MAC 4-Piece Prize Giveaway: WINNER

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Congratulations to Jennifer D. who’s recent tweet won her this gorgeous prize!  Jennifer has been emailed and has 72 hours to claim her prize.  In the event that she does not claim her prize package, another winner will be randomly chosen by Rafflecopter.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

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Cheers, lovelies! xx

~^~  Katie ~^~

“Behold, the winter is past . . . ”  Song of Songs 2:11  <><

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© 2013 Katie Regan

Zoya, PixieDust Collection, Swatches

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Absolutely gorgeous!  That’s what Zoya’s PixieDust collection is.  These new lines of sandy-textured polishes that are coming out have breathed new life into the world of lacquer-lovers.  I’m all for seeing MORE of these sensory-pleasing honeys in the coming months.

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They apply wet and shiny, but dry to a matte, gritty, sand-like finish with tons of ridiculously amazing sparkle.  The result is a fascinating blend of classy panache meets beachy chill.  Weird, right?  WRONG — these are beautiful.  !!! \o/  Let’s take a peek at individual shades. (All photos are of two-coats, no base and no topcoat.)

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DAHLIA

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CHYNA

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GODIVA

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VESPA

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NYX

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LONDON

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The PixieDusts are surprisingly a cinch to remove.  No special techniques are necessary; they remove much faster than glitters and perhaps even easier than your usual polish textures! =o  I know, right?

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So in conclusion, these are fabulous.   Pick out your fave colors and go snap them up! :}

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Cheers! xo

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***Disclosure: Samples were kindly sent to Breakthrough Beauty for review.  Blog content is always my honest-to-goodness experience, observation and opinon. Thank you for reading!

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~^~  Katie ~^~

“Behold, the winter is past . . . ”  Song of Songs 2:11  <><

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© 2013 Katie Regan

5 Ways to Recycle Roses

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Go to my Facebook page and enter my MAC Giveaway here: http://tinyurl.com/bjpg9de

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Roses From My Love Muffin <3

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So you got some lovely roses for Valentine’s Day and now they’re fading.  Don’t toss them just yet!  There are so many ways you can still reap an aromatic harvest of benefits from these power-packed lovelies.  Let’s discuss five.  (You can use these methods for other flower varities, as well, not just roses.)

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Experiment with adding other plant products to your rose bath concoction — herbal teas tossed into your mix are wonderful and medicinal!

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1. ROSE BATH: Toss the petals into a steamy bath.  Fast, easy, beautiful and a GREAT way to relax after a long day.  For added luxury and skin-nourishment, pour in a cup or two of milk.  Hey, it worked for Cleopatra!

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2.  ROSE FACIAL MASK: Rose petals, honey, plain yogurt — that’s all you need for an amazing, skin-rejuvinating, DIY facial.  Use a food processor or grinder to grate the petals into small pieces.  (Alternately, you can rip them, cut or chop them until crushed.) Add roughly a tablespoon each of yogurt and honey until it reaches your desired consistency.  Apply to face and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Voilá!  Visibly cleaner, smoother, brighter skin.

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3. DIY DRIED ROSE KEEPSAKE: The first year that Love Muffin and I were married, I dried the petals of a bouquet of roses he’d given me, then placed them in an empty (washed and dried) bottle of wine that has special meaning to us.  They’re pretty to display and a sweet reminder of special memories.

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When you’re drying your own flower petals, let them sit on a paper towel for several days.  Choose any kind of pretty bottle that you would like to display.  You can even add dried leaves,  fruit rinds, or other plant products that you think of.

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4. ROSE WATER FACIAL MIST/TONER: It’s easier than you might think!  Instead of spending scads of hard-earned $mula$ on high-end facial sprays, make your own.  Make sure you use organic or home-grown flowers to ensure your product doesn’t have pesticides or other chemicals in it!

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Start off with a glass bowl full of your rose petals.  Pour enough boiling water (distilled or purified)  into the bowl to fully cover the petals.  Cover and let sit until it’s cooled off completely.  Strain the pink water into a pretty jar (if you’ll be applying with a cotton ball) or a misting bottle.  That’s it!  This doesn’t have a preservative, so use it up within a week.  Keeping it in the fridge will prolong it’s life and will also be a refreshing treat for your skin in hot weather.

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5. Rose Salad: Toss your petals into your next salad!  No, I’ve not gone mad…..not entirely, anyway. ;D  According to Livestrong.com, eating rose petals and other flower varieties is common place around the world in both cuisine and medicine!  Again, be sure your flowers are organic.  You’ll find that different colors and varieties have different flavors and sweetness levels, plus different types of vitamins, minerals and healing nutrients!

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Which idea do you like best?  What are YOU going to do with your leftover holiday flowers?!

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Cheers! xo

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~^~  Katie ~^~

“Behold, the winter is past . . . ”  Song of Songs 2:11  <><

   Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest |Instagram | Bloglovin | Youtube 

© 2013 Katie Regan

MAC Giveaway!!! 4-Piece Prize Package!!!

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Happy Valentine’s Day, lovelies!  I hope everyone has a truly amazing, beautiful day.  To celebrate, let’s have a giveaway, shall we?

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Pictured above, you can see the four items in the prize package.  One (1) MSF in Porcelain Pink; one (1) blush in Amber Glow; one (1) eye shadow in Winter Pursuit and one (1) lipstick in Warm Companion.

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MAC, MSF, Porcelain Pink

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MAC, Mineralize Blush, Amber Glow

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MAC, Eye Shadow, Winter Pursuit

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MAC, Frost Lipstick, Warm Companion

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MAC, Frost Lipstick, Warm Companion (Close-Up)

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Lovely, yes?  

The MAC 2013 Giveaway is open internationally to everyone 18 years and older, at the time of entry.  The giveaway starts on Feb. 14, 2013 and ends on March 4, 2013 at 11:59 PM, EST.   One winner will be randomly selected by Rafflecopter and contacted via email.

To enter the giveaway, go to my Facebook page and fill out the Rafflecopter: http://tinyurl.com/czde9g9

If you’re on a mobile device, use this mobile-friendly link to access the entry form:  http://bit.ly/XWZRu8

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Good luck, everyone!!! <3 <3 <3

Cheers! xo

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~^~  Katie ~^~

“Behold, the winter is past . . . ”  Song of Songs 2:11  <><

   Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest |Instagram | Bloglovin | Youtube 

© 2013 Katie Regan

Neutrogena®, Norwegian Formula Hand Cream

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Friday is the last day to enter my Urban Decay GIVEAWAY!! Go to my Facebook page and click on the Giveaway tab at the top!  Good luck!

Click here to Enter!

If you’re on a mobile device, use this mobile-friendly link .

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Happy mid-week, people!  Today, we’re talking about skin.  DRY skin.

I have normal to dry skin, which means that I always amp up my skincare routine during cold winter months — HANDS AND BODY, too!!!    Thanks to BzzAgent.com, I got to test Neutrogena®, Norwegian Formula® Hand Cream.  I use and enjoy other Neutrogena products, so I had no hesitation in taking this little honey for a test spin.

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“Neutrogena® Hand Cream delivers effective relief for dry, chapped hands. 

This clinically proven, highly concentrated formula rapidly heals dry hands. It noticeably improves the look and feel of your skin. 

Hands feel soft and smooth after just one application. 

** Long-lasting

** Glycerin-rich

**  Concentrated”  Neutrogena.com

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The product comes in two fragrance options: Original and Fragrance-Free.  Both are quite agreeable to me; I can’t discern a scent in either of them.

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The squeeze bottle is very hygenic, fast and easy.  The lid screws on for a secure closure = safe to tuck in your purse with no worries of spills!

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As you can see in the photo above, the product is a translucent white-ish cream.  The texture is silky smooth with medium thickness.  It glides on easily and soaks in right away, leaving no oily, greasy or slippery residue.  The best part, though?  IT WORKS!

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I go through so many lotions and potions each year, many of which, leave my skin dry, tight and itchy hours later.  Not this one.  It helps keep nails and cuticles smooth and healthy, too!  This will definitely stay in my regular routine, in my purse and next to my sink for every  hand-washing session!

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Thank you, BzzAgent for another great find and thank you, Neutrogena!  This is why I love you both.

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Cheers! xo

Disclosure: I received Neutrogena® media samples free of charge, from BzzAgent.com, in exchange for honest feedback.   All blog content is always my honest-to-goodness opinion, observation and experience.

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~^~  Elizabeth ~^~

“Behold, the winter is past . . . ”  Song of Songs 2:11  <><

   Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest |Instagram | Bloglovin | Youtube 

© 2013 Elizabeth Regan