beauty news: NARS collaborates with Phillip Lim for nail polish collection

exclusive {via @styledotcom}: "NARS Nails It With 3.1 Phillip Lim"

~ MAC may have nabbed Proenza Schouler (announced during the Spring 2014 collections), but NARS Cosmetics is teaming up with Phillip Lim to produce nine nail lacquers {available in august, 2014} ~ one of which will be used at the show today {at the time of publishing}. serving as the brand du jour backstage for the past 14 seasons, it’s safe to say the cosmetic company understands the designer’s aesthetic. face painter Francelle Daly created a “monochromatic techno look” to complement the “geode-inspired embroidery” in september... ~

read the full article here on style.com

photo courtesy of NARS

CoverGirl Bombshell makeup look, review + giveaway!!

bonjour, beauties! 

since i know how fabulous and in-the-know you are, i wouldn't doubt that you've already been hearing and reading all about the new Bombshell collection from Covergirl!

and if not, it's ok, by the end of reading this post, you'll have all the info you need…

not only do the Bombshell ads feature the gorgeous Sofia Vergaro {Modern Family}, but the products have proven to be just as fabulous.

before i go on, i must give you my full disclosure:

~ i received a Walmart gift card and with it purchased the featured products; these, as well as product information, were provided by CoverGirl. ~

scenes from my how-to video… :)

allow me introduce you to this glam collection...

CoverGirl Bombshell Volume by LashBlast Mascara.

the Bombshell Volume mascara is an entirely new mascara experience, unlike any other two-step offering available, it features a first-of-its-kind Boost System that has two brushes and two formulas for mega volume and dramatic intensity: step 1 ~ apply extreme volume base coat. it loads on the volume with a big brush and a mega-volumizing formula to thicken lashes; the result: even, clump-free volume! step 2 ~ apply the dark, intensifying topcoat to seal in the look; the proprietary micro-thin lacquer offers maximum impact and lasting power in just one coat. i love this step. not smudging or flaking. shades include: Very Black, Black, Black/Brown and Brown

Bombshell Shine Shadow by LashBlast  offers big sexy bombshell volume, shimmer and shine that lasts all night. i love the reflective pigments ~ they play with light to bring dimension to any look and come in six buildable, blendable, get-me-noticed, shades: Ice Queen, Platinum Card, Color Me Money, Gold Goddess, Copper Fling and Ooh La Lilac.

finally, bombshell eyes can be intense  ~ your liner should live up to the look!

CoverGirl Bombshell Intensity Liner offers a precision felt tip pen and smooth formula that glides on for a little or a lot of deep, dark sexy. the longwear liner is available in two shades, Pitch Black Passion and Chocolate Kiss; each liner provides liquid intensity for 24 hours of wear.

for my bombshell look, i used Shine Shadow by LashBlast in Ooh La Lilac and Copper Fling and complimented the look with Bombshell Intensity Liner in chocolate kiss. i finished my eye look using  Bombshell Volume mascara in very black.

to round out my look, i used Bombshell Explosion lipstick on my lips {topped with a shimmery beige gloss}. this is a very day-friendly look that can easily be amped up for a more dramatic look at night!

what do you think?

Bombshell Explosion Lipstick; Outlast nail gloss in Bombshell on my nails

watch my how-to video to see how i created my easy, day-friendly Bombshell look!




want create you own Bombshell look? head to Walmart or Walmart.com and choose your products. go home, and have fun!

you can also enter to win a $100 Walmart gift card, courtesy of CoverGirl!

here's how:

**required: 
**you must be a US resident
**subscribe to my channel on YouTube. share and like the video; leave a comment telling me what Bombshell product{s} you want to buy!


for an additional entries:
 **tweet me {copy and paste, if you wish}: "@thebeautygirl ~ i want to win the @CoverGirl #bombshell giveaway!"
{this is unlimited: tweet and RT as many times as you want!}
**tag me {@thebeautygirl} in a photo of your favorite @CoverGirl product{s} on instagram


the winner of the $100 Walmart gift card will be announced february 10, 2014 here on BGM, on the YouTube video page's info section, on Instagram and via Twitter. keep your eyes peeled!

if i receive no response within 24 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

visit covergirl.com for more info about the Bombshell Collection. 

products featured purchased with Wal-Mart gift card provided by CoverGirl. this is a sponsored giveaway. all pics taken by me. :)

**please read: by entering this contest you must allow me to receive your full name, address, phone number and email address to be forwarded to representatives of CoverGirl for fulfillment and mailing of contest prize. failure to include information requested will disqualify your win. all personal info is kept private and will not be used for any other purpose beyond this contest. one {1} winner, chosen at random, will receive the prize mentioned.please see contest requirements for all details on how to enter. some restrictions apply. open to US residents only. entries will be accepted through 11:59 PST, february 9, 2014. winner will be announced february 10, 2014. thank you. :)

beauty on a budget: wet n wild nail polishes

with a wide variety of colors and fabulous, wallet-friendly prices, wet n wild nail polishes are ideal for staying on trend, showing off your personal style, and keeping within your beauty budget ~ i don't know about you, but i definitely appreciate this!

i was given the opportunity to try some of the formulas {three to be exact, Mega Last, High Shine and Fast Dry} and am so impressed at the quality and wear of each variation! they all apply beautifully, come in gorgeous shades, and {i have to mention again} are so affordable. really, there's no reason to keep yourself from buying one {or 4 or 5} on your next shopping trip if that's your beauty-loving heart wants...*wink*

let's take a look at just a few of the polishes...

the Fast Dry shades don't dry as quickly as i would've liked, but are definitely faster than the others {shades shown above: Ebony Hates Chris & Teal of Fortune}

Wild Shine offers a wide range of fun colors and finishes {shown above and in another pic, below, in Dreamy Poppy}.

Mega Last polishes boast a wide, full coverage brush and are fortified with calcium and minerals; shades shown: Haze of Love {top left},  I Red a Good Book {bottom left} and Under Your Spell {bottom right}

 using Dreamy Poppy and another Mega Last shade {seen above on my pinky}, Wet Cement, this is a fun gradient design i did for week 4 of my busy girl nails challenge.

you can find these and many other wet n wild polishes at your favorite drug and mass retailers; visit wnwbeauty.com for more info or to buy {via drugstore.com}.

tell me: have you tried wet n wild polishes? leave your response in the comments! 

products featured sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

beauty prep: MAC Prep + Prime Natural Radiance

happy fashion week, beauties! the spring '13 shows kick off today in nyc and loads of trends will be created in the coming week. MAC, with their crew of fabulous makeup artists, of course, will be among those creating the beauty  looks, and i'm guessing this new product will be used on the models to prep their skin...

"combats dull skin, for a face that appears healthy, radiant and illuminated from within."

this is the perfect description for the new Prep + Prime Natural Radiance from MAC. i'm already a huge fan of Prep + Prime Skin as well as their Fortified Skin Enhancer SPF 35, so when i was introduced to this new beauty {yes, permanent!}, i was curious...

infused with natural ingredients and vitamins to nourish skin, this new silicone-free gel primer hydrates and controls oil. while it's for all skin tones, MAC says it's especially effective on deeper complexions. i think it's due to the sheer yellow tint, and of course, i can say that it works for me since i do have dark skin. don't tell him i told you, but i applied a bit to my love's fair skin, and it looked great {he was impressed with his new glow...kidding, haha!}.

Prep + Prime Natural Radiance is on counter now and available online at maccosmetics.com

product featured sent to me for review consideration; first image courtesy of MAC; product pic taken by me :)

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Holiday Gift Sets

Bobbi Brown has introduced some fabulous gift sets that any makeup loving girl would love to have!

i know, it's only the second week of october, and yet, here i am gearing up to tell you about gift sets for the upcoming holiday season! well, i actually think it's the perfect time to at least be thinking about what you plan to buy for your loved ones. because if the next two months go by as fast as the rest of the year has gone by, the holidays will be here "tomorrow" before you know it!

Bobbi Brown makes shopping for presents easy with her Holiday Collection. featuring limited edition items from stocking stuffers to everyday indulgences for everyone on your gift-giving list.



the Basics Lip Palette is tailor-made for the lipstick and lip gloss lover. this sleek mirrored palette features best-selling and exclusive shades in a versatile range of sheer to deep shades. exclusive Naked Lip Gloss, exclusive Posey Shimmer Lip Gloss, Brownie Lip Color, Rum Raisin Lip Color.




the popular Lip Gloss Trio is better than ever. this year's edition features three full size lipglosses tucked into a chic copper diamond case. Spun Gold Shimmer Lip Gloss, Pink Glitter Lip Gloss, Sandy Beige Shimmer.


the Tube Tint Set is Bobbi's signature set with an all-new shade assortment to flatter all complexions. purchase this set and give a different tint one to each of your best gal-pals! the set includes four mini Tube Tints. Brown Sugar Shimmer, Tea Rose Tint, Posey Shimmer, Bare Shimmer.


the Basics Eye Palette comes complete with everything a woman needs to create a classic Bobbi eye. this palette features. exclusive Navajo Eye Shadow, Cement Eye Shadow, Heather Mauve Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow, Mahogany Eye Shadow and a mini eyeshadow/eye liner brush.


all of these sets, and more are available now at all Bobbi Brown counters and at bobbibrowncosmetics.com

xo

Hourglass Cosmetics Events in California!

if you are planning to be in or around the san fransisco or beverly hills area, listen up!

Hourglass Cosmetics is holding some fabulous in-store events at Barneys New York in san fransisco this weekend, october 4 and again at their store in beverly hills on october 11.

on those days you'll have the opportunity to meet the Hourglass Artistry Team and discover what’s new for fall! schedule an appointment for a one-on-one consultation with a member of our expert artistry team to learn the tools and techniques to help you create your personalized look for the fall season.

another great thing to check out will be Solar Tan, Hourglass' new innovative, patent pending self-tanning primer formula created to hydrate the skin while helping you achieve a year-round bronze glow.

wait! there's more...

during these special events, guests will have the opportunity to receive two gifts with purchases. for purchases of $100 or more, guests receive a full-size Veil Invisible Loose Powder in Bronze Dust (a $35 value). for purchases of $250 or more, guests receive an Hourglass Leather Cosmetic Bag (a $145 value). i love a fabulous GWP!

here are all of the important details:

saturday, october 4 from 10am-6pm
San Francisco
Barneys New York
77 O’Farrell Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
for details or to schedule an appointment, please call 415.268.3540


saturday, october 11 from 10am-6pm
Beverly Hills**
Barneys New York
9570 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
for more details or to schedule an appointment, please call 310.276.4400 x 5598

** meet beauty innovator and founder of Hourglass Cosmetics Carisa Janes at the Beverly Hills event!


visit hourglasscosmetics.com to learn more about the entire line of cosmetics and bushes created by Hourglass.

xo

fun, fun, fafi!

ok, ladies (and gentlemen), M.A.C has released a fun, new line called Fafi. it is a limited edition collestion full of fun, fabulous colors! the inspiration comes from Fafi, a french grafitti artist.

now, while i've never heard of Fafi, this collection seems to be for the girl not afraid to have fun with color. It truly is the opposite of M.A.C's N collection.
check it out-- without a doubt, you'll have some fun!

xo

this is fabulous!

i believe a girl can never have too many eyeshadows. i love eyeshadow, and i think that M.A.C makes some of the best. i say some because i know that there are other companies with eyeshadows just as good on the market. one such company has created a cult following in recent years: NYX Cosmetics. they have the buzz-worthy eyeshadows, rich in pigment and long-lasting in wear. i love that these 'shadows come in singles (well over a hundred to choose from) or trios (45 combos to choose from), each retailing for less than $8. i have a few of the trios in my train case, and i can't say enough about them.

sometimes, quality is a concern when purchasing a make-up product or an item of clothing. in alot of cases, poor quality is associated with low cost. for clothes, it's usually ok to buy something for less that is a "hot trend". it won't be so hot in three months, so why spend an excessive amount of money? (of course, lately, many clothing designers are creating lines at price points for the not-so-wealthy that are very well made.) for make-up, buying a so-called "cheap" product is mostly for a novelty purposes-- a costume party or an outrageous look for a night out. it's usually not a product that will be used very often , if again. at least not for awhile. :)

such is not the case for some new 'shadows i found at my local walgreen's. it's not an new product line to me (or anyone for that matter). it's actually a brand that i associate with my childhood. can you guess? it's none other than the oh-so affordable Wet N Wild cosmetic line. shocked? you shouldn't be! wet n wild has revamped their entire line and is being profiled more and more as the inexpensive go-to brand. i have loved the eyeliners and lip glosses for years. i never thought that their eyeshadows would be so incredibly fabulous!

i purchased the Mega Eyes Eyeshadow Trio after reading a review and since each trio is only $2.99, i decided it was worth a try. wow!! i was blown away. really. these 'shadows are very pigmented, go on smooth and lasted all day. another plus: they are not tested on animals (woo-hoo!). i was so impressed, i went out and bought 2 more trios. i plan to complete my collection this week!

so, maybe price and quality shouldn't always be tied together. high priced make-up or clothing could well be poor in quality, and vice-versa. i think wet n wild is challenging M.A.C to a showdown... ;)

xo

it's so hard to say goodbye...

"parting is such sweet sorrow"...all good things must come to an end"..."don't cry because it's over. smile because it happened"...

it is never easy to say goodbye. but, eventually, all things must end.

i'm not talking about me...i'm talking about cosmetic lines!

as the spring season approaches, new, and i must say, exciting, products are being introduced to the public. so, with that comes the inevitable end to many products. sad, yes, i know....
especially if something you love is being discontinued. there is nothing more disheartening then to find out your favorite lip color is a thing of the past or a beloved mascara will cease to exsist.

but don't let that keep you from discovering a new favorite! that is the best part about being a girl. we get to reinvent, rediscover and rejuvinate ourselves anytime we want. new seasons inspire this the most. i love a new eyeshadow or lipgloss. who am i kidding? i love anything new that helps me look and feel fabulous! that is what cosmetics are for, right?

here are just a few websites that are saying farwell to their products...

**clinique
**lancome
**estee lauder
**M.A.C
**bobbi brown


xo

hey girls! one of my fav cosmetic lines, stila, is offering free shipping on thier amazing eyeshadows!


offer details:
How does it work? Simply add one of our NEW duos and/or matte eye shadows to your basket and enter the coupon code STILAEYES during checkout. Free shipping applies toward the $7.95 ground shipping only (express shipping is not included). Offers cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts; no more than one coupon can apply per order. Sorry, there are no rain checks on out-of-stock items, and this offer is not applicable to previously placed orders. Offers are not combinable with the PURCHASE of gift certificates. If an item is marked as non-returnable and non-discountable, then discount coupons like this will not apply. If you choose to return an item bought with a promotional offer, you will be refunded the price of the item LESS the percentage discount you received on your total order. To prevent abuse of discount code, we reserve the right to cancel any order at any time. This introductory offer can expire at any moment so hurry!

xo

here's something to try ...

CoverGirl has introduced LashBlast the latest mascara that promises "...a blast of lush, volumized lashes! LashBlast's patented volume-boosting formula and patent-pending brush are designed to max-out each and every lash, leaving you with the ultimate big lash look." .

i have been using this mascara now for a couple of weeks, and i must say that it really makes my lashes full. i have always been a "lengthening-formula" girl since i naturally have thick lashes, but i had heard about this product for a few months. i decided to try it--big lashes are in for spring after all!

the brush, i must say is huge. i was a little surprised, but i have used benefit's BADgal mascara in the past and the brush is comparable in size. however, LashBlast's brush bristles (say that three times fast) are made of a rubber material. i like that even after one coat, my lashes looked noticeably fuller. it did take me some practice getting a handle on the fat (and very orange) brush handle, so that for me was a downer. but... because of the great big lash results i got--it does lengthen slightly-- i continued using it.

it will not replace my everyday mascara, but i love using it every couple of days or so to give myself a bigger eye look.

i give it a beautiful recommendation! ;)

xo

pink to please a woman....

one of my favorite cosmetic companies, benefit, has introduced a new product. and in the tradition of quirky, fun benefit product names, they now have (drum roll, please...) pink to please a woman...gold to get the guy!
according to benefit,..."shades of tender pink and seductive gold are made for mixing & matching to create a warm, soft, ethereal look. Pink always... gold forever!"
i don't know about you, but pink is my all-time favorite color, and pairing it with gold will surely bring a beautiful glow to us this spring!
**an added bonus: enter promo code PINKGOLD when you add pink to please a woman...gold to get the guy and get free standard shipping on your order through jan. 28, 2008.

here's to looking fabulous!

xo