Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day...Another Manic Monday and another fabulous giveaway to turn all those manic frowns upside down.  Enter now to get your ticket for a chance to win a Roncato makeup and brush case from Beautyticket.com!

What is Beautyticket.com?

A site that sells high-end beauty products at deep discounts.  Products and brands change weekly -- think Ruelala.com meets Overstock.com -- and are never re-stocked twice.  Here's some additional information:  http://beautyticket.com/about-us.aspx

Beautyticket.com is your VIP pass to beautiful deals.

To keep costs low, they don't have an advertising budget.  However, they are kindly extending coupons and giveaways to Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog to spread the word.

Our readers can use this 10% off coupon:  http://beautyticket.com/index.aspx?dc=GWBBB or click here. (Expires May 1, 2009.)

Entry Rules:

Giveaway expires on midnight EST on May 5, 2009.  You may enter one email address per day.  One winner will be picked randomly by Contest Machine and will be notified by email.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email.  If there is no response, Contest Machine will randomly pick another winner. 

The winner will receive one makeup and brush case from Italian luxury brand Roncato filled with beauty products provided by Beautyticket.com.  Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules. This promotion is void where prohibited by law. Fulfillment provided by sponsor.

Good luck!

Contest closed.  Winner: Taylor.

The April 2009 issue of InStyle reveals the 14th annual list of the best beauty buys for 2009 which includes the experts' top choices for makeup, hair, skin, skincare and nails.

Click here to discover the best beauty buys for 2009!

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 should have included a beauty infrastructure bill, but never fear, Beauty Junkies Unite, beauty blogger economist extraordinaire and one of our fave beauty bloggers, is stimulating the economy by offering a $1,000 Beauty Stimulus Package to one lucky recessionista.

A Beauty Stimulus Package, containing over 50 beauty products, will put an upturned smile and lots of makeup on one reader's face in the wake of the economic downturn.

Entry Rules:

Enter for a chance to win over $1000 of beauty products.
Restrictions: 18 or older.
Frequency: You can enter once a day.

Giveaway expires on March 31st, so get your entry in today.

Giveaway ended.   

TGIF!  Relax and join the Total Beauty Beauty Bloggers for a cup of beauty, a slice of beauty economics, a small side of weight-loss, and a big helping of beauty blog giveaways. 

Yes, TGIF!  And what's a girl need to get her through the week?  A  Pamper Basket from Montagne Jeunesse!

We haven't actually seen said basket in person, but according to the rep, it will contain a variety of Montagne Jeunesse products; candies and chocolates; makeup and pedicure sets; books and dvds; spa pillows -- an all girlie basket of love.  (*Each basket given away by Montagne Jeunesse varies, depending on what is new and available.)

What's New at Montagne Jeunesse?

Add a sparkle to your skin with a Crystal Masque.  With spring here and summer a few months away, we all could  use a bit of a helping hand to get our skin and body beach-perfect. So get your Glow On, girls, and enter now for a chance to win the Montagne Jeunesse Pamper Basket.  

ENTRY RULES:

Giveaway expires on midnight EST on April 7, 2009.  You may enter only one email address.  One winner will be picked randomly and will be notified by email.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email.  If there is no response, we will randomly pick another winner. 

The winner will receive a Montagne Jeunesse Pamper Basket *as described above.  United States and Canada only. Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions of Use for a complete list of our Contest and Giveaway Rules. This promotion is void where prohibited by law.

Contest closed.  Thanks for all the entries.  Congrats to Teresa. 

Skindinävia Makeup Finishing Spray Review ($39)

Reviewed by Jamie

Save your makeup. 

Save your money. 

Skindinävia's unique cooling technology chills the makeup surface to resist melting, smearing and color loss for hours. Can be used all skin types.

Skindinävia Makeup Finishing Spray not only provides a hold for foundation, eye shadow, blush, and concealer but also gives you a refreshed feeling.  With one spritz, my skin felt cool and moisturized.  Aloe, one of the oldest medicinal plants known to mankind, left my skin feeling cool and moisturized.  

How to use:  Apply makeup as usual.  Hold bottle 8 to 10 inches from face.  Close eyes and mouth and mist away. I put it to the test and went eight hours without re-touching my makeup.  I spritzed with Skindinävia once in the morning and once around lunch. 

Results: This is a product worth the investment.  It will save you trips to the bathroom mirror during your workday and keeps you looking great during your weekend happenings.  

You may be willing to shell out some cash for your favorite beauty product, but what if it gets discontinued?

Although beauty companies are notorious for killing products because of lagging sales or to make room for new trends and technology, you’re not totally out of luck. There’s a chance that your hard-to-find favorite is just a phone call or a click away.
 
ShopSmart, from the publisher of Consumer Reports, one of our favorite magazines, has the steps to follow next time your favorite beauty product is whisked off the market.
 
The first place to go to track down a much-missed favorite is the manufacturer:

Call the makeup brand’s customer-service department to ask about leftover inventory, upgraded formulas/names or comparable substitutes.

Estée Lauder brands: You can find products discontinued in the last 24 months through the company’s Gone but Not Forgotten program; you can buy up to six pieces, depending on availability. Call 800-216-7173 to start your search.
Almay, Revlon & Ultima II: You can find discontinued products at cosmeticsandmore.com and their affiliated retail outlets (in Arizona, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina), or call 888-882-5629 to place an order.

Lancôme, Molton Brown and Nars: These companies sell discontinued items on their sites—Lancome-usa.com, Moltonbrown.com, and Narscosmetics.com—until inventory runs dry. Some brand sites, including Benefitcosmetics.com, Clinique.com, Lancome-usa.com, and Prescriptives.com—feature online alerts, so customers have fair warning when discontinued goods are disappearing.
 
If the manufacturer is unable to track down an old fave, here are some other sites worth checking out:

Discount.makeup.com: This subsidiary of Makeup.com sells discontinued beauty products from many brands, including Shiseido and Bare Escentuals.

Beautyencounter.com: This site sells hard-to-find products from Max Factor, Neutrogena, Goldwell, Sebastian, KMS, and more.
Vermontcountrystore.com: Its niche is hard-to-find items, and customer service will track down products for which they get a lot of requests, even if the site doesn’t carry them. When an item is no longer manufactured and demand is sufficient, the site buys an original formula and reproduces.

Threecustom.com: The go-to place for celebrity makeup artists, Three Custom Color specialists can replicate the exact shade and texture of just about any color cosmetic product, including blush, eyeshadow, lipstick, concealer, and foundation. The company has an archive of 9,000 makeup shades dating back to the 1930s, and it will duplicate a hue if you send a dime-size sample.
 
Still no luck? Here are other places to do makeup research:

Ebay.com, Amazon.com and Overstock.com: These sites can list discontinued products. Since the goods offered can come from third parties, there’s the risk that a product is old or wasn’t stored or shipped properly, so read the fine print carefully regarding any return policy before ordering.

Makeupalley.com: You can find in-depth information on tons of products, including discontinued ones, at this social community of beauty-product consumers. You can post a product request on the Swap Board; if another member owns the item, you can negotiate a trade.

The Fragrance Foundation: For detailed information on just about any fragrance that’s ever existed, go to fragrancefoundation.org and click on Fragrance Directory.

Totally out of luck?  Never!

and we will talk to some of the PR people and see if they can find it for you.

Source:  May 2009 ShopSmart

Can we tantalize you this Tuesday with a review of e.l.f. nail polishes and a chance to win a BIG bag of e.l.f. beauty booty?

e.l.f. believes that innovative technology, quality ingredients and superb delivery systems should not be limited to prestige retailers. Every woman should have the opportunity to participate in innovation, without sacrificing her budget.

We agree with their beliefs and invite you to experience e.l.f.’s revolutionary, value-priced cosmetics and the proven results they offer.  We have included more than 25 e.l.f. products in the BIG bag of e.l.f. beauty booty.

What we discovered with e.l.f. nail polishes:

• Times are tough and so is e.l.f. with its chip resistant shield.
• Glides on flawlessly, while the quick dry formula gives perfect.
• Key nutrients give nails that natural shine, infused with Vitamin E for stronger, healthier nails.
• Nail polishes are FREE of Toluene, Formaldehyde, and Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP).
• 24 colors to choose from, including trendy Chocolate, Dark Navy, Mod Mauve, Royal Purple, and Blush. 
• Shecky's Product Winner of 2008.
• You can purchase e.l.f. products online or locate a store near you.
• Budget-friendly at a dollar a pop.

HOW TO ENTER:

Tantalizing Tuesday Giveaway expires midnight ET on March 3, 2009. One entry per email.  The winner will be picked randomly by Contest Machine and will be notified by email.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email.  If there is no response, Contest Machine will randomly pick another winner. The winner will receive approximately $30 dollars worth of assorted e.l.f. products.  United States and Canada only.  This promotion is void where prohibited by law.

GOOD LUCK!

Contest ended.  Congrats, Buddhistmom.

What else is tantalizing on GWBBB?

• Current Articles on GWBBB
• Popular Articles on GWBBB

Beauty Product Review:  Tickled Pink RAW Color Lipstick ($20)  Like candy, lipstick is also ingested.  A woman who wears lipstick five days a week over 20 years can ingest more than a couple of pounds of lippie!  That's why we were tickled pink to discover RAW Color.

Christina Marccacini, founder and creator of RAW Natural Beauty, created a company to offer women safer beauty products.  After working for more than 10 years as a product developer for several large cosmetic companies, she grew frustrated with the widespread use of potentially harmful chemicals contained in beauty products.

Spending three years searching for the most innovative natural ingredients that would still deliver superior performance, Christina created RAW Natural Beauty. 

All RAW Natural Beauty products are free of parabens, petrochemicals, and synthetic dyes and fragrances. Unlike some beauty products, all of their ingredients are listed on each product.

Because Christina feels it's important that you know about what you put on your skin, she believes *Skin Deep, a cosmetic database, to be an invaluable resource and is proud that RAW Natural Beauty products are listed in their registry.

We have tried many so-called natural products and many have fallen short of getting a rave review.  We were very impressed and tickled pink with the creamy, long-lasting, and vibrant color in the RAW Color lipstick in Tickled Pink.  The color is pink with a touch of muddiness that would be flattering for any woman.  Tickled Pink is reminiscent of Bobbi Brown's Tulle,  Laura Mercier's Champagne Pink, or Chanel's PhiPhi. 

Other features of RAW Natural Beauty lipsticks:

• Helps prevent transdermal water loss that causes dry, chapped lips
• Proprietary botanical blend designed to hydrate and soothe the delicate skin of the lips
• Contains antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E proven to protect lips against toxins and free radical damage
• Hypoallergenic Free of chemical dyes and chemical preservatives

*Skin Deep is a comprehensive database which pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 cosmetic products against 50 toxicity and regulatory databases. The FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety so this website makes it possible for you, the consumer, to research the ingredients in the cosmetic products that you use.

Related Articles:

• 8 Ways to Deal With Chemicals in Beauty Products
• Coach Lipstick AND Lipstick Psychology
• Are Eco-Friendly Products Really Eco-Friendly?
• 11 Most Harmful Ingredients Hiding In Your Cosmetics
• Warning:  11 Most Dangerous Ingredients in Beauty Products
• Beauty and the Beast:  Breast Cancer
• Beauty Product Reviews 

2009 Predictions: The Beauty Edition

Who is the new player joining the war on wrinkles and taking Botox in a run for your money?  Reloxin!  Made from the same neurotoxin as Botox, Reloxin is said not only to act more quickly but it even may last longer.  From growing thicker eyelashes to Botox's new competitor to an anti-aging perfume, this is a must-read for anyone looking for the next best beauty products!

So without further ado... See products

Check back later this week for our review of new L'Oreal EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System and Olay Professional Pro-X skincare products. 

Related articles:

• FDA Approves LATISSE To Increase Eyelash Length
• How To Shave Six Years Off Your Face
• Lancome Fashion Focus Chicago
• Beautynomics:  Is Consumer Vanity Outweighing Fear of a Recession
• Anti-aging articles
• Books on Anti-aging

The holidays are approaching quickly, but there is still time to do your holiday shopping at Prescriptives.com!

Prescriptives is offering FREE 2nd Day Shipping plus a FREE sample trio with any purchase now through 3 PM EST on December 22, 2008.

Use code 2NDSHIP at check out.

Whether you're shopping for a minimalist who packs her handbag or luggage with minis only or a fashionista of any age, we have stocking stuffers that any girl or woman on your shopping list will love.

*Holiday Stocking Stuffer Guide is updated daily.  If we find something we love, we can't help but pass it on.  And we won't add it to the list unless we LOVE IT or it's a DEAL.  Promise.  That's just the way we roll.

Sephora Girls Eau de Toilette Dreamer Eau de Toilette Spray
Get Gogeous With EcoTools
Philosophy Amazing Grace Concentrated Perfume Oil 0.27 oz
Sephora Brand Scent Sampler New Classics For Her ($100 Value) Scent Sampler New Classics For Her
Sephora Brand Scent Sampler Trendsetters For Her ($80 Value) Scent Sampler Trendsetters For Her
Vera Wang Rollerball Set ($105 Value) Rollerball Set
CLEAN Shower Fresh Rollerball 0.34 oz Rollerball
Jaqua Girls Top-To-Toe Spa Party to Go
Philosophy Cookbook - Homemade Pies
Lorac Licked Kissed Bitten Lip Polish SetPhilosophy Everyday Is A Holiday
Philosophy Holiday Rescue
Sephora Portfolio Brush Set
Dior Fancy Dior Makeup Case For Eyes And Lips
Anastasia Brows In Bloom Blonde
Anastasia Brows In Bloom Brunette
Balmshell Lip Gloss Sleep In Beauty
Bare Escentuals Beauty-On-The-Go Kit
Clinique Happy Custom Bottle-Unique GIFT idea! Create a one-of-a-kind gift when you put your own picture on a Clinique Happy™ bottle. Smile. Click. Happy!
Naturals bath products: choose any 3 for only $9.99 at AVON!
Foot Petals Stiletto Survival Kit, Black
Gifts for your Favorite Gal at Origins.com
Gal Pal Garment Deodorant Remover
Hollywood Fashion Tape
Hollywood Nights Evening Bag Essentials
Miss Oops Critical Care Kit
Gal Pal Everything Tape
Prescriptives Gloss Minis
tarte Supergloss Mini Lipgloss Set,Trust Fund Baby Beauty.com Exclusive
CARGO DailyGloss Lip Gloss - 30 Day Supply
Mystic Tan Holiday Kit 4 Gift Set
philosophy pure grace try me
Fresh Sugar Star Treatment Holiday Gift Set
Korres Natural Products Best of Korres Kit ($31.50 Value)
philosophy the recipe box
philosophy the cookie exchange set
philosophy inner grace try me

GoSMILE Tooth Whitening On The Go System - 14 Day Supply
Clean Perfume
Tocca Beauty Candle Collection 10.6 oz 007 Candle

Don't forget to stop by the Holiday Fa-La-La for the holiday shopping guide, how to be stress-free this holiday, and a few giggles, too.

Mosey on over to Holiday Fa-La-La now.

If you can't seem to find anything in either of these lists, check out the deals and steals at Sephora:

When you create an eGreeting at mistletoemakeover.com, you can get a free set of faux lashes or a mini lipstick from Sephora with the promocode WINKORKISS at checkout!

Get it there on time! Order by December 21st for holiday delivery! Shop Sephora now.

Buy Philosophy’s Amazing Grace Spray 4-oz and get a FREE 4-oz Bath & Shower Gel at Sephora.com! Enter code GRACE at checkout.

For a limited time, we are offering FREE SHIPPING on these select items. Just enter code GIFTY at checkout!

Smashbox Gift of Glow ($217 value)

Bare Escentuals Ruby Collection ($145 Value)

Monday, Monday.  Can't trust that day!  But Sothys and GWBBB are here to lift that Manic Monday mood.  One lucky reader will win an at-home spa kit from Sothys ($140 value).  Another reader will win a $50 gift certificate to Manhattan's ultra swank Bruno Jamais Restaruant Club in New York. 

Sothys has created the utlimate skin care kit:

Each kit contains three amazing targeted-care products

Essential performing actives provide treatment results

Available for normal, oily, or sensitive skin.

$50 gift certificate to Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club:

Bruno Jamais Restaurant Club brings the French Riviera to the upper east side.  You can dine in style until 3:00 a.m. with delectable cuisine such as chocolate souffle and Foie Gras? On a cold winter's night, allow debonair owner Bruno Jamais to make you feel at home and beat the doldrums of winter. The restaurant received the "Best Restaurant Design" Award by Hospitality Design Magazine for 2004.

Don't you feel better now?  How to enter:

What's up for grabs today?  Beauty blogger Charu of Butterfly Diary is hosting today's Total Beauty Total Cure's giveaway. In order to raise awareness for breast cancer, Anastasia Beverly Hills was kind enough to donate $280 worth of fabulous beauty booty.  In order to win, you must enter today.

Before you go grab your brow beauty, girls, grab your breast cancer awareness tip No. 18: Read more.