Celebrate Valentine's Day with contest love! Contest!

It's Valentine's Day so what better day to let you know that Beauty Crazed ♥'s you and we want to prove it - by giving you stuff of course!

So many of you were enamored of the bedazzled Swarovski Crystallized Vaseline Mini Lip Therapy from our New Year's contest (that Kay from Singapore is now enjoying) that I managed to snag one more - as well you will receive:

a full sized 30ml Caudalie Vinexpert Firming Serum:
Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lipstick in Pastille Lilac from the Spring Pastille collection:
Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in the exclusive shade mixed just for Beauty Crazed;
as well as samples of: TRESemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo, Clarins HydraQuench Tinted Moisturizer, Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10, Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia and for the boy, samples of: Clarins Men Moisture Balm, Vichy Mag-C Fortifying Cream-Gel Moisturizer, Vichy Normactiv Cg Purifying Hydrating Fluid, Vichy Sensi-Baume Ca Comfort Balm for Sensitive Skin and Chanel Allure Homme.

Want to be our Valentine? Then read on...

This contest is open to everyone everywhere and it's very easy to enter, just leave a comment letting us know that you follow through Google Friend Connect or Facebook Networked Blogs (if you aren't a follower you can do that now - sign up buttons are in the right sidebar).

1 entry for following and leaving a comment letting us know in honour of Valentine's Day - tell us about something or someone you love - you can be boring and say your husband or kids but we'd like it a lot better if you could be more creative and entertaining then that! Please also leave your e-mail so we can find you if you win!

And for extra entries you can do one or both of the following:
1 entry for following @Beautycrazedcan on Twitter and tweeting the contest

3 entries if you post this contest as a post or on the sidebar of your blog

If you prefer not to leave your info on a public post, please leave a post saying you want to enter and then e-mail your info to info@beautycrazed.ca, please put "February Contest" in the subject line.  Remember to leave a post or you name won't actually end up in the draw! Winner to be decided by random drawing and you have until March 15th to enter. Good Luck!

- Lisamarie -

Giorgio Armani Pop Collection Spring 2013

Spring pops at Giorgio Armani with luminous, euphoric colour that puts the focus on eyes - pearl whites, hibiscus and swimming pool turquoise on a canvas of sheer neutrals for a bold and modern look!

Face & Eye Bliss Palette - $95 - in 2 limited edition collections of double tiered palettes:  Coral Bliss - with a sheer blush in coral and opal, shimmer greige and swimming pool turquoise shadows; and Rose Bliss - with a rose blush and iced pearl, flesh and hibiscus shadows.

Rouge D'Armani Sheers - $38 - in 2 limited edition shades: 100 Beige and 101 Beige Rose- with the rich tone of a lipstick, the translucence of a gloss and the comfort of a lip balm.

Available in February exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Giorgo Armani Lip Maestro - with Tibetan Orange swatch!

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro - $38 - in 12 shades: 200 - Terra; 201 - Dark Velvet; 202 - Dolci; 300 - Flesh; 400 - The Red; 401 - Tibetan Orange; 402 - Chinese Lacquer; 500 - Blush; 501 - Casual Pink; 502 - Artdeco; 503 - Red Fushia; and 504 - Ecstasy - the classic formula has been reinvented to create a luminous matte lipstick - more radiant then your typical matte lipstick and more sophisticated than a gloss - with a texture that is luxurious and velvet that just glides right on for lips that appear instantly plumped and radiant and feel incredibly smooth and wrapped in comfort.

Available exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

With my love for all things orange, Tibetan Orange seemed like a no-brainer to try and as you can see the colour is beautifully vibrant! Texture wise I have to agree, it's super light and smooth - it doesn't feel at all sticky and unlike some lightweight lip products, my lips didn't feel dry. Best of all the colour was long-lasting and didn't bleed so by the end of the day the colour was still on my lips and not on my face!

- Lisamarie -

Giorgio Armani White Night Holiday Collection 2012

I love a palette - there is just something about having all my products in one shiny case that makes me so happy - and these holiday Armani ones are just so freaking elegant that they must be taken out of your purse while riding the subway just so everyone around you can see incredibly classy you are!

Moonlight White Palette - $95 - snow face shimmer highlighting powder in is paired with a gradation of grey eye shadows to create the color wash, finish with the red lip wax for a sophisticated winter style.

Moonlight Beige Palette - $95 - beige shimmer powder joins taupe eye shadows that intensify gradually, along with Beige lip wax, for sheer, natural elegance.

Available now exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Foundation sensations from Giorgio Armani, Guerlain, Clinique, Pur Minerals and mark.!

The nice thing about foundations these days: there is so much choice!

The bad thing about foundations these days: there is so much choice!

Don't you find when you get out there to actually buy one that there are so many to choose from that it can be overwhelming?! So here's a little overview on some of the new ones on the market - go try the ones that sound interesting!

Giorgio Armani Maestro Fusion Makeup - 30ml - $68 - a high slip fluid foundation with a unique texture due to patented Fusion Technology - an ultra-fine oil-pigment suspension that perfects the complexion with the thinnest colour film that blends perfectly and corrects skin imperfections without buildup. There are 9 shades available which are supposed to be adaptable to all skin tones due to smart pigments that are so fine, they fuse with the natural skin colour.

I have actually tried it, not the right shade unfortunately so I can't speak as to how smart the smart pigments are but texture wise I can say that it's way different then anything I've ever tried, it really feels as light as water but still very moisturizing, this is one of those products that you just have to try for yourself - if you hate the way foundation normally feels on your skin, this one is so for you!

Available now exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

Guerlain Parure de Lumiere Light Diffusing Foundation - 30ml - $64 - both moisturizing and light-diffusing to boost the luminosity of the complexion and radiance of the skin. Enriched with Luminescent Water - a marine spring water which penetrates deep into the skin and also contains Prisma Light 360 pigments - which form a fine veil on the skin's surface concentrating pure light. The end result is: a fresh and healthy glow, evened and smoothed out complexion, supple and plumped skin with a satiny and luminous effect with a natural, no-mask result.

This is the foundation that I've been using lately - I was thrilled to discover it had a shade light enough for me and I'm loving the light texture and the lovely glow it gives my skin. Having combination skin, I normally avoid formulas that add extra moisture for fear of making my skin look oily and I probably wouldn't use it during the summer-  but as a cold weather foundation it's suiting me very well - the normal parts of my face feel a lot more comfortable and while it hasn't stopped me from having a shiny nose, it hasn't made it any worse!

The only downside could be that even if you love the sound of it, there are only 6 shades available and none of them seem very dark, so this is going to work best for the light to medium skinned.

Also available in a cream formula if that's your preference for $66. Both available now at Guerlain counters across Canada.

Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Instant Perfecting Makeup - 30ml - $33 - available in 12 shades with a lightweight texture that provides seamless coverage and instantly disguises the look of pores through optics while working to minimize their appearance over time.

It smooths and conceals instantly with spherical optical diffusers and soft focus materials that capture and diffuse light to immediately soften and blur the appearance of large pores - while salicylic acid gently clears out dead and dulling skin cells, padina pavonica extract and salvia sclarea build up the pore surface to help pores appear smaller, and laminaria saccharina extract minimizes sebum production that may cause pores to stretch.

Pür Minerals Liquid Foundation - 30ml - $26 - a lightweight and oil-free foundation that offers all-day true colour tone that won't smudge, rub or fade. Enriched with super-hydrating Cereting Complex that draws vital moisture to the skin offering a flawlessly fresh look that you might even forget you're wearing it!

Available now at Shoppers Drug Mart.

mark. Got The Goods Multi-Benefit Foundation Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 15 - 30ml - $20 - a good for your skin oil-free and lightweight foundation in 14 shades containing orange and lemon extracts - for their vitamin C and source of natural exfoliator AHA, as well as willow bark - to make skin look firmer and tighter and to improve the look of skin's tone and elasticity. As well, it immediately boosts skin's moisture by 57% to give a radiant and dewy finish.

Available from your Avon rep - 1-800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca.

- Lisamarie -

Eye Love Wednesday - Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Quatuor

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Quatuor 4 Color Eyeshadow Palette - $64 - with an instant matte and intense formula that melds perfectly with a satin, pearly veil producing amplified light effects in 8 captivating quads:

01 Maestro - gradation from radiant mineral sprinkles to high-powered rock colours: glowing greige, radiant mica stone, matte asphalt grey, matte obsidian lava black.

02 Terra Sienna - gradation from sunlight-infused sand to strong earth Italian brown: dewy beige, shiny bright taupe, shaded hot brown, matte earth brown.

03 Pantelleria - gradation from light infused faded to deep brown-green sun influence on colours with a new colour invention: vreige - halfway between green and beige: vreige, dewy celadon, bright sage green with silver and gold reflections, intense matte khaki.

04 Effeto Nudo - the Giorgio Armani contemporary interpretation of the legendary Italian "Claroscuro": neutral bright beige, light matte and sandy taupe, darker matte taupe, rich tierra.

05 Mediterranean - gradation of Mediterranean blue from quiet spring dawn to fall storm sea: luminous silver tinged with a touch of blue, light blue grey, vivid and intense Armani bleu de Prusse, Armani blue Marine.

06 Boudoir - gradation from dewy coral essence to intense Amazonian mahogany: soft coral, bright rosewood, strong matte, intense mahogany.

07 Saharan Blush - gradation from summer Saharan sky to hot sand brown: glowing rose, Saharan eggshell, bright rose, hot brown.

08 Parma - gradation from dewy lilac rose to an iconic amethyst powder: lilac rose, lilac rose tinted with blue reflections, sparkling mineral dust, intense amethyst violet.

Available exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

L'Oréal and Loose Button make counting down to the holidays so much fun!

Remember those advent calenders you used to get as a kid with all the numbered doors counting down to Christmas each filled with chocolate? Sure chocolate is nice, but this calender is way better - it's filled with deluxe cosmetics samples!

L'Oréal Luxe Advent Calendar - $109 - available exclusively on Loose Button with 23 days of cosmetic surprises (well not really surprises because I'm going to tell you what you're going to get)!
1. Yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator Eye Serum
2. Yves Saint Laurent Dessin du Regard Waterproof Eye Pencil
3. Yves saint Laurent Rouge Pur Coutrue Lipstick
4. yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator Serum
5. Yves Saint Laurent Belle D'Opium Eau de Parfum
6. Yves Saint Laurent Opium Eau de Toilette Spray
7. shu uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Lotion
8. shue uemura Gloss Unlimited
9. shue uemura Phyto-Black Lift Concentrate
10. shu uemura Phyto-Black Lift Radiance Boosting Lotion
11. Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Eau de Parfum
12. Giorgio Armani Attitude Eau de Toilette
13. Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill mascara
14. Giorgio Armani Fluid Master Primer
15. Giorgio Armani Eau de jade
16. Giorgio Armani Multi-Corrective Rejuvanating Regenessence Cream
17. Giorgio Armani Youth Regenerator Regenessence Serum
18. Lancome L'Absolu Rouge
19. Lancome Bi-Facial Eye Makeup Remover
20. Lancome Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate
21. Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes
22. Lancome Tresor Eau de Parfum Spray
23. Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector

As well as a $10 gift card to spend on loosebutton.com to use towards the purchase of any full-sized item from the calendar.

The perfect gift for a friend (and of course pick up one for yourself) but only while they last so don't wait to snatch yours up at www.loosebutton.com

- Lisamarie -

Giorgio Armani Easy Chic Fall 2012 Collection

Texture has been reinvented for fall with a unique vision of colour, contrasting fabrics and shapes to play off a masculine aesthetic against elegant femininity with perfectly harmonized shades that are revisited in a neo-classic way to add a sultry decadence to eyes.

Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette - $95 - Limited Edition - Neo Black - a black lacquered double-tirered case with a magnetic closure includes an ultra-fine transparent face powder in Sheer Beige with Soft Beige, Taupe and Jet Black eye shadows.

Neo Classic Face & Eye Palette - $95 - Limited Edition - Neo Brown - a black lacquered double-tirered case with a magnetic closure includes includes a Sheer Rose blush along with Greige, Brown and Earth Brown eye shadows.

The shadows in both palettes have Color-Fil technology for immediate uniform colour pay-off in a maximum of intense shades. Dark tones appear darker, lighter tones appear brighter and effortlessly blend together to create fall's deductive neo classic eye.

Rouge D'Armani - $38 - Limited Edition in 3 new shades: 408 Rosewood Red, 526 Purpleheart, 111 Vintage Pine - offer up to 8 hour wear with lightweight oils and densed pigments that mold colour to the lip, sealing in moisture without fading or feathering.

Waterproof Eye Pencils - $29 - 1 Granite Black or 2 Earthen Brown - with a wax-based, glide-on technology that offer the precise application of a pencil with the skin comfort and 16-hour long-wearing capabilities of a liquid liner for colour that remains comfortably soft all day.

Available August exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Armani Code Luna

Giorgio Armani - Armani Code Luna - Limited Edition - 75ml EDT - $80 - a new fresh and floral interpretation of the original Code with bright citrus-like and sparkling bergamot base notes along with green accents of bitter orange essence and a pear chord; heart notes of orange blossom absolute and moonflower; and base notes of vanilla absolute, osmanthus, tonka bean and precious cedar.

Available at The Bay, Sears, Sephora, Holt Renfrew and Ogilvy.

And if you're looking for some sexy time, cancel your book order for Fifty Shades of Grey and get out in the moonlight my friends - according to the fragrance's ad we are missing out big time staying inside at night...

- Lisamarie -

Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Sheers with Bitten swatch!

Giorgio Armani Rouge D'Armani Sheers - $38 - is it a lipstick? a gloss? a balm? Actually this clever little hybrid is all three! With a cutting edge colour formulation process: the Colour Shine Moisture Polymer - a revolutionary component able to retain twice its volume of water, enhancing colour luminosity while locking in hydration on the lip surface for over 8 hours! With a translucent base that's different from the opaque one of classic lipsticks which allows colour pigment to become intensified without the heaviness of the traditional pearl base - resulting in a lipstick with a creamy texture that is feather light, translucent and as hydrating as a balm!

In 12 beautiful shades including 3 orange/corals: Acid Tangerine 300; Tokyo Coral 301; and Orange Mutation 302 - 3 reds: Red Carpet 400; Ripe 40; and Scarlato 402 - 3 pinks: Ecstasy 500; Vita 501; and Blush 502 - and 3 purples: Bitten 600; Tulipe Noire 601; and Black Lacquer 602

Available now at Holt Renfrew.

As I love the lipstick, I am equally smitten with the case - heavy black metallic with a magnetic closure that stops the lid from coming off in my purse!

Bitten is one of the purples which looks scary dark in the tube but as you can see, goes on a lovely sheer plum! It not only looks sheer, it feels sheer, extremely comfortable and moist!

- Lisamarie -

Fragrant Friday - Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Satin and Acqua for Life

Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gioia Satin Limited Edition - 50ml EDP - $65 - a new version of the old favourite that's been enriched with new accords to make it more sensual, deeper and more mysterious.

With notes of fresh crushed and frozen mint leaves, aquatic jasmine and luminous zest of Italian Limone Primo Fiore Femminello, enriched with brown sugar, labdanum and cedarwood - all combines for a scent that is fresh and sensual at the same time.

Available in department and drug stores May 2012.

And while on the subject of Acqua di Gioia, I should let you know that last year's extremely successful Acqua for Life Challenge is back again for 2012 to promote access to safe drinking water to communities in Ghana and Bolivia. The world-wide goal is to raise another 40 million litres of safe drinking water for these communities.

You can help and smell good, when you buy a specially packaged Aqua di Gio for men (100ml EDT - $70) and Aqua di Gioia for women (50ml EDP - $99), Armani donates 100 litres of water for every bottle sold! 

And please take a minute to become a fan on the Acqua For Life Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/GiorgioArmaniFragrancesCanada, the Armani group will automatically donate 50 litres of safe drinking water to the communities in need in Ghana and Bolivia.

- Lisamarie -

The latest and greatest in foundations from Dior, Armani, Guerlain, Clinique, Avon and mark.!

The change in weather and season is a great excuse (like you needed one) to check out a new foundation! Here are a few new ones for your consideration:

Dior Forever Flawless Perfection Fusion Wear Makeup Fluide - 30ml - $46 - glides on seamlessly for a semi-matte, flawless result and targets specific areas of the skin where it delivers active ingredients as needed - to mattify and hydrate as needed for a perfectly balanced complexion, acting as personalized care to extend the wear of the foundation while offering the skincare benefits of mallow flower extract which improves the skin's overall appearance with each day by stimulating cell renewal for a smoother and more even skin tone and texture.
Also available in compact form for $52 (refill $42) - which melds with the skin to create a non-powdery, ultra-smooth finish.

Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Foundation - 30ml - $75 - has SPF 20 and full coverage in 10 shades with featherlight texture is what they promise with the skin-enhancing action of a stretch texture for a perfect second-skin sensation and a lifting action that comes from its active ingredients: redensifying adenosine, emollient and smoothing agents and antioxidant vitamin E for tighter, firmer feeling skin that lasts for 12 hours.And if you're looking for glowing skin that looks like it's been lit from within, check this -  they've formulated specific pearlisers according to skin tone: for light tones - a blue-tinged pearliser which counters a yellow complexion; for medium shades - a touch of pink pearliser for a real boost of freshness; and for dark hues - a gold pearliser to brighten the complexion and accentuate its radiance.
You can also pick up the Designer Brush for optimum makeup application - $62

Available now at Holt Renfrew.

Guerlain Lingerie de Peau Compact Foundation - $76 - an all in one face product that includes a primary foundation shade to unify and correct tone imperfections as well as a secondary concealor shade to conceal dark circles and imperfections as well as illuminate dark areas. It comes in 6 shades has a cream texture and powdery finish that recreates a new skin texture, smoother and plumper by magnetizing water in the skin to revive the complexion.

If those are all a little dear - there are some other great ones at a more affordable price point:

Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus All-Smooth Makeup SPF 15 - 30ml - $39.50 - in 12 shades that incorporate the technology from the Repairwear serum to help instantly soften lines and cover imperfections to help create picture perfect skin. The foundation also helps prevent and repair UV damage: Ultrasomes - which work over time to gradually help visibly repair damage resulting from direct UV exposure; Whey Protein - helps minimize the appearance of lines and wrinkles; Siegesbeckia Orientalis Extract and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide - helps provide a better support system to plump-up and fill-in lines; Murumuru Seed Butter - to help strengthen the skin's moisture barrier; Vitamin E - to help provide antioxidant protection and SPF 15 to help protect skin from future UV damage. Fragrance and oil free.

Avon Ideal Flawless Invisible Coverage Foundation - 30ml - $15 - available in: caramel, cream beige, creamy natural, light beige, light ivory, medium beige, natural beige, natural tan, nude, nutmeg, pure beige, sable, sand beige, soft honey - a new perfect coverage foundation that defies detection from every angle with InvisiBlend Technology that makes light work for you by shaping and softening it from every angle. It has SPF 15 and a lightweight, oil-free formulation that is suitable for all skin types.

mark. min-a-real cream-to-powder foundation - 8.8g - $20 - available in: ivory, nude, buff, natural, honey, golden, almond, mocha - a no-mess cream-to-powder foundation specially formulated with Lumiskin complex to help smooth, brighten and even out skin tone.

Both are available from your Avon rep - 1800-265-AVON or online at www.avon.ca.

Have any of these been tried by any of you and what is the verdict if so?

- Lisamarie -

Mascara Monday - Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Lash Stretching Mascara

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Lash Stretching Mascara - $36 - promises to lengthen lash by lash without overloading with a precision brush inspired by make-up artist techniques, yet is extremely easy to handle. The brush has an asymmetric form - one side is flat with short bristles arranged in a diagonal to capture and cloak lashes from the root while the other side is rounded with its bristles set in fan shapes which stretches each lash coating it right to the tip.

Right side has no mascara, left side has two coats.

Two coats on each side and those of you who know about my obsession with my lash comb will be impressed to know that no comb at all was used for this!

Two coats closed.

I have been trying out a lot of mascaras lately looking for one to give me length and some volume minus the clumping that I and my lash comb hate so much and this one is a winner! What I especially like about it is how light it feels - even when I touch my lashes they aren't at all hard or stiff feeling! I must admit the best part though is the tube - it's champagne coloured metal and this sucker is heavy. It would be even better than a roll of quarters if you ever needed to punch somebody... like the person who tried to steal your Armani mascara!

Available now at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Giorgio Armani Holiday 2011 - Madre Perla

Inspired by the pure lines, sophisticated colurs and luxurious details of Art Deco and one of its iconic materials - Madre Perla - which is also reflected in the colour inspiration - subtle reflections and iridescent effects. All I know is as usual, Armani has come up with a collection that is totally drool-worthy!

Madre Perla Face and Eye Palette - Limited Edition - $150 -three luminous, satiny powders in sand, champagne and aqua that combine a featherlight texture with radiant colour. Packaged in the famous black case and decorated with real Madre Perla. Only 3,000 were made so this one is a collector's item! You can also get the palette without the fancy case but why the hell would you want to?!

Madre Perla Eye Palette - Limited Edition - $70 - slightly metallic ivory, lavender and taupe trio.

Eyes to Kill Intense Shadows - Limited Edition - $42 - #17 gold, #18 - toned down silver plutonium, #19 - gold and silver blend - creamy, powder-free shadows, highly pigmented and resistant to humidity and heat which stay true for 24 hours.

Gloss D'Armani - Limited Edition - $36 - Rouge 404, Plum 603, Plum 604 - vibrant lacquered shades with comfortable, long-lasting hold.


Available in November exclusively at Holt Renfrew.

- Lisamarie -

Giorgio Armani Brings Glamourous Androgyny Back!

Sasha Pivovarova was shot by Mert & marcus for this Gorgio's Armani fall campaign.  It's sleek and super classy. Enjoy!

-Christelle-