Weekly Web Tour

Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog reviews and gives away a big bag of e.l.f. beauty booty.

Beauty Junkies Unite shows us how to eliminate muffin-top and be comfortable at the same time. Slimpressions makes a favorable impression!

Beauty411 shares her finds for the Best Winter Hand Creams. If your hands need relief, don't miss it!

Advice Sister's Alison Blackman Dunham is sharing Fashion Week's "must-haves" because it's always the little things that make life easier, more successful, and more fun!.

Head on over to The Makeup Divas and enter to win 2 tubes of Covergirl's Lashblast Luxe Mascara. While you are there, check out the other giveaways I have.

Boutique Flair experiences oneness with chocolate thanks to Coco-Zen.

Kyl at The Beauty Couch shares some tips on how to stretch your beauty budget.

Butterflydiary has an amazing Fashion Week themed giveaway! Patrick McMullan sent "Fashion Week" survival kits to his celeb friends. Win ONE of these luxury kits here.

Viva Woman recommends you to use grapeseed oil underneath your moisturizer because it contains more antioxidant power than vitamins C & E!

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings has discovered, and fallen in love with, a foundation that makes skin look flawless and stays in place all day. Read about it here!

Dina at eye4style takes it all off with Paul & Joe's Makeup Remover. Check out her review here!

Watch Marta's interview with MAC's Lead Makeup Artist, Gregory Arlt, backstage at Twinkle!-Talking Makeup.

Checkout the Informed Makeup Maven's fave mascaras, palette buying tips and reviews check it out and leave a comment

Neon Bible shows you how to get Natalie Portman's Oscar Look for Less

Addicted To Lipstick shows us swatches and gives us her review of the Mac Hello Kitty Collection. You can see the pics here Mac Hello Kitty Review

Fabulous Over Forty discusses what she thinks is the must have palette this spring.

Image and Style News is having a AVEENO Hair Care Collection GIVEAWAY click here to enter AVEENO Hair Care Collection

Being green just got a whole lot easier. Check out the new Victoria's Secret PINK Body line at MissWhoever You Are

Blaq Vixen Beauty shares her thoughts on the AHA Souffle she's been using for the last 5 months!

The contest hosted by More Than a Pretty Face to win one of three Mood Lighting Shimmer Cremes from 3 Custom Color Specialists closes March 7. Enter now!

Beauty Anonymous reviews Dior 5 Colour Eyeshadow from Dior spring 2009 collection.

Find out The Secret to Supple Winter Skin at Makeup Bag.

Enter Indian Girl's GIVEAWAY to win one of five Skin Prep FX Face Primers from Cover FX

StyleBell talks to celebrity stylist, David Babaii, on how you can create Angelina Jolie's award winning Oscar half up half down hair style!

The girls over at Beauty in Real Life are having a giveaway. They have 5 boxes of the new Crest Whitestrips up for grabs. Hurry, the contest ends Saturday!!! Check out the details here.

Time for a new giveaway on Beauty Blvd.! Enter to win a tube of Maybelline's Lash Stiletto! Enter here!

makeup loves me shows you how to get one of the most talked about looks of mercedes benz fashion week, the glossy black eye seen at chris benz. plus, vote on how well she rocks the look!

Lipstick Addict makes a review on Garnier Roll-on Eye Brightenercheck out the wonderful product!

Glossypink reviews a product collection that will have you thinking your bathroom has been converted to a day spa!

Daneen from Spoiled Pretty may have discovered the BEST BLACK EYELINER EVER! Click here for the review!

Best Mineral Makeup

My article on Mineral Madness elicited unusual response from readers of this blog (see More Mineral Madness).  Nonetheless, it appears that, from my stats, people are interested in finding the best mineral makeup:

Readers' Choice: Top 18 Mineral Makeup Products

These reviews tell which foundations and powders are best in their class

From powders to liquids, these mineral makeup formulas were voted most impressive (and least irritating) by TotalBeauty.com users. Find the perfect match for your skin -- and your budget. See products

No. 18: Joppa Minerals Morning Dew Foundation, $16

TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2*

Why it's great: "It doesn't make me itch and it stays in place all day long..."

No. 17: Mary Kay Mineral Powder Foundation, $18

TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2*

Why it's great: "It is easy to apply, it blends in with my skin, it stays all day, and it looks natural..."

No. 16: Arbonne About Face Mineral Powder Foundation, $34

TotalBeauty.com average member rating: 8.2*

Why it's great: "I have some issues with acne scars and this covers [them] right up. There's a good selection of colors as well so you're sure to find your color..."

Want to see what's #1? Click here!

You'll be surprised!

After you've filed your feet, then what?

I apply butter LONDON's Rock Away callus remover and wrap my feet in Saran wrap, as the technician in Seattle did. Potassium hydroxide is listed as the second ingredient after water, so this is a caustic solution.


butter LONDON Rock Off Callus Remover

At bedtime, I then apply butter LONDON's Stiletto Stick to my feet and put on socks. Other options are thick creams enriched with urea such as Eucerin Plus.


butter LONDON Stiletto Stick

Repeated treatment leaves feet smooth and uncallused.

You may find butter LONDON at Beauty.com and Eucerin Plus at beauty.com's sister site drugstore.com, major drugstore and supermarket chains, and "big box" stores such as Target and Wal-Mart.

Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure Kit

Ped Egg has received good press, despite the cheesiness of its "As Seen on TV" ads. To my knowledge, the first product of its kind was the Microplane Foot File. Now I've found a foot file that I like even better than Microplane: it's the Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure Kit:


Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure Kit

Why do I like the Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure Kit? There's a lifetime guarantee, unlike the Ped Egg, which sells replacement graters. What are the advantages of Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ over Microplane? I particularly like the ergonomic shape that you can cradle in your hand (like a good computer mouse); also, there's a finishing file built in to smooth your feet after shaving them with the grater. For the budget-conscious, Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure Kit costs half of what Microplane costs.

You may find Revlon® Pedi-EXPERT™ Pedicure Kit at major drugstore chains, "big box" stores, and Ulta.

Weekly Web Tour

It's week three of Bare Budget Beauty's birthday bash, and this week you can enter to win a $50 gift card to Salon Hive! Hurry, you only have until February 23!

Viva Woman asks what should come first during a shower: shampoo or facial cleansing? and finds out why the sequence would make a difference.

Beauty Secrets Revealed Finally Launches LashMantra- 100% Natural Eyelash Growth Serum

Read Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog's review of new Ageless Fantasy perfume, and then enter the Ageless Fantasy Giveaway to win a bottle (ARP $120.)

Beauty Anonymous features a preview of Paul & Joe Summer 2009 Makeup Collection.

Beauty Junkies Unite discovers Shampowder Hair Powder as an alternative to her favorite aerosol dry shampoo!

Learn hair dye secrets with Makeup Files' Home Hair Dying 101. Plus, see Trisha with her brand new dark brown 'do!

The Makeup Divas reviews Gillette Venus Embrace & Spa Breeze shavers.

Fabulous Over Forty is having an Oscar Worthy Giveaway worth nearly $1200 in beauty products. You won't want to miss this one!

More Than a Pretty Face interviews Trae Bodge Naperiala, Co-founder and Creative Director of Three Custom Color Specialists.

Get Trae's Bronzed Goddess look for spring 2009 by entering our contest to win one of three Mood Lighting Shimmer Cremes in On Fire.

Beauty411 brings you a review of the new Olay Professional Pro-X Skincare line that is getting so much buzz!

Boutique Flair reviews the Crabtree & Evelyn Aromatherapy Distillations Body Wash. And, she's giving away a Good For You Girls Complete Skin Care Kit - because good skin care starts early!

Neon Bible takes a look at beauty products from the 90s in the new feature Flashback Beauty

Face Candy reviews a Rihanna Favorite, Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask.

Alison of the Advice Sisters is covering Fashion Week from the runway. and backstage at Diesel, Carolina Hererra, Tory Burch, and more!

Brighten up your skin for spring! Dolce Beauty enlightens us on Aveda's newest (Sodium Laureth Sulfate-Free!) skincare collection, Enbrightenment.

Need some new makeup brushes? Check out Glossypink's pick!

Make sure you enter the giveaway over at Beauty in Real Life. Enter to win a bottle of Ralph Lauren Romance Always Yours - a $72 value. Click here for the details. Hurry, the contest ends Tuesday!!!

makeup loves me gives you the 411 of here!

What's a Kitten Eye? Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie reports from backstage at Twinkle to give you all the details.

This week, Daneen from Spoiled Pretty was a Barbie Girl in the Barbie World. Click here for your backstage pass to New York Fashion Week's most anticipated event: the Barbie Runway Show!

Get Trae's "Bronzed Goddess" look

For spring 2009, Trae Bodge Napierala of Three Custom Color Specialists has created the "Bronzed Goddess" look. The Mood Lighting Shimmer Cremes that Three Custom Color Specialists developed in consultation with makeup artist Dina Gregg are key to the look.

The Mood Lighting Shimmer Creme in On Fire is used as a bronzer to be applied to the parts of the face where the sun hits, for example, the cheeks and the ridge of the nose. It may also be used in the crease of the eye.


Mood Lighting Shimmer Creme in On Fire

The Mood Lighting Shimmer Creme in Afterglow is used as a highlighter on the brow bone, the top of the cheek bone, and inner corner of the eye.

Trae has also created lipstick and lipgloss in Whisper, a shimmering nude for her Bronzed Goddess look.

The best part is that you can enter to win one of three Mood Lighting Shimmer Cremes in On Fire from Three Custom Color Specialists!

IMPORTANT By entering this contest, you consent to adding your email address to Three Custom Color Specialists' mailing list. While you may opt out later, you'll want to get notices about special offers and new product launches - I'm very fond of Three Custom Color Specialists' sheer lipsticks and while I usually don't care for wand lipgloss, I'm a convert to their version, which is not sticky.

In her own words: Trae Bodge Napierala of Three Custom Color Specialists (Part I)

Three Custom Color Specialists became known for custom-blending cosmetics and replicating any shade that the customer presented to them - a boon for anyone whose favorite lipstick had been discontinued. It also has a Ready to Wear line, and has collaborated with numerous clients on special projects.

I had the pleasure to interview Trae Bodge Napierala, Creative Director and Co-Founder Three Custom Color Specialists. In this part, I interview her on the founding of Three Custom Color Specialists.


Trae Bodge Napierala

Your biographical sketch online states that you worked in the cosmetics industry for 20 years before founding Three Custom Color Specialists. Tell us more about what you did. Can you tell us whom you worked for? How did your past work prepare you for your current position as Creative Director?

Before Three Custom Color Specialists, I worked for Kiehl's for 8 years. There, I learned about the ins and outs of running a small, but wildly popular brand, with a a strong emphasis on great customer service, training and efficient operations and communication - a great education overall!

How did you meet your partners Scott Catto and Chad Hayduk?

We met at nightclubs in the late 80's. We were all freshmen in college at the time. Scott and Chad are a couple, and Chad is a makeup artist as well, so we would help secure jobs for each other over the years. Chad also worked with me at Kiehl's and before that, we both worked for Visage Beaute, the premiere custom blending line.

What inspired the three of you to start Three Custom Color Specialists?

Scott was an art dealer for many years. He was always encouraging Chad and I to do something with all the ideas we had. Near the end of our time at Kiehl's, Chad and I realized that we had hit our ceilings there so the 3 of us started brainstorming about how we could create a business based on what we learned about custom blending at Visage Beaute, which at that point was no longer in business. We also wanted to create a Ready to Wear line of makeup that was appropriate for all skin types and tones. Scott was experienced with operations and logistics (and dealing well with artists) so the equation made sense.

What were the challenges the three of you faced in starting up Three Custom Color Specialists?

Our main challenge was getting manufacturing and packaging firms to take us seriously, being that we were so young, but we were lucky enough to find great companies to work with, many of which we are still doing business with today.

In Part II, Trae talks about current and future activities for Three Custom Color Specialists.

In her own words: Trae Bodge Napierala of Three Custom Color Specialists, Part II

In this article, I continue my interview with Trae Bodge Napierala, Creative Director of Three Custom Color Specialists:

What do you do as Creative Director?

I develop many of the products and concepts, work directly with our in-house publicist on strategy and I do all the copywriting for the brand.

What are Scott's and Chad's strengths and how do your strengths complement theirs?

Scott's strengths are design, marketing, operations and logistics. Chad's strengths are product development, sales and training. The PR and marketing often converge, so Scott and I strategize together in that area and Chad and I often work together on the product development front. All major decisions are subject to a majority vote, but ancillary projects are often run independently of each other. We keep each other in the loop so there is no overlap.

Your web site lists a number of special projects. How do you enter into the partnerships for these special projects? What role does the partner play in creating products for these special projects?

Every project is different, but often potential partners (makeup artists, tv shows, magazines) present us with an idea, or we may approach someone to work with us on something we are interested in pursuing that we feel they are well suited for. For instance, we developed the Mood Lighting Shimmer Cremes with makeup artist Dina Gregg because she asked if we made highlighters. She had ideas of what she was looking for and we had wanted to make them at some point, so the timing was right for us both.


Mood Shimmering Light Creme in On Fire

Partnerships generally evolve organically through relationships we've fostered over time or through referrals. Our relationship with the L Word and Showtime was through a referral from another indie brand who knew about our custom blending abilities.


The L Word lipstick collection

Tell us about your partnership with Juara skin care and Red Market Salon. How did Three Custom Color Specialists, Juara, and Red Market Salon come together? Why did Three Custom Color Specialists, Juara, and Red Market Salon choose each other for this partnership? How do you complement one another?

We were all introduced by a colleague, Nadia Yousef, who is a consultant in the beauty industry and also happens to be a really effective connector. Nadia, the owners of Juara Skincare and I were all out for drinks one night and the idea for an event came up. Nadia knew the owners of Red Market and thought it would be a great idea for us all to meet and throw ideas around. The 3 brands are very different, but all mesh on customer service, quality and forward thinking. We thought it would be interesting to create an fun environment where women could come and learn about skin, hair and makeup, while chatting, having cocktails and listening to good music. We also thought it would be a unique way to share clients and to expose our clients to something new and interesting.

What's next for Three Custom Color Specialists? What new introductions might we expect in 2009? Are you planning to increase the number of retail outlets?

We are always looking for great retailers so that is ongoing. In addition to the traditional high-end boutiques and spas we are exploring tv retailing, catalogs and other online sales ventures. We have many launches planned this year, I developed Whisper Lipstick and Lip Gloss for Spring, and Chad created a Seychelles collection that was inspired by his recent trip there. We plan to introduce a gel eye liner later this year, among other things.

What do you do outside your work as Creative Director for Three Custom Color Specialists?

On the work side, I also consult with other makeup brands helping them with product development, PR strategies, education, etc. On the personal side, I live with my husband and 2 1/2 year old daughter in Montclair NJ. I love to do work on the house, read, travel, cook, listen to music, enjoy the outdoors and spend time with friends. I have designed jewelry in the past and I would love to get back into that and find more time for volunteer work.

Like my lips, only deeper

I've cited Bobbi Brown's advice that the most flattering lip color is two shades deeper than one's natural lip color. I've repeated that advice because it works.

What if you want an even more natural looking lip color than the rose brown that was touted? I found my match in Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Pomegrante, which lauramercier.com describes as "yellow-red-brown." It mimics my natural lip color, but is a little deeper.


Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Pomegranate

When I purchased Laura Mercier Stickgloss in Pomegranate at Sephora, the saleswoman said that this lip color would be really beautiful on me. She was right.

You may find Laura Mercier cosmetics at lauramercier.com, Sephora.com, Nordstrom, Sephora, bluemercury, and other high-end stores.

Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog and Total Beauty give you the rundown on the 10 best breakthrough products for 2009.

All the single ladies, Beauty's SPOT found a suitable replacement for men in Elemis Exotic Frangipani Monoi Bath & Shower Cream.

Continuing a month of weekly giveaways, head on over to Bare Budget Beauty for your chance to win a set of Kiss My Face Sheer Organic Shimmer or Shine products!

Check out the new Tarte "Spring Greening" palette and A Perfect Whirled cheek stain with Beauty Junkies Unite!

Beauty Anonymous wears Jewel Lips.

Neon Bible checks out some great Valentine's Day gifts for men.

Alison Blackman aka. "Advice Sister Alison" finds out why TJMaxx and Marshalls really are a shopaholic's dream, and uncovers some of the "must-have" trends for Spring 2009.

Beauty411 is delighted with the Dior Spring 2009 Makeup Collection!

Viva Woman recommends you to use organic flowers on your face with Zuii Organic Floral Makeup and offers a 15% special discount for her readers.

Come see what mascara The Makeup Divas is raving about.

Indian Girl loves the simple fragrance of KENZO's Eau De Fleur - Magnolia

Just in time for Valentine's Day,eye4style is giving away a personal lingerie fitting and a bra and panty set from Eveden. Click here to enter!

Fabulous Over Forty has a FABULOUS Kiss My Face skincare giveaway worth over $200! Hurry - giveaway entrance ends on Sat.

Krista of Boutique Flair knows that silky smooth skin is one part of having a pulled together, stylish look. So, she loves this product!

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings reviews an at-home spa treatment that will leave your skin feeling and looking amazing. Read about it here!

The girls over at Beauty in Real Life are having a giveaway with Ralph Lauren's new fragrance. Click here for the details and to enter!

Beauty Beast has been taking the new MAC Studio Sculpt Foundation for a test run. Find out what the verdict is byClicking here!

Glossypink shows you how to get Shopaholic's Isla Fisher's red-carpet look!

makeup loves me tells you about a bling-tastic valentine's day spa treatment. happy valentine's day!

The HomeSpaGoddess shares her thoughts on the new Revlon Matte Collection.

Julie at More than a Pretty Face reviews brow products from Japan and provides readers continual updates on promotions and specials for February 2009. In view of MAC's Helly Kitty collection, Stila's Barbie Loves Stila collection, and Too Faced's Smurfette collection, she asks, What is with the nostalgia craze?

To celebrate Valentine's Day, Daneen from Spoiled Pretty is sharing her love of Felix Rey with all of you. Enter to win an Emma Zip Top Cosmetics Case (retail value $90). Also enter to win all ten shades of CoverGirl Outlast Lipstains, and three tubes of CoverGirl LashBlast Luxe Mascara!

Find a lipstick in your favorite shade for less

Less vs. Luxe Lipsticks (Happy Valentine's Day!)

See how to get the look of your favorite Nars, Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent lipsticks at drugstore prices

Why spend $30 on a lipstick when you can spend $3 and get the exact same look? We asked celebrity makeup artists Molly Stern and Fiona Stiles to share their favorite lipstick look-a-likes -- and they delivered exact shade and texture matches (no one will be able to tell the difference). Now you can get the look of a Chanel lipstick and still afford a night out. See products

1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow

1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow from K-Palette is a liquid eyebrow cover with a fine brush. 24 Hour Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow comes in brown or black. I use the brown color.



1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow from K-Palette

The woman who styles my brows told me that someone like me who has a lot of platinum hairs should use a product such as a tinted brow mascara to coat the hairs. She had not seen a product like 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow before and was impressed. She said that this would be best for covering individual hairs. She thought that it would take too many strokes to tint the brows. K-palette's web site has diagrams that show you how to use 1 Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyebrow over you entire brow - knowledge of Japanese is not necessary!

What is with the nostalgia craze?

Hello Kitty collection from MAC

This week, MAC launches its highly anticipated Hello Kitty collection, complete with an online charity auction of designer clothing inspired by the Hello Kitty collection. Expect this collection to sell out immediately.

Of any item with Hello Kitty's face, here's my favorite:

Hello Kitty HK-AK-47 with hand-crocheted cover for shoulder stock

What is with this craze for themes based on favorites from childhood? Stila has a Barbie Loves Stila collection in honor of the doll's 50th anniversary - MAC had its own Barbie Loves MAC collection two years ago. Too Faced has a Smurfette collection, which is sold exclusively through Sephora and Sephora.com.

With the nostalgia craze in full swing, might we expect a revival of Tinkerbell (not to be confused with Disney's Tinker Bell) cosmetics?

Majolica Majorca Brow Customize

I’ve been dyeing my hair for years now. I had my first gray hair when I was 16, and I’m completely gray underneath now. I’ve asked my hair stylists to dye my brows, but the dye doesn’t adhere to the brows very well. I am always on the lookout for brow products that will cover the platinum hairs.

Those of us in the U.S. associate Shiseido with premium skin care and cosmetics, but in Asia, Shiseido has several brands sold through drugstores. One of these brands is Majolica Majorca. Majolica Majorca offers Brow Customize, in which you hook up different cartridges to a holder to create a custom pencil.

Brow Customize by Majolica Majorca

The products include (L to R):

• A slant edge pencil cartridge
• A point-tip pencil cartridge
• A cartridge holding powder that is applied with a soft applicator
• A holder with a whirly mascara wand

I use the powder to cover the brow and then the slant edge pencil or point-tip pencil to touch up those hairs that weren’t covered by the powder. These pencils are unusually hard. Brow experts often recommend a taupe color for the brows, regardless of brow color, so I use the powder in taupe. The cartridge cap holds the powder, and when it covers the applicator, it's necessary to shake the assembly to dispense powder on the applicator. I use dark brown for the pencil.

After trying Brow Customize from Majolica Majorca, I prefer a product that coats my eye brows.

Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog is giving away a pair of ICE.com diamond stud earrings valued at $250. Enter for a chance to put a little sparkle in your Valentine's Day!

Viva Woman shows you how to use Aloe Vera juice for DIY facial masks.

Neon Bible looks at Lush's adorable bath products in the Valentine's Day Gift Guide

In celebration of its first anniversary, Bare Budget Beauty is having great giveaways all month long! This week, win some Johnson's Body Care 24 Hour products!

The Jet Set Girls are supporting Operation Smile and giving away 5 sets which include Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, Crest Pro-Health Rinse, and Oral-B Power Toothbrush.

Alison (aka. "Advice Sister Alison" has discovered a bracelet that can help you lose weight without any effort at all!

Beauty Anonymous reviews Shiseido's Integrate Nail Polishes.

Boutique Flair reviews the new Kiss My Face Sheer Organic Shimmers and Sheer Organic Shines line. And, they're giving away $50 Worth of Kiss My Face Swag! Good luck!

Daily Dose of Coffee is loving the new Make Up For Ever High Definition line. See which products we've tested out recently!

Beauty Junkies Unite became pretty amazed with the new AmazeMint lipglosses and Outlast Lipstains from CoverGirl! Check out the swatches!

Enter to win a Marc Jacobs Star Charm Watch Necklace over at The Makeup Divas.

At Fabulous Over Forty learn how to maintain your hair coloring longer.

Kendra Wilkinson Beauty Secrets an interview by Marta Walsh-Talking Makeup.

Indian Girl is celebrating her Blog's First Anniversary with MONTH LONG GIVEAWAYS !

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings shares her love for a face cream that contains real liquid gold! Read about it here.

Beauty411 is captivated by the Givenchy Spring Makeup Collection inspired by the colors of India. Gorgeous!

Makeup Files has a brand new look! Head on over and see the sleek and beautiful new design.

Frappelattes highlights special Valentine's Day womens fragrance deals on Amazon, including discounts on Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker fragrance and more.

Check out Glossypink's Valentine's Day Get Glam Guide!
MissWhoever You Are takes you through the foundations she has, needs, and gotta have!

Face Candy gives you a sneak peek at Laura Mercier's new Gilded Garden Collection.

Mineral Makeup Reviews discusses the Benefits of Mineral Makeup.

Suzanne at RN Guide to Skin Care reviews Tinted Moisturizers.

Valentine’s Day is a big perfume holiday. The Beauty Blog reviews theBest Selling Romantic Perfumes.

Get CLEAR SKIN with Beauty Blvd. & Phisoderm! Enter the GIVEAWAY and win a facial cleansing bar two pack, anti-blemish body wash, anti-blemish cleansing pads, and nurturing toner!

Jenn of Beauty in Real Life shares her beauty picks of the week. Click here to find out what they are.

GIVEAWAY ALERT! Enter for a chance to win Kenzo BELLE DE JOUR at Makeup Bag.

Still battling with dry skin? Hot Beauty Health discusses known foods that will help treat your dry skin.

Blaq Vixen Beauty wants you to take advantage of Pretty City's Love You Campaign! Did you remember to wear red in honor of National Wear Red Day?

One week left to enter the contest to win a 12-piece makeup brush collection from More Than a Pretty Face and Beauty Strokes. Have you entered?

Visit Spoiled Pretty and enter to win a "Love Enamel Bangle" from Cynthia H Designs (retail value $65) and KENZO Belle de Jour Face Cream (retail value $105)

Jennifer Hudson sure looked gorgeous at the Superbowl! Find out how to get the look at eye4style!

Bobbi Brown has done it again. Butterflydiary shows you how to do the "Blushed Pinks" collection.

makeup loves me exposes the white hot nail trend.

2009 Predictions: The Beauty Edition

The products and treatments that will take the beauty world by storm

Thousands of beauty products debut each year, so it takes something special for a product to stand out from the crowd. These are the 10 breakthroughs in the industry we think deserve a prime spot on your bathroom counter. So without further ado... See products

Just Desserts

Over the time I've maintained this blog, I've made sardonic comments about Leslie Blodgett's aggressive marketing of Bare Escentuals. Still, I'm fond of the limited edition collection Sweet Decadence from Bare Escentuals.


Sweet Decadence limited edition collection from Bare Escentuals

Each of the four shades have evocative names:

Dulce de Leche (pink beige glimpse)
Tiramisu (medium shimmering taupe glimpse)
Red Velvet Cake (medium polished ruby glimpse)
Chocolate Fondue (dark chocolate bark glimpse)

I love using Dulce de Leche as a highlighter, Chocolate Fondue as an eyeliner, and Tiramisu or Red Velvet Cake in the crease. Red Velvet Cake would make a pretty lip color when mixed with a waxy lip balm.

The eye colors do have some sparkle, which was particularly apparent in sunlight reflected in the rear view mirror.

To find the Sweet Decadence collection, I had to go from the Bare Escentuals boutique in Nordstrom to the Bare Escentuals stand-alone boutique to Sephora, which was the only store that had it in stock. Save yourself the effort and shop online at barescentuals.com or Sephora.com.

NARS The Multiple Bronzer

NARS Cosmetics has expanded the range of shades for its popular The Multiple stick to include four matte bronzers.

These sticks don't drag and apply very smoothly. You can apply these bronzers directly, using a light touch, or do what I do, which is to apply some to the fingertips and rapidly "tap" it onto the face to apply and blend. You may use The Multiple bronzer on the cheekbones and ridge of the nose (in other words, where the sun would hit your face) to give your face that "sun-kissed" look; alternately, you might use NARS Cosmetics for contouring the face.

NARS The Multiple bronzer in Tuomota

The four shades are:

Tuomota - for light to medium complexions with golden yellow undertones
Malaysia - for medium to dark complexions with red undertones
Rapa Nui - for dark complexions with red undertones
Cap Vert - Sephora.com describes this shade as "matte baked warm clay."

You may shop NARS The Multiple bronzer online at NARS Cosmetics, Sephora.com, and Beauty.com.

Go to TotalBeauty.com and see what others think!

Yves Saint Laurent makeup

Yves Saint Laurent PERFECT TOUCH Radiant Brush Foundation

There's a lot of good to say about Yves Saint Laurent PERFECT TOUCH Radiant Brush Foundation. It's lightweight, yet it provides good coverage. It feels good on the skin. It has a subtle luminescence that brightens the complexion.

On the negative side, the foundation tends to separate. I shake it before application: the package insert recommends that the user dispense foundation onto the back of her hand and blend it. It takes some practice to squeeze just the right amount, not too much. I find the brush applicator a nuisance, as I blend foundation by stippling with my fingertips or with Beautyblender.


Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch

Editor's favorite Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch lives up to its hype. It brightens the eye area and other "shadows" on the face, without being overly pearlescent. Some might find, however, that Touche Eclat doesn't provide the necessary coverage to serve as an concealer.

Touche Eclat was created by Terry de Gunzburg, who has gone on to establish her own luxe line By Terry.

You may also read these reviews at TotalBeauty.com and see what others say as well!

Yves Saint Laurent cosmetics may be found at Sephora.com.