For the holidays, our girl Gwen Stefani decided to give her Harajuku Lovers fragrances a makeover, dressing G, Love, Lil’ Angel, Music and Baby in limited-edition Snow Bunny outfits.

With button-up winter coats, scarves and mittens (awww!), the girls look ready to strut their winter stuff!

The outfits are different, but the scents remain the same:

• G: A blend of coconut, apple, mandarin, freesia and sandalwood notes
• Love: A sensual floral with bergamot (a citrus fruit), peach, jasmine and musk
• Lil’ Angel: A fruity floral with raspberry, pineapple rose and amber
• Music: A delicate floral with clementine, pear, sweet pea and vanilla
• Baby: A powdery scent with freesia, rose, musk and violet

Can you picture ALL FIVE Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies posing on your dresser? So cute!

Methinks it’s time for a giveaway!

The prize

One lucky lady will win all five Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies fragrances: G (pictured at top), Love, Lil’ Angel, Music and Baby (a $150 value).

How to enter…

Entering is easy. There are two different ways, and you can do both of them for two chances to win.

First, you can enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post. In it, tell me about your favorite winter coat.

It’s gotta be my puffy black jacket with the faux fur hood. It makes me look like the Michelin Man, but I don’t care. That sucker keeps me warm!

Second, enter by following me on Twitter and retweeting (RT) the following message:

RT @karenmbb: RT to win ALL 5 Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies Fragrances (a $150 Value) http://bit.ly/4CVnIQ

Recap…

1. Enter by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post, and don’t forget to use a valid email address so I can reach you if you win.
2. Follow me on Twitter and retweet the following message:
   
   RT @karenmbb: RT to win ALL 5 Harajuku Lovers Snow Bunnies Fragrances (a $150 Value) http://bit.ly/4CVnIQ

I’ll pick the winner at random from among the people who enter by 11:59 p.m. PST on Saturday, November 7.

Bahati njema!!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Good morning, chicas. How was your night? Mine was blissfully mellow and ended without fireworks (went to bed early).

I did manage to squeeze in some web surfing before watching the new episode of The City (OMG, could Freddie Fackelmayer be any more suspect?).

From my girls in Daily Makeover’s Beauty Bloggerati…

• 9 phantastic beauty products for Phillies fans — Beauty Blogging Junkie
• Three favorite winter skin remedies — Makeup Bag
• Blistex Natural Cooling Comforts is a drugstore steal! — Product Girl
• The season’s hottest accessories and how to wear them well — A Mom in Red High Heels
• Mrow! How to create a cat eye look — Spoiled Pretty
• DIY wedding beauty products for the bride-to-be — The Jet Set Girls
• Streamline your workflow for the ultimate skincare routine — Makeover Momma
• Fangtastic Vampire Diaries hair looks! — Hair Thursday
• A peek at NARS Holiday 2009 — Talking Makeup

Have a good one today.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Jared Leto became the object of many teenage fantasies in the mid-’90s when he was cast as heartthrob Jordan Catalano on the TV show My So-Called Life.

Born the day after Christmas in December of 1971, the vegetarian artist/actor/musician is a man of many talents.

Before hitting it big, he studied painting at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts. He originally moved to Los Angeles in 1992 to pursue music, only taking small acting parts to pay the bills.

After his stint as resident hottie on My So-Called Life ended in 1995, Jared went on to star in several films including American Psycho, Fight Club and Panic Room.

These days Jared stays busy singing lead and playing guitar in the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. The band’s third album, This is War, arrives next month.

Before picking him for today’s poll, I had no idea how adventurous homeboy was with his hair! I’m liking most of the styles, except for the braids. Those bring back too many bad memories of K. Fed in his heyday.

Oh, and while I’m not normally a fan of guyliner, how HARD does Jared rock that black liner on his waterline?

I wonder how he feels about MAC Fluidline…

Which of Jared's hairstyles do you like best?

• 1. Short brown crop
• 2. Light brown with cornrows
• 3. Reddish-brown bob with blunt bangs
• 4. Slicked back with gel
• 5. Long bangs and a side part
• 6. Chin length with side-swept bangs and red tips
• 7. Long and wavy
• 8. Short and dark brown with long bangs
• 9. Chin length and blond with a side part

View Results

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Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I was digging through some unpacked boxes this morning when I came across a buried treasure — my beloved stash of MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Powders.

They’d been MIA since the move last month, lost at the bottom of a dark cardboard prison.

But they’re finally free! Free to shine!

With their frosty metallic finish, these colorful pressed powders work great as highlighters for face and body.

While I was lining ‘em all up on my dresser like little makeup soldiers (yes, I’m a weirdo), I remembered an e-mail from MBB reader Bernice.

Hi Karen,

I’ve been a silent reader of MBB for a few months now and recently hopped onto the MAC Mineralize Skinfinish bandwagon. Ohmygosh, they are soooo pretty!

There’s just one thing — I have no idea what brush I should use to apply them.

I tried searching the ‘net, but it seems that views are generally rather divided, and I can’t quite decide which brush I should use.

Could I get some advice, please? Thank you!

Bernice

Hi, Bernice. WOO HOO! Welcome to The Cult of MAC MSF-Loving Babes!

I just love the soft candle-lit glow they give to my skin — when I get the application right, that is. With the wrong brush, they’re easy to over-apply.

So, how to get the right shimmery glow without looking greasier than a bucket of KFC?

I’ve tried using them with a bunch of different brushes (blush, powder, even a kabuki), and these are the ones I like best: the MAC 187 ($42) and 188 ($35) Duo Fibre Brushes.

Both deposit whisper sheer layers of powder, providing for a lot of control to build up color and shimmer slowly.

• 187 Duo Fibre Brush: Often referred to as “the skunk brush,” this synthetic brush head feels wonderfully soft to the touch.
• 188 Small Duo Fibre Brush: A smaller version of the 187, the 188 has a smaller brush head with a flatter top.

Neither one is cheap, but they are versatile. I also use my 187 to apply liquid foundations, cream blushes and even loose powders, so I think you get a lot of brush for your money.

Also, if you happen to have a fan brush at home, give it a try because they tend to lay down super sheer layers of color — perfect for MAC Mineralize Skinfinish.

Sometimes I use Shu Uemura’s 5.7EX ($35), another fabulous multitasker (it excels at applying bright/intensely pigmented blushes).

I hope these suggestions help.

Keep me posted on your progress!

MACaholics, it’s time to pick your brain. What do you use to apply Mineralize Skinfinish Powders?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sometimes, when I go shopping for makeup, I bring along my “BIG PURSE.” That way I can sneak my purchases back into the house without hearing El Hub ask, “Do you really need more lipgloss?!?”

On the phone with a friend the other day, I found out that she does the same exact thing (except that her BIG PURSE is way bigger than mine, LOL!).

Are we the only ones?

Have you ever hidden your beauty purchases from your partner (or your parents, if you live with ‘em)?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen