Donation of the week - December 18th, 2008

Uh oh...It is one mere week before Christmas and you haven't accomplished any of your holiday goals! You got presents for all your co-workers, your sister and your mom but you still haven't found that perfect toy for your niece and nephew. AND you haven't made any kind of charitable donation!

Well folks, this weeks DOTW is your place to go for both of those things!!

Hit up Kmart! (It's not just for Jaclyn Smith designer clothes anymore...I am in love with the Martha Stewart line.)
Not only do they have amazing gifts for everyone on your list - toys for sure but awesome clothes, home decor and electronics as well - they partner each year with St. Jude's Research Hospital to help fund healthcare for children who cannot afford it. Working with St. Jude's they offer the Thanks and Giving^® campaign. At participating Kmart stores, customers can buy $1, $5 or $10 "add-ons" to their purchase. It is a quick and easy way for you to not only get your shopping done, but do a little good for sick kids while you are at it.

So get out there- one week to go and lots of holiday love left to spread!

Keep Looking Fabulous,
BGND

If you are shopping for...

Your mother (or mother in law or step mother etc...)!

Moms are tough to shop for in my experience. Either they have absolutely everything and want for nothing, or they are set in their ways and don't like to go out of their beauty box. My solution to this problem? Perfume. I know it seems weird because scent is such a personal item but I think for mom's - scent is the way to go. Either they have a signature scent (in which case - gift done!) or they never buy it for themselves but as a child you can guess what she might like.

So today I present you with the 3 best fragrances (in BGND's experience) for any mom on your list...

1) Chanel 5
THE classic. Timeless, beautiful and elegant. Many many moms swear by this and if they don't wear it now they may have in the past or always wanted to try it. An elegant multi-purpose and timeless scent.

2) Clinique Happy

Fruity, fun and floral. Inexpensive yet delicious. A great every day kind of perfume for any kind of mom. And you know if mom doesn't like the perfume she will like something at Clinique!

3) Angel by Thierry Mugler

Soft and sweet. Reminiscent of baby powder. This is a great perfume for a mom who likes a hint of scent but nothing too strong, musky or flowery.

So hopefully these three scents are a good place for you to start. But don't forget, perfumes are a super easy gift to return, they usually cost enough that Mom can get something else decent that she would prefer instead and if you want a product but don't want a perfume, there are scented lotions, powders etc in most fragrance lines.

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

If you are shopping for...

Your good friend!

As we all get older, the whole gift giving thing gets a little into the gray area don't you think? We all have expenses and commitments and sometimes on top of the $ we are spending to travel far and wide for the holidays, there isn't a lot of cash left over for presents. And most of my friends are so busy this time of year, it is hard to even hand off a present if we have one for each other! Well regardless of gifts or no gifts we all love each other and don't need anything at this time of year other than our friendship. But sometimes if still feels good to give you know?

So... if you are out there with a little extra cash and looking to get something for a gal friend...here are my BGND approved selections.

Luxe Noir Bling Pocket Brush Set by Sephora - $12 (Sephora nationwide and online at Sephora.com)

I LOVE this little kit. It has all your brush essentials, is perfect for your purse or travel, comes in an awesome little case (available in three colors!) and it is Sephora- all for $12! True love!


Tarte Tres Cheek Limited Edition Mini Cheek Stain Set - $25 (Sephora nationwide and online at Sephora.com)Now this is a killer cosmetic gift. I love these cheek stains...as you loyal BGND readers know I have featured this cheek stain in a POTW before. Here you get three separate colors glammed up for the holidays in a fantastic gold clutch all for $25. (A full-size Tarte cheek stain goes for $28). Stylish and multi-faceted...true BGND!



Soap and Glory Scrub Triangle Mini Gift Set - $9.99 (Target Nationwide and Target.com)


Soap and Glory is so cute, so stylish and best of all- totally affordable. This cute little three pack has all you need for super soft skin and at such a discount that I recommend ditching the box it comes in and buying one of the many cute cosmetic clutches available at Target and throwing the items in there. Voila! An awesome pampering gift for under $20!

So readers, I hope this helps with your shopping dilemma of the week....

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

Donation of the Week - December 11th, 2008

So here is a little something different for the DOTW this week. At the holidays I think we all love to be with family and friends. We love to honor our traditions, eat the foods we love, play the games we play every year, go to the parties and hug and kiss those closest to us. Sadly, there are many people who will not get the chance to do any of those things. The men and women of the United States Armed Forces risk their lives every day to protect the freedoms in this country, but in order to do this they often spend a majority of time away from the comforts of home. Needless to say this must be especially painful at the holidays.

Well, if you are looking for a way to make a difference this holiday season but only have limited funds, sending a care package to the men and women in uniform might be just the thing for you to do. We all love care packages and right now the United States Post Office offers a flat-rate on care packages for US Soldiers- a mere $10.95.

So if you are looking for an economical and great way to spread some holiday cheer- hop on over to the P.O.!

For a list of items that our service men and women need most (and where to send them), check out these helpful websites:
www.anysoldier.com/
www. soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=adopt-a-soldier

Keep looking fabulous,
BGND

Hark how the deals, sweet online deals.....

So we all know the economy is a stinker right now...However, we all love giving a little something at the holidays....and sadly the two don't always go hand in hand. Well have no fear!

Today BGND is back for another round of "online discount codes"!!! Back in October I gave you, my fearless readers, a list of discount online codes so that you could buy yourself some Halloween treats. Well today I present you with an up to date list so that you can go out and save some money on all those gifts you are buying...or perhaps just save a little on something for yourself!

So here are the latest codes in no particular order....

Happy Online Shopping!

Sephora: Free Shipping on Orders over $50 - Enter SHIPPING50 at checkout.

ELF Cosmetics: 50% your entire order - Enter BATH50 at checkout.

Macy's: 10-15% off your entire order and free shipping - Enter GIFTED at checkout.

Benefit Cosmetics:

$10 off when you spend $50 or more, $25 dollars off when you spend $100 or more - Enter BEAUTY10 or BEAUTY25 at checkout.

Free standard shipping on $25 or more - Enter DECEMBER at checkout.

Free shipping on $50 or more - Enter PRETTY50 at checkout.

Clinique: Free Holiday Sample Trio of Clinique Favorites plus free shipping on $50 ore more - Enter TRIO at checkout.

Estee Lauder: Free shipping on orders over $25 - Enter CREG0202 at checkout.

Lancome: Free Shipping on any order plus free deluxe sample collection with $40 or more - Enter HOLIDAY8 at checkout.

Prescriptives: Free standard shipping on $35 or more - Enter FREESHIP2 at checkout.

ULTA: 20% off any one item( some exclusions) - Enter 97176 at checkout.

Keep in mind BGNDers - these are only the tip of the coupon code iceberg- there are many many deals to be had..I just picked a few of the best to share with you. So if you want a deal on something and you don't see it here- be a cyber sleuth and go find it! Chances are it is out there!

Keep looking fabulous!

BGND

Makeup "all in ones" aka palettes are some of the most tempting products out there. They are well designed and the packaging always draws me in. Not to mention I look at all those eye shadows and lip glosses and I think- what a deal! 25 eye shadows and 10 lip glosses all for $45? SOLD! Well of course what we all realize sooner or later is that more often than not, most of these package deals that make-up lines offer are not the greatest deals to be had. The colors do not work or you only use a few of the shadows (and the portions are miniature anyway), no one ever uses the lip gloss choices (a giant palette is not the easiest thing to stick in your purse) and so on and so forth. Most of the time what you get is one eyeshadow that you have spent $45 dollars on...um...not exactly frugal.

However, every now and again an all in one combo comes along that blows my socks off. The colors are great, you like everything in the pack and it is a good deal. My recent discovery that fits this bill?

Cargo's Holiday Nights Collection - $25 (exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com)
This is THE holiday dream. The picture above does not truly do it justice. You get 4 FULL size shadows, a giant sized blush, a beautiful and once again full size eyeliner and a fun little tube of holiday sparkle - all for $25. Not only that, the colors are fantastic, perfect for the holiday season and they work beautifully together, alone or mixed in with whatever you already have in your make up kit. In other words, you just paid $25 for what you would pay almost 3-4 times for under normal circumstances. (To give you an idea, Cargo shadows normally run $16 each. ) It is a beautiful set and a heck of a deal.

A word to the blue/silver shadow nervous....I know you may be fearful if you have warmer toned skin...but this set is available for trial at Sephora and I am confident that the colors will look nice on almost everyone. Try the shadows on your inner wrist and see if you like the results...I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Enjoy this great deal and keep looking fabulous,
BGND

P.S. I LOVE the Pucci- inspired satin covering the outside of this kit!

Reader Favorites!!

First of all I want to thank all you lovelies who wrote in and told me what was in your make-up bags- keep those emails coming!!!

Today I am going to share with you my favorite reader's favorites... perhaps YOUR next favorite is one of these wonderful items.

1) DiorShow Mascara - $24 (Sephora nationwide)
(Submitted by Jen H.)

Jen's comments on Diorshow: "My new discovery that I can't live without is DiorShow black mascara! I LOVE how it makes my lashes huge and my eyes pop!"

Um- sounds like a winning endorsement to me! Not only did Jen rave about this mascara, it is one of "Sephora's best" and has raves posted nearly everywhere i looked online. Known for it's glamour inducing rich color, this mascara is great for those looking for bold deep lashes. Best of all it is available in not only the usual brown and black but very cool Azure Blue and Plum!
Thanks Jen!!

2) Philosophy The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas SPF 15 - $35 (Sephora nationwide)
(Submitted by Lauren F.)
Lauren's comments on The Supernatural: "It's all about the packaging! I swear that they were one of the first to do the whole, 1 piece, powder/face puff/mirror on the lid packaging and it's the best! I'm always putting my makeup on, on the go, so there's no way I could lay out a powder, tap the lid and use separate brushes to get a great look. Also, it's a great foundation, stays on all day, the face puff is removable and replaceable (only $1 per extra puff), so a jar will last 6 months, easily, and it won't get all gunky, so you're skin stays clear - and it has SPF, which I know you love."

I don't think I need to elaborate any more than that! The new go to mineral foundation for every BGND reader!! Thanks Lauren!

So for your Friday, here are the two new "reader faves" that I am now a fan of as well....I love the tips so keep them coming!

Thanks to my friends Jen and Lauren for today's post features!!

Keep looking fabulous and have a great weekend,
BGND

Donation of the Week - December 4th, 2008

So as you may be able to tell from the title of today's post there isn't a POTW this week - sorry all! Instead, as a nod to this time of year and the fact that as much as I love the products and I am often extolling you to rush out and buy something new, for the month of December I am dedicating my POTW blogs every Thursday to something nice we can all do in order to help others this holiday season. So today I give you my first "donation" of the week. But not to worry, this is actually something we all can do that costs only the amount of a postage stamp and should easily fit into your holiday shopping schedule.

The Macy's Believe Campaign

Macy's is teaming up with the Make-A-Wish Foundation this holiday season to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses everywhere. The Macy's campaign is called "A Million Reasons to Believe" and it is beautifully simple and easy to take part in. Simply write a short letter to Santa and then drop off the stamped letter addressed to Santa at the North Pole in the official RH Macy Santa Mail Letter Boxes in all Macy's stores. For every letter stamped and addressed to Santa at the North Pole, Macy's will contribute $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation (up to 1 million dollars). To see the official MAW website dedicated to the Believe campaign - here you go : http://www.wish.org/help/macy_s_believe.

A actual sample letter from a child:

Dear Santa,

This is Emily. I can't wait for Christmas this year! My cancer is gone and I have great presents to give to my family.

Christmas is always about how much you get, but how much you give. There are not many things I want this year because I already received the best gift.

I can't wait to see all the lights and Christmas trees! This time of year is so beautiful and magical!

I hope no one's been naughty this year!

from,

Emily

That last line is classic! I a big supporter of MAW and have seen firsthand what they are capable of doing and how they change the lives of children with life-threatening illnesses and their family and friends. Sadly in recession times, charities and volunteer organizations often lose a lot of funding since to many who donate and support these organizations the funding they give is an "non-necessity" expense and something they can eliminate in hard times.

So get out there and write a letter to Santa. You can drop it off on your way to the MAC counter and it is a great, low cost way for you to make a difference.

Keep looking fabulous,

BGND

P.S. Here is the link to the Macy's Believe website : http://www.macysbelieve.com/#/Home?ga=MakeAWish

If you are shopping for....

Hey all! So today I start a special holiday- themed blog series..."If you are shopping for..." Once again my brilliant friend Beth has come up with a great blog idea (you are the best Beth- keep them coming!!!). She suggested that I do a series of gift ideas for my readers...and I thought that was BRILL! So here you are ladies and gents, the first in the series!

So...

If you are shopping for....

Your lovely co-worker!

It is always awkward trying to get something for a co-worker. Do you just bake them cookies? Do you simply give them a card? Or do you go with the easy gift card route? Well today I suggest you hop on over to your local favorite store and mine - Sephora. They have about a million gift ideas and the one that caught my eye today?

Philosophy The Recipe Box - $18

Okay seriously - how cute is this little package? Philosophy is always tops when it comes to packaging and design and when you want to impress your co-worker and get her something she will swoon for but don't want to spend $50 then this is the way to go. You get three fabulous and yummy scents of Philosophy's 3 in 1 cleansers plus this adorable "recipe" box with recipe cards to mix and match the 3 scents. Love it!!

Now, if you want to spend a bit more and get even more into the holiday spirit....

Philosophy The Holiday Cookbook - $35

Here you get 6 instead of 3 seasonal scents and they come in a realistic sized "cookbook". SO cute!

Now if you don't think either of the above would be good for your co-worker...fear not, this is just the tip of the gift iceberg at Sephora. There are many many options to go round, a bunch of them under $25! Gotta love that. So get out there and get a little something to impress your cubicle mate and if you don't need (and/or want) to buy anything for your work neighbor- get one for yourself!

Keep looking fabulous!
BGND

Party like it's 1999....

Not that I don't want to seem ungrateful or anything but sometimes it seems like December has become one very looong party. From the office shindig, to your neighbor's wine and cheese soiree to your mother in law's caroling tradition, it can feel like all you are doing during the holidays is trudging from one party to the next! What's worse? After a while the last thing you want to do is get all fancy and you end up wearing the same black satin shift you have worn for the past three years with the same tired party-make up look.

Well have no fear BGNDers! Today I present you with the one, the only tool you will need in your holiday make-up arsenal.

Presenting the AMAZING...drum roll please.....

Benefit High Beam - $24 (Benefitcosmetics.com and Benefit and Sephora counters nationwide)

I have been buying this dream lotion since college- and believe me that is a long time! It is the perfect pick me up so that fun party make up is a no-brainer. It will give you just enough glow, just enough sheen that all you will have to do is apply a fresh coat of mascara and then dot this miracle worker in the right places and you will be good to go.

If you are leaving work and heading out for the night, this will take your daytime look into night time seduction mode so you will end up underneath the mistletoe just like you wanted.

Seriously though, there are a few places where High Beam works best. The brow bone, just at the top of the cheek bones, the center of your bottom lip and the inner corner of your eyes. Just take the brush, dot a few dots in your desired area and then use a finger to spread those dots but don't smear. Dab at those dots to spread them. Think of how they always apply lip gloss in movies? You know what I am talking about right? The ridiculous dab technique? Well use that to spread your High Beam and you will be right on track.

However, there is too much of a good thing so I recommend picking 1 to 2 spots only to apply this lotion. You don't want to look like you are weirdly white and shiny. We are going for illumination only.

And let's not forget, this lotion is not just for the holiday season...it can work to give you that extra glow all year long. LOVE that.

Keep looking fabulous,

BGND

Food induced coma....

Hey BGND readers- I am back!!

Sorry for the lack of posts last week...with family in town and hosting the big day of food at our place, the week was INSANE. However I am back, post-Turkey and ready to give you your BGND fix on this first day of December. So what is my first December post about? What products am I loving post-Thanksgiving?

Cellulite cream of course! (hahaha...I couldn't help myself.)

Now granted, it is winter time, so depending on where you live you are probably bundled up and no one but you, your roommates and perhaps a love interest are seeing you in your skivvies. Well, the sight of myself in skivvies is enough - yikes!! One too many helpings of stuffing and my thighs and backside need some serious help. In general, I think expensive cellulite creams are really not worth the money. We all know that they only way to get rid of the majority of cellulite is to tone up and lose some weight. However, 85% of women have cellulite- and it doesn't matter if you are Uma Thurman or someone who does not look so killer in a bikini- cellulite will strike young and old, thin and heavy. (I am not going to post any cellulite pics today- we all know what it looks like and those celebs with "cellulite" look pretty damn good to me and they are picked apart enough!)

So even though genetics has a lot to do with it, and even if you are skinny, you sometimes still have cellulite, there are some creams that can help tone and tighten the surface of your skin. No cream is going to get rid of cellulite but they can make the appearance of it slightly better. So here are my budget friendly picks for cellulite cream. Have fun but please don't rush out and spend crazy amounts of $ on cellulite creams. Go with something cheaper that works well and you will be satisfied - besides your roommates/love interest like you just the way you are!

For the multi-tasker:

Suave Firming Moisturizer - $4.49 (Drugstores and online nationwide)

This lotion is fantastic. First of all, it has a key anti-cellulite ingredient- seaweed extract. It is inexpensive, it works like a dream and it smells great- YES please!!

For the Budget babe:

Soap and Glory Slimwear Puff-Draining Peptide Balm - $13 (Target Nationwide and online at Target.com and Amazon.com)

This lotion uses the same techniques that eye creams use to de-puff bags, but applies it to your saddlebags - haha- I am full of jokes today - I know! Seriously though, this lotion held it's own when compared with others 5 times the cost.

For the Sleep-on-it gal:

Bliss Fat Girl Sleep - $38 (Sephora nationwide and online at Amazon.com and blissworld.com)

This thick pot of gold comes stocked with lotus extract (comparable to caffeine's tightening tricks) and algae. You rub this one is for 30 seconds and then sleep on it. A night time massage that helps reduce the appearance of those dimples- LOVE IT.

So there you have it kids- my picks for the best cellulite reducing (and by that I mean reducing the appearance ) creams out there. If you want to go out on your own and test some out - please do and report back! Just remember, I do not recommend spending more than $40 and make sure you look for something that has caffeine, algae, seaweed, lotus extract or peptides.

Keep looking fabulous!
BGND