Deals with Benefit Cosmetics

Spend $65 at BenefitCosmetics.com and get Free Shipping with coupon code FREESHP65.

Or if you prefer, for a limited time, customers can receive a Free Custom Hanky Panky Thrrrob-Inspired Thong with any $65 purchase. Enter coupon code HANKYPAN at checkout to qualify. Quantities are limited and coupon cannot be used with any other offer.

Hurry! Win $400 worth of Dior cosmetics

Ends 3/31/08!

The Flower Blossom Palette (above, far left), an iridescent and pastel highlighter, was inspired by the bright enamel of Victoire de Castellane’s “Diorette” jewelry collection. We want to shed some light onto your spring look by giving it away along with the entire spring collection of Dior makeup, worth more than $400. Enter now for your chance to win.

Free makeup consultation at Sephora

In case you didn’t know, you can walk into any Sephora and get a free makeup consultation. I need to try this for myself…According to Sephora’s website:

Free makeup consultations! Stop into a Sephora store near you for your complimentary makeup consultation by Sephora’s professional makeup artists. Try a new seasonal look, a new color, a new brand, or a whole new look for evening – by Sephora’s experts!

After your complimentary consultation, you can take home and enjoy free “personalized” product samples when you visit any Sephora store.

Wake up beautiful

Take a little time before you sleep to take advantage of the hours your skin is left untouched (for the most part) and wake up beautiful!

1. Reduce signs of aging – lines:
A cream or serum with vitamin A or retinol will help counteract fine lines, and works  best at night since you’re out of the sun.

2. Protect your face:
On the nights you’re not using vitamin A, try a cream or lotion with antioxidants, which help fight off skin-damaging free radicals.

3. Hydrate rough feet
Rub on a foot cream, then pull on cotton socks to hold the moisture in.

4. Moisturize hands
Once a week try a moisturizing glove with hand cream. Applying an intensive hand cream nightly also helps keep hands, nails, and cuticles soft as they are not constantly being washed as they are during the day.
5. Moisturize under the eyes

Dab some eye cream on – use sparingly to hydrate and depuff the eye area.

6. Relieve chap lips
Go for the most intensive moisturizing lip balm you can find. If all else fails use good old vaseline.

7. Shrink Zits
You can make pimples dissapear by treating them with a product containing an antibacterial ingredient (bacteria can cause acne) and a sebum controller like zinc. Also go for benzoyl peroxide or sallycilic acid products.

8. Brighten your smile
Crest Night Effects contains packets of whitening gel and disposable brushes for painting the gel on and is formulated to be worn during sleepy time for 14 consecutive nights.

Tool kit to brush up your makeup

Bring out the makeup artist in you with a good collection of makeup brushes, sponges and curlers. Even the most expensive and quality makeup in the world won’t look particularly great without the correct makeup tools. For a professional finish you need the right tools. This means investing in a set of good brushes and applicators. Here’s your basic cosmetics tool kit .

1. Makeup Sponge

It is best to have a wedge-shaped makeup sponge, so you can use the finer edges to help blend in foundation round your nose and jaw line, while the flatter edges are great for the cheeks, forehead and chin. However, if you prefer not to use a synthetic sponge try the small, natural ones instead.

2. Powder Brush

Get used to using a powder brush each time you put makeup on. To prevent a caked or clogged finish to your face powder, use a large, soft brush to dust away any excess.

3. Blusher Brush

Use to add a pretty glow to your skin with a light dusting of powder blusher. A blusher brush is slightly smaller than a powder brush to make it easier to control.

4. Eyeshadow Brush

Smooth on any shade of eyeshadow with this brush.

5. Eyebrow Tweezers

It is essential to have a good pair of tweezers for regularly tidying up the eyebrows.

6. Eyeshadow Sponge

An sponge applicator is great for applying a sweep of pale eyeshadow that does not need much blending or applying high lighter to your brow bones.

7. All-in-one eyelash brush/comb

Great for combing through your lashes between coats of mascara for a clump-free finish. Flip the comb over and use the brush side to seep your eyebrows into shape, or soften penciled-in brows.

8. Lip brush

Use to create a perfect outline for your lips and then use to fill in the shape with your lipstick.

9. Eyelash curlers

Once used, they’ll soon become a beauty essential! Curlier eyelashes help open up your eyes and make a huge difference to the way you look.

My beauty secrets

Since this section is titled “beauty secrets”, I’ll share some of mine

- To make hair shinier, rinse with cold water. Also after blowdrying, finish up with the cold air setting.

- Less is more. Don’t overuse hair products. Too much actually weighs hair down and gives it a dirty feel. Also, don’t apply too much facial products even if you have acne. The skin naturally produces oils, sometimes it will produce more to compensate for dryness. So be careful not to over apply drying, mattifying, acne fighting products as it can cause the opposite effect that you’re aiming for.

- Petroleum jelly/vaseline: Apply a little to your lashes to keep them soft before bedtime. Put some on your lips to moisturize as well.

- A dab of preparation H (hemorroid cream) under the eyes can seriously reduce puffiness. Apply the night before.

- Use a daily moisturizer with tanner (Aveeno, Neutrogena, Jergens). This will give you a bit of color and you can increase the amount over time for a natural look. Your body will instantly look more toned and tight.

- For scars, try Mederma as instructed. Works best on new scars so use it immediately. Apply and rub in 3-4 times a day.

- Always use sunscreen spf15 and above. I’ve forgotten to apply sunscreen and notice a huge difference after being out in the sun. The UV rays can do some serious damage and wrinkles!

Greater Lips

Some of us have less perfect lips than others. No need to despair! There are plenty of tricks of the trade to help make your lips more balanced and beautiful. Some of the most effective solutions:

* The best lip color fixative? – A thin layer of Chapstick. The formula holds lip color like crazy as it heals and protects.

* Powder lips also gives lip color or gloss something to cling to for longer, smoother wear.

* For longer wear, blot lips after applying lipstick to set color and remove excess. Add a thin layer of loose or pressed powder, then apply color again.

* Turn down too much shine by holding a single-ply tissue to your lips and pressing a little loose powder through it – just enough will sift through the tissue to adhere to color and reduce the shine.

* Turn up the shine with a thin layer of clear lip gloss over lipstick or alone.

* For high-voltage shine and color, try a lip lacquer over lipstick or alone.

* For fuller, poutier lips, spotlight lip gloss right in the center of your mouth.

* Keep matte lip color from drying your lips – use a lip primer or lip color fixative before you apply the matte color.

* For evening special fx, apply a sheer lip gloss in silver, gold or an iridescent shade over the lip color.

Eyeliner for different eyes

Not all eyes are the same! Per person that is. Here are some tips!

Small eyes – Draw a dark line and gradually thicken it at the outer edge of the eye. Draw under the lower lash with a light colored pencil in silver, white, or gold.

Close-set eyes – Using a grey, brown, or black pencil, line the outer third of the upper lids. Smudge gently and use a lighter colored liner on the inner eye. This helps widen the space between the eyes.

Drooping eyes – Line the outer third of the eye very close to the lashes, then sweep the liner up at the corner of the eye to create an uplifting effect.

Deep-set eyes: Use a  pale, shimmery color and line the upper lash line. Then line the outer edge of the lower lashline with a neutral shade such as grey or taupe beige.

Makeup Drawings

MAC Cosmetics has some great looks displayed in drawings. They have a portfolio at MAC counters or you can find them online. Watch out you may end up buying a ton of products to get the exact look!

Here are my favorite looks:

EYES
Fill in brows with Saddle Eye Shadow using a 208 Brush. Highlight the browbone by sweeping Forgery Eye Shadow right under the brow. Lightly dust a layer of Frozen White Pigment on the whole lid for a little rock ‘n’ roll glamour. Blend Saddle and Black Tied Eye Shadows together and apply it in the lower crease, close to the top lashline. Using a 275 Brush, apply Saddle Eye Shadow in the inner corner of the eyelid. This will create a contour that will change the look of your eyes. Line the whole eye with Blacktrack Fluidline and run a 266 Brush dipped into Carbon Eye Shadow over the Fluidline. Curl lashes and brush on a coat of Noisy Black Loud Lash.

CHEEKS
Sweep Sincere Powder Blush from on the apples of your cheeks up towards the temples.

LIPS
Line and fill in lips with Oak Lip Pencil. In true spirit of VIVA GLAM VI, apply VIVA GLAM VI Lipstick and a liberal coat of VIVA GLAM VI Tinted Lipglass.

EYES
Shape up eyebrows and fill them in with Charcoal Brown Eye Shadow and Clear Brow Set. Highlight browbone with Soft Ochre Paint Pot using a 213 Brush. Fill in lids with Quite Natural Paint Pot and Remotely Grey Eye Shadow and a 252 Brush. Blend Quite Natural Paint Pot and Modest Tone Eye Shadow to the crease of the eye with a 217 Brush. Apply Graphblack Technakohl Liner to upperlashline using a 266 Brush. Using a 217 Brush apply Quite Natural Paint Pot and with a 266 Brush apply Graphblack Technakohl Liner to the inner corner of the lower lashline. Coat Coal Black Pro Lash on your lashes.

CHEEKS
Sweep Tenderling Powder Blush with a 129 Brush to cheekbones.

LIPS
Line lips with Oak Lip Pencil and apply 2N Lipstick with a 318 Brush. Finish off by smoothing 1N Tinted Lipglass all over lips.