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Thursday, March 18, 2010

Philosophy 3/$33 Deal

Hi everyone :)

Hope everyone had a fun and safe St. Patty's day with lots of green eyeshadow and lots of fun..."adult beverages". I actually didn't drink at all but that's not too unusual for me as I'm kind of a lightweight anyway.

Philosophy is offering select 3-in-1s at the awesome price of 3 for $33 right now with the code party. Since they're normally $16 each, that's a savings of $15. If you're psycho for anything that smells amazing (I know I am!), you've gotta take advantage of this offer. If I weren't up to my eyeballs in shower gel I would.

My favorite Philosophy scents (and both are included in the special) are Pink Frosted Layer Cake and Cinnamon Buns!

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Monday, March 15, 2010

Some Deals

It's been a while since I've posted shopping codes/deals etc. since I have not been shopping very much. But a few of you said you missed them, so here we go! Here's what's in my inbox right now.

Mario Badescu is offering free US ground shipping on orders $30 or more. Code: MBCC

Philosophy is offering free shipping (no minimum!) for 3 days only. Code: fourteen. Valid through Wednesday.

For mark. cosmetics (remember to use my e-boutique for your orders to help support the blog!) get free shipping and a free mango tango (YUM!) juice gem lipgloss with any purchase of $15 or more. Code: JUICEGEM10. Valid through Friday. This is a great opportunity to try the new Gloss Gorgeous lip stains or the new Citrus Bloom fragrance, which sounds really yummy for spring/summer.

MAC is offering free shipping on all orders through March 21st. No code required! Now if only they'd do this for the pro site...

Get 10% off your order at DERMAdoctor through 11:59 pm CT 3/18/10 with code LUCKY1. Remember, their website carries more than just their own brand, and they utilize eco-friendly shipping practices and products, which makes me very happy.

Click Here to Read More...

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Tips & Tricks for Awesome Lips

I am pretty obsessive about taking care of my lips as I consider them one of my best features! Here are my tips & tricks for awesome lips...

Exfoliate
Lips are skin and thus require exfoliation like any other body part. However, the skin on your lips is VERY delicate. You don't need a fancy "lip exfoliator" product. Exfoliation can be done with a moistened soft toothbrush or washcloth on a regular basis. If you choose to use a toothbrush, use one that hasn't been used to brush your teeth. Toothpaste contains ingredients that are very drying to the skin, and for some people even cause dermatitis. I know I said you don't need a fancy product for exfoliating your lips, but there are still some out there that I really like. These are just kind of if you want to use them for extra help. My favorite one is very sadly discontinued-- mark. Kiss Xpert. This product was in-freaking-credible for when my lips needed some extra TLC (like after a cold when your whole body needs some TLC!). It was $5 or less and worked great. I have a couple that I'm hoarding and you'll have to pry 'em out of my cold dead hands. Another option that I haven't personally tried but have heard very good things about is Mary Kay Satin Lips Lip Mask ($9.50, marykay). The Mary Kay lip mask also comes in a set with a Satin Lips balm for $18. Similar to the Mary Kay product is Benefit's Dr. Feelgood Lipscription, which is a buffing scrub and silky balm in a set. The set is $32 though and that seems like a bit much for a product that you really don't need.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
Lips need moisture! I keep hearing about all these moisturizing lip products-- lip glosses and lipsticks that claim to balance your lips' natural moisture. Pucky, most of them. Seriously. Think about it-- you apply moisturizer to your skin before you apply makeup. Why would you neglect to do this for your lips, too? I did this without thinking and did not realize that many women do not. I always apply balm before any gloss or lipstick, no matter how moisturizing it claims to be.

But Alyson, a shiny lip balm will change the finish of my lipstick! I know what you're thinking. You don't have to use a shiny lip balm. There are several lip products out there that are not shiny at all and will do the job without changing the finish or depth of your lipstick/gloss/etc.

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm - $3 at drugstores
C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Balm Stick with SPF 15 - $7.50 at Bath & Body Works
Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 - $7 at Sephora, Beauty 360

Personally I don't care about a little shine. If I'm worried the balm makes my lips too "slick" for the lipstick I'm wearing, I just let it sink in a bit and then blot with a tissue (actually napkins work better for blotting in my experience).

And don't forget to wear sunscreen!
Lips can sunburn. And it hurts really bad. So it's always a good idea to have an SPF product for your lips around. I admit I do not wear SPF on my lips on a daily basis, but if you're going to be doing something like going to the beach, walking around at an outdoor mall, etc. it'd be a good idea to have one of these or something like them around...

Burts Bees Weatherproofing Lip Balm - $3 at drugstores
MAC Lip Conditioner SPF 15 - $14.50 at MAC - comes in tinted versions as well as a stick

Night Time is the Right Time
I always wear lip balm to bed. I wear a nonsticky one and apply it well before going to bed. I keep one on the nightstand so I don't forget. :) Your skin is in state of repair at night when you sleep, and you shouldn't miss the opportunity to help your skin heal itself.

Quick Fix
A MAC artist taught me that if you need a fast-acting surge of moisture for your lips to dab on your favorite deep moisturizing eye cream. MAC's Fast Response eye cream is great for this purpose! I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it moisturized and plumped my lips.

Hope these tips help you. :) I also wanted to include some other lip balms I love...

  • Philosophy Kiss Me high emollient lip balm in Pink - $10 @ Philosophy
  • Softlips Pure in Chai Tea - < $4 @ drugstores
  • Sephora Professionnel Most Complete Lip Balm - $2 @ Sephora
  • Wet 'n Wild Juicy Lip Balm - $3 @ drugstores
  • Lipsmackers - $1.50 @ drugstores
  • Labello (particularly in Dragonfruit) - not available in the US, available at smallflower.com for about $7 ea.
What about you? What are your favorite goodies for pampering your lips?

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Bad-Ass Mascaras

  • DiorShow Iconic
  • Flirt! Lashadelic
  • MAC Plushlash
  • MaxFactor 2000 Cal Extreme
  • NYX Doll Eyes
  • Rimmel Glam Eyes
  • Rimmel Sexy Curves

Scentsational Fragrances

  • Bath & Body Works Twilight Woods
  • Bath & Body Works Yuletide Vanilla Pear
  • Daisy Fuentes Dianoche Love
  • Dior J'Adore
  • Escada Ocean Lounge
  • Marc Jacobs Daisy
  • Tocca Stella
  • Valentino Rock 'n Rose
  • YSL Parisienne

Beauty.com Must-Haves


Philosophy Purity Made Simple

Boscia Green Tea Blot Sheets

Bliss Blood Orange Body Butter

DERMAdoctor Acne Spot Treatment
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