Most Meaningful Moment of 2011

 
This holiday season, Meaningful Beauty asked a few top beauty bloggers/vloggers to share one meaningful moment from 2011. A few weeks ago, my BFF (blogging friend forevs), Amber Katz, tagged me in her Meaningful Moment video - so now it's my turn to share. And to top things off, Meaningful Beauty is generously donating $100 to the charity of my choice. So thank you to Amber for tagging me and to Meaningful Beauty for sponsoring such an awesome campaign.

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It Cosmetics Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil

For the past few years, when it comes to eyebrow products, I have been in a monogamous relationship with Diorshow Brow Styler Ultra-Fine Precision Brow Pencil. I've never been brow endowed (the gene skipped me and went to my younger sister), and the Diorshow pencil has served me well. The only issue I ever had with the DiorShow was its staying power. 99% of the time, it's fine and the pigment stays put. But if it's sweltering and I start sweating, it doesn't last (literally) a hot minute.

So what's a sweaty, follicularly-challenged gal to do? Call up QVC, that's what.

You see, QVC sells a fabulous product from It Cosmetics called the Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil. It's truly universal because it transforms and adjusts to all brow hair colors. Apply lighter, softer strokes to match lighter color hair, including blonde and silver. Press harder for darker hair, including medium brown to black. As a finishing touch, lightly brush through brows with the spooly brush for a natural, polished look. A full brow-lift instruction diagram is included with each pencil.

The oval shaped tip creates a natural looking, believable brow and is perfect for both thin and thick brows. And an exclusive "Brow Enhancing Complex" uses a patent-pending blend of cutting-edge ingredients to target the look of brow hair loss, and helps restore your brow hair follicles - promoting the look of healthy hair growth and health.

But the best thing about this pencil is its staying power. It's water- and smudge-proof. So even if it's so hot that your face is melting off - like that evil dude from Raiders of The Lost Ark (left), your eyebrows will stay put.

And for every Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil sold, It Cosmetics gives one to Look Good...Feel Better, an American Cancer Society program that teaches female cancer patients beauty tips to look better and feel good about how they look during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

While the product isn't exclusive to QVC, you get more bang for your buck buying from them. One Brow Power Universal Eyebrow Pencil retails for $24, but at QVC, you can get two for $31.82...or one Brow Power Pencil plus a highlighting pencil for just $26.34.

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GAP Give & Get 2011: 30% Off Coupon

Yesterday, I made a killing at Banana Republic - all in the name of charity.

You see, right now, GAP is having its Give & Get program. You get 30% off your ENTIRE purchase at GAP, GAP Outlet, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Banana Republic Factory Stores - and GAP will donate 5% of what you spend to a nonprofit organization.

Yesterday, I stocked up on some chic spring essentials, including:

You, too, can simultaneously get your shop on and support a worthy cause. Here's a printable coupon, good through Sunday, March 20, 2011.

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Beauty Bloggers For Charity

This holiday season, shop some pretty products that make you more beautiful - inside and out...

BeautyBloggers.org is the collaboration of almost 50 beauty bloggers (I'm one!) and brands. In the spirit of the holidays, we wanted to make a meaningful contribution to charity - knowing that the most effective donation to any charity is cash.


So we’re putting our makeup on the auction block. Covetable items include products from Aveda, Benefit, Bobbi Brown, Caudalie, Chanel, China Glaze, CoverGirl, Dior, Essie, Estee Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Lancome, MAC, OPI, Philosophy, Stila, Tarte, Urban Decay and many more!

Winning bids will be donated directly to Doctors Without Borders.

BeautyBloggers.org is the brainchild of fellow blogger and swatch queen, Karla Sugar. "We’re raising money for Doctors Without Borders because women are always disproportionately affected in any disaster. This organization is committed to bringing quality medical care to people in crisis, regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. They treat rape victims in Papua New Guinea; they make sure women don’t die in childbirth in Pakistan; they helped flood victims in Mexico and earthquake victims in Haiti. They work in 65 countries around the world, and your donation will make an immediate impact."

The auction is live now, and will close on Monday, December 20 at 5 pm CST.

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Kim Kardashian Rollerball Competition for Breast Cancer Awareness

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness, Kim Kardashian is inviting her most trusted advisors - her fans - to help her design the look of the new rollerball edition of her signature fragrance, debuting this October. Participants will have one week to create and submit a design inspired by Kim to kimsrollerball@gmail.com.

Kim will then choose the top three designs, which will be displayed on Kim's website, and her fans will vote on their favorite. The winning design will launch at select retailers in October 2010. 10% of the proceeds will benefit Young Survival Coalition - the premier global organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer - helping fans give back to a worthy cause when they purchase the new rollerball scent. The grand prize winner will also get the chance to spend the day with Kim and discover how her custom design becomes a reality.

"I always turn to my fans for inspiration and advice," says Kim. "I’m so excited to see what unique, gorgeous designs they come up with. This is such a great opportunity for them do something fun while giving back to an amazing cause."

Kim Kardashian Rollerball Competition
Submissions: May 10th – May 17th
Finalists (3) Announcement: May 17th
Winner Announcement: October 1st

More information is available at KimKardashian.CelebBuzz.com.

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Juicy Tubes 100% Natural Origin

Lancôme's Juicy Tubes, the iconic lip gloss that kicked off the gloss frenzy, is turning 10! Introduced in 2000, it quickly became a cult product thanks to its unique tube applicator, high shine and yummy flavors, inspiring must-have limited editions, Facebook fan pages and even a series of imitators. A decade later, it's still beloved by makeup artists and a slew of influencers, including Angelina Jolie, who wore Spring Fling to the 2009 Academy Awards, and stylist Rachel Zoe, who's never without a much-used, much-loved tube in her bag.

To celebrate this beauty birthday, Lancôme is launching Juicy Tubes 100% Natural Origin ($18), a limited-edition gloss with honey as its main ingredient. The formula, flavors and pigments are 100% natural origin and preservative-free. Juicy Tubes 100% Natural Origin is available in four shades: Pink Precious, Rose Pretty, Blushing Beauty, and Sheerfully Sweet.

For Earth Day 2010, it was a natural fit to partner with Lancôme spokesmodel and environmentalist Elettra Wiedemann’s charity, Justonefrickinday.com. Its mission is to unify and concentrate available resources onto a small number of special charity projects around the world. By logging on its website, you can calculate and donate just one day of your daily pay to make a difference. The charity’s latest project will raise funds to help install Solar Electric Panels that will provide sustainable power to a hospital in one of world’s poorest countries, Burundi.

From April 22nd through April 25th, anyone who purchases Juicy Tubes 100% Natural Origin at the Lancôme Boutique on the Upper West Side in NYC will receive a complimentary limited edition tee (created by some of the hottest designers, including House of Diehl, Rag & Bone, Giambattista Valli, Rogan, Chris Benz and Phillip Lim). Lancôme will also make a donation to justonefrickinday.com to kick off this special Earth Day offering.

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Ladies For Life: Shop To Support Relay For Life of Philadelphia

As many of you know, I may moonlight as a beauty blogger, but by day I work for the American Cancer Society. If you're in the Philadelphia area, we're hosting a fundraising event next week, and I encourage you to stop by. I donated a DKNY tote bag chock full of beauty products which will be raffled off. So please come out and help support a very worth cause!

LADIES FOR LIFE

A night of shopping to benefit Relay For Life of Philadelphia

Monday, April 12 from 6 - 9 p.m.

Barbelin Hall - 321 Willings Alley
Philadelphia, PA 19106

View Larger Map

$10 reserves your spot on the guest list, or show up the night of the 12th ($10 cover charge). You can purchase your tickets online at ladiesforlife.eventbrite.com.

The first 20 shoppers in the door get a free gift!!!

Vendors include: PartyLite, Silpada Designs (jewelry), Mary Kay, Avon, Shaklee (health and wellness), Bagalitas (purses), Cookie Lee (jewelry), Beijo Bags, Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple, Tupperware, Jockey, Arbonne International (body care) and more!

And we will be raffling off multiple baskets from the vendors!!!

Find out more about Relay For Life of Philadelphia at phillyrelay.org.

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Elizabeth Arden Anniversary Lipstick: Red Door Red

To commemorate 100 years of beauty innovation, Elizabeth Arden is celebrating with the launch of the new Limited Edition Anniversary Lipstick.

A universally flattering, sheer lipstick, the Red Door Red hue stylishly represents strength and femininity – a beautiful way to pay tribute the Elizabeth Arden woman.

In honor of Miss Arden's belief in the importance of total beauty, Elizabeth Arden is proud to donate all of the proceeds from the lipstick to Look Good … Feel Better®. This community-based, free, national service teaches female cancer patients beauty tips to look better and feel good about how they look during chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Packaged in a luxurious gold case that calls to mind the glamour and drama of 1940s makeup, the lipstick offers a triple-emollient moisturizing formula that contains vitamins A, C and E, along with aloe, to instantly hydrate lips and cushion them for total comfort.

By purchasing the Elizabeth Arden Limited Edition Anniversary Red Door Red Lipstick, you’ll not only take part in celebrating our fabulous years of beauty, but you'll be helping women to look good, feel better and enjoy life.

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MAC Viva Glam Cyndi and Viva Glam Gaga

Meet the new voices of VIVA GLAM…Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper. They love lipstick. They love fashion. They want girls all over the world to have fun, but safely, with eyes wide open to the facts and fictions about women and HIV/AIDS.

Sizzling, sensuous and self-created the ladies are channeling their high-voltage diva energy for VIVA GLAM and igniting From Our Lips - the new MAC Cosmetics VIVA GLAM campaign. In honor of all of the women who are living with the HIV/AIDS virus, and those working to curb its spread, the MAC AIDS Fund will announce $2.5 million in new donations to fund model programs that address the vulnerabilities and inequities that place women at increased risk for HIV/AIDS.

Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper are visible and vocal, using their star power to inspire everyone to make a difference by purchasing the VIVA GLAM lipstick that bears their signature. With every cent of each VIVA GLAM going towards the MAC AIDS Fund, this is a lipstick that has the power to change the world. With the dynamic energy of these two new spokespeople the MAC AIDS Fund, having already raised over $150 Million to combat HIV/AIDS, is giving a voice and support to women – of All Ages, All Races, All Sexes and from all walks of life.

"I think it’s absolutely insane that some people have fewer rights than others, and I'm grateful that MAC has decided to focus on women while I'm a VIVA GLAM Spokesperson. I have so much to say and so much to share, and I’m going to let my lips and lipstick do the talking!" -Cyndi Lauper

"I've been familiar with the campaign and have been wearing MAC since I was ten years old. To be joining the likes of iconic former VIVA GLAM spokespeople is an honor. My new VIVA GLAM lipstick color is amazing. It's very me - a bluish pink, great for everyday, a little bit '80s. I hope that women buy this lipstick, and honor themselves and honor the cause." -Lady Gaga

Viva Glam Gaga: Light blue pink (Lustre)
Viva Glam Cyndi: Light coral red (Lustre)

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Bobbi Brown Heart Truth Bronze Shimmer Brick Set

For the fifth year in a row, Bobbi Brown is proud to be a sponsor of the The Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection 2010 Fashion Show. The show, which brings some of Hollywood’s leading ladies together on one runway, will be taking place on February 11th during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Bryant Park.

This year Bobbi created an exclusive, limited-edition Bronze Shimmer Brick Set in partnership with The Heart Truth campaign and its annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show to raise awareness about women and heart disease. Ideal for creating a warm, bronzy glow, the set includes Bobbi's iconic Shimmer Brick in Bronze and a Mini Face Blender Brush.

Only 500 of these limited-edition sets, which feature a specially designed package and the tagline "Listen to Your Heart," will be available from bobbibrown.com for $40 each.

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Scarlett Johansson Helps Haiti By Designing Handbag for Mango

To help raise funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake, international actress and MANGO spokesperson, Scarlett Johansson has designed an exclusive handbag with all profits being donated to OXFAM.

The Haiti handbag will be exclusively available in more than 1390 MANGO stores worldwide, retailing for $29.90. The print on the handbag represents the ancient cartography of Haiti, and contains the message "Supporting the people of Haiti" written and signed by the actress.

Scarlett Johansson said, "I'm thrilled to be collaborating with Mango to promote conscious consumerism and to benefit Oxfam's Haiti Earthquake Response Fund. By purchasing this bag, which I specially designed, you are helping to provide life saving assistance like clean water to the people of Haiti."

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Do Something Beautiful: Help Haiti

Every day, I post about beautiful things you should buy. But today, I'm taking this opportunity to urge you to do something beautiful.

On Tuesday, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti. More than 50,000 people are feared dead and 3 million more (one third of Haiti's population) are left without access to food, water, shelter and electricity. Relief efforts are currently underway and you can play a part.

Please make a monetary donation to one of the agencies responding to the Haitian earthquake relief. The situation is dire, and the people of Haiti are counting on our compassion and generosity. Every little bit helps, so don't think you lack the means to make a difference. You know the money that you were saving to buy a new mascara, lip gloss or eye cream? Donate it to this very worthy cause. I guarantee you won't miss it, and your small sacrifice could save someone’s life.

Yesterday, I took my 'new jeans fund' and split it amongst the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. New jeans would have been cute, but I couldn't justify spoiling myself when there are so many people without bare necessities.

Visit CNN.com for a comprehensive list of charities that are providing critical assistance to those affected by the catastrophic earthquake.

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