Costco - The Place For Beauty Deals!

At my local Costco, I have found great deals on Bobbi Brown lip glosses, Prada bronzer gels, Origins cream, and Clinique eye shadow quads. I was so surprised to find these brands in Costco. The prices are awesome! So, be sure to check out your nearest Costco for beauty steals.

However, in my last two visits to Costco I've found discrepancies between the list price and what you get charged. I now keep a running list of verything I buy and how much they say it costs. After I get rung up, I compare the list with my receipt. I highly recommend doing this to ensure you're not getting overcharged. Just in the last two visits alone, when I started to keep track, I got a total of $4 back...! It makes me wonder about all the other times I shopped there without double-checking the prices.

Posted in Beauty Tips_

Please Don't Primp & Drive!

While on the freeway today I saw two - two! - vehicles where the female driver was applying eye make-up while cruising along. EYE MAKE-UP!! One driver was using the rear view mirror to apply eyeshadow (yes, one hand held the steering wheel and pot of shadow, while the other hand wielded the brush). The other driver was using her mirrored visor to apply undereye concealer. Granted, there was traffic on the 210 W this morning, but cars are still moving. The price of beauty shouldn't be your physical well-being or someone else's. If you need to put your make-up on, put it on before you leave the house or at your destination. Squinting into the rearview mirror while your foot is on the gas pedal is just plain dumb and dangerous.

So ladies, say no to primping and driving.

Posted in Random Musings_

Gambling, Porn and Drugs...Oh My!

Ack. I know this has nothing to do with beauty, but you have to read this. It's Denise Richards' court petition against Charlie Sheen. 16 juicy pages. Omg. You have to really feel sorry for her.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0421061sheen1.html

Posted in Celebrities_

Oops! Suri, We Made a Mistake!

Well, it turns out that Suri, TomKat's baby, doesn't mean "princess" in Hebrew. No suri-bob. It means, "Go Away." To make matter's worse, in Japanese, the word means "pickpocket."

Posted in Celebrities_

Good Karma Powder Brush by Urban Decay

I don't believe in cruelty to animals, and Urban Decay had the same belief when they made the Good Karma powder brush. Say no to make-up brushes made from real animal fur, and say hello to synthetic bristles that feel luxuriously soft. Feeling is truly believing. This is my favorite brush! $35, available at Sephora.com.

You know what my favorite thing in the world is? Using this brush to apply Prescriptives' liquid powder. The brush bristles are uber-soft while the powder feels cool and wet. I love the feeling.

Posted in Beauty Products_

Beauty Tip #6 - Don't Lick Your Lips

If your lips are feeling dry, don't lick them. It may seem as though licking them would help moisturize, but that isn't true. In fact, licking your lips causes them to dry out even more. Just put on lip balm the first chance you get, and be sure to put some on before bed.

If you're on the acne prescription medicine Accutane, real relief comes with putting on Aquaphor on your lips before bed.

Posted in Beauty Tips_

TomKat's Baby Is Here!

"Yes! I made a baby!"

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes welcomed baby girl Suri into the world on Tuesday at 9:38 pm. Cruise's rep released the following statement:

"Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise joyously welcomed the arrival of a baby girl, Suri, today. The child weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 20 inches in length. Both mother and daughter are doing well. The name Suri has its origins in Hebrew meaning "princess," or in Persian meaning "red rose."

Figures the rep doesn't answer the questions most pressing on my mind - was Katie silent during the birth? Did Tom eat the placenta like he said he would? Did he eat it with farva beans and a nice chianti?

Oy. Why do I care?

Posted in Celebrity_

Political Affiliations of Companies/Stores

Since I know you're a voter, I thought this might be interesting to you. This site lets you know what political party popular companies and brands donated their money to, and how much:

http://www.buyblue.org/directory/alpha

Posted in Random Ramblings_

Roach Brooches by Jared Gold

Designer Jared Gold has launched a line of roach brooches - yes, roach brooches - that retail for $80. These roach brooches include a live - yes, live - giant Madagascar hissing cockroach that has glued-on Swarovski crystals on its hard shell. The roach hisses and crawls all over the wearer, who supposedly believes this is a fashion statement and is, uh, cool. As the fashion diva, you are to keep your roach well fed and hydrated, because "dehydration is the main cause of death" (from the site.)

I am no friend of the roach (having lived in NYC, the roach was the enemy and Raid was my best friend) but I feel horribly sorry for these insects who are being used as a fashion statement. The roach, however, is probably thinking, "Oh crap, not only am I sparkling like a disco ball, I'm pinned, but I guess this is just a tad better than being eaten on Fear Factor."

I feel the sentiments of PETA who released the following statement:

"For a person who doesn't mind a small animal excreting on them throughout the day and doesn't have an ounce of compassion for these small, defenseless animals, this could be just the gift."

Amen!

Posted in Random Ramblings_

Beauty Tip #5 - Caring for Extremely Dry Facial Skin

If your skin is super dry (me me me!), here's a way to get rid of the scales. Use a cold-cream type cleanser, such as my favorites Bigelow Rose Wonder Cold Cream (3.35 oz, $15) or Queen Helene's Triple Whipped Cleansing Cream (15 oz, $4.99 at Sally's Beauty Supply). After you apply it, use a clean wash cloth soaked with warm water to gently wipe the cold cream from your face. While skin is still damp, immediately apply a thick cream (or even something as intensely moisturizing as the Vaseline-like Aquaphor - which is also excellent for dry lips). Do this every night before bed. You'll notice an immediate difference after the first night.

Posted in Beauty Tips_

Win a $250 Gift certificate to GirlShop.com

The fashion site StyleBakery.com is hosting another "Designer on the Rise" poll, and just by voting for your favorite online boutiques you get entered to win a $250 gift certificate to the drool-o-rama GirlShop.com.

So, go vote! And may I suggest Hella Good as your favorite beauty shop? ;)

Check Out My "Other" Blog

Sharla from Sharma Designs and I have teamed up to create Rare Bird Finds, a cool blog where we post daily our favorite finds created by designers from all around the world. We try to pick the things that we find to be both rare and beautiful in a variety of categories. So drop on by and check out what we found today.

rarebirdfinds.blogspot.com


Posted in Random Musings_

Lip Lingerie: Panties in a Bunch by Dianne Brill

OMG. These six, tiny pots of lip glosses come packaged like bon bons in a pretty pink box and mini-cupcake paper cups that say "Slip It On." You'll want to slip on these sweet little glosses with names like Frilly Thong or Jewelled G-String. Too cute! $39 at ABeautifulLife.com.

Posted in Beauty Products_

Lipstick Travel Flask by Bodum

My heart literally skipped a beat when I saw this lipstick-shaped thermos by Bodum. It holds 34 ounces and has been redesigned in a vacuum-sealed stainless steel construction to keep your drinks piping hot for up to 6 hours. It's nearly impossible to break, and the non-skid bottom keeps it standing nice and steady. The lid also functions as a cup. I love it! $29 at bodumusa.com.

Beauty Tip #4 - Exfoliate Lips

To exfoliate lips, make them rosier and just slightly plumper and sexier, gently rub lips with a moist washcloth. Follow up with gloss or lip balm. Voila!

Posted in Beauty Tips_

H.I.P (High Intensity Pigments) by L'Oreal

L'Oreal has recently launched a line of cosmetics with high intensity colors. Definitely not for the weak-hearted, and while it's not quite suitable for work, it's perfect for night time partying. The H.I.P. (High Intensity Pigments) products are also an excellent choice for women with darker skin tones.

There are a total of 61 new shades for lips, eyes and face. The eye shadow comes in a duo compact (two great shades) and a mirror.

L'Oreal even came up with "How To Get This Look" instructions. The look Harmony 1 is a little too glam rock and reminds of a bit of Lindsay Lohan's friend.

I think this new line is fun and I can't wait to go and play with the colors. I hope you do, too!

Posted in Beauty Products_

Beauty Tip #3- Buying Funky Colors

Ah, feelin' like you want to buy yellow eye shadow? Or electric blue? Or some other funky shade? Before you buy the expensive, department store version, find a comparable color at the drugstore. Buy it and wear it. See how you like it on, and how often you wear it. If it seems as if it's just collecting dust in your bathroom drawer, be glad you only spent $5 instead of $15.

Posted in Beauty Tips_

The Skin Type Solution : A Revolutionary Guide to Your Best Skin Ever by Leslie S. Baumann

I can't wait to get my hands on this skin solution book called The Skin Type Solution by dermatologist Leslie S. Baumann. Why? Dr. Baumann believes that every skintype has its own special concerns and requires specific products to help make it look its best. From her experience as a dermatologist, she has figured out that everyone has a combination of concerns that range between Oily/Dry, Sensitive/Nonsensitive, Pigmented/NonPigmented and Tight/Wrinkled. There are a total of 16 different combinations that you could fall into. For example, an Oily/Sensitive/Pigmented/Wrinkled person would have a different skin routine than a Dry/Sensitive/Pigmented/Tight person.

There's a questionnaire you take to figure out what skin combination you are, and then a list of products - from moisturizers, toners, cleansers, sunscreen, etc. - that is best for your skin type. Dr. Baumman even finds products for every budget.

$14.30 for hardcover on Amazon.com.

Posted in Beauty Products_