Dashing Diva is celebrating their Rock star status!  Through December 31st 2008, customers of Dashing Diva are invited to participate in the ‘Passionate about P!nk Sweepstakes.’   The sweepstakes will be highlighted at all Dashing Diva nails spas, however customers can enter directly via www.pinkspage.com/passionateaboutpink.

The Grand Prize
One lucky winner will be flown to a Dashing Diva nail spa for a special ‘Day of Rock star Beauty,’ plus they receive 2 tickets to P!NKS Summer 2009 Tour.   The winner will receive an All-Out Diva Manicure and Pedicure, plus an hour-long facial, massage and wax treatment.  Doesn’t that sound dreamy?
 
The Runners Up
Five 2nd place winners will receive an autographed copy of the album and ten 3rd place winners will receive a limited edition P!NK poster!
 
About Dashing Diva, www.dashingdiva.com
Dashing Diva is “re-inventing the nail salon experience” for thousands of customers around the globe, with locations in the U.S. (New York, California, North Carolina), Japan, Australia, Korea, Philippines and Kuwait. Dashing Diva is known for its highly innovative nail care products and services delivered in an ultra-hygienic and unique, branded environment.

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.

I am an unashamed sucker for novelties. Anything new or different, the wackier the better. So when I saw this, I just HAD to have it…

ColorOn EyeEnvy eyeshadow appliques. That’s a fancy way of saying press on eyeshadow. There are 6 color selections to choose from, I went with Rhapsody in Grey because I figured I should start out with something subtle so I could pass them off to less garish friends if I didn’t like them Each kit is available in Sephora stores or online for $25 each.

Thin, oval shaped, cotton pads with color printed right on ‘em. You’re supposed to just press them on, dust with powder, and go. 5 pairs per pack, about two uses per pad meaning you can do your makeup two times with each pair*. So you’ll be paying about $2.50 to get your eyeshadow applied easily with one of the standard color choices. More than it would cost you using your own stash, sure, but hold on a second…

The color was easy to apply, once you manage to remove the pad from its backing. The pad stays put and doesn’t slide all over the place so pressing on it with your fingers is easier than you imagine. While the color felt a bit sticky it was easy to blend, just a few taps and a smudge or two. The setting powder took away most of the sticky feeling, but was easy to overdo, which leaves an overly matte and crepey look. Luckily, the excess powder can be mostly brushed away and wears off after a while. I tried “Charm” first (the middle color) and found it to be much more of a pastel lavender than it appears to be. The staying power was actually pretty admirable. I noticed creasing towards the end of the day, but later discovered that the clumped line could be easily brushed away without leaving gaping holes in the color. It rinsed easily away with my regular makeup remover and I had no reactions at all. I wish I would’ve chosen to try the Precious Metals, Tropics, or Smokey kits, but the light and happy colors from the Rhapsody kit are a nice fit for what’s left of our summer. I chose to stay away from the Flaunt kit because it appears to have an eyeliner-esque color at the bottom and I didn’t want to screw up on all of them if it was hard to apply.

I wouldn’t personally buy these for everyday use, the cost is just too high. Spend the money on a cosmetics lesson or get one for free at your favorite counter and spend the coin on some new goodies. BUT, if you need something for the occasional event or you want to keep something on hand for a last minute night out, these are a niche product that will serve you well. If you don’t usually apply your own eyeshadow and want an easy way to get gussied up for a special occasion, these are something you should try. And if you like new and crazy things like I do and have a little extra money to burn, go for it, they are fun!

*Isn’t there always a catch? If you want to try the really awesome cheetah print appliques in the Exotic kit, or the other patterns from that kit, you should know that they are left/right specific so you can’t use one for both eyes. I don’t know if you can cover them with clear film again to save for another use, so just figure you’ll get one use per pair.

freshly applied

Pad and powdered eye

The end result, with some liner and mascara

All ready to go

Want an instant pop of brilliant red color on those lips, but a little leery of wearing a full colored red lipstick shade?  I highly recommend trying a sheer red lip gloss.  My favorite fun look for summer has been to wear Becca’s Glossy Lip Tint in Cherrybomb.   It adds a bright, pure shade of red to my lips and lots of long lasting shine, and I don’t feel like this gloss is overpowering and screams to everyone, “Hey look, I am wearing my Mom’s red lipstick!”

For you who can boldly wear the bright red lipstick, I envy you!  But for those like myself who are feeling timid about wearing red lipstick, but are still craving the ”little red corvette” color to your lip palette, Becca’s sheer bright red Cherrybomb lip gloss is a great alternative.  I usually think of a red lipstick as a winter shade, but picture this, how nice a red lip compliments a tan (or sunless tan) complexion?  

I gave Becca’s Glossy Lip Tint a “9 out of 10″ stars on the Total Beauty site.  I gave this product a “9″ simply because of its price.  $23 is a little steep for even a fabulous lip gloss.

Stila has a deep red lip and cheek stain called “Cherry Crush” which I have heard wonderful things about.  You can also try Stila’s limited edition “Rock the vote Red” lipstick.  Wearing red lipstick to the polls seems like a very patriotic thing to do.  

Check out my friend Kate’s picks for fabulous fall red lip color at her post, “That time of year again:  Saturdays at Sephora,” at Megsmakeup.com.

Which ever way you choose; have fun with some red!

Summer is nearly over and now you have the opportunity to win tarte’s Berry Couture All Natural Stain Set at Mythbuster Beauty!  Berrylicious!  No, I am not quoting Strawberry Shortcake, berrylicious is the name of their new limited edition cheek and lip stain shades.

What it is:
Tarte’s new limited-edition, all-natural cheek and lip stain and gloss set.  This set features their exclusive new shade- berryilicious, this item retails for $35.

What Berry Couture stain set can do:
The Tarte Berry Couture All Natural Stain Set lets you achieve a healthy, glowing complexion and naturally enhanced lips featuring two best sellers infused with their proprietary t5 super fruit complex™.  t5 complex is a combination of five of the most active known superfruits:  goji berry, acai berry, marajuja, acerola, and pomegranate.  All of which can soothe, repair, and enhance the skin.

Rules:  Enter to win by submitting a comment at this post on your favorite summer berry.  One entry per person and the deadline is at midnight (PT) Sunday, August 31, 2008.  One winner will be chosen via Random.org and will be announced on Mythbuster Beauty, on PRIZEY.Fetch, and contacted via email.  MBB will not share your email address with anyone, and only use your email address to contact you if you are a winner.

Subscribe to Mythbuster Beauty by Email

No matter what your skintone, you can rev up your summer with color from Urban Decay.  Here are four great color combinations that will compliment your specific complexion type.  Get creative!

Light:  Glow.  Gilded Baked Bronzer on apples of cheeks and lids, and Big Fatty Mascara in Indigo

Medium:  Contrast.  Covet (teal) eyeliner and Flash (deep purple) eyeshadow

Olive:  Metallics.  Smog Liquid Liner on entire lid and lower lash line, smudge loose eye pigment in Baked on inner corners of eyes

Dark:  Pinks/Purples.  Fetish Afterglow Blush on cheeks, Asphyxia Loose Eye Pigment on lids.  Complete this look by using Purple Haze Big Fatty Mascara.

You can use any color combination regardless of your skintone, and other brands to create these looks.   I also highly recommend using UD’s Eye Primer Potion before applyling any eye makeup because it enhances your eye shadow color and its staying power.   It also keeps my eye shadow from creasing on my lids, a big bonus!

My summer finds, from the frugal to the fantastic

I stopped by the MAC counter recently for a fresh concealer and I just HAD to look at the new goodies. I’m actually pretty good at saying no, but the new Mineralize Blush beckoned and conned its way right into my little hands. Baked minerals (I’m seeing a new trend) have a touch of very fine pearlescent shimmer. The coverage is perfect and buildable, with smooth and even color distribution that makes it a pleasure to put on. I have been thoroughly impressed with the staying power too. Check out the color I purchased, Gentle, a raspberry tone with gold pearlescence. I think it’s a nice neutral color for all skin tones, but it brings an unexpected  hint of pink, leaving you looking happy and fresh. ($21) An added note: The counter rep told me about the “Back to MAC” program: By returning six MAC primary packaging containers to a MAC counter or MAC Cosmetics Online, you receive a free MAC Lipstick of your choice as our thanks to you. I think she said it was different if you went to an actual MAC store, but I can’t recall. Guess I’ll have to save my packaging and go find out.

Summer has arrived, and with it, the heat. I need a little extra help keeping everything in place through the day and I decide to try one of these mineral “finishing veils” that are everywhere lately. On a whim I picked up Maybelline’s Mineral Power translucent loose powder. Hey, it was on special at the superstore. It was packaged with a forgettable blush in a too bright color, but I found the powder to be a true translucent that blended right into my skin. It was very light and didn’t leave me feeling like a breaded chicken breast. No preservatives, no talc, no fragrance, no oil…right up my alley. A good, basic, lightweight, setting powder that’s easy on the wallet. This is my last step before leaving the house, but I’m sticking with my De-Slick for touch ups during the day.

Also from your local drugstore aisles is Cover Girl’s Lash Blast mascara. I will make a silly confession here and admit that I initially bought it because I love Drew Barrymore and she’s the spokesperson. BUT, since I don’t have a mascara I can’t live without (at least one in my price range) I figured it really couldn’t hurt to try it. I needed mascara anyways, right? Yeehaw, I’ve hit the motherload! I am in love with this mascara. You can use the shockingly fat brush to build and build with no worries about clumping. It really does fill in my sparse lashes quite admirably and it rinses away easily. I have had a bit of smudging at the end of the day, and the tube is really big, but overall this will be my new go to mascara unless someone can find me something better in the same price range. Long, full, fantastic.

For a fun summery eye, try Cargo’s Liquid Shadow Collection ($25). Eye shadow gel in six shimmery shades that go on with ridiculously gorgeous coverage. The staying power is pretty darn good, though it does start to fade and crease after I’ve been running and playing in the sweltering heat. You can even blend these colors, but let them set a bit before you do it or you’ll just wipe them right off.  The moss green with a kicky little outfit and heavy lashes for a night out? Show stopping. And the seashell pink with a touch of mascara and some lip gloss is perfect for sunny summer days.

Asian Lillies on Steroids!  These blooms are the highlight of my summer.  I planted these Asian Lilly bulbs five years ago, and every summer around the first of July they start to blossom.  Their stalks are almost six feet tall and blooms start from the base and climb to the tip over a few weeks.

They have a heavenly sweet scent.  In the evenings, we sit on the cool front porch and admire them.  Have a wonderful weekend.

 

 

 

 

Here is another fabulous Jessicurl product to add to your must have list: Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment. You don’t have to have curly hair to benefit from this product either.

Summer is particularly harsh on hair. My kids and I have been spending a ton of time at the pool, and between exposing our hair to the chlorinated water and intense sun, our hair is feeling dry and damaged. In the craziness of summer activity I have been forgetting to give my hair a weekly deep conditioning treatment! After wondering why my hair wasn’t looking so great, I decided I better use some of my Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment and feed my hair.

Just follow these deep conditioning directions at the post: Deep Conditioning: How to Feed Your Hair.

You will be blown away how healthy and soft your hair will feel after using this deep conditioner. I also used Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioner on two of my daughters because of how dry and tangled their hair had become. Before using it I couldn’t get a comb through their hair without yelps of pain from them. Little Sarah and Naomi loved how soft and tangle free their hair became after using this conditioner. Naomi even requested to use some a few days ago, “Put the stuff that makes my hair so silky soft again Mom.”

Here is a little blurb from Jess about her Weekly Deep Conditioner:

I’m a big fan of weekly deep treatments with heat. They really moisturize and strengthen the hair, and they’re just plain fun to do. This treatment works best with a plastic cap left on for 20 minutes. This thick conditioner uses Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter to add some serious moisture to your hair. For an even more intense treatment, use it with our Micro Heat Cap.

In the summer months, you simply apply your conditioner and a plastic cap and sit out in the sunshine as your heat source for 20 minutes. The heat from the sun works great and really helps the conditioner fully penetrate the hair shaft. After the 20 minutes let your hair cool off for 5-10 minutes, and rinse and style as usual.

So, if your hair is feeling a bit on the crunchy side, it might be time to feed that hair!

You can purchase Jessicurl’s Weekly Deep Conditioning Treatment at the Jessicurl website for $12.00.

There are four more days to enter the “Safe is the new Sexy Clinique Giveaway at MBB.”  Actually 3:15 Days Left!  Don’t miss out on your opportunity to win a skincare kit by Clinique.  Jump over to the contest post and enter!