MAC Jeanius Eye Shadows

At first glance, these shadow are too pretty to be used. They've been imprinted with the look of denim, even down to a metal rivet! I love how they look at first, though they are hiding what the shadows underneath really look like.

Read on to see swatches of each color.

Zoya Edyta

Edyta is a bit of a chameleon. Depending on the light she is either a green with shimmer or a dark charcoal gray with shimmer. It really is difficult to describe, though Zoya does it pretty well with "A complex mixture of gold, olive, blue-green and smoky grey with a sparkling metallic finish.A dark shade balanced with sparkle for a dramatic look."

Zoya Edyta

Nature's Beauty Secrets: Create Your Own Natural Beauty

I know that a lot of people are looking to go more natural in their skin care and beauty routines, and what could be easier than doing so yourself with items found already in your own kitchen? The only issue is that after a while you want to go beyond the typical yogurt facial.

Luckily Dawn Gallagher, a healthy lifestyle expert and former model is coming to the rescue with a great book, Nature's Beauty Secrets. Dawn has gone to the best spas in the world (places like the Four Seasons Resort Maui) to find recipes that you can duplicate at home using healthy ingredients from your own kitchen—such as avocado, banana, olive oil, and yogurt—at a fraction of the price. The book is a collection of ancient and modern beauty secrets and lifestyle tips from exotic locations in Arabia, the Caribbean, the Far East, India, South Africa, and the Indian Ocean islands.

The book will be released in March, but you do have a chance to win one of your own! 3 winners will be chosen, enter in the widget below. Open to those in the US only please.



Dawn Gallagher

The prizes have been provided by the company.

Dove and Dancing With the Stars Launch the Dove Close-up Challenge

Have you seen the ads yet for Dove's newest body wash? I see it a lot, though they may be preferentially advertising on my shows/channels (which pretty much means American Idol and HGTV). They show a before and after close up of someone's skin, with the "after" looking much more hydrated. After a week of body wash, not even a different body lotion. To me, this is pretty amazing so you can bet that I'll be trying out my own before and after Dove trial very soon.

In the meantime, Dove is celebrating the launch of this newest product by giving women everywhere a chance to show off their beautiful skin on national TV with the “Dove Close-up Challenge.” The contest is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a real woman to have an authentic “Dancing with the Stars” experience!

The winner will fly to LA and train with a performer from the show, get mentored by Jennie Garth perform in front of America during a commercial break in the show’s performance finale on May 23! You know that she'll need amazing skin for that appearance with the typical DWTS costume.

Jennie Garth will officially announce the “Dove Close-up Challenge” contest during a commercial break in the Oscars. To enter, go to Dove Close-Up to enter. Women can enter the contest February 27 through March 26 by visiting the website and submitting a 60-second video sharing why they are ready for this close-up opportunity.

Good luck!

Dove Close-Up

Milani Silver Dazzle Nail Polish

This polish is one of the One Coat Glitters from Milani. It really is one coat for full coverage, though it will have to be a very thick coat and take forever to dry! I have had better luck with one very light coat, let that dry for a minute or two, and then follow up with a medium coat.

Note that the amount of glitter in this polish means it will be somewhat bumpy once dry. I recommend checking out a thick top coat to even things out, this will really help with the shimmer! My favorites are from Poshe and Seche Vite, though I've heard the Gelous base coat (available at Sally's Beauty Supply) works great for this as well.

To help remove such a glittery polish, try the foil removal method that I mentioned in my CND Shellac post.

Milani

Obsessing Over: Crabtree & Evelyn Lip Butters

This winter my lips seem to be especially prone to becoming painfully chapped. I have barely stepped foot outside of the house (I'm hibernating inside with my baby girl), and I swear that I'm not licking my lips, so I'm not sure what my problem is. (Note that chapped lips aren't on the list of skin changes with pregnancy, though I'm sure my massive hormone fluctuations have something to do with this issue.)

Regardless, I'm in love with all lip balms that include hydration other than the normal occlusives. This lip butter from C&E is living in the pocket of my jeans, and I can assure you it will be transferred to my pre-pregnancy jean pocket as well, as soon as I can fit into those.

This lip butter boasts Shea Butter as the first ingredient (acts as an emollient and humectant) and feels like a very thick hand cream rather than a lip balm. The shea butter (and the other moisturizing ingredients, things like castor seed oil, cocoa seed butter, lemon peel oil and sunflower oil) help to infuse lips with moisture before sealing them off from further damage. I love that the sweet lemony flavor isn't overwhelming or too medicinal, and there are a ton of other flavors as well.

Crabtree & Evelyn Lip Butters

MAC Jenius: Look Beyond the Blue Eyeshadows!

A great collection is coming out from MAC on March 3rd, and if you're anything like me, you're likely to overlook it. Why? Because the shadows look like blue jeans. I really think I would walk by the display in a store, see the fake rivet and think it looked neat, but ignore the rest of the display and move on. Which would be a mistake.

Read on to see how pretty this collection really is. I'll be sharing swatches over the next few days.

Around the Web

Don't forget to enter my Michael Todd Lip Amplifier Contest!

Don't forget that I'm a finalist in About.com's 2011 Reader's Choice Awards for Best Beauty Blogger! I'd really love it if you could run over there and vote! You can vote once a day.

Dr. Cynthia Bailey has some great tips on helping dry, chapped, painful hands. I've already added glycerin soap to my shopping list!

NeimanMarcus.com currently offers on-line Live Beauty Chat Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm CT, in which you can have beauty questions answered quickly and easily on their website (did you know that? I didn't, I think it's really great!) This week they're changing things around a little bit. On Tuesday, March 1 from 2-3 pm CT they will be conducting a Live Beauty Chat on Twitter! Submit your questions using the #NMbeauty hashtag and a NM Beauty Specialist a will in turn respond with the answers.

Have you ever wondered what you'll look like in 30 years? Rodan and Fields have just created an amazing Facebook App, the Age-O-Meter to show you! Simply take a web cam picture or upload an image and in less than a minute you'll see!

My friend Michelle from All Lacquered Up is going to be on Nail Talk Radio! I'm definitely going to be tuning in.

Gwyneth Paltrow posted about her French Drugstore Beauty Finds over on GOOP. Quite a few of them are now available in the US (I'm looking at you Avène Eau Thermale Water Spray that is currently sitting on my counter), but there are some finds that I've never heard of before. Now I want to schedule a trip to Paris just to buy everything on the list!

Sephora and NARS have a contest right now to win a trip to Fashion Week.

Revlon's Photo Ready Foundation: Is it Really a MUFE Dupe?

I've heard about this product for a long time. The Revlon Photo Ready foundation. Is it a dupe of the MUFE HD foundation? Or is it really worth the extra $20 or so to have the original?

Even before trying out the Revlon, I have to admit that I was a bit torn. I'm a cheap person. I love a bargain and I will seek them out like crazy. However, there are some things that I think are really worth splurging on, and foundation is one of them. I've just always done much better with more expensive foundations and tinted moisturizers.

Chanel Particuliere

Chanel

Britney Spears and Make Up For Ever

Have you seen the new Britney Spears video yet? Yes, I agree, the girl is a bit crazy. But, back in her pre-head shaving days, I loved me some Britney. She was amazing when she was on top of her game, and I think this new video is a throwback to those days. It's definitely fun and edgy and she once again looks amazing!

Read on for the video and a Make Up For Ever video on how to get her look.

NARS' New Illuminators

Have you seen the new Illuminators yet by NARS? I have the original in Orgasm and I can't wait to check out the new shades. $29 might sound a little steep, but a little does go a long way with this product, and I swear it's likely a lifetime supply.

The new shades will be Super Orgasm, Laguna and Copacabana. Copa is the one I'm most interested in, which one are you checking out first?

NARS' New Illuminators

Essie Looking for Love

Looking for love is a pretty light lilac color, but it is a PITA to get opaque. That is 6 thick coats right there, and it still isn't perfect.

Essie

Bobbi Brown's Peony & Python Collection

Bobbi Brown is releasing a new limited edition collection that I just had to share with you! I love the pinks and purples in this collection (mostly because they look great with brown eyes), and the grey is the perfect complement to "ground" the colors. There isn't shimmer galore, making these items more friendly to those of us over 25 (another reason to love Bobbi). I'm definitely going to be checking out this collection!

“The pinks and purples in this collection are inspired by peonies, my favorite flower. Peonies are lush, decadent and delicate — just like the colors in the limited palette. I’ve also incorporated grey, a color that was big on the runways this season. A great neutral, it’s totally versatile and a cool counterpoint to pink. And because I love accessories just as much as the next girl, I asked Tibi to design a makeup case to match.”
~Bobbi Brown

The Beauty Case ($40) is pictured above, and I love it! Read on to see what the actual make up looks like.

Zoya Gemma

Gemma is from Zoya's Intimate Collection. Though not apparent in any of the roughly 100 pictures I took of this shade, there is actually very subtle gold shimmer in this green.

Zoya Intimate Collection

Mommy Beauty: Addressing Post Partum Hair at the Salon

Today, George Gonzalez, Salon Owner of the George the Salon in Chicago has tips on how to cope with the post part partum hair blues! He has some great recommendations, some of which I've already done (I've gone closer to my natural brown), wear frequently (the pony tail) and have been thinking about doing (a long bob? Maybe...)

Bobs are the easiest and most stylish way to maintain a great look while pregnant or soon after giving birth. Bobs can be cut a few different ways in order to accentuate your best features or to minimize a fuller face during the later months of pregnancy. In general, choosing a shorter length will make life easier. If you prefer long hair, I recommend growing out some of your layers. Trying to keep the style as simple as possible is your best option. Some bangs or face framing will add some shape. It will also when your hair starts to grow back. After you stop nursing you will experience some hair loss, which is perfectly normal. Bangs help with that as well.

As for color, soon after receiving the great news that you are expecting, I recommend heading toward your natural color; as it is the easiest to maintain. You may not have the opportunity to get to the salon for months. If you are a blond, I recommend getting fewer highlights and staying away from base softeners. You may want to go natural all together.

For styling, high ponytails are easy and can be very stylish.

George the Salon

New Mommy Beauty: 3 Baby Products That Work Well for Beauty Needs

Today's post is from Nikkia of Silver Lips Beauty. I've been lucky enough to meet Nikkia a few times, and she really is one of the nicest people I've ever met. She looks perfect at all times (I'm not sure how she does this, I'm pretty jealous of this ability), loves music and has great swatch pictures on her blog. She's a pro makeup artist and her tips are always amazing!


I always get interesting stares from my friends and family when I prance myself onto the baby aisles at most stores. I have no babies yet but that aisle houses some of the best beauty products ever. Here are three of my all time favorite baby products that I love using on myself.

In no particular order:
• Baby Shampoo – this product is excellent for washing makeup brushes. If it’s gentle enough for a baby, it has to be gentle enough for our little beauty investments right?

• Baby Wipes- not only is this great for removing makeup, I’ve even used these to remove small foundation stains and mascara accidents. Another plus is that you get a bang for your buck, especially for new moms since these will always be on hand.

• And lastly good ole’ Vaseline – most new moms use Vaseline for a host of reasons from soothing diaper rash, cradle cap, teething pain to removing stickiness from the eyes. But a beauty junkie may be using this for slightly different reasons, like as a eyebrow sealant, or as a nightly beauty cream or even a hair grease. No matter the use babies and adults alike find hundreds of ways to make this centuries old product work.

What are some baby products you use for your beauty needs?

PS Diaper rash cream works wonders on dry patches in the winter ☺


Silver Lips Beauty

Pai Fragonia & Sea Buckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream

With a new baby in the house, in the middle of a cold midwest winter, you can bet that my hands are taking a real beating. I'm washing them like crazy, using hand sanitizer frequently and that's on top of my usual dried out winter hands from cold and lack of humidity. Yes, my hands are dry. My hands hurt.

To combat this I've been using hand lotion like crazy. My current pick is from Pai, an organic skin care company out of the UK. Pai's founder started the company after dealing with years of skin allergies. Their products are certified organic and have left out irritating ingredients like Alcohol, Propylene Glycol and Phenoxyethanol. I think this is great considering how often I'm using the stuff! The cream also features Fragonia & Sea Buckthorn, which help with inflammation and increase cell turnover.

The cream is really more of a heavy lotion that comes in an air tight pump (love this packaging!). It's a light tan color and has a light herbal scent that I love. It sinks right into my skin and I swear I can almost hear the skin sighing in relief! My skin is well hydrated after I use it, there's no greasy residue left behind and it lasts through a few hand washings.


Pai Fragonia & Seabuckthorn Instant Hand Therapy Cream

China Glaze Below Deck

China Glaze

A Quick Tip for Soft Feet!

Today's new mommy tip is definitely one of those tips that will work great for any one, and it is one I never would have thought of myself. It comes from Romy, of Romy Raves. Romy not only a very busy beauty blogger, but she co-owns a very successful marketing research and consulting firm and on top of all that is mom to a 7 year old son. I'm tired just thinking about everything she does! If anyone has great (and fast) beauty tips, it is Romy!


Here’s my tip for either swollen pregnant feet or very dry feet: At night before bed, wipe down both feet with a Stridex Pad (super cheap, slightly cooling, you can find it at any drugstore and they contain Salicylic Acid which is great for exfoliation). After you have really wiped each foot well, slather your feet with favorite foot cream (I am loving QTICA’s thick rich Foot Repair Balm during these dry winter months), put on a cute and cozy pair of socks and wake up in the morning with soft, happy & hydrated feet!

Romy Raves

Win it! Michael Todd Lip Amplifier

Tomorrow morning the sample sale site Modnique will be starting their Michael Todd Cosmetics sale. To celebrate they are offering a little contest to 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic readers!

The prize is the lip gloss above, Michael Todd Lip Amplifier in Love Story, which I think looks amazing!

Lip Amplifier is a moisturizing plumping lip gloss infused with revolutionary technology to plump lips. Tiny collagen micro spheres are instantly absorbed by the lips which create a mild swelling of the lips. The result is fuller, smoother, perfectly plumped lips in seconds.

To win you'll need to enter in the widget (don't comment, suddenly people are commenting, this won't enter you in the contest) AND you need to "Like" Modnique on Facebook. The button is below to make this super easy!




Open to the US only, sorry international readers!

Modnique
Michael Todd Cosmetics

Prize is being supplied by Modnique

The Item You Need This Spring: A Bright Gloss!

Today's post is from my friend Henna, over at Canadian Beauty. I met Henna about 18 months ago at a blogging event in New York, and I felt an instant connection to her. She is smart and funny with just the right amount of sarcasm. We ran around SoHo and shopped (she even put up with me wanting to go to every Marc Jacobs store and barely buying a thing), and I really wish I could see her like this every year!


If you invest in just one item, let it be a brightly coloured lipgloss.

This spring, my go-to is Nars' Angelika Lip Gloss. This is a bright candy-floss coloured gloss that is sheer enough to work with pretty much anything. It's going to be a gentle addition of colour to your face, and will instantly make you look more awake and refreshed. It's also cool-toned so it's going to make your teeth look whiter! And since this is a gloss and not a lipstick, you can throw it in your purse and apply it without even looking into the mirror.

Be fabulous this Spring without even trying.

Canadian Beauty
Nars' Angelika Lip Gloss

Chanel Pearl Drop Nail Polish

This nail polish really does look like the surface of a (real) pearl. There is amazing gold shimmer and shine (the gold is more pronounced in real life, this is the best that I could capture it), I think only Chanel could capture this in a nail polish. It is a bit deceiving in the bottle and images as I think this polish is actually warm toned, not the cool you would think a white polish is. As well, it is surprisingly opaque, I only needed 2 coats for full coverage.

Chanel Pearl Drop Nail Polish

Crazy on the Couch

A new show is coming soon, and it's perfect for those of us that are beauty addicts (and especially if you love nail polish, like me!) Crazy on the Couch is about a female psychologist who is obsessed with her nails and makeup (sounds like me!) Even when she is interviewing her patients she is using her IPad to check out the latest colors, what color she will choose next, making her next appointment etc. Even her office shelves have decor centered around nail polish. Many of her scenes will be filmed in a nail salon. The series will air on both traditional networks as well as through Netflix and Hulu.

I'll be checking it out, what about you?

Crazy on the Couch

Zoya Stacy

I'm a sucker for dark berry shades!

Zoya Stacy

Around the Web

Don't forget that I'm a finalist in About.com's 2011 Reader's Choice Awards for Best Beauty Blogger! I'd really love it if you could run over there and vote! You can vote once a day.

Beauty Ticket.com is giving away a $500 shopping spree! Enter your best Red Carpet Beauty Video Tutorial, you have until 2/25 to enter.

Gloria of DivaShop reviews & swatches 3 $1 e.l.f. eyeshadow quads.

Megan from Painted Ladies talks about Maybelline's Great Lash and other beauty pet peeves.

Phyrra has partnered with Apothica for a giveaway! Go enter!

A Touch of Blusher reviews RMK's spring 2011 makeup collection.

Cinnamon Kitten tests the herbal waters with a review of Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Shampoo & Conditioner.

Jeweled Thumb looks at one of the most peculiar NYFW trends of the week Caviar just isn't for eating.