Go Green Fab Fashions & Products To Celebrate Earth Day 2013

Manic:  Me with my family when they fail to put recyclable items in the recycling bin!  Just ask them and they will tell you that I’m an unhappy Mama when they don’t practice green behavior.

Managed: In honor of Earth Day, that is this Monday, and to remind my family the importance of being earth-friendly I put together a segment filled with really cool green products and innovative ideas that can help your family leave less of a carbon footprint, too.  I found cool kids clothes made out of your favorite recycled t-shirts, a sharp men’s belt made out of a bike tire, handsome shoes made with recycled fire department hose, beauty products that give back and more.  Check out these innovative green ideas and some of these items make perfect Mother’s Day and Father’s Day gift ideas, so take a look…

April’s Ten Under $10 Drug Store Beauty Products

Manic:  Me in parts of this segment!  I do my KTVK segments every week and this week, it went well for the most part, but I did make two mistakes, which I don’t like to do!  So when you are watching, please note that the Skintimate is a lotionized shaving gel, not a lotion and that the got2b Beach Trippin Salt Infusing Waving Spray is just as I describe it, even if I did put the wrong got2b product on the table!  So if you watched this segment, did you catch my mistakes?

Managed:  Deciding to cut myself a break.  Since I do these TV segments every week (and have for the last 7 years or so), I am going to make mistakes sometimes.  I HATE making mistakes and my perfectionist daughter seems to be taking after me, for better or for worse, but the segment is still good to watch if you are looking for fabuolus beauty products that work well and all sell for under $10 each! 

I also must thank my Walgreens beauty expert, Bianca who puts this monthly list together for me with her expert knowledge, knack for selecting unique beauty products that work well and for her listening ear that truly hears what her customers tell her.  Love Bianca!  Take a look at this month’s list that helps you stay on your beauty budget..

 

 

About our beauty expert, Bianca

Bianca Malmstrom, Walgreens Beauty Counter Consultant

 Bianca has worked at the Ahwatukee-Foothills Walgreens location, for more than 10 years. She strives in customer service excellence and knows how to make her clients b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! From friendly advice to helpful suggestions, she’s your beauty go-to girl!  She has gained the trust of the Ahwatukee community, helping hundreds of men and women truly understand drugstore beauty. Whether it’s a face cream question or a suggestion on a shaver, she’s got something to say and with a smile.  Read more about Bianca on our team bio page.

Anniversary Week Continues With My Favorite Beauty Posts

Thanks for the great feedback that I have been receiving about celebrating this blog’s 2 year anniversary with a look back at some of our favorite articles.  Today we share some of our favorite beauty posts from the last two years.  To kick it off, here is a recent one that offers all of you a 55% discount off of quality beauty tools from NuMe….

 

Beauty:

Fabulous 55% Off Coupon For My Readers

hair tools

Beauty Product Packaging Pros & Cons

product packaging

New Year, New You With Makeup Tips From Karen Hall

Rachel

How To Clean Makeup Brushes

Brush_Cleaning

Fab Fashions That Flatter

Recital & Special Occasions Curls:  How To Get Them

hair

How To Incorporate Bright Trend Into Your Makeup

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The Best Eyebrow Pencil — A Pro’s Pick That Will Surprise You

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Mom Approved Remedies For Beauty Winter Woes

(this one had some stuff for the men, too)

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There are so many more to choose from, but I’m out of time!  Be sure to look under the Beauty section to see the numerous articles.  You can also type Karen Hall into the search box on top of the home page to bring up all of her amazing articles.  She is a top professional and celebrity makeup artist who provides a lot of all natural tips, too.  Also enter Bianca and Angelic in the search box to see their top notch articles about drug store beauty products and professional hair tips.  I have the best beauty experts on my writing team and I thank those ladies very much!  I also have to thank Heather with the Purple Skirt Boutique for her amazing fashion insight about what trends work well on different figures.  Great stuff!

Fabulous 55% Off Coupon Today For My Readers!

hair toolsIf you didn’t win the Freebie Friday NuMe gift set yesterday, you can still save big today.  Great news from NuMe, the high quality line of hair tools, hair products and more!  They are giving managedmoms.com readers a big 55% discount!!  Read below for details and coupon code and happy hair product shopping!!
I recently showed the NuMe Couture Flat Iron and the NuMe Titan 3 set in my KTVK “Your Life A to Z” morning show segment.  I tested these products and they work very well and gave me beautiful hair, plus their tools are made well, so you won’t get the damage that some other brands leave behind.  NuMe wants to give all of you a chance to try some of their products at a discounted price, so they have offered managedmoms a big discount to share with you!
To get the 55% discount off selected products (listed below) Here is what you do…
2.  Choose either the Titan 3, Curl Jam, 4Play or 3sum curling wand set or select the Couture flat iron, Signature dryer, or the Classic or Magic Curling wands and get 55% off your purchase!!  Woo hoo!
3.  To get the discount, be sure to enter rharris55 after you enter the item in the site’s shopping cart.  There will be an option that says “enter discount code” so enter it there and get your discount!  The discount code is valid through the end of May 2013, so start shopping for your NuNe nice hair tools :)
That’s it and thank you to NuMe for providing this wonderful discount to all of us!  And be sure to visit the NuMe cool Facebook page, too and give them a like!

Freebie Friday Winner!

Who is our Freebie Friday winner today?

What did our winner win?  What is next week’s cool prize?  Keep on reading!!  And remember if you are a subscriber, then you are automatically entered in our weekly drawing for great prizes that include beauty items, cookware,  jewelry and more!  Lots of cool stuff!  Now, let’s announce this week’s lucky winner….

This week’s Freebie Friday winner is:

Julie Ellis from Ahwatukee, Arizona!  

(winner selected through random.org)

Julie won:

nume

 

 

 

 

prods

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The NuMe Signature Titan 3 Curling Wand that uses negative ion technology to get you the lasting look you want, quickly and without the damage of conventional irons and curlers.  Julie also won the NuMe Hydro Punch Hydrating Hair Mask and the high quality NuMe Hydro Punch Hydrating Intense Oil.  The NuMe line offers the ultimate styling tools, hair care, and accessories that suit the unique needs of different hair types.  I have tested several NuMe products as seen in this week’s KTVK “Your Life A to Z” morning show segment.  I also love the NuMe line because the NuMe website includes multiple video tutorials that show how to properly use their cool tools for hair.  Also be sure to check out the NuMe Facebook page, too.

Congratulations Julie and thanks so much for being a managedmoms.com subscriber!

And we will have more great prizes next week, so stay tuned for that and become a subscriber to be automatically entered into the weekly drawing that we do through random.org! 

HOW TO ENTER NEXT WEEK’S FREEBIE FRIDAY…

Do you want a chance to be in the Freebie Friday drawing for next week?  If you are a subscriber, you are automatically entered!

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now at www.managedmoms.com.  Simply subscribe to the website by filling out the area in the right hand column that says “subscribe to managedmoms.com.”  Being a subscriber means that you simply get a notification email each time we run a recipe, article, beauty tip, coupon and more.  We don’t share your email address with anyone and you are automatically entered into the weekly Freebie Friday drawing for your chance to win a cool prize every Friday.  It is that easy!

 

NuMe products were provided for today’s Freebie Friday prize.  Thank you to NuMe!  No compensation was received and the opinions about how much I love the NuMe line are 100% my own. 

 

Mom Approved Remedies For Beauty Winter Woes

Manic:  Winter weather everywhere that does a number on your skin, hair and more.  Here in the Arizona desert, we get fickle weather with chilly temps one day followed by warm temperatures the next and that does a number on our skin and more.

Managed:  Decided to ask my gal pals what their favorite winter remedies are when it comes to beauty and their families dry skin, cracked hands and more.  I got some terrific answers, so take a look…

 

 

February Ten Under $10 Drug Store Beauty Picks

Manic:  The many new beauty products that hit store shelves as we move closer to the Spring season.

Managed:  Decided it was time to do another Ten Under $10 beauty products morning show segment and these items all sell at Walgreens.  So, as I always do, I consulted with managedmoms.com team writer, Bianca, who is a beauty expert for Walgreens and she gave me her ten picks for this month.  Some of these items are new, some are top sellers and some are customer favorites, so take a look and stay on your beauty budget with us!

 

About our writer, Bianca

Bianca Malmstrom, Walgreens Beauty Counter Consultant

 Bianca has worked at the Ahwatukee-Foothills Walgreens location, for more than 10 years. She strives in customer service excellence and knows how to make her clients b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! From friendly advice to helpful suggestions, she’s your beauty go-to girl!  She has gained the trust of the Ahwatukee community, helping hundreds of men and women truly understand drugstore beauty. Whether it’s a face cream question or a suggestion on a shaver, she’s got something to say and with a smile.  Read more about Bianca on our team bio page.

Wonderful Websites Worth Knowing About

Manic:  The overwhelming number of websites out there.  We are all short on time and long on websites!

Managed:  Decided to share my favorite ones with you to let you know which ones are worth your time.  I found some great ones, too….one that enables you to try hot new beauty products, one for parents to help them decide which movies are appropriate for kids to see, even one for your dog!  Read on to see these sites that are worth checking out!

What’s New & What’s Cool at Beauty Brands Stores

Manic:  The number of beauty stores that I live by….Sally’s, Ulta, Sephora, Beauty Brands and more.  Which one is the right one for me because I want to find one go-to store for my beauty needs.

Managed:  Visited Beauty Brands to help me decide and I was very impressed with what I discovered there.  This includes the selection, the customer service, the extra free services and the return policy.  Take a look at what’s new and what is smart shopping at Beauty Brands….

*The StudioStudio High ResNew to Beauty Brands is the customer-friendly section called The Studio.  This new store within a store offers some very popular and nice brands like Smashbox, philosophy, Stila, Too Faced and many more!  The Beauty Specialist Consultant who showed me around really knew her stuff, too.  I appreciated that because figuring out which brand is right for my personal needs can be overwhelming with the numerous products that do all sorts of things these days.

Plus, The Studio experts offer free consultations and I love how they teach you about makeup application, skincare and more  The specialist I met with told me about the half face lesson/application and she let me know that customers should check with their local Beauty Brands store to see if that service is offered.  Beauty Assistant HelpingI was comfortable at the welcoming beauty station and the expert told me that they can apply makeup to half of my face, while I do the other half, enabling me to truly learn hands-on how to do it the way they taught me during the lesson.  For me, that is priceless because I’m not good at remembering every detail that I’m taught because I’m a hands-on type of student.  Plus if I like any of the products that they applied in my lesson, I can purchase it right then and there.

There are also testing stations throughout The Studio, complete with an abundance of sponges and other application tools, so you can test on your own in a sanitary and inviting environment.  My gal pal, Julie and I really enjoyed ourselves as we ventured through The Studio at Beauty Brands and we both made purchases that we love!  I selected the Murad Overnight Soothing Gel that calms red and irritated skin while sleeping.  It works great.  There is truly so much to choose from with the abundance of well-known, top performing brands.  Julie and I both agreed that we will make The Studio at Beauty Brands our regular beauty shopping stop.

*Take 10 Savings Rewards ProgramTake 10The Take 10 Savings Rewards Program is a free money-savings program and it couldn’t be easier when it comes to saving cash on your favorite products and spa services at Beauty Brands.  Simply sign up in store or online at www.beautybrands.com and your points are stored online for you with no need for an annoying card that you have to keep track off.  I love that part and I love that for every $100 you spend, you get a 10% discount off of your next purchase. Plus spa services are part of the program, too.  After every 5th salon or spa service that you receive, you get 10% off a future visit.  Love this program!  And I like that Beauty Brands stores have a very nice salon and spa right there in the store.  women-haircutShop, get your hair done and have a pedicure, all in one location.  Pedicure_202C2126smallThat saves time, too.

*100% Guarantee on purchases — Beauty Brands believes in excellent customer service, so they have a 100% guarantee policy that states you may return any item you purchase from Beauty Brands or beautybrands.com if you are not completely satisfied.  I like knowing that I have that option, but I won’t be returning my Murad Overnight Soothing Gel because I loved how my skin felt and looked this morning when I woke up.

So, there you have it.  Beauty Brands gets a thumbs up from the managedmoms.com team.  With 54 Beauty Brands stores in 11 states, there is bound to be one close to you.  Or you can simply order your favorite brands at Beauty Brands online.  Check that same website to find your nearest Beauty Brands store.  Happy beauty shopping.

 

No compensation was provided.  Several product samples were provided (not the Murad, I purchased that) and managedmoms.com will be reviewing those products in an upcoming post.  All opinions are 100% mine. 

New Year, New You With Tips From Makeup Artist Karen Hall

Manic:  Me looking in the mirror seeing how my appearance is changing as I proceed through my 40s. I try to not let the new fine lines, puffy eyes and wrinkles bother me, but it does.

Managed: Getting some great advice on this topic from Professional/Celebrity Makeup Artist Karen Hall.  Look at what she says to try instead of Botox or any type of surgery.  And her advice works, as you will see in the before and after pictures that accompany her article…and yes one of those pictures is me!

Karen says:

New year, new you! Thinking of a little nip/tuck, botox or fillers this new year?

STOP!

Before you resort to anything radical, a few make-up tips and tricks from a professional, can have you looking younger this year, than last, without the need for drastic measures. These photos are shot the same day, with the same lighting, and no retouching. Their beauty is enhanced with only a few changes in hair, make-up and clothing. JudyThink about it…..if they had any work done, with no changes in hair and make-up, they may look a bit more rested, but would most likely still look like the before pictures. RachelWhy not try a professional make-up artist, hair pro, and/or image consultant, and see if you can achieve a fresher, younger look, before thinking of injecting yourself with questionable substances or going under the knife…..then, if you still feel the need, you will have the tools to look even better after any procedures you may choose!

***And a note from me, Rachel – I went to Karen a few years ago to have this done.  I was doing more on camera work with KTVK and I knew I needed some changes, especially with how harsh the high definition cameras can be at times.  I was thrilled and truly surprised that just a few of her recommended changes could make such a difference!  I highly recommend visiting Karen for a lesson.  She also gives you a face diagram/chart with her notes and suggested products for your skin type and coloring, so it is easy to remember what she taught you because you can refer to your personalized page.  Very cool!***

 

About our writer & expert, Karen Hall:

Karen Hall, Celebrity Makeup Artist

Karen Hall has dolled up the likes of Paula Abdul, Faith Hill, Conan and many more world-wide celebs that come to Phoenix to perform or make personal appearances.  Karen is called in to make the stars look amazing and many of these celebs end up asking Karen what her own personal secret is because she looks 30 years younger than her age…which she will tell you is over 60!  Hard to believe, isn’t it?!   
Read more about Karen on our team bio page