My one refuge? The bathroom, where I can take super hot showers and for a few brief moments, feel the circulation return to my limbs. And thus, for Valentine’s Day, I have found what I really, truly want: an opportunity to up my salvage of a bathroom into an at-home spa to providing relief during tough times and cold weather.

Please, someone, get me Mr.Steam’s towel warmers…please? Imagine coming out of the shower all the time to towels that feel like they are fresh out of the dryer??? I am beside myself.

I’ll let you come over for a shower…

Image: Mr Steam

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For the fourth year in a row, Bobbi Brown is one of the sponsors of this show, which brings some of Hollywood’s leading ladies together on one runway.

This year Bobbi created an exclusive, limited-edition Lip Gloss Trio in partnership with the Heart Truth campaign and its annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show to raise awareness that heart disease is the #1 killer of women. The trio includes three of Bobbi’s favorite shades: Buff Lip Gloss, Pink Sugar Shimmer Lip Gloss, and Slopes Shimmer Lip Gloss (available exclusively in this set). Only 500 of these limited-edition palettes, which feature a specially designed package and the tagline “Listen to Your Heart,” will be available from www.bobbibrown.com for $40 each, so get yours now!

Image: Bobbi Brown

Post from: eBeautyDaily

Post from: eBeautyDaily

Now, here’s the story: I am lucky enough to have incredibly sexy Prada frames that I received as a gift from LensCrafters last year – I love them and wear them to death. However, I live in perpetual fear of losing/breaking the, and realized that it was time to get a back-up just in case I have a klutz attack.

EyeBuyDirect is perfect both for a secondary pair, a fashion-frenzy pair, or even as your one-and-only: And no matter what pair you choose, you are pretty much guaranteed to be in and out of their ordering process in under $50. And that’s even if you choose the fancy schmancy designer options!

In the face of the flailing economy (it’s effecting pretty much everyone I know), these dramatic savings would be a life-saver even if the glasses weren’t so damn hot. These factory-direct glasses run from about $8 to $50 for both frames and lenses but you’ll need to do a little work to put in an order. Make sure you have an accurate, updated prescription: You’ll need that info to set up your profile on the site. You’ll also need to know your pupillary distance (PD), which is the distance between the centers of your pupils, to ensure a proper fit. (It’s important…I got it right this time, but once before made a debacle with another online storefront and the glasses were unwearable.)

Your optometrist should be able to give you that number and all your other measurements, but most online retailers also provide instructions for measuring it yourself.

Another reason I’m a believer in this site now: It’s just so darn cool. Let’s face it: It’s a hell of a lot harder to buy glasses than say, a cashmere sweater, online. Many people wear their specs all day every day: They are going to want to try it on, and see how it looks and feels before passing on the cash – no matter how affordable that pair may end up being.

This site sort of has a “virtual assistant” of sorts, melded with the facebook of eyes. Their Eye Try tool allows users to upload photos of themselves and virtually try on various makes and models of eyewear. They can also post pictures of what they look like wearing various frames to the e-retailer’s Wall of Frame social community, allowing friends and strangers to offer comments. A little weird? Totally. But it ends up being incredibly fun and addictive once you get started playing with it.

TEN readers will win a pair of their choice – ANY pair from EyeBuyDirect. They will be chosen at random from those who answer the following questions below:

1 – What are three things you learned on my blog this week?

2 – Go to EyeBuyDirect.com – tell me which pair of glasses on the site best reflects your personality, and why. (These aren’t necessarily the ones you have to choose if you win, so don’t worry!)

Deadline January 2.

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I will be posting tomorrow about the event – and have a special surprise for all of you – but I just wanted to share a pic of my sexy new frames!

Post from: eBeautyDaily

I had a blast (and came home with so many goodies I almost had a problem getting through airline security), but somehow never wrote about it! It wasn’t until last night, when watching TV and seeing the brilliant new Marshalls commercial pass across my screen that I giant “duh” found itself on my own forehead.

In case anyone has thus far missed the commercial, it essentially points out that the current crummy economy is, in fact, our fabulous “shopportunity”. How so? Off-price retailers, such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, sell clothing and accessories from major-label brands at a significant discount. These companies take advantage of overruns, canceled orders, and forecasting mistakes made by their counter-parts in the full-price retail sector. This happens even more when the economy is in shambles, which leads to unbelievably huge designers appearing in the stores at liquidated prices.

You’ve all seen the fab commercials, so you know the scoop: When a major designer produces more clothing than it can sell through specialty retailers or department stores, or a store can’t move all of the items in a particular line, the excess inventory is sold at a 20%-60% discount to an off-price retailer. The company passes these savings onto consumers, marking up goods by a lower percentage than full-price stores and instead building their operating margins by moving a high volume of inventory quickly, at rock-bottom prices.

Here’s some of the awesome people that participated:

• Nichelle Gainer from 55 Secret Street
• Stephanie Rahlfs from Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle
• Lindsay Ginn from Broke and Beautiful
• Angela Shultis from Budget Fashionista
• Diana Baros from The Budget Babe
• Adriana Nova from The Fashion Bomb
• ME (hehe)
• Stacy DeBroff from Mom Central
• Ike Onyewuenyi from My Fashion Life
• Wendy Lam from Nitrolicious
• Lauren Dimet Waters from Second City Style
• Anna Basham from Shoe Smitten
• Katja Burnett from Style Hive
• Angie and Greg Cox from You Look Fab

And here’s a scoop even I did not know. TJ Maxx also sells beauty items! Whether it’s the biggest salon hair products or department-store cosmetics…and those too are liquidated!

As the season of giving is upon us – and I have done more shopping than I can even begin to validate – I am passing the savings on to one of you. ONE reader will receive a $50 gift card, good at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. Deadline is December 24.

One reader will be chosen at random from all who answer the following two questions: What are three contests I have held in the last two weeks? And what were some of your most successful shopportunities?

Photo credit: Youlookfab.com (My fabulous new friends and myself get a sneak peek at the new seasonal fashions at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.)

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Post from: eBeautyDaily

I have created a Facebook group, so that all my netizen friends can join and stay updated on upcoming events, contests, promotions, features – here and elsewhere in the land of me.

If you are on Facebook too, please join my group (and friend me while you are there!)

Also, I am currently working on an eBeautyDaily holiday gift guide – please tell me if there’s certain types of products you wish to have included and I’ll make sure to be on the lookout for them!

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I have entered to be “hottest girl of the week” in a VH1-related contest.  The male and female with the most “pickups” when the timer runs out will get featured on VH1 during airings of The Pick Up Artist… which I’ve honestly never watched, and I’m sure is very silly, but I want to win anyway!

http://www.pickyourgameup.com/alywalansky

Yes, I know…totally not blogarrific.

But winning will put me in great spirits…which may lead to even more fun contests…

Photo credit: Me. It’s a picture of me as Mary Ann on Halloween. I am cute: truth in advertising!

PS: Yes, I know, shameful self-promotion. Bad, bad, blogger!

Post from: eBeautyDaily

As I pen this introduction, I am readying myself to hit the skies…not for vacation (alas) but to explore the spa and beauty regimes at a hotel and spa in Los Angeles.

Most certainly indulgent, and not entirely sane (there are probably more responsible ways to spend the final days before an election when the nation’s economy is in shambles…), it is actually pretty reflective of my very existence.

I’m not shallow, I am just goal-oriented…and said goal is to make everyone around me as pretty and well informed as can be!

My name is Aly Walansky, and I am an avowed beauty product junkie.

And so, when I was approached to take over eBeautyDaily, I got a little hyper excited and nearly plotzed in my non-sensible Betsey Johnson booties.

To all my friends and readers who already know me from my iVillage and SheKnows columns, thanks so much for the continued support! To my new friends, it’s so nice to meet you! Please visit me daily, every morning I will post beauty product reviews, tips, and advice – and, every few days, contests where you can walk away with valuable freebies!

To start things off, I have decided to buy your friendship and continued readership.

One reader will win an autographed copy of Nick Arrojo’s new – and awesome – book, Great Hair. I will be writing more about this book – and referring to it often – in the days and weeks to come, but if you want a head start this holiday season at being the hottest girl in the zip code (as I aspire to be), this is a great way to start.

Nick Arrojo – whom I admit to having a tremendous crush on – is sort of the yoda of the hair industry, and in this book, shares his secrets! “In this book you will find my voice, my vision, and all of the advice I willingly and happily share with anyone who seeks me out, sits in my chair, and asks me for help. I hope it inspires you to be confident and beautiful; sexy and happy!” Arrojo says.

To have your chance to win the book, please share with us the most awful thing that has occurred in your own life, during your pursuit of great hair. Did your locks melt? Did your flaxen roots become a nasty ashen green? Share! Your sorrow can also be your reward!

Deadline November 5.

Photo credit: ArrojoProduct.com

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