Benefit Cosmetics

I was recently asked to pick my favorite cosmetics company. Like many major life decisions this took me a day to consider. Beautiful packaging, quality products, a website I can waste hours on, and an online beauty school for makeup tips, finally led me to declare my number one: Benefit Cosmetics. (Plus they are based in my favorite city, San Francisco!)

I decided this just yesterday and low and behold, an email arrived in my inbox just now reassuring me that most of my peers agree with me.

Beauty's Product: Five Minutes to FAB with Benefit Cosmetics

My travelling partner is somewhat like a basic training marine corps officer. She runs a tight ship and she wants everyone at the day's first activity by the crack of dawn. So these helpful tips from benefit cosmetics on getting FAB (f*ing absolutely beautiful) in five minutes are most helpful. Luckily this morning I've secured two whole hours to be with you, sit in my bed, and look out over the big easy from the most fabulous 19th century porch. Also, there is a depression on (as they say in the south) so take note of the free product code at the bottom of the promo.

Makeup Trends for Fall from Sephora and Benefit

The masterful makeup artists at Sephora have put together a pictorial shopping guide to getting the fab four fall trends. I love the dark lips that have carried over from last season.

The lovely ladies of benefit cosmetics just released their beauty and fashion report for fall! A step by step how-to guide for each look and a shop the look feature from shopbop.com are included.

Lipstick, To Die For?

Have you ever found a lipstick that was to die for? Did you ever wonder, as it rubbed off on your morning apple, if its ingredients were as nutritious as your breakfast? After reading this New York Magazine tid bit, I began to wonder, are women unknowingly killing themselves for beauty?

LVHM (owner of a long list of beauty companies including Givenchy, Dior, Donna Karen, Benefit, and Guerlain) is currently being sued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. LVHM is not the only company with toxic ingredients. Sixty-one percent of lipsticks tested exceeded the legally acceptable amount of lead content. LVHM is taking the fall for all of the offenders because their Dior Addict Positive Red Lipstick tested over twice the legal limit for lead content. (To their credit LVHM does a remarkable amount of environmental and social stewardship.)

But let's get real, Lead!?! Are we not past the point in history where lead is still used in well, anything? Here is a list (an 11 page, double-columned list) of beauty companies who, by signing the Compact for Safe Cosmetics, feel we are as society beyond poisoning women through makeup and beauty products.

Personally, I am an organic fanatic but if there is a product that erases wrinkles or makes me look stunning, I will use it - toxic or not. My point is that women, while we may never unilaterally chose health over beauty, should be able to make that decision knowingly. Plenty of educated successful women chose to put toxins in their body on a daily basis, but these are informed choices. Smoking is bad for you, but some days for some people it's what they chose to do. Nowhere on any lipstick I have ever purchased does it say "Contains enough lead to sink a ship."

So what's a girl to do? First, make use of this database of 25,000 beauty products. If you search for your favorite product it will tell you on a scale from 1 to 10 exactly how toxic, carcinogenic, or legally restricted its ingredients are. 10 is the worst rating. L'Oreal's Hydra-Renewal Daily Dry Skin Cream earned this distinction. Intriguingly, not all of the healthiest products are from typically eco-friendly companies. Estee Lauder's Dew Dusting Powder earned an honorable rating of two.

Second, I have added The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and The Database for Safe Cosmetics to the "Links I Love" feature on the side bar. Finally, from now on I will do my best to let you know the ratings of all the products I review. It will be an effort, but in the words of one toxin embroiled brand, You're Worth It.

Benefit Cosmetics Gets Hip, Launches B Spot.

Benefit is one of my favorite cosmetic companies for SO many reasons. Now they are speaking directly to me and launching a perfume called B Spot. Coincidentally, it is based on some of my favorite scents. Take their quiz to figure out the location of your B Spot. Enjoy!

Nars Lip Lacquer in Capucine: It was love at first sight.

In my obsessive hunt to bring you the best of all things Spa. Product. Organics. and Travel. I often find myself scouring the internets. Lately lots of this scouring has focused on Sephora's blog as one of their writers is as obsessed as I am with Benefit Cosmetics. When I came across this photo of the Nars online exclusive limited edition Miami Sun Set I fell into the orange colored lip lacquer the second I laid eyes on it. The Capucine is the same exact color of my summer nail obsession (L'Oreal Coral Blaze 411). Rather than order the set online, I went straight to Sephora and purchased the lip lacquer. Let me tell you it's true what they say about love at first sight. I never knew lip color until I met Capucine. Although it appears bold and punky in the jar it looks as beautiful as a southern summer sunset when applied. In fact I can't exactly identify it as orange on my lips. Rather its looks like some deeply fascinating yet blurry dot on the windows color matrix, and it brightens all of my features, and compliments my skin tone all at the same time. Surprisingly, this summer my beauty love life is tangled up in orange and although unexpected it's a stunning evolution nonetheless.

Benefit Cosmetics: Powderflage Sweepstakes!

Beauty's San Francisco Product: Benefit Badgal plum?!?!!!!

Girls, I know I abandoned you today but I have the best-est of excuses and the best-est of news. Excuse: I'm in the most amazing city on the planet, San Francisco. Palm Trees, the golden gate, the home of Sephora and benefit - I'm sorry why haven't I always lived here? Anywho the amazing news: from the most adorable cosmetics brand this side of Lombard Street comes a lash revolution. Yes my lash lush-ness has a new vice, BADGAL in Plum. So yes everything is officially purple, even lashes. To die.

Total Beauty Web Tour!

The Makeup Divasreviews and shares photos of Mac's Sonic Chic Mineralize Blushes in Dainty and Merrily.

Tink at Casual Lavish explores other color options for Chanel Rodeo Drive nail polish.

Monique at Beauty Girl Musings is having a fabulous giveaway of Marini Lash! Be sure to enter, and long lush lashes could be yours!

At Bare Budget Beauty, Jenn compares MAC Tendertones and the new L'Oreal HiP Jelly Balms! Which one do you think will win?

The Daily Cookie is celebrating her first reader newsletter with a GIVEAWAY! Sign up and enter for your chance to win a Kat Von D True Romance Beethoven palette for you and a friend.

Roselyn from Makeup Makes Me Happy is back from her Caribbean vacation with a gorgeous Barbie-inspired makeup tutorial featuring pinks, blues, and purple hues from the latest M.A.C. collections!

Jamie of Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog questions whether hair extensions are worth the price.

Viva Woman shares a list of where to get free or inexpensive mineral makeup samples.

Is your makeup slip slidin' away in the heat? Beauty411 shares her thoughts on Skindinavia Makeup Primers and Finishing Spray.

The Muse is diving into Fall Collections! Check out her review on Urban Decay's Hot New 24/7 Concealer Pencil!

Beauty's SPOT addresses the toxic lipstick drama with, Lipstick, To Die For?

Alison of the Advice Sisters Guide to Life, Success & Happiness Blog is loving a do-it-yourself fragrance kit by Bramble Berry that lets you create a signature scent in literally, seconds!

Beauty Anonymous shares a review on Guerlain KissKiss Maxi Shine - Sheer Colours Volume Effect Lipstick!

The Beauty of Life may have been a blush novice before, but with Benefit Posietint in her life now she's totally hooked!

Beauty Tyrant has found the best waterproof mascara. She is currently swimming with mascara and loving her lush lashes!

Elke finds what was shown in the .

Beauty Blogging Junkie shows you how you can channel a Mad Men character at various price points.

Glossypink gives you the lowdown on which Anastasia brow products are a hit, and which ones are a miss.

Fabulous Over Forty is talking Fall beauty collections this week. See what products are her favorites and what are not for women over forty.

Enter Beauty in Real Life's giveaway for a Kara James Rae Wristlet and some CoverGirl cosmetics!

Spoiled Pretty is hosting an egg-cellent giveaway. Enter today to win a PedEgg! You know you're dying to try it...

Frappelattes provides a how to apply foundation guide.

The Beauty Alchemist has preview pics of MAC's Cult of Cherry Collection.