Fabulous Over Forty – Where Beauty Is Ageless

Macy’s is having their Spring Beauty Week this week. With a purchase of $75 in cosmetics or fragrance from any counter, you get a great patent tote in your choice of red or black. Most of the counters have specials as well, and here are a few of the things offered:

Elizabeth Arden – Prevage anti-aging treatment in deluxe travel size with any Prevage purchase

Philosophy – Free Travel size of Connamon Buns 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath with any Philosophy consultation

Versace – Bright Crystal 3 pc gift set free with any $82 Versace Bright Crystal purchase

Smashbox – Red croco print coin purse with Dual Highlighter, free with any $50 purchase

Benefit – The Gloss Lipgloss in Streakin free with any 2 Benefit product purchase

Clinique – Purchase one of the Cinlique Skin solutions and they have “free treats” for your skin

Estee Lauder – Advanced Night Repair Skincare sample with any Estee Lauder purchase

Estee Lauder also has Sun Goddess Essentails for $19.50 with any EL purchase. You get a great total with sun care and bronzing products.

Lancome will give you a sample of Bi-Facil eye makeup remover with any mascara purchase

Lancome also has a Limited Edition 10 piece Beauty Collection for only $29.50 with any Lancome purchase – it includes a variety of fantastic products.

Clarins – a free 2 piece gift and beauty bag for a $50 purchase

Dior - Backstage Beauty Workshop to learn tips and tricks and get an Dior Artistry Kit with the purchase of any 3 Dior products.

Prescriptives – Custom Blend a tinted moisturizer, loose powder, concealer, or foundation and get a foundation travel brush and pouch.

Shiseido - on April 3rd with the purchase of 2 or more Benefiance, Pureness, The Skincare or White Lucent products you get 3 deluxe samples for your skin type and a pretty pouch for free.

These are just some of the specials they have. Now is a great time to stock up!

I may seem like I’ve been on the Smashbox bandwagon lately and maybe I have. I really think they have nice quality products. The grandsons of Max Factor created the line and they have wonderful packaged sets of product at great values.

But the best value of all may be that some of their products are on sale! When’s the last time you were able to actually purchase cosmetics ON SALE? Go to http://www.smashbox.com/ and click on the “shop the sale now” to see all the sale products available. One of the great things on sale is the Sunset Blvd Body Bronzing set. Perfect for a little color this spring. The compact is very large, so you get a lot of product.

Take a look around, you won’t be disappointed.

I hope you all have a great weekend. I hope to head to the Como Park Conservatory and see all the wonderful spring flowers, and breathe in some fresh air.

So I’m leaving you with this…

I LOVE this spring look from Smashbox. It’s so soft and fresh with a hint of glowing skin and shimmery bronze eyes and a nude/pink glossy lips. It’s perfect for over 40 or under. It’s just a classic, polished beautiful look. Happy Spring shopping…

Available at Sephora stores and online sephora.com or smashbox.com.

We’re coming closer to the end of the month and the Economical vs Expensive comparisons are winding down. I think I may have them appear periodically in the future because people have enjoyed sharing with me their versions and have told me they enjoy hearing mine as well.

Today I have a co-worker, Mary, as a guest comparison shopper and her favorites.

BODY LOTIONS:

Expensive – Kiehl’s Creme de Corps. Nordstrom has this on sale in a HUGE bottle two times a year, and I purchase it and give one to each of my daughters at Christmas. It costs about $48 at that time…otherwise it costs about the same for a regular-sized bottle! It is sooo luxurious. After three days of using it,your skin feels amazingly soft!

Less expensive – From Target or the drugstore…Neutrogena body lotion and oil in the light sesame formula. I even like the words that are used to describe it on the bottles.

OIL – “a sheer moisurizing experience”.

LOTION – “a whisper light skin-silkening moisturizer”. How can one go wrong with that?In the winter, I use the two in tandem for an extra special feel.

Both of these products meet my “scent” requirements which are almost none at all! To me, the Creme de Corps simply smells “rich”. The Neutrogena scent is so pleasant and soft that I feel almost addicted to it!

Be sure to check out InStyle magazines Best Beauty Buys 2008 in the April issue with Renee Zellweger . It’s packed full of the best in makeup, styling tools, creams & lotions, hair products and everything in between. Over 200 beauty experts were surveyed including pros and stars, listing their must-have products.

Some of the products I have talked about here – such as Cle De Peau concealer, which has been listed as a must have product for years. I also see so many products that I have yet to talk about and have a real opinion about, such as how wonderful the Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning lotion is. Oh the list goes on, so stay tuned and in the meantime, pick up your copy.

I know I have stated many times that I love Giorgio Armani cosmetics. From the eye shadows, to lipsticks, glosses, foundations the whole bundle. But, I am not sure I’m loving this latest collection. The Caffe Collection is a lipstick collection that ranges from sheer to full on color to gloss.

Could it be that I’m completely wanting to be in spring mode and this just reminds me of fall and winter? I’m sure the colors are lovely, they always are, but give me pinks, reds, peaches. I want spring!