SEPHORA FAVORITES

Sometimes, there are just too many options. For some, walking into Sephora can feel like a dizzying experience. So much makeup, so many choices! Sephora has created the perfect holiday gift to give or receive: deluxe sets of their favorite products! Choose from mascaras, eye liners, lippies, basic makeup... and get a wonderful assortment of said products from a variety of cosmetic brands for a fraction of the price. Let Sephora do the guessing work for you and if you leave this experience without finding your favorite new mascara, lippy or liner, then, well, maybe makeup isn't meant for you!

For example, the mascara sampler kit ($40.00 - $140.00 value) contains 10 of Sephora's most sought after mascaras all in mini sizes. Try each and every one of them until you find the one that works best for you.

You get:
- 0.31 oz Too Faced LashLight Mascara in Black (full size)
- 0.11 oz Josie Maran GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara in Pitch Black
- 0.1 oz Tarte MultiplEYE Clinically-Proven Lash Enhancing Mascara in Black
- 0.1 oz Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara in Black
- 0.141 oz Blinc Kiss Me Mascara in Black
- 0.207 Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Mascara in Black
- 0.20 oz Buxom Lash Mascara in Blackest Black
- 0.14 oz Benefit BADgal Lash Mascara in Black
- 0.09 oz Sephora Collection Advanced Lash Booster in Black
- 0.16 oz Hourglass Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara in Onyx
- Tarte Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler

Or for the lippie collection, you'll have the opportunity to try 10 of Sephora's favorite lip glosses ($40.00 - $134.00 value).

- 0.14 oz Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Tease
- 0.1 oz Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Sex Pot
- 0.23 oz Sephora Collection Super Shimmer in Pink Ballerina
- 0.23 oz Sephora Collection Super Shimmer in Rusted Rose
- 0.09 oz Tarte Vitamin-Infused Lipgloss in 40 Winks
- 0.10 oz Cover FX Mint Glaze Lip Gloss
- 0.11 oz Lorac Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss in Cliché
- 0.14 oz Smashbox Lip Enhancing Gloss in Radiant
- 0.1 oz/0.11 oz Tarte Rise & Shine Lip Gloss and Stain in Cherry
- 0.15 oz Buxom Lips in Roxanne

It's like a buffet of makeup. Try it out, find your flavor... go back for seconds. In this case, the actual full size product!

ENDLESS SUMMER: tarte Beauty in a Box for Sephora

Although we can’t bottle up the summer sun for a rainy day, tarte has figured out a way to at least box up a bit of sun kissed beauty with their Sephora-exclusive Beauty in a Box: Bronze Smoky Eye ($45).

When I heard about the collection I thought it sounded like a great way to hang on to that summer glow just a bit longer. But when it arrived from our friends at tarte, I was thrilled to see it was also filled with some favorites suitable for any season.

All tarte products are free of parabens, phtalates, sulfates, petrochemicals and synthetics, and this set of six eco-chic products are all waterproof, water resistant or long-lasting formulas. The collection includes a deluxe-size lights, camera, splashes! – the waterproof version of their INCREDIBLE lights, camera, lashes! mascara. Also in a smaller, throw-in-your-luggage/purse size is park avenue princess bronzing powder that works well with all skin tones.

The other four items are FULL SIZE (this adds up to $112 worth of product for under fifty bucks). For a bit of fun, tarte has created a summer-inspired take on the traditional charcoal smoky eye by giving it a bronze twist. Following their step-by-step instructions, you can create the look using lock & roll 12-hour shadow in burnt bronze, and EmphasEYES waterproof shadow/liner in plum. I’m a bit of a klutz when it comes to the whole smoky eye look, but the ease of control with this shadow and liner makes it’s virtually goof proof. And it’s a fun take on the sultry classic.

The clean slate natural face primer, and rise and shine lip gloss and stain in nude are perfect day or night. The stain is essentially like their brilliant cheek stains only in a tube. Wear the stain alone for a hint of color, or add a layer of gloss for a bit more shine. And the primer is incredible and long-lasting without harsh chemicals.

The set is available for a limited time at Sephora stores and online at sephora.com. 

xo alex.

Sephora by OPI Nail Wraps

To wear or not to wear... Nail sheets with pritns on them! Would your claws approve? Sephora and OPI are hoping you say YES, as their collaboration has just launched CHIC, an innovative line, which creates customized nails, featuring a myriad of patterns and prints including anchor, stars, checkers, tiger, fishnet, chrome lace, black & gold geometric, or skulls.

My friend Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia was sporting some fierce design on her nails. She said they were some new form of manicure - not polish - but a wrap that sticks to the nail. Interest piqued, I decided to investigate online.  That's when I stumbled across Chic Print for Nails.

Personally, I'm having a flashback: colored Lee Press-On Nails. Oy.

How to use:

"One set of Chic Print for Nails contains 16 nail patches of varying widths, for a one-time application to fingers or toes. The nail patch is a solid-film material with an adhesive back that is heat activated. Applying heat creates conformability, allowing the patch to fit over the compound curves of your nails and seal onto the nail bed. The patent-pending material removes easily with heat."

As trends go, this is yet another way to accessorize the claws. But I like it... it's got pizazz. And if their number of facebook friends means anything (1,234), these nails are the new "it" manicure must-have!

PRICE TAG: $15.00 for a set.

Has anyone tried them? Do they work?

tarte+Sephora = the gift that keeps on giving

As I wrote last week, tarte has come up with some brilliant holiday gift sets. And here’s the most spectacular one of all, the treasure chest. Their annual gift palette is back but this time with 30% more green goodness. Not only would it make a fabulous gift but it is the end-all to any excuses that it costs a fortune to green your beauty routine. The tarte treasure chest, exclusive to Sephora, retails for $52 but contains $686 worth of eco-gorgeous beauty.

The bejeweled box contains an amazing 16 new shimmering eyeshadows, 16 new matte eyeshadows, 16 brand new tarte lip gloss hues, 4 new powder blushes, a pale pink luminizer and mineral powder bronzer in the very flattering park ave princesss.

This box of eco-loveliness does not contain a single paraben, phtalate, sulfate or synthetic ingredient. Everything is also gluten, glycol, talc and cruelty free.

The palette is so diverse it’s got everything for those who want to follow the trends as well as those who favor a more classic look. Just grab some mascara and a few brushes and you’re set to go!

The limited edition set is only available at Sephora stores and online at www.sephora.com. xo alex.

THINK PINK - Part Three

Okay, so I thought this would be my final post on eco-friendly Breast Cancer Awareness Month greatness but there is simply so much out there I'll be back with a few more posts next week. Today I have a fabulous collection of organizations to share, all benefiting from the philanthropy of companies that we love here at Beauty Banter.

My friend Debbie recently became a rep for Avon (announcing it with the clip from Edward Scissorhands when Avon came a’calling) in part because of their commitment to women’s health. To date they have donated over $585 million to cancer research and education and as part of BCA Month, Avon has created the Breast Cancer Crusade Moisturizing Bar Soap ($4), a grapefruit-scented face and body bar, along with a collection of great items including a reusable tote from Marimekko ($10). 100% (yes, 100%) of net profits benefit the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade and Avon Foundation for Women (all orders are made through Avon reps, so the link above will take you to Debbie’s site to shop. If you already have your own Avon rep, contact them directly to shop for the cause).

Boscia Skin Care is supporting the Love/Avon Army of Women, which seeks to recruit one million healthy women of all ages and ethnicities, breast cancer survivors and those at high-risk, to partner in research that will one day lead to the cure." For every package of the limited edition Boscia Rose Blotting Linens ($10) 10% will benefits Dr. Love's foundation to “accelerate our understanding of what causes breast cancer and how to end it.”

KORRES announces they’ve “Gone Pink” to support the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. While shopping you not only give to research but you save at the same time. All month long shopping at the KORRES site, selected “Pink Products” including body butters, shower gels and makeup will be 20% off AND 10% of proceeds benefit the NBCCF.

They’re also using this wonderful cause to introduce three new value sets called Lip Kits for the Cure. Available in Radiant Red, Perfect Pink and Naturally Nude, they retail for $19.50 but contain between $48 and $54 worth of KORRES Color lipsticks, liners and glosses. 10% of proceeds go to the NBCCF. As will 10% of the price of pink-ribboned giftwrap if you decide to pick up presents while you're there.

KORRES GIVEAWAY: through October 14th get a free Quince 50ml body butter for every purchase of $25 or more.

Sephora has created several limited edition items for the month of October to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. $1 from the sale of each paraben free Super Shimmer Lip Gloss in Forever Pink and BCA Pink Eyelash Curler ($16) benefit the BCRF. The BCA Refillable Powder Brush ($21) is a retractable, natural hair brush perfect for filling with your favorite mineral makeup or loose powder. $2 from the sale of each brush goes to the BCRF. Available online and in stores.

Website Beauty.com has created a unique month-long promo to benefit Cancer and Careers, which offers support and resources to women with cancer in the workforce. Over thirty brands have chosen items to benefit the CAC, including FRESH Sugar Lip, L’Occitane Shea Butter, Caudalie Moisturizing Cream-Mask, Bliss fatgirlscrub, and Remede Intensive Double Serum. Check out the Beauty.com CAC link here for the whole list of products.

If you’re not sure what you want but know you’ll hit the makeup counter soon, check out Bloomingdale’s Little Pink Gift Cards (they’re redeemable as gift cards in any part of the store). Designed by New Yorker illustrator and Cancer Vixen author Marissa Acocello Marchetto, the gift cards come in any denomination from $10 to $10,000. 10% of the card’s value goes to the BCRF, and if you spend more than the card’s value when you redeem it, 10% of any overage will also be donated. Little Pink Gift Cards are available through the end of the year at stores and online.

CONTEST FOR THE CAUSE: Bloomingdales Little Pink Bag Sweepstakes is giving away ten Little Pink Bloomies Bags with over $800 in beauty products from Bobbi Brown, Clinique, DKNY, Donna Karan, Estée Lauder, Jo Malone, Lab Series, La Mer and Prescriptives. And for every new email subscriber who enters, they’ll donate a $1 to the BCRF. Good luck!

Have a great weekend! xo alex.

Spring Ahead - Expert Color Tips

Spring is here (well, almost - but it sure feels like it)! An extra hour of daylight, sun, short-shorts and beautiful new hues!

We decided to ask an expert what makeup colors - and looks - we should rock this Spring.

Sephora's Pro Beauty Team Expert and winner of the Sephora MVP Pro Challenge, Sara Biria, gave Beauty Banter an **exclusive interview** on all things Spring (she dishes out some fab tips!).


Here's what Sara had to say:

What is the overall spring color palette?
The overall spring color palette includes bright natural tones as well as romantic pastels. Greens, light pinks and oranges are very popular this season - shades that are not too bright or too soft.
For lips, it’s all about bright and matte or glossy and neutral, which is great because these colors will work well with any skin tone.

What will be the makeup focal point this Spring?
The focus this spring is to create balance all over. You want to highlight and add definition to the eyes using soft colors. Adding a nice pop of pastel fusion color on the cheeks will create a nice balance and soften your look. To complete the look, apply either a bright lip color or high shine lip gloss.

What are specific Spring trends and how can this translate into the real world?
This spring it’s all about enhancing your beauty by keeping the makeup natural, yet still defining your features. Keep eyebrows and eyes soft by staying away from harsh liner as well as too much color. Keep the skin clean and fresh, but don’t be afraid to try a bold lip color since the rest of your look is soft and natural.

5 must-have Spring products are…
1. Sephora Moroccan Eyeshadow Palette (pictured) - This color palette not only gives you the option to wear a day look, it also allows you to create the perfect night look. The colors are versatile so anyone can wear them.
2. Spring nails are as important as your spring make-up. You can update your nail collection with the five new candy shades from Sephora by OPI Digital Diva Collection.
3. YSL's Pure Coral is a prefect shade for anyone who wants that extra pop. The gloss also comes fabulous shades of pink, orange and beige neutral.
4. Kat Von D for Sephora's bright tone liquid liners
5. Kat Von D For Sephora's high pigmented lipsticks.

Finally, you should never leave home without...
…something for your lips, whether it’s a lip gloss or lipstick. You also want to make sure to have a highlighter with you, like the Touche Clat from YSL or the Ohh la lift from Benefit. A highlighter can instantly pick you up and refresh the skin - great to use under the eyes, on the bridge of the nose and the chin.

Thanks, Sara!

P.S. I'm dying to try the OPI Digital Diva Collection... anyone sporting the hues?

Have a Spring color question? Ask in the comment section below and we'll get it answered asap!

The Sephora Project

Being a beauty whore means indulging in lavish products, dreaming of MAC lip glosses and Tarte cheek stains, having a bathroom stocked with everything from body butters to Anastasia tweezers. Being a beauty whore means having the nearest Sephora on speed-dial because, after all, in a beauty bind, you can always count on Sephora to get you out of a jam.

I've had a loving relationship with Sephora for many, many years and nothing makes me happier then walking through those massive glass doors, into a room filled with beautiful things that, in turn, make me a more beautiful person - on the outside, of course.

Well, Sephora is about to make us more beautiful on the inside too! The Sephora Project is a "new initiative created to educate and empower women and girls whose mission, like Sephora’s, is to make the world a more beauty-full place."

Launching just in time for the Holiday Season, Sephora's new change purse and tote bag are gifts that give back. One hundred percent (that's right - all of it) of the profits from both items will be donated to Girls For A Change: a national organization that empowers girls to create social change. That’s $6 ($12.00 to purchase) from each bag, and $3 ($5.00 to purchase) from each change purse that goes toward the cause.

change purse

tote bag

The fashionable tote bag is made from recycled bottles that have been crushed and spun into fibers - so not only does the money go to a good cause, but you're helping to save the environment as well! This is a win-win-win!!!

Help the company that has helped you stay beautiful on the outside to give back and, by doing so, you'll be helping yourself stay beautiful on the inside too.

Buy in bulk (like you do those Lancome mascaras) - these goodies are the perfect Holiday gift!

Sephora's Best Of 2008.... The Winners!

Every year, Sephora does a Best Of competition where thousands of beauty addicts can log in and vote on their fave beauty products. The ones that garner the most votes receive the coveted "Best of Sephora" seal of approval (see below).


Here are the winners of this year's Best of Sephora 2008:

CULT FAVORITE MUST- HAVE
Urban Decay Primer Potion ($16) – A necessity in any beauty guru’s arsenal, this eyelid primer keeps shadow from doing a disappearing act. Keeps shadow from smudging or creasing all day and night.

BIGGEST BEAUTY BREAKTHROUGH
O-GLOSS Intuitive Lip Gloss With Goji Berry-C Complex™ ($22) – A perfect pink of your very own, this gloss reacts with your personal skin chemistry to transform from clear into your custom shade. The innovative formula is packed with an exclusive Goji Berry-C Complex™, ginkgo biloba, and pomegranate seed antioxidants along with revitalizing marine botanicals and moisturizing avocado oil for lustrous shine.

BEST NATURAL WONDER
Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk ($12 – $18) – This lightweight hair lotion is made with essential oil of lemongrass to stimulate natural oil production and hydrate strands. Infused with a splash of lily of the valley fragrance in a rich base of oils, shea butter, cocoa butter, and vitamins E and C, Hair Milk is ideal for defining natural curls and giving hair shine and bounce.

COMPLEXION CHAMPIONS
Best Concealer
Bare Escentuals i.d. bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Face ($18) – This miracle concealer covers dark circles and skin imperfections for a truly flawless complexion.

Best Foundation
Bare Escentuals i.d. bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation ($25) – Swirl, Tap, Buff! Made of only pure, crushed minerals from the earth, bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation looks like a powder, feels like a cream and buffs on like silk providing a natural luminosity and feels as if you are not wearing any makeup at all.

Best Powder
Bare Escentuals Mineral Veil ($19) – For the ultimate, translucent "finishing touch" to your makeup, Mineral Veil melts into your skin, infusing it with softness and light as it gently absorbs oil and minimizes the appearance of lines and pores.

Best Primer **Beauty Banter Fave**
Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer ($36- $42) – Create the perfect canvas for your makeup. This silky primer smoothes and perfects skin as it fills in fine lines and pores.

Best Tinted Moisturizer **Beauty Banter Fave**
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer ($42) – Get glowing with this sheer, lightweight moisturizer which contains SPF 20 sunscreen and a hint of color for radiant looking skin.

EXCEPTIONAL EYES
Best Eyeliner
Smashbox Cream Eyeliner ($22) – Smashbox’s signature cream liner goes on best with a brush, for a beautiful, smudge proof lash line.

Best Eyeshadow
Smashbox Eye Shadow Trio ($28) – These versatile, perfectly coordinated shadow trios take the guesswork out of the picture-perfect, three-color eye.

Best Mascara
Dior DiorShow Mascara ($23) – Lash-out with this super volumizing, lengthening, and curling mascara that promise bat-worthy eyes.

PERFECT POUTS
Best Lip Gloss
Nars Lip Gloss ($23) – Gloss on and on. This highly pigmented lip color goes on smoothly for pout-popping shine.

Best Lipstick
Nars Lipstick ($23) – Enriched with vitamin E, this lipstick promises satin-looking lips with color that stays true.

CHEEK CONQUERORS
Best Blush **Beauty Banter Fave**
Nars Blush ($25) – Dust cheeks with translucent and natural shades for the perfect flush.

Best Bronzer
Benefit Cosmetics Boxed Powder Collection ($28) – For a sun-kissed, goddess style glow, try one of these radiant powders.

SUPER SKINCARE
Best Eye Treatment
Kinerase Intensive Eye Cream ($59) – Go easy on the eyes with this gentle, non-irritating formula that works to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve the tone and texture around the delicate area.

Best Face Cleanser
Philosophy Purity Made Simple ($10-$32) – This high-powered, one-step facial cleanser rapidly dissolves dirt and makeup for a deep clean that leaves skin feeling radiant and refreshed.

Best Face Moisturizer
Philosophy Hope in a Jar ($15- $38) – There’s always hope for healthy, radiant skin. This therapeutic daily facial moisturizer creates a rosy, glowing complexion.

Best Skin Savior
Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask ($52) – Perfect for anyone whose complexion is looking lackluster, this burst of oxygen delivers the vitamins needed to bring skin back to life.

Best Zit Zapper
Bare Escentuals RareMinerals™ Blemish Therapy ($28) – This treatment combines the non-irritating, exfoliating properties of 100% pure RareMinerals™ concentrate with the acne-fighting benefits of natural sulfur to treat acne and blemishes while preventing future breakouts from forming. Perfect for all skin types.

BEST BATH & BODY
Best Body Cleanser
Philosophy Amazing Grace Bath, Shampoo & Shower Gel ($22) – Bath at its best. This three-in-one bath, shampoo, and shower gel is scented with the lovely Grace fragrance.

Best Body Moisturizer
Philosophy Amazing Grace Firming Body Emulsion ($34- $41) – A toning body moisturizer that helps to purify, moisturize, and revitalize dry and aged skin with a unique blend of antioxidants and vitamins E and C.

HAIR HEROES
Best Tress Refresher
Ojon Rub Out Dry Cleanser ($10 - $24) – This cleanser instantly "erases" impurities, toxins, excess oil, and product build-up, while increasing hair volume at the root and treating the hair and scalp.

Best Tress Tamer
Frédéric Fekkai Glossing Cream ($20 - $27.50) – A leave in cream that boosts shine and repairs styling damage, while shielding hair from UV rays.

SAFEST SUN
Best Sunscreen
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Cream SPF 55 PA+++ ($33) – Highly nourishing, this cream formula provides defense against powerful UVA/UVB rays and is formulated with the retexturizing ingredient Xylitol to keep skin looking soft and healthy.

FRAGRANCE FAVES
Best Fragrance For Her
Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue ($30 - $80) – A stunning perfume with the liveliness of Sicilian citron, the happiness of Granny Smith apple, the spontaneity of bluebells, the intensity of jasmine, the freshness of bamboo, the charm of white rose, the character of cedar wood, the fullness of amber, and the embrace of musk.

Best Fragrance For Him
Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme ($16-$67.50) – A resolutely masculine fragrance born from the sea, the sun, the earth, and the breeze of a Mediterranean island.

TOP TOOLS
Best Tool
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler ($19) – The mother of all eyelash curlers, this iconic beauty tool delivers the perfect curl with the ultimate precision.

And that's all, folks!

These aren't OUR personal faves, these are the Sephora picks via all of their beauty voters!

But remember, Beauty Banter is conducting our very own Best of Summer 2008... SO VOTE!!!

Sephora Body Butter

Whipped to perfection, Body Butter moisturizes, nourishes, soothes and refreshes. I love body butters - all smells, all shapes and sizes. I'm always on the hunt for the new, creamiest butters! So, on a recent jaunt to Sephora, I stumbled across these colorful tubs of --- body butter!!! They looked like rainbow saucers - bright green, neon pink, stop-light yellow - and they smelled like exotic fruits and flowers. I had to try them all!

The Sephora brand Body Butters are God-sent. A little piece of heaven every time you moisturize. The butter is ultra rich, absorbs quickly without leaving a greasy residue, yet it keeps the skin smooth and hydrated all day long!

By far, my favorite scent is the coconut cream one. It's literally like ripping apart the fresh fruit. It's rich potent smell lingers on my skin for hours on end (a mixture of cocounut milk, roasted almonds, Hawaiian honey, vanilla mousse and musks). Complete strangers have literally approached me with my favorite opener ever: "You smell good enough to eat!" David Beckham can say that to me ALL day long!

I also enjoy the peach blossom scent. It's a combination of sweet Georgia peaches, Hawaiian honey, ginger, raspberry and lychee. This excotic aroma is absolutely intoxicating. It's sweet and pungent and goes perfectly with my tropical-themed roll-on perfumes!

The Body Butters come in 12 delicious scents (like Morning Waterlily, Tangerine Grapefruit, and Tropical Jasmine) with 2 more on the way: and Apple PomegranateVanilla Cupcake.... I'll let you know if they live up to their potential!

The butters remind me of The Body Shop Body Butters - rich in texture and scent as well. The Body Shop Body Butters are a bit pricier (Body Shop is $20.00 for 6.9 fl oz., Sephora is $16.00 for 6.7 fl oz.) and, besides, I dig the colorful packaging of Sephora more (they really stand out in my sea of bath products!). I also believe the Sephora butter lasts longer on my skin!

Have you tried both body butters? Which one do you like prefer?

Sephora Celebrates 10 Years!

Although we weren't able to attend the fabulous fete (we were in Los Angeles), our dear friend Mike Satsky (whose company, Hi-Fi Marketing Group, threw the party) gave us an inside look at the glamorous soiree!

(top, from left: Kat Von D, Natasha Bedingfield/
bottom, from left: Ashanti, Charlotte Ronson and Kelly Osbourne)

As many of you know, Sephora had a rocking party for their ten year anniversary! Held in New York at the Angel Orensanz Foundation on July 17, the place was literally transformed into a beauty palace! With special performances by Natasha Bedingfield and Ashanti, guests not only got to groove to hip tunes, they also got to (GASP!) make their own goodie bags!!!!


Here's where I become extremely jealous... little Sephora stores (like the one above) were set-up all over the venue and guests were able to pick and choose what items they wanted for their personal Sephora bags!

The products that were available are:

• Anastasia: Brow Enhancing Serum
• Anthony Logistics Shave Creams
• Armani Aqua Di Gio
• BE: 500 units of Small Pure Radiance
• Benefit: 500 Deluxe Benetint
• Bieux Skin Power Life & Repair Serum
• Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash
• Boscia Moisturizing SPF
• CK: 500 mini lip gloss in Cream and 500 mini lipstick in Naïveté with a little black bag
• CoverFx: 500 Skinprep FX samples
• Dior samples
• Dr. Brandt Micordermabrasion
• DuWop: 500 Prime Venom Samples
• Fresh Sugar Lychee Shower Gel
• Hourglass: Extreme Sheen deluxe samples
• Juice Beauty Cleansing Milk
• Juicy Couture samples
• Kenzo
• Korres Yogurt Cooling gels
• Lancome samples
• Laura Geller Matte Baked Sugar Free Eyeshadow
• Liz Claiborne samples
• LORAC: 500 Deluxe samples of Perfectly Lit.
• L'Oreal samples
• Murad Eye Cream
• Narcisco samples
• Nude Cleansing Facial Oil
• Perfekt: Skin Perfection
• Peter Thomas Roth Botanical Beads
• Philosophy samples
• Smashbox: Travel Primer
• Stila: Stila Lip Glaze in Hollyberry
• Tarte: 500 deluxe lights, camera, lashes!
• Too Faced: Full Size Lash Injection
• Urban Decay samples
• Zirth samples

How fun! How genius! What a fantastic way to celebrate beauty!

Happy 10th Birthday, Sephora (you're in double digits now)!!!

If you could make your very own goodie-bag with the products listed above, what would you choose? Tell us below, in the comment box!

LASH STASH by SEPHORA

The Lash Stash is a collection of Sephora's top-selling mascaras (7, to be exact), travel-size (all black), in the convenience of a single set. It's being hailed as the "sampler set." Test drive a new mascara every day of the week until you find your must-have!

We LOVE this concept... only problem.... they left out some of the BEST mascaras! Like Fresh's Supernova and Tarte's Lights, Camera, Lashes - both sold at Sephora! SIGH!

Here are the brands that you DO get in the sampler set:
Benefit A Little Bit BADgal Lash in Black
Blinc Kiss Me Mascara in Black
LORAC Publicity Stunt Lashes in Black
Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Black
Stila Multi-Effect Mascara in Black
Sephora Brand Lash Plumper in Black
Too Faced Lash Injection in Black.

We're feeling like this would make a fab gift for anyone who is mascara-obsessed!!!

PRICE TAG: $50.00 for the set of 7 sample sizes

Sun and Fun from SEPHORA

Sephora is any beauty whore's favorite retreat. To think, an entire store, stocked with wonderful beauty products from a foot cream to a lip gloss to a hair masque. Ahhh, how I love it there!
Well, Sephora has just launched an incredible Sun Safety Kit for when you actually go on a real vacation (not just to the mall...)
For $22.00, you get the best trial versions of sun care products from an array of various beauty companies. And, because we here at beauty banter love sustainable beauty, let us not forget that 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of this kit, $18.23 to be exact, will go to the skin cancer foundation. How could you not lend your support!!!

I've already ordered three kits!

Each kit includes:

Bliss Sunban Face SPF 30+
Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Eye Contour Care SPF 30
Cosmedicine Global Health Face SPF 30
DDF Glossy Lip Therapy SPF 15.
Juice Beauty SPF 15 Tinted Lip Moisturizer in Playful
Korres Natural Products Watermelon Sunscreen Face Cream SPF 30
Murad Waterproof Sunblock SPF 30
Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer All Day Defense Moisture Lotion SPF 30

Come on, helping others actually helps yourself!!!

Santa Wishes From a Fellow Beauty Whore...

Dearest darling Santa,
The holidays always send me down memory lane. And looking through old photographs reality sank in: no matter how good I am, you're not bringing me back the skin I had when I was six. To cope with this harsh truth, please stuff your sleigh with a year's supply of MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Face Peel in those clever travel packs (so my skin will glow no matter the time zone) and throw in a few bottles of Smashbox Photo Finish with Dermaxyl, which leaves my skin as silky as the original but now fights wrinkles and has an SPF 15 (see how good I am?). Living in the arctic you know dry skin, so out of sympathy fill my stocking with Rosebud Salve, Mustela Hydra Stick, and Nars Balancing Moisture Lotion. And I you can't forget Korres conditioner for dry hair. Tis the season for dry ends. Then indulge me a little with Tarte Cheek Stain in Flush and Delux Beauty gloss in Asher so that even in sunny Los Angeles, I can look like I just came in from the cold.

Fa la la de dah,
Alexandra

Alex

Here is where I have bought my stuff (and it seems everything is available at Sephora so I should start one-stop shopping):
MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Face Peel - MD Skincare, nordstrom, sephora
Smashbox Photo Finish with Dermaxyl - bloomingdales
Rosebud Salve - Sephora, bath and body works
Mustela Hydra Stick - Fred Segal Beauty, Bath and Body Works
Nars Balancing Moisture Lotion - Neiman Marcus, Sephora
Korres conditioner for dry hair - Bath and Body Works, Sephora
Tarte Cheek Stain in Flush - Sephora, Nordstrom
Delux Beauty lip gloss in Asher - sephora NEVER has it so I buy it up when they do. In part because I love the color and because Asher is my middle name!

Thanks to Alex for sharing her blissful beauty wishes... and please, tell us what you'd like Santa to bring this Holiday season!