Beautiful Things My Mother Taught Me


Mom and me, circa 1979 Disclosure: This post is sponsored by CoverGirl. Mother’s Day is this Sunday and I’m so excited. Not just because Mr. Spoiled Pretty and my son, Westley, are treating me to a decadent brunch. But because it’s an opportunity to celebrate my hero, Andrea Stamps. I must admit that until two years ago, Mother’s Day was just another CONTINUE READING

Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candles: 2 for $22


At Christmastime, I agonized over what to get my son's daycare teachers. There are 12 of them - and even though he has his two main teachers, they all have interaction with him and take excellent care of him. So I needed to buy 12 gifts to show my appreciation, without breaking the bank. $10 each seemed doable, except CONTINUE READING

IMAN Skin Tone Evener BB Creme SPF 15


As a beauty expert, I’m embarrassed by how late I am to the BB Cream party. In the past year, so many friends and colleagues have asked me about BB Creams—what’s the buzz, which brands are the best, etc. —and they would look at me funny when I admitted to not having tried BB Creams yet. I mean, they CONTINUE READING

CoverGirl Outlast Brilliant Shine Nail Gloss in Vio-last


I’m very fickle about my fingernails. Before I paint my nails or get them professionally did, I spend a inordinate amount of time pondering my polish options. I consider the season, recent trends, my wardrobe that week and anywhere special I might go. But despite all of this planning, I’m usually over my polish choice before it even dries. Not CONTINUE READING

My New Arm Candy: Rebecca Minkoff Swing Bag


After beauty products, handbags are my secondary addiction. But when it comes to arm candy, I have discriminating taste. For me, the perfect handbag seamlessly marries fashion with function, is handcrafted from high-quality materials, has really unique hardware and is classic but edgy - all at the same time. I don't like to carry the of-the-moment "it" bag. I CONTINUE READING

Bust a Move On Over to Saturday.com


Earlier this month, Kate Spade (aka creator of cuteness and the reason why I can't seem to keep money in my wallet), launched a brand new line called Kate Spade Saturday. Kate Spade Saturday is a new global lifestyle brand created to channel the spirit of Saturday seven days a week. This younger, more accessible sister to kate spade new CONTINUE READING

Skin Care

Clinique Gets Even Better

Posted on by daneen in Acne, Exfoliation, Hyperpigmentation, Skin Care | Leave a comment

evenbetter Clinique Gets Even BetterNew from Clinique is a skin care product that promises to create brightness and clarity for all ethnicities.

Even Better Skin Tone Corrector is a lightweight serum that creates a notably more even complexion by helping to undo the visible evidence of sun damage, dark patches, skin stresses, age spots, even the darkening that follows acne scarring. It supposedly even helps to prevent new dark spots from forming.

Developed specifically to address all skin tones, it can be used anywhere on the face, hands, and chest – and results can be seen in 4 to 6 weeks.

Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s, and Neiman Marcus.

Clarisonic Giveaway Winner Writes Back

Posted on by daneen in Contest, Giveaway, Skin Care | Leave a comment

clarisonic Clarisonic Giveaway Winner Writes Back
Danette, winner of the Clarisonic Skin Care System (lucky lady!) emailed me the other day, to thank me for her prize. She also asked me to share the following review with you.

“I received my Clarisonic prize and…I love it!!! I love that it has a set timing system so you know that your face is getting evenly cleansed. It does take a little getting used to, since the brush heads can seem a little harsh at first. But your face is left feeling cleaner than ever. It really is like having a facial in under three minutes. The best part is that it is waterproof – so you can use it in the shower with no problems. Thanks, Spoiled Pretty, for this wonderful prize!!! Definitely gets 5 stars!”

Nighttime Is The Right Time

Posted on by daneen in Moisturizer, Skin Care | Leave a comment

sleepingcutie Nighttime Is The Right Time
While you sleep, your skin is hard at work repairing and renewing itself. Which is why it is so important to cleanse your face before your head hits the pillow. One more step you might want to consider is a night cream. According to experts, nighttime is the right time to hydrate and pamper your skin – because skin loses more water in the wee hours, and is also more receptive to active ingredients.

pcaskin rebalance Nighttime Is The Right TimeOne of my new favorites is PCA Skin ReBalance, a nourishing and soothing treatment that helps to repair reddened, irritated or traumatized skin. It’s so gentle that it’s also recommended following chemical peels, microdermabrasion, and laser resurfacing procedures. ReBalance is ideal for use on the face, neck and chest, and safe for all skin types and conditions, including rosacea.

Used regularly, your face will look fresher and more awake!

I’ll Be Hitting The Bottle in 2008

Posted on by daneen in Beauty Tips, Skin Care | 2 Comments

waterbottle2 I’ll Be Hitting The Bottle in 2008 waterbottle1 I’ll Be Hitting The Bottle in 2008 waterbottle3 I’ll Be Hitting The Bottle in 2008
One of the best things you can do for the health of your skin is to drink more water. Still, I admit to reaching for a glass of Diet Coke before a bottle of H2O.

I’ve promised myself that I’m going to drink more water in ’08 – and I think this will be a resolution I can stick to, because I’ve found a way to be stylish while staying hydrated.

Combining function and fashion, SIGG’s lightweight aluminum bottles come in 144 unique designs. And with 22 different interchangeable lids available, you can find a combination that expresses your personality. SIGG bottles are manufactured in an ecologically-friendly environment and are 100% recyclable after their very long lives.

So throw a lemon slice in there, fill it up, and drink to your (skin’s) health in the new year!

Glacial Facial

Posted on by daneen in Face, Mask, Skin Care | 1 Comment

glacialfacial Glacial Facial
A few days ago, when I blogged about my Aquis Microfiber Headband, I mentioned that I was trying a new facial mask. Well, the time has come to tell you about that new product.

 Glacial Facial
The Glacial Facial Purifying Mineral Mud Masque, by Alaska Glacial Mud Co, contains the most mineral-rich and pure glacial clay in the world – harvested from the remote waters of the Copper River Delta in Alaska. It detoxifies, exfoliates, and softens skin while more than 60 nourishing major and trace elements promote healthy skin cell renewal. The mud is further enriched with a special combination of botanical extracts from the Pacific Northwest, chosen for their moisturizing, softening, and anti-aging properties.

So I used the lavender-peppermint variety of the masque (also available in vanilla-lavender and unscented) for the first time this past weekend. I applied the product with the mud masque application brush; which, I must say is such a great idea…it helps you apply a thin layer so that you don’t waste any of the masque, and there’s no messy fingers! Anyway, I brushed the mud all over, and once my entire face was covered, I started to feel it working. A first, I was a little afraid of the tingle – but it dissipated almost immediately. After letting it dry, I washed the masque off with a washcloth and warm water – revealing touchably soft skin. Seriously, I couldn’t keep my hands off of my face! And unlike most masks, it doesn’t leave your face tight and dry.

After a not so great experience with DDF’s Sulfur Therapeutic Mask (it didn’t do anything for my skin, the stinky smell lingered long after the product was washed off, and it made my eyes sting for two days), I am thrilled to have found a face mask that delivers on its promises.

Bottom line: the Glacial Facial Purifying Mineral Mud Masque offers both tradition and innovation for the spa-loving and eco-conscious goddess who wants to self-indulge at home.

Oprah’s Favorite Things 2007

Posted on by daneen in Exfoliation, Holiday, Lotion, Skin Care, Soap | Leave a comment

fav things Oprahs Favorite Things 2007
Yesterday, America watched as Oprah unveiled her Favorite Things of 2007 list on an unsuspecting audience in Macon, Georgia. Three hundred golden ticket holders left the convention center pushing shopping carts filled with the (now) most coveted products in the country.

This year, Oprah took her show on the road because Macon consistently has the nation’s highest percentage of viewers tuned into her talk show. Filming the “Favorite Things” episode in Macon was a thank-you to the fans, she explained. Audience members left the local convention hall pushing shopping carts toppled with loot – including camcorders, apparel, refrigerators with an LCD TV built into the door – and, of course, beauty products!

When the ‘Queen of All Media’ wants to spoil herself pretty, she reaches for…

lafco Oprahs Favorite Things 2007

Claus Porto Soaps From Lafco New York
These all-natural, bath-sized bars distributed by Lafco New York are a labor of love. They have been created by the Claus Porto’s family-run factory in Portugal for the past 117 years. Each bar starts with top quality 100% vegetable soap base and pure, skin softening shea butter. Next, the finest fragrances from the South of France are mixed in so that the scent lasts until the very end of the bar. All of these ingredients are then milled seven times in the traditional European way for a hard, dense soap that has an ultra luxurious and creamy lather.

The jumbo-sized soaps appeal to the senses with beautiful wrappers and 17 magnificent scents, from honeysuckle to grapefruit fig. “They make great hostess gifts,” Oprah says.

Cost: $42 (set of 3)
lafcony.com

kai Oprahs Favorite Things 2007
Kai Body Butter and Body Buffer

“Bathing is an art form and nobody enjoys it more than I do,” Oprah says. Kai customized their signature scent into a moisturizing body butter in a tub just for Oprah. Kai body lotion contains safflower seed oil, shea butter, apricot kernel oil, and cucumber a silky whipped soufflé with a moisturizing shea butter base blended with safflower seed oil, vitamins A, C, and E, aloe leaf extract, chamomile flower extract, cucumber fruit extract, apricot kernel oil, and the original kai perfume oil. “It’s clean and fresh,” she says.

She also loves the Body Buffer by Kai, a hypo-allergenic loofah infused with a light blend of exotic perfumes and natural essences to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize the skin. Just wet and squeeze to release foaming bubbles that smell like an exotic garden.

Cost: Body Buffer $28; Body Butter $55
kaifragrance.com
Also available at embraceyourstyle.com and eluxury.com

clarisonic Oprahs Favorite Things 2007
Clarisonic Skin Care System

Developed by the people who created the Sonicare Toothbrush, the Clarisonic Skin Care System helps remove six times more makeup than soap and water alone. The bristles vibrate 300 times per second and massage your face to squeaky clean perfection. The Clarisonic system cleanses so well that products absorb better; reduces oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes; visibly shrinks pores; minimizes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles; and leaves skin feeling and looking younger and smoother. “It’s a miracle massage for your face,” Oprah says.

Cost: $195 (includes Cordless Clarisonic, charging cradle, two brush heads, and 2 oz. trial size Gentle Hydro Cleanser)
clarisonic.com

Can I Get A…Fragrance?

Posted on by daneen in Celebrities, Perfume, Skin Care | Leave a comment

jayz.jg Can I Get A…Fragrance?Iconix Brand Group, Inc. announced today that it has entered into an exclusive global licensing agreement with Elizabeth Arden for the development, marketing and distribution of men’s and women’s fragrance, cosmetics, and skincare products for its leading lifestyle apparel brand Rocawear. The debut fragrance is due in stores in the fall of 2008.

“We are excited to partner with an industry giant such as Elizabeth Arden,” Jay-Z said. “The combination of their expertise in fragrance and our ability to affect popular culture will produce some incredible products and breathe excitement into the category.”

“Elizabeth Arden and Iconix have a successful history together, and we are thrilled to grow our relationship with this dynamic collaboration,” said E. Scott Beattie, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Elizabeth Arden. “The Rocawear name connects with the customer we want to attract. Adding Rocawear to our lineup of lifestyle fragrance brands allows us to further diversify our multi-dimensional brand portfolio and expand our reach to a young, modern consumer. Elizabeth Arden’s leadership in fragrance, coupled with the creative involvement of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and the team at Rocawear and Iconix, will provide us with a strong platform for success,” added Beattie.



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