HLMN Weekend Roundup 7.24.09

Askmewhats has nail art tutorial for bling bling nails.

The Beauty Chick reviews CoverGirl and Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush.

Beauty Junkies Unite shows you the right way to get cheeky with 4 easy cheek stains.

Best Things in Beauty spotlights the new Giorgio Armani Beauty Fall 2009 colors.

Claire's Beauty gives Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream a test drive.

Denim Debutante has an in-depth review of Paige Premium Denim.

Fabulous Over Forty is giving away Sothys Sun Care to one lucky reader. Enter now.

The Glamour Whore shows off the hair raising talent of Olivier Chomienne.

Gloss Menagerie reviews Softlips Pure Honeydew.

Gouldylox Reviews sneak peek at Milani Eye Tech Infinite Liquid Liners.

Hairs My Story has a gorgeous summer tropics FOTD.

in a word...fab has a sneak peek at J.Crew's Fall 2009 Collection.

It's complexion week at the Informed Makeup Maven, and don't forget to enter her cool giveaways this week!

Krasey Beauty discovers the beauty in going organic with Revolution Organics.

Visit Lipgloss Break and Enter to win The Cure 24/7 hair treatment and Sunkissed Glow fragrance by JLo!

My Beauty Bunny shows you how to get gorgeous, healthy, post-beach hair!

Sicka Than Average schools you on the best sunscreens for that pretty little face of yours.

Protect ya neck!

ThisThatBeauty runs down fall's hottest collections!

Unfunded takes on Farmer John with some killer denim cut-offs.

VexInTheCity invites you to share her addiction - her make up collection.

***Affiliate of the Week***

The Style and Beauty Doctor will show you how to keep your blowout for blowing up.

For more information on The HLMN or on becoming an affiliate please visit our website.

The Body Shop Friends and Family Event

From July 23rd to July 27th, receive 20% off on regular and sale-priced items in-store and online at www.thebodyshop-usa.com. To redeem this offer at your nearest Body Shop location, print out and bring this coupon with you to the store. If you are shopping through the website, enter the code FF09 at checkout.

Happy shopping!

Illamasqua Is Now Available at Sephora.com!!

I just wanted to give you all a heads up! Illamasqua has now launched on the Sephora website and the selection is phenomenal! Primers, foundations, Liquid Metals, lipsticks, glosses, pigments....they're all there! I am literally dancing with delight at the sight of the products. It now really feels "official," too! Illamasqua has finally solidified their presence in the US.

I am counting down the days until the collection pops up in the new NYC Sephora location. I'm totally there! Do you think it's too early to line up now?!? ;-)

Let me know if you'll be at the launch party! I would love to see you/meet you!

Smashbox Reign Collection For Fall 2009

I think it is safe to say that I'm in trouble with the new Smashbox product offerings - I want them all! Smashbox Fall 2009 Reign Collection is enticing with its color palette. Inspired by the English Tudors, hues evoking "scandal, indulgence, desire, and decadence" abound. I can't resist these deep shades for the cooler months. Going to be so fierce!

Here are the collection details:

Reign Eyeshadow Palette ($42 each): These compacts each feature six baked shadows in both matte and shimmery finishes.

Majesty - matte champagne/shimmery champagne, matte cabernet/shimmery cabernet, matte black/shimmery black

Monarch - matte soft gold/shimmery soft gold, matter copper/shimmery copper, matte deep brown/shimmery deep brown



Reign Jet Set Palette ($48): This palette contains four metallic shades of Smashbox's cult favorite budge-proof gel eye liner - matte black, matte deep brown, matte deep gold, metallic bronze. Also included is a bent liner brush for easy application.



Reign Lash DNA Mascara in Plum ($19): This mascara is formulated to lengthen, strengthen, and define lashes, while decking them out in gorgeous color.



Reign Doubletake Lip Color ($22 each): Each of these double-ended lip pencils features a long-wear lip liner and a smooth lip color.

Amaretto - nude pink lip liner/creamy peachy pink lip color

Currant - deep wine lip liner/deep berry red lip color



Reign Lip Gloss in Crowned ($19): This gloss offers ultra-moisturizing creamy color and shine, and in this soft peachy-pink shade it offers the perfect complement to a smoky eye.



Reign Fusion Blush in Regal ($32): This compact features a gorgeous dual-toned blush which offers both matte and shimmery peachy nude shades.

After all of that description, I can only imagine how anxious you all are to check out the product images!

Reign Eyeshadow Palette in Monarch

Reign Jet Set Palette

Reign Lash DNA Mascara in Plum

Reign Doubletake Lip Color in Currant

Reign Lip Gloss in Crowned

Reign Fusion Blush in Regal

The Reign Fall 2009 collection is available now at the Smashbox site and in-store and online at Sephora.

What do you think of Smashbox's Fall goods?

Tagged! I'm It!

One of the most awesome beauty bloggers out there, Krasey Beauty, tagged me a few weeks ago to do the Honest Scrap Tag. Tags are such a fun way for everyone to get better acquainted with one another. Don't you think?

This is how it works - tell your readers 10 things about you that they may or may not know, but are true. Tag 10 people with the award, and be sure to let them know they've been tagged (a quick comment on their blog will do). Don't forget to link back to the blogger who tagged you.

Y'all ready for this??

1. The summer before 3rd grade, while attempting a back dive off of the side of the pool at my local swimclub, I scraped my bottom front tooth on the cement of the pool when I tried to come up from the dive. I've tried to have it bonded, but it never stuck. I have sported the chipped tooth look ever since.

2. I am the oldest of three children. I have a brother who is 20 and a sister who is 23 (almost exactly 23 months younger than I am). I love that my siblings and I are so close together in age. We are a pretty tight bunch (even though they can occasionally irk me to no end!)

3. I have an incredible sweet tooth; I love anything with chocolate, especially dark chocolate. I can't resist a good dessert, and I won't even try!

4. I am addicted to Diet Snapple Peach Iced Tea. It is all I drink at home, and when I run out of it, I am inconsolable. Zero-calorie goodness, my friends.

5. I have recently changed my career plans. I was a pre-med student throughout college and was extremely close to taking the MCAT. After all of that, I decided that my heart was not with the medical profession. Without the passion and drive to become a doctor, the long road just seem daunting. Now, I'm looking to pursue a role in the world of beauty! Do you see the connection?!? I don't! ;-)

6. I have a healthy crush on actor Bradley Cooper. I think he is gorgeous, funny, talented....did I mention he's HOT??? Bradley, call me!

7. I fight to deal with my curly, frizzy locks daily. I haven't yet found the best way to tame them, and I always welcome haircare tips! I would currently kill for Karen Robinovitz's gorgeous, shiny curls!

8. When I was younger, I used to only eat raw veggies - green beans, broccoli, you name it! I wouldn't touch it if it was cooked at all. This lasted probably until my pre-teen years...not so sure why or how I grew out of it!

9. I love meeting new people and making new friends. I might come across as shy, quiet, and aloof when you first meet me, but when you get to know me, I am anything but! The friends I have mean everything to me and will be with me forever.

10. I love to sing! Contrary to popular belief, I can carry a tune (though I wouldn't say I'm ready for American Idol or anything!) I was in my high school's chorus for four years. I also love to dance and I'm the queen of the mood-elevating solo dance party!

OK, I tag anyone else who wants to participate and hasn't already! I really enjoy working on these tags and reading what everyone else has to say!

PurpleLab "Kiss and Tell" Contest Entry!

I hope you all have checked out PurpleLab's "Kiss and Tell" contest by now! It's so easy to enter and the prizes are fab! A trip to NYC and a chance to chill with the gorgeous Karen Robinovitz and see firsthand the inspirations behind her gloss names?!? I don't think it can get much better than that! Go here to enter, vote for your favorite entries, and review! While you're there, you can also vote for me ;-) I would really appreciate it! A link to my entry is to the left of my posts (below the "I Am HyperLuxe" button), *hint hint*


You can also click below to be linked to my contest submission:


http://www.purplelabnyc.com/kissandtell.html?pbbdesturl=x252fPagesx252fPhotosAlbumsx252fPhotoView.aspx78x253Fpicidx253D961757_55823409x2526pidx253D2705128x2526scidx253D468x2526

Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush

On a recent trip to the drug-store - I couldn't help but scope out the make-up selections! - I stumbled upon this new product from Cover Girl's Simply Ageless line. The Cover Girl & Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush immediately caught my eye with its pinwheel-type swirl pattern of color and the Olay Regenerist Serum (reminded me of berries and cream ;-) ). Available in four very pretty shades, I ended up snagging the blush in 230 Lush Berry, a gorgeous rosy berry color. I have recently been getting into cream blushes, and I thought I would start out my tour with this one.




This cream product is designed to allow you to "define your cheekbones" with a wash of color, while getting the added benefits of the Olay serum which is packed full of vitamins, antioxidants, and other skin conditioners to give your skin a radiant and glowing look. When I swatched the product on my skin, I was immediately impressed by the smooth texture, and when I blended it into my face, I was left with a natural flush of color, which is buildable. The consistency is smooth and it feels soft and moisturizing on the skin, not at all heavy. You can apply this with your fingers, a wedge sponge, or stipple it on and blend it in with a brush (the product comes with a small sponge applicator, which I probably won't use). You also get quite a bit of product in the container; for 12 g, I spent $10 during a CVS sale (I think it was originally $12.99). Drug-stores constantly have sales and Buy-One-Get-One events, so it's usually possible to snatch this up for under retail price.




Here are the four colors that are currently being offered:


200 Plush Peach

200 Rich Cinnamon

220 Royal Plum

230 Lush Berry

For a closer look:

Sculpting Blush in Lush Berry

I would recommend having a look at this cream blush. It has a very light formula, great to use for a natural summer cheek. You can check out your nearest drug-stores for this product - Duane Reade, CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and even Wal-Mart. You can also take a look at the Cover Girl website for more information as well as help with color-matching.



Has anyone test-driven this before? What do you think?