Mary Kay Cosmetics from Beauty Undercover

Beauty Undercover's Snipe Tool

Howdy folks!

Project Runway makeup artist Luis Casco's chart for the Emerald Smoke look

A little over four weeks ago Beauty Undercover hosted a giveaway with Mary Kay cosmetics.  It was one of their "swag alert" contests that happen every Tuesday.  I occasionally enter their giveaways when I see something fun or interesting.  In the two years past I have won a bronzer and a hair brush from them in different contests.  Last year they added a feature on their site called a "snipe".  For $10 you can guarantee yourself a win of the prize they give away that day if you are one of the first to jump on the offer.  I had never really seen anything I was so excited about that I felt I had to snipe a win even though there have been some really awesome values if you were interested in the products and you were one of the first responses.  Then they did an amazing collaboration with Project Runway and Mary Kay!

This was the photo on the Beauty Undercover page for the giveaway

Project Runway has been one of my favorite shows for years.  I went to graduate school for costume design and technology so I really appreciate the talent the designers all have for making things that look amazing in very little time.  One of the first episodes this season showed an Emerald Smoke eye look that I was in love with.  Beauty Undercover and Mary Kay teamed up to offer the makeup used to create this look for their weekly giveaway.  I didn't have to think about it very long (because I know Mary Kay makeup is really nice and a little out of my normal price range for makeup) and I pulled the trigger on my first snipe.  It was a super easy Paypal transaction and I didn't have to wait long for it to show up!  The BU site said the prize was a lipstick, cream blush and eye shadow with a retail value of $39.  I thought that was an excellent price, but when my prize arrived it had all of the makeup used to create the look and it came in a clutch!  They sent $99 worth of products and that doesn't even count the pouch.  What an amazing deal!

I have tried everything - the Mystic Plum lipstick is a gorgeous shade and the Meadow Grass cream eye shadow made an awesome base for the powder shadows.  My favorite product was the Lash Love Mascara.  The brush is a hard plastic and it really separates and lengthens.  Previously I had fallen in love with Benefit's They're Real mascara, and I was considering buying a full size tube of it, but I actually like the MK product even better!  I'm so thankful I decided to snipe this prize!

Just a few weeks ago, Beauty Undercover had another Mary Kay contest.  I thought about sniping it, but I already had a whole new fall beauty prize from them, so I just entered the drawing regularly.  You had to like Mary Kay on Facebook and write what your favorite fall runway trend was.  I said I liked the Bohemian street fashions and the fringe that was popping up on a lot of New York Fashion Week photos.  Mary Kay "liked" my comment, and I was chosen as a winner of this swag alert too!

Mary Kay Midnight Jewels limited edition Sapphire Noir eye color

I won this Midnight Jewels Sapphire Noir eye color palette and it arrived today!  The colors are sparkly and gorgeous.  It retails for $24 on the Mary Kay website and I was so excited to find it in my mailbox!  

If you want to try your hand at winning a few prizes on the Beauty Undercover site, all you have to do is sign up for their emails and become a member of their beauty community.  The emails are a mix of fashion, pop culture, makeup and beauty tips and I usually find myself clicking through the emails to their short, entertaining articles.  

A recent pic from an article about Taylor Swift's People photo shoot

I hope you are all having a great week - tomorrow at work we will all be sporting pink for breast cancer awareness.  I am going to use the pink color in the center of the Sapphire Noir palette on my eyes as well as wearing my pink sneakers, shirt and my "Cancer Sucks" ball cap.  Thank goodness it's Friday - I'm ready for the weekend!  Much love to all of you!