Giveaway : Tatcha Japanese Beauty Papers (2/6/11)

TATCHA founder Vicky Tsai once endured the questionable joy that many of us have before (or perhaps currently endure...)- the joy of filling up a vanity with bottle after bottle, vial after vial of expensive beauty products. After traveling to Asia, Vicky discovered the joys of a much more minimal approach to beauty and as a result created Tatcha.

Tatcha is a maker of Japanese beauty papers (aburatorigami) which are perfect for freshening up bare skin (Tatcha suggests using them after moisturizing before applying makeup) and as blotting sheets for absorbing excess oil without disturbing makeup. Tatcha beauty papers are particularly special in that they are handmade in Japan with all natural, 100% Abaca leaf and gold flake- no synthetic colors, fragrances or powders involved, making the papers perfect for those of any skin type, including sensitive.

The papers are surprisingly gorgeous, speckled lightly with thin gold leaf that sparkles and looks stunning against the natural beige fibers of the papers. The sheets are generously portioned into ~3.75" squares and size of the paper is not only functional (you need only one sheet for the entire face and the durability enables you to use both sides of the sheet), but the also lends to premium, luxurious look and feel.



After trying these papers out, they have definitely become one of my favorite beauty items! I especially love that they are unscented and have a such a natural, elegant look to them without the use of any additional, added coloring. Performance-wise they are excellent! The papers aren't flimsy and don't rip, they feel great against the skin and, most importantly, nicely remove excess oil without disturbing makeup for a nice, matte face. I also tried these papers after moisturizing since I am oily skin prone and absorbing up the excess skin care product was definitely a wonderful way to prime the the skin for makeup.

While I love using these papers myself, I think they would also make an excellent and unique gift for any beauty lover. The papers are gorgeously packaged and would certainly be a welcome gift!

Tatcha Aburatorigami can be purchased online on the TATCHA website ($12 for one pack of 30 sheets, $30 for 3 packs) and at various retail locations including Henri Bendel and C.O Bigelow.

Follow Tatcha via Facebook for product updates!

-----------------------------------


Tatcha is generously offering three (3) readers a single pack (30 sheets) of blotting papers ($12 value) !

To Enter: Visit the Tatcha website and leave a comment letting me know a Tatcha item you might pick up for yourself or for a gift, something you learned from the website or something you like about the products.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and Vicky at Tatcha on Twitter and tweet about the giveaway (or retweet here) + leave a link to your tweet or re-tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each).

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please also leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end February 6, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to readers in the US and US territories only. Good luck!

*I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. *

PLEASE NOTE : We've now moved to a new URL and this giveaway has been moved there. Please visit our new website Brixton Street to enter. If you've already entered here, no worries, your entry is still valid and will be counted. Please leave any new entries or daily tweets on the new blog. Thank you!

Sanrio : Hello Kitty Liberty Print Cosmetic Pouches

I totally loooooooove the print on these new cosmetic pouches featuring Hello Kitty and cute little strawberries, leaves and flowers!

Each pouch is available for $30 on the Sanrio website and are available in pink and fuchsia.

Shu Uemura Morphorium Collection

New Morphorium collection from Shu Uemura!

From the Shu Uemura website: "According to Kakuyasu Uchiide, shu uemura international artistic director, “morphorium is the gift from nature, the origin of all the living creatures and of infinite beauty”. step into the tropical jungle and watch as Uchiide unleashes the inimitable mysterious beauty of the nature using the vivid products from the morphorium collection."

morphorium blue palette & sunset gold palette, $69 each

Behind the scenes:

Giveaway : Pureology Holiday 2010 Collection (1/21/11)

The holidays are almost officially over, but fret not, Pureology has one last holiday gift for you: the gift of great looking hair. For the 2010 holiday season, Pureology created three glorious limited edition gift sets that are the perfect treat for yourself, friends and family to make that perfect first new year impression.

PRESS RELEASE: "Whether it’s a stocking stuffer or a hostess gift at your next holiday soiree, Pureology offers the perfect gift to suit every taste, especially sustainable ones. As an ongoing supporter of Global Green USA, Pureology Serious Colour Care is working towards a more sustainable future and will offer a special promotion this holiday season. With the purchase of every holiday kit, receive $10 off a $50 Global Green USA PureGreen membership and enter to win two tickets to Global Green USA’s 2011 Pre-Oscar party (visit www.pureology.com/holidaygg to enter). Global Green USA’s Pre-Oscar party is attended by A-list celebrity supporters, and features musical performances by some of the most popular musical talent, including Maroon 5, Sheryl Crow, and Gavin Rossdale.


Holiday Essential Repair Holiday Gift Set: Present this beautiful gift box featuring Pureology’s luxurious, reparative daily care system to the “hostess with the mostest.”

• EssentialRepair Shampoo (10.1 oz. retail)
• EssentialRepair HairCondition (8.5 oz. retail)
• EssentialRepair ColourMax (8.5 oz. retail)
• Price: $54.00
  

Hydrate Stocking Stuffers: Hydrate hair during the winter months with top selling HydrateShampoo and Condition! Products come in a chic purple satin clutch/cosmetic bag. In addition, seal split ends with EssentialRepair SplitEndCorrectingTreatment.

• Hydrate Shampoo (10.1 oz. petite)
• Hydrate HairCondition (8.5 oz. petite)
• EssentialRepair SplitEndCorrectingTreatment (.5 oz. petite)
• Price: $19.00

PureVolume Stocking Stuffers: Plump up holiday stockings with the petite size PureVolume System packaged in a holiday party-ready white satin clutch/cosmetic bag.

• PureVolume Shampoo (2.0 oz. petite)
• PureVolume Condition (2.0 oz. petite)
• PureVolume ThickeningMist (1.0 oz. petite)
• Price: $19.00
  

Availability: October 2010 in salons while supplies last. Visit Pureology.com for a Pureology salon in your area .

About Pureology Serious Colour Care: All Pureology formulas offer an industry first: Longer Lasting Hair Colour – Guaranteed! For more information visit Pureology.com or Become a Pureology Facebook Fan. Please note, Pureology products can only be guaranteed authentic when purchased from a salon. We request that you do not credit drugstores, “beauty websites” or other unauthorized retailers.

About Global Green USA: Global Green USA – the American arm of President Gorbachev’s Green Cross International – was founded in 1994, and is a national leader in advocating for smart solutions to climate change that benefit humanity by saving energy, reducing CO2 emissions, improving health, creating green jobs, and securing a more sustainable future. For more than 15 years, Global Green has greened nearly $20 billion in new school and affordable housing construction; authored multiple state and national laws and policies on green building, climate change and energy-efficiency; and responded to environmental disasters from hurricanes, to chemical weapons dumping, to sea level rise and the melting of the poles.

This month Pureology provided me with samples of their EssentialRepair Holiday Gift Set & PureVolume Stocking Stuffers to test out at home. Being a huge fan of the Pureology Hydrate system (which comprise my current daily staples), I was super excited to try out both the EssentialRepair and PureVolume lines, neither of which I had ever tried before. Thank you Pureology, I just luvs ya!

The Pureology EssentialRepair system: Like Hydrate system, these products have an amazing scent that isn't synthetic smelling, too perfumed or too heavily floral scented. The scent is actually really the perfect complement for the holidays with the slightly woody, slightly minty essence of Rosewood combined with Jasmine and Ylang Ylang... truly invigorating! The system itself works wonders on damaged hair. My hair is quite long and thick so the bottom tips of my hair tend to dry out and become somewhat crispy with faded color and some split end formation (oh yes, that does sound like a mess). The EssentialRepair system was awesome with softening up, hydrating and bringing some life to those severely damaged ends (great for those times between trims). While the other portions of my hair weren't as smooth and as when using the hydrate line, I would definitely recommend this system for anyone with all over damaged hair (particularly brittle hair) that has been damaged due to bleaching, coloring, etc.

The Pureology PureVolume system: Another great line, the PureVolume system contains Lavender, Papaya, and Lemongrass scents and is slightly sweeter smelling than the Hydrate and EssentialRepair lines (the conditioner is especially sweet smelling). My hair is very thick, so in the past I've normally stayed away from volumizing shampoos because volume has pretty much been the one thing I don't want. However, in the past few years I've started embracing the thinning shears and a little extra volume no longer hurts. The PureVolume line does add some nice volume, but as expected this comes at the expense of some hydrating effect. The roots of my hair do tend to be somewhat oily so I sometimes have problems with over greasiness when I use moisturizing shampoos- the PureVolume line provides a nice counter to that effect. As a daily sort of shampoo, I would recommend this line to those with moderately healthy, fine hair that needs some extra oomph.

-----------------------------------
Pureology is generously offering one reader a PureVolume Stocking Stuffer consisting of a petite size PureVolume System packaged in a white satin clutch/cosmetic bag ($19 value)!

To Enter: Visit the Pureology website & leave a comment letting me know a product you'd like to try (that wasn't mentioned in this post) or something you learned about the company.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and Pureology on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
Bonus Entry 3: Join the Pureology email newsletter (subscription form at the bottom of the page).
NEW Bonus Entry : Stop by our new blog Brixton Street and leave a relevant comment on any post there then let me know where you commented (you may earn one entry per day during each day that you leave a new comment).

This giveaway will end January 21, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

**Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please also leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile. Open to readers in the US only**

*I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. *






PLEASE NOTE : We've now moved to a new URL and this giveaway has been moved there. Please visit our new website Brixton Street to enter. If you've already entered here, no worries, your entry is still valid and will be counted. Please leave any new entries or daily tweets on the new blog. Thank you!

Giveaway : $150 Worth of Pureology Colour Stylist Hair Products + Hydrate System Review

Pureology is a Southern California based hair care company that specializes in shampoos, conditioners, hair treatments & styling products specifically designed with color-treated hair in mind (and also excellent for untreated hair). Pureology's extensive range of products carry a guarantee for longer lasting hair color and the brand is #1 in the USA among color care brands! Especially impressive considering the entire product range is fully cruelty free- no animal testing and free of animal derived products... quite rare for a salon brand.

Pureology recently sent me an amazing selection of products from their always classic Hydrate line to try out here on the blog:

Hydrate Shampoo ($27) : This shampoo cleanses extra gently and uses Advanced Nano Technology in combination with Pureology's AntiFadeComplex to prevent hair color from being stripped, extending the the life of hair color (guaranteed), and enhancing hair color. The shampoo both cleanses thoroughly and moisturizes, making it especially good for dry and brittle color treated hair. Regardless of the condition of my hair, I've found this shampoo to work wonders in creating shiny, smooth locks without compromising volume- I'm always impressed by how nice my hair looks after shampooing! My hair is heavily thinned out so I tend to have lots of flyaways, but this particular shampoo really helps to smooth them out with its hydrating effects. The aroma is also amazingly soothing & calming with its lightly herbal, subtly minty scent.





Hydrate Condition ($27) and Hydrate Light Condition ($27) : These conditioners are designed to keep hair soft and moisturized without weighing down. The Light Condition formula is specifically designed for fine hair and for those who are sensitive to menthol. Like the shampoo, these conditioners use Advanced Nano Technology & AntiFadeComplex to protect and maximize the life of hair color. Jojoba and shea butters provide additional hydration for even softer, smoother results. Both conditioners yield excellent results when used in combination with the Hydrate Shampoo. With the shampoo alone, my hair looks wonderful, but the conditioner really helps to provide a sleeker, smoothed out look. The scent is mintier and less herbal than the shampoo providing a nice, invigorating aroma.





HydraWhip ($45) : HydraWhip is a light hair soufflé/treatment that contains AntiFadeComplex to maximize colour retention and can be used in lieu of your normal conditioner- simply use after shampooing and leave in for 2-5 minutes. The product contains avocado, jojoba, shea and mango butters to moisturize without weighing hair down. The product provides conditioning and enhances shine with botanicals of green tea, rosemary and sage. The result is a gloriously moisturizing, silky effect! Like the Light Condition product, HydraWhip is designed for those with finer hair and for those who are sensitive to menthol- for those with thicker hair, HydraCure (hair masque) may provide the best results based on your hair care needs. As my hair is quite thick, HydraCure is my hair treatment of choice for restoring maximum shine, strength and smoothness to my hair. I use either HydraWhip or HydraCure when I want a 'fresh from the salon' sleek, shiny look or to help replenish hair that looks especially dull or dried out.

Even when my hair is not colored, Pureology makes some of my favorite hair products for maintaining great looking hair that is both shiny and smooth. I've never been disappointed with the results I get from using their products and am always in awe of how wide their selection of products is. It is sometimes difficult to find a high quality salon product that is cruelty free, but Pureology is really top notch in this regard.

I also wanted to mention that this month Pureology launched their new Colour Stylist collection. The collection is designed to specifically address the needs of color treated hair and contains 6 hair styling products. Like all other Pureology products, although this line is designed for color treated hair, they work just as well on non-color treated hair!

You can find Pureology products at select salons nationwide.

--------------------------


Pureology is generously offering one reader their entire line of brand new Colour Stylist products ($150 value) including:

• Fortifying Heat Spray Protective Primer ($22)
  
• Silk Bodifier Voluminizing Mousse ($24)
  
• Anti Split Blow Dry Styling Cream ($28)
  
• Nourishing Nectar Sculpting Gel ($26)
  
• Cuticle Polisher Shine Serum ($26)
  
• Strengthening Control Zero Dulling Hairspray ($24)
  

To Enter: Visit the Pureology website & leave a comment letting me know a product you'd like to try (that wasn't mentioned in this post) or something you learned about the company.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and Pureology on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
Bonus Entry 3: Join the Pureology email newsletter (subscription form at the bottom of the page).

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end November 28, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Hana

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Giveaway : 100% Pure Cosmetics & Skin Care

100% Pure is an awesome cosmetics and skin care company that specializes in natural products free of synthetic chemicals, artificial colors and fragrances. In order to keep their company as earth friendly as possible, their packaging comes from recycled or recyclable materials printed with soy based inks. All 100% Pure cosmetic and skin care lines are cruelty free with absolutely no animal testing; most products are vegan safe (select vegetarian safe products contain cruelty free honey) and gluten free. Definitely a great feat for any cosmetics company, but what makes 100% Pure entirely unique is that all their products are colored using fruit and vegetable pigments! Browsing through their site you'll see that the color options are truly beautiful and very appealing- I especially love the lip gloss and blush color selections, so many gorgeous pink and peach hues.

100% Pure generously provided me with a tube of their Fruit Pigmented Mascara ($18) to try out!


I absolutely love how this mascara is packed- ergonomic, slim and streamlined with a beautiful reflective finish. The tube is just the perfect size at .32 oz. Because the mascara is pigmented by fruits and black tea, the product has an amazing scent that smells just like fresh berries. I never thought I'd actually ENJOY the scent of mascara, but this one smells so, soooo good! Oh yes, I even made other people take a whiff of my mascara tube and they agreed, this product does smell great. See, I knew I wasn't crazy!


The mascara itself is quite light and feels very hydrating. As far as mascaras go, the formula feels slightly on the thinner side so it goes on clump free while also providing a nice amount of volume and lengthening. The formula dries nicely to leave the lashes hydrated with vitamins and proteins but not so dry that they become brittle. I was rather skeptical about how well this mascara would perform since only the strongest mascaras seem to work for me (most smear like crazy) but I was very impressed with how well this mascara held up. I didn't experience any smearing for several hours after application and when I did it was very minor and required just a wee bit of touching up. For a person with dry to slightly oily skin, I would expect this mascara to hold up really well.

From the 100% Pure website: 100% natural mascara lengthens, separates, thickens and glosses lashes with fruit pigments and Black tea pigments. Lash conditioning ProVitamin B5, Vitamin E, Oat and Wheat protein conditions for healthier lashes. Gentle, all natural, good for you formula is suitable for everyone, even if you wear contacts or have sensitive eyes. Water and smudge resistant.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this mascara and am really impressed by the company's policies and practices. I'm super curious about trying out their other products and plan to give some of those a try soon!

To find out more about the ingredients used in 100% Pure products, please visit their FAQ page.

--------------------------

100% Pure is generously offering 25 (yes, twenty-five!) readers a prize pack of skin care goodies ($27 value) containing:

• .5oz Red Wine Resveratrol Nourishing Cream ($12)
• .25oz Organic Coffee Bean Caffeine Eye Cream ($9)
• 40z Skin Brightening Scrub + Mask ($6)

To Enter: Visit the 100% Pure website & leave a comment letting me know a product you'd like to try (that wasn't mentioned in this post) or something you learned about the company.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and 100% Pure on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
Bonus Entry 3: Join the 100% Pure email newsletter (subscription form at the bottom of any page on the 100% Pure website).

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on November 24, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winners: Cathy W, Amanda Thomas, KMG852, annoymous (comment #17), jjlee0422, Jessica, Jaime (comment #75), The Wax Addict, YoungLover, Aileen, Missybeez, Amber, shebebes, Debbie C, Aero, sabrina, Hoa, christina (comment #48), ky2here, Chrystal, Maja, ZESTYWONDERLAND, purango, SalanderServant, Swtlilchick.

**I was provided with the product mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Giveaway : Episencial Playful Foaming Wash, Better Body Butter & Soothing Cream

Episencial is a Los Angeles based company that specializes in gentle skin care products for the whole family and are especially suitable for youngsters (ages 0 and up) or adults with sensitive skin. Episencial combines sustainable practices (using recycled materials for packaging, manufacturing with solar power, etc.) with health conscious ingredients (organics, using fruits for fragrances rather than synthetic chemicals, no parabens or petroleum based ingredients, etc.). The result is a gentle, effective product that is safe for both adults and babies with packaging that is both beautiful and earth friendly. The Eric Carle artwork adorning the bottles and boxes are sure to delight both children and adults alike!


Episencial generously provided me with 3 of their products to share with you here on the blog:

Episencial Better Body Butter silky soft hydrating lotion ($9.99): This moisturizer is lightweight, can be used on both the face and body and is very delicately scented with lavender and geranium essential oils. I love that the scent is so light & fresh rather than being heavily perfumed. Upon application the product does feel slightly sticky, but as the product is absorbed into the skin, the stickiness disappears and leaves skin feeling smooth & hydrated.

Episencial Playful Foaming Wash hydrating hair & body cleanser ($8.99): The Playful Foaming Wash has an amazing citrus scent reminiscent of orange creamsicles (om nom nom!). The product also foams & lathers nicely for some great cleansing action while the scent is quite invigorating. The wash is dual purpose and is suitable both as a shampoo and a body cleanser which is very convenient- this would be an excellent item to pack during travels due to its dual purpose and suitability for the whole family.

Episencial Soothing Cream for eczema, itches and bothered skin ($10.99): The Soothing Cream can be used on the face, body and scalp to help relieve irritated skin. The scent is very light and natural, almost slightly herbal. The formula is lightweight and spreads easily over the skin and does feel rather soothing! I haven't had any bothered skin to try this on, but even as a skin moisturizer it works quite well. Please note that this particular product is not suitable for vegans (contains beeswax and yogurt derived probiotics).

All Episencial products are gluten free (see the FAQ for more details) and select products are vegan friendly. I would especially recommend these as gifts for new parents as the packaging looks so adorable and the products are ones that will certainly be appreciated!

----------------------------------------

Episencial is generously offering one lucky reader a bottle each of their Playful Foaming Wash, Better Body Butter & Soothing Cream + $5 gift card, a $35 value!

To Enter: Visit the Episencial website and leave a comment with the name of a product you'd like to try or something you learned about the company or their products.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Subscribe to the Episencial newsletter (found on the bottom of any page on the Episencial website)
Bonus Entry 3: Follow The Wide World Of & Episencial on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on November 21 , 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Linda

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Shu Uemura Christmas Collection 2010 with Aya Takano : Videos

Collection & Behind the Scenes
The Making of Abracadabra Fantasy:

Aya Takano Minatures:

MAC Cosmetics : A Tartan Tale Collection

New holiday colour collection from MAC Cosmetics! The "A Tartan Tale" collection features, among other things, a nice selection eyeshadows gorgeously (and ingeniously) inlaid with tartan prints. If there were a true red or green available I'd be ALL over it, but the current choices also look pretty nifty. In addition to the eyeshadows, the collection also includes some lip, eye and face kits with tartan packaging, tartan print makeup cases & lots of other criss cross patterny goodies.

Free shipping now at MAC Cosmetics on any purchase with code "MACGIFT".

Shu Uemura x Aya Takano Winter 2010 Collection

Shu Uemura Christmas Collection 2010 with Aya Takano = so much cuteness! Especially looooving the new eyelashes in the collection, very lush and dreamy. Leeettle heart details on mah lashes? Why yes, please!

dream coaster premium false eyelashes, $59

a dreamy pair of customizable eyelashes! with a variety of abracadabra symbol stickers enclosed, create your very own pair of eyelashes for the festive season. premium double-layer eyelashes with 2 long white feathers that bounce at every blink. designed to enhance the size, dewiness and sparkle of the eyes for a “doll-like” gaze.

magical windfalls partial false eyelashes, $30

easy-to-wear, sophisticated partial lashes in black with some pieces pre-decorated with glittery and shiny magical heart and star symbols for a cute accent.

bowwow! magic queen palette & reindeer kiss xxxx palette, $69

See the rest of the collection here.

Tiffany Bozic & Francisco Robles x Upper Playground : Wood Jewelry Box

Gorgeous limited edition, handmade trinket or jewelry box ($180), design by Tiffany Bozic, woodwork by Francisco Robles, and production by FIFTY24SF Gallery.

From the Upper Playground website: The Native Box comes in a burgundy edition (limited to 32 pieces) and a gunmetal edition (limited to 18 pieces) and are each hand signed and numbered. The box is comprised of 100% US wood and has been silkscreened and made by hand in San Francisco, CA.

Beauty Without Cruelty : A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser, Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion, Daily Benefits Shampoo and Daily Benefits Conditioner

I don't know if I'm an exception to the rule or in the majority, but I never use the shampoo and other toiletries provided to me by hotels (sorry hotels). I just don't like them (and also don't know whats in them). Enter Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC), my new bestest travel buddy... BWC's products are made without any animal ingredients, sans animal testing and contain organic aroma-therapeutic essential oils to provide wonderfully soothing scents.

On my last trek out of town, I brought along some cute, travel sized bottles of a few BWC essentials (compliments of BWC): A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser, Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion, Daily Benefits Shampoo and Daily Benefits Conditioner.

Daily Benefits Shampoo and Daily Benefits Conditioner: This duo is excellent for travel! The shampoo leaves hair clean, but not stripped from moisture. It's lathering power isn't exceptionally strong, but for vacation this is excellent because the duo leaves hair clean but hydrated. As a result you need only minimal primping to tame fly-aways.

The scent of the shampoo and conditioner comes from essential oils of lavender, lemongrass, and orange which is an amazing mix. Love, love, love how super refreshing and invigorating this combination of scents is, not to mention unique!

A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser: This facial cleanser is amazing: the lather is light with excellent cleansing powers but also remarkably non-drying. I am so impressed with how balanced this cleanser is! Of the BWC products I've tried out, this is my absolute favorite, soo good.

The scent, like the shampoo & conditioner, is incredibly invigorating with a "non-perfumy" botanical aroma that is slightly herbal and slightly sweet (like honey, except not- this baby is honey free!).

Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion: This lotion is lightweight, non-greasy, non-sticky and sinks into the skin to leave it soft and moisturized. I love the fragrance free formula that leaves skin smelling fresh but natural. The fragrance free formulation won't clash with perfumes or other scents the portability and sturdiness of the bottle makes it great for stashing into a purse or backpack.

Overall, BWC makes some really excellent, vegan friendly products, definitely worth a try!

You can purchase BWC online or at select natural food grocers.

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **

shu uemura "florescent" fall/winter 2010 makeup palettes

graceful bloom palette, $65

pressed eye shadow / cream eye shadow-liner / cream cheek

From the Shu Uemura website: "this limited edition eye & cheek palette contains floral shades formulated with 100% natural pigments and mineral pigments. complete with four pressed eyeshadows, two cream eyeshadow/eye liners and a cream cheek blush as well as two applicator brushes. bloom your regard with dramatic colors and enhance your natural glow with cream cheek blush. inspired by the elegance of full bloom flowers, this palette features a chic floral gradation of purple shades with an accent of green tints. let your imagination bloom with endless feminine look possibilities."

dreamy petal palette, $65
pressed eye shadow / cream eye shadow-liner / cream cheek

From the Shu Uemura website: "this limited edition eye & cheek palette contains floral shades formulated with 100% natural pigments and mineral pigments. complete with four pressed eyeshadows, two cream eyeshadow/eye liners and a cream cheek blush as well as two applicator brushes. bloom your regard with dramatic colors and enhance your natural glow with cream cheek blush. the fusion of warm tones brings out the gentle affection of flowers and illuminates your eyes with its sunny sparkling metallic gold. let your imagination bloom with endless feminine look possibilities."

MAC Cosmetics Fall Trend Bags

Palace Pedigreed (grey), Leopard Luxe (soft brown), & Burmese Beauty (olive)

7” x 2¼" x 4½", $25.00 each

In conjunction with their "Fabulous Feline" Fall collection, MAC Cosmetics has released 3 earth colored felt cosmetic bags with faux leather trim. Gorgeous!

From the MAC website: "Each of these three nose-nuzzlingly soft felt bags is as graceful and plush as the elegant, well-bred cats that inspired them. Designed to accommodate all of your makeup essentials and then some, these bags are simple, instant classics to keep forever."

Zuzu Luxe (Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc.) : Dual Powder Foundation, Fascination Blush & Cosmopolitan Lip Gloss + $130 Cosmetic Giveaway!

When I think about vegan cosmetics, natural cosmetics or even just great cosmetics in general, Zuzu Luxe is one of the first things to come to mind. I have always been super picky about my cosmetics and a few Zuzu Luxe products have been absolute staples of mine for the past 5+ years. While I have yet to try many of their products, their foundation, gloss and blush are some of my favorite beauty products yet.

Courtesy of Zuzu Luxe, I'm featuring their Dual Powder Foundation ($28.30), Lip Gloss ($18.15), Blush ($21.50) here today!

Dual Powder Foundation in D-14



This powder foundation is silky, breathable and can easily be worn sheer or matte and applied either wet or dry. Since the foundation is comprised mostly of minerals, it is oil free and has a natural SPF 8. My skin is super oily and finding products that ward off shine can be difficult; this one, as well as the Gabriel Color Dual foundation, have been excellent for oil absorption. I absolutely LOVE how matte this foundation keeps my skin! The product also isn't drying which which makes it excellent for those with dry skin as well! The D-14 color is wonderful for medium skin tones or as a bronzer for lighter skin.

I am also a huge fan of the design of the compact. The compact comes with a top compartment that houses the foundation and a bottom compartment that holds the mirror + applicator/sponge. I love this design because I typically apply my powder foundation with a brush and can simply flip up the top lid to access the foundation without having to touch the applicator or flip up the bottom compartment. Because the mirror is separated from the foundation your compact doesn't suffer from "dusty mirror syndrome". In some other designs the foundation and mirror are in the same compartment and this makes the mirror super dusty, however, this design really cuts down on that issue.


Blush in Fascination

Arm swatches of the lip gloss in Cosmopolitan (left) and the blush in Fascination (right):

The "Fascination" blush shade is a soft, slightly burnished rose color which is absolutely wonderful for everyday wear. My skin is slightly tan and this blush gives me a great looking glow! The blush has a very subtle shimmer which helps to brighten the face. However, the shimmer is so subtle and fine that it does creates a healthy looking "glow" rather than just functioning as a sea of sparkles.

The color itself is great for a natural, minimal look. One that makes me look in the mirror and say "Oh hey, I do look pretty alright without makeup after all! Oh wait, I am wearing makeup. Womp womp." After applying the blush my face looks just like it has a very nice, natural flush. Because it looks so natural, I especially like this blush for professional environments or those times when I need a little bit of a toned down look. With smooth application and great staying power, this is definitely a keeper!

Lip Gloss in Cosmopolitan



Zuzu Luxe's lip gloss has the perfect amount of shine, consistency and color. It glides onto the lips smoothly and is non-sticky, it also has excellent staying power! What more can you ask for? Oh that's right, an amazing color, and yes, it has that too!

I tested out the lip gloss in Zuzu Luxe's "Cosmopolitan" shade and the finish is gorgeous, as is the color! My lips are quite pigmented so its difficult to find pale colored lip glosses that will mask the natural shade of my lips, however, this gloss definitely does the trick. I especially love that this lip gloss is shimmer free and is not too glossy so it works well for most occasions. While many pink lip glosses are either too pale, too pink, too pearly, too shimmery or too bright, this shade had none of those issues for me, my absolute favorite pink gloss!

Zuzu Luxe products are naturally based, vegan, and gluten free. For all of August, Gabriel Cosmetics is donating 5% of all of its online sales to the Celiac Disease Foundation.

How would you like to try out these products for yourself? Well, thanks to Gabriel Cosmetics, you CAN and free to boot!

----------------------------------------------

Gabriel Cosmetics is generously providing one lucky reader with a gift basket containing all the cosmetics seen here and in my Gabriel Color post! The gift basket will include $130 worth of makeup including:

• Zuzu Luxe Dual Powder Foundation D-14 ($28.30)
• Zuzu Luxe Lip Gloss Cosmopolitan ($18.15)
• Zuzu Luxe Blush Fascination ($21.50)
• Gabriel Color Powder Foundation Medium Beige ($26.35)
• Gabriel Lipstick Clay ($16.75)
• Gabriel Blush Apricot ($18.35)
  

To enter all you need to do is visit the Gabriel Cosmetics Inc. website and leave a comment with something you learned about their company or products.

For one extra entry each you can:
* Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS or via email (post your email address)
* Sign up for Gabriel Cosmetics email updates (bottom right of the page)
* Follow both The Wide World Of via Twitter & Gabriel Cosmetics on Twitter + tweet about the giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day)
* Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on September 15, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Deb

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **

Gabriel Color (Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc.) : Dual Powder Foundation, Sheer Rose Lipstick & Apricot Blush + $130 Cosmetic Giveaway!

Gabriel Color, part of Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc., is one of the leading brands of natural cosmetics in the United States. After testing out some of their products, it's not at all difficult to see why! If you're a regular shopper at any major health food grocery store, you've probably seen their cosmetics hanging out in the beauty department. While I had always been intrigued by their products, I had never actually purchased them before, opting instead for their daughter brand, Zuzu Luxe, with its more contemporary packaging and color palette.

Gabriel Cosmetics was kind enough to send me over some of their products to share with you on the blog. Among these were their Dual Powder Foundation ($26.35), Gabriel Lipstick gluten and lead free ($16.75), and Gabriel Blush ($18.35).

Dual Powder Foundation in Medium Beige:

top level : mirror & foundation

bottom level: sponge/applicator

My skin is very oily so I have major problems with foundation. The major-ist of all major-osities being that my face loves to look like an oil slick within an hour or so after applying my foundation *shakes fists*. Luckily for me, this powder foundation is one of the few that works well to keep my face from looking like shine city for as long as possible. The foundation didn't roll off my face (i.e. MELT) in the summer sun and my skin remained matte for a good amount of time. The formula is (thankfully) quite mattifying and (thankfully) non-drying to the skin and can be applied sheer or thick for full coverage. The medium beige color works well as both a foundation or a bronzer for those lovely non-summer months. I would recommend locating a retailer and testing out the colors since the powder foundation is only offered in 5 shades.

As for the packaging, I just didn't care much for the applicator/powder puff. It's slightly more dense than some other sponges which made spreading the makeup evenly a little more difficult, but that is pretty much the only complaint that I have. The compact itself is nicely designed with a very sleek look and a great, durable construction.

Gabriel Blush in Apricot:


Words cannot express how much I love this blush, particularly in this shade. First off, the blush is completely matte, no sparkles or shimmer at all. Second, it's a great peachy pink color that is super flattering. Peach has been the "it" color for many years now, and this is certainly a great peach! The blush has a nice amount of pigmentation, just the right amount to apply it softly (great for pale skin) or with a bit of a heavier hand for a more made up look. Either way, the blush looks great on and blends into the skin nice and evenly. The blush lasted all day for me with no need to reapply and gave my face a bright, youthful glow. This is has become my everyday blush, I am absolutely in love with this product!

Gabriel Lipstick in Sheer Rose:

Sheer rose lipstick blotted gently:

This lipstick is so smooth, gentle and moisturizing. I have to admit, I am very much a gloss person because, well, my lips are kinda dry and are often subject to those little peely things *shakes fists yet again*. Enter Gabriel Lipstick: super moisturizing and soft with a little bit of shine, perfect! I can't believe how smoothly this lipstick glides on and how great it looks. Lipstick convert here.

I tried out the lipstick in Sheer Rose which is not sheer in the least but is VERY pretty! Gorgeous even. Normally I opt for nude colors so even this pink was quite a stretch for me. The color makes me think of a great runway looks with its fresh, flattering color. The pigmentation is excellent and the color is so vibrant and beautiful. I feel like it also gives the illusion of plumper lips! Actually, one of my favorite things about Gabriel Colors is their.... colors (surprise!). Their lipstick color choices have a really nice and unique range, colors that would be appealing to mature tastes (and I mean mature like your great, great aunt Gladys, and it is rare for brands to cater to Gladys anymore), but also appealing to the fashion forward younger crowd.

Sasquatch Swatch actually did some AMAZING swatches of Gabriel Lipsticks which you can see here. Be aware that the colors seem to be applied quite heavily in those swatches. I found that by blotting gently I was able to obtain a more muted colors that were more wearable for me.

Here are some of my arm swatches of the blush (left) and the lipstick (right). The lipstick is shown in a thin, blotted layer under a single swipe:


Unlike many cosmetics, Gabriel Color products are naturally based, vegan, and gluten free. In fact, for all of August, Gabriel Cosmetics is donating 5% of all of its online sales to the Celiac Disease Foundation. I know a lot of you who follow the blog are vegan/vegetarian or live a gluten free lifestyle so definitely check out this brand, for those of you that aren't I still highly recommend it!

----------------------------------------------

Courtesy of Gabriel Cosmetics, Inc. one of you will win ALL of the products featured on this post + some goodies from Zuzu Luxe! Just visit this post to enter the giveaway! Please note that the lipstick in the giveaway will be in "clay" rather than "sheer rose".

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **