Dolce Vita Collection giveaway!

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been a big Black Friday shopper. It’s always been our family tradition to stay home most of the weekend after Thanksgiving to just spend time together, decorate the house for Christmas, and relax.

Cyber Monday, though…that’s something I can get behind 😉 I’m all about online shopping lately - especially when I already know I’m a fan of particular brands.

I’ve you’ve been following me for a while you probably know that Dolce Vita Collection is one of those brands. I’ve shared their handbags, shoulder bags & clutches a few times here on GML and my Instagram.

Dolce Vita Collection Charlotte Crossbody

{Charlotte Crossbody}

Dolce Vita Collection Amber Crossbody

{Amber Crossbody}

Dolce Vita Collection Isabella Bucket

{Isabella Bucket}

And now my newest piece from Dolce Vita Collection is one that I absolutely love - the Juliet Tablet Clutch.

Dolce Vita Collection Juliet ClutchDolce Vita Collection Juliet Clutch

This clutch is something that has been on my list for a while. It’s the perfect size - both for going out at night, as well as during the day (it literally fits a tablet perfectly). It comes with a strap so you can wear it as a shoulder bag as well.

Dolce Vita Collection

Dolce Vita Collection was kind enough to pass along a special discount code that *doesn’t expire!* Use promo code GRACIE25 for 25% off at dolcevitahandbags.com.

I’m also giving away a Juliet Clutch to one lucky reader! Go ahead and enter below. The giveaway is open until midnight tonight PST, so get your entry in now!


 

Please note that I was gifted by Dolce Vita Collection for this post, however not monetarily compensated.

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GOOD LUCK! :)

sleep with this: Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream review.

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If there’s one thing that I’ve learned to be more and more true in life, it’s that sleep can cure just about anything. And, as someone who just celebrated a 28th birthday, I’m learning that the amount of sleep I get can greatly effect not just how I feel, but also how I look. Oh, the joys of getting older 😉

While I wish I could say I get a full 8 hours of sleep every night, that just not always the case. As I’m sure most people can relate to, life happens, and sometimes 6 hours of sleep is more the reality for me. Living in New York City (AKA “the city that never sleeps”) definitely doesn’t make that much easier!

BUT - thankfully that doesn’t mean I’m doomed to have that lack of sleep appearance when I don’t get my full 8 hours. I was excited to recently be sent some Garnier Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream™ Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Night Cream to try out, and I’m so thrilled with the results.

Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream is a new hydrating face cream that fights wrinkles and signs of fatigue while you sleep for younger looking skin. The anti-aging formula reduces signs of dull, dry and tired looking skin. The cream is infused with Lavender Essential Oil, Rare Plant Extracts & Adenosine.

 

The scent is seriously amazing. I’ve always had issues with night creams in the past because I didn’t love the scent, but this one actually is pleasant to the smell as I fall asleep at night. The most common results reported are:
      • 1st Morning: 96% said skin felt softer. 85% said skin looks rested.
      • In 4 weeks: Wrinkles are visibly reduced. 81% said skin felt firmer and looked revitalized. 88% said skin felt smoother.

I’ve been using Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream for about 2 1/2 weeks. I definitely noticed my skin feeling softer and looking more rested after just the first few days. About 2 weeks in I did notice more of an overall firmness in my skin that lasted throughout the day.

Along with the Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream I tried Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream: Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream. It’s an innovative gel-cream texture that combines the hydrating power of a cream with the light refreshing feel of a gel to visibly reduce signs of dark circles, bags and tired looking eyes. Infused with Essential Oil, Caffeine and Rare Plant Extracts, this anti-aging formula works nightly to reduce signs of fatigue to revitalize eyes. I loved pairing these two products for what left me feeling and looking much more refreshed and rejuvenated in the morning… even if I didn’t get an ideal 8 hours of sleep.

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Can’t get your nightly beauty sleep? Garnier has you covered with prizes that will make you look like you didn’t miss a wink! Enter the Sleep With This Sweepstakes now for the chance to win Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream, a Westin Heavenly® Bed and more.
 Plus receive a $1 coupon* to try Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream out for yourself. Enter daily for a chance to win a Miracle Sleeping Cream product prize package.

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Do you plan to try Garnier’s Ultra-Lift® Miracle Sleeping Cream™ Anti-Age + Anti-Fatigue Night Cream to help fight wrinkles and the signs of fatigue?

Tell me in the comments for a chance to win a $100 VISA gift card!

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

      1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
      2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
      3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
      4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 4/8/15 – 5/10/15.

Be sure to visit the Garnier brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Garnier + BlogHer. All opinions herein are my own. Please note that I was compensated for this post. You can refer to my product review policy here. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

3 spring {CMA inspired} makeup looks with Mary Kay.

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A few months ago I was able to try Mary Kay® makeup products for the first time, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved them. I had never used Mary Kay® makeup products before that, but since then they have been a go-to favorite of mine. So when I was offered to try some more of their new makeup products, I was definitely interested.

This time they also sent me some really fun makeup looks - complete with step-by-step tutorials and a list of exactly which products to use. As someone who isn’t great with experimenting with makeup, I loved having that guidance for fun new looks for spring!

Since Mary Kay® is the Official Beauty Sponsor of the 50th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, the looks provided were created to celebrate the show (airing April 19th!). Celebrity makeup artist, Moani Lee, created these three stunning country music-inspired looks, and I had so much fun recreating my rendition of them.

Queen of Country Look “This country beauty is sexy, confident, and loves to rock a bold smoky eye.” ~Moani Lee

Products used: Jet Black Eyeliner Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Sweet Plum Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Moonstone Mary Kay® Eye Crease Brush Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Coal Mary Kay® Lash Primer Mary Kay® Ultimate Mascara Mary Kay® Mineral Cheek Color Mary Kay® NouriShine Lip Gloss

(Click here to view the full tutorial) This look is perfect when you want to look glam - perfect for a night out on the town with your girlfriends. I especially love the smoky eye, with the help of Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color in Coal.

All-American Girl “This country cutie prefers pastels and a rosy glow to highlight all her best features.” ~Moani Lee

Products used: Cream Eye Color in Pale Blush Precious Pink Mineral Eye Color Eyeliner in Deep Brown Lash Love Lengthening Mascara in I ♥ Black Strawberry Cream Mineral Cheek Color NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Fancy Nancy

(Click here for the full tutorial) This look is perfect for spring. It’s natural, feminine, and I love the light touches of pink.

Boho Beauty “A free spirit at heart, this Bohemian country beauty opts for a sun-kissed look.” ~Moani Lee

Products used: Cream Eye Color in Apricot Twist Eyeliner in Deep Brown Lash Love Mascara in I ♥ Black Bronzing Powder in Light/Medium True Dimensions Lipstick in Berry a la Mode NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Silver Moon

This is the look that I loved the most. The boho trend is one of my favorites as we go into spring and summer (even with my hair, fashion, etc.), so I was excited to experiment with the Mary Kay® products for this look.

I followed this tutorial for the Boho Beauty makeup, and it was surprisingly easy. I love the natural, sun-kissed look it gave me. It enhanced my natural features, which is something I really like to embrace in the warmer seasons. I especially loved the Bronzing Powder. It was the perfect shade of bronze to give me that sun kissed look - it wasn’t at all orange-y, and applied light and smooth on my skin.

For more information about Mary Kay®, you can visit their website marykay.com, Facebook page, or YouTube Channel. Follow/tag them on Instagram (marykayus) and Twitter @marykay.

Which of the three Academy of Country Music Awards-inspired looks do you like best? Leave your answer in the comments section to enter for a chance to win a Mary Kay® gift basket!

Brought to you by Mary Kay. All opinions are my own.

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 3/30/2015 – 4/30/2015

Be sure to visit Mary Kay’s brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

my favorite spring {prom!} hair looks with Sexy Hair products.

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Oh, spring. The season where we reintroduce florals, sundresses and sandals into our wardrobe. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to put my winter clothes into hibernation!

A couple of weeks ago a GML reader (hi Alyssa!) reached out and asked about something I haven’t thought of in years - prom. She said she was going to her first prom this year and wanted suggestions for what to wear and how to wear her hair. She said she wants to look fashionable without having that over-the-top “prom look” that tends to get a bad rep. Her question came at the perfect time and I actually just received a handful of Sexy Hair products to try out.
Sexy Hair products I’ve also recently gotten excited to experiment with fun new hairstyles for spring. I’ve been seeing so many fun and girly looks on Pinterest, and I can’t wait to try them out for myself. Not to mention that there are some trends I saw this past award season on the Red Carpet that I want to recreate as well. So, with the help of Sexy Hair, here are some of my favorite hairstyles and trends for spring - whether you’re looking for a fun prom look - or just wanting to try something new this season.
Braids
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably seen that braids are everywhere lately. I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping it’s a trend that stays around for a while! I’m especially loving this simple yet chic braid crown look (click the image for the how-to).

Retro Hollywood
This look will never go out of style.

(Click the image for tutorial!) This look is great to finish with Sexy Hair Spray & Play - it’s the perfect hair spray because it holds everything in place while adding volume and staying flexible. Not to mention it protects your hair from damaging UV rays (pretty awesome).

Sexy Hair products

Classic Ponytail
Think the ponytail is boring? Think again. This was a huge trend during award season this year (as seen on Dakota Johnson below), and I think it’s one that’s here to stay.

The ponytail is also a great look for the day or two after you’ve washed your hair. That’s where I love dry shampoo! I carry this Sexy Hair H2No around with me pretty much at all times. In addition to taking away that greasy look and feel, it provides shine and prolongs the time between shampoos, resulting in color vibrancy and reduction of chemical damage to the hair.

Sexy Hair products

Natural Tousles
I know what you’re thinking - tousled hair for prom? I know that up-dos are usually the norm for special occasions, but I personally love standing out and embracing chic, natural-looking tousled hair.

For this look I’m loving Sexy Hair’s Full Bloom. Full Bloom Long-Lasting Thickening & Refreshing Spray can give your blowout up to 3 days of volume. It also prevents heat styling damage by providing thermal protection AND humidity protection to help fight frizz.
How to use Full Bloom: make sure to shake the bottle first. Apply to damp hair and then blow dry. Tousle hair throughout the day to release the fragrance.

I’d also add a sprinkle of Powder Play for some extra volume (because let’s be real - you can never have too much volume). I’ve actually mentioned Powder Play a handful of times here on GML - it’s been a favorite of mine for a few years.

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Get these products in a compact kit, the Sexy Hair Prom Posh Kit, for just $19.95. Available online only at sexyhair.com. Full size products are also available at sexyhair.com and at Ulta or JCPenney. Free shipping on orders over $25 and free sample with purchase at sexyhair.com! Check out the Sexy Hair blog for more great prom looks.

Sexy Hair products

What’s your favorite of these prom/spring hair looks? Tell me in the comments to enter for a chance to win $100 worth of Sexy Hair products!

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 3/30/2015 – 5/31/2015.

Be sure to visit the Sexy Hair brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sexy Hair. All opinions herein are my own. Please note that I was compensated for this post. You can refer to my product review policy here. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.

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because i love ya {red carpet manicure + speakable giveaway}.

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I feel like it’s been a while since I did a great giveaway, and what better time to show some love than around Valentine’s Day?

To show my appreciation for all of your incredible support, I’m giving away prize packages full of my favorite things to two GML followers!

Each prize package includes:

  • Red Carpet Manicure Gel Polish Pro Kit (includes light and all prep/tools needed for an at-home gel manicure)
  • 1 RCM French manicure kit OR Gem & Jewels kit
  • 3 RCM nail applique packs
  • 1 RCM glittery french tips pack
  • RCM Nail Glitz
  • RCM Crystal Gems
  • 5 RCM LED gel polishes *
  • 5 RCM nail lacquers *
  • one 14K gold-plated choose joy Speakable necklace

(Each prize package valued at over $300!)
* polish colors will vary

*This is an Instagram contest!*

Here’s how to enter:

1) Follow @girlmeetslife, @RedCarpetManicure, and @SpeakableNYC on Instagram
2) Regram the above image on your own Instagram (using either the Repost App or taking a screen shot of this image)
3) Add caption “I entered to win @girlmeetslife’s #ValentinesDay giveaway! #RCMNailIt #GMLLOVE”

The two winners will be chosen at random on 2/14 at 12pm EST. Open to US residents only, must be 18+ to enter.

Good luck! :)

season’s sweetings with SMARTFOOD.

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Would you believe that in my four years of living in NYC, I haven’t once decorated for the holidays? I always put it off because a) getting a Christmas tree here is a pain and b) I usually spend the week or two around Christmas at my parents’ house.

This year, though, I teamed up with SMARTFOOD® popcorn to get a little creative with the holiday decorations. And I must say - it was so much fun (and delicious)!

SMARTFOOD’s two holiday flavors - SMARTFOOD Cinnamon Brown Sugar Popcorn and SMARTFOOD Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn Popcorn – are not only insanely good, but you can also get creative and make tons of holiday-themed decorations with them around the house! The combination of sweet and salty plus some crunch made for the perfect snack to munch on as I decorated my apartment.

I’m not normally one to play with my food, but I decided to go old school and make fun holiday decorations out of SMARTFOOD popcorn. All you need is some thread and a needle, and you thread the popcorn on for a cute decoration to either put on your Christmas tree or around the house (in my case, apartment).

This season, let’s see how many popcorn craftivities we can create. From centerpieces to wreaths to garlands – ornaments to snowmen to decorative treats…the question is, what CAN’T you make with SMARTFOOD popcorn?

Now through December 20th, simply share a photo of your #SmartfoodDIY holiday creations on either Twitter or Instagram. Use the #SmartfoodDIY and #GMLifeEntry and we could both win a $250 gift card – just a little extra sweetness for the holidays! (see official rules at fritolay.com)

  • Follow Frito-Lay on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fritolay
  • Follow Frito-Lay on Twitter: @Fritolay www.twitter.com/fritolay
  • Frito-Lay snacks – link on first reference: www.fritolay.com

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Frito-Lay. DIY creation and stated opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make this blog possible.