FREEBIE FRIDAY: Nivea’s Kiss of the Year

For the past few years, Nivea has been the official sponsor of the Times Square Alliance’s New Year’s Eve Celebration.  With that, every year they launch the Kiss of the Year Contest which is a contest done on Facebook where couples submit their personal love stories for the chance to be selected to experience their memorable New Year’s Eve kiss in front of millions in the heart of Times Square. This year, romantic celebrity couple Mario Lopez and Courtney Mazza have decided to lead the pack, and are the official brand ambassadors for this year’s program.  Grand prize winners will win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City where they’ll join NIVEA New Year’s Eve Kiss ambassadors and two exclusive VIP tickets to the New Year’s Eve party at the Hard Rock Café in Times Square to attend the star-studded official New Year’s Eve celebration.  PLUS, there will be a feature in Us Weekly Magazine highlighting the memorable New Year’s Eve Kiss.

All you have to do is log on to Facebook.com/NIVEAUSA, share a photo, and tell reasons why you and your significant other deserve to be named Nivea’s, “Kiss of the Year” couple by NOVEMBER 7th.  Initially, 3 finalists will be selected by a panel of celebrity experts and judges.  Following their will be a public voting period, and finally a winner unveiling on December 31st.

2 SNAPS & A TWIST PRODUCT GIVEAWAY

Because Nivea is one of the top rated lip care brands in the World, and the holidays bring on lots of love and kisses.  Our lips need to be subtle, perched, and ready to smooch!  The first 10 lucky readers to  follow J_Laurean on Twitter and RETWEET this post will win one of Nivea’s amazing lip care products. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

L!fe Happens with Tarte Cosmetics!

Amy Nadine and Krysten Ritter

This week Tarte Cosmetics teamed up with the upcoming film, L!fe Happens, for a private advanced screening.  It’s a very cute comedy that you and your girlfriends should definitely go see.  Without spoiling it, I will say that overall the movie seemed to have an underlying theme reminding us that we sometimes need to only worry about the things that matter most to us.  Being who you are is truly the best person you can be!

Prior to viewing the movie,  there was a brief beauty chit chat with Celebrity Makeup Artist, Amy Nadine and Actress, Krysten Ritter.  Some of the makeup used throughout the film happened to be from Tarte.  One of the star products included in the film is the LipSurgence Lip Tint (a personal fave!).    It’s hard enough finding an all natural lip tint with a big color payoff.  Tarte’s LipSurgence Lip Tints give your lips a powerfully pigmented flush that lasts for hours.  The tints also nourish your lips with a moisturizing mix of vitamins C & E, peppermint, and jojoba oils.  AHHH-MAZZEE-INGGG!

GIVEAWAY TIME: Juiced to try out Tarte’s LipSurgence Lip Tints?!  I’ll give you a break!  Subscribe to 2 Snaps & a Twist, and you have entered for a chance to win 2 lip tints, ANDDD Tarte’s Gifted Amazonian Clay Smart Mascara ($67 value)!!!

photo credit: courtesy of Tarte Cosmetics

Wella Professionals at Paris Fashion Week: Issey Miyake A/W’12

 

With a minilamist approach, the hair look  at Issey Miyake’s A/W’ 12 show was sleek and sexy.  Low pony’s seem to be trending this “fashion season,” and I’m loving it!  It’s chic yet demanding, and allows plenty of room for you to really play up your makeup.

Check out how Wella Professionals Global Creative Director, Eugene Soulieman, was inspired and his easy at-home steps for creating this look.

The Look:  Mineral Minimal
“I wanted to create a graphic, slick, minimal hair style that provided multiple focal points” said Eugene Souleiman, Global Creative Director, Care & Styling, Wella Professionals.  “The hair needed to be light, fresh and straight at the back, with a more masculine feel at the front of the head.  There is also a tension in the hair look that makes it feel sculpted in a clean, controlled way.  The application of a ‘stripe’ of gel through the hair creates an extra detail which adds to the overall minimal effect and plays on the concepts of texture and shine” added Eugene.

Get the Look:
1.  Start with freshly washed and conditioned hair using Wella Professionals Enrich Shampoo and Conditioner.
2.  Apply Wella Professionals Velvet Amplifier to damp hair and blow dry straight using a round brush to flatten the cuticle and continue to blow-dry with a round brush.
3.  When hair is dry, create a diagonal parting across the head.
4.  Next, section off the hair from behind the ears and across the top of the head and pull back in to a tight, low pony tail. Spray Wella Professionals Stay Essential Finishing Spray on to a soft bristle brush and brush this through the hair to create a clean, shiny surface area (spraying the hair spray on to the brush rather than directly on to the hair helps to finely distribute the product).
5.  Tie the pony tail with elastic.
6.  Take the hair from the sides of the head, one side at a time and tie in to the ponytail with elastic, ensuring that you continue to spray the brush with hair spray and smooth the hair as you go.
7.  Using Wella Professionals Shape Shift Molding Gum, apply to a strip of hair on one side of the parting using a tint brush and painting on to the surface of the hair.

GIVEAWAY: Subscribe to 2 Snaps & a Twist, and enter for the chance to win $50 worth of products from the Wella Professionals Brilliance line.  Plus, a few other beauty goodies to try!

Bring in the Holiday’s with L’Occitane!

After battling traffic for about an hour in NYC’s busy work week streets, I was a tad bit annoyed and more than anxious to reach my destination.  Finally arriving, at L’Occitane’s newest store on East 86th Street I was instantly greeted by the inviting decor and indulging scents.  My spirits were instantly lifted…

This year, L’Occitane has debuted a charming array of holiday delights.  The NEW Limited Edition collection includes two delicious sets, Delice des Fleurs ($93) and Delice des Fruits ($70).  My favorite out of the two has to be the Delice des Fleurs collection.  The entire set is a delicate mix of rose and violet.  I usually test out new fragrances by seeing if anyone notices or comments. One of my close friends repeatedly asked, “That’s such a pretty smell, what are you wearing?” I replied, “It’s my natural body scent! No, I’m kidding it’s L’Occitane’s new Delice des Fleurs Eau Toilette.”  The jury has spoken, this will definitely become one of my everyday scents!  If you have a little money to splurge for the holidays, you can’t go wrong with this limited edition collection.

If you’re in New York City, don’t hesitate to visit L’Occitane’s latest boutique.  “The new boutique is chronicling L’Occitane’s evolution from the first harvest in 1976 to the present reclaimed, vintage furniture, authentic Provencal decor and signature services–including Skincare and Hair Care Consultation areas, a Hand Massage Station, and more.” (L’Occitane 86th Street store News Release)

GIVEAWAY TIME: You know I can’t feed you all this yummy news without letting you try a few samples.  If you subscribe to 2 Snaps and A Twist and refer 2 of your friends, you have entered for the chance to win everything in the photo below! Get to snapping!

Desert Rose Hugs & Kisses Hand Cream and Lip Balm Set, Delice Des Fleurs Violet Lip Gloss, 3 Shea Butter Hand Creams & $15 your next purchase (Combined value of $64!)

 

Achieve Your Best Skin with AMBI Skincare

 

 

Achieving great skin can be the best beauty move that you can make.  Common skin issues such as Acne and Hyperpigmentation can sometimes contribute to low self-esteem, and a heavy dependency on makeup.  AMBI Skincare, a tried and true brand, has been trusted by doctors for years, and remains #1.

 I’m not a dermatologist, but I have learned a few beneficial tips from the brand ambassadors of AMBI.  The most important lesson is to keep your skincare regimen simple. We tend to pack on too many products believing the more the merrier.  Actually, less is more when  it comes to your skin.  Layering on too many products will only aggravate your skin.  Fran Cook-Bolden, M.D., Director of Skin Specialty Dermatology & Ethnic Skin Specialty Group in NYC, says “Determine your skin type. Look for a gentle cleanser that includes Vitamins C, E, & Soy, and try a simple effective routine.”  Just about all of the products AMBI carries include one or more of these key ingredients. 

Now, if you are facing hyperpigmentation issues, there is an Even & Clear line that can be used in conjunction with the fade cream.  AMBI fade cream fades dark spots for even, natural skin tone.  It contains Vitamin E, Alpha Hydroxy Acid & Sunscreen which all fight against the unwanted effects of hyperpigmentation.  I’ve tried the fade cream in the past, and it works like a charm.  Don’t expect for everything to be cleared up in a flash, but you should see results in about a month or so.

“There is a new formulation of AMBI.  This is not your mother’s AMBI,” Bolden adds.  AMBI Skincare has been around for about 45 years, and remains popular amongst women of color.

 With all that being said, I want to give one lucky reader the chance to try out the AMBI skincare Even & Clear Exfoliating Wash and Fade cream for free.  For your chance to possibly win, you have to subscribe to 2 Snaps & A Twist, and send an email to 2snapsandatwist@gmail.com with the subject line “AMBI Contest,” and let me know that you would like to be considered for the AMBI giveaway. This contest will close Wednesday evening. 

2 SNAPS for AMBI Skincare!!!