Body & Soul

Happy 2021!

2021-01-01T21:40:00.002-05:00

Wishing you all a happy and healthy New Year, filled with joy, adventure, and hope.

Welcome, November!

2020-11-01T22:34:00.001-05:00

Welcome, November! Wishing you all a wonderful month.

Lancôme Starlight Sparkle La Rose A Poudrer Holiday 2018

2018-12-16T22:48:00.000-05:00

The Lancôme Starlight Sparkle La Rose A Poudrer is part of their 2018 Holiday Trend Collection, and pretty as it may be, you certainly don't need this unless you're perhaps a collector of Limited Edition pieces.

If you're looking for value or an extremely well-made powder box perhaps to display on your vanity, keep looking. As you can see, this is a lovely piece that's extremely photogenic. The festive and rich gold coloring of the box is eye-catching, but for $60.00 (I did notice that HSN/Home Shopping Network has it for $48.00), cardboard construction is kind of an insult to your wallet.

The product itself is on the petals of the rose found inside of the box, and it's applied by swirling a powder brush over the product, then applying it to your skin as you would any powder or highlighter. It can be used wet or dry, and when I use it wet for a bit more intensity, I first pick the product up on the brush, then spritz the brush lightly with one of my various rosewater sprays before applying. The rose appears to be some type of fabric, and the product is somehow adhered to that.

The color of the highlighter is what I would call a warm gold with an ever-so-slight hint of copper. There is no glitter, so you needn't worry about any type of fallout. It's very smooth and applies beautifully, giving a subtle glow with a light application, and more of a sheen with a heavier, more built up application. It says it can also be applied with your fingers or a sponge, but I prefer a brush.

A brush seems to be the less damaging choice to the petals, because if you look closely at the photos below, you can see some small thread-like pieces that are on the edges. I feel like rubbing those too hard with your fingers, or pressing a sponge to them with too much pressure would be the start of some major unraveling of the fabric weave.

The color/shade is actually very nice, and I tried to show some of the sparkle on the left by moving my arm during photographing it. It's very smooth and the lack of glitter is personally how I like my highlighters. It catches the light nicely, managing to sparkle without any obvious glitter, and does a nice job enhancing your skin.

The amount of product is 1.9 grams/0.067 ounces, which isn't a lot of actual product. I believe it was last year when they came out with the pink or rose colored one of these, and that seemed to sell out rather quickly. This is basically the same thing, simply in a different shade, and there are still plenty of these in stock at many retailers and counters. The novelty of the idea when it was first released last year caused quite a frenzy, and they sold out. There was quite a bit of disappointment then, and again this year, when people realized that the price simply didn't justify the actual item. The powder highlighter itself is top quality, but the cardboard box and the delicateness of the flower are lacking in execution.

I love Lancôme overall, they have a wide range of color cosmetics, fragrances, and skin care that for the most part, are top quality with great performance. Every now and again, something just doesn't meet expectations, and this is one of those products. A lower price point or a more practical packaging for the powder/highlighter (which again, is a very nice product) might make it more appealing.

Saturday Links + Loves + Life

2018-12-15T15:08:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first entry of my Saturday Links + Love + Life series! This is just a quick look at what I've been up to this week, as well as some things I'm looking forward to, and things that have piqued my interest.

How's your Christmas decorating coming? Mine is pretty much done, although I find myself redoing my mantel every couple of days, because I can't seem to get the look I want. Elf on the Shelf is kind of a joke in our household, so don't taunt me for having him! Our tree is up, and normally it would have been decorated weeks ago. But I've learned my lesson and that's not happening until the last minute.

He looks innocent enough, right? This is Tanner, one of our three dogs. He's the reason our tree has lights but no ornaments yet. It's situated in a corner that has windows on both sides, and those windows allow him to see the mailman, UPS, and FedEx drivers. They are very dangerous and evil people in his mind, so racing around jumping up in the windows is his job. And he takes it very seriously. Never mind that there is now a Christmas tree blocking his access.

Several times a day the poor tree is in serious jeopardy. I finally got tired of him knocking ornaments off, or worse yet, knocking the entire tree over, so I'm waiting to decorate it. It took me years to get to this point with him, but I'm just tired of fighting it, so we'll wait!

I'm really loving this product from Peter Thomas Roth, and I'll have a review up this coming week. They make a noticeable difference for me, and I think I'm getting addicted to using them!

Lancome has some beautiful new cream-to-powder tints that I've been eyeing on their site, waiting for them to arrive in-store. Of course I live in a very small town with no Lancome counter, so I rely on a friend of mine who is a Lancome makeup artist at Bloomingdale's SoHo to hook me up with the goods when they come out. She posted a picture of these beauties on Instagram today, so I can't wait to get a hold of them.

My daughter was watching holiday music videos on YouTube this week, and the eye shadow on this singer (Kerrie Roberts, O Holy Night) caught my attention. The shades are gorgeous, but the placement is what I found especially interesting. I kept replaying/fast-forwarding/pausing to get a good look at it. You can see it much better in detail on the TV, but this is stunning, isn't it?

If you're looking for some good recipes for your Christmas breakfast, take at look at these Mini Caramel Rolls. I did a test run earlier this week, and I will definitely be making them again come December 25th! They were so good, but I did give 3/4 of them to my neighbor after sampling them, because I knew I'd end up eating them all.

I am going to get back to my present-wrapping now, and I always like to watch holiday movies while I'm wrapping. We need some snow or something, I haven't really felt the Christmas "magic" yet. I'll be watching Prancer today, one of my favorites, partly because it was filmed very close to where we live. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Final Winner of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-14T15:10:00.000-05:00

The winner of Day 12 of The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway is Mary, selected by Random.org. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering. I hope you all enjoyed the giveaway!

Day 12: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-13T18:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 12, the final day of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 11 prize selected by Random.org is Lisa. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The prize for Day 12 is one of the Shiseido Essentialist Eye Shadow Palettes, Namike Street Nature. There are so many things I love about the entire cosmetics line that Shisedo released earlier this year, and of course, the Essentialist palettes are included in my Shi-lovefest! Smooth, buttery, blendable, long-wearing, gorgeous shades, you get the idea. And I can't forget to mention how sleek and thin these palettes are. The shimmery olive green in this one is so pretty, it's become one of my all-time favorite greens. Each quad has such a nice combination of colors that work well with each other, even though some of them are not colors I would normally wear together. I continue to enjoy experimenting with my palettes, and I hope one lucky winner feels the same way!

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 14th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. The winner will be announced tomorrow after 12:00 p.m./noon EST.

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 11: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-12T20:51:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 10 prize selected by Random.org is Christy DuBois. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The prize for day 11 is one of the Proenza Schouler for Lancome Matte Shaker Liquid Lipstick in the shade Round Purple. This is a Limited Edition shade, one of three shades from the Fall 2018 collection. Do not think this shade is too bold, or a color you would never wear! I have quite a few of the Matte Shakers, and when I saw this one, I totally dismissed it because I don't wear purple lip shades. It's just not something I think looks good on me, although I've seen others pull it off beautifully. This looks straight up grape purple, right? I ordered one of the other shades from this collection, Minimal Ocre, and didn't give Round Purple another thought. That is, until I asked a friend of mine what lip color she was wearing, and was I ever surprised when she told me it was Round Purple! Of course I had to have it then.

It really looks like a vivid purple in the tube and on the applicator, but oddly, it doesn't transfer that look to the lip. It's more of a sheer berry tone that looks surprisingly natural. I love the Matte Shakers because of how nice they feel on my lips, and the fact that as they wear off, they still leave a nice stain of color. They're like a lightweight pigmented lip stain. They aren't what I would call true matte, they have a bit of gloss or a sheen to them upon application, but after several hours of wear, they are more of a stain or tint with no gloss, so at that point I would consider them matte. I simply apply one layer and then let it wear down throughout the day for a stained berry look. You can certainly build it up for a bolder look and a deeper stain if you prefer.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 13th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Day 10: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-11T17:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 10 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 9 prize selected by Random.org is Jennifer. NOTE: There were 2 "Jennifer's" entered, the winner is the one who posted December 10 at 10:26 p.m., so please read through the comments to verify that the correct "Jennifer" responds. Please send an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The prize for Day 10 is 1-Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire Lip & Cheek Tint. This gel formula comes in an adorable little bottle that would look lovely displayed on a vanity tray with some of your other artistically appealing products and perfumes. It's a universal pink shade that adjusts to your skin's pH and adapts to your skin tone. I prefer to use this as a blush, but I've used it as a lip shade when I'm looking for a more natural lip look. You can build up the color, as it's sheer, so just apply more for a more intense look. I use mine for more of a natural rosy flush look, so I'll admit I've never tried to build it up too much.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 12th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 9: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-10T18:14:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 9 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 8 prize selected by Random.org is nightowl. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

Day 9 offers 1-Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush in the shade I Will Always Love You. These are some of my favorite blushes because they're very pigmented, yet natural looking. I love the cute little heart-shaped compact they come in, and of course the embossed graphic is almost too pretty to disfigure by using it! This particular shade is a medium peachy-coral tone with shimmer, and I would describe the shimmer as more of a sheen once applied. Peach and gold, lovely! In other words, it's not really particles of shimmer. Does that make sense?!! They're firm enough in the pan so that they don't apply too powdery, and the intensity can be easily built up.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 11th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 8: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-09T13:07:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Day 8 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! Today's prize is Tom Ford's Ruby Rush Matte Lip Color Lipstick in the shade Ruby Rush. Forever on the hunt for the perfect red shade, Ruby Rush is definitely in my top 3 favorites, along with NARS Dragon Girl and MAC's Ruby Woo. This cool toned red has a semi-matte finish, and it's very comfortable to wear. Lipsticks that are matte in description, often equate to dryness when it comes not only to the application, but also in the comfort level on the lips. Tom Ford's matte lipsticks are anything but dry in all aspects. If you're searching for a statement red, this could be the one for you.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 10th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Winner of Day 7: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-08T13:55:00.000-05:00

The winner of the Day 7 prize selected by Random.org is 1AlwaysNYC1. Please send an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

We'll resume the giveaway tomorrow with Day 8, as I am running short on time today due to some prior commitments, poor planning on my part!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 7: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-07T15:21:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 7 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 6 prize selected by Random.org is Deborah G. Please send an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The prize offering for Day 7 is the oh-so-lovely Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy Limited Edition Highlighting Palette. This has become one of my favorite highlighters because it applies beautifully--wet or dry, depending on the look you're going for. It almost melts into your skin, and the lack or glitter is much appreciated! It is smooth, blendable, and easy to work with. If you just want a subtle glow, this is your product. If you want a seriously powerful and bright highlighter, this is your product. It's extremely versatile and in my opinion, a universal shade.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 8th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 6: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-06T14:06:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 6 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 5 prize selected by Random.org is Abigail. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The prize for Day 6 is quick and easy, with little explanation needed...1-$50.00 Ulta gift card! Note: The winner will receive the gift card via eMail delivery.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 7th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 5: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-05T15:36:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Day 5 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 4 prize selected by Random.org is Gwendolyn Jordan. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

Day 5's prize may be my favorite offering, loved by me simply for the nostalgic throwback to my childhood, but I'm hoping some of you may also enjoy it. Avon has been around for a very long time, and although they've struggled with marketing and finances, they still remain an iconic brand with a significant history. I tend to forget about them because they're not talked about as much as a lot of brands in the mainstream, but they do offer many quality products.

When I spotted Avon's Iconic Collection, which offers a number of products to celebrate their heritage--many in retro packaging--they not only caught my eye, but they brought back some wonderful memories. Especially the Mistletoe Kisses Tin. Many decades ago, when I was in late-elementary school, I vividly remember our Avon Lady, Mrs. Lake, coming to our house. She was always dressed up, her lips sporting the latest Avon lipstick shade, and her black tote brimming with the newest campaign catalogs and products. Including these little lipsticks.

She would sit with my Mom and discuss the latest happenings in the world, while I waited patiently for them to move from the grown-up talk to the important things--makeup and perfume! Even at 10 or 11 years old, I was obsessed with it all! Finally she would get out the samples. A spritz here, a swatch there...I so looked forward to her visits. When she would leave, she would always tuck a couple of these lipstick mini samples into my hand with a wink and a smile.

Mrs. Lake and my Mom are no longer with me, but seeing this little tin brought back so many happy memories. I had a wonderfully idyllic childhood, so when something like this triggers one of those memories from so long ago, I'm grateful for the joy it brings me. If you read this far, thank you for letting me reminisce about something from so long ago!

Today's prize is for 1-Avon True Color Mistletoe Kisses Tin, which includes 60 mini lipsticks in a variety of Avon's lipstick formulas (Perfectly Matte, Bold, Nourishing, and True Color), all packaged in a little nostalgically designed tin box. This is a great way to try out a huge variety of colors. Without having to spend much money at all, I'm discovering some shades I like that I never purchased previously, thinking they wouldn't look right on me. Ombre lips have also been experimented with! I'm totally enjoying this product, and reliving my childhood at the same time.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 6th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 4: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-04T13:31:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Day 4 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 3 prize selected by Random.org is Cynthia Richardson. Please send me an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

Day 4 offers a selection of 4 pieces from a collection I spotted a while back at Barneys NY online, and have since seen at Ulta online. The L'Oreal Paris x Isabel Marant collection is made up of 11 pieces, 7 of which are lipsticks, a brow & lash mascara, an eye shadow duo, a lip & cheek gloss, and a highlighter. This collaboration between two iconic French brands is called The Most Wanted Collection.

Today's prize will include the eye shadow duo, one of the lipsticks in the shade Belleville Rodeo, the lip & cheek gloss, and the highlighter. I need to do a review of the products I have for myself one of these days, so I apologize for not being able to tell you much about them at this point. They sit amidst a gigantic pile of untried's, but I promise to start doing reviews again very soon as I settle into a regular posting routine.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 5th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 3: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-03T13:13:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 3 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 2 prize selected by Random.org is Lisa. NOTE: There was also a "Lisa D." who entered, but I want to clarify that the winner was "Lisa" who had the December 2nd at 8:01 p.m. entry. I'm just trying to avoid any confusion. Please send an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The Day 3 Prize is one of my personal favorites from MAC's 2018 Shiny Pretty Things Holiday Collection, the face compact, featuring Extra Dimension Skinfinish, Blush, and Bronzing Powder. This is available in 2-shades, Fair and Medium, and today's prize is for the "Fair" shade. I've never considered my complexion/coloring to be fair, always a medium or sometimes even dark, depending on the season, so I was all set to order "Medium" for myself. That is, until I saw swatches, and realized that the "Fair" was what would work best for me. It's more universal in my opinion, and not really "Fair" at all, if that makes sense!

I like that fact that all three face products are housed in one compact, it just makes it easier and faster to do my makeup, particularly on those days when I'm in a rush and can't be bothered to decide if I should add bronzer and highlight a few areas. It's all right there so I can do a more finished look without having to sort through a bunch of products and make decisions. To say my mornings are rushed and crazy would be an enormous understatement! MAC comes out with so many collections every year, but their Holiday collections are always one of my favorites.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 4th to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Day 2: The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

2018-12-02T12:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! The winner of the Day 1 prize selected by Random.org is REGINE. Please send an eMail to mary@body-soulbeauty.com with your name/address. Congratulations to the winner, and thanks to all for entering.

The Day 2 Prize is one of Origin's newest products, 1-limited edition Blooming Petal Tint Lip & Cheek Tint in the shade Rosy Red. I have 2 of the 3 shades offered, and they are the cutest! They start out sheer, and you're able to build the intensity up quite a bit if that's what you desire. The product is a raised/domed flower that's almost to pretty to use, but once you use it, you'll love it. These have plenty of good ingredients to keep your lips healthy and hydrated, and they are not drying at all when used as a cheek tint. I use either my fingers or a lip brush when applying as a lip tint, and my fingers or a stipple brush when using as a cheek tint.

The entry is easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 3rd to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily!

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

(Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway Begins Today!

2018-12-01T14:00:00.000-05:00

It's been quite a while since I've been active on my site, but I think I'll dust it off and put it to use again! That is, if I can remember how it all works. Seriously, so much has changed in the blogging/social media world, it's like starting all over again at this point. That's okay though, I'll just do my thing, learn anew, and get back to the enjoyment of doing this on a regular basis.

Even though I've been inactive online, I never lost my interest in all things beauty-related. I'm going to be having a 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway starting today through December 12th, with a new giveaway every day. The products are some of my personal favorites, and some things I've recently discovered that caught my eye.

The entry will be easy because I've been out of the loop and have yet to research the best entry methods! TO ENTER: Simply follow me on any platform if you aren't already (see the Follow Along choices on the top upper right sidebar), then leave a comment below saying "Enter Me!". Feel free to add anything else you'd like to say in the comments, I loved hearing from everyone when I spent time here previously. RULES: U.S. addresses only for shipping purposes, your screen name can't be "Anonymous" because I need some type of name to announce a winner, one entry per person per day/giveaway item, entry must be noted by 12:00 p.m./noon EST the day after my post is made. In other words, you have until 12:00 p.m./noon tomorrow, December 2nd to comment/enter on today's giveaway. Winners will be announced each day when I post the new day's giveaway, so be sure to check back daily! (Prizes not claimed within 48 hours of announcement posting time will be forfeited).

Good luck to all! You should have high odds of winning, because my traffic is very low I'm sure, since I haven't posted in forever!

The Day One Prize is a pair of two of my favorite lotions from Victoria's Secret PINK line, the Coco Lotion and the Water Lotion. Both of these have light fresh scents that are surprisingly long-lasting. I find them very moisturizing, and they absorb quickly without tackiness, a big plus for me. I'm on my third bottle of each of these, keeping them in rotation, so it's safe to say they are some of my favorites! These are full-sized (14 oz.) with a pump-style applicator.

IT Cosmetics New Year, New Confidence In Your Skin 5-Piece Collection/QVC Today's Special Value

2018-01-12T22:25:00.002-05:00

IT Cosmetics’ New Year, New Conﬁdence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection gives you the power to reveal your most beautiful skin! This Today’s Special Value® is scheduled to debut on QVC® Saturday, January 13, 2018 at midnight (ET) and will be oﬀered for one day only! Each day, QVC picks one special item they believe shoppers will love, and oﬀers it at an exceptionally low price from midnight (ET) until 11:59 pm (PT) that day.

Inside the collection: This exclusive ﬁve-piece collection features new Conﬁdence in an Eye Cream to help color correct and brighten the look of the eye area, plus Conﬁdence in a Cream to hydrate and improve the appearance of your skin. Also featured is Conﬁdence in a Compact, IT’s ﬁrst-ever solid serum foundation. Apply it eﬀortlessly with the included Heavenly Skin Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush for your most ﬂawless-looking, airbrushed application. Conﬁdence in a Cleanser completes your collection and gently melts away dirt, oil and even long-wear eye makeup!

Shop IT on QVC Tune in to QVC on January 13, 2018 at 12 am, 3 am, 7 am, 2 pm and 7 pm ET for more details on the New Year, New Conﬁdence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection. The price for this set is $79.96 plus $3.00 for shipping/handling.

About Each Product:

NEW! Conﬁdence in an Eye Cream Transforming Moisturizing Eye Cream Make tired eyes look instantly more awake with this anti-aging, moisturizing eye cream. Your game-changing essential features an exclusive apricot tint to counteract the appearance of under-eye darkness, and it’s infused with skin-loving collagen, peptides and hyaluronic acid!

Customer Choice® Beauty Award Winner! Conﬁdence in a Cream Transforming Moisturizing Super Cream Great skin starts with conﬁdence! Perfect for all skin types, this best-selling super cream hydrates for soft, supple skin. In a consumer use survey, 81% of respondents somewhat to strongly agreed pores appeared minimized and ﬁne lines and wrinkles appeared less noticeable. The formula can be used as your a.m. and p.m. moisturizer and utilizes cutting-edge, anti-aging technology to help improve the appearance of your skin.

Customer Choice® Beauty Award Winner! Conﬁdence in a Compact with SPF 50+ Skin-Transforming Full Coverage Solid Super Serum IT’s ﬁrst-ever anti-aging solid serum foundation! Infused with pure color pigments and SPF 50+ broad-spectrum sun protection, this revolutionary formula is your skincare, full-coverage foundation and SPF 50+ sun protection all in one simple step. The groundbreaking solid serum technology combined with ceramides, hydrolyzed collagen, hyaluronic acid and squalane help to give you the look of your most youthful, ﬂawless skin!

Conﬁdence in a Cleanser Skin-Transforming Hydrating Cleansing Serum Experience this revolutionary one-step skincare solution that cleanses and moisturizes while leaving your skin feeling soft and refreshed. Suitable for all skin types, this sulfate-free, soap-free cleanser contains ceramides, hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, hyaluronic acid and colloidal oatmeal. It instantly removes makeup!

Heavenly Skin Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush Your skin will thank you for it! This breakthrough brush features unique Heavenly Skin hair, and its custom-cut brush head does the work for you, hugging the natural contours of your features for eﬀortlessly airbrushed coverage. It pairs perfectly with your Conﬁdence in a Compact!

Products provided courtesy of IT Cosmetics for editorial consideration.

Happy New Year!

2018-01-01T21:53:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all love, health, peace, and joy during this new year!

Vintage Vault: Lancôme Extrait De Vie for Lips & Cheeks

2017-08-22T21:54:00.000-04:00

We all love to be in the know about the latest and greatest beauty products, but the Vintage Vault will focus on older products I have in my stash. I don't know about you, but there are many products I have that are somewhat sentimental to me--much like songs or music, these products remind me of a certain time in my life. Today's flashback is circa 2001, and it's a limited edition product that Lancôme offered. Extrait de Vie was probably my first experience with a color stain product, unless you count using dry jello mix and water to stain your lips, which is something that was very popular when I was in elementary school, many decades ago!

This product is similar to Benetint, and it's a thin pinkish red liquid with a simple brush applicator. It's in a heavy but small glass bulb bottle that stands just over 2" in height. I love the round bottle design, the simple elegance of the gold lettering, and the Lancôme rose logo. It's a pretty little piece to display on my vanity, but considering how much I wanted it at the time, it's just never gotten much use from me. Yet I hold on to it because it has sentimental value, for whatever reason. Or maybe I'm just preparing for my debut on the Hoarders show :)

Here's a quick swatch first applied, and then blotted. The "just bitten" or "flushed" look lasts for 4-5 hours, but as you can see around the edges, it does bleed a bit. I never used it as a cheek chain, just a lip stain with clear liner to prevent feathering.

It's funny that I can't remember what I had for dinner yesterday, but yet I completely recall this product and how I ended up getting it 12 years ago. I saw it in a magazine, and I HAD to have it! Our local counter sold out of it immediately, so I called the counter in South Bend, IN and they had one left. They said they would hold it for me, so I drove the 35 miles to get it. A sales associate was showing one to a customer when I arrived, and the other SA asked if she could help me. I told her what I wanted, and the other associate said that this was the last one. Whoever I spoke with on the phone never pulled the product. I was so disappointed, I really, really wanted this! Luckily, the other customer was just looking, not buying, so I ended up getting it. I can't recall what I paid for it though...I want to say maybe $24-$28? Can anyone else relate to hunting down a product that you want so much, only to seldom use it?!!

Do you hold on to older products for sentimental reasons? Obviously I do, and I also come across products I'd forgotten about that become new to me all over again. Of course there are products I rediscover that end up getting thrown out, so maybe I won't end up on Hoarders after all!

Macy's Beauty Box Subscription for August

2017-08-21T21:07:00.002-04:00

Macy's now offers a beauty box subscription, and I received the first one earlier this month. The beauty box will cost you $15.00 a month, and it always includes a $5.00 coupon that can be used on your next Macy's beauty purchase. Each month you'll receive 5 deluxe samples plus one bonus, and some type of case or pouch. Here's a look at what was included in the August box.

The items came in this cute make up bag, which I really like. It measures about 6" x 5", and seems to be well-made. The bottom is quite wide, so it's roomier than you'd think. The artwork makes this totally unique from any of my other bags.

Inside the bag are 6 items--I'm not sure what their description of "5 deluxe samples + one bonus" means. The bonus might be the Smashbox shadow duo, because the booklet that came with the bag shows a picture of that, and mentions the "Full-size Palette in Golden Hour" next to it, which is a 6-color palette. At any rate, you get 6 items in the bag, none of which are full-sized. The items include: Tarte Maracuja Oil, MAC False Lashes Extreme Black Mascara, Smashbox Cover Shot Eye Shadow Due, Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser, Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel, and a perfume vial of Carolina Herrera Good Girl.

Above it a closer look at the Smashbox Shadow Duo. The booklet underneath contains a description of each item (sizes available, pricing and Macy's WedID number, should you wish to order something in full-size), and the $5.00 coupon on the back.

The basic information about the box is shown above, and you can find more information at Macys.com/beautybox. I'd have to say I'm feeling a little indifferent about this box, but I'm going to give it a few more months before I decide to keep it or cancel it. None of the products really wowed me, so to speak, and the $5.00 coupon will just enable me to spend more money!

New Beauty - 5 Picks This Week

2017-08-20T20:47:00.002-04:00

Every day it seems, there are so many new beauty products hitting the stores. In an effort to be more selective in my buying habits, I'm going to narrow it down to 5 that I like each week, and then try to research a bit and contemplate about it, before pulling the trigger! Here's a look at the 5 new beauty products that piqued my interest over the past week, and so far, I've only caved and picked up one of them (#4). I don't think #5 is available yet, so that's probably a good thing.

1. Lancôme Olympia's Wonderland Palette, Olympia Le-Tan Collection ($80.00) is a heavy clutch-style palette that I saw on Bloomingdale's site as a "100% Exclusive". It includes a lip base, 4 lip shades, 4 eye shadows, a blush, and a dual-ended lip/eye shadow brush. I found a well-done review on The Happy Sloth's site here, if you'd like to learn more about this palette.

2. Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Lips Liquid Matte Lipstick ($34.00) is available in 10 shades. I have loved every CT product I've tried, and Show Girl is the shade I'm considering. I do find that many matte liquid type of products tend to look dry on my lips, so I'm going to search some reviews before I order this one.

3. Garnier SkinActive Moisture Bomb Glow-Boosting Sheet Mask ($3.99) is one of five new mask varieties offered by Garnier. I don't use too many face masks during the warmer months, but it looks like something that I would enjoy during the cooler, upcoming months. At buy one get one 40% off at Ulta right now, I think I'll probably order a couple.

4. RMS Beauty Luminizer X Quad ($48.00) features 4 shades of highlighters that can be used individually, blended together, or mixed with other products. I'm a little late to the game with the highlighter craze, but have become somewhat obsessed with them. I ordered this from Bloomingdales, and am anxiously waiting for it to arrive!

5. Claudia Schiffer Make Up (pricing unknown at this time) launches in early September, and based on the photo above, which I saw on Lisa Eldridge's Instagram, I'm going to need a lot of these items! Click here to read more about this collaboration with ArtDeco in an article from The Cut.

What "new beauty" items are you looking forward to?

Today's QVC TSV: IT Cosmetics™ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! Skincare Collection

2017-01-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

IT Cosmetics™ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! Collection (your first-ever skincare TSV!) gives you the power to reveal your most beautiful skin—and to look in the mirror and see everything that is right. This Today’s Special Value® is scheduled to debut on QVC® Saturday, January 14, 2017 at midnight (ET) and will be offered for one day only! Each day, QVC picks one special item they believe shoppers will love, and offers it at an exceptionally low price from midnight (ET) until 11:59 p.m. (PT) that day.

Inside the collection: This exclusive four-piece collection features two IT Girl™ skincare must-haves, plus two new game-changing innovations that deliver lifechanging, skin-transforming results! While new Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream™ is your solution for the appearance of a smoother, brighter-looking eye area, Confidence in a Cream™ intensely hydrates and is perfect for all skin types! Also included is your new Confidence in a Compact™ with SPF 50+, which features all the benefits of your best-selling cream—infused with full-coverage pigments and SPF 50+ UVA/UVB physical sunscreen sun protection for all-day complexion perfection. Use your new Heavenly Skin™ Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush for flawlessly even application and get compliments on your skin, not your makeup!

Shop IT on QVC. Tune in to QVC on Saturday, January 14, 2017 at midnight, 3 a.m., 7 a.m., 2 p.m. (2-hour show) and 7 p.m. (2-hour show) for more details on the New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! Skincare Collection. TSV Price: $79.96.

About Each Product:

Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream™Make tired eyes look refreshed with this anti-aging, moisturizing eye cream that helps brighten the look of dark circles and visibly smooth the appearance of dry lines. The nourishing formula is infused with anti-aging technology for your most youthful-looking results, and is ideal for both day and night!

Confidence in a Cream™Great skin starts with confidence! Perfect for all skin types, your best-selling cream can be used as your a.m. and p.m. moisturizer and utilizes cutting-edge, anti-aging technology to deeply hydrate while reducing the look of lines, wrinkles and pores. In a consumer use survey, 81 percent somewhat to strongly agree pores appeared minimized and fine lines appeared less noticeable.

New! Confidence in a Compact™ with SPF 50+Introducing your first-ever anti-aging solid serum foundation! Infused with pure color pigments, this revolutionary formula delivers all the skincare benefits of your best-selling Confidence in a Cream™, plus your full-coverage foundation and SPF 50+ UVA/UVB physical sunscreen sun protection in one simple step!

New! Heavenly Skin™ Skin-Smoothing Complexion BrushThis breakthrough brush features unique Heavenly Skin™ hair designed to optically blur away the look of imperfections. The custom-cut brush head does the work for you, hugging the natural contours of your features for effortlessly airbrushed coverage! Pairs perfectly with your Confidence in a Compact™ with SPF 50+.

About IT Cosmetics™ Developed with leading plastic surgeons, IT Cosmetics™ creates clinically proven, innovative, problem-solving makeup and skincare products that harness cutting-edge anti-aging technologies and high-performance skin-loving ingredients to provide you with serious beauty solutions that help you look and feel your most beautiful! IT Cosmetics™ is a top beauty brand sold at QVC, ULTA Beauty, Sephora and itcosmetics.com. Discover it. Love it. Believe it.™ GAME-CHANGING PRODUCTS, LIFE-CHANGING RESULTS!™

Products provided courtesy of IT Cosmetics for editorial consideration.

Introducing The Trolls By Dreamworks Palette By PÜR

2017-01-04T19:43:00.000-05:00

INTRODUCING THE TROLLS BY DREAMWORKS PALETTE BY PÜR

This 16 piece eye shadow collection inspired by Trolls by DreamWorks offers never-before-seen shades that are as colorful and unique as you are. Enjoy this vivid and inspiring collection full of attitude for endless eye looks!

The collection doesn’t launch until January 8^th, but here is a sneak peek of the collection below!

APPLICATION/USAGE

For a subtle wash of color, apply each shadow with a brush.

For a more dramatic look, dampen the brush for intense color or tap the shadows onto the lid with your finger.

SHADES

PRICE/AVAILABILITY

$29

January 8^th on purcosmetics.com

January 19^th exclusively in Kohl’s stores nationwide