Max Factor Bids Adieu to the United States

My girl Julia just informed me that Procter & Gamble just announced that it will discontinue the sale of the Max Factor makeup brand in the U.S., beginning in early 2010.

The 100 year old brand was founded by Maximilian Faktorowicz, a makeup artist for the Russian Royal Ballet, who actually coined the term 'makeup.'

Max Factor is credited with numerous cosmetic innovations, which include: the first motion picture makeup (1914), lip gloss (1930), Pan-Cake Makeup (1937), Pan-Stik Makeup (1948), Erace, the original cover-up cosmetic (1954), the first waterproof makeup (1971), and the first clear mascara (1988).

P&G will continue selling Max Factor in 70 other countries.

Get Gisele's Fall Favorites for $20

As you may know, Gisele Bundchen is the new face of MAX Factor and to kick off this partnership, for a limited time only, MAX Factor is running a pretty cool promotion including all of Gisele’s favorite MAX Factor products.

The exclusive package includes:
· Lipfinity 3D Lipcolor in 80’s Pink
· MAXeye Liner in Fresh Coffee
· Vivid Impact Eye Shadow in Domino Effect
· Volume Couture in Black Brown

These four products can be purchased as a bundle from maxfactor.com at 50% off retail price - with a complementary makeup bag and free shipping! The cost is only $20 (plus tax)!

To achieve the Gisele look, you obv need the tools (see aforementioned products). But you also need the technique…application is a key factor. Get it? Factor?!? I should just quit this blog and start doing standup.

Here are a few pro tips, courtesy of MAX Factor celebrity makeup artist Jake Bailey:

For a daytime high impact eye:
· Start by lining the upper and lower lash lines with MAXeye Liner in Fresh Coffee. Dot the eye liner in the inner lash lines to create high impact and high drama. Use your finger to smudge the liner on the upper and lower lash lines to create a smoldering effect. Don’t worry about smudging the liner too much; a little bit of “messiness” creates a sexier eye.

· Liven up lashes by applying one coat of Lash Perfection Volume Couture Mascara in Black Brown on the upper and lower lashes.

For a smoky eye:
· For a twist on the smoky-eye, create a look that’s all your own by blending your favorite shades of shadow to create a customized hybrid. Shades I have found universally flattering are grays and lavenders.

· Start by mixing together the charcoal colored end of Vivid Impact Eye Shadows in Domino Effect with the purple shade in Vivid Impact Eye Shadows Sultry Sage for a smoky plum shade. Using an eye shadow brush, work the shadow all the way from the lash line to the brow bone, blending the pigment with your finger towards when nearing the brow to create a dramatic eye look.

· Liven up lashes by generously applying Lash Perfection Volume Couture Mascara on the upper and lower lashes.

· Keep the face flawless and lip simple so as not to overpower the vivid eye: Apply ColorGenius Pressed Powder, in a shade that compliments your skin tone, to minimize any shininess. If you desire a little extra color, work a light blush into the cheeks such as ColorGenius Pressed Powder in Peaches. Circle the product with a large round brush onto the apples of the cheeks and brush up towards the temples.

· Finish with a light pink gloss, such as MAXalicious Gloss in First Kiss for barely-there glossy lips.

For a bright pink lip:
· For a beautiful and eye catching look for day and night, try using Lipfinity 3D in 80s Pink with just two coats of mascara, such as Lash Perfection Volume Couture Mascara in Black Brown, on curled lashes. This creates sophisticated beauty looks with not a lot of makeup.

· In the Fall and Winter, a bold lip hue can brighten your complexion instantly!

Gisele Is The New Face of MAX Factor

MAX Factor Cosmetics is turning 100 years old in 2009 and looking more stunning than ever, thanks to its newest spokesperson - supermodel Gisele Bündchen.

Max Factor, the father of modern makeup, revolutionized the concept of beauty 100 years ago on the Hollywood movie lots with the creation of his iconic makeup line. Designing looks for Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Rita Hayworth and Katherine Hepburn, he transformed the leading ladies of his era. Soon women everywhere wanted to look like their favorite trend-setting sirens, so he created a line of lip gloss, foundation, eye shadow and concealers and began selling his cosmetics line to the general public.

Gisele will promote the brand across multiple marketing vehicles, including print, public relations, in-store and interactive. She will begin to appear in the ad campaign for Lipfinity Lip Collection and ColorGenius Face Collection in select October fashion magazines. Gisele will also continue to showcase MAX Factor’s products in a series of new product introductions throughout the brand’s centennial year.

In The Bag Summer Beauty Giveaway: Everyday Bag

The average weight of the contents of a woman’s purse has skyrocketed over the past five years. Exactly how much does the typical gal lug around? More than five pounds of crap – that’s how much! Researchers predict that by 2018, the average handbag will weigh more than 6.6 pounds. High-tech gadgets have been blamed for the 38 percent increase…but lets be real, ladies. Those eight lip products add up.

If you’re anything like me, your purse is chock-full of nonsense…old shopping receipts, gum wrappers, enough Starbucks napkins to last a lifetime, and seven dollars in coins lining the bottom of the bag. I’m not going to be a hypocrite and tell you to throw that mess out. But I do have some suggestions for how you can pare down your beauty stash this summer, and lighten your load by at least a couple of ounces. Summer heat is oppressive enough…and let’s face it – Scoliosis isn’t sexy.

* Instead of tossing your regular hairbrush and comb into your purse, opt for a purse-sized set. But make sure that you invest in quality products…I don’t know about you, but those “nifty” pop-up purse brushes never work for me. And if it doesn’t work, you might as well not carry it. Right?

* Palettes and multi-purpose products are great options…they offer innumerable options without sacrificing space.

* If you’re prone to t-zone oiliness, you could carry around a translucent powder compact. But powder tends to cake in the heat, so you’re better off carrying some blotting papers. Plus you’ll shed some weight.

Today is day three of our In The Bag Summer Beauty Giveaway Week, and to get you over the hump, I'm spoiling you pretty with this handbag from Creations By Kage.


The "Stormy" tote is, in two words, effortlessly sumptuous. The bag is like buttah - all Kage creations are made of the finest Italian leathers. The line is geared towards the girl with very sophisticated taste who wants a really unique bag made of finest materials and the highest quality, but doesn't necessarily have to own a "name" brand. Designer Kristin Holstein says her bags have a certain elegance to them, as they are clean in design, with simple pleats and the Kage signature horseshoe detail. "The symbol of the horseshoe means so much to me. Not only does it represent good luck, but it reminds me of my mother and her love of horses. They constantly give me inspiration, and will always be a significant theme in my design process."

For the winner, this bag will be accompanied by the following goodies:


Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara: Get a blast of lush, volumized lashes! LashBlast's patented volume-boosting formula and patent-pending brush are designed to max-out each and every lash, leaving you with the ultimate big lash look. This happens to be my Holy Grail mascara.

Goody Mosaic Ouchless Purse Brush: The ultimate in snagless styling. This brush is smaller sized – perfect for travel or on the go styling.

Goody Mosaic Mini Versa Comb: This 3-in-1 comb is small enough to fit in your purse, but large enough to maintain your style.

Tarte Infinite Glow Bestsellers Palette: Get a natural, radiant glow with this chic palette that has everything you need to tan, glow and pout in minutes flat! This bestsellers palette includes Park Ave Princess Mineral Powder Bronzer, award-winning Gel Cheek Stain in Tipsy and a moisturizing 24.7 Lip Sheer in a new shade May Flowers. This luxe faux-croc, compact with mirror is perfect for on-the-go application!

MAX Factor Vivid Impact Eyeshadow Duos in Domino Effect, Emerald Coast, and Peach Basket: Sweep on these loose powder eye shadows for a subtle shimmer or lay it on thick for a metallic effect. The couture-color combinations let you create vibrant shadow effects with the brilliant artistry of a pro.

DentaBurst “Be Ready To Shine” Kit: DentaBurst Freshening Teeth Cleaners are an effective way to clean teeth and freshen breath on-the-go. Unlike mints or gum, they remove plaque from the surfaces of teeth, leaving them feeling smooth and clean. The kit contains 72 individually-wrapped Dentaburst, a business card case, and a calendar/planner.

RoC Retinol Correxion Hand Repair Cream SPF15: This revolutionary formula not only moisturizes but has been scientifically shown to fortify the outer layer of skin and is clinically shown to even out the look of discolorations and age spots for more youthful looking hands. In addition, its SPF 15 UVA/UVB sunscreen protects hands from damaging UVA rays that may contribute to skin damage and premature aging of the skin. Allure Magazine Best of Beauty winner.

Clean & Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets: Oil-Absorbing Sheets soak up excess oil and remove shine from your face, without smudging makeup or leaving behind a residue. Use them anytime, anywhere to remove oil and shine throughout the day.

Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner SPF 15: This unique lip treatment provides essential long-lasting moisturization to help condition and protect dry, chapped lips. With an exclusive combination of natural oatmeal and natural skin conditioners, including jojoba oil and shea butter, it restores moisture and locks it in long after applying. It contains UVA/UVB sunscreens to protect lips from the sun and is good for daily use.

To enter, send an email to spoiledprettycontests@gmail.com. Be sure to include your full name. The subject line should read "Creations By Kage Handbag Giveaway." The contest ends at midnight (EST) on Tuesday, July 1st. One winner will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Wednesday, July 2nd, I’ll announce the winner’s name. Please, only one entry per person; duplicate entries will not increase your chances of winning. Contest is open to U.S. & Canadian residents only.

And be sure to check out the other bag giveaways. You can enter all of the giveaways, but you can only win once. Good luck!

Perlina Giveaway Winner Revealed - Is It You?

Happy hump day, everyone. I know you have been patiently waiting for me to announce the winner of the Perlina giveaway...so I'll get right to it.

If your email begins with jeanilyne, you have won the grand-daddy of Spoiled Pretty contests!

You will receive this black leather Perlina handbag, in addition to:

*Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Shampoo and Conditioner
*Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-in Split End Protector
*CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara
*2 CoverGirl Outlast All-day Lipcolor
*MAXFactor Vivid Impact Mascara
*2 MAXFactor MAXalicious Lipglosses
*2 MAXFactor MAXwear Lipcolor

Five runners-up will receive my must-have mascara, CoverGirl LashBlast. These lucky ladies are: lottogirl846, cme8397, RHCNCK, ebbb31, and lindahl.

If you are a winner, please check your email for a congratulatory email from moi - it will contain instructions for redeeming your prize.

If you didn't win - try, try again. Enter the Fafi giveaway, for your chance to win $175 in new MAC makeup. Contest closes on Sunday.

Thanks to all who participated!

Hey Procrastinators - Don't Forget To Enter The Perlina Giveaway!

Just a gentle reminder that the Perlina giveaway ends tonight. So you still have a few hours to enter.

The grand prize is a gorgeous, black leather Perlina handbag. And just to show-off, I'm filling it with the following goodies:
*Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Shampoo and Conditioner
*Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-in Split End Protector
*CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara
*2 CoverGirl Outlast All-day Lipcolor
*MAXFactor Vivid Impact Mascara
*2 MAXFactor MAXalicious Lipglosses
*2 MAXFactor MAXwear Lipcolor

And five lucky runners-up will receive one of my new favorites - CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara.

Click here for official rules. And remember the contest closes at 9pm EST. If you don't subcribe and validate your email address by then, well, that's on you.

If you want this prize (I know you do), get crackin' right now! Good luck.

Gisele Bundchen Is No Angel

Gisele Bundchen may have ended ties with Victoria’s Secret last year, but she won't be resting on her laurels. Word on the street is that the supermodel has been tapped to be the new face of Max Factor. She is slated to replace current spokesmodel, Carmen Electra – and the new campaign will begin this summer.

According to E! Online, “Bündchen is excited to vamp for Max Factor because her VS contract had precluded her from endorsing beauty products while under contract.”

Spoiled Pretty By Perlina

This time last week, I was runnin’ around NYC feeling awful (unbeknownst to me, I had acute bronchitis), but looking fierce – thanks to my pals at Perlina Handbags.

They gave me a totally posh purse for my last day at the tents. As if that wasn’t enough, they upped the ante by inviting me to their showroom…talk about being spoiled pretty!

The Perlina showroom - located a hop, skip, and a jump from Bryant Park – was like a dream; it was handbag heaven, to be quite honest.

There were bags of every color imaginable, and purses for every personality. For a bag junkie like me, it was almost too much. The temptation was great. For a brief moment, I imagined that I was on a handbag version of Supermaket Sweep; I scanned the shelves, racks, and displays – trying to decide which bags I’d grab first.


I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to yourself, “Great. Here’s another story about Daneen getting free stuff. I’m sick of hearing about her fantastical adventures.” Well, if that’s you're attitude, you’re about to feel real salty…because Perlina has oh so generously bequeathed me another bag for a Spoiled Pretty giveaway!!!!

Oh, now we’re BFF’s again? I see how it is.

Not only will one of you win this absolutely gorgeous handbag (see, left), I’m going to "fill" it with all sorts of beauty booty. You heard me right. That’s just how I do.

The winner of the Perlina purse will also receive:

*Head & Shoulders Smooth & Silky Shampoo and Conditioner
*Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship Shampoo, Conditioner and Leave-in Split End Protector
*CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara
*2 CoverGirl Outlast All-day Lipcolor
*MAXFactor Vivid Impact Mascara
*2 MAXFactor MAXalicious Lipglosses
*2 MAXFactor MAXwear Lipcolor

Five lucky runners-up will receive one of my new favorites - CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara!!! This mascara is hard to come by because it’s become an instant cult classic, so here’s your chance to get you some.

To enter, you must be a Spoiled Pretty subscriber. Subscribing is simple and quick - just click here, but don't forget to verify your email address. You must verify in order to be eligible.

The contest ends at 9 pm EST on Tuesday, February 19th. Winners will be chosen at random from among the entrants. On Wednesday, February 20th, I’ll announce the winners’ names. Please, only one entry per person. Contest is open to U.S. & Canadian residents. Good luck!

Fashion Week Part IV: Coffee Talk With Samara

Following my rendezvous with Nigel Barker, I hailed a cab and was off again. This time, I was headed to meet my friend, Samara, for some mid-day caffeine. Samara reps brands such as CoverGirl, Max Factor, and Head & Shoulders; she is so generous with samples for me to try, and keeps me in the know about new product releases and cosmetic trends.

The coffee shop where we had intended to meet was – for some odd reason – closed at 4pm on Saturday. So we walked to a nearby Starbucks that, unfortunately, didn’t have seating. Luckily, there seem to be a coffee joint on every other corner in NYC – so we settled on a Cosi.

Samara and I had never actually met before…we have just corresponded via email. But I immediately found her to be so warm and friendly that it was like we were old friends. We chatted about the New York Times article, gushed about our mutual love for CoverGirl’s Lash Blast Mascara, and threw around some ideas for a kick-arse giveaway (coming up soon).




Here’s Samara and I playing candid camera outside of Cosi. Don’t ya just love my bag? When my husband first saw it, he exclaimed, “Daneen, it’s bigger than you are!”

True, but when you’re rushing between runway shows, meetings, and social events, there are two things to remember: cute (but comfortable) shoes, and a spacious shoulder bag. This one, the Budapest Slouchy from My Flat In London, easily lugged all of my stuff – and still had plenty of room for all of the press kits and product samples I acquired along the way.

Plus, when you’re rubbing elbows with fashionistas all day, you’d better dress to impress – and that extends to your handbag.

Dear Santa, Define "Naughty"

Recently, my friend Samara (who reps Max Factor) sent me a package in the mail. When I opened it, an overabundance of glosses came tumbling out. The fact sheet that accompanied the products revealed that they were from the new Maxalicious Gloss Collection - an assortment of lip glosses in naughty and nice shades, to satisfy every woman’s inner dueling divas.

A few of the tubes particularly caught my eye, and upon inspection, I noticed that they were the “naughty” colors. Go figure.

So this past week, I was scheduled to meet up with some friends for cocktails after work. I left the office late that evening, so when I got home, I didn’t have a lot of time to primp. I quickly changed into a less corporate ensemble and layered Girl’s Night Out (left) over my Nars Viridiana lipstick before hurrying out the door.

Upon meeting up with my friends, I was greeted by a barrage of questions about my lip gloss. Part of me wanted to own my naughtiness and keep the secret to myself. But the nice side won out – and no one could believe that it was Max Factor!

With 13 shades of Glitz and 12 shades of Glaze, there’s a lip gloss for both sides of you. And at only $6.50 a pop, you won’t feel naughty for adding another tube (or two, or three) to your lip gloss arsenal.