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Stocking Stuffer Series

Holiday Beauty #4 – Bare Escentuals and Tarina Tarantino

December 17, 2010 By Lena

Let’s keep the Holiday Beauty Fest going! And if there’s one makeup look to keep mind this season, trust me ladies, it’s all about the shimmer and shine.

No one does it better than Bare Escentuals: with their limited edition bareMinerals Shimmer & Shine Collection ($68 CDN), show off your sweet or sexy side with an exclusive 10-piece collection chock-full of fabulous shades that glisten and gleam for a gorgeously modern look.

“The collection for eyes, cheeks, and lips contains two illuminating looks: Shimmer and Shine. Shimmer is full of light-reflective shades that set off brilliant sparkle for your eyes, cheeks, and lips. Shine offers that sexy, runway model sheen created with mega-watt High-Shine Eyecolors.”

The kit contains:
– Eyecolor in Shimmer (frosted cappuccino), Flicker (burnished violet), High Shine Gold Medal (pale gold), and High Shine Vapor (graphite)
– Big & Bright Eyeliner in Intense Black
– All-Over Face Color (sheer translucent glow)
– Pink Petal Blush (bright poppy pink)
– 100% Natural Lipgloss in With a Twist (tulip pink)
– 100% Natural Lipgloss in Sprinkles (diamond shimmer)
– Full Tapered Blush & Eye Brush
– Booklet featuring instructions for Shimmer and Shine looks

LOVE these shades. They’re perfect for any complexion! You can adjust the amount of sparkle in your application – barely there or shimmerlicious. When I first saw the Pink Petal blush I was disappointed – thinking it would look too bubble gum on my olive skin. But I was wrong! It’s actually the perfect, sweet baby pink and works amazingly well with the rest of the kit to give you a fabulous holiday glow.

Now of course, there’s a different kind of shine – the one that comes from bling. And what better way to stash your bling than the limited edition Tarina Tarantino Jewel Box Palette.

A $299 value for just $49 CDN, “this limited-edition collection brings together eyeshadows, mascara, lip gloss, and a primer in a high quality silver jewelry box decorated in true Tarina fashion—it integrates skulls, flowers, and bows like only she can. The chest opens to reveal an oval makeup mirror. Its removable top tier holds the included makeup. Lift it out to uncover a hidden velvet-lined compartment for storing jewelry.“

The set contains:
– 12 Eye Dream Hypershadows in Buckle, Brooch, Beaded, Toggle, Sequin, Suede, Ribbon, Butterfly Black, Headband, Facet, Petit Chapeau, Chain, Bright Owl, Baby Sparkle, Violette, Cinematic
– Mini Pearl Glow Primer
– Gem Gloss in Ruby Headphones
– Fleur de Lash Mascara in Black Opal

HOT! I have to admit I’m in love with the deeply pigmented shadows, and Tarina’s Pearl Glow Eye Primer is a MUST have to set off your holiday looks. The primer is infused with mica which helps create its iridescence, and makes it a terrific base for eye makeup while adding just a hint of sparkle. It can be worn alone to give eyes a subtle shimmer, or under any eye color to create a brighter, sparkling undertone.

Of course, you simply can’t beat the fact that it’s two gifts in one – the velvet-lined jewelry compartment hints at luxury, and the jewel box will be used long after the makeup has been enjoyed. At under $50, I would have to make this an honourable mention for the Stocking Stuffer Series :)

BUY IT!

Both limited edition palettes are available online and in-store for – you guessed it – a limited time.

WIN IT!

One lucky Listen to Lena! reader will win a Tarina Tarantino Jewel Box Palette and Pearl Glow Eye Primer (value $64). To enter, simply visit Tarina Tarantino on Sephora.com and leave a comment here, telling us your favourite Tarina Tarantino product, or which product you’d like to try.

You can also qualify for extra entries! Remember, you must leave a separate comment for each. You can:

(1) Follow my blog, Listen to Lena!
(2) “Like” Listen to Lena! on Facebook
(3) “Like” Sephora on Facebook
(4) Follow Sephora on Twitter
(5) Tweet about this giveaway (tiny URL: http://tinyurl.com/2vcfvsk)
(6) You may Tweet daily.

I’ll draw for a winner on December 31st. Good luck everybody!

Filed Under: Beauty, Contests Tagged With: Bare Escentuals, contest, Holiday Beauty Fest, makeup, Sephora, Stocking Stuffer Series, Tarina Tarantino

The Stocking Stuffer Series

September 18, 2010 By Lena

This year I’m going to try something new… drum roll please… it’s the Listen to Lena! Stocking Stuffer Series!

Since shopaholics tend to justify every purchase with “I can use it as a stocking stuffer” – regardless of the time of year – I figured it’s the right time to start blogging about fabulous stuffer-type goodies I come across. I’ll keep the prices low and the selection varied since I know we all have many loved ones to shop for, big and small.

I’m a HUGE fan of inexpensive but thoughtful gifts, so this is going to be FUN!

First things first, let’s define stocking stuffer:

1. A relatively small present, usually under $30, placed in a stocking at Christmas
2. A multi-purpose gift that can be presented to colleagues, friends or “just because”
3. A gift you purchase with the intent of giving someone else, but actually keep for yourself because it’s so kick a** you can’t bear to part with it (even though it will sit in your vanity for 2 years untouched before you eventually gift it to your dry cleaner or hair dresser)

The first item in the Stocking Stuffer Series (SSS) would have to be anything from The Body Shop’s 2 for $10 sale. Seriously, you can’t go wrong, especially if you’ve got a teacher, teenager or televangelist to shop for.

Next up: this bounty of makeup candy I found at Sephora.com, on sale for USD $27:
LashStash Mascara Deluxe Sampler ($104 Value)

What it is:
A kit featuring Sephora’s most “wanded” mascaras for the lash results you desire.

What it does:
There is no need to wish upon a star this holiday now that Sephora is making all of your beauty-full dreams come true. With five new limited edition sets of deluxe-sized essentials – all for a pretty price less than $30 – we are creating holiday magic! Whether you are shopping for the gal pal who loves the glam or the little sis who needs an accelerated makeup lesson, Sephora Holiday Favorites are guaranteed to please.

This set contains:
– 0.16 oz Hourglass Superficial Lash
– 0.09 oz Urban Decay Skyscraper Multi-Benefit Mascara
– 0.13 oz Korres Abyssinia Oil Volumizing and Strengthening Mascara
– 0.14 oz Benefit A Little Bit BADGal Lash Mascara
– 0.20 oz Smashbox Lash DNA
– 0.03 oz Laura Mercier Thickening and Building Mascara
– 0.07 oz Fresh Supernova
– 0.10 oz Sephora Lash Stretcher
– 0.14 oz Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain
– 0.12 oz Cargo LashActivator

Okay, straight up, I would die if I found this in my stocking. I can’t think of a single makeup junkie who would not love to experiment with all these different mascaras. HOT.

I believe this item is available in-store as well, but don’t think it will stick around until Christmas at that price. Hurry.

Click here to shop at Sephora.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: mascara, Sephora, Stocking Stuffer Series

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Lena Almeida

Toronto Blogger, Social Media Strategist for Listen to Lena Inc. Television & Radio Personality, Columnist and Speaker. Family Travel Expert. Star Wars Fanatic. Perfecting the Art of Conversuasion. Read More…

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