Product Girl

One line that is very appealing to me is the Balm. I love their vintage packaging and the feel their line has. I picked up this product just because of the cute pinup on the front. Sometimes that's all it takes.

the Balm's Sexy Mama is a mattifying translucent powder and it's been in my bag ever since I got it. I've been using this powder to set my concealer and foundation and it works like a charm. It doesn't leaves my skin looking powdery, it blends in very well and doesn't leave any color behind. When I see a little shine coming on, I can add on layer of Sexy Mama on and it does not make me look cakey at all.

The packaging may be an issue for some but it's not a problem for me at all. This powder is housed in a paper case and comes with a mirror just like some of it's the Balm counterparts. The compact stays shut due to the magnetic closure in the case. The mirror isn't the best mirror in the world but it works for touch ups and shouldn't be enough to distract you from trying this product.

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A Touch of Blusher can't decide which new eye palette to get...

All About the Pretty believes in pretty karma.

KRiSTOPHER is wanting, wearing, hating playsuits.

Makeup Moxie reviews the new Guerlain Terracotta Bronzing Brush bronzing gel.

SugarShock Beauty finds that everything's coming up roses in the fragrance world.

Lianne at TheMakeupGirl is loving Prescriptives latest for Summer 2008 Urban Heat.

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I think that brand licensing and diffusion lines are really confusing. Add onto that the new “grey” market in which mass merchants like Target are suddenly selling products usually found only in salons and upscale department stores (i.e. Bumble and Bumble, Kiehl’s, O.P.I), and it’s that much more difficult to understand what you’re buying these days. Is it the real deal? Expired product? Something completely different?

Such was the case when I started using a new moisturizer and began digging into the who/what/where, etc behind it. The cream in question is Kirkland Signature by Borghese Age Defying Protective Moisture Lotion SPF 15. I’m familar with Borghese. It's an Italian beauty house with a longstanding reputation for deriving innovative formulas with products from the earth, and not testing on animals. So I was totally confused when I headed to their web site to read up on my new moisturizer only to find that the product was nowhere to be found. After a quick Google search, I was redirected to…Costco. Huh?

Kirkland Signature by Borghese is a partnership between low and high- a mingling of classes, if you will. According to Borghese, this line incorporates the same quality ingredients and formulations. But they are able to offer them exclusively to Costco customers at rock-bottom prices- up to 85% less than those of the Borghese products found at spas and Bloomingdales.

I’ve never used a moisturizer from Borghese before, so I can’t make a direct comparison to the one I’ve been using from Costco. It’s a good cream, unscented, goes on light and soaks in quickly. I think the formula would work best on women with slightly oily skin because it is so light. I have normal to dry skin and felt a little tightness after using the moisturizer. At $14.99, it’s on par with other drugstore favorites such as Dove face creams.

A few of the KS by Borghese products are available on Costco’s web site- although this moisturizer is not one of them. You can click here to find out if your local Costco carries it. If you’re a fan of Borghese and have tried the Kirkland Signature products, I’d love to hear what you think.

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StyleBell shows you how to make some serious waves with your flat iron.

Beauty Anonymous reveals the jelly pinkness of the Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen Spring 2008 Salon Collection!

Raging Rouge announces the MAX Factor May Makeover giveaway. Over $750 of MAX Factor products will be divided up between TEN winners on May 17th. Good luck!

SugarShock Beauty has a newfound love for foundation: the makeup artist- and Madge-approved Face Atelier Ultra Foundation.

The Muse whispers in your ear about Benefit's Newest Cheek Stain for Summer! Pssttttt! Enjoy the first ever images, product photos, and swatches from a link available at Musings!

This mascara ended A Touch of Blusher's mascara search...

Beauty411 reviews Soaptopia, a bath line that promised to be "100% junk free"! Check it out!

Beauty Blogging Junkie schools you on how to avoid snaggy, dry lips.

Looking for skin care products that deliver results? Read The Makeup Divas review of the Somme Institute Skin Care Line.

Beauty and Fashion Tech is giving away two sets of John Frieda Lustrous Touch Shampoo and Conditioner. One for blonde hair and one for brunette.

At Girl Gloss, you can win a set of seven Classic Badger Balm Lip Balms.

Beauty Junkie in SF is on her way to a flawless face with the help of a new high-tech skincare system.

The Beauty of Life brings you the highs and lows from the celebs' beauty looks at the Costume Institute Gala.

Beauty Banter dishes on the new Spring Hair Style and actress Shiri Appleby models the look!

Need a nail intervention but can't afford regular trips to the salon? Glossypink goes there to get great nails.

What makes you feel your most beautiful? Toya at The Life of A Ladybug wants to know!

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty helps you determine if you’re a candidate for microdermabrasion!

A reader at makeup loves me claims to have gone up one cup size by using Victoria's Secret bust enhancer!

Makeup Moxie finds Complexion Perfection when she reviews the foundation and concealer duo compact by Global Goddess.

Face Candy reviews NARS Orgasm Multiple, Lip Gloss and Nail Polish.

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog gets a Surprise Stage Makeup Makeover with Kryolan Professional Makeup.

Pursebuzz.com does a step by step tutorial on how to create that extra dramatic smokey eye look as seen on Gwen and Fergie and everyone on the red carpet.

What has a delectable chocolate fragrance when you smooth it on that morphs into a fresh, powdery scent once it sinks in? Spoiled Pretty tells you what it is and why you need to try it!

Cybelesays gets to the Shea of Things with their picks of the best Shea Butter products out there.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic gives you the low down on Kristin Davis's makeup for the SATC publicity tour!

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If there's one movie I have been dying to see, it's the highly anticipated Sex and the City movie. To celebrate the return of our beloved girls, we're giving away a Sex and the City Goodie Bag every week in May!

When it comes to screen size, bigger is definitely better! Sex and the City arrives only in theaters on May 30th, 2008 and it promises to answer all of the lingering questions – will Carrie and Big finally tie the knot? Can Samantha really be satisfied with just one man? Will Charlotte ever get pregnant? Can Miranda and Steve actually live happily ever after?

Enter to win a fabulous Sex and the City Goodie Bag that includes:

• Sex and the City DVD essentials
• The Official Sex and the City Movie Soundtrack
• The Sex and the City Coffee Table Book

The five different titles of the Sex and the City DVD essentials provided by HBO SHOP in NYC at 42nd & 6th. The Sex and the City Soundtrack featuring brand new songs from Fergie, Jennifer Hudson, Jem and more. It will be released in stores on May 27th. Finally, the must-have book for every devoted fan takes a unique look behind the scenes of the movie. The book will be in stores on May 30th.

We will be giving away a goodie bag each week from now until the movie premieres and to enter, just complete the form below with your name and email address. Please note that leaving a comment is not enough to enter each giveaway.

Good luck and don't forget to watch trailer in the meantime!

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Do you ever have products that you love in the store and then when you bring them home, you forget about them? That's what happened with me and this palette until I found it again last night.

The
Smashbox Shockwave Fusion Eye & Cheek Palette is so adorable. It features four shimmering shadows in hues of blue, green, beige and brown then two alternating blushes in pink and rose. With the exception of your lips and mascara, you can do your whole face with this palette so you can make a little room for it in your makeup bag.

Today I'm wearing the sand shade all over the lid with a little bit of the brown in the crease. The shimmer is completely buildable. I'm wearing it a little on the lighter side so it's not overwhelming at all but you could pack the color on with a brush for a more intense effect. When you consider you're really getting four eyeshadows and two blushes in this palette, the price is not too bad. The only thing I'd change is the pull out compartment for the blush, it's a little tough to slide out. Something double sided like previous palettes would have been better. Overall though, take a look at this palette next time you're near a Smashbox counter.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for our new giveaway!

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Insoles are usually not the kind of thing that I talk about with people but we were sent some interesting insoles from Fragrant Footings that we liked so we're taking the opportunity to try and expand the range of products we talk about on Product Girl.

Fragrant Footings Scented Insoles are scented with essential oils and are hypoallergenic. The insoles are made of a wool and rayon blend that can be trimmed to fit any shoe. At first glance, the feel of the materials may seem a little odd but it's the material itself that really makes these insoles worth trying. The insoles come in Garden Party Lemon, Kiss Me Till Morning Mint and Bare Shoulder Smolder Jasmine. They also come in different sizes so you can wear them in a variety of shoes. The blend is perfect for keeping your feet dry, they absorb any moisture and even provide a little traction in your shoe. There's not really any cushion to these insoles but keeping our feet dry and our shoes from slipping off definitely make things more comfortable.

These insoles are a little pricier than your typical shoe insoles but sometimes slipping off your shoes to find dry and stink free feet is worth it.

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Our giveaway has now come to an end but we're happy to say that our readers Sonya and Dina have each one a pair of Tweezerman's Animal Print Tweezers! We've contacted Sonya and Dina and we're sending them their prize as soon as possible.

Thank you to everyone who has entered our giveaway, we saw substantially more entries in this giveaway than in the one before. I'm so very grateful to everyone who entered that this round turned out so well. It gives me hope that Product Girl will continue to grow so that means we'll definitely be doing more giveaways and we'll be doing them more often! In fact, we have a huge giveaway planned for the entire month of May so check back with us on Friday when we announce it. Thanks again everyone!

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I hope you guys are loving this feature that Carla has going with taking a peak inside the bags of fellow bloggers and readers- I know I am!

In addition to blogging for Product Girl, I also have my own blog at Bombshell Beauty. Here's what I lug around in my Kathy Van Zeeland bag - a few necessities, a few things even I was surprised to find, and a whole lot of lipgloss. Check it out...

• Old school planner because I'm a really tactile person (I like the whole pen and paper thing as opposed to a Blackberry).
• Pink Motorola Razr.
• Mead notebook for making lists and jotting down review ideas for Bombshell Beauty and Product Girl.
• iPod Nano
• Cocktail ring from Mark
• Leather business card holder
• Pile of receipts from a shopping trip this weekend
• Target sunglasses
• Watermelon flavored Dum Dum sucker
• Savannah Bee Company's Magnolia Hand Lotion

• American Beauty Pretty Gloss in Pink Parfait
• Estee Lauder Tender Lip Balm in Tender Plum (03)
• Mark Juice Gem in Passion Fruit
• Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Gloss in Baby Pink
• Kiehl's Lip Balm #1
• Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey

• Stila Eye Shadow in Kitten
• Mark Eyemarker in Java
• Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light Bisque
• Visine for Contacts
• Bliss Manicure's Best Friend

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Usually I would not talk about things I get for my car. Car and beauty products do not go hand in hand but when I picked up a Yankee Candle Sun and Sand Car Jar recently, I was instantly reminded of a perfume I love.

If you've ever been at a Bobbi Brown counter and smelled her Beach perfume, this candle scent is practically the same as Bobbi's perfume. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that this really is Beach in a car air freshener. It could have been longer but maybe a year or more ago, my local Bobbi Brown counter was giving away these cute little flip flop car air fresheners scented with Beach. You see how I could be suspicious? Since I first tried this air freshener, I've picked up a few more candles in this scent but every time I get in my car, I'm greeted with this summery scent and it makes me a little happier each time.

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I'm under the weather right now so I apologize for missing yesterday's "What's in Her Bag" segment, I'll pick that back up on Monday and we'll continue for the rest of the week to wrap it up. It's been fun for me and I hope you've been enjoying it. I think you have, right? Don't forget to enter in our Tweezerman giveaway, we'll be announcing the winners on Tuesday morning. Until then, here's the best of the week from our friends in the Beauty Blog Network.

Spoiled Pretty is giving away $1,400 worth of beauty products to one lucky bride-to-be. And if you're a future wedding belle from the Philadelphia area, we've got something for you too. Enter right away - contest ends May 4th.

Find out how The Daily Cookie gets her flawless face with Clinique!

SugarShock Beauty has fallen in love with Greek natural beauty line Korres's new Body Butters, which come in a pump-tube, so it's super-easy moisturizing for us time-pressed gals.

Raging Rouge tests dozens and dozens of pink lipsticks and glosses, and narrows the field down to the best pink lip colors of Spring 2008.

Beauty Anonymous shows you new colors of the DiorKiss Lip Gloss Line!

StyleBell uncovers simple and easy tips to help manage and control curly hair.

A Touch of Blusher reviews ck Calvin Klein's new mineral-based loose powder.

Find out what Beauty Blogging Junkie recommends for achieving shimmery shoulders for summer.

Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog interviews MAC Cosmetics Senior Makeup Artist Jennifer Karsten and gets the skinny on how it's like to work with Kanye West.

The Makeup Divas reviews Bath and Body WorksHello Sugar! shimmering body lotion.

The Muse reviews Etude House'sSpring Collection from Korea!

The Beauty of Life no longer has to suffer from lash envy with the Dior Black Lash Kit.

Toya from The Life of A Ladybug got sucked in by Darac Beauty's Sifted Blur Powder and TorQuam brush! She doesn't want you to get sucked in, too!

Kyle at Face Candy gives you a peek at her favorite Makeup Minis.

Don't know why you should be rocking the sunscreen every day? Beauty411 reminds us that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month!

makeup loves me introduces you to a non-chocolate truffle that she is confident you will still love!

Beauty Banter dishes on the top concealers on the market! Everything you need to know about covering-up and having a glowing complexion!

Glossypink reveals an essential warm-weather item to give your skin its sexiest glow ever!

Pursebuzz.com shows you how to create long lasting curls with just a few products. It's called the Wavy Waves.

Cybelesays introduces us to a new line of mineral makeup.

Kitiya from Mischo Beauty loves REN’s Mayblossom and Konjac Balancing Moisturiser and tells you why!

Does lipgloss cause skin cancer? Makeup Moxie gives you the lowdown.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic checks out the new Essie Summer 2008 Colors!

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Today is Bellasugar's turn! Annie is Bellasugar's editor and she a great blog, one that I could take a few hints from! We are taking a look at her bag and what's she's got in it. taking a look at what in. Let's see what she says...

"The bag is by Elezar; it was a gift, and I love it because it has good storage space despite its smallish size. So these are the things I have on me 99% of the time."

• Neutrogena sunblock. Truth be told, I’m not wild about the scent of this stuff, but because it has SPF 70, I use it anyway. I fear the sun. And for as often as I apply and reapply sunblock, it makes sense to have a strong one that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
• A pair of sunglasses. I alternate between these from Nour and a pair of $5 cheapies from H&M. (See above re: heliophobia.)
• Bliss Lemon + Sage Body Butter. The formula is hydrating without being too greasy, and it smells wonderful.
• Ms. Manicure mini emery boards. They’re tiny and useful.
• Nars sheer lipstick in Dolce Vita. For months, I searched for a cheaper version of this color, but couldn’t find one that I loved as much. Finally I resigned myself to the fact that I won’t be happy with an imitation, and now I drop $23 to have it. It’s that great “your lips but better” shade of rosy pink.
• Nars lip gloss in Chihuahua. This is one of those easy-to-wear pinkish nudes that goes with both natural and nighttime looks.
• Three Custom Color Specialists Lip and Cheek Stain in Ski Bunny. This is so easy to use, and a little dab on the cheeks makes me look glowy and less pallid.
• Boscia blotting papers. I’m not loyal to this brand (Clean and Clear also makes a great version) but I rely on blotting sheets to reduce shine on my forehead and nose.
• C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in Double Chocolate. It’s great for when my lips start to dry out, and it tastes good. I use it a lot when I want to look more polished, but I don’t want to deal with wearing lipstick or gloss.

"I also normally carry YSL Touche Eclat, but I lost it this weekend. Ugh. I like to have that handy when my undereye circles come out to play. It tricks the light into making me look like I’ve just had a disco nap. At $40 it is overpriced, but it makes me look fresher, so it’s a splurge."

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