AVEENO Garden Giveaway Contest to Honor Rachelle Roper and Her Feed the Need Garden

AVEENO's Be An Active Natural Fund has named its third $10,000 winner, Rachelle Roper of Belleview, Florida and her organization Feed the Need Garden! So, who is Rachelle, besides a saint who wants to end hunger? While growing up, Rachelle learned all there is to know about gardening and producing her own food. During the economic downturn, she recognized the need to share her insight with others in her community. From there, her Feed the Need Garden was born, a non-profit with the mission “to end hunger locally by teaching those in need how to grow and preserve their own food.”

Even as a young girl, Rachelle was helping to plant the family garden. She grew up learning how to live off the land. Fast forward, and as an adult she began to realize just how many children and families were going to bed hungry in her own county, Marion County, Florida. She began to hand out non-perishable food from her bookstore. This didn’t strike her as enough. She wanted to not just give a handout, but a hand up. It was time to make her dreams of teaching people how to grow their own food a reality, and her Feed the Need Garden was born.

Rachelle works full time on Feed the Need Garden's programs and has acquired a permanent location to teach hands-on classes. She is invited regularly to speak and teach at various groups and organizations throughout the county. For Rachelle this has been a life-long quest. She is excited to share the knowledge that she has about growing your own food, hoping to end hunger locally - one family at a time. She believes that no one should have to go to bed hungry at night, and with the proper training and tools, we all have the opportunity help end hunger.

To honor of Rachelle’s passion for gardening, AVEENO has offered one of you a garden-themed giveaway! The winner will receive a special garden starter kit (image above) as well as seeds to plant a select few of the coveted AVEENO Active Naturals ingredients in your own backyard. Even if you aren't into gardening, this will be a stunning gift for one of your friends who is passionate about the beauty of the garden.

You really need to check out Rachelle's charity at Feed the Need Garden. It would be nice if you would donate $1 (or more) to completely fund her good work. I did (make sure to "Update Total" at the top of the page. If you continue to fill out the form without clicking that button, you may have to start again). Feed the Need is a 501(c)(3) charity, so your donation, if you make one, will be tax-deductible.

To celebrate Rachelle's good deeds and her program, AVEENO wants to help one of you a start at your own garden - or encourage a friend to dig. As a gardener, I drooled when I saw the prize. Do you know how much those tools are worth? While I don't have an exact dollar amount to disclose, anyone who has shopped for gardening tools will know this is an amazing prize.

When you grow too many zucchini in your own garden? Donate some to a local food bank or soup kitchen. The needs are great, and we (the United States) aren't doing as much as we should to ensure that no one goes hungry.

How can you enter to win this giveaway contest (technically a sweepstakes)? Just leave a comment on this feature (not in another BTiB post). After you comment here, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com (the contest address, not my "personal" e-mail) and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing an e-mail address you care about on a blog, so feel free to follow this step (an alternative is to code your e-mail, e.g., myname at gmail dot com, in your comment). Please make sure I have your e-mail. If I can't notify you, you can't win - even if your number is drawn. I can't believe the number of entrants I haven't been able to find in the past.

You can earn extra entries. Follow this blog (through an e-mail subscription, GFC, or though one of the many Google readers - see sidebar at right) to earn a second entry. If you are a follower, it would help me tally entries if you tell me in your comment how you follow. You don't have to follow to enter. I want everyone to have a chance, but I also want to reward my followers. I must be able to track this entry.

You can earn a third entry by tweeting this contest. You must include "AVEENO" (without the quotes) and the contest title in your tweet. Remember, tweet the contest title - if you don't, that entry won't count. I will tweet the contest this evening, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry - if that's easier.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, August 18, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner on Sunday morning. The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide a shipping address. After 48 hours, the prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected. Make sure to check your e-mail - and look in your spam folder - when the contest ends.

This contest is open only to residents of the United States (sorry). AVEENO will send the prize to the winner. For the rest of the legalese related to this contest, please see the Contests/Sweepstakes page at the top of the blog. Good luck!

Photos courtesy of AVEENO and Feed the Need Garden

Chantecaille Celebrates World Ocean Day with Petition Drive, Expanded Donations, and a Gift with Purchase

Chantecaille will be celebrating World Ocean Day with a very special gift with purchase, doubled donations to a worthy cause, and a petition drive. I'm so there!  Three offers, three things I'm asking you to consider - and at least one to do.

Starting tomorrow night, June 6 - you'll probably see it posted on Chantecaille's Web site by 9:00 pm, Chantecaille will offer you a complimentary La Baleine Palette, as shown in the photo above, with any $200 purchase. The GWP will be available until Monday, or until supplies run out.

It's time to buy your back-up (or my third for my makeup museum) of the Coral Reefs Palette. If you haven't purchased this must-have palette, now's the time. For every Coral Reefs Palette sold on World Ocean Day, June 8, Chantecaille will double its donation to the Marine Conservation Institute. That's significant!

With the Coral Reefs Palette, Chantecaille continued its generous tradition of offering must-have makeup with an environmental benefit. Chantecaille has proudly joined the Marine Conservation Institute in their efforts to protect 10% of the world’s oceans by 2020. The oceans cover 71% of the earth, providing 80% of our oxygen and food for 3.5 billion people; yet less than one half of one percent of our oceans are protected. The health of the ocean is vital, and coral reefs are the alert system. Today three quarter’s of the world’s coral reefs are at risk due to over-fishing, pollution, and global warming. Maintaining 10% of the ocean’s ecosystems as “no-take marine protected areas” is the best chance for coral’s survival. Five percent of the proceeds from the Coral Reefs Palette will be donated to the Marine Conservation Institute to help meet our goals (not their goals, our goals). On World Ocean Day, 10% of the proceeds will be donated.

If that weren't enough, please make your voice heard - now - by signing Chantecaille's petition to help save the Coral Reefs. If you love beauty and environmental diversity (environmental gems), you'll want to see the endangered coral reefs protected. Signing the petition is the least we can do. You can find the petition at this link. They have a signature goal of 5,000 signatures. Right now, the count is 2,323. Best Things in Beauty readers could put them over the top in one day. Let's do it! Can I count on you? Please let me know in the comments.

With the beautiful GWP, wouldn't it be a good time to stock up on your favorites - or purchase Chantecaille's new introductions, like that gorgeous Radiance Gel Bronzer? I think this will be my third order in the last two weeks. That's how much I love Chantecaille.

Photo courtesy of Chantecaille

Beauty Bloggers for Charity

Would you bid on my auction donation? It's for a great cause, Doctors Without Borders! I donated Giorgio Armani Beauty's Holiday 2011 Madre Perla Eye Palette in Harmony #2. The new, limited-edition holiday palette will make you dazzle any time of year.

The Beauty Bloggers for Charity Auction is live and rolling online. Beauty brands and bloggers donated generously - not only the items at auction, but also the cost of shipping. Karla Sugar got us organized. The auction is open to bidders from any country. The high bidder on each item will receive it directly from the donor, once it's paid.

We're hoping that each item sells for much more than its retail value. Why? All the proceeds will go directly from the winning bidders to Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. Today, MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) provides independent, impartial assistance in more than 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe - primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need. MSF also speaks out to bring attention to neglected crises, challenge inadequacies, or abuse of the aid system and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols. In 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize. Can you think of a more worthy cause for your year-end giving?

The auction started today and ends on December 12 at 5:00 pm CST. I've already been there bidding this morning. It's fun to play. I'm not going to tell you what I want the most. I'll pay almost anything to win it!

When the auction ends, winning bidders will make their contributions directly to Doctors Without Borders, using a secure giving page. By supporting the auction and bidding (bid on my Armani palette above, please!), you'll be joining us in helping people with needs we can't even imagine. We want to top last year's donation to Doctors Without Borders. Please help.

Photo courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty

Beauty Bloggers Charity Auction

The second annual charity auction by BeautyBloggers.org will commence Monday, November 28. The auction is a collaborative effort by more than 50 beauty blogs and companies, including Best Things in Beauty.

The participating bloggers and brands donated the items, plus the cost of shipping, for the auction. All the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. Today, MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières) provides independent, impartial assistance in more than 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe - primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need. MSF also speaks out to bring attention to neglected crises, challenge inadequacies, or abuse of the aid system and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols. In 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Some of this year's auction items include a complete set of Le Métier de Beauté skin care ($1,135, donated by Le Métier de Beauté), the complete NARS Holiday Collection ($295, donated by NARS), and Giorgio Armani Beauty's Madre Perla palettes ($98, donated by Giorgio Armani Beauty, and $59, donated by Best Things in Beauty). The selections are stunning!

The auction starts on Monday, November 28, at 8:00 am CST and ends on December 12 at 5:00 pm CST. Until next Monday, you can browse, register, and bookmark your favorite items. When the auction ends, winning bidders will make their contributions directly to Doctors Without Borders, using a secure giving page.

Will you help? Please bid with abandon! It's for a great cause. More later. I wanted to alert you so that you can be prepared. I always like to pour over auction catalogs in advance.

Photo by Bloggers.org

Sneak Peek: Jo Malone Wild Bluebell Cologne

Jo Malone's Wild Bluebell Cologne is set to launch in September. The feminine scent was celebrated at an exclusive media dinner at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s in May. Ever since I read about Wild Bluebell, I've wanted to get my hands on it. This week I got my wish. I was privileged to receive a sample.

The advertising campaign is a departure - and a welcome one, I think - from previous Jo Malone campaigns that offered a minimalist's focus on the product, perhaps with some of the ingredients pictured for inspiration. The new Global Creative Director, James Gager, envisioned a model, the whimsical and bewigged "Wild Bluebell," in a fairy tale setting, complete with white rabbits. I'm not sure whether the central character, the model, or the white bunnies were more entertaining to me. It may have been the adorable (and apparently faux) bunnies. The campaign was shot by British photographer Tim Walker and depicts English eccentricity along with the real thing, the bluebells.

The cologne itself is the best Jo Malone introduction in a long time - in my humble (and unsophisticated) opinion. I'm not a fragrance taste maker, and my nose may have a deficit. Although Wild Bluebell supposedly opens with clove among its notes, I do not smell clove. Normally, I dislike clove in a fragrance. It's spicy and belongs on a ham! No matter, there are enough sources that say there's clove in Wild Bluebell, so I'll go with the concept and tell you. The clove apparently tempers the sweet florals with which it's blended.

No natural extract of wild bluebells exists. I don't think they have much of a scent. So the perfumer, Christine Nagel, imagined the scent and created its equivalent (in a lab, I assume). A green forest floor, complete with spring's majesty, the wild bluebell in the bottle is sweet, but not too sweet (like Sakura Cherry Blossom is). The cologne opens with the fresh floral "bluebell" and clove; builds quickly to a heart of lily of the valley, eglantine (rose), and jasmine; and finishes with a soft base that combines white amber and musk. Spicy? Not to my nose. Beautiful? Absolutely! There's something green in the mix, but I'm not sure what.

This lovely cologne will be mine - just as soon as Neiman Marcus receives the product. Until then, I will have to ration my sample (unless I receive the second one an industry friend offered me - I need to pester him). I love Wild Bluebell. Even though it's scheduled for an early September arrival, beauty products have a way of arriving a little early. Wild Bluebell will be a perfect cologne to wear right away. Not only that, there will be a body and hand wash, body cream, and candle to delight us. You'll find it at Jo Malone online and at Jo Malone counters.

The native English bluebell is a threatened species. To help England stay carpeted with this flower, Jo Malone London made a donation to the Woodland Trust. I like that - another reason to purchase!

Photos courtesy of The Moodie Report

Chantecaille World Ocean Day Promotion

Chantecaille is celebrating World Ocean Day (June 8) with a promotion from June 5 to June 12. Please help them save blue whales, creatures that symbolize the health of the high seas, which are responsible for producing close to 80% of our planet's oxygen and are now threatened by industrial fishing, acid toxicity, plastic garbage, sonar pollution, and other human interference.

Online only, from June 5-12, Chantecaille is offering a free Amaretto Lip Gloss with the purchase of any La Baleine compact. Use code WHALES at checkout. A portion of the proceeds will go to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

One gift per transaction, while supplies last. I have both of the compacts shown above, and I'm mulling an order. Call me crazy, but I have been an environmentalist for a long time. If I hadn't had a job, I might have been one of these brave souls putting themselves in harm's way to save the whales.

Photo courtesy of Chantecaille

Bobbi Brown for Dress for Success

“The more you give in life, the more you get back”- Bobbi Brown

Since 2001, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has supported Dress for Success, an incredible non-profit organization that helps disadvantaged women re-enter the workforce and achieve economic independence. Bobbi knows that a woman's appearance and her feelings of self-worth are inextricably linked.

I have donated business suits and winter coats to Dress for Success many times over the years. I think it's a fabulous organization. That's one reason I'm pumped over this makeup set.

“Dress for Success is an amazing organization because it gives women the tools and knowledge they need to look like and eventually become the person they hope to be,” said Bobbi.

For over 10 years, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has donated over $1 million in makeup and monetary funds to this effective organization. Bobbi has personally gone above and beyond by hiring women who have completed the Dress for Success program in an effort to empower them and give them a second chance at making a life for themselves. She also participates in makeup lessons with the women, teaching them how to create work-appropriate makeup looks, and has one of her Beauty Team members working with the affiliates on a monthly basis to teach women how to apply makeup for interviews.

This spring, Bobbi is taking her partnership a step further and has created a Dress for Success Makeup Collection. All proceeds from every sale will go directly to the organization. That's generous!

The collection is designed to make it quick and easy for any woman to look her best. It includes the following pretties.

• A new limited-edition Eye Palette featuring Bone Eye Shadow, Beige Shimmer Wash Eye Shadow; Taupe Eye Shadow, Espresso Eye Shadow, and Navy Eye Shadow
• Brownie Lip Color
• Petal Lip Gloss
• Extreme Party Mascara
• Crystal Lip Gloss

I have all of these items, but to support Bobbi Brown and Dress for Success, I will buy this set. Maybe I'll do a giveaway contest, so that one of you can enjoy the pleasures of using Bobbi Brown's makeup. Or maybe I'll get greedy and keep it for myself. You really need to consider buying one!

The collection will be available for $60 exclusively at Macy’s counters in March 2011. That means I need to call Macy's, and if it's in stock, go over this weekend. I can do that!

Photo courtesy of Bobbi Brown

Giorgio Armani Acqua for Life Campaign

You probably know I don't put up press releases very often, but I make exceptions for great causes - or companies/people I love. Yesterday, my friends at Giorgio Armani Beauty made me aware of Armani's Aqua for Life campaign. I think you should know about it.

As a leader in the fragrance industry, Giorgio Armani Fragrances is proud to announce, for the second year, its partnership with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. The company will serve as the National Sponsor of the 2011 UNICEF Tap Project, a nationwide initiative that provides the world’s children access to safe, clean water through its Acqua for Life campaign. Acqua for Life was developed to raise awareness around the world with the goal of improving access to safe water and sanitation facilities in schools and communities. Nearly 900 million people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, and nearly half of those people are children.

The award-winning UNICEF Tap Project, with the support of Giorgio Armani Fragrances, has become a dynamic movement that affords everyone the opportunity to help provide the world’s children with safe, clean water. With just one dollar, UNICEF can provide clean drinking water to a child for 40 days! Through numerous fundraising and volunteer activities, the UNICEF Tap Project celebrates the clean water most of us enjoy on a daily basis by encouraging celebrity, restaurant, volunteer, corporate, and government supporters to give this vital resource to children in developing countries. The concept is basic and compelling: “When You Take Water, Give Water.”

From March 1-31, 2011, Giorgio Armani Fragrances will build awareness for the cause by donating one dollar to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to support the UNICEF Tap Project for each purchase of the Acqua di Giò for Men and Acqua di Gioia for Women cologne or gift set through authorized distributors in the U.S. In addition, Giorgio Armani Fragrances will donate one dollar for every person who “likes” the “Acqua for Life” page on Facebook, up to $250,000 during the month of March. How hard is that? Go "like" Acqua for Life!

In an effort to connect with the younger generation and create buzz, Giorgio Armani Fragrances is creating a social media campaign that will consist of a Web site dedicated to Acqua for Life (www.acquaforlife.org), an Acqua for Life Facebook page, a mobile Web site, and an iPhone application. Giorgio Armani Fragrances will also implement the Acqua for Life College Tour, traveling to colleges and spring break locations (do I foresee a boondoggle in Barbados? just kidding) with the primary objective of sampling Acqua fragrances and creating awareness of Giorgio Armani’s support of the UNICEF Tap Project.

The Limited Edition Acqua di Giò for Men and Acqua di Gioia for Women Acqua for Life promotional sets will be available during the month of March online at Giorgio Armani Beauty's Web site and at select fine department stores, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, and Macy’s.

While I am totally stocked up on Acqua di Gioia (you won't believe how much of this lovely fragrance I purchased!), I am going to Facebook now to like the campaign. Will you? Please? It's sad to think that children throughout the world live without clean water (and food). We can help fix that so easily, with tiny investments that don't approach what it would take to give them a good education.

Thanks for reading! Let me know in the comments if you went to Facebook to like. There may be a surprise drawing for those who do. You never know what I might give away. :)

P.S. I had a little trouble figuring this out, so...

Go to www.AcquaforLife.org/home
Click Continue
Click Connect
Click Like at top

Photo courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty

Chantecaille Sea Turtle Palette for Spring 2011

I must be one if the happiest gals on earth! My Chantecaille Sea Turtle Palette ($79) arrived! For some reason, my UPS guy showed up about seven hours earlier than usual. Do you think he knew how much I wanted this palette? Do you think he sensed that it would make my day when he delivered it while the sun was still out? I love that guy!

I tore into the shipping box, and inside I found a pretty gold box with the sea turtle theme. Then I tore into that box to find an elegant gunmetal grey case holding four gorgeous colors - two eye shades to reflect the golden warmth of new spring neutrals, a deep sea green eye-defining shade, and a peachy-pink cheek color that will be universally flattering. My photo of the palette was taken indoors in direct light, but not sunlight. The base color is not as pink as it appears in my photo below. Use Chantecaille's photo above as your guide for the shades.

I grabbed the sponge-tipped applicators quicker than you can say "love," and started to swatch. At that point, there may have been a swoon. Not sure whether it was a real swoon or the pills I had taken about 20 minutes earlier (such is the life of a recovering surgery patient). Either way, this palette is swoon-worthy.

My first swatch photo at left was taken outside in direct sun. I applied each shade with a sponge-tipped applicator - even the blush shade. I wanted to pick up enough product to show you adequate swatches. I'm not totally thrilled with these photos, so I'll try in different lighting to get better ones. I just couldn't wait to show you my "make-my-day" moments. I wanted to share the joy!

My second photo at right was snapped when the sun dipped behind a cloud. While the light was bright, there wasn't any sun glinting off my arm. I think the colors are truer in the first photo - with sun. The cheek color shows above as a peachy-pink, which it is.

I swatched clockwise, starting at the upper-left corner with the base color, moving to the brown eye color, then to the incredibly complex "eye definer," and finishing with the cheek color. All apply beautifully, including the base color, a golden beige. The eye-defining charcoal green shade is drop-dead gorgeous.

These colors were composed with the finest pearl and pigment particles to create a natural, satin, sheer veil on the skin with a glowing effect. Sadly, the turtles (and the gold "overspray") will disappear with use, so I will be purchasing a second palette for my makeup museum, which is filled with all of Chantecaille's treasures.

Chantecaille is donating 5% of the proceeds from the sale the Sea Turtle Palettes to WIDECAST to help ensure the survival of sea turtles. Sea turtles are in danger. They define all that is ancient and magical about our planet, yet they are endangered and struggling for survival. Their numbers have been severely reduced from historical levels. Persistent exploitation, especially of adult females on nesting beaches, and the widespread collection of eggs are largely responsible for the depleted status of the Caribbean species. In addition to intentional harvesting, the turtles are accidentally captured in active or abandoned fishing gear, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of turtles every year. That makes my heart break. On top of that, coral reef and sea grass degradation, oil spills, chemical waste, plastic and other marine debris, high-density coastal development, and an increase in ocean tourism have damaged or eliminated nesting beaches and feeding areas.

Sea turtles once shared the earth with the dinosaurs, and they have been quiet evolutionary participants for eons. Among the most migratory of all creatures, they touch the hearts and economies of over 100 nations. Chantecaille is honoring the impressive beauty and stature of these gentle giants with this Sea Turtle Palette.

The company is partnering with Dr. Karen Eckert of WIDECAST, who is focused on saving sea turtles in the waters of the Caribbean. They have a vision to realize a future in which sea turtles and humans can co-exist, with the turtles surviving and thriving. Please check out WIDECAST and join me in applauding Chantecaille for its continued commitment to support marine wildlife, while introducing lust-worthy makeup.

You can purchase the Sea Turtle Palette at Chantecaille's Web site. It will arrive at Chantecaille counters soon. I'll wait for the palettes to arrive at Neiman Marcus so that I can support my favorite SA and Chantecaille rep when I buy my second one.

Update: Here's another swatch photo, at left. I took it right before the clouds started to get thicker. You decide whether it's better than the sunny photo above.

Photo at top and sea turtle photo courtesy of Chantecaille

Chantecaille Papillon Violet Eye Shade Compact

Chantecaille has fabulous special offers at its Web site! The current offer, like most, is incredibly generous. Spend $200 or more, and you will find this makeup museum-worthy, hand-designed Papillon Violet Eye Shade Compact ($39) in your box.

The Papillon Eye Shades are available for purchase in two color combinations: Papillon Blue and Papillon Violet. Both are gorgeous. Each provides a trio of superfine holiday shades inspired by the graceful butterfly. There are two principal colors complemented by two detail colors in each compact. The detail colors have to be "picked up" with a very fine brush or applicator, but they are worth the extra effort.

I took a swatch photo for you. I got a pure, unblended swatch of the golden base shade outside the butterfly imprint and a swatch moving the applicator across the full wing of the butterfly, top to bottom. I used a sponge-tipped applicator and took my photo in full, mid-day sun.

A big fan of golden eyelids, I use the gold shade all over my lower lid and smudge some of the violet as an accent only on the outer lid. It works, despite the plummy color that's hard for me to wear. Blended with the golden shade, it's very pretty. If you are a plum lover, you are going to be smitten.
Chantecaille's sales of the Papillon Eye Shades have benefited the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation to help protect the fragile ecosystem of the Monarch Butterfly’s winter habitat. Chantecaille's Les Papillons Collection is of particular relevance right now; the American butterfly is currently under greater attack than at any time in its existence. The Monarch Butterfly, a national symbol, is now on the endangered species list. Every year, what has been known as the "miracle migration" of the Western Monarch Butterfly has signaled its arrival with magnificent blazes of orange against the autumn sky. Flying from as far north as Canada to find a winter home in the eight to ten last remaining Monarch habitats in California and Mexico, the Monarch mates at the end of winter, before starting the journey back north in the spring.

The fragile ecosystem of the butterfly's winter home has been disrupted over recent years by logging and deforestation due to the drive for increased coastal development. The subsequent effect of global warming has led to early butterfly desiccation and death. The milkweed, where the female Monarch lays her eggs during the winter, is seen as a weed and killed with herbicides.

Chantecaille's Les Papillons Collection seeks to help protect the Monarch Butterfly's winter habitat by donating 5% of all sales to the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation, established in 1997 by scientists and educators seeking to replace and revive the winter butterfly habitats. Thus far Chantecaille has donated over $20,000, which has gone towards replanting trees in Michoacán, Mexico, a natural winter home for the butterflies.

This is the kind of makeup that makes me feel good about overspending! It's one of my favorite things about Chantecaille. As an avid environmentalist and animal lover, I appreciate companies that make a meaningful difference to save endangered animals and their habitats.

If you want this compact, don't waste any time. I missed the last special offer, and I'm still kicking myself over it. Head over to Chantecaille's Web site.

Photos courtesy of Chanteaille

Saks Fifth Avenue Friends & Family

It's Friends & Family time at Saks Fifth Avenue. If you have a Saks near you, the event starts on Thursday, October 21, and runs through Saturday in store (I think). The discount in the beauty department is only 10%, but any discount is welcome these days!

This is the time to purchase those expensive beauty staples you use every day. I'll be stocking up on La Mer and Sisley skin care, and of course, I'll be purchasing the Giorgio Armani Beauty holiday sets if they arrive. There is a whole new line of YSL lipsticks I want to consider, and I need one of the new Guerlain Rouge G lipsticks that has sold out at Neiman Marcus. I'll wander by the fragrance department too, dragging Loyd Cassler with me to shop.

Friends & Family used to be a secret event. You had to be appreciated by someone in the store to be told. Now, it's open to everyone - certainly more democratic. At the Saks stores local to me, the event coincides with the cancer charity shopping events, so there's a double-good reason to shop later this week. Will you be there?

Update 10/24: Friends & Family ends today, Sunday, October 24.

Photo at top courtesy of Saks

Saks Fifth Avenue, Chevy Chase, Teams Up with Suburban Hospital for KEY TO THE CURE Charity Shopping

To help raise both money and awareness for women’s cancers, Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland, will partner with Bethesda, Maryland-based Suburban Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine, to host the 2010 KEY TO THE CURE, a charity shopping weekend taking place Thursday, October 21, through Sunday, October 24. That overlaps with Friends & Family. Great time to shop!

Saks Fifth Avenue will donate 2% of sales during the shopping weekend, up to $500,000, to support women’s cancer programs at Suburban Hospital. Saks will also make a donation of $375,000 to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

To launch this year’s event, Saks Fifth Avenue in Chevy Chase will host a KEY TO THE CURE kick-off celebration on Thursday, October 21, featuring a fashion show by Belafigura, cocktails, culinary samplings by some of the top restaurants in the area, prizes, raffles, and, of course, shopping! Saks Fifth Avenue Chevy Chase and Suburban Hospital will honor remarkable cancer survivors from the Washington, DC area, including honorary chair and breast cancer survivor Tanya Snyder, official spokesperson for the NFL's campaign A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives.

Saks will also offer a limited-edition KEY TO THE CURE T-shirt designed by Donna Karan, available beginning Friday, October 1, and retailing for $35 in Saks stores, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH stores, and at Saks.com. One hundred percent of the purchase price of each shirt sold will be donated to local charity partners.

Actress Uma Thurman is the 2010 Ambassador for Saks Fifth Avenue’s KEY TO THE CURE. In support of this program, Ms. Thurman will appear in a national public service announcement (PSA) wearing the Donna Karan limited-edition T-shirt. The KEY TO THE CURE PSA will appear in major fashion and lifestyle magazines in September and October.

Saks Fifth Avenue initiated its charity shopping weekend in 1999. Since then, the company has donated over $33 million to women’s cancer research and treatment organizations throughout the United States. Organizations benefiting from these funds include: The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund, Cleveland Clinic, Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Nevada Cancer Institute, and many others.

DC-area gals: this is the time to shop! Ask for a Friends & Family discount while you are there - and make sure to look for the Armani Beauty Team! If you don't live near DC, check out your local Saks to see what they're doing to support the cause.

Update 10/17: Just got this via e-mail. Shop at Saks Tysons Galleria Thursday through Sunday (same dates as above) and 2% of sales will go to Life with Cancer.

mark Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss

mark's Glow Baby Glow Hook Up Lip Gloss ($12 for two glosses) is a bargain! Right now, there's a special offer. You will receive a free mark hook-up connector with the purchase of any two shades. Why not start with m.powerment Peach and m.powerment Gold?

Lauren Conrad and her makeup artist Amy Nadine worked closely with mark to create these shades for m.powerment by mark. The shades, not available elsewhere, were used in the makeup looks worn by the models during Lauren's runway show.

If you purchase the m.powerment shades, 100% of the proceeds ($5.31 each) will be donated to m.powerment by mark, a philanthropic initiative committed to breaking the cycle of dating abuse and partner violence. I think of the tragedy of Yeardley Love, brutally murdered by another University of Virginia lacrosse player this year, and I know it's the right time for m.powerment. A Domestic Violence Resource Guide will be sent with each purchase.

Glow Baby Glow has a super-reflective finish (check! see photo), created by pearlized micro-particles that capture and reflect light from every angle to give your lips a luxe, glam finish. Beyond its glistening shine, Glow Baby Glow offers sheer color and minty freshness all in one, leaving behind a gloss that feels great on the lips and provides the softening we all expect from a nice lip gloss. This gloss sticks around without being tacky.

My photo was taken in full sun and adds more a little more shine to the swatches at right than they have. You can see the pretty, ripe peach color at top and the all-purpose gold below. These are very sheer shades. I had to paint them on fairly heavily with their doe-foot applicators to get enough even pigment on my arm to show you the colors. Unless you layer them, as I did, the colors are sheer.

mark has plenty of other Hook Up Colors if these don't suit you. Check them out at this link. mark is Avon's little sister and always offers great value for your hard-earned dollars. You can find a local representative at this mark link or shop online.

Photo at top and lip gloss courtesy of mark

Shiseido Gives Back to Cosmetic Executive Women Foundation’s Cancer and Careers Program

You know me and good causes! I got word of this one and couldn't wait to share it with you.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Shiseido will donate $5 for every Luminizing Lip Gloss in Pop Life (PK406) sold in the month of October. Look how pretty it is! For the fourth consecutive year, Shiseido Cosmetics America is partnering with Cosmetic Executive Women to support their philanthropic arm Cancer and Careers (CEW) during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer and Careers is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting working women living with cancer. They empower and educate women with cancer by providing expert advice, interactive tools, and educational events. You can find out more about them at their Web site.

Also, in honor of the partnership, all Shiseido makeup counters will feature an exclusive look created by Dick Page, Artistic Director for Shiseido Makeup (and genius in my eyes). The "In the Pink" look illustrated in the face chart above features the Luminizing Lip Gloss in Pop Life and pairs the bold-pink lip with a soft-pink eye shadow. By visiting a Shiseido counter, makeup lovers can learn how to create the special "In the Pink" look and make it work for them. I love the pink lip, and I'll give them a chance to convince me that they can make the pink shadow work for me!

Luminizing Lip Gloss in Pop Life retails for $22.00 and is available online and at select Macy’s, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Dillard’s locations. We need to shop for the cause!

Photo courtesy of Shiseido

Chantecaille La Baleine Bleue Eye Shadow

Chantecaille's La Baleine Bleue for Eyes ($98) is a soft, feminine trio of up-to-the-minute, marine-inspired eye shades. Two highlighting blues, a sheer pale blue and deep blue-grey, combine with a beautiful, iridescent champagne base that is rose gold to my eye. Together the collection is shimmery, chic, and charming - and hard, really hard, to photograph.

A complement to La Baleine Bleue for Face, it is packaged in a gorgeous artisan compact with the image of the Blue Whale and her calf. Like most Chantecaille palettes, it's elegant - a museum piece that is almost too pretty to use.

Unfortunately, mine arrived in pieces. Even though Chantecaille carefully packs every order and puts their gorgeous palettes in silk pouches to protect them, mine arrived shattered. I am "dead sure" some USP guy threw my package down somewhere in transit (sorry UPS, I love you guys, but it happens), and the compact broke into about 10 pieces. I was really reluctant to call Chantecaille to tell them. After all, it wasn't their fault! I thought about it for a few days and did call. The gentleman with whom I spoke was delightful (with a darling French accent too), and he immediately offered to send me a replacement - no hassle, no need to send back the shattered compact. I love this company! I loved Chantecaille before; I love them even more now - if that's possible.

Yesterday, I took a few photos of the three main colors in the palette applied dry to my arm using a sponge applicator. The thin lines you see at right didn't satisfy me. The photo was taken in afternoon indirect light to minimize the shimmer. In my opinion, yesterday's swatches didn't demonstrate how stunning these shadows are. They look nice, but they didn't fully capture the rich essence on the skin.

Today, I tried again. This time, I used a wet shadow brush, carefully trying to pick through the shards of my shattered shadows to get more pigment on my arm. I took photos in sun (way too shiny) and light shade. At left is the winner of the "swathathon," taken in light shade. It's not fabulous either, but I think it shows more clearly the difference in tone between the light grey and champagne/rose gold shimmer shades. It also gives a better view of the deep blue-grey whale color, which is exquisite in color and depth.

The compact has two levels, with two usable brushes in the lower level. As you can expect from Chantecaille, it's rounded and feels good in the hand. Everything about these compacts is luxurious, from their appearance to the product within. The powder shadows are creamy and blend with ease. They offer buildable color, one of my favorite features.

Chantecaille is always generous, supporting my favorite causes. Proceeds from La Baleine sales benefit the International Union for Conservation of Nature to help protect the high seas and their inhabitants. If you haven't read this information on Chantecaille's Web site, here's a summary.

The high seas cover nearly half of our planet. By definition, the high seas exist 200 nautical miles beyond each country's coastline, and there, without international regulation and jurisdiction, they are rapidly and ruthlessly being destroyed. Laid waste by industrial fishing, acid toxicity, floating plastic garbage, sonar pollution, and other human causes, the high seas have become an international feeding and dumping ground, a marine frontier where nothing is controlled, and nothing is sacred.

More than any creature, the Blue Whale symbolizes the health of the high seas. Stretching up to more than 100 feet long and weighing up to 200 tons, this endangered species travels enormous distances, roaming the farthest reaches on its migratory route, as it criss-crosses the high seas. Along the way, it continually experiences threats from humans. Hundreds of whales die each year from entanglement in fishing nets. Sonar pollution, noise from container ships, and undersea drilling and exploration disorient whales, hindering their communication and causing physical damage. Thousands of whales are hunted and killed each year in spite of the official moratorium on whaling, as several nations find their way around legal loopholes [ed: or just condone ignorance and greed] and support hunts of this extraordinary creature.

In order to safeguard our planet, we must work together to protect the high seas. To help with that effort, Chantecaille is donating five percent of the sales of La Baleine Collection to The International Union for Conservation of Nature. I love beautiful makeup, but I am doubly thrilled with it when I know that part of my purchase could help save whales!

You can purchase Chantecaille from their Web site, where there is often a special offer. If you need to see before you buy, you can find Chantecaille at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and select Saks and Nordstrom stores.

Photo at top courtesy of Chantecaille

Sephora's Bare Escentuals Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow Giveaway Contest

Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow ($17) is a whole new breed of vibrant, lively eye color that will leave you begging for more. The term "breed" is particularly cute since each shade is named after a pup. In honor of our furry friends, Bare Escentuals is making a charitable contribution to Canine Companions for Independence - a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs. How could I not purchase a few for prizes?

This bounc-i-licious new eye color offers the ultimate experience with an unexpectedly plush, lightweight texture and vivid color. It leaps and bounds beyond what you've come to expect from eye color and, better yet, it's even waterproof. Named after our loyal four-legged friends, these stay-put shades will be your faithful new beauty companions as they comfort and care for your eyelids. The mineral-infused, paraben-free formula pampers delicate skin with soothing aloe extract, and vitamin E - all with a non-greasy, long-wearing finish. Touch it. Pet it. Love it, but only at Sephora.

I have two shades to give away: Mutt and Chihuahua. You can see their little swatches here. We will have two lucky winners!

How can you win a Stay-There? Just leave a comment here once and tell me your first choice of color. I can't guarantee you will receive your first choice, but let's hope!

After you comment, feel free to e-mail bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and identify your comment. You can never be too careful about sharing your e-mail address on a blog, so I would follow this second step if I were you (an alternative is to code your e-mail, e.g., myname at gmail dot com, in your comment).

You can "earn" a second entry by tweeting this contest. Just make sure to include "@BTiBeauty" (without the quotes) in your tweet. I will tweet the contest today, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, September 4, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winners. I will e-mail the winners at that time. The winners will have 48 hours to reply to my message and provide a shipping address. After 48 hours, the prize will be forfeited, and another winner will be selected.

This contest is open to anyone anywhere. Here are the terms for overseas winners (outside the U.S. and Canada). I will carefully pack and ship the prize (as I always do). I cannot insure it - it's amazingly expensive to do so. If it leaves the U.S. and it's lost or stolen, I won't be able to replace it. We'll try this and see how it works. I'll do my best on this end; let's see if your mail services do right by you on the other end if we have an overseas winner.

Good Luck!

Photos courtesy of Sephora

Chantecaille Protected Paradise for Eyes

As promised when I featured Protected Paradise for Face, today I'll share swatches of Chantecaille's gorgeous Protected Paradise Eyes ($90).

The Protected Paradise compacts for face and eyes contain brilliantly colored illuminating and softly shimmering powders in an intricately embossed design depicting the diverse beauty of an underwater marine ecosystem. Created with Chantecaille’s exclusive patented mold technology that embeds color all the way through the product, the compacts feature artfully rendered ocean life in sophisticated seasonal palettes.

The Protected Paradise Eyes compact design includes the following marine life.

• Two fish that represent a host of over-fished and endangered species (including clownfish, orange roughy, sea bass, Nassau grouper, and humphead wrasse)
• A school of smaller forage fish, an essential component of the underwater food chain that supports bigger fish, now threatened because of their use in aquaculture
• A sea horse, net-harvested in mass quantities for decorative use in aquariums and for gourmet and medicinal purposes (and I don't approve of net harvesting - it's greedy and traps too many fish - or catching sea horses destined to die for decoration)
• Coral, a vital and seriously endangered organism
• A graceful expanse of sea grass, a crucial source of shelter and nutrition for fish that is being destroyed by trawling.

The big fish is a lovely rose gold that is ideal as a highlighter and blendsbeautifully with the green-grey base. The rose gold fish is shown at the top of my photo. Actually, I love wearing the rose gold alone on my lower lids. The smaller fish is a bright aqua that can be used to line the eyes or add a pop of color with gorgeous results. It's shown in the middle of my photo to the right. The base color (shown at the bottom) is a perfectly wearable medium grey with a sheer overlay of "marine green." In all of the shades, micronized pigments and a high concentration of real pearl impart pure color with a superb, wearable shimmer.

The galvanized nickel compact comes with two brushes (liner and basic) in the bottom level for clean and precise application. These brushes are actually usable - I used them to apply the shades to my arm for this photo.

Five percent of the proceeds from sales of Protected Paradise for face and eyes is being donated to the Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation that funds vital research on fish sustainability and marine preserves. Is there a better time than the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill to support this cause? Protecting every creature in the seas is critical to the balance of nature.

As I said when I featured Protected Paradise for Face, buy Chantecaille color and you'll feel good about spending money on makeup. How many makeup products are gorgeous in the pan and flattering on the face - so flattering that you stare in the mirror thinking, "Wow"? How many companies donate a portion of your purchase to a worthy cause - or make philanthropy part of their corporate identity?

You can purchase Chantecaille at the Chantecaille Web site. The special offers at Chantecaille are phenomenal. For a limited time, if you spend $225 at the Web site, you will receive a free White Tiger Poudre Délicate. Check out the link. Trust me; he's gorgeous. I got mine! If you need to see before you buy, you can find Chantecaille at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and select Saks and Nordstrom stores.

Top photo courtesy of Chantecaille

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain

Let's celebrate Tarte with Tarte! The company has reached a milestone: 10 years of beautiful, skin-friendly, earth-friendly, and animal-friendly products filled with Tarte's "skinvigorating" ingredients. Effective, affordable, whimsical - cosmetics with a conscience - those are terms to come to my mind when I think about founder Maureen Kelly and her groundbreaking creations.

In June, I showed you Tarte's 10-Year Anniversary blockbusters, which were only available at Sephora at the time. I purchased them and hope you did too. TEN Natural Cheek Stain ($30) and the TEN Limited Edition Collector's Palette ($44 and exclusive to Sephora) are must-haves. You can see a swatch of TEN at this BTiB link.

Today, let's take a look at Tarte's revolutionary new LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain ($24). LipSurgence is the only lip stain that has ever felt creamy after I applied it...hours after I applied it! My lips have to feel moist, or I am an unhappy gal. I have converted countless friends to my lip moisturizing favorites. Dear friends, get ready to try LipSurgence! It has to be the current gold standard for lip stains.

Just like the original and best-selling Tarte natural lip stains, LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain glides on smoothly for a rich matte finish that will stay all day. Each of the matte shades boasts a high pigment concentration, but unlike drying long-wear lipsticks, Tarte's LipSurgence stains are infused with high-performance, natural technology, clinically proven to increase moisture content by an astonishing 6,000% after 28 days of use. Since "matte" is in, this new matte LipSurgence has entered the market at just the right time.

Earth-engineered from a proprietary blend of plant bionutrients, LipSurgence quickly absorbs into the skin, delivering a surge of moisture. Boosting peptides stimulate the skin’s own regenerative system and assist in the formation of collagen. Tarte's proprietary blend increases the lip's water content for a plumped-up appearance. The result? Naturally full, healthy, creamy lips without any irritation or stinging.

Although I haven't used LipSurgence for 28 straight days (I switch it up too often), I can tell you that it's the only lip stain that I have ever used that felt creamy on application and stayed creamy - even through meals (how rare is that?). Some lips stains beg for an immediate topcoat of gloss, and a few newer ones even come with a clear gloss to satisfy my craving for gooey lips. Tarte's LipSurgence doesn't need the gloss to feel good. Naturally, you can use one over LipSurgence if you like the shiny look. You can be certain that your LipSurgence will still be there hours after your gloss wears off.

LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain is available in six shades.

• Lucky - light pink
• Hope - warm rose
• Lively - hot pink
• Envy - mauve berry
• Fiery - true red and exclusive to Sephora
  
• Exposed - nude

On my arm photo are right, top to bottom, are Lucky, Envy, and Exposed. All are very pretty, although I think my two favorites are Envy and Exposed - just because my lips need a little color to brighten my pale face. I must try Hope next. Are you interested in wearing the matte fuchsia lip anointed by Allure as a hot trend for fall (page 182, September 2010 issue)? Lively is your shade! All six colors are delectable, so select the one(s) that you think will look best on you.

The first thing you notice about LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain is the softness of the thick pencil form. I think that's a clue to its properties on the lips. It contains vitamins A and E, which are anti-inflammatory emollients that protect against free radical damage; carnauba wax to ensure a smooth application; coconut extract that has known microbial and moisturizing properties; and peppermint oil to cool and soothe inflamed or irritated skin while freshening breath. Fortunately, the stain doesn't smell or taste like peppermint on my lips. I don't really want my lips to taste like Altoids!

I'm sure you know that Tarte's wonderful cosmetics are formulated without the following ingredients we are all trying to avoid - and they are cruelty-free.

• Parabens
• Sulfates
• Synthetic Fragrances
• Synthetic Dyes
• Petrochemicals
• Phthalates

I love that about Tarte! That's why I keep buying. There's little I can resist (seriously, you should see my collection of Cheek Stains, and I need another limited-edition TEN!). Tarte is bookmarked on my computer!

When you visit the Tarte Web site, you should check out Tarte Tokens, a new loyalty program to reward you for shopping. Not only does Tarte give back to its customers, the company gives back to Mother Earth. With the purchase of every Tarte product that incorporates the t5 super fruit complex, customers help preserve the Amazon Rainforest through forest conservation, improved living conditions, and educational opportunities for communities in Brazil. Tarte's supporting the Sustainable Amazon Partnership (SAP), a public and private collaboration to promote lasting sustainable management of the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest, making contributions to SAP throughout the year. Some may think of beauty as frivolous; I think of it as an investment in our future when I shop with companies dedicated to the environment.

You can find Tarte's new LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain at Tarte's own Web site (the photos are there, and stock will arrive any day) and Sephora. It has my stamp of approval - check it out. While you're there, make sure to see the original LipSurgence Natural Lip Stains. You'll love them too.

I'll continue to tell you about Tarte's terrific 10-year anniversary products in the coming days. A little bubbly, please. Let's raise our glasses in a toast to Maureen and the Tarte Team. Here's to the next 10 years!

Top photo, cruelty-free logo, and stains courtesy of Tarte
Yes, I know Tarte doesn't capitalize their name (I'm old school)

Chantecaille Bengali Bronzer

Isn't this gorgeous? Chantecaille's Bengali Bronzer ($85) is the prettiest bronzer I own! Who could resist that face?

This slightly iridescent/shimmering bronzer brushes on to deliver a beautiful, natural, sun-kissed glow. Packed with specially coated pearls for a flawless, luminous finish, this special-edition bronze compact is etched with an image of the Royal Bengal Tiger. The two-level rose gold compact houses a mirror and natural-bristle brush.

The shade is absolutely perfect to add a glow to women with light or medium skin. Because my skin is fair, I can't tell you how it will appear on darker skin (might be a highlighter on very dark skin). The shade is very sheer. Here is a photo taken in filtered sun with an arrow pointing toward the heaviest concentration of the bronzer on my arm. You can see bare skin on the section of my arm below the bronzer application.

Like the new Tiger in the Wild Palette, a portion of the proceeds from sales of Bengali Bronzer benefit TRAFFIC, an international wildlife trade monitoring organization trying to save the last tigers in the wild. Since 1998, the last Year of the Tiger, the population of tigers in the wild has diminished from 5,000 to 3,200. The disappearance of wild tigers has become a crisis. The loss of our top predators is the barometer of an ecosystem in trouble - a worldwide concern, which needs attention and focus.

If there was ever a time to spend money on makeup, this is it! You could own this gorgeous palette and support one of the world's most urgent efforts to protect wildlife and biodiversity. As if that weren't enough, I'm trying to show you the many fabulous products you can purchase to qualify for a very special current offer at Chantecaille. Right now, if you spend $225 at the Web site, you will receive a free White Tiger Poudre Délicate. Check out the link. I got mine!

Top photo courtesy of Chantecaille

Jo Malone White Tie & Tiara to Benefit Elton John AIDS Foundation

Just when I'm sure I've spent too much for the month, along comes an e-mail like this one. Jo Malone has introduced a new, limited-edition fragrance, White Tie & Tiara Cologne ($120), to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Tempted by its description, and certain that I wanted to support the cause, I ordered one this morning.

White Tie & Tiara is composed with delicate white flowers (orange blossom and jasmine) entwined with tantalizing hints of lime and orange and blended with warm cedar and sandalwood. I've also read that the notes include bergamot, pineapple, tangerine, and violets. The fragrance was inspired by the white-scented garden at Sir Elton John's Windsor home. Hmm...white flowers, fruit, and charity - sounds like a winning bouquet to me!

White Tie and Tiara was originally released in 2002 and given as a party gift at Elton John’s White Tie and Tiara Ball. It was subsequently sold in Jo Malone shops in England as a limited edition.

I think I need a second job. If you are as tempted as I was, and you don't want to go "store shopping" at Neiman Marcus or Bergdorf Goodman, you can purchase this new cologne at Jo Malone online. You will get to choose two cologne samples with your purchase, and if you use code JMWHITE (through June 10), you will receive an extra deluxe sample of Grapefruit Cologne.

Photo courtesy of Jo Malone