Helly Kitty meets MAC

Just in time for Valentine's Day 2009, MAC will be launching a Helly Kitty color cosmetics collection. Not sure if I will be buying any of this, but I know a few who will be waiting in line February 12th! The website will have it 2 days early on February 10th.

Don't Change for your Man

Scarves are hot right now. There are some celebrities that have jumped on the scarf bandwagon and kept it going all through the Summer 2008. Jessica Alba was guilty of this and I got sick of seeing pictures of her in a tee, jeans and scarf. She kind of overdid it but I can't blame her since she has a newborn and was a little busy to be a fashion icon.

Jennifer Aniston was one of the original scarf junkies and magazines have done articles on how she won't go anywhere without her "security scarf." She is basically known now for her scarf addiction. In previous years, she had a blue scarf. When she was with Vince Vaughn it was black since he was from Chicago and she looked so city chic in her jeans, black shirt/scarf combo, black boots, and black belt. Now that she is dating John Mayer she is showing her more feminine side and sporting a pink scarf. Scarf + Jennifer Aniston = Pretty Normal.

That is why I thought it was so ironic that Cameron Diaz was seen this last week using her scarf as as "security scarf." Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that she is dating Jennifer Aniston's ex, Paul Sculfor?

I started to think back to another such actress that did the same thing, changed for her man to look like his ex. Evan Rachel Wood was sweet and innocent until she met rocker Marilyn Manson. She basically took each feature that Dita Von Teese (his ex) had and cloned herself into a twin.

What ever happened to individualism in the artistic field of acting? Who do you think is an individual actress in her style and personality?

Dita Von Teese (Marilyn's ex)

Evan Rachel Wood before Marilyn Manson

After.

Winners

Thank you to all who participated in the Calorie Burn by Venga giveaway. The winners will be receiving a bottle just in time to help you burn some of those Thanksgiving calories!

Thank you again to Mike at Creative Drinks, Inc. for sponsoring this contest. You can visit Creative Drinks, Inc. over at their website: http://www.creativedrinksinc.com/

They have some great specials right now including a case of Venga for $36!

Review on Lorac Midnight Sparkle

The Ulta salespeople sell you what they want sometimes. I told "her" that I wanted a black or silver eyeliner that I could smudge. What did I get? Something you would see Madonna wearing on her tour.

I can't even use this stuff. It has so much glitter in it that my eyes sparkle like I am playing dress-up!

The positive aspect of this eyeliner is that it goes on smoothly and the color stays. The glitter lasted an extra day as a bonus!

This eyeliner will not work for: the office, picking up kids at school or the gym!

This will work for: nightclubs, an evening holiday party, stage makeup or Halloween.Midnight Sparkle by LORAC $16

Description: Lorac Sparkle Pencils give your eyes a bit of glimmer and glamour.

Mario Badescu Discount

Mario Badescu is currently offering 15% off of product purchases* between December 1st and December 15th when you enter promocode BEAUTYBLOG at checkout. Their website is http://www.mariobadescu.com/

In addition to the discount, anyone who purchases 2 or more products will receive a complimentary deluxe sample set which includes 3 assorted 2oz samples of best selling Mario Badescu products and mirror tucked away into an MB signature cosmetic bag.

*Gift certificates do not apply.

A Fine Tooth Trousers

My male friends keep mentioning to me that I don't have enough on Moody Maria for men! So here it is, a mention of a little company in San Francisco - A Fine Tooth.

My brother happens to be the head tailor for A Fine Tooth and he is very talented. In fact, if I ever achieve my dream body shape, he promised to make me a pair of perfectly fitting jeans.

A Fine Tooth offers many fashions, but one of their specialties is men's Made-To-Measure trousers. They guarantee that they will fit and they also guarantee that they will get them out to you within 5 business days!

At A Fine Tooth, they do not believe in sizes. They use body shapes such as Todd, James, and Seth. Pretty cool, huh? You can check out more information on how to order their trousers and what body shapes they have available here.

Who is wearing these custom men's trousers? Celebrities such as Devendra Banhart and Ryan Ross of Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy are fans of A Fine Tooth trousers.

Visit A Fine Tooth today here.

A ReeseWorthy Gift

Did you ever sit around and wonder what you would get Oprah for the holidays if you were friends with her? I remember getting catalogs in the mail when I was little and showing my Mom items that cost $200 or more and asking her, "Who would buys this stuff?" My mom would always have an answer for me and would say things like, "Oh, well if you were friends with Donald Trump then you would have to buy him something like that." Wow. At age 12, I was really glad to not be friends with Donald Trump. Can you imagine thinking of things like that when you were young?

Years later, not much has changed. I am still thankful to not be friends with people that are too rich. I stress enough over what to buy my boss each year, can you imagine me buying something for someone like Reese Witherspoon? I have enough stress over the holidays. So Reese, if you are out there, I just can't afford to be your friend this year. Possibly next year and for sure in 10 years.

Funny enough, Oprah's friend (Bobbi Brown) is now offering Luxe makeup brush sets in time for the holidays. I am not kidding when I say they are priced at $650! Don't get me wrong, I love a good brush as much as the next girl, but for $650, I would actually expect someone to put the makeup on me while I sip Perrier and watch Regis and Kelly.

So for those of you who are friends with the rich and famous, I bring you Bobbi Brown's limited Luxe Brush set. This set features 10 of Bobbi's essential brushes, hand-crafted with white golf and rich ebony handles. They are all safely tucked into a collector's edition leather case.

You can click here for more information and check out their more affordable brushes. Now for the good news, they are offering Free Shipping!

Ashlee had her baby!

Pop singer Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and here rock-star hubby, Pete Wentz have become parents for the first time, People magazine reported on Friday.

Simpson-Wentz, 24, delivered a boy, named Bronx Mowgli Wentz, on Thursday, and all are doing well, People quoted a spokesperson as saying. Congrats!

Madonna and her latest Gig

Did you hear? Madonna is not too old after all! She managed to grab a marketing campaign worth a reported $10 million dollars.

That's right, Madonna is said to become the new face of Louis Vuitton's 2009 Spring line. Madonna's rep declined to comment. I guess we will have to wait and see.

L'Oreal Age Perfect Cleanser and More!

Target is the best store! They have all of their L'Oreal skincare products on sale this weekend. When my husband wasn't looking, I threw a few things in the cart. The Age Perfect Cream Cleanser was one of the products. I have used it for 3 days now in the shower. I did notice that you do have to use a little more than the Rivitalift cream cleanser. It also contains micro beads but they are very gentle. The cleanser was very smooth and removed my makeup without removing all of the moisture in my skin. It did not remove the colorstay lipstick but that is to be expected.

Overall, I like the Revitalift cream cleanser better, but this one works too. I will continue to use it and then try another L'Oreal cleanser. You can read my review here on the Rivitalift Cleanser. It is on sale at Target through Saturday!! What are you waiting for??

May I also suggest my current favorite moisturize also on sale?

See the review here:

http://moodymaria.blogspot.com/2008/08/revitalift-wrinkle-miracle.html

PS: I swear I don't work for L'Oreal! I just love this stuff.

Holiday gift idea from Crabtree and Evelyn

I recently tried a new body lotion from Crabtree and Evelyn. It is from their Aromatherapy Distillations line called Relaxing -Soothing Body Lotion.

This lotion is great for the winter season! My skin is so dry from living in Arizona. The lotion moisturized me instantly and didn't leave a greasy residue. This lotion not only moisturizes, but also smells nice. The calming blend of pure lavender and rosewood essential oils truly made me feel relaxed after my shower. We can all use a little relaxation at this time of year!

And you know who else needs a little relaxation? How about your child's teacher? This lotion would be a great teacher gift for the holidays. What a nice addition to their desk. How about a gift for your favorite co-worker or one you would like to make up with during this peaceful season?

You can find this lotion and more at your local Crabtree and Evelyn store. They have many scents to choose from too!

Elnett by L'Oreal

I have been waiting for months to get my hands on this hairspray! I finally found my bottle at Target for $13.99 and have been using it for a few weeks now. I chose the extra hold for color treated hair.

Here are the results I found. The scent is equal to a bottle of Aqua Net when first applied. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just an opinion. The hairspray smells like hairspray. The hold is very good. When I set my hair in rollers and sprayed it, the hold was solid but not sticky. I honestly liked the hold because it wasn't too stiff and wasn't so soft that it would come out quickly.

As far as using it for straight hair, it should be the last product you use before leaving the house. I would not layer this product with straightening products or your hair will turn sticky and there will be a white residue. Who wants that?

So, in my honest opinion, I do think this is a great hairspray for those getting ready for holiday parties. I think if you want big hair or you want your updo to stay put all night, this is the hairspray to do it. As for an everyday spray, I probably would stick with my old standby, Sebastian Shaper Plus.

Now please don't think that Moody Maria has given up hope that Sebastian is the only company that can make a good spray. Oh no, the search will continue high and low.

My best friend asked me just a few weeks ago, "What hairspray do you recommend?" It is tough when I have to say, "I'll get back to you."

So, is Elnett for you? Well, I know it's for me, because I love BIG HAIR. I also love DRAMATIC hair and I also love hair that stays. Elnett comes in four strengths so next time I will try a lighter hold.

The Lipstick Index..Is it true?

Did you know that in hard economic times, the sale of lipstick goes up? Why? Because women don't want to feel out of control. They still want to feel like they are spoiling themselves, so they turn to a more economic way of doing it, by purchasing lipstick.

Some economists say the "lipstick index" exists. The theorgy goes that as the economy goes down, sales of things like lipstick go up. Lipstick sales nation-wide are down six percent in 2008, according to the NPD Group, a research firm. But over the last few months they've jumped 40 percent, just in time for the Wall Street bailout.

The term "lipstick index" was reportedly coined following Sept. 11, 2001, when sales of lip products soared while the economy faltered. But the phenomenom also happened during the Great Depression.

So why not run out and buy yourself a little something - lipstick, mascara or a little body scrub. After all, women have to spoil themselves even in bad economic times.

Target here I come!

Trevor Sorbie Review

Do you have natural wavy hair and want curly hair? Curly like Elaine on Seinfeld? Then use Trevor Sorbie Deep Conditioning Treatment. This stuff works like a dream.
I wash my hair, put in a little of Trevor Sorbie Deep Conditioning Treatment (leaving it in of course) and some L'Oreal Curling Mousse. Then I blow dry my hair upside down while scrunching it with my fingers. Wa-lah! Curly hair. I then use a 1 inch barrel curling iron to touch up the curls that didn't quite take.

The deep conditioning treatment can also be used when I do my hair straight. It really helps add texture and hold to your hair.

Try it- you will love it!

Another Giveaway...Just in time for the Holidays

The holiday season is right around the corner. Time to fit into that little black dress from last season. You know, the one you got on the 70% off rack at the end of the season. The one you thought would fit for the Holiday '08 party scene?

Just in time, Mike at Creative Drinks Inc. has the Holiday Spirit! He is sponsoring another giveaway just for Moody Maria readers. You can win a bottle of Calorie Burn by Venga. This stuff not only tastes good, but it helps you burn calories.
Calorie Burn is a high-performance functional beverage that actually burns calories when you drink it. This drink has a delicious blend of kiwi, lime and green tea with a splash of orange juice. To make this the ultimate shape-up drink, several metabolism-boosting ingredients were added to assist your body in achieving its peak calorie-burning potential, including L-Carnithine, garcinia cambogia rind, Citrimax, caffeine, chromium picolinate and green tea extract with EGCG, scientifically formulated to increase your metabolism and burn fat.

To enter, just leave a comment with your tip on how to lose weight before the holidays. Your comment can be anonymous, you do not have to sign up for anything. Please leave a name after your comment if you leave it anonymous.

If you are already a reader of Moody Maria and receive updates via Feedblitz, you are automatically entered. We would still love to see your comments though! 10 winners will be picked on Thursday, November 27th at 9pm and announced Friday, November 28th. Duplicate comments will not increase your chance of winning. US residents only please. Good luck!

More Good News! Go to Creative Drinks, Inc. if you would like to purchase VENGA online. They are holding a special right now!

Venga Drink Special Holiday Price - $36 for a 24ct case.

Check out their website http://www.creativedrinksinc.com/ for more specials too. I found an awesome Iberital Home Grinder and Torani syrups in all flavors. They really have some great products! Thank you again to Mike for sponsoring this wonderful contest.

MAC's Dazzle Lash

Check out this mascara!

This mascara instantly creates a starburst dazzle effect. The trick lies in a new compact-sized, slightly sculpted brush applicator that singles out and pushes lashes to go bigger, bolder, longer, with a plush, glamorous curve. A rich application that delivers what you want: dazzling long lashes. Click here to purchase.

1.5 g / 0.05 oz US$12.00

Target continues adding Designers

Some looks from Alexander McQueen's Fall/Winter 08 Collection.

Target is stepping it up a notch in the fashion world. Currently, they have the Go International line that features new and upcoming designers. Now they are going to launch a new fashion line called Designer Collaborations. WWD.com reports the program will bring the styles of well-established designers to the mass merchant at typical Target prices.

Alexander McQueen is one of the designers that will design a version of his McQ collection called McQ Alexander McQueen for Target. This collection will have a rock 'n' roll influence, with edgy details such as studs and tattoo-print fabrics.

Target said additional Designer Collections will be announced in the future. Each collection will be available in stores for a limited time, starting in March 2009.

Elnett is here!

I finally got it! L'Oreal Elnett Extra Strong Hold UV Hair Spray. I got mine from Target. I am so excited to do my hair today. I will update everyone on how it works and my results.

$13.99

Winner of Coffee Contest

Congratulations Leslie! You have won a 12oz package of whole coffee beans from The Organic Coffee Co. Thank you to everyone who entered. If you did not win this time, I will be having another contest next week so be sure to check back!

Thank you again to Mike at Creative Drinks, Inc. for sponsoring this awesome contest. For more information on how you can order coffee, tea or other beverages, visit their website at : http://www.creativedrinksinc.com/

Win a Spa Vacation

I can think of about 7 friends right off the top of my head that would benefit from a Trip to a Spa in Southern California! Times are tough right now, everyone is stressed out and the holidays are right around the corner. Luckily, the awesome folks at Total Beauty just told me about this awesome trip you can win through Spas of America.


You can win a Southern California Dream Spa Experience at the Pala Casino Spa & Resort. When you enter, you can win 3 night’s accommodation, a Pala Spa couple’s package and dinner for two at Mama’s Cucina Italian. The Prize value is $1,000.00. Not bad for tough times, eh?

You can enter here.

Oh, and just to check if my friends are reading this, it would be Trisha, Carol, Sue Lady, Ann, Anna, Lora and Colleen (not in that particular order).

Thursday Morning Eye Candy

Picture from Just Jared - my favorite Hollywood Gossip website.

Scope out this new ad featuring Twilight star Cam Gigandet. The 26-year-old actor is wearing the GAP argyle crewneck sweater. Twilight opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, November 21.

Read the article here.

Bobbi Brown's New Party Collection

The holiday season is right around the corner and the party invitations will start trickling in. Be prepared with some shimmery and glitzy makeup that is fun. Bobbi Brown's new Party Collection features shades of Metallic Eye Shadow and Glitter Lip Gloss! You can choose your favorite shades and customize your very own Makeup Palette.

"This collection is about having fun with makeup. It's about high color, high shimmer and a bit of pizazz." - Bobbi Brown

http://www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Special Offer:

3 Free Treats with Any $100 Order Ends Tomorrow 11.7.08! Receive 3 free, luxurious minis of Bobbi's best-selling products: Mini Crystal Lip Gloss (3ml),Mini Everything Mascara (3ml) and Extra Balm Rinse (7ml) with your $100 Order. Simply enter code: PARTY to redeem at checkout.**Offer code required, valid through 11.7.08 (midnight ET or while supplies last). Valid only BobbiBrown.com. One time use.

Wake up and Vote Giveaway

In honor of Election Day and getting up early to vote, let's have a giveaway!


Mike at Creative Drinks, Inc. is sponsoring this giveaway. Up for grabs is a 12oz package of whole coffee beans. The coffee is the Breakfast Blend from The Organic Coffee Co.

Please leave a comment about why you should win this coffee. A winner will be picked randomly on Friday, 11/7 at 7pm MST and the winner will be announced Saturday, 11/8. Duplicate comments will not increase your chances of winning. US residents only.

Thank you to Mike for sponsoring this giveaway! His website can be found at: http://www.creativedrinksinc.com/

From their website: Creative Drinks has been serving the specialty coffee needs of customers nationwide since 1992. We offer a wide array of products, equipment, and services to restaurants, cafés, bars, nightclubs, and theme parks. Our top-quality products and renowned services are what make us different from other distributors. We strive hard to meet the needs of our customers, so we offer a wide selection of the best beverages and equipment. And, we offer delivery service in the Bay area as well as nationwide shipping.

False eyelashes rock!

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! I used my false eyelashes and they worked great! My kids were so fascinated by them and my hubby gave me an extra wink that night. NOW I understand why J-Lo wears them.

I had my friend take some close up pictures from me. As soon as I get them back I will post the results.