April is Earth Month at Aveda

At Aveda, the month of April is designated as Earth Month, and since starting this event in 1999, with the help of their guests and network of salons, they have raised more than $14 million for grassroots organizations that protect biodiversity and address environmental issues around the world.

Did you know that 1 in 7 people globally (that's nearly 1 billion people) do not have access to clean water on a daily basis? There are some simple things you can do to make a difference for others around the world, including:

• Go to Aveda.com, an Aveda store or salon/spa and purchase a limited edition Light the Way candle, made with 100% organic lavender aroma. 100% of the proceeds from this $12 candle go to their global Earth Month Partner, Global Greengrants Fund. I was fortunate enough to try one of these candles out. When lit, the rooms smells like an Aveda spa! It's perfect for your bathroom or as a housewarming gift. Don't forget about Mother's Day as well, and mom will be proud knowing that her gift went towards a good cause.

• If you buy your candle at Aveda.com you can also receive this offer: Free Shipping + 2 Free hair care samples with Aveda.com orders over $40 during Earth Month. Enter code New410
  

• Visit AvedaEarthMonth.org and donate to an organization that's helping to protect water right where you live.

• Participate in one of the 100+ Aveda Walk for Water events occurring around the globe around the week of April 22nd. Visit AvedaWalkforWater.com to find the water location nearest you.

• Visit your favorite local Aveda salon/spa and participate in one of the many fun events they'll be hosting during the month of April.

Earth Day Promotions & Eco-Friendly Brands

• Tinte Cosmetics is having an Earth Day Sale - Use code EARTH for 30% off. Sale ends April 23rd. Their Matchbook Kits and packaging for Lip Shine is 100% recyclable!

• LIV GRN is geared toward the modern-day eco-savvy market - merging style and comfort with earth sustaining materials. LIV GRN also donates 10% of profits to Global Green, (www.globalgreen.org). Eco celeb fans include Cameron Diaz, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ellen Degeneres, Jessica Alba, Reese Witherspoon, Adrian Grenier, Leonardo DiCaprio and more!

• Now until Sunday the 25th, go to www.Biggby.com and buy one mug and get your 2nd mug of equal or lesser value for FREE! Just make a note in the comments section when purchasing that you are B-eing green and they will send you a confirmation e-mail with your final cost. You will only be charged for the higher priced mug as well as sales tax and shipping. Early Mother's Day gift idea??

• The jane iredale Refillable Compact not only contains an all natural pressed powder but it is sustainable, durable, refillable, and light. The refills, which are packaged in plastic clamshells, are maufactured from 100% recycled "post-consumer" material. The clamshells are bar coded with all product detail printed on the outer surface, eliminating the need for additional print materials.

• Mrs. Meyer's Liquid Hand Soaps in Geranium, Lemon Verbena, Lavender and Basil. All products are made with natural ingredients and come with biodegradable packaging. Available at www.MrsMeyers.com for under $5.
  

Welcome to Atlanta...

If Atlanta had a facebook page, I'd want to be friends with it. I had an amazing weekend in the ATL with my husband and friends. Congratulations to Brian & Melissa who got married!

I couldn't go to fashionable Atlanta without a few cosmetic necessities...

It's currently 60ish degrees in Michigan, and 80 in Atlanta, I couldn't show up with my white legs! I got a spray tan at Sncroniz Salon in Brighton, MI before I left. This was my second one. I'm not sure what brand they use but it turned out fairly natural looking, especially after I showered twice.

My feet were looking a little orange from the spray tan, but that was taken care of when we went for pedi's at Sugarcoat, a nail and beauty bar in Buckhead. As my Atlanta travel guide said, if Barbie had a salon, it would look like this. The girls working were ultra friendly and fun, and loved to chat and gossip. The pedicure was relaxing, and not only did they take care of my spray tan orange toes, but they mixed up a Barbie-colored paint for me, using two different Essie shades.

Instead of splurging on a manicure that would probably chip in two days, I went for the KISS Everlasting French Manicure glue on nails in petite length. Perfect length, and lasted 4 full days (I decided to remove them today). I got a ton of compliments on them, even at the nail salon, they couldn't believe I did them myself! When I purchased them at CVS it came with an instant save coupon!The day of the wedding I touched up my tan with Nature's Gate Sunless Tanning lotion. I was interested in trying this one out specifically because it contained Olive Oil. It worked well, and didn't turn me orange. It's a good buy at $8.99 (available in stores May/June).
I came prepared for humidity with Profound Beauty's Desert Texture Spray. I LOVE this stuff. I had the best hair weekend thanks to this product. After blowing dry my hair, I sprayed this on and then used my flat iron.

It really doesn't have a smell to it, and it's super light and doesn't weigh down my hair. Even though it's an aerosol, the powders it contains absorbs oil and left my hair with a matte finish. I love this product. It's a great investment for anyone who lives in a humid area (calling all you Floridians out there!). I'd say a little goes a long way. $31 is expensive, but if you live in an ultra humid area, totally worth the investment. P.S. My mom is in love with Profound Beauty's Desert Sand as well. Same concept, protects your hair from humidity.

Miss you at Atlanta!

Note: This review includes products that I received as samples, provided by the brand company or a PR rep. Please click here for more information regarding my disclaimer.

'Dancing with the Stars' Hairstyle Highs and Lows

"Dancing with the Stars" Hairstyle Highs and Lows

See if you agree with our picks for the best and worst hairdos on the show

Did you vote for their dancing alone, or did their hair have something to do with it? Check out the 10 best and worst "DWTS" 'dos. See hairstyles

Friday Freebies

Sephora 15% off coupon! This is huge, don't miss out! The sale ends Monday.
Dove Daily Treatment Conditioner sample

Go Green On Earth Day!

In honor of Earth Day, April 22, I thought I'd highlight some brands or product lines that are supporting green initiatives.

Origins
Go Green & Get Free! Origins is having a Trade-In program. On 4/22, Origins is offering customers the chance to bring an empty cosmetic container to any Origins retail store or counter (which Origins then recycles for them through their Return to Origins Recycling PRogram) to trade it in for a free full-sized Checks and Balances Frothy face wash or A Perfect World Antioxidant cleanser with White Tear. Find the store nearest you!

Starbucks
Bring a reusable mug into Starbucks today and receive a free coffee. Offer good for today only, April 15.

Burt's Bees
Burtify yourself! Check out FindYourBurt.com - Find your Inner Burt and discover your earth-friendly potential.

DermStore.com
The website is launching a Natural and Organic section with over 4,000 product, and donating a portion of the proceeds from sales of the page to the Earth Day Network. Great way to get gorgeous and go green!

Clinique Sale at Gilt

Gilt is having a Clinique sample sale! Skincare, makeup sets, glosses, mascaras, perfumes and more. If you are a fan of Clinique, now is the time to stock up!

Visit here for your free Gilt shopping membership.

Avon Ultra Color Rich Mega Impact Lipstick

Avon's Ultra Color Rich Mega Impact Lipstick fits right in with my makeup selection for this spring. The vibrant colors and long-lasting shades are aligned with the latest lip color trends. Bonus - it contains SPF 15, which is why this will be a staple in my purse this Spring/Summer.

Blending chromatic pigments with color-match magnifiers, each shade is amplified by highlighting and reflecting its true hue.

Mega Impact lipstick goes on really smooth and is long lasting. I was able to try this out in Never so Nude and loved light bronze shimmer. This lipstick has a lot of color to it, and goes on bold (not like some lipsticks you have to put 3 layers of on), but not too bold where I feel like I need a liner or anything. I wore this shade by itself and it didn't dry out my lips like some other brands. No top gloss needed, these colors are really vibrant on their own.


Note: This review includes products that I received as samples, provided by the brand company or a PR rep. Please click here for more information regarding my disclaimer.

Total Beauty Award Winners

And the TotalBeauty.com Award Winners Are …

The votes have been counted and we've got our winners for the most superb beauty products of 2010

Both readers and editors voted on every product from self-tanner to blush to hairspray. Read on to see the winners of 57 hot categories of beauty products. See winners

Giveaway Break - Clearly Beautiful

Clearly Beautiful launched in March 2010, is an all natural skin rejuvenation line that contains exclusive formulas in the form of masks and serums to combine effective ingredients with pure plant collagen delivery system. Clearly Beautiful products provide immediate smoothing and firming of the skin to revive, restore and rejuvenate each layer. With continual use on the face, neck and hands, the skin will experience optimal hydration, the pores will be dramatically reduced and wrinkles will vanish.

***Giveaway***

Enter to win 2 anti-aging spa products from Clearly Beautiful ($45 retail value)! Both the Under-Eye Mask and Wrinkle Repair Serum work to diminish fine lines while leaving skin smoother and more firm.

Fill out the form below to win! For extra entries, you can sign up for my mailing list, post a link to this giveaway on your blog, follow my blog, follow me and retweet on Twitter , or become a fan on Facebook; just make sure to list the entries in your comment. Enter up to once a day!

This giveaway is open to US residents only. The contest will end on Tuesday, May 13th. I will randomly select the lucky winner and announce them on Lipgloss Break, so keep checking to see if you're a winner - Good Luck!