Crazy Good! AWAKE Online Exclusive Offers for August

AWAKE Cosmetics (one of my favorite lines ever) has some amazing online offers for August! Check it right out...

#1 Best of Stardom Kit for $25! (Original price is $50) – this is a great chance to try some of the Stardom line for a steal:
Set Contains (in a Glass Top Metalic Red Case):
· Stardom All Directional Mascara (Ultra Black)
· Stardom Lip Gloss Brilliance (Fairy Pink)
· Stardom Dimensional Eye Colors (Love Light and Angel Wing)
· Stardom Nail Laquer (Magnetic Violet)
· Stardom Face Powder Compact (Champagne Glow)

#2 But wait, there's more! With every order, receive a free deluxe travel size Deep Purity Fluid Cleanse (a thoroughly fabulous cleanser).
#3 And what will happen if your order is $100 or more? Oh…maybe…free shipping!

#4 Hang on - we are so not done yet. Here's a GWP: With every purchase of $150 or more, get a special kit filled with AWAKE must have products (promotion code: AWAUG09):

· Stardom Eye Shadow Quad
· Point Eye Makeup Remover
· Lotion Refresher Spray
· Hydro Manage Base

It's madness! Madness, I tell you! The very best kind of madness there is.
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Mattify Me! More Awesomeness from AWAKE (review)

Summer is just a few days away! And along with all the longer days and extra fun, it's also a time when my complexion begins to go from glowy to downright shiny. Of course I'm sure you have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. But just in case you do, over the next few weeks, I'll be checking out some products that help control oil (and/or breakouts).

I'm starting with one of my all time favorite, fabulous brands: Awake Cosmetics. In the past I've discussed some of their makeup, but their skincare products are equally fabulous.

Company Blurb: Stress Free Skin. AWAKE utilizes state-of-the art Japanese technology to incorporate natural botanicals into formulations that are gentle enough for sensitive skin. Each product is designed to take a targeted approach that addresses specific skin concerns. Mineral oil-free, hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free (with the exception of the Polyphection Skincare Series and Paradise Call).

I've been trying out two new items and I LOVE them!

Deep Purity Clay Wash

Blurb: A foaming exfoliating wash formulated with natural sea clay to effectively absorb excess oils, help minimize the appearance of pores and prevent acne formation. The acne-fighting formula contains exfoliating plant fibers to rid skin of dulling impuities.

Wowee! I am trying really hard to think of another word besides "fabulous," but so far I can't. Because this wash is, well…fabulous. I wet my face, lathered it up in my hands and gently washed my face (it's very foamy). After I rinsed, my face was smooth and clean, clean, clean (without feeling tight or dry)! This wash pretty much chased away every bit of oil and told it never to come back. Like I said, fabulous.

Day Matteness

Blurb: A light-textured primer that enhances makeup application by controlling sebum and eliminating shine throughout the day. Used as a foundation primer, it instantly gives skin an even, silky tone and provides a refined finish even on the most shine-prone areas. Thyme and Japanese Coptis Extract keep oil in check, while Peppermint Extract minimizes pore size.

I totally love this. Because it totally works. It works as a primer (my pores looked smaller, my skin was smoother and my makeup looked better) and it was GREAT at controlling shine. My t-zone stayed shine free for hours. And here's some extra goodness: when my skin did get a little shiny in the late afternoon, I dabbed some on the shiny areas and they mattified instantly!

I'll probably check out some of their other things later. AWAKE also has a Sebum regulating lotion and the cutest little pack of blotting papers ever. Visit their website and click the Special Offers button while you're there.
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For your eyes only: Delicious Purple (part 2)

Well it seems that I went on quite a bit yesterday about purple. But when I re-read my post, I realized it still wasn’t enough. So I will now further everyone’s education on the many more delicious purple products available. Adjust your reading glasses and take a deep breath…

Powder Shadows:

NARS eye shadow in Night Rider: As discussed last week, this shadow is my eyelids' new best friend. I had been wanting this forever, and I finally snapped it up when Sephora had a 15% off promotion.

Makeup Forever #92: Royal Purple. Pure royal purple. The purpliest of purples I have found in a powder shadow. And for serious party eyes, layer it with Makeup Forever Star Powder in #954.

smashbox Eye Shadow in “Spellbound”: This is an awesome soft lilac with a hint of gold shimmer. The saleswoman in Nordstrom kicked it up a notch by by pairing it with Estée Lauder Double Wear base in "Lilac Petals".

NARS duo eye shadow in “Jolie Poupee”: Yowza! This duo pairs a blue-ish violet with an iridescent purple. Really, really cool.

stila Eye Shadow Duo in “Orchid”: This is a gorgeous pair of matte shadows: a pale lilac paired with a dark smoky purple.

Crème/Liquid Shadows:

Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows in “Va Va Va Bloom”: I have been using this versatile little palette forever. The colors range from gold to plum to deep wine. I use them to color my lids, as a sheer wash over other colors, as highlighting and to line my eyes. Tons and tons of options.
Vincent Longo Liquid Shadow in “Midnight Mauve”: This is called mauve, but it’s really a deep, royal purple. Very dark and very dramatic. I also use this as a liner (and I usually apply with a brush instead of the wand).

Eyeliner:

#5 smashbox Cream Eye Liner in “Midnight Purple”: If you had to pick only one purple eyeliner (perish the thought), this would be the one. Smashbox has one of the best liner formulas around and this color is a very deep, wearable shade.

Urban Decay Liquid Liner in “Crash”: This is a lighter, edgier shade with a silver sparkle. I love the little brush too.

Mascara:

Awake Stardom Side Long Lash Mascara in “Glossy Purple”: I really love Awake's Stardom line, and oh how I love this mascara! It's shiny. It doesn’t clump. It lengthens and adds volume. The wand is great. And the color is just purple enough to be flattering instead of silly. (This mascara also comes in black and brown.)

Okay. Whew. I think I've gotten it out of my system…for now.
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Halleluiah! Awake!

Tomorrow is Sunday. Sunday is the day that I get up way too early. I am a singer. Many of us singers have jobs in churches that require getting up early to rehearse (in order to sound halfway decent by the time the service starts). Singing is fun and rewarding. Getting up early on a Sunday morning is punishment for my transgressions.

The way to make this work is go get lots of sleep Saturday night so I can wake up in plenty of time to have breakfast, drink some tea, warm up a little, then shower, get dressed and put on my makeup in a leisurely manner. So far I have managed to do this ZERO times. What really happens is that I get up at the last possible minute, rush around, run out the door and eat hard boiled eggs in the car.

Getting up at the last minute leaves a teensy amount of time to get dressed and put on makeup. My clothes aren't such a big deal because I'm wearing a choir robe. But everyone can still see my face. And THIS week, I will be getting up extra early because it's Palm Sunday (we need extra time since there's foliage involved). What's a girl to do? My face is blotchy. No time for primer. No time for foundation. But wait! There is time for one of my all time favorite products ever created in the universe: Awake Stardom Aqua Trans Powder.

Blurb: This water based loose powder releases hydration upon application to adhere close to the skin with a cool, refreshing touch. It has a translucent, semimatte finish to provide a glowing complexion.

Get it? Awake? Morning? Okay, sorry, anyway…

Awake is a wonderful skincare and makeup line, and this powder is crazy good. It's light, translucent and slightly minimizes pores. Going on, it feels like nothing else. Even though it's a powder, it feels like cool water (or mist) that kind of melts into my skin. It's great over foundation or alone. When worn by itself, it doesn't give a lot of coverage, but its color-correcting properties really even out blotchiness and the finish is gorgeous! I use the color 05 Sea Lavender (yes, it's lavender!) for my olive skin and get a beautiful, natural glow...at 7:30am.

It comes with a pretty good applicator, but I prefer a kabuki brush. Also, be sure to close the lid tightly so it doesn't dry out. It comes in several colors (depending on your color correction needs): Venus Sea, Sand Dune, Sea Lavender, Moon Glint and Pink Sunset.

The luxurious feel and luminous finish are what sold me. But it also controls oil. And it doesn't cause me to break out. And it lasts. And it isn't cakey. Nuff said.