Dear Loyal and Lovely BGG Readers,
I’m taking a mini vacation and will be back blogging on Monday. I hope you all have a wonderful and productive week! 🙂
Sail into Style with Stripes
May 13, 2011
We all have our go-to patterns or signature styles that we can never seem to have too much of, right? Well, striped clothing is by far one of my favorite things to buy. I can’t even begin to count the number of striped shirts, sweaters, shoes, and dresses that have made a home in my closet throughout the years.
With the vast variations of the classic crisp nautical look, stripes can be sexy, preppy, or just plain fun!
If you want to ride the wave of linear looks with me this summer, check out some of my top picks:
Anne Taylor Tee available at www.anntaylor.com for $36.50
Knitted Navy Stripe Stitch Open Cardigan available at www.topshop.com for $80
J. Crew Maritime Stripe Blazer available at www.jcrew.com for $118
Maloles Zoe Stripe Flats available at www.cultstatus.com.au for $250
Vivienne Westwood Anglo-Mania Dress available at www.netaporter.com for $345
Elizabeth and James Sleeveless Tie-Front Stripe Top available at www.bloomingdales.com for $265
Blu Bijoux Orange Chevron Drop Earrings available at www.maxandchloe.com for $48
Faye Striped Skirt available at www.lastcall.com for $39 (originally $92!)
Diba ‘Dance With Me’ Red Satin Stripe Wedge Sandal available at www.heels.com for $58
Chevron Stripe Dress available at www.millyny.com for $295
BCBGeneration Stripe Drape Skirt available at www.dillards.com for $88
Are you a fan of stripes?
**The winner of the Vince Camuto shoes is BlessedOne! Please send me your mailing address along with your shoe size. Congrats! Thanks to everyone who left a comment for the contest.
L’Occitane’s New Cosmetics Line
May 11, 2011
Known for their rich and luxurious hand lotions and soaps, L’Occitane en Provence recently launched their newest color cosmetic collection: Pivoine Flora Make-Up. The popular French brand’s latest makeup is inspired by the pretty petals of peonies. Not only is the peony the collection’s inspiration, it’s also an ingredient.
The lovely springtime hues are enriched with softening peony extract, which helps the products glide effortlessly onto skin, making for easy blend-ability.
From a Facecolor Cream Duo to four shades of Lip Shine, L’Occitane is proving that it’s more than a place to buy deluxe lotions. top-notch toiletries and fragrances. The entire collection includes the aforementioned products as well as a face powder, lipstick, eyeshadow, and face powder.
Do you frequent L’Occitane?
Btw, the winner of the Black-Up products is Barbara! Congrats and please send me your mailing address.
Project Pavement
May 9, 2011
Move over Project Runway wannabes and make way for a contest that will have you “pounding the pavement.” That’s right, Vince Camuto, the popular footwear brand is hosting a cool online contest for aspiring shoe designers. Vince Camuto has launched an app that will let contestants design their own shoes or simply submit a sketch. The person with the most votes will be narrowed down to a list of finalists from whom Vince will choose a winner. The lucky winner will have their shoe go into production and will win a trip to New York to meet with Vince.
This opportunity will move you one step closer to achieving your shoe designing dreams! Also, please be sure to “like” Vince Camuto on Facebook to learn about other contests, promotions and giveaways.
Plus, one of my lucky BGG readers will win a pair of Vince Camuto shoes. Simply leave a comment telling me what kind of sandal you like the most for summer? Wedges, platforms, flats, etc? The winner will be announced later this week!
Get Paula Patton’s Lovely Look
May 5, 2011
Want to get Paula Patton’s gorgeous glow from last night’s Jumping the Broom premiere in L.A? If so, celebrity makeup artist Sam Fine shares the steps he took to make the already pretty, Patton even more beautiful so that you can recreate the look too!
Inspired by her dress, Fine wanted Patton’s look to be, “fresh, yet defined, and nothing that would compete with the drama of the dress!” Using COVERGIRL products, he created the look by following these easy steps:
SKIN: “I began dabbing COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Concealer in Light directly underneath her eyes, closest to the lashline to highlight and conceal. Then, I used my fingers to apply COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Liquid Makeup to unify varied tones and give her skin a flawless, yet natural-looking finish. After applying foundation and setting with powder, I used COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Mineral Bronzer in Light Bronze to add luminosity and dimension to the skin. I often suggest using bronzer as blush, but this time I opted for a pop of color using COVERGIRL Cheekers Blush in Classic Pink.”
EYES: “I decided to go for a clean eye and well-defined eyebrow. Whenever I address brows, I always begin by using COVERGIRL Professional Natural Lash Clear Mascara to groom the brow and hold it in place. Then, I gently stroke pencil through the brow with a pencil a shade lighter than the hair, so it never looks drawn on. I played up Paula’s eyes using liner and lots of mascara. I used COVERGIRL LineExact Liquid Liner in Very Black to draw a fine line that wasn’t overly dramatic, then added a few coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Fusion Mascara to upper lashes to make eyes appear “lifted”.”
LIPS: “Lastly, I chose COVERGIRL Queen Collection Lip Color in PowderPuff Pink to complete this feminine, fresh look.”
Are you planning to see Jumping the Broom?
Mother’s Day Giveaway from Aveeno
May 5, 2011
Still looking for that last-minute gift for Mother’s Day? If so, Aveeno has the perfect pampering solution to your gift-giving needs. Why not gift mom with the AVEENO® POSITIVELY AGELESS™ Complete Starter Regimen? Enriched with a unique blend of Shiitake and Mannentake mushrooms, this luxurious collection acts as an anti-oxidant to help protect skin while leaving it radiant and revitalized.
If you happen to be shopping for someone who is a new mom, the kit also includes the AVEENO® Baby Eczema Therapy line, perfect for mother and baby. Eczema is such a common skin condition for babies, which is why Aveeno has come up with a formula that has been proven to improve the symptoms of eczema, including roughness, dryness, itchiness and scaling. I use Aveeno Baby on Ava and it is truly the best and I’ve tried several cleansers and lotions.
One lucky reader will win this special Aveeno Mother’s Day Kit. Simply leave a comment telling me what makes your mom special. The winner will be announced later today so get those comments in! 🙂 Btw, this contest is restricted to US residents only.
Black Beauty
May 3, 2011
My cousin who is a professional makeup artist hipped me to Black/Up makeup about a year or two ago. Ever since, I’ve been dying to try a few products from their line, but could never get my hands on the popular makeup especially made for us brown beauties. Now that I’ve had the pleasure of applying their incredibly pigmented products such as the eye shadows and blush, I’ve been hooked. The eye shadows stay in place and don’t crease, while the blush gives a sultry glow without making cheeks appear overly made-up.
Not only does the line carry cosmetics that complement our varying skin tones, but also sells skin-care products to help maintain a healthy complexion.
Have you ever tried Black-Up products? One lucky reader will win a product from the line. Simply leave a comment and a winner will be randomly selected and announced later this week.
Mother’s Day Gift Guide.
April 29, 2011
Looking for the perfect gift for mom this Mother’s Day? If so, check out my gift guide on my other blog, Modern Mommy on Parade.com for my top picks. Click here!
A Letter from Carol’s Daughter
April 27, 2011
You guys know I’m a huge fan of Carol’s Daughter and can’t wait to try their new Monoi Repairing Collection, which is a 3-step hair system made with authentic Monoi Oil that will be introduced on May 1st. Read below for more details and catch the video w/the brand’s new spokeswomen!
Click here for the entire letter.
Be sure to follow @Carols_Daughter and join in on a live chat with founder, Lisa Price today @10 a.m.
All You Have to Do is “Say Yes!”
April 26, 2011
I’ve been a fan of the Say Yes to Carrots brand for several years now. So when the line expanded with cucumbers, tomatoes, and most recently blueberry-infused products, I’ve been saying yes ever since.
One of my favorite beauty must-haves from the Say Yes to Blueberries line are The Brightening Facial Towelettes. They’re wonderfully practical for women on the go like me and easily fit into handbags.
The natural lemon peel and apple extracts help brighten and refresh skin while cleansing and moisturizing. Not to mention, the towelettes are 99% natural and biodegradable. So, if you’re like me and tend to get oily in the warmer months, having these blueberry beauty wipes handy will quickly turn your “glisten” into a glow.
Have you ever tried Say Yes to Carrots products?
