Over 100 new markers just approved on the Wet n Wild maps

I hope everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a wonderful day yesterday! Because of the holiday, I'm running very behind on all things blog-related, but I wanted to take a minute to let you know that I just approved over 100 new markers on the Wet n Wild Ice Baby and Walgreens Beauty Bar interactive maps. Many of the new sightings are located in the midwest, northeast, east and south, but there are a few new sightings on the west coast if you're still looking for them in that area of the US.

To view the Ice Baby map, click here.

To view the Walgreens Beauty Bar (8-pan matte and baked palettes), click here.

Another HUGE thanks to everyone who has contributed to these maps. Your detailed info has helped SO many of us locate these limited edition collections this season.

PS: I've been asked if I will create an interactive sightings map for the Revlon Lip Butters and the answer is no. Since the Lip Butters will be part of the permanent core collection for Revlon beginning in January, I don't really think there's a need for a map since we'll soon have access to them everywhere.

Giving thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you reading this in the US. I hope you're having a day filled with family, love, laughs and, of course, lots of food!

While we all take a moment to reflect upon the things that mean the most to us (a roof over our heads, family and friends, food in our bellies), I'd like to take a moment to share with you a great idea submitted by a lovely reader recently.

Reader "A" (I'm not sure if she'd like me to use her name) is part of a forum on Reddit that discusses beauty, and she let me know about a recent topic regarding beauty products donations to women's shelters. You can check it out here if you'd like.

If you're in a position to be charitable this holiday season (or any time), I'd like to encourage you to take any unused beauty products or feminine hygiene products you may have and seek out your local women's shelter for a donation.

As the folks on Reddit mentioned, women's shelters have a HIGH DEMAND for things like foundation, concealer and feminine products. These are things we take for granted in our daily lives, but many women across the country may not be able to afford them or have easy access to them.

We all know that something as simple as being able to cover under-eye circles can give us a little bit of extra confidence to meet the day. When you're shopping at the drugstores this holiday season and you come across a great deal, consider picking up an extra lipstick, concealer, foundation, shampoo, box of pads or tampons or anything else you think a women in need could use.

I'm not going to link to a specific women's shelter directory on this post (there are a lot of scam sites out there), so if you don't know where the local women's shelters are in your town, do a google search for "women's shelter" and your city and see what pops up. If you're not sure as to the legitimacy of the organization, jot down a phone number and give them call. Find out who they're affiliated with, and if they accept donations. Ask them what they need the most for the women in their facility and build a small list for yourself.

A few years ago I came across a great sale on some shampoo at Big Lots and ended up purchasing way too many bottles (you know how that goes). So on the suggestion of a co-worker at the time, I gave my stash of unused/unopened shampoo to a local women's shelter and they were incredibly appreciative. If you have unexpired, unused stash that you KNOW you won't get to within the next year, please consider giving it to a woman in need. (NOTE: all beauty product donations must be unused and unopened.)

I know that many of you reading this are not in a position to purchase things for yourself right now, let alone give to others. I completely understand and respect that and I'm in NO way trying to guilt-trip anyone into making a donation that is beyond their means. I'm just suggesting to those who CAN purchase an extra lipstick or two, or have a bountiful stash that they can't use up themselves, to give to a women in need.

The power of a new lipstick may not change someone's current position in life, but it can give them a tiny boost of self-confidence at a time when they need it the very most.

Thanks again to reader "A" for the great reminder and suggestion.

Love, 

G. xo

Bath & Body Works and The Body Shop Black Friday Totes are now online

I can hardly keep up with all the Black Friday/Cyber Monday madness, but I sure am trying!

I just wanted to let you know that the BBW and TBS Black Friday Totes I've blogged about over the past few days are NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE.

Wet n Wild $0.69 Sale at CVS

In addition to that Wet n Wild Fast Dry mini set that's going to be $2.88 with $2 back in Extra Bucks on Black Friday (11/25) at CVS, I noticed in the latest Wet n Wild newsletter that there's ANOTHER promotion at CVS that's going on through 11/30:

Through 11/30, you can stock up on your favorite 99-cent items from Wet n Wild for just $0.69 each!

As with everything else I've been posting about lately related to Black Friday/Cyber Monday, I'll add this one to the master list so that we can have them all in one place.

Breaking News: Milani and Jordana Cyber Monday Sales

I just received this info from my contact at Milani/Jordana, and I wanted to share it ASAP because these deals are too good to keep to myself!

(click each image to be taken directly to the website)

Ever since I started my Jordana at Walgreens series, I've been hearing from readers who have been wanting to try Jordana but don't have access to their products in their area. Well this is the PERFECT time to give them a whirl. Also, don't forget that there are special products that Jordana has recently brought out of the land of discontinued, which you can only purchase online.

Also, for those of you who have been wanting certain shades of Milani Baked Blushes but can't find them in your area, take advantage of 50% off + free shipping while you can!

Are you planning to make some Milani or Jordana purchases this Monday? If so, what are thinking about picking up?

PS: I'm working on updating my Black Friday master list to include Cyber Monday sales as well, so I'll definitely add this to the list so you don't forget!

e.l.f. Holiday 2011 eyeshadow duos: NARS dupes?

So I was at Target the other day and I finally spotted the e.l.f. Holiday 2011 end cap that I blogged about a while back. Taking a closer look at the $5 eyeshadow duo set (which you can buy here if you can't find it at your Target), I noticed that some of these duos kind of reminded me of NARS duo eyeshadows.

So I got to thinking...do ALL of the e.l.f. duos have a NARS counterpart? Maybe, maybe not. But check this out:

image source: eyeslipsface.com

VERY EXCITING drugstore sightings!

I am so excited to share these drugstore (and Ross) sightings with you that I can barely type right now! So let's not waste any time:

Back in October when I first saw The Varnish Clique's post about the new Essie shade Shine Of The Times (the Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure dupe!), I started counting the days until the Luxeffects collection was spotted in drugstores. Well, that time has come because the lovely Joyce just tweeted me a pic of Essie Luxeffects which she spotted at her local Walgreens!

Thanksgiving Day Mani

I'm not sure what it is about Thanksgiving that makes me gravitate toward my Sally Hansen limited edition polishes, but last Thanksgiving I rocked a tri-colored mani using the brown polishes from the Sally Hansen Tracy Reese Fall 2010 collection, and this year I was drawn to them again. I guess I just love rich browns and earthtones for Thanksgiving. BUT, this year I wanted to jazz it up a bit and add some sparkle, so I grabbed my new OPI Warm & Fozzie and my Wet n Wild Cougar Attack and decided to do a fun polka dot mani.

Note: you don't need a fancy dotting tool to make polka dots on your nails--check out this post where I show you that a simple bamboo kebab skewer works just fine. You can pick up a bag of 100 for a buck at the dollar store and you only need three for this look, which will set you back just three cents!

Left to right: Sally Hansen Touch of Mink, Sally Hansen Fedora, OPI Warm & Fozzie, Wet n Wild Cougar Attack