Erth Minerals: Blogging Competition

My darling friends at Erth Minerals are running a fun contest for blogging fiends. You've read about my love for their products before, so I couldn't wait to share the news with all my friends and blogging buddies. Here's the scoop:

Erth Minerals Bloggers Writing Competition

Erth Minerals is excited to announce a writing contest for mineral makeup, beauty, & natural health & products bloggers! We will also consider essays by Facebook members who post our link on their Facebook page. Here is what we are looking for!

We are looking for partipants to submit UNIQUE mineral makeup essays about the benefits of using mineral makeup in general. We also require a backlink to our homepage: lushbrush.com in order that others can view our site & the essay results.

Please submit these essays to: lush@lushbrush.com

Prizes include the following:

1st prize: $500 in merchandise from lushbrush.com . This includes our skincare & makeup lines! One of each of our products!!

2nd prize: $250 in merchandise from lushbrush.com. Your choice of $250.00 in Erth products.

3rd prize: $100 in Erth Minerals merchandise.

Good luck & happy writing!!

Preparation for The Golden Globes - L'Oreal Beauty, Jewels, Fashion and More, Oh My

The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards will be telecast live on NBC Sunday, January 11 (8 – 11 p.m. EST) at The Beverly Hilton. L’Oreal Paris consulting makeup artist Collier Strong has released his official red carpet makeup trends, which I'm pleased to bring you below. Also this year, L’Oreal Paris and jeweler Carelle have teamed up to create these GORGEOUS red carpet compacts. They are gifting the Best Actress in a Comedy and in a Drama nominees with them - oh, you lucky ladies! One of these compacts is going to be auctioned off exclusively following the Golden Globes through eBay Giving Works to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.

Collier Strong, celebrity makeup artist and consulting makeup artist for L'Oreal Paris, shows us the secrets of perfect eye shadow application. This video shows two examples of eyeshadow application. First a dramatic eye look and then a more subtle, neutral look. Watch this how to video from L'oreal Paris and you will be able to apply your eyeshadow like a pro. Want more from Collier; check out his official forecast of red carpet beauty trends for the Golden Globes.

L'Oreal Paris and The Golden Globes 2009: Red Carpet Beauty Trends

Trend 1
Focus On The Lips
“It’s all about a beautiful bold lip! Whether it’s warm or cool, a bold, opaque, red lip has a very sexy yet romantic feel. The eyes are as glamorous or neutral as your wardrobe dictates. During the day, eyes are kept simple; at night, opt for a darker look. Either way, eye makeup should be blended beautifully and brows should be perfectly groomed for an elegant look. Finish the eyes with long, beautiful lashes. Pair this look with clean, glowy makeup, achieved with foundation, concealer and powder. For cheeks, use a complementary color to the red of the lip that works with your skin tone. Apply on the apples of the check for a pop of color.” – Collier Strong, Consulting Makeup Artist, L’Oréal Paris


Trend 2
Eyes…Use Color!
“Whether it’s a wash of color or a bold, dark statement, using color on the eyes looks gorgeous. Try a beautiful violet, blue or dark purple, or coordinate your eye color with your clothing. Try using color on the upper lids only, or on the upper lids and under the lower lash line. You can even add a hint of color on the inner corners and under the eye…just make sure the edges are blended out beautifully. Think of watercolors and softness…that’s what makes this color work! Use a complementary lip and cheek color for softer eye makeup shades and a transparent lip and cheek look when using bolder eye colors.” – Collier Strong, Consulting Makeup Artist, L’Oréal Paris


Trend 3
It’s All About The Metallics!
“I love a dark, dramatic, metallic eye in black, dark brown, navy or burgundy. It’s very sexy and a great look for an evening party or event. Start with a dark liner that matches your shadow at the base of the lash. Apply a dark metallic shadow on the lid, up to the crease. Lightly run a little metallic shadow under the lower lashes. Use a lighter metallic shadow on the brow bone and on the inner corners of the eye. For a really shimmery effect, you can add an extra highlighter over the entire eyelid. Finish the eyes with dramatic, sweeping lashes. Pair this look with matte, satin skin and keep lips and cheeks very neutral.” – Collier Strong, Consulting Makeup Artist, L’Oréal Paris

I also MUST draw your attention to the fabulous gowns by Temperley of London (you all know I adore Alice Temperley's creations) and Marchesa in particular that Carolyn at the delightful Bloomacious is talking about for potential Golden Globes fashion. You simply have to check out this article - I'm drooling over those dresses.

And if that's not enough news, the adorable and savvy Tammy of A Mom in Red High Heels is basking in the glow of celebrity stars and makeup, hair, fashion, etc all day in the HBO Luxury Lounge at the Beverly Hills Four Seasons Hotel, bringing us live blogging coverage throughout the day about what’s going on with L’Oreal Paris and the Golden Globes. Oh, the life of A Mom in Red High Heels ...

Check back here over the next few days too; we'll be talking more about L'Oreal Paris, Collier Strong and their collaboration with the Golden Globes event this year.

Beauty Maverick Shares Her Picks for Best of Fall

You MUST venture over to Beauty Maverick's site to view her picks for 'Best of Fall'. She's highlighting the best in Color, Skincare, Bath & Body and Hair and her choices, as usual, reflect her impeccable taste and good beauty sense. She not only tells us what is top in category but why, giving a brief review and linking to the products for easy access.

On site now are her Color picks in categories like 'Luminous Skin', 'Look-At-Me Lips', 'Desk Drawer/Day Bag', 'Nails' and more. Lily is showcasing the topics over a series of days, so be sure to check back to see what she has to say about all the rest. Merci, Lily! xo

The Next Best Thing ... Must See MAC

My friend KarlaSugar over at The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping Yourself has swatches of the MAC Starflash Collection AND the MAC Lustre Twins Collection, double-ended pro-longwear lipcolours and glosses. You'll definitely want to check these out if you're considering purchases from these collections. Thanks, Karla, new lemmings are forming!

xo

Color Swatching Before You Shop With KarlaSugar

My sweeties, you're going to love this!

KarlaSugar, a beauty diva and regular at my beloved MakeUp Alley (MUA), has a site that will bring you into the light - the color swatching light that is. The site is called, aptly, The Next Best Thing to Going Shopping Yourself. She's dishing out shades for new color collections that we all want to know more about: MAC, Chantecaille, Guerlain, Chanel and more. Her site is devoted to giving accurate swatching of product shades so we're not surprised when we order a much wanted shadow, lippie or foundation only to be surprised that it's not the color we thought it would be when it arrives.

Currently, she's showcasing MAC Electroflash Eyeshadow Duos, MAC Sonic Chic Mineralize Blushes, Guerlain Kiss Kiss Maxi Shine and a shade comparison between Smashbox and MAC green eyeshadows on her main page. You can click on the images on her site to enlarge them for better detailing as well. I also see she's got the MAC Nordstrom Colour Forms pigment and lipstick swatches in her archives. That collection is hugely hot right now!

You're going to want to *favorites* this site, I can tell you that right now! I've got her in my blogroll under Beauty and Fashion Blogs I Love for easy reference as well. Give her a visit and let her know via comments to her posts or an email that we appreciate her sharing these with us! xo

TAGGED: Lily of Beauty Maverick

The Beauty Maverick, as you all know, is a must-read for many of us who simply must have our daily dose of the best in beauty blogging. Lily, the adorable and gorgeous blogger behind "The Mav", is known for her fabulous Q&A's with the beauty industry's top artists, her knowledge on all things beauty, and her always right-on prowess in bringing us news about some of the newest in hip products on the market. Wanting to know more about her, I tagged her not too long ago hoping she'd reveal a little about her world. And she has ...

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was living in Vancouver, studying...

What are five things on your to-do list today?
Update my blog, read the NY Times, find my other sandal (can't leave home without it!), hit the gym, and make my Tuesday deadline.

Snacks you enjoy?
Two Little Red Hens cupcakes, apple sliced with cinnamon raisin peanut butter, roasted almonds, or a little soft cheese...

Places you've lived?
London, Vancouver, Kingston, NYC, Seattle.

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1) Create a charity for children in the middle east who've been victim to the war
2) Ensure my family and friends are well taken care of
3) Travel
4) Buy an original Picasso (cheesy, but true..)
5) Support AIDS research and women's causes in Africa

People you want to know more about?
Hmm... Everyone really, but if I had to pick a famous/well known person I'd have to say Obama.

What are five makeup and/or skincare products you've been using reguarly and are really into at the moment?
1) Kanebo City Defense SPF 15 Emulsion
2) La Mer The Refining Facial
3) DiorShow Black Out Mascara
4) Chanel Robertson Blvd. Nail Polish Collection
5) Claus Porto Poppy Liquid Hand Soap

Cheers!

Lily x
BeautyMaverick.com


Thanks, Lily, for playing along!
You can read more of what Lily has to say at the Beauty Maverick. She's also blogging on the Lifetime Channel's website under Hair's the Scoop. It's all about celebrity style, product picks, trend reports... and much, much more. Be sure to check it out!

I've Been Tagged

image: daily candy

One of the fringe benefits of writing a beauty blog is having opportunities to "meet" some really sweet, wonderful people, with similar interests, from all over the world, whom you'd otherwise never have a chance to befriend. "Tagging" each other has become a fun way of recognizing one another as well as getting to know some things about each other that aren't necessarily revealed through blogging content.

My adorable friend Leeann at Join the Gossip has tagged me. This is my first tag and I can't wait to join in the fun. Here's how it works:

* Post rules at the beginning of the post.
* Answer all the questions.
* Tag six (6) people, and go to their blog and leave a comment to inform them that they’ve been tagged and ask them to read your blog.
* Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer

What were you doing ten years ago?
Well, ten years ago I had just turned 30 and had graduated my second turn at college so I could work in the field of mental health, which was a huge passion of mine - still is. I hadn't discovered my obesession for "beauty-ful" things yet as I was busy being newly divorced, raising two young children and getting into the workforce. I jumped in with both feet and haven't looked back since. It's really just been over the past five years or so that I've discovered my girly side and love for beauty, and I'm adoring every second of it!

What are five things on your to-do list today?
Hmmm ... my answer won't seem quite fair probably as I'm answering these at nearly 11:00 at night. That having been said, not much time left to do things today.

1) Take a quick bath to relax (will probably use a LUSH Avobath Bath Bomb)
2) Use my newly found facial skincare regimen that I'm simply loving, Organic Apoteke - their rejuvenating line (review upcoming)
3) Kiss the cheeks of my babies (well, though 16 and 14 now, they are still babes to me)
4) Read a bit
5) Imagine I'm kissing the cheek of my other babe, my guy, who is out of the country at the moment - xx, and fall fast alseep

Snacks you enjoy?
Currently, I'm just ape over lightly salted almonds and those Fruit and Walnut Salads from McDonalds. They come with slices of apples, grapes, walnuts and vanilla yogurt - crazy about 'em.

Places you've lived?
In this life or in lives past? Oh, ok, just kidding. Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and with the exception of a short stint in Alabama I've pretty much been here all my life.

What are 5 things you would do if you were a billionaire?

1) Setup trust funds for my two children
2) Buy a home on the beach and a home in the mountains
3) Travel (but then come back to work, yes siree, I sure would)
4) Share millions with my siblings and close friends
5) Give large sums of cash to unsuspecting people at random - maybe a sweet looking lady in the grocery store, someone frustrated in traffic on a hot summer afternoon, drop a bundle on the doorstep of a stranger with a little note saying, "Enjoy! This is for you" ... I don't know, I find joy out of doing little things to bring happiness to people, surprises they'd never expect. Can you just imagine if someone did that for you? If I was a billionaire I could do this more frequently and on a much larger scale. I'd love that!

People you want to know more about?
Gosh, this is hard! Does God count? Geez, I'm a sociologist with a psycho-analytical disposition for goodness' sake, I want to know more about everyone, it's my nature.

Now please allow me this little extra as I'm adding a question with the selfish motive of wanting to know these little gems from my fellow bloggers.

What are five makeup and/or skincare products you've been using reguarly and are really into at the moment?

1) Perianne Gentle Foaming Cleanser from the Spring/Summer Collection
2) Perianne Light Facial Lotion in the morning
3) Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
4) Erth Minerals Moth Veil Finishing Powder
5) Prescriptives Colorscope Plush Blush Stick in Voodoo

That was so much fun! My turn; I'm tagging - Tammy at A Mom in Red High Heels, Lily at Beauty Maverick, Kristen at Sugarshock, Annie at Blogdorf Goodman, my Carine Roitfeld wannabe at Fashionologie, and darling PJ at A Touch of Blusher