Today marks what would have been legendary makeup innovator Shu Uemura’s 80th birthday. And how fitting is it that shu uemura is launching the HANA-BI Summer collection to commemorate this special day and the anniversary of the first boutique opening in Omotesando, Tokyo 25 years ago in 1983.

Shu Uemura was born in 1928 and throughout his childhood, aspired to be an actor. Due to an illness that would inhibit him from pursuing this career, he found a passion in makeup artistry that allowed him an outlet for his creativity and made a lifetime of impact in the beauty world. Here is a timeline of Uemura’s career highs and innovative contributions to the cosmetics industry. (more…)

So I was getting ready for work this morning, watching the Today Show (of course) and happened to watch the segment on People Magazine’s Hottest Bachelors for 2008.

My first thought was - Oooo, I wonder what sexy, sultry, well-rounded man it’s going to be this year? George Clooney’s newly single again, although too old for my taste. Yes I know.. some of you know I have a thing for Matt Lauer and he’s an older man too. But I’ll save that story for another day… So who made #1 on People’s list? (more…)

Welcome to Part 2 of my coverage of Nordstrom’s Beauty Trend Show held at the San Francisco Centre Downtown this past Saturday.

Right after the show, hundreds of women made their way down to the Cosmetics department where rows and rows of beauty stations were set up at every counter, gearing up to make over women of every color, young and old. My friends and I made appointments at Lancôme to get gussied up.

I got to sit down with Lancôme’s national artist Jason where he made me over and gave me some great makeup tips. (more…)

Today I was feeling a little blah as I sifted through tubes and tubes of lip glosses in my makeup stash. I just couldn’t find the perfect shade that was gonna give me that oomph I was looking for - that is until I popped open a tube of Elizabeth Arden Color Intrigue Effects Lipstick I got a few weeks ago.

Sugarplum Shimmer is a punchy berry plum with subtle shimmer. The second I put it on, it immediately inspired me to change out of my black top (I wear black almost every day), to a pretty purple one! I gave myself another once over and decided the particular shade was a little old lady-ish (you know what I’m talkin’ about, ya?). Also, the feeling of wearing lipstick only is still a little foreign to me so I applied a layer of Clinique Color Surge Impossibly Glossy in Sure Thing over Sugarplum Shimmer and was finally satisfied. (more…)

You’ve won Cool Heat eyeshadow and High 90’s slimshine from MAC’s latest Cool Heat Collection! Please keep an eye on your mail box because I’m shipping your gift off to you this week!

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The Daily Cookie’s Summer Sweepstakes continues in full force and to keep with our MAC theme, I’m giving one lucky winner a chance to get your summer glow on with Skinsheen.

Use Skinsheen, a gel-based self-tanner, on the legs to give yourself a sheer, bronze radiance the healthy way without laying out in the sun or harmful tanning beds.

Just sign up for The Daily Cookie’s monthly newsletter below for your chance to win a bottle of Skinsheen now! Please remember that I draw winners from the complete pool of entries, not by date you entered. You’ll be contacted by email if you’re the lucky one.

And if you must get your MAC fix ASAP, don’t forget they’re having a Friends and Family Event right now where you can get 15% off your online purchase. Just enter promo code MACFF8 when you check out - offer good until June 17th at 11:59pm PST in the U.S. and Canada only. Enjoy!

Love contests? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email or check back often so you don’t miss what our next Summer Sweepstakes prize is going to be - because you know you like free stuff just as much as I do!

It’s 8am on Saturday, a usually quiet and sleepy time before the San Francisco Centre Downtown opens up for business. This week was a little different, though.  This Saturday, there’s already a long line to the elevators to go up to Nordstrom. As the doors open up to the main floor, we’re welcomed by bumpin’ jams from an unseen DJ and are escorted to follow the music up the escalators.

Finally, we make our way to the top floor to find that this season’s Beauty Trend Show getting ready to go into full force. It’s only 8:15am and already there are more than 400 women swarming around, grabbing goody bags from greeters, warming up on hot coffee courtesy of the show, and making their way through to find seats.

I wish I took a picture of the set up because let me tell you, it was looking as fabulous as I’d imagine a fashion show in NYC. There’s a cat walk, bright lights, music - the ambiance was so lively and full of energy, it was almost too much for me so early on a Saturday morning! We looked to find our seats and get ready for the Beauty Trend Show to begin.

Hot off the heels of the Sex and the City movie, the theme of this season’s show, hosted by Nordstrom Beauty Director Joelle Russo, was aptly named Summer in the City. In three acts, we got to see what the hottest looks were as we officially move into summer.  (more…)

We’ll be sending out your gift this week! If you weren’t a winner, don’t fret because we’ve got tons more to give away on The Daily Cookie’s Summer Sweepstakes so check back soon!

Love contests? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email for your chance to win because we’re not done giving away free stuff!

Happy Father’s Day everyone! I’m getting ready to bake a carrot cake for our dinner tonight and try to get in some down time after my whirlwind day at Nordstrom’s Beauty Trend Show yesterday - more on that soon!

What are you up to today? I hope you have fun plans for the man in your life!

But before you go, remember that I’m working on some new things for the site and I’d love your feedback on what features you’ve liked so far and what you’d like to see more of. It’s a short survey and it will help me continue to bring you stories you really want to read!

Please take a few minutes and take the survey now.

And don’t forget to read the best weekend stories from around the beauty blogosphere.   (more…)

Alas, another MAC collection to put us in frenzy - full of brilliant blue shadows and hot summer pinks and corals for lips, it’s appropriately called Cool Heat. What a great collection to turn up the heat on your summer look, yes? Keep reading below for your chance to win a couple items from this HOT collection!

I love that blues are making a comeback and my favorite of this set is most definitely Blue Flame, a dark metallic blue that’s gonna make me a hot smoky eye. I know I said I was gonna rock it earlier this week but I’ve been having one of those lazy makeup weeks.

I’m heading out to the Nordstrom Summer Beauty Trend show in a few minutes - how are you spending your Saturday? Stay tuned for another post later today on all the hot beauty looks for the season and my friends’ makeovers that we’re going to do!!

The complete Cool Heat collection includes:

SLIMSHINE ($14.50 US)
Tropic Glow a delicious shimmery pink that makes me feel like I’m in love
By Degrees a great everyday neutral pink, but not a standout for me
Gentle Summer a nude shade of peach, perfect for layering lip shades
High 90’s this one is scary looking in the tube, I’m talkin’ super orange, but turns out to be a nice coral for summer
Swelter a fun red-orange, but not one that can work for everyone’s skin tone (more…)

We’re at the halfway mark for the Meet Me in Mexico contest - can you guess the destination of the photo above? Don’t miss your chance to win, there are only 2 weeks left!  Head on over to Glam.com right now and submit your guess for your chance to win a dream vacation for two!

Come back to The Daily Cookie next week where I’ll post the last photo before the contest is over. Remember, you have until June 29th and a correct answer each week will enter you in a pool where a winner will be chosen at random at the end of the promotion.

Love contests? Subscribe to The Daily Cookie RSS feed and email to hear about the latests giveaways - because you know you like free stuff just as much as I do!