A little over a year ago, tarte cosmetics was one of the first companies Jen introduced to me that I hadn’t tried before. I remember first trying their cheek stains and just falling in love with the whole concept and ease of the product. Then I tried the lights camera lashes mascara, and the light, natural look and feel of the formula made me realize tarte is really on to something.

The ’spring greening’ palette had a few nice surprises for me as well. The straw case is reusable (my son has already claimed it as the future home of his hockey card collection) and even the foam tray inside is constructed of post consumer recycled material.  It features 6 eye colors, a bamboo handled shadow brush, and 3 of their t5â„¢ infused lipglosses. t5â„¢ is tarte’s proprietary blend of 5 super fruits, packed full of antioxidants and nutrients, and it gives you a healthy anti aging boost in a product you were going to apply anyway. (more…)

Like a lot of women out there, I’ve often toyed with the idea of creating my own cosmetics line. There are a couple problems with this though. First, I have no money. Second, I’d have no idea where to start. And third, there are already a lot of good products out there so creating something exceptional would be hard. I like to take the easy way out and just buy what I like rather than creating it. I admit it, I’m kinda lazy. So when somebody new comes along and they’ve created something good, I’m all the more amazed and impressed. Finding a section of the market can be hard, but here at MBB we love watching our favorite little companies blossom and grow. Our favorite finds like tarte, Lush, and Alison Raffaele have gotten HUGE and companies like Purely Cosmetics, Sally B’s, and Aromaleigh are on their way to the top. It’s always fun to feel like you’re one of the first to discover something fun and fantastic….

Well discover this my friends…Vis-a-Vis Cosmetics.
So what makes them different from everyone else, you ask? There are a few things. First, instead of trying to do a little of everything they’ve really taken the time and focused on specific products. Lipglaze, lipstick, blush, and face powder are their four product selections. Simple, basic, and definitely not confusing. But don’t let the seeming lack of selection fool you, because the other thing they’ve done really well is create versatile, multi-use products. (more…)

In Alaska we call this time of year breakup. That’s because, after a long winter trapped inside together, couples are so sick of one another that they break up. Okay, I admit it, that’s just one of the things we tell ousiders for a quick laugh. It’s actually called breakup because that’s when the snow and ice starts to melt and recede. All the dirt and yuck buried under the snow starts to surface and keeping your car/pants/shoes clean is an impossible task. Yet through the grime and the sludge, signs of spring begin to appear. A hint of greenery, a tiny bud on a branch, a little bit of hope for brighter things in the future. And so, in honor of the huge mud puddle in my driveway, I give you “Breakup”: (more…)

Here is a mention of DecoDiva’s experience with two cosmetic brands:  Purely Cosmetics and Vis-a-Vis.

The sweet Jen from MythBuster Beauty sent me some mineral makeup to check out. She sent me the Pearlescent Coral blush that I’m wearing from Purely Cosmetics.  I really like this color!  I feel like it adds warmth and depth to my cheeks without being overpowering.  I don’t think I own any coral blushes, either, so this is a really nice addition to my collection.

The lipstick I’m wearing is from Vis-a-vis Cosmetics and it’s a neutral pink color. I didn’t care for the exact shade, but it did feel very nice and moisturizing on my lips.

To read DecoDiva’s complete review visit her article at:   Green Eyed Jealousy Valentine’s Day FOTD.

So much makeup, so little time. 

Here is a list of my favorite cosmetic products for 2008, no small endeavor!  This past year I have  sampled more makeup than I have tried cumulatively in my entire life.  All of these beauty products passed my A+++ big cosmetic love status!

HD Invisible Cover Foundation ($40) - leaves my skin feeling natural, flawless and works well with my sensitive, break-out prone skin

DecoDiva created a stunning Green and Silver Eye that you could create this New Years Eve, or any evening where to really want to “knock their socks off!”  This is her step-by-step tutorial to walk you through this look.  And if you are on a budget – no worries, Aromaleigh and Meow Cosmetics offer generous sample baggies of many of their products for just $1.  Now we can all afford to get a wonderful selection of cosmetics and get a chance to try this look  for ourselves!

Start with a clean, moisturized face.

1. Put on Eye Shadow Primer.  (Eyeshadow Primer and Base from Aromaleigh in Light)

2. Put some black shadow on the outer vee area and a little in the crease. I used MAC Paint Pot in Blackground.

3. Apply some silver eye shadow all over the eye area, from lash line to eyebrows. I used Aromaleigh Fume (25% off, now $6). (more…)

Last month we had a great giveaway sponsored by The Body Shop featuring their trio of new mineral products. Those of you who weren’t lucky enough to walk away with a lovely set are still sitting there wondering how it is, so I’m here to help.

First things first, let’s take a look at their SPF 25 Mineral foundation:

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I idolize Ginger Rogers.  So this year I am attempting a Starlet look for Halloween.  I think I still need to kick it up a notch and possibly run to the store for some false eyelashes and a feather boa! 

Classic Starlet Features:  Precisely defined eye brows, flawless skin, dark matte lipstick, black mascara with dark top eyeliner, and beautiful cheekbones.  Its all about Glamour!

My Starlet Look:  Laura Mercier’s Bleu Marine Eye liner applied with a flat eyeliner brush, L’Oreal’s Telescopic Mascara in Black, Cargo’s blu-ray Pressed Powder (all over face and on eyelids), ECO Nvey Lipstick in Dark Ruby,  Anastasia’s All About Brows Kit, Sugar’s Blush and Bronzer duo (used extra bronzer in hollows of cheeks to emphasize cheekbones). (more…)

Pink Ribbon Alert!

Did you know that if you add the Total Beauty – Total Cure MySpace Page as a friend that you will be automatically entered in a giveaway sponsored by Tarte Cosmetics!?  One grand prize winner will receive a product gift set valued at $253!  The set includes:

-clean slate primer
-sunburst bronzing moisturizer
-lights, camera, lashes! 4-in-1 mascara
-picture perfect eyelash curler
-emphasEYES high definition eye pencil
-lock & roll creaseless eyeshadow duo
-tzone travel
-double dose berry boost & gloss
-cheek stain
-rest assured brightening wand
-rejuvelash declumping lash exhilarator
-fRxtion

AND, Twenty runners-up will win the ready-to-wear/prêt-à-porter palette!

Right now you can also receive 30% off your entire order at tarte cosmetics.  Just type in “luckybreaks7″ at checkout, this code is good until 11/30/08.   Thank you tarte!

One thing is certain, you people love your summer berries! 

The response to this month’s tarte Berry Couture Cheek and Lip Stain Giveaway was incredible.  I simply treasured reading everyone’s entries.  Not only did people write about their favorite berry, they wrote up about nostalgic childhood memories, how berries are healthy, and their favorite ways to eat them!   It was amazing!

The favorite berries were tallied along with some of my favorite comments:

#1 Favorite Berry, Strawberries:  125

“Strawberries, they just so bring summer to mind. Where I grew up we used to be able to go to local farms and pick them ourselves, and thus get them much FRESHER and much cheaper than at the grocery store, we would come home with 10’s of lbs. We would freeze them to make strawberry shortcakes, etc year round. That was the most fun, picking them yourself and just eating a ton when you got home “- Rebecca C

# 2 Favorite Berry, Blueberries:  71

“My favorite summer berry is the blueberry. Not because I like to eat them because I could actually care less for the taste, but because of the time I spend with my son collecting them. Every summer during picking season we go out a couple days a week to pick blueberries. We pack a lunch and sometimes our fishing poles. We make a day filled with memories. Most of the time we give the berries away sharing the joy with others.”- Denise 

“I really don’t know if I can pick! Strawberries are the family “summer picking” tradition, but my mom still claims my eyes are so blue because of all the blueberries I ate as a child! “- Laney

#3 Favorite Berry, Red Raspberries:  71

“One of my earliest memories was hunting for blackberries and raspberries with my mom and my sister, we would always go walking down dirt country roads looking along the sides and fence lines and we would come home with baskets full of them. Those were the good ol days, but any way, my favorite berry is blackberries and blueberries, I can’t have just one favorite !!” – Carrie 

 #4 Favorite Berry, Blackberries:  51

“I was just given some of the largest and sweetest blackberries from a friend’s garden. My husband made a blackberry cobbler. Just add vanilla ice cream and it doesn’t get much better than that!”-Cindi

Honorable Mentions:

Mulberries (6), Gooseberries (2), Marionberries (3), Logan Berries (1), Boysenberries (2), Saskatoon Berries (1), Georgia Mountain Blackberries (1), Elderberry (1), Black Currants (1), Olallieberries (1), Yellow Strawberries (1), and Black Raspberries (5).

And then the one berry we cannot forget,

“My favorite summer Barry would be White, Barry White…. There’s something cheesy about listening to a little “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby” while driving with the windows rolled down on a hot summer night… Accompanied, of course, with off-key singing and the clicking of bugs hitting the windshield.”- IFW

Congrats Angela!  Angela is not only the official winner of this contest, she is a forty-something mom to two teens, a wife, a theatre junkie, and the author of a fairly new blogsite Opera Lobster!   Congrats Angela, a mom of teens certainly deserves this berry couture set!

Many thanks to tarte cosmetics for their generous contribution to this giveaway, and many thanks to you for participating.  Next week I will be announcing another kick-butt MBB giveaway with 3 amazing prizes!!! Make a note to check back because this next giveaway really deserves the three exclamation points.