Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Sweet Sparklers

I found a deal for you! Online and on sale at Sephora, you'll find Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Sweet Sparklers for $14. This four-piece collection of minis brings the bubbly, sparkly new shades of bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipgloss to the rich, luscious bareMinerals 100% natural Lipcolors. The result is a pretty, long-lasting color combination that gives your look the perfect finishing touch full of effervescent shimmer.

The set includes two 0.1 oz mini 100% Natural Lipcolors in Sherbet (baby pink) and Rose Crêpe (blush rose) and two 0.008 oz mini 100% Natural Lipgloss in Kir Royale (twinkling sheer plum) and Pink Prosecco (sparkling pale pink. Even though the sizes "read" tiny, their size is decent. The lip gloss is a prefect size to stick in your jeans pocket.

Here are two swatch photos for you. Taken in full sun, they show (top to bottom) Rose Crêpe, Sherbet, Kir Royale, and Pink Prosecco. All four shades are lovely, representing both warm and cool tones, but no extremes of either.

I like my little set, and I think you will too. I have no idea why the Sweet Sparklers haven't sold out yet, given their inexpensive sale price. If you are interested, check them out soon at Sephora online. The set is a limited edition.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; swatch photos by Best Things in Beauty

bareMinerals Faux & Foxy Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Sooj!

Bare Escentuals' bareMinerals Faux & Foxy three-piece set offers exactly what you need to fake that sun-kissed look. The set includes a Faux Tan SPF 15, a Buff & Go brush, and 100% Natural Lipgloss SPF 15. The limited-edition set is exclusive to Sephora. I purchased one Faux & Foxy set to give away.

The bronzer creates a beautiful, glowing tanned complexion and has the added benefit of sun protection. To apply, buff Faux Tan SPF 15 All-Over Face Color in Sunlit Bronze onto the areas of your face the sun would naturally touch (like the bridge of your nose, eyes, cheeks, and forehead) using the Buff & Go Brush. Then enjoy a natural, sun-kissed look without ever stepping foot in the sun. With one gorgeous swipe of 100% Natural SPF 15 Lipgloss in French Toast (a golden bronze), you'll be fabulously faux-tanned and foxy.

All of the pieces are adorned in bronze, carrying the theme of the set into the packaging. If you pull out a piece for touch-ups, you'll be carrying summer with you. I thought I would use this set when I purchased it. Since that time, I've bought many bronzers, and it's clear to me now that I can't use them all this summer. That's why this lovely set is this week's giveaway.

How can you enter to win? Just leave a comment here once. After you comment, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com 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).

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 this evening, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. You can earn a third entry by following the blog - either here or on Twitter (any entrant who is already a follower will automatically earn the follower point, but you can save me time by telling me you're a follower in your comment). I can't track followers through a third-party service, so you need to be on Google's list for me to verify the entry.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, April 30, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner at that time. 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.

The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Good luck!

Photo courtesy of Sephora

bareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam

Bare Escentuals' new bareMinerals Deep Cleansing Foam ($20) is really nice. One of four items in the new bareMinerals Skincare line, this creamy, luxurious cleanser is powered by a 100% pure RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex to help you enjoy increased cell turnover, fewer fine lines and wrinkles, and the famous bareMinerals naturally luminous glow.

Extracted from nutritionally dense virgin soil, the proprietary RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex contains a blend of 72 essential macro- and micro-minerals that dramatically improve the appearance of skin by increasing cell turnover and providing antioxidants at levels significantly greater than blueberries or pomegranates.

The Deep Cleansing Foam deeply cleanses skin and lifts away impurities with a creamy lather that's non-drying. It takes only a pea-sized amount per application. Sometimes I read that part about a pea-sized amount and think, "Oh sure." This time, it's spot-on true. The formula bursts into a very rich, creamy lather when activated with water. One might have an initial impression that it will be hard to rinse off, given the richness of the lather. Not! It is easy to rinse away. Once rinsed, every trace of my makeup, including mascara, is gone, and my face feels good. I have been using the cleanser for a week and haven't ever felt dry after using it.

We had a giveaway contest for Deep Cleansing Foam and Purely Nourishing Moisturizer two weeks ago, and I was surprised there weren't more entries. Anyone who didn't enter to win this cleanser missed a good bet! It's extremely nice. I received my tube from the company about two days before our contest ended - not enough time to give it a thorough evaluation before the deadline. I would have urged you (implored you) to enter; it's fabulous. If you didn't win, you should definitely check it out at a Bare Escentuals store (or online), Sephora, or wherever you purchase bareMinerals. A $20 investment will take you far.

Want to learn more about all the new bareMinerals Skincare? Just go to bareMinerals Skincare online to get the full scoop and watch videos.

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

New! Bare Escentuals Skincare and Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Pam, Jules, Mary, and Tinagirl! They all won bareMinerals Skincare prizes.

Bare Escentuals has introduced bareMinerals Skincare, a transformative new way of caring for your skin that’s simple, effective, and incredibly easy to use. Powered by 100% pure RareMinerals Active Soil Complex, the new line will help you enjoy increased cell turnover, fewer fine lines and wrinkles, and the famous bareMinerals naturally luminous glow. If that’s something you’re looking for (and who isn't?), this might be a revolution you'll want to join. Check out the April InStyle (pages 298-299)!

The eight-piece bareMinerals skin-care line is powered by a patent-pending RareMinerals Active Soil Complex, which has three times the antioxidant capacity of blueberries. Ever since I found out about the power of blueberries for skin health, I have eaten more of them than at any other time in my life!

There are three cleansers in the line. Here's a quick description of each. All of the cleansers, like the rest if the products in the line, are powered by the RareMinerals Active Soil Complex.

The Purifying Facial Cleanser ($20) removes makeup, dissolves impurities, and reblances skin for a soft, smooth complexion. In Bare Escentuals' pre-launch of this cleanser, customers called it a super-cleanser and gave it rave reviews. It leaves the skin perfectly clean, instantly hydrated, and renewed. It's even gentle enough for eye makeup removal.

Deep Cleansing Foam ($20) is a luxuriously rich cleanser that deep-cleans pores and lifts away impurities. The non-drying formula bursts into a rich later when activated with water to clean and instantly refresh skin for a soft, smooth complexion.

Exfoliating Treatment Cleanser ($26) is the original mineral cleanser. The effective powder formula delivers a potent concentration of ingredients for a brighter, smoother complexion with noticeably smaller pores.

There are two moisturizers in the line. Bare Escentuals recommends you use the one targeted for your skin both morning and night. Both are powered by RareMinerals Active Soil Complex with its unique electrolyte delivery system.

Purely Nourishing Moisturizer ($28) for combination skin is a universal moisturizer that effectively hydrates skin while improving firmness, elasticity, radiance, and overall skin texture. It's formulated with a powerful blend of antioxidants to help protect against environmental stressors.

Purely Nourishing Cream ($28) for dry skin is a luxuriously rich cream that deeply nourishes the skin. It provides the ultimate amount of moisture for dry skin, while the potent antioxidants in its formula protect skin from environmental stressors. The result is soft, smooth, and incredibly luminous skin.

There are three specialty treatment products in the new line. Like the other products in the line, they are based on the RareMinerals Active Soil Complex.

Firming Eye Treatment ($28) is a dramatically effective treatment that restores firmness and reduces puffiness around the eyes. The formula delivers smoother, younger-looking skin around the eye area. Who doesn't want that, no matter what her age?

Blemish Therapy ($18) is a unique, powder treatment designed to help heal, conceal, and prevent future breakouts. The exfoliating properties of the RareMinerals Active Soil Complex, along with the acne-healing benefits of natural sulfur, effectively treat acne and blemishes while preventing future breakouts from forming. This non-irritating, all-in-one treatment also helps to minimize pores, neutralize redness, and diffuse imperfections.

Pure Transformation Night Treatment ($60) has a name I love. This groundbreaking treatment is the centerpiece in the bareMinerals skin-care lineup. The unique, easy-to-use, clinically proven formula was designed to visibly reduce pores, increase firmness, and improve elasticity, while revealing remarkably healthier, younger-looking skin. I want to try it!

Lucky you! I have four products from this new line to give away: two Deep Cleansing Foams and two Purely Nourishing Moisturizers. How can you enter to win one?

Just leave a comment here once. Tell us which of the new products you would choose to try if you had a choice. After you comment, feel free to send me an e-mail at bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com 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).

You can "earn" a second entry by tweeting this contest. Just make sure to include "@BTiBeauty" (without the quotes) and "@BareEscentuals" in your tweet. I will tweet the contest this evening, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. You can earn a third entry by following the blog - either here or on Twitter (any entrant who is already a follower will automatically earn the follower point, but you can save me time by telling me you're a follower in your comment). I can't track followers through a third-party service, so you need to be on Google's list for me to verify the entry.

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, March 26, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winners. Everyone has an equal chance! 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, a prize not claimed 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.

Bare Escentuals will ship the prizes to the winners. This contest is open to residents of the U.S. Good luck!

Want to learn more about all the new skin care? Just go to bareMinerals Skincare to get the full scoop and watch videos.

Photos courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Bare Escentuals Brilliant Gold Beauty Duo Giveaway Contest

Congratulations to Dee! She won this beautiful duo!

This new highlighting powder from Bare Escentuals comes with its own gold-finish buffing brush. The flashy set, a gold compact filled with gold powder and a gold brush you can use for application of many different powders (not just this one), combines pretty with versatile. That's why it's this week's giveaway prize!

Bare Escentuals Brilliant Gold Beauty Duo ($29.50) is new at Sephora. I will admit, I haven't seen it yet. I ordered it for the contest, and when it arrives early this week, I fear I'll order a second one for myself. It looks that nice! Now that I know I can transform it into a cream using Le Métier de Beauté's Magic Lustre Créme, I will want to experiment.

This limited-edition Brightening Gold Mineral Veil finishing powder, with real gold powder, imparts a subtle, sheer pearlescent glow to your skin. The lightweight formula gently absorbs oil and minimizes the look of fine lines and pores for a fresh, flawless look all day. It's best used as a highlighter on your cheekbones, eyelids or décolleté, but if you get wild and daring, experiment and see where it looks best on you! The reviews at Sephora are positive (as a sidebar, customer reviews are usually "all over the place," so you have to read them carefully for recurring themes). It sounds like a light application is all you need to glow.

Bare Escentuals wants you to be healthy while you use its products, so this powder skips the nasty stuff...
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petrochemicals
- Phthalates
- GMOs
- Triclosan

Remember, the set is not encased in real gold! The price of gold has skyrocketed with the recession (always happens - people move their money to gold in a bad economy). It's what's inside that counts. The wrapping is an extra-added benefit.

To enter to win this week's giveaway contest, just leave a comment here once. 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 soon, and you can simply retweet it to earn that second entry. You can earn a third entry by following the blog - either here or on Twitter (any entrant who is already a follower will automatically earn the follower point).

The deadline for entries will be Saturday, October 16, at midnight. The next morning, I will use a random number generator (random.org) to select the winner. I will e-mail the winner at that time. 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. Fortunately, I haven't had a no-show in months!

This contest is open to anyone anywhere. Here are the terms. I will carefully pack and ship the prize (as I always do). I cannot insure the set for overseas shipment - it's amazingly expensive to do so. If it's lost or stolen in transit, I won't be able to replace it with another palette for an overseas winner. We'll see how this works. My shipping issues have occurred when I've shipped overseas - the packages to the U.S. and Canada always arrive without incident. 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!

Photo courtesy of Sephora

Bare Escentuals Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow Giveaway Contest Winners

It's only fitting that we follow a cat story with a dog story! We have two winners - lucky gals who will both be receiving their first color choice of Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow. Congratulations to Amber and Hanna! Both have been notified by e-mail.

Random.org selected Amber first, so she will receive her first choice of shades (Mutt). Then it selected Hanna, and since she wanted the other (Chihuahua), she will receive her first choice too! I love it when things work out that way.

Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow ($17) is a whole new breed of vibrant, lively eye color that will leave you begging for more, according to Bare Escentuals. 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.

When I ordered Mutt and Chihuahua for the contest, I also ordered one for myself in Poodle (pale gold). I'll have to write a review of it this week. So far, I've read conflicting impressions of the shadow at friends' blogs. Maybe we can talk Amber and Hanna into adding comments to let us know how they like the look and wear of their new pups.

Thank you all for entering (and your tweets), for your sweet comments and e-mails, and for reading Best Things in Beauty! I have the greatest readers on earth! That's why we will start another giveaway contest later today. Come back!

Photo courtesy of Sephora

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

Bare Escentuals Friends & Family Sale

The Bare Escentuals Friends & Family Sale starts today! Use code SHARE to save 20% through Sunday, June 20. To sweeten the deal when you shop the event, you will receive a $10 off coupon for a future purchase between July 1 and 4, 2010.

Now's the time to stock up on your favorites or try something you've had your eyes on!

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Last Week to "Officially" Rethink What Matters

This is the last week of the Bare Escentuals Rethink What Matters contest. Take the Rethink What Matters quiz, and you will be entered to win the trip of a lifetime to the destination of your choice (see site for details). Paris anyone? The drawing will be March 29.

The quizzes are fun and require no skill at all! This week, "What's Your BareMinerals Story?" This week, 200 lucky rethinkers will win a Bare Escentuals shopping spree worth $250 - just for taking the quiz. BTiB readers have won! You can too. So head over and take the fun quiz. Who knows? You may end up in Paris!

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

RareMinerals Active Triple Treatment Eye Cream Giveaway Contest Winner

We have a winner! Congratulations to Cynthia R, who was notified by e-mail! What's really cool is that two of you took the Bare Escentuals Rethinking quiz and won! Yea! No bum steers here.

The RareMinerals Active Triple Treatment Eye Cream promises to visibly diminish fine lines and wrinkles, restore firmness, and reduce puffiness around your delicate eye area for smoother, firmer, brighter skin. Infused with Bare Escentuals' RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, this groundbreaking eye cream uses mineral electrolytes and marine peptides to rejuvenate skin around the eyes instantly and over time.

I haven't tried it yet, but hope to soon. I'd love to review it. Cynthia, let us know, please, how you like it. Maybe we'll get the opportunity to review it together.

My thanks to Bare Escentuals for their generosity in donating this fabulous giveaway prize. Keep rethinking at Rethink What Matters!

We have some new and incredible giveaway contests lined up. We will start another later today, so please come back!

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Bare Escentuals Giveaway Contest Plus Rethink What Matters

Ready for this week's Rethink What Matters game from Bare Escentuals? This week's fun theme is "Rethink Your Must Haves." The game is a chance for you to share your wildest thoughts and win a prize. To encourage you to enter the game, I have one RareMinerals Eye Cream to give away at Best Things in Beauty.

First, want to have a good laugh and feel a bit liberated? Head over to Bare Escentuals to participate in the fun! Take the short quiz. There are no right or wrong answers with Rethink What Matters. I took yesterday's quiz. I had to think hard about the question, "What must you do before you turn 80?"

Who knows? This may be your lucky week to be one of 500 women who will win a Bare Escentuals goodie. As Lady Luck says, "You can't win if you don't play!" At the end of March, one very lucky "rethinker" will be selected for the Grand Prize trip of a lifetime. There are details at Rethink What Matters.

Want to really dive in? Join or follow the conversation on Twitter. Search on the tag #rethinking to find out what others are rethinking. Make sure to check out the Archive at the Web site too. What would others take to a deserted island? Find out!

Now, for our own giveaway! I have one RareMinerals Active Triple Treatment Eye Cream, donated by Bare Escentuals, to give to a lucky Best Things in Beauty reader. This eye cream promises to visibly diminish fine lines and wrinkles, restore firmness, and reduce puffiness around your delicate eye area for smoother, firmer, brighter skin. Infused with Bare Escentuals' RareMinerals ActiveSoil Complex, this groundbreaking eye cream uses mineral electrolytes and marine peptides to rejuvenate skin around the eyes instantly and over time. Want to try it?

To enter to win, just e-mail bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and put "Rethinking" in the subject line. It's that easy! If you want a second entry, just follow BTiBeauty on Twitter and let me know that you took the Rethink What Matters quiz. If you use a different name on Twitter, make sure to tell me in your e-mail.

Just an FYI: Next week, I will download a list of Twitter followers, and we will have a contest just for you! If you are following by the download date and e-mail to enter, you will be eligible to win. That should be fun, and it fulfills a promise I made to you to reward your loyalty!

This contest deadline will be Wednesday, March 3, at midnight. I'll select the winner using a random number generator. I'll even send this product anywhere in the world, so you can enter no matter where you live!

I'll be posting this contest at Free!Grechen, my fun giveaway site partner. Good Luck!

Photos courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Rethink Public Displays of Affection

Ready for this week's Rethink What Matters game? This week's fun theme is "Rethink Public Displays of Affection." On my, I'm blushing! The game is a chance for you to share your thoughts and win a prize.

Want to have a good laugh and feel a bit liberated? Head over to Bare Escentuals to participate in the fun! Take the short quiz. There are no right or wrong answers with Rethink What Matters.

Who knows? This may be your lucky week to be one of 500 women who will win a Bare Escentuals goodie. As Lady Luck says, "You can't win if you don't play!" At the end of March, one very lucky "rethinker" will be selected for the Grand Prize trip of a lifetime. There are details at Rethink What Matters.

Want to really dive in? Join or follow the conversation on Twitter. Search on the tag #rethinking to find out what others are rethinking. Make sure to check out the Archive too. What's the craziest place to swirl, tap, and buff? Find out!

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Rethink the Need to Find Yourself

Ready for week 3 of the Rethink What Matters? This week's fun theme is "Rethink the Need to Find Yourself." The first thing that came to my mind? I'll have a lot of time to "find myself" over the weekend, while I'm snowed in! Or, I hope I can find myself if I fall in two feet of snow (or that someone else finds me).

To be serious for a moment, this is an opportunity for you to rev up those creative juices! There are no right or wrong answers with Rethink What Matters! This is your chance to have a good laugh or a revelation - whichever you choose.

I'm thinking about Charlie's sweet, furry love - the moments that melt my heart (as opposed to his "devil boy Bengal" moments). When he's sweet, he's an angel. When he's a devil boy, he goes into the bathroom and knocks my makeup off the counter - just to get attention. Then he smirks as he runs off with a "You can't catch me" or "Find Charlie" parting shot. When he's sweet, he sleeps next to my computer on a pillow. When he's a devil boy, some insignificant (to me) noise spooks him, and he leaves tracks on my arms or legs when he instantly escapes the "jungle danger." What matters is my love for him. It makes me happy, and I hope it makes him happy too.

Head over to Bare Escentuals to participate in the fun! Take the quiz. Who knows? This may be your lucky week to be one of 500 women who will win a Bare Escentuals goodie. As Lady Luck says, "You can't win if you don't play!" At the end of March, one very lucky "rethinker" will be selected for the Grand Prize trip of a lifetime. There are details at Rethink What Matters.

Want to really dive in? Join or follow the conversation on Twitter. Search on the tag #rethinking to find out what others are rethinking. I enjoy following the fun on Twitter. Make sure to check out the Archive too. Can you really have too much stuff?

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Rethink Your Environment

What's this week's topic for the Rethink What Matters campaign from Bare Escentuals? Rethink Your Environment!

Every week, 500 women who enter are receiving free bareMinerals goodies for being part of the conversation. This week, you could win a bareMinerals Blush.

Just take the quick quiz at Rethink What Matters. It's fun, so tell your friends. I love the video at the site.

Remember to check back every Friday for a new theme! And stay tuned for more on the campaign at Best Things in Beauty.

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Bare Escentuals - Rethink What Matters

Bare Escentuals just started an entertaining new campaign. They are inviting women to shake up their "foundation" and sound off on topics that are more than just skin-deep - from "going bare in public to discussing what freedom really feels like."

The beauty brand knows that looking good is not all about using makeup to cover imperfections, but about enhancing what you’ve got. In keeping with their wink-wink approach to marketing, Bare Escentuals has unveiled thought-provoking taglines to help start conversations among girlfriends about what really matters. They will be asking us to rethink beauty, energize our minds, get creative, put aside age-old assumptions, and think differently about makeup. Want an example? “Rethink Going Bare in Public. BareMineral’s SPF15 Foundation feels completely weightless, but gives you all the flawless coverage you need. Like you are wearing nothing at all.”

Bare Escentuals invites you to give rethinking a try. Every week at RethinkWhatMatters, a new discussion topic will be featured with five questions for all of us to answer, share with our friends by e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter - and have the chance win hundreds of free products and other fantastic goodies. New topics and products will be featured weekly, posted each Friday. The first topic is “Rethinking going bare in public,” and Bare Escentuals will be giving away the Flawless Definition Mascara.

Feeling cheeky? Visit Rethink What Matters and take the fun quiz! Every week, we'll have more fun. In San Francisco, New York, or Chicago? Visit one of the Quickie Vans and get your very own make-under and lots of other goodies! On Twitter? Follow the van on Twitter @BareEscentuals or find out what others are thinking by searching #rethinking. You can even tweet your own ideas. Just use the tagline #rethinking.

We will even have a Rethink What Matters giveaway here at Best Things in Beauty. For now, head over to Rethink What Matters and join the fun!

Photo courtesy of Bare Escentuals

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Happiness

My Sephora Friends & Family goodies have started to arrive, and I really like the limited-edition bareMinerals Happiness box. Described as "nine pieces of pure euphoria" and infused with "mood-boosting Happybelle," a complex containing a natural plant extract believed to mimic the effects of endorphins and induce a state of happiness, this set is designed to improve your mood. Quite honestly, I haven't had a chance to put Happybelle to the test, and I suspect it's not quite the natural high it's cracked up to be. However, the wonderful selection of products and the colors in the set did make me very happy.

The nine-piece set has these items.

• bareMinerals Glee Radiance All-Over Face Color
• bareMinerals Euphoria and Happiness Eyecolors
• bareMinerals Hallucinate Liner Shadow
• bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara in Black
• bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipgloss in Berry Rush
• Two brushes with hot pink handles
• A beautiful pink clutch

Even if you aren't a bareMinerals devotee, you will find this a very appealing set. And, you could get lucky! Each Happiness Collection carries a ticket that automatically enters you into the Get Lucky Contest. You could win one of three grand prizes of a lifetime supply of bareMinerals SPF15 Foundation. Go to the bareMinerals Sweepstakes Web site to see if you're a winner on December 25th.

The set at Sephora is priced at $54, but with the Friends & Family discount (use code FF2009), it's just $43.20. That's a deal!

Photo courtesy of Sephora

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals 100% Natural Lip Glosses

The Bare Escentuals bareMinerals 100% Natural Lip Glosses ($15) are fabulous - natural shining glosses that are full of vitamins and preservatives, offering the perfect synergy of texture, color, great shine, hydration, and feel. Love them!

The ingredients include naturally rich sunflower, sesame, jojoba and pomegranate oils with Brazilian cupuacu butter, rice bran wax, calming honeysuckle. and Vitamin E. The cupuaçu is a tropical tree native to the Amazon rainforest and related to cacao, the tree that produces cocoa beans. Cupuaçu trees produce large and heavy oval fruit that contains edible pulp and rows of nutritious seeds. Cupuaçu butter is obtained by cold-pressing the seeds, and the rich butter is sometimes used to make white chocolate.

Cupuaçu is an interesting ingredient. It is beneficial for dry damaged skin and hair because it acts as an emollient to confer softness and a conditioned feel. Its moisturizing benefits help restore the skin’s natural humidity and elasticity. The butter also reduces degeneration of skin cells and restores flexibility, moisture retention, and elasticity to the skin. On top of that, it's an antioxidant that destroys free radicals.

Cupuaçu butter has a high capacity for water absorption - approximately 240% more than lanolin. It is complementary with shea butters. Cupuaçu does absorb UV rays, especially UVB and UVC, however it is not advertised as having an SPF.

The available colors span the range from very natural to pigmented. There is a vanilla flavor (which I could do without), but it goes away fairly quickly after application. My favorite shades include Pomegranate (rich berry), Tartlette (wine berry), and Rose (mauve pink). I like some pigment in my lip gloss. There are very nude shades for those who don't.

You can check these wonderful glosses out at Sephora, Ulta, Beauty.com, and plenty of other sources.

Photo courtesy of Sephora.