Do you know what yesterday was? If you said “Thursday” then you get partial credit and a warning that nobody likes a smart aleck What “it”was in my neck of the woods was the counter launch for MAC’s To The Beach collection.

I went in about a week ago asking about the collection, since Karla at TNBTTGSY swatched them and made me want them SO BAD. Seriously, she swatches like nobody’s business. Anyhow, I was just dying for some of the collection and I hopped in to see if it was out yet. It wasn’t on the counter but my gal Jessica let me sift through the spanking new testers and pre-order what I wanted. You can bet your buns I went straight down after work yesterday to pick up my new babies. Good thing too, 3 of the 5 items I picked were already gone and the store had only been open for 3 hours! This is a really fun , not too bright(imho) collection and I will get tons of use out of my purchases.

For a full selection of swatches visit Karlas posts here and here. And click through at the end for my pictures as well

I nabbed Sweet & Punchy and Humid($14.50), two gorgeous shadows and Float on By($14.50), which is a beautiful dark green/turquoise eye pencil. Since no purchase is complete without lip color I also grabbed Lipglass in Splashing($14), a pretty pink, and a lipstick in Funbathing($14), a bronzed plum color. Funbathing is almost exactly a more sheer version of my favorite lipstick ever, MAC’s O. It’s a perfect way to wear my favorite color through summer and I’m so tickled that I just might have to go buy another one before it sells out. I highly suggest you run to your nearest MAC counter ASAP and give this collection a whirl, I love it. And hurry, some of these products are already sold out online! (more…)

Each one of us has our own version of expensive, a sort of conscious or unconscious stopping point we won’t pass when purchasing a particular product. Sometimes I will walk into the cosmetics department with a set budget and mix my product choices from there until I meet my limit. Most often I simply walk in craving something new and play with everything in sight until I discover what I’m in “need” of. And I had a definite list of needs when I walked into the mini Sephora inside JCPenney: EVERYTHING. (more…)

I am so happy to be moving out of the  pastels and bronzes of spring and summer. The light soft colors are fun as the buds begin to bloom for the first time, but I’m soon anxious for a splash of color and a little more pizzaz. To be fair, some of the big trends for fall have nothing to do with color. Once again we’re seeing the super smoky eye, which is really no surprise considering that there’s only so much you can do without repeating a previous trend. Since this is the “super” smoky eye we’re supposed to feel that it’s something new and different, but it’s really just another chance for all of us to walk around looking like raccoons. Stick with your regular smoky eye look and resist the urge to follow the adage that “more is better”.  And gray shadow is popular, which can be a bit dull, though there are some lovely purple and blue hued grays that are great for day wear. Or try them in the evening with black liner for a super hot cat eye. A pop of color on eyes with a nice pink cheek and lip leave me feeling all giddy, and dark vampy lips have me practically begging the leaves to start falling and the chilly breezes to blow. (more…)

A while back one of my favorite giveaway sites featured a skincare set from Kiss My Face. I didn’t win, but I got over it quickly enough when some Kiss My Face products showed up in my mailbox a couple weeks later.

Besides the super fun name, what makes Kiss My Face different? Well, for one thing they’re no newbies to this natural skin care thing.  They sprung into action in the 80’s with a big ol’ bar of ugly green olive oil soap and have kept on truckin ever since, even after a fire wiped out their warehouse and distribution center in the 90’s. They also believe in humor and honesty, two things I look for when deciding where to spend my time and money. Hanging on for almost 2 decades in a market that is just now really starting to appreciate the value and impact of natural products is no small feat, and managing to maintain an independent spirit and sense of humor as well speaks volumes to their dedication and passion.

I tried some products from their Potent & Pure line, a selection of products that get the job done with natural and organic ingredients. (more…)

So last week I mentioned that L’Oreal  has tried the custom mix glosses and that the results  were less than spectacular for me. Today I’d like to share a little more about that product and my feelings on it.
L’Oreal Color Presso lip gloss is two tubes of gloss in one container. You squeeze each tube until you get exactly what you want at the tip and then apply. It sounds easy but it doesn’t work quite as well. First things first, I love the glosses. The colors are nice and the few I’ve tried have all been very flattering. They last well and give a nice even color. (more…)

To be honest, I was floored when Avon asked if I wanted to be part of their first ever lipcast. I know Jen sent them my info for consideration, but I still feel like just a teeny tiny part of the coolest beauty blog on the web most of the time and it’s cool to swim with the big fish every now and then. This was such a cool thing to be a part of. It was a real pleasure to listen to the minds behind the product share the long hours an extensive thought that went into the newest additions to their collection. I was excited to hear the thoughts of creative color director Jillian Dempsey, and it did no disappoint.
Full disclosure here, I used to be a cosmetics snob. It’s true, in my pre-kid days I would look down my nose at drugstore brands or direct sales brands like Avon. Funny how the addition of kids to an already tight household budget makes you consider everything in an entirely different light yeah? Instead of looking at the brand name I began to focus on quality and ingredients and I soon found that there are a LOT of great products out there that don’t require your firstborn as a down payment to afford them. So it was with this fresh open mind that I gave 3 new Avon lip products a try. (more…)

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…)

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

I know that everyone and their mom covered Spring collections already, but I just HAD to give my two cents. I don’t think it’s physically possible for me to keep my opinion to myself, especially when everyone is going gaga for things I’m not really impressed by. Time to give my thoughts instead of press kit snippets!

The Dior Lady Dior collection is beige, taupe, pink, brown. Excuse me, New Look beige, Elegant taupe, Couture pink, and Actress chestnut. But look, they added shimmer to a couple of them! Same old, same old, this isn’t really collection material. Yawn.

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