Aveda Shampure Soy Wax Candle Winners!!!

I'm so excited to announce the winners of the Aveda Shampure Soy Wax Candle Giveaway because it's, literally, the best smelling candle ever. So without further ado, the lucky winners are Satvi and swankygirl.

Ladies, be sure to check your email because I'll need your real names and addresses to ship your prize. And please let me know how you like the candle, though I'm sure you'll agree with my rave review.

Many thanks to Aveda for sponsoring the giveaway - and for making such an ab fab candle, natch.

And don't forget to enter Spoiled Pretty's remaining Earth Day-inspired beauty giveaways!

Aveda Shampure Soy Wax Candle Giveaway!

If you're a regular reader of Spoiled Pretty, you probably remember a review I wrote a few weeks back – extolling the virtues of Aveda's Shampure Soy Wax Candle.

It might be a stretch to call the Shampure Candle the best-smelling candle of all time – considering, well, I've only been on this earth to judge for 31 years. But I'm going to give it that title anyway because I dare someone to find me one more wonderfully fragrant. I triple dog dare you.

This candle smells so good, I want to petition Aveda to create a body wash, lotion, perfume and hand cream in the same scent (they already have a Shampure shampoo and conditioner – which are on my "next to try" list).

The aroma of 25 pure flower and plant essences - including certified organic lavender, petitgrain and ylang ylang – soothes the senses. And the candle, housed in a 95% recycled glass holder, burns cleanly and completely for up to 50 hours.

I'm not content to enjoy this candle solo – so, in honor of Earth Day (April 22) and Natural Woman Week, I've teamed up with Aveda to share two with you!

Two winners will receive Aveda's Shampure Soy Wax Candle – and I dare them to tell my challenge my 'best-smelling candle of all time' theory.

To enter the giveaway, leave a message in the comments section; make sure to leave your email or another way for me to get in touch, just in case you get lucky. Contest is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends at noon (EST) on Tuesday, April 27, 2010. Good luck!

And don't forget to enter Spoiled Pretty's other Earth Day-inspired beauty giveaways!

Aveda Shampure Soy Wax Candle: Simply the Best

I am way past due on my spring cleaning - and, as a result, my apartment looks like an episode of Hoarders: Buried Alive. But despite the clutter, it smells and feels like Clean House up in here, thanks to my Aveda Shampure Soy Wax Candle. Seriously, light the wick and you'll be amazed at how the fragrance instantly transforms a stifled space into a peaceful retreat.

I'm a connoisseur of candles and the Shampure Candle is one of my absolute favorites. Its calming aroma of 25 pure flower and plant essences - including certified organic lavender, petitgrain and ylang ylang - relaxes and soothes me at the end of a particularly hectic day. Even Mr. Spoiled Pretty raves about the scent.

At $30 for a 9.7 oz candle (which burns for 50 hours), this one is kinda pricey...but it smells so fantastic that I gladly buck up. On the upside, the Shampure Candle is refillable and refills will only set you back $19.

The only way I can see improving upon this candle is if Aveda were to sell it in bulk. Aveda, are you listening? I want to buy in bulk. One Shampure Candle is just not enough.

Free Aveda Body Wash

Print out the image above and bring it to your local Aveda store to receive a free travel-size Rosemary Mint Hand and Body Wash*. Or shop online at aveda.com to receive the free body wash and free standard shipping on all orders over $40** (use coupon code HOLIDAY119 to redeem at checkout).

* One to a customer. Good while supplies last at participating locations. Offer expires January 31, 2010.
** Offer ends on November 18, 2009 at 11:59pm EST; available to U.S. Residents only.

Five Cold Weather Makeup Bag Essentials - Plus A Giveaway!

The cold weather hit Philly earlier than I had expected. So this weekend, I switched out the contents of my makeup bag (I don’t even want to say how many products I had crammed in there…I’m embarrassed) and replaced them with the following cold weather beauty essentials.

Last week, it was cold and wet in my neck of the woods. It’s not even November yet, and my hands are crack-a-lackin’. So I retired my summer hand lotion, and pulled out the heavy artillery…Aveda’s Hand Relief. If this isn’t the best hand lotion on the market, I don’t know what is. It hydrates and soothes even severely dry hands - without leaving them greasy or sticky. And the citrusy scent is a nice pick-me-up. If you’ve never tried Hand Relief, now is the best time to buy. The Pink Ribbon special value tube has 7% more product than the regular size, and Aveda will donate $4 from each purchase to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Clear Nail Polish is another cold weather essential I highly suggeststashing in your makeup bag. Not only does it protect your polish against the elements and extend the life of your mani, it’s also great for stopping stocking runs and rips in their tracks.

Remember how I told you that I carried a mini tube of Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant in my purse this past summer? Well, it’s still there. And that’s where it’s gonna stay this season. Yes, I realize that the mercury is falling – but layered clothing combined with co-workers who like to jack up the thermostat can have you smelling quite ripe, if you’re not prepared. I am…are you?

Chapped lips are the bane of my existence. I hate how they look, how they feel, and how they’re the prelude to a bleeding, peeling, jacked up mess of a mouth. Preventing chapped lips doesn’t have to cost a fortune, as is evidenced by one of my new cold weather beauty finds - Carmex Moisture Plus. It moisturizes with Vitamin E, Aloe, and Shea butter and protects your pucker with SPF 15. I love the vanilla menthol scent and the fact that, despite the sun protection, I don’t feel like I’m eating sunscreen if I lick my lips. The slant tip applicator also ups the fab factor.

Stila Convertible Color is a makeup bag must have year-round, but I always fall a little deeper in love when it gets colder and the summer glow fades from my face. This versatile bestseller brightens cheeks and lips with creamy, translucent color. If your skin tends to dry out during the colder months, you’ll love the formula – and how it gives your complexion a lit from within, realistic glow. I use Poppy to give my cheeks a pop of color – for a straight from the slopes, snow bunny look.

This post was sponsored by Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm. Thanks to them, I'm giving away a $25 Visa gift card and a one year supply of Carmex Moisture Plus samples! To enter this giveaway, please leave a comment by Wednesday, October 28th at midnight - and tell me one of your favorite cold weather beauty products.

For more chances to win, visit DivineCaroline.com. There, women are sharing their five favorite beauty products and entering to win a $250 gift card. Check it out!

Straight Talk: Aveda Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener

When I heard about Aveda's new Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener - which promises to "straighten and smooth hair while adding lustrous shine and protecting the cuticle from heat damage" - I was intrigued, yet skeptical. That's quite a bold claim, Aveda...but you haven't met my mop top.

You see, my hair has some serious behavioral issues and likes to test my patience on a daily basis. So I wasn't expecting much when I smoothed a silver dollar-sized dollop through my towel dried tresses. But after my hair was fully blow dried, I was (pun intended) blown away.

I kid you not...my hair was so straight, soft and shiny that if you didn't know any better, you would have sworn that I took a few passes at it with a flat iron!

Smooth Infusion Glossing Straightener is available at Aveda stores and aveda.com.

New York Fashion Week: Bodkin, Fall 2009

On Monday, I traveled to The Horticultural Society in NYC to report from backstage at Bodkin, a still relatively green collection - designed in accordance with principles of sustainability in materials and production methods. For the Fall 2009 line, Bodkin found a natural partner in Aveda, a brand that strives to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility - not just in the world of beauty, but around the world.

I had an opportunity to speak with John Reyman, lead hairstylist for Aveda, about the inspiration and seasonal trends.

"The idea was a little bed-heady…a little like a girl has been outside all day and her hair is a little wind-blown, but at the same time very healthy and very well taken care of. It looks shiny and it looks glossy, but it doesn’t look overworked or overdone. Like she cares but she doesn’t care too much - so kind of that balance. So the idea was we just put a very loose, loose wave in there with some Volumizing Tonic and then we finished it, actually, with the men’s grooming cream to give it a little bit of texture and some shine."

For Fall 2009, John said, "A lot of people are putting ponytails in the hair. I think we’re really seeing cleaner hair. The last couple of seasons, we’ve seen really textured, really frizzy, really fuzzy hair…almost like the girl didn’t care at all. And I think as the economy sort of changes, people want to look and feel more put-together - and so the hairstyles are really reflecting that…a little cleaner, a little more refined."


Andrea Harrison, lead makeup artist for Aveda described the Bodkin Fall 2009 look as really simple and pretty. "She’s so naturally gorgeous. She really has been running around all day...with cold, flushed pretty cheeks. No powder on her skin. Just a very healthy, very natural kinda dewy skin. On the eyes, there’s a light, shimmer. You can really see the skin through it. It’s our Moonstone shimmer, and it’s nice and really smooth. Black mascara just on the top lashes. Just a polished brow which is just really lightly filled in…nothing that you would really look at and say, 'Oh, that’s hard.' And Berry Lip Tint on the lips, so it’s very fresh - again, like she’s just been running around. Just an easy look that anybody could duplicate quickly. It would be great for young girls, older, anybody."

When asked about key trends for Fall 2009, Andrea said, "One thing that you’re seeing everywhere is that the models are all growing out their eyebrows. It seems like another popular trend is, instead of, a smoky eye and a dark lip - you just see one feature that they’ve picked to focus on. Whether it’s eyebrows or just cheeks or just mascara or just lips. So instead of having the full complicated look. So it would be great for everybody. Good for the average woman to pick their favorite feature."

Before concluding the interview, I asked Andrea to name three Aveda products that every women should have in her beauty arsenal. "One thing is for certain when it comes to makeup…the key to good makeup is beautiful skin. So you always want to make sure that you’re using great skin products. I personally love our Tourmaline Charged Hydrating Creme. I use that on every model before a photo shoot or runway just because you can always add powder if you feel like it’s too much, but it really just makes the makeup go on beautifully. The other thing is mascara…to me, it can make a look that on it’s own. Sometimes you don’t need to anything else. And skin…I really see that being a trend. I love our Tinted Moisturizer; it’s got SPF 15 in it and it’s nice because you can still the skin underneath it. So anybody can wear it easily. Just make sure you match your skin tone. It’s nice and sheer, so everybody can find their skin tone easily."

#NYFW

Can I Have Some Remedy? Remedy For Me Please.

When your skin is parched, you quench its thirst by slathering on a thick, hydrating lotion/balm. So when your strands miss moisture like the deserts miss the rain, the same logic applies. Give your thin, runny shampoo and conditioner a rest…and invest in concentrated products that pamper your stressed tresses.

Aveda Dry Remedy Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner are staples in my shower for this very reason. The shampoo is so thick that when I squeeze it out of the tube, I always double check the label because I swear it was the conditioner. Dry Remedy is one of the few shampoos I’ve tried that delivers immediate results; when it comes to beauty products, I’m all Paula Cole “I don’t want to wait” – so instant gratification is a huge plus for me. Even before I apply the conditioner, my hair already feels softer and healthier. And the scent is amazing…when you’re done, your bathroom will smell like a spa (think ylang ylang and rose geranium, plus a hint of vanilla).

The conditioner is equally restorative. Personally, I mix equal parts of the Dry Remedy Moisturizing Conditioner with Barry Fletcher Moisture Therapy Cool Revitalizing Conditioner – it’s my hair’s cocktail of choice.

At $24 a pop, these products aren’t for the budget conscious. So if you don’t have $48 to spend, but your dry hair is crying out for help, I recommend Dry Remedy Moisturizing Shampoo. Purchase Aveda Dry Remedy at aveda.com, and take advantage of free shipping on all orders (now through 11/30) and choose a free sample!

Aveda Giveaway Winners Revealed!

Congratulations to Geneva Tatem, the grand-prize winner of Spoiled Pretty's Aveda Smooth Infusion Giveaway. She has won Aveda's Smooth Infusion Kit ($107 value), a 4-step smoothing system, with a smoothing brush. This set of smooth operators softens and defends against humidity for up to 12 hours.

Christina Kelly and Amanda Tracy are the lucky runners-up. They will receive Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother, which protects against surface damage from heat styling, defends against humidity for up to 12 hours, and makes styling faster and easier.

Thanks to everyone who entered this contest, and to the generous folks at Aveda - without whom, this wouldn't be possible.

And check back later for another unbelievable giveaway...one that will have everyone talking!

Aveda Smooth Infusion Giveaway

This week, Spoiled Pretty is partnering with Aveda for a giveaway!!! One grand prize winner will receive Aveda's Smooth Infusion Kit ($107 value), a 4-step smoothing system, with a smoothing brush. This set of smooth operators softens and defends against humidity for up to 12 hours.


The Smooth Infusion Kit includes:

Smooth Infusion Shampoo
* Babassu-derived cleansing system softens hair up to 60%
* Luxurious lather moisturizes and reduces frizz

Smooth Infusion Conditioner
* Exclusive plant infusion—a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bean—creates a smooth new surface on hair
* Significantly reduces frizz and unwanted wave, helps prevent flyaways
* Protects against surface damage from heat styling

Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother
* Makes styling faster, easier
* Organic tapioca defends against humidity for up to 12 hours
* Hydrolized wheat protein protects against surface damage from heat styling

Light Elements Smoothing Fluid
* This fluid styling formula adds shine and movement as it restores a healthy look and feel to hair
* Plant-based ingredients—like certified organic jojoba—help condition and smooth hair
* Smooths, and conditions
* Dries with a soft touchable finish
* Adds weightless, free-flowing movement, body and natural shine

Two runners-up will win Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother (a $24 value).

To enter, send an email to spoiledprettycontests@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address. The subject line should read "Aveda Giveaway." The contest ends at midnight (EST) on Sunday, October 26th. Three winners will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Monday, October 27th, I'll announce the winners' names. Please, only one entry per person; duplicate entries will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. and Canadian residents only.

Good luck!

Aveda Comes In Handy

Step away from the Aveda Hand Relief and keep your hands where I can see 'em.

That's what I would tell my co-workers if I weren't the benevolent beauty blogger that I am. Instead - every morning when I get into work - I remove the hand cream from my purse, sit it on my desk and wait for the steady stream of colleagues to make their way into my office. I'm all about the peeps, so I encourage and enjoy when mi amigas partake of the moisture partay.

Aveda Hand Relief is an incredibly rich, but never greasy moisturizer that hydrates even the most parched hands. Plant emollients, humectants, exfoliating fruit acids and anti-oxidants soothe and diminish the signs of aging. And the citrusy scent smells refreshing and clean without verging on cloying.

For the month of October, the limited-edition Hand Relief comes in a 5oz tube and features a pink ribbon design...and $4 from every purchase benefits The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Available now in Aveda salons, spas, stores and at aveda.com.

Turn Your Spot Into A Spa

With the economy being what it is, a trip to the spa is a luxury that many cannot financially justify. But times are tough, and everone needs a little pampering to take the edge off. So draw yourself a bubble bath, light Aveda's Shampure Soy Wax Candle and let the tension melt away.

The calming aroma of 25 pure flower and plant essences—including certified organic lavender, petitgrain and ylang ylang—is one of the cleanest and most relaxing scents you've ever inhaled. And for $30 (around the same cost as a mani-pedi), you get a candle that burns cleanly for 50 hours.

Fashion Week Part I: I Koi New York, Plus Hype Giveaway

On Friday, I took Amtrak up to New York City just in time for a TotalBeauty.com and Aveda sponsored dinner at Koi. Nestled in the Bryant Park Hotel, the restaurant is a stone’s throw from the white tents.

More than 25 beauty bloggers mingled, dined on delectable selections from the Japanese/California menu (I highly recommend the Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, and the Miso-Bronzed Black Cod), and talked (beauty) shop.

I was seated at a table with Teri (Beautiful Makeup Search & Splendicity), Christina (eBeautyDaily), Elke (Elke Von Freudenberg Blog & Beauty Blog Network), Jennifer (DeLush), and Samantha (Dark PR). The conversation flowed – as did the wine and sake. By the end of the night, we were all having so much fun that we lost track of time and essentially closed down the restaurant; the weary staff was mentally willing us to leave.

Koi is the Japanese word for love – which is fitting, because I can’t imagine anyone eating there and not falling in love. Koi proved to be the perfect start to my fashion-filled weekend.


Left to right: Me, Julia, Teri, Christina, Elke, and Jennifer (photo courtesy of Erika at Makeup Bag)


Amber and Marina


Marina, me, and my Hype purse. I luvre this bag! I'm a woman who carries everything in her purse, and this one easily held the usual contents, plus all of my fashion week essentials. Camera? Check. Dictaphone? Check. Memo pad and pens? Check. Extra pair of ugly/comfy shoes for when your dogs start barking? Check. Fifteen lip glosses? You betcha.

Besides being functional, this handbag is clearly also fashion-forward. The buttery soft leather and stylish hardware had heads turning - even at a chic eatery like Koi. Jealous? Don't be. It's giveaway time again, and Hype is the generous benefactor.

One lucky (what an understatement) winner will receive the Paloma North South Tote (in Watermelon) pictured, left. You won't believe how beautiful it is. With this roomy tote, you can literally live out of your bag. No more agonizing over which makeup you absolutely need in your purse - because there's room for all of that, and a bag of chips! The retail value of this prize is $325!

To enter:
*Name one of the beauty products that Fern Mallis (the SVP of IMG Fashion and the brains behind New York Fashion Week) carries in her bag. Hint: I wrote this post in October.

*Send an email to spoiledprettycontests@gmail.com - and make sure to include the product name, your full name, and email address.

The contest ends at 9 pm EST on Sunday, February 10th. A winner will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Monday, February 11th, I’ll announce the winner’s name. Please, only one comment per person; duplicate comments will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. & Canadian residents. Good luck!