Stocking Stuffers

Stockings are a big deal in my family. But the price tags can add up, so here are a few of my favorites I've found this year:

I first spotted these hair ties on Movie Girl & actually had complemented her 'bracelet.' When she explained they were hair ties...

I went out & got some for myself from Anthropologie! I can't tell you how often I have hair ties or elastics on my wrist for work that look, well like hair ties. These look so lovely on the wrist. Three are for $24- so since I do 3 stockings for my mom & sisters I'd split up the pack.

I'm obsessed with NYX Lip Butters, I mean beyond. When my lips are chapped I used to turn only to by beloved Aquaphor. The fact that I reach for these now too is saying something! I bought these trios for my sisters' stockings at 40% off their normal $9.99 price tag. If you can't find the sets anymore locally, still head to Ulta where the singles are buy one, get one 50% off. 

Here's an option from Benefit with super cute packaging that breaks down to about $4.33 a gloss if divvied up.

 I stumbled upon this Perlier set by accident while watching (ahem being sucked into) a beauty segment on HSN. 

It's a collection of 9 hand creams in the box + 1 bonus anti-aging body balm at a special price if $19.95.

Now I know we all dip into the 99 cent bin sometimes for beauty items, especially for stockings & bulk gifts or favors- but most of the time you feel it in the actual quality of the product or worse the smell is gross. These hand creams are luxurious & much needed this time of year. I would wrap individually & fill an entire stocking for someone like a nurse or teacher or esthetician; ^) that's washing their hands all the time during these cold months.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Benefit's Bathina

Since I shun the sun & am currently at the beach- I'm blindingly pale. I've accepted that & tell myself that I'll be the youngest looking 75 year old around when I get older. I often reach for a luminizer of some sort to at least give my arms & legs a pearly gleam.   

This weekend I packed Benefits' Bathina. I scooped it up after a girls weekend in NYC, where my friend Heidi went on & on about her love for it when we were at Bendel's. The retro tin is admittedly adorable, though a bit bulky for packing.

Though not very sparkly or intensely shimmery, the solid balm gives a lovely sheen to the skin & isn't greasy. Plus it's scented with Benefit's signature white blossom notes. I detect a little Lily of the Valley- which is delicious.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Benefit Ultra Plush Gloss

To match their much adored cheek colors, Benefit recently launched coordinating lipglosses to match! Having a hard time deciding which shade I wanted to try, I opted for the Ultra Plush Glosses First Class Set which had baby sizes & will be perfect for when I travel abroad in the fall.

This collection features Bella Bamba, Coralista, Dandelion & Sugarbomb. They're all wearable hues just like the best selling cheek colors they coordinate with.  This set cost $26, versus the full sized versions ringing in each at $16.

From top: Coralista, Bella Bamba, Sugarbomb & Dandelion.

The textures are interesting- there is no really tack whatsoever. If you've ever tried Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics' Lip Tar, that is what this reminds me of texture wise. Don't be afraid of the brighter shades, as these are all completely sheer. The slant tip applicator is convenient feature. On the swoon worthy scale, these glosses rate about 3 out of 5 stars.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Day 3 of my Blogaversary Celebration!

It's Day 3 of my week long beauty bonanza! How time flies, just like the 2 years I've been blogging. In honor of day 3, there are 3 prizes up for grabs!

To take that summer glow into fall & winter, I'm giving away this Stila bronzer duo. The compacts are huge, so they should last until next summer- unless you're Snooki!

This mini collection of Benefit's bestsellers offer the perfect size to take with you on a beach getaway- Labor Day perhaps. 'That Gal' is a great lightweight primer & Posie Tint gives a gorgeous natural flush that stays put in hot weather.

This Pixi lipgloss collection has every color you need in one complete kit(I said need, doesn't mean you won't want more!) It's an entire wardrobe of colors! I keep this in my professional kit to be able to tone down, pump up or switch up a lip color on a model.

So girleens, here are the ways you can enter to win these fabulous prizes {you don’t have to leave a separate comment if something is worth more than 1 entry & please do tally your entries for this girl on the go!}:

1. Comment on your absolute favorite skincare product
2. Follow the blog {2 entries}
3. Subscribe to my blog {2 entries}
4. Follow me on Facebook {1 entry}
5. Follow the spa on Facebook {1 entry}
6. Follow me on Twitter {1 entry}
7. Follow the spa on Twitter {1 entry}
8.Tweet about our giveaway {2 entries}
9. Blog about my giveaway {3 entries}
10. Grab the giveaway button {6 entries}

Good luck my beauties!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M

Make-up Must Have Monday

It would have been wrong of me not to use a $20 coupon from Sephora- right? I keep saying I'm going to try & cut back on my make-up purchases in 2010...I seriously don't need another eyeliner for probably a decade, but oh how I love them so!

I had already purchased Illamasqua's cake liner in Mislead (jet black-bottom), and loved it so much I went back for Danger, a deep grey navy(top). I so wish they would hurry up, add more shades of the cake liner & get the entire line in our Sephora so I could play with everything!

As I've mentioned before Clinique's All About Eyes is pretty amazing, they just need to add some more shades. I picked up 02 & that one's a smidge light, and the other one(04) I have is too dark- such a Goldilocks I am! I have to blend them, but it's worth it since it offers full coverage, without being cakey. One little tube lasts forever. I also picked up Benefit's Some Kind of Gorgeous since I had been wanting a more full coverage foundation than my beingTrue minerals for when I went with a strong smokey eye. Unfortunately, the product smelled intensely of melted crayons ( I have a ridiculous sense of smell) & made me hesitant to apply to my acne prone skin- so back it went! So the search continues for a foundation that won't look mask like or break me out, but I'm thrilled with the cake liner & concealer!

Peace. Love Lipgloss. M

Don't forget the Clinique contest winner will be picked Wednesday

What Are You Trying to Hide?

From the looks of my concealer collection girleens- quite a lot! Today in particular, it's my red nose from allergies! When clients come in to the spa -they ask all the time, what do you use? What have you tried? I'm going to go over what resides in my make-up drawer at the moment, what's good for what & where! Touche Eclat has earned a cult following, but this is strictly a luminizer- not to hide or conceal. It brightens & gives a candle lit effect where you place it.

The newest launch from Benefit offers a lot of coverage & is dense in texture- it's great for larger areas . However, it's thicker consistency makes it a little more difficult to control and manipulate if you're trying to hide a pimple.

Ditto in terms of consistency with the master, Kevyn Aucoin's, the sensuous touch concealer. This little pot will last you forever! A tiny drop is all you need to pat over a blemish. Overuse and you'll struggle a bit with maneuvering it around. I would always recommend using this product with a brush. (stay tuned for a review on his Airbrush foundation)

Another winner from Urban Decay's 24/7 line, this pencil lets you literally draw over the imperfections on your face! A great all in one product in terms of versatility, this one is great to have in your purse for touch-ups wherever they may pop up.

A client turned me on to yet another impressive Lancome concealer. Though, I wouldn't say it's waterproof, this product offers nice coverage without having a pancakey feel. For my acne prone skin, it's also worth mentioning that it's never broken me out!

The new buzz word is HD everything-yes? So why not make-up? Cargo launched this Blu-Ray concealer with promises of skin being ready for high def close-ups. Is it any different from any other concealer? Not that I've noticed...it's swivel up sponge tip applicator also makes it a smidge difficult to control where you're placing it if it's a tiny area...

Being True's concealer offers a trifecta of options. Though I'm usually a little lazy when it comes to concealers in compacts or pots, being able to custom blend is a huge plus as our skin tone usually varies throughout the year. Infused with my beloved antioxidant idebenone, this concealer also helps fade blemish marks and discoloration over time. Two thumbs up! To help any concealer's staying power, lightly dust over it with translucent powder. Hope this helps you gals with going under cover!

Peace. Love. Conceal. M

Concealers available here

Make-Up Must Have Monday

Tis the season to Let it Glow, Let it Glow, Let it Glow! Your skin, that is. This time of year, most of us are feeling...how shall I say? Pasty. Put some radiance back into your skin with highlighting products!

I know people with oily skin (moi included!) are sometimes hesitant to add more shine to their face, but fear not. I prefer a powder form like Paul & Joe Beaute's for that reason. Pick 1 or 2 places you want to brighten(no more or you will look like a disco ball!) Let's get started.

Liquid highlighters like Benefit's High Beam are good for placing on the cheeks or dabbing on the bridge of the nose to elongate it's appearance. If you want to take baby steps, you can mix a drop in your moisturizer or lotion to give a subtle all over glow.

Powders like this Dior product you can place just about anywhere. I also feel like I have more control with them. Inner corner of the eye, the brow bone, right above the center of your upper lip- pick your poison! Put it wherever you want to draw attention on your face. A favorite trick of mine? After I've done my eye make-up, I dab a smidge of highlighter smack in the middle of the lid. It really brightens the area & makes me look well rested- which let's face it, I'm not! What are your favorite places to highlight & what are your favorite products?

Peace. Love. Get Your Glow On. M

Today's the last day to enter my 200th post giveaway! The top highlighter is one of the goodies included! Hop over to the Bon Bon Girls to enter- good luck!