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.

Win a year’s supply of makeup

Win a year’s supply of makeup from Revlon and a year’s supply of hair products from Redken : Go to Marie Claire

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.

Permanent Makeup?

Apparently cosmetic tattooing can give you eyebrows, eyeliner, eyelash enhancement, and lipliner on a permanent basis! Some specialty clinics also offer full lip color, scar camouflage, and hair imitation.

Each procedure takes only 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours. Follow up procedures take less time.

As with tattoos, safety of the procedures has not been confirmed. It all depends on the technician, who must be fully trained in permanent makeup application. They must use only sterile equipment and only brand new needles for every client. Be sure your technician is up to date on all the latest safety requirements. You’ll want them, as well as the room they will be using, to be neat and clean.

Beware there is a chance that you may be allergic to the pigments that will be used. Always ask for a pretest. Even if your technician adheres to all the safety guidelines there is a chance that they can make an artistic mistake. There are some complaints lodged with the FDA about procedures going wrong, things you never want to happen to you.

For example, the makeup pigments can slide around under your skin, blurring the lines that you want, resulting in a messy appearance. So make sure to do your research and really be sure you want it to be permanent!

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.

Money Saving Tips

1. Hit the drugstore. Most drugstore cosmetics are related to department store brands: L’Oreal to Lancôme, Jane to Estee Lauder. That means the cheaper versions use the same cutting-edge technologies as their pricier sisters. Best low-cost bets: Mascara and lipstick. Don’t be fooled by high-price skincare. Dermatologists consistently recommend their old (low-cost) favorites: Neutrogena, Purpose, and Cetaphil cleansers and moisturizers.

2. QUick manicure – soak nails in lemon juice to clean, then use a nail buffer to make them shiny.

3. Forego exfoliating treatments at a spa and do it yourself. Mix a handful of coarse sugar crystals with some olive oil and use to scrub off dead skin in the shower.

4. Maximize your lipstick by changing the finish. Apply lipstick over a thin layer of Vaseline for a glossy look, dust with loose powder for a matte look, pat on with a fingertip for a stain and mix with a dark shadow for an evening effect.

5. Use hair products wet and dry. Instead of investing in two different styling aids, use one for all of your needs. Apply a hair cream to damp locks to tame frizz, then smooth on a bit when hair is dry to smooth flyaways. Try gel on wet hair for hold, then add more to dry hair for shine.

6. Stake out salon training nights. Most top hair salons or beauty schools  offer low-cost cuts on training nights, where student stylists work their magic under the supervision of their senior colleagues.

7. Try a multi-purpose product. Vaseline and Smith’s Rosebud Salve are great for lip balm or gloss, keep eyebrows in control, moisturize cuticles, and smooth dry skin.

Today’s Quickie

To save money on exfoliation, try using regular old white sugar while in the shower. It makes a great face and body scrub. To fix streaky self tanners, add a teaspoon of lemon juice.

To alleviate pain from plucking hairs, tweeze right after showering when your hair follicles are open. The hair will slide out more easily.

Foundation can also become concealer. When the amount you have out starts to thicken, use a concealer brush and layer it on to whatever needs to be covered. Makes a great color match too!

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.

As easy as vaseline

Just heard this tip on Access Hollywood: vaseline does wonders

Use some on your eyelashes before bed to nourish them and help them grow.

Apply some (spread evenly and rub itnto skin) on dry skin patches and wrinke spots of the face.

Don’t forget to moisturize the lips with vaseline for a smooth pucker.

Supposedly Beyonce does this but who will really know this

Look great in just 5 minutes

A few minutes is all you need to look great!

1. Smooth on tinted moisturizer or foundation

2. Pat concealer under eyes

3. Conceal any redness or breakouts

4. Dust powder to set makeup

5. Seep on highlighter

6. Apply blush at the apples of the cheeks

7. Line your lash line

8. Apply mascara

9. Slick on some lip gloss or tinted lip balm