Our Last Giveaway of 2009! Tell Us What You'd Like to Read on the Blog Next Year to Enter

Well, it's our last post of 2009. To all of our faithful readers, a giant merci beaucoup from the Lancome PR team. (That's a few of us above wearing our goofy Times Square glasses and Laque Fever in Electric Pink. It just dawned on me that we're all brunettes with curly hair. Our only blond is on maternity leave!) It's been a lot of fun doing this blog and getting to know many of you. I truly appreciate that you take the time to read the posts and comment.

So, here is our last giveaway of the year. It's a quilted makeup train case filled with more than $350 of our chicest products. (Trust me when I say it's very nice.) Just leave a comment telling us what and who you'd like to read and see on the blog in 2010. Tell us what you've liked and even what you haven't. (I'm okay with constructive criticism!) Please post by Sunday night. There's still time to post a comment for our "person who inspired you the most in 2009" giveaway, so do that if you haven't.

Lastly, I wish each and every one of you a happy and peaceful new year.

All the best,
Kerry

Last Post for 2009

Dress-JLo, Peep Toes-Jessica Simpson

So, this is the last post for that year. I am so happy that 2009 has come to an end, for me it was one of the worst years. But as an eternal optimist I hope that the New Year will make things right. I am still searching for what to wear tonight. It will surely be something sparkly! That dress is what I was wearing at Christmas night.

I wish that the New Year will bring joy, good luck, love, health and good friends to all of you.

Love you all,
Froso

Who Inspired You in 2009? Tell Us & Enter Our '09 Superstar Product Giveaway!

Here's the question: Who inspired you the most in 2009 and why? Let us know and you'll be entered to win three of our 2009 star products: a Laque Fever lipstick in Electric Pink, an Oscillation mascara in Black and a Genifique youth activating concentrate. (Please post by Sunday night.)

Here's a very incomplete list of the people who inspired me this year, all of them for different reasons. If you don't recognize any of the names, just Google them!

Evelyn Iocolano
Chris Benz
Michelle Phan
L'Wren Scott
Michelle Obama
Danny Roberts
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
Sophie Theallet
Sandy Linter
Francesco Clark
Arlenis Sosa
Todd Selby
Kate & Laura Mulleavy
Lady Gaga
Kate Winslet
Norma Kamali
Scott Harrison
Anne Hathaway
Nichola Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn
Elettra Wiedemann
Tina Fey
Crystal Renn

Speaking of Crystal, check out the very interesting V fashion shoot featuring Crystal that questions the whole notion of size. (That's one of the spreads above.)

Your 2010 Resolutions, An Awesome Genifique Giveaway and More Blog Winners!

Okay, Tammy, as promised--why 2010 will be more glamorous. We signed Julia Roberts and her gorg Mario Testino ads will start running next year, along with Mario's beautiful new Kate Winslet and Arlenis Sosa ads. Also, we've having a special Julia event to welcome her to the Lancome family. We'll report on this for the blog, of course. We'll be working with some new designers in 2010 and I think everyone will be really excited to learn who they are. Lancome will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year, and it's the 10th birthday of Juicy Tubes. And that's not to mention all the exciting new products, from Chris Benz's Chris & Tell to our spring color collection, a major new mascara and very cool skincare. And lots more...

And in terms of how people are rocking their makeup, the lipstick and nail polish trend shows no sign of abating. That's glamorous, no? It's great to see people experimenting with color and putting some effort into their makeup. Speaking of which, take a look at the big Craig McDean fashion story in the current W magazine. Two of the spreads are above. Forget the clothes and just focus on all the different lipsticks, eye makeup and nail polish. If you love makeup, it's very inspirational. (A lot of pale, platinum-haired models, I know. But I just read in Allure that's a trend too, love it or hate it.)

So today's giveaway. Tell us your new year's resolutions and we'll pick one post at random to win a Genifique three pack: youth activating concentrate, the new, not-yet-in-stores cream-serum (cult product for 2010. You read it here.) and the eye cream. These are great unisex products, so get your boyfriends and brothers to post too.

Please post by Thursday night!

Lastly, we have some more blog giveaway winners to announce. Congrats to Blinky Daisy who won the Juicy Tubes holiday gift set. SJ won a set too for correctly identifying the picture as a still from the movie "Singles." Charity won a bottle of Miracle from the holiday gift guide giveaway. Austrian Babe won the Tresor roller ball. And Chuck, you won the "Important Dinner for Women" gift bag giveaway, but I don't think we ever heard from you because the bag is still in my office. Sorry if you did email us and it slipped through the cracks. If you're a winner and didn't leave your email, please contact us at thelancomeblog@gmail.com.

Daily Obsessions

Each one of us has some daily obsessions. Small things or routines that we are stuck to and make us happier. There is a brief description of my small obsessions, ever since I remember myself:

1. Lip Balms: I have lip balms all over the house, next to my bed, on my office, on the coffee table, on the kitchen counter, in the bathroom, 4 in my bag, seriously EVERYWHERE! It may sound crazy, but if my lips run dry I lose my good mood (yes, I am a freaky person sometimes!).
2. Fashion Magazines: I am the first one to buy my favourite fashion magazines at the beginning of each month. It's a kind of relaxing ritual, browsing magazines with a cup of hot coffee. Alone. That is how I kick the stress out of me.
3. White Tank Tops: I always seek for new ones, I can never have enough. They are like a canvas for the days that I have nothing to wear!
4. Stripes: Especially nautical stripes in clothes always catch my attention when shopping.
5. Leopard Print: I love that print, I find it very sexy and it is so exprssive of me that it is everywhere in my daily life: clothes, sheets, couch covers, accessories etc. I try not to exaggerate but sometimes I really do...

So, to know us better, what is your daily obsession?

Two Giveaway Winners! Are You One?

One more holiday week left! I'm at the office, listening to Pandora.com, doing my least favorite thing--cleaning and organizing. So I'm taking a little Starbucks/Lancome blog break (mocha, tall, light). Starbucks is filled with tourists all bundled up against the NYC cold weather. How about you? Are you somewhere exciting? Somewhere warm? If not, well, join the club! 2010 will be more glamorous. I promise.

Before we announce last week's giveaway winners, I wanted to let you know we'll be doing giveaways all this week. We'll be talking about people who inspired us in 2009, New Year's resolutions and blog post ideas for 2010, so get ready. And we have a few past blog winners we haven't announced yet (my bad), so I'll try to get that done too before 2010.

Without further ado, congratulations to Rachel, who won the Sex and the City giveaway and who is a Miranda fan. (Many of you are fans, as I suspected. I'm a big fan too, both of SATC and SJP, who is a class act all the way. Not to gossip, but she actually calls to say thank you when you send her something. Nice, right?) Rachel has great style, as you can tell from her blog, Miss Periwinkle. But Rachel, you need to post more! We want to see your winter outfits.

And congrats to Lovely from Tampa Bay, who won the Lancome makeup brush giveaway.

I don't have email addresses for either of you, so please email me at thelancomeblog@gmail.com.

Thanks to everyone who posted comments! The photo above is from backstage at our spring makeup ad shoot. Lots more to come on that in 2010.

REVIEW: Skincare Blues? Erno Laszlo Has Your Fix

Lazuline (adj.): having the color of lapis lazuli, a light shade of blue

Lazuline is the hue of LASZLO BLUE FIRMARINE SPF 30 and of its star ingredient, Spirulina Maxima. A fresh water blue-green algae, Spirulina is rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. The latest from the legendary skincare line of Erno Laszlo, this daily face cream delivers intensive nutrition to the skin -- improving hydration and giving skin a healthier appearance with new firmness and bounce.

80 years ago, Dr. Erno Laszlo proved that although our skin is complex, the most effective remedies for it often come from the simplest, most elemental sources. The Erno Laszlo brand continues this tradition with the launch of Laszlo Blue Firmarine SPF 30, harnessing the power Spirulina Maxima—a sustainable fresh water micro-algae that boasts over 70 essential vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. When this ingredient is combined with other actives in Laszlo Blue Firmarine, this daily firming face cream delivers intensive nutrition to the skin. For slightly dry to slightly oily skin, age 30+.

Features and Benefits

•Feeds new collagen growth, enhancing skin firmness and bounce
•Provides essential fatty acids, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals that feed and nurture the skin’s microenvironment
•Natural phyto-nutrient pigments (chlorophyll and phycocyanin) contribute to the product’s lazuline hue as they regenerate damaged cells and soothe inflammation
•Protects with Vitamins E, C and A, Organic Green Tea, Multi-Mineral Complex and mineral-rich Deep Sea Water
•Boosts the skin’s immunity (anti-viral, anti-bacterial)
•Integrates SPF 30 for year-round protection from sun and free-radical damage
•Assimilates quickly into the epidermis, effectively hydrating and nurturing tired skin
•Lush texture and subtle, calming scent
•Dermatologist tested, allergy tested, irritation tested, clinically tested, non-acnegenic



REVIEW:
This is a soothing light blue cream with an almost spongy elasticity in texture, having a light, fresh marine scent and providing the perfect amount of nurturing to aging skin. Though it possesses an SPF 30, the product is a bit too rich for my normal to combination-oily skin, even though it is 40+ in years, a testament to the decadence of this product. This has fast become a go-to moisturizer for night-time repair. The cream with its whipped-like element, glides smoothly across skin and blends into skin effortlessly leaving a not-to-be-missed glow of health. I notice a firming affect but it's not a tight feeling, more of a resiliency in texture and appearance, if that makes any sense. There's a definite youthfulness, a noticeable youthfulness to my skin after use. In addition, whether it's the light blue color of the cream or the ingredients therein, my skin is definitely brightened by this product, a result I appreciate more and more as the years wear on. And all of these effects + exquisite moisturization are still there in the morning ... a big plus! A bit pricey at $195 a jar, but soooo worth the luxury.

The cream is packaged in an elegant, minimalist styled sheer blue cubed jar, a nice touch. Laszlo Blue Firmarine SPF 30: SRP $195 / 1.7 oz / 50 ml. Available at the Erno Laszlo Institute and Erno Laszlo counters at fine specialty stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Holt Renfrew.

OutFit No.2

Fur-NoLitA, T-Shirt-Amplified, Jeans-Paul Frank, Shoes-All Star, Bag-Longchamp

I fell in love with that (faux) fur in the middle of July, when I was in Sweden. I bought it at the beggining of September and I wore it yesterday for the first time (weather in Greece is usually too hot to wear a fur, but it's too lovely to resist it, isn't it?). Fortunately, we have 5 Celcium degrees!

A special thanks to my wonderful sister, Sandra, who is helping me with those pictures!

Many kisses to all of you!

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Happy holidays, everyone. Whatever you celebrate this time of year, I wish you much peace and love.

Please enjoy the drawing above that the very talented Danny Roberts of the Igor & Andre blog created for us. Thanks to the Fashionista team for introducing us to Danny!

All the best,

Kerry

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody! I hope that you will have a great time, whatever you'll choose to do! Just be sure that you give love to the people around you, and love will be given to you too!

Have a stylish Christmas!
Love you all, thanks for following me, you make me really happy when I read your comments!

Many Many Kisses,
Froso

Admit It. You Have Goosebumps. ("Sex and the City" Trailer Giveaway Alert!)

What is it about "Sex and the City" and it's hold on me? Are all of you similarly obsessed? Thank you to Abby and the team at Fashionista for posting the trailer. I didn't even know it was out!

We haven't done a giveaway in a while, so let's do a very "Sex and the City" giveaway. How about an Oscillation vibrating mascara in Black and a Color Fever Gloss in Hotness? Let us know if you love "Sex and the City" and why (or why not!) and if you plan to see the new movie in 2010. Please post by Sunday night and we'll pick one post at random.

Good luck!

Lancome Canada's Vlogger Contest!

Have you checked out any YouTube makeup videos lately? It turns out that Lancome Canada is sponsoring a vlogger contest. I noticed one of the contest videos while browsing around and thought you'd like to see it. Siderasuperstar's, featuring products like Oscillation mascara and powerfoundation, is above. She has amazing eyes, doesn't she?

I was always jealous of people who have eyelids like Madonna's (and Siderasuperstar's), who could do a crease color and have fun with their eye makeup. I have those eyelids that disappear. (I know no one feels sorry for me, but if you share my non-existant eyelids, you know what I mean.)

If you're one of the vloggers in the contest, post a link to your video in the comments below so we can watch yours too!

REVIEW: Lancome La Laque Fever Lipshine

Must admit, I didn't give Lancome the credit they have proven to me time and time again they deserve. I was skeptical that their La Laque Fever would truly be long-lasting, like the claim it is. Surprise!

Lancôme LA LAQUE FEVER is a lasting full color lipshine that delivers an elixir of vibrant, concentrated color and unprecedented shine in one gliding stroke. From the moment of application, densely pixilated pearls combine with unique polymers to give multidimensional shine that truly holds to your lips. No touch-ups needed for 6 hours! That's their claim.

Added bonus: The soft-sculpt applicator precisely designs fuller lips for sensual lip contours.

I knew I'd like the lipshine as I'm always completely satisfied with Lancome's lip products, their lipsticks, glosses and Juicy Tubes are always in my handbag, desk drawer, makeup bags and atop my vanity. What I didn't count on was that the formula would truly deliver long-lasting results, and it does! This is a pleasantly, almost subtly tropical, scented product, which applies like a densely pigmented liquid lipstick. Additionally, you can actually feel the difference in the formula. It's not at all sticky, yet more substantial in texture than a true "gloss". A shade you must-try is their Pink Dimension, which is a rosy-pink shimmer that literally flatters any skin tone - cool, warm, fair and the richest shades of color.

What's even more lovely, is that if you like to mix your shades, as I do, you can create a plethora of different colors (add-in a different lipstick, gloss, plumper, line your lips with a pencil, what have you, any brand) and still bank on the long-lasting effects of La Laque Fever with the blended shade you create. The tilted, fuller soft applicator provides jut the right amount of product to lips and assists in shaping both top and bottom. It's ingenious!

Lancome La Laque Fever Lipshines, award-winning by the way, retail for $26 each and are available in 20+ shades. For more information or to purchase for yourself or a beloved beauty lover, visit Lancome online; also available at Sephora and other retailers.



beauty bit: Looking for a discount alternative to Lancome La Laque Fever? L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Lipgloss in #106 Plumped Pink at $9.99 a tube is a sweetly priced dupe, in my opinion, and is available at drugstores and mass merchandisers. The Lancome product is by far superior in terms of pigmentation and color payoff, but the L'Oreal gloss gives nice color, a similar wide-angled full applicator, and the same long-lasting effect. The texture and feel of these two glosses are very similar. Enjoy. xo

Hairdresser Appointment

Sunglasses-Ray Ban, Scarf-Louis Vuitton, Cardigan-Vero Moda, Tank-H&M, Belt-Unknown, Jeans -Fornarina, Boots-Ash, Gloves-H&M

So, this is me and today's outfit. Sorry for the picture quality but, thanks to a friend of mine, my camera is for service.

xoxo

Congratulations to the Winners of our Hypnose Senses Polyvore.com Contest!

hypnose by simopay featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

Mystery, seduction by wish upon a butterfly featuring Diane von Furstenberg dresses

Everybody's looking for something by malachi(+_0) featuring All Saints

Paris Hipnoise by DR.Chic featuring Dsquared2 shoes

Marie-Antoinette by ■peɑnu†™ featuring Christian Louboutin bags

hypnotize with Lancome by Karine Minzon Wilson featuring Chanel

If you're new to The Lancome Blog, you might not know about Polyvore.com. It's a great fashion website where you create your own sets, which are similar to fashion and beauty product pages in magazines. We love Polyvore so much that we did a competition with them called "Hypnotize Lancome with Your Fashion Sense." People created sets illustrating their fashion sense and incorporating some Lancome products, including our new Hypnose Senses fragrance. Daria Werbowy, Lancome spokesmodel and the face of Hypnose Senses, picked the winners.

All the winners' sets are above, from first place winner Simopay to Karine Minzon Wilson, who won the community choice award with more than 800 people clicking that they liked her set. More than 2,300 entries were created for the competition and we were blown away by the creativity and the work people put into their sets. So thank you to everyone who entered.

If you haven't visited Polyvore.com, check it out. And thank you again to the Polyvore community for a great contest!

Free Express Delivery at Philosophy - Last Day!

These fab lil'gift sets below are along those I think are extra special. The scents are divine, the formulas superb and the love that comes along with each .... priceless! Enjoy express shipping on your philosophy purchases when $85 or more through today.

party girl
pomegranate bubbly scented gift set $35
freshen up before the big night out. philosophy's party girl is a must-have for the girl who wants to feel energized and beautiful. it includes pomegranate bubbly exfoliating shower gel 4 oz., body lotion 4 oz. and lip shine .5 oz. in a giftable, reusable bag. our exfoliating shower gel gently cleanses and polishes to reveal smoother, softer skin. plus, our body lotion provides extra skin-softening benefits and a gorgeous glow. top it off with shimmery, glossy looking lips, and you're good to go for the party.

cinnamon buns
holiday ornament inspired shower gel - only $6
the perfect trimming for seasonal gatherings. philosophy's cinnamon buns shower gel ornament is a unique, festive gift. this high-foaming shampoo, bath and shower gel helps cleanse and soften skin and hair and smells absolutely delicious. 2 oz size.

the cocktail party
3-piece shower gel set $30
philosophy cordially invites you to our cocktail party. shake up your shower with our new cocktail party shower gel collection that includes three 6 oz. bottles of our famous 3-in-1 shampoo, bath, and shower gels. senorita margarita, mimosa, and melon daiquiri shower gel scents have been invited to this bash and they are bringing along their extra creamy, cool, and frothy attitudes. your shower will never be quite the same once you experience these delectable happy hour treats!

amazing grace
4-piece gift set $36
philosophy's best-selling fragrance, amazing grace, was created to make a woman feel infinitely clean and beautifully feminine. this amazing grace gift set gives you the opportunity to layer the amazingly clean, infinitely feminine scent of amazing grace from head to toe. the amazing grace gift set contains our 4 oz. amazing grace perfumed shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath, 4 oz. perfumed conditioner, 4 oz. perfumed firming body emulsion and 6 oz hot salt body scrub.

the birthday girl
5-piece gift set $35 ... almost sold out!
philosophy gives the birthday girl something adorable. philosophy girls have hands and feet that are truly well kept and hair and skin that give the smell of clean a new meaning. as for lips, one dose of kiss me and you're a lifetime user. the new age of beauty is here for the birthday girl. the birthday girl gift set comes in cute travel tote and includes: 2 oz. amazing grace perfumed shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath, 2 oz. purity made simple one-step facial cleanser, 1 oz. time on your hands exfoliating hand cream, 1 oz. soul owner exfoliating foot cream, and .5 oz. vanilla birthday cake highly emollient lip shine.

unconditional love
unconditional love layering collection $50
enduring, magical love to wrap hearts in happiness. philosophy's unconditional love layering collection was created to make you feel surrounded by love and happiness, which makes this layering set the perfect holiday gift for the people you love unconditionally. it includes perfumed shampoo, bath & shower gel 8 oz., perfumed body butter 2 oz. and spray fragrance 1.7 oz. in a charming, giftable keepsake box.

amazing grace
amazing grace layering collection $50
give gracefully this holiday season. amazing grace is philosophy's best-selling fragrance, and the amazing grace layering collection is the ideal gift for someone who wants to smell amazingly clean and beautifully feminine. it includes perfumed shampoo, bath & shower gel 8 oz., perfumed body butter 2 oz. and spray fragrance 2 oz. in a beautiful, giftable keepsake box.

bring on the bubbles
pink bubbly shower gel and lip shine duo $20
be the life of the party! bring on the bubbles includes pink bubbly high-foaming shampoo, shower gel & bubble bath 8 oz. and pink bubbly very emollient flavored lip shine .5 oz. lather up with our gentle, moisturizing, 3-in-1 formula for a cheerful way to cleanse and condition your skin. pink bubbly flavored lip shine is delicious and provides a sheer pink shine with a bit of shimmer. philosophy's bring on the bubbles set is the perfect gift for the fun, girly girl who loves a good party; it also makes for the perfect party favor for your friends.

inner grace
trial size trio $38
experience the sophisticated, yet understated scent of philosophy's inner grace. the trial size kit contains a trio of inner grace essentials that are just the right amount to get you hooked. try layering the fragrance by using the inner grace shampoo, bath and shower gel 4 oz., inner grace perfumed body emulsion 4 oz. and the inner grace fragrance .5 oz.

Inner Grace and Amazing Grace are my two favorite philosophy fragrances! I absolutely love them, having known the experiene I can no longer live without them. (Philosophy, you're never allowed to stop making these two fragrances for as long as I live ... you're free to stop after I'm dead, but you've got a good 40 + years longer to produce them!)

Need an idea for a sweet gift for a preteen niece ... here it is! She'll appreciate you starting her on the road to being a "philosphy girl'.

i think you are wonderful

mandarin orange & cherry shower gel duo $20

often the best gift you can give is given for no specific occasion, for no reason, unprompted, and unexpected. philosophy has a sweet way for you to let someone know you are thinking of them. thinking of you includes a delicious duo of mandarin orange and cherry scented 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel and bubble baths. these guilt-free indulgences make for the ultimate shower or bubble bath. it's the perfect way to let someone know you care.

Shop philosophy for more fabulous deals now and don't forget to enter code: express at checkout for your free expedited delivery.