Smashbox Friends & Family Discount

As my friends and family (smile), you can take advantage of the Smashbox Friends and Family discount. Simply enter code FF2010 at checkout to receive a whopping 20% of your entire purchase at www.smashbox.com Discount valid through May 28th.

Love & Toast

It is just as important to do good, as it is to look good. With every Love + Toast purchase, you're doing both.
(a portion of each purchase goes to Regional Affiliates of Girls, Inc.)

Love + Toast is a line of eco-friendly, natural luxurious body products ~ Organic hand creams, natural beauty products and sexy perfumes...The products are formulated with natural and organic ingredients and the packaging is recyclable and printed with vegetable ink.
Love + Toast is such an adorable, girlie line :)




L + T products have made appearances in In Style, Teen Vogue and People as must-have ATM-friendly buys under $15.


And I discovered them just in time for Mother's Day! Give mom the gift of beauty without breaking your pockets. L + T products are reasonably-priced and I've got an added bonus. Sign up for Daily Candy and get 30% off by using code: DC30%OFF at checkout.

Homemade Masks for Every Skin Type

I was on twitter the other day and saw someone tweet about a mask they made at home. I wish I could remember who it was so I could give them credit for putting this thought in my head. In any event, the post sent me digging through my papers from esthetics school to locate some recipes for masks we made while in class. I thought they were perfect, especially during these tough economic times. Most of the ingredients you can find in your fridge or your cupboard.
Be sure to apply all masks to clean skin.

Oily Skin

Strawberries have great stringent properties and will help cleanse oily skin without irritation. For an easy face mask, blend the following ingredients:

½ tsp lemon juice
1 egg white
1 tsp honey
½ cup strawberries

Leave on cleansed face for 10 minutes and rinse


Dry Skin

Honey and avocados are particularly rich in moisturizing properties. Combine the following:

½ avocado
¼ cup of honey

Apply and leave on for 5 minutes, removing with washcloth and lukewarm water.


Combination Skin

A rose-based mask is a superb balancing treatment for combo skin


1 tbsp
1 tbsp of rosewater
1 tbsp of natural yogurt
1 tbsp honey


Wash rose petals in water. Soak for a few minutes and crush them in a bowl. Add others ingredients and mix well. Apply to skin and leave on for 5 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.



Sensitive Skin

This mask helps reduce irritation and is also great for sun-damaged skin

1 cup natural yogurt
½ cup oatmeal


Blend yogurt and oatmeal together. Mix well and apply to skin for ten minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

Maturing Skin

Sugar is a great exfoliant as it removes dead skin cells without drying skin.

2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp warm water

Mix sugar in warm water (in undissolved form, the granules can tear the skin which allow moisture to leak out). Apply to the face and leave on for 5 minutes, then very gently massage around skin. Rinse well.

Smashbox Beauty Blow Out: 25-50% Off

During these tough economic times, I'm always looking for ways to save. When I find them, I make sure I share them with my readers.
So here goes...Smashbox is having a beauty blowout sale in their curtain call section. Save up to 50% on limited-edition and discontinued products.
Happy Shopping!

Sephora Favorite Lashstash Mascara Sampler

I'm a huge fan of Maybelline Lash Stiletto and MAC Dazzle Lash Mascara, but I always like to try something new. That's why I was so excited to see the latest release of Sephora's one-of-a-kind boxed kits, Lashstash Mascara Sampler.

This eye-batting arsenal packs 11 of Sephora's most wanted mascaras, each of which brings out your flutter's most arresting features.

($96 value for $39)
www.sephora.com


The kit includes:

- 0.1 oz Anastasia Lash Lifting Mascara
- 0.1 oz Tarte Lights Camera Lashes
- 0.1 oz Sephora Atomic Volume Mascara
- 0.24 oz Stila Multi Effect Mascara
- 0.14 oz Benefit Bad Gal Mini
- 0.2 oz Bare Escentuals Buxom Lash
- 0.13 oz Too Faced Mini Lash Injection Pin Point
- 0.12 oz Smashbox Bionic
- 0.07 oz Lancome Cils Booster
- 0.085 oz DuWop Lash Venom
- 0.14 oz Korres Provitamin B5 and Rice Bran Mascara

SUMO Savings with MAC

I'm always looking for ways to help my readers save money on beauty products, so when I came across this savings from MAC, I had to share.
Simply use the discount code SAVE25 at checkout at www.maccosmetics.com and save 25% until June 18th.

Erickson Beamon makes a Statement for Target

I went to Target the other day to pick up a few things and was surprised at what i saw. Target has partnered with Karen Erickson and Vicki Beamon to launch a limited-edition jewelry collection, Erickson Beamon for Target.
Erickson Beamon is known for adding bling to such celebs as Madonna and Nicole Kidman. Erickson Beamon jewelry usually has a $400 plus price tag, however the Target line is equally adorable but at a more wallet-friendly price.
The collection is full of statements but you'll only have until June 26, 2009 to make yours.

Oil Control

I've had several women ask me how to keep their makeup from looking greasy...

...Primer! Primers are great for women with or without oily skin as they help to prepare a smooth canvas for application of foundation and smooth fine lines and wrinkles.

However, for oily skin, its important to select a primer with oil control. I recently found a product that works wonderfully, with no oil spells throughout the day...Iman Cosmetics Under Cover Agent Oil Control Primer.

To boot, it'll only run you about $16 bucks! Order here or pick up at your local Target or Walmart.

IMAN Cream to Powder Foundation...Second to None

Iman's Second to None Cream to Powder foundation is simply marvelous!

This product was recommended to me by a fellow artist. I purchased the product and used it for a wedding this past winter. I was amazed. The skin looked flawless and did not look caked up.
This foundation provides a smooth and flawless matte look that lasts. Its soft creamy consistency makes blending effortless. Many times, women of color struggle with finding a foundation that doesnt leave an ashy or chalky finish. This foundation is the solution. Not only does it look great, but it's AFFORDABLE! You can find IMAN products at target, walgreens or online at www.imanbeauty.com

Try this at Home...SWEET and Simple!

You use it in your tea, your coffee, your cereal and tons of other palette pleasers. But did you know you could use it on your skin?

What's this mysterious ingerdient (or not so mysterious)? Sugar.
Sugar is great not only as a sweetener but also as an exfoliator. An exfoliator is used to slough off dead skin cells and other build up that clog pores causing blackheads (or comedones), whiteheads (or milia) and leaving your skin looking dull and lifeless. Exfoliation can also help with removing discolored skin and inhibiting ingrown hairs. There are different types of exfoliation methods, but the do it yourself type are known as abrasives. The abrasives are responsible for getting rid of flakes and dead skin. (I'll touch on other types of exfoliators another time).
So here we go. It's simple...simply mix sugar with olive or vegetable oil and GENTLY (its called an abrasive for a reason) rub the mixture in a circular motion on your face after a cleanser or mix with your cleanser for a 2-in-1.
Got oatmeal? Mix with baking soda and water until it forms a paste and exfoliate away.
Other at-home exfoliators are salt and brown sugar.
Things to remember about exfoliating:
BE GENTLE! Being too aggresive can cause irritation.
Exfoliate 3-4 times a week; NOT everyday.
Never exfoliate when skin is irritated, has cuts or is sunburned.

Exfoliate and your skin will thank you.