabbed you to try a liner or lipstick and you didn't like it, thank her and move on.

9) Toner is a Must for Any Skincare Regimen. False. Why? These days, cleansers do a good enough job removing excess oils and dirt from skin, you don't need an added astringent. Plus, toners can be drying to skin so the only people who would benefit from an astringent are those who suffer from extremely oily skin.

10) Can You Prevent Stretch Marks With Lotion? Not really. Sorry, ladies! Stretch marks are caused by weight gain or weight loss. The best thing to do is apply some self tanner to camouflage and hope for the best!

Pick your Pretty!

I have an addiction. And I'm not ashamed of it.

I LOVE gift sets from department stores. I'm a huge sucker for miniature sized products, be they makeup, skincare products, or anything in between. And now what Christmas is over, I think it's just about time to treat myself to a gorgey gift bag full of goodies.

Clinique has a new divine bag filled to the brim with their most popular products. The "Pick your Pretty" gift sets come in two different collections: Pink Perfection and Plum Sensation.

Each kit contains:
-Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, 1.7 oz
-7 Day Scrub Cream Rinse-Off Formula, 1.7 oz
-High Impact Mascara in Black, .17 oz
Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss, .17 oz
-Exclusive Colour Surge Eyeshadow QuadBlushing
-Blush Powder Blush with brush
-Clinique Hair Brush
-Canvas Tote

Again, the colors do vary depending on which collection you choose. So here's the deal: the 8-piece collections are $32.50 with a purchase of $25 or more. Not to shabby, considering that the products on their own cost a steep $84!

The promotion is going on while supplies last--but I'm sure they'll be flying off the shelves, so get yourself over to your local Clinique counter stat!!!

Free Gift with Purchase!!

Oh Ulta, how I love thee. Currently, Ulta is offering a special free gift with purchase. I'm always such a sucker for those anyway, and this is no exception. With any $25 purchase, you can get a divine gift set for free (valued at $20). The best part? You can choose from three different sets: The Women's Trend pack, The Women's Classic pack, or The Men's pack. So, you can get whichever pack tickles your fancy. Each pack is full of various deluxe samples and is really quite the steal.

Hooray for free stuff!

O My! O-Gloss Lips!

I recently decided to give Smashbox's O-Gloss a try due to the fab reviews I've been reading. And now I am officially in love.

The gloss is intuitive--it seems to have a mind of its own. When first applied, it goes on clear. After a couple minutes, you have your perfect lip gloss in your very own perfect pink!

Because I am super fair-skinned (read: transparently white), I generally cannot wear lip gloss that supposedly works for every skin tone. This gloss is much different. On me, the shade ended up being a very sheer raspberry pink. This is great to wear on its own, or to layer on top of your fave lipstick.

The gloss retails for $22 and lasts for a while; definitely worth the price. Enjoy!

Holiday Sparkle

I'm obsessed with palettes. I don't know what it is--I just love having so many products in one little compact. And it helps when the compact is super cute.

Cargo came out with an absolutely divine fabric compact that is filled to the brim with holiday-inspired beauty products. Together, they create a shimmery look that is perfect for an eve out on the town. Included in the set is:
-4 x 0.085 oz Holiday Nights Eye Shadow Quad
- 0.317 oz Blush
- 0.041 oz Boogie Nights Eye Pencil in Silver
- 0.078 oz Face & Body Sparkle

Retailing at $25, it's a pretty great deal. It makes the perfect gift for just about anyone (even yourself)! An added bonus? The makeup is held in a removable insert so you can use the gorgey box for whatever you choose!

It's in the Stars

Ever wonder what to buy for yourself, or a friend? Beauty.com offers a great beauty horoscope complete with fabbity fab beauty buy suggestions for each sign.

So, what's your sign?

Oodles of Makeup

Oh Sephora, how I love thee! This season's Ultimate Blockbuster palette tickles my fancy. It has all the essentials for eyes, face, and lips--pretty much all you need for complete classic beauty. The gorgey kit includes 71 eyeshadow shades (0.04 oz each), 13 cream eyeshadow shades (0.03 oz each), 5 blushes (0.19 oz each), 1 compact powder (0.19 oz), 60 lip glosses (0.03 oz each), one lip liner, one eyeliner, 4 brushes, 3 sponge-tipped applicators, and a fab black case that's just as classy as you are.

What's not to love? Oh and did I mention that the palette is actually a $320 value? Because it is. Yet, all you have to pay is a mere $48. Not bad if I do say so myself.

Fashion Faux Pas: Denim Suits

This one's for the guys out there. Denim suits are not, nor have they ever been, fashionable.

I went to a career fair this week and obviously someone did not get the memo. Clad in a full denim suit (which I'm fairly sure was homemade), this lovely fellow tried to further his career by making the rounds to all of the businesses' booths. Needless to say, he did not get even one great response...at least as far as I can tell.

So for all the guys out there, stop wearing denim suits (or even blazers for that matter) and try dressing like a normal human being. How about a nice charcoal suit? Giving up the denim suit immediately increases your chances of getting a job by 200%. It's a fact. I promise. That is all.

Wear Love, Not War

Harajuku Lovers has a great new line of fragrances that truly embrace...well, love! Actually, there are oodles of emotion choices but love is obviously the best. I mean, the perfume bottle alone is cute enough to just display anywhere.

Luckily, the scent is pretty much amazing as well and stays true to its' name. Spritz some Love on and be prepared for the consequences. The scent is reminiscent of a floral bouquet, with notes of pink pomelo, rose, and creamy vanilla orchid. What's not to...love? The scent is perfect for a night of seduction, or even just a night on town.

The perfume retails for $25 (for .33 oz), which is really quite a steal if you ask me.

Seeing Green?

Let me start by saying that I have green eyes. As a common rule, you aren't supposed to wear eyeshadow that is the same color as your eyes...Or so I'd heard. That said, I tried on a delightful eye shadow from The Body Shop that just happened to be Peacock Green (I was talked into it) and got oodles of compliments a I left the store. And no, these people were not paid to compliment me. I asked. And no money was exchanged.

The lesson? Don't rule out any eye shadow shades. You never know what might enhance your eyes and make you look even more gorgey than you already are.

Fashion Faux Pas: Toadily Insane?

While in a beauty supply store, i saw a couple wearing matching t-shirts with this graphic on them.

I understand that people wear stupid shirts. But these people were talking about the hair salon that they both operated together...now am I "Toadily Insane" or is this just simply unacceptable? I vote unacceptable. Toadily.

Body-ful Treat

I'm a sucker for gifts with purchases; I simply cannot resist them. The Body Shop's new Gorgeous Gift is no exception. With any purchase ( I suggest the Raspberry Born Lippy Balm), you get the gift for a mere $10.

Included in the set is:
Aloe Soothing Day Cream - 15 ml
Aloe Soothing Night Cream - 15 ml
New! Total Energy Enlivening Body Gel - 50 ml
Mini Hi-Shine Lip Treatment - Mauve Dream - 6 ml

The bag itself is super cute and can be used either as a makeup bag or a clutch for going out. What's not to love?

Bright Tights

It's now officially Fall. Time to break out the tweed blazers, pack away the capri pants, and move on. Luckily, Fall fashion doesn't need to be boring.

Last year, we saw a lot of black opaque tights and leggings. This year, is a bit more wild. Jewel tones like plum and deep teal are the new black, as far as I'm concerned. No nonsense has some great affordable pairs in gorgeous colors. I'd love to wear these opaque raspberry tights with a black skirt for an unexpected pop. What do you think, ladies? Ready to Fall into color? That was a bad pun. Sorry. Don't take it out on the fab tights.

Counting Sheep?

Bath and Body Works is one of my all-time fave stores. Recently, they've come out with a whole line of lambie goodies...slippers, key chains, and even this gorgeous sleep mask.

Their Sweetest, Softest Lambie Sleep Mask on Earth (real name, by the way) retails for $10 online and in stores. The back of the mask is fully lined with silk and literally is the comfiest mask on earth! Not to mention cute as a button. So, stop counting sheep at night and cozy up with this luxurious sleep mask for a nap anytime.

Itsy Bitsy Flat Iron

If you know me, then you know that I love all things little and pink. BaByliss' new pink Pro Nano Titanium Mini Flat Iron is my new fave beauty tool.

It measures 6" in length and heats up to 430 degrees F. It's too small to really use on your whole heard, but is just perfect to throw in your purse, or overnight bag, for quick touch ups.

The flat iron retails for $28.99 on BeautyChoice.com and also comes in blue for those of you who are tired of the pink craze.

Bonjour, Gorgeous!

I know that I just wrote about nail polish, but I just had to fill you ladies in on the latest Fall collection from OPI, FRANCE.

Most of the colors in the collection are matte and include deep plum hues (perfect for toe nails, or fingernails for the brave). A great way to try out the line is to buy the Cafe Cuties Mini Pack, which comes with three of the most gorgey shades: Louvre Me Louvre Me Not, Parlez-vous OPI?, and Eiffel for This Color. In the pack, you also get a mini RapiDry Top Coat which I highly recommend.

The beauty shop that I work at is rapidly selling out of these packs, so move quickly! I found a website that retails the mini kits for $9.95, which isn't bad for the great colors you get. These hues are great transition colors for the season change and can also work for Winter. Enjoy, and work on your french accent! Au revoir!

Princesses Rule!

Okay, so I'm hugely into nail polish these days and I probably own well over 50 bottles of 'em. I fully realize that I am crazy.

I thought I'd share with you guys one of my fave pink shades, Princesses Rule! by OPI. It's pretty neutral and goes on quite sheer so you don't have to worry about tiny little nicks on your nails. The color is actually a bit more glittery than the picture shows and it literally reminds me of when I was 6 and wanted to be a princess. Actually, I still want to be a princess, but that is beside the point.

The nail polish retails for $5.49 on amazon.com--that was the cheapest that I could find--and one bottle will last you forever. Long live princesses!

Foxy Locks

So, I have a new job working at a beauty supply store and have fallen in love with multiple products. By far, my absolute fave has been The Foxy 5 collection by TIGI. I'm a huge fan of most of their products anyway, but this kit is nothing short of amazing.

The set retails for about $60, but if you were to buy each product separately it would cost double or more. Each gorgeous kit contains Foxy Shampoo, Conditioner, Contour Cream, Hi-Def Curls Spray & Mousse. My hair is usually what I refer to as "wavy frizz grossness" and I frequently flat iron my hair daily to avoid having a 'fro. That's fine and dandy, but takes a ton of time and can do serious damage to your hair. This kit literally made my hair look like a curly-haired goddess (not to brag) and the look lasted through quite a busy day.

The best part is that, depending on what look you want to achieve, you can mix and match the products. For just a little volume and wavy hair, you can skip the spray and mouse. Or, add in some of your own fave curling products to the mix. The possibilities are endless and anyone who has even the slightest wave to their hair will truly benefit from these products.

An added bonus? Everything smells super yummy!