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Friday Giveaway: ANSR Anti-Aging & Acne Therapy Beam

I blogged about this bad boy a while back, so if you want to see why I’m giving one away to you, read it here. Now, fill out the form and good luck!

Blake of TOMS Shoes Kicked My Butt at Ping Pong

I headed over to Neiman Marcus last night to test my ping pong skills against the owner of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie. The challenge: Blake wins, you buy a pair of TOMS; Blake loses, you get a pair of TOMS. After watching him play against a 12-year-old girl, I decided that I had a pretty good chance of winning. Boy was I wrong. He was definitely just taking it easy on her to be nice. The final score of our game was 11-5. Take one look at Blake and you’ll understand why I had trouble keeping my eye on the ball.

After my defeat, I sulked over to the TOMS display to check out the Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman exclusive collection and pick out my first pair. (I had to hold up my end of the deal, of course.) The new line is a bit more high-end than the original. It includes trendy prints like Madras, fancy linings, and silver logo plates. I decided to keep it simple and went for the shimmery linen pair. All I have to say is, the post-match kiss on the cheek made the $80 shoes totally worth it. Plus, a child in need will get a new pair of shoes. I guess it wasn’t a total loss after all.

Architectural Tour at TKO

It’s not exactly what you would think of as a typical architectural tour – it is a display of architecturally sound and design driven gingerbread houses.  Also, sustainable.  Just kidding – sustainable gingerbread??   Just in time for the holidays, four of our top architects/designers – Paul Draper, Vision Design, Ashley Astleford, and Demarest Architects are being given a plain gingerbread house to design and decorate with their own brand of creativity.  So, tomorrow between 4 and 6 come down to TKO in the  and check out the houses.  I  will be judging the contest, and, as always, open to bribery.

Friday Giveaway: Smashbox Photo Finish

This is my absolute, absolute favorite foundation primer. It’s got this slick silicone-y texture that leaves your face feeling as silky as the models look in Sephora ads. Apply it to your whole face to soften the look of pores and fine lines, and as Smashbox says, to “create a perfect canvas for foundation.” Once you add your foundation, you’ll see a smoother finish and longer-lasting results from your makeup. It’s oil-free, $36, and a winner of beauty awards from Sephora, InStyle, and Marie Claire. (Just in case you don’t believe me.)

*Don’t forget: if there’s something you want to see in your Friday Giveaways, send me suggestions. You can send me an email at raya.ramsey@dmagazine.com or make a comment here

*Update: Forgot to list a link to the form. Fill out the form to enter the contest.

*Congratulations to our three winners!

Faceoff of the Vibrating Mascaras + Friday Giveaway

This is a long overdue discussion here on ShopTalk: vibrating mascaras. There’s Lancôme’s Oscillation (right), Estée Lauder’s TurboLash (left), Prescriptives MotorEyes, Maybelline’s Pulse Perfection (center), and even a rotating contraption called Spin Lash. Are they gimmicks? Catchy tools employed by marketing departments at cosmetic headquarters everywhere? Follow the jump to get my humble opinion. (And find out what we’re giving away.)

*Update: Congratulations to our six winners!

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Friday Giveaway: His and Her Burberry 2009 Special Editions Perfumes

For her, eau de parfum, for him, eau de toilette, but they’re both housed in beautiful Burberry limited edition bottles with glossy fabrics in metallic with a hint of pink and charcoal. (So they’ll look good next to each other on the dresser.) The scents are a “glamorous and festive variation of the classic London line.” Both contain similar notes to the original scents. For women, you’ll find notes of pink pepper, two different roses, cyclamen, and lily of the valley, with a woody, musky feel. For men, you’ll notice lemon, green pineapple, blackcurrant buds, plum, lavender, and woody notes. His-and-her fashion statements are usually pretty lame—think matching tracksuits—unless it’s his and her houses (like Diane von Furstenberg, which is brilliant), but with scents, it’s sexy, right? These two hit shelves this month and cost $84 for her and $70 for him. Fill out the form and good luck.

*Update: Congrats Matt!

Wilhelmina Hot Body Model Search

Noted modeling agency Wilhelmina Models is looking for you. Well, maybe. If you’re a man or woman 18 and up with a hot bod who lives a “healthy and fit lifestyle,” then they might be looking for you. Wilhelmina will be at the Plano Gold’s Gym on Saturday from 10 am-3 pm as part of its nationwide Hot Body Model Search. It’s an open casting call, so everyone is welcome. Go here for more info on the open call event.

Friday Giveaway: NaluWaver

This is the greatest hair tool I’ve ever used in my life. Ever. I love it so much that I got in touch with the media relations person the day after I first used to see if I could get one to give away to one of you. The good news is she said yes. So I present this to you, ShopTalkers: The Nalu Waver, which as you can probably guess is for making waves. (The good kind—in your hair.) Nalu, is Hawaiian for wave, by the way, which is guess means the name is a bit redundant: wave waver. I digress. This iron looks like a double-barreled curling iron, but without a clamp. It heats up instantly and lets you choose the temperature, but it makes it easy for you by giving you hair texture options: thin, normal, thick, and coarse. To use, basically, you put a glove on the hand handling the hair (rather than the one holding the tool) and you wrap figure-eights with your hair around the barrels. Sounds complicated, but practice for five minutes, and it’s a piece of cake. I must also tell you this: I am hair-challenged. Big time. Like, I can barely use a flat iron correctly. Seriously. But I spent 20 minutes with this bad boy, and I had an amazing head full of serious waves that lasted through the morning, through the day, through the evening, through drinks at the bar, and remnants were left over the following morning. So, trust me, you want one. Fill out the form here to enter, and good luck! NaluWaver, $179.99 by R Session Tools. We’re giving away one. Picture by Sean Cunningham, borrowed from Harper’s Bazzar. NaluWaver pictured after the jump.

Update: Congratulations Amanda!

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Friday Giveaway: Halloween Treats by Philosophy and MAC

Get in the spirit. The ghostly kind. The best holiday of the year is here, and we’re honoring it with a festive giveaway of spooky-inspired beauty supplies. We’ll start you off at bath time with Philosophy’s Haunted House set. You’ll get three 3-in-1 multitasking shampoo/shower gel/bubble bath bottles in three scents: black licorice, caramel apple, and pumpkin spice muffin. (So, shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath in one, but you’ll get the product in three difference flavors. Make sense?) They’re rich and foamy, and the fun scents are a vacation from the usual. Don’t forget not to eat it. Then get prepared for your chilling night out with Cinderfella eye shadow (get it wet for a to-die-for smoky eye), Greasepaint stick in black (with a hint of gorgeous purple glitter), Glimmerglass in Blackfire (a sheer black gloss with violet glitter—as beautiful on as in the tube), a creamy black Glimmerglass gloss in Blackware, and Midnight Media (an almost matte Mattene Lipstick in jet black), all part of MAC’s limited edition Style Black collection. So, three bath products and five MAC products. All treats here, no tricks. Fill out the form to enter. Good luck. To purchase your own, go here for Philosophy and here for MAC.

*Update: Congratulations Kileen!

Friday Giveaway: Renée Rouleau Mint Buffing Beads

In honor of the grand opening of the Dallas Center for Performing Arts, Renée has given us a bunch of her Mint Buffing Beads to give away to you. You know how we feel about Renée Rouleau’s products by now, but I can tell you that this exfoliator, specifically, is great. The formula has a fine, grainy feel, but the beads are spherical to prevent tiny nicks in the skin’s surface. It also includes Vitamin K for capillary repair, and peppermint oil to reinvigorate the skin. I love using it twice a week after removing makeup and washing my face and following with my regular serum/moisturizer routine. Through Oct. 18, Renee is offering a special facial to commemorate the Grand Opening, too. (For details, see after the jump.) You know the drill: the fill out the form, good luck, all that jazz. There will be 14 winners.

*Update: Congratulations to our 14 winners!

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Every Girl’s Dream…Win a Shoe Shopping Spree from Saks

In honor of breast cancer awareness month Baylor University Medical Center has partnered with Saks Fifth Avenue to bring you their Pink Passion contest. Decorate a pink shoe, deliver it to one of their drop-off locations and you could be the lucky winner of a $750 shoe shopping spree at Saks. All entries must be submitted by October 11 at 6pm though so kick it into high gear if you want to get in on the action. Online voting will begin on October 12 at BaylorHealth.com/PinkPassion and the winners (there’s an adult and a children’s category) will be announced at the Pink Passion fashion show on Saturday, October 17. For rules and detailed instructions go here.

Halloween Home Decorating Contest at Apples to Zinnias

From Preston Plaza’s (adorable) PR girl:

Apples to Zinnias, located in The Plaza at Preston Center, is challenging Halloween-lovers to deck their haunted houses in ghoulish decor for All Hallows Eve and submit photos of their creations for a grand prize. The head witch at Apples to Zinnias will judge the photos for the most festive décor and the winner will receive a Halloween gift to add to their decoration collection. Please submit your photos by email to appplestozinnias@sbcglobal.net or come by the store located in The Plaza at 4024 Villanova, Dallas, TX 75225. All submissions must be made by October 15.

So get going! Send in your photos! photo grabbed from apartmenttherapy.com

Friday Giveaway: Abi Ferrin Cambodia Clutch

Dallas Designer, Abi Ferrin gave V.I.P. guests who attended her spring 2010 show at the Metropolitan Pavillion in New  York a goodie bag. In that goodie bag was a Cambodia Clutch, which retails for $80. I brought one home (courtesy of my friend & former Dallasite, David Ninh – so you can thank him!) to give away on ShopTalk! Feel good while looking good when you carry this silver and grey pleated silk clutch that was handmade by women rescued from the sex trade in Cambodia with the help of an organization called Sak Saum. To view Abi’s collection, which was inspired by a trip to a Costa Rica Rainforest, go here. To fill out the form to win this exclusive clutch, go here. Good luck!

Friday Giveaway: Alterna Ten Shampoo and Conditioner

This stuff is liquid hair gold in a bottle. The Manolo Blahniks of the hair world, if you will. Used by beautiful-haired celebs like Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Victoria Beckham, and Isla Fisher, this anti-aging shampoo/conditioner set’s a good fit for all hair types, including coarse, colored, fine, or oily. According to Alterna, the magic is in the ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Caviar Age-Control Complex (It doesn’t get any more glamorous than caviar, does it?), White Truffle Oil, Champagne Grape Seel Oil (And champagne!), and other rare, exotic-sounding ingredients. In these tough times does anyone feel like throwing down $60 for one bottle of shampoo? Me neither. But you don’t have to. You might win it here if you fill out the form. If you don’t win and you want your own, go to www.alternahaircare.com to find a salon near you. Good luck!

*Congratulations Becca!

’80s Fashion Flashback: Lady in Black

My favorite thing about this picture of a high-styling Nancy Nichols in 1980s New York City is not the Norma Kamali sweatsuit (”I thought I was so hot,” she says). It’s not the shoulder pads or the elastic belt with enameled roses. It’s not even the oversize eyeglasses. No, my favorite part is the long, pink, stab-your-eye-out fingernails. They’re hard to see, but they are so there. What sounds even better is the outfit Nancy wore later that evening while clubbing it up at Studio 54: a white Units pantsuit that was one size fits all. I can only imagine.

’80s Fashion Flashback: When Bad Perms Happen To Good People, Part II

Here’s another D Empire employee, sweet Laura Byrom. She was just a wee thing in 1988 but not young enough to have escaped the ’80s perm epidemic. At first I thought her hair was crimped (I was all about the crimper back in the day), but then I turned the picture over and saw that her mom had written “new permanent” on the back. Mystery solved. The perm strikes again.

’80s Fashion Flashback: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Friend of ShopTalk Robyn sent us this 1980s photo of her and her girlfriends participating in what appears to be a big-hair-with-headbands contest. Oh, what am I saying? It’s the ’80s we’re talking about here. This was probably just a random Thursday night. Keep the pictures coming, guys. This is the most fun I’ve had since 1985.

’80s Fashion Flashback: When Bad Perms Happen To Good People

This lovely ’80s lady is my mom, and I’m not sure I even have the vocabulary to describe what’s going on with her hair in this picture. It’s like some sort of triangular Afro. My poor little cousin. Is it any wonder he looks shell-shocked? Love you, Mom! Your hair is very pretty now!

’80s Fashion Flashback: Tease Me, Please Me

Reader Karen really reached for the stars with this 1980s ’do—and more than likely did some damage to the ozone layer in the process. She credits Stiff Stuff hairspray for her architectural hair achievement, which was memorialized in a passport photo. “I’m so ashamed,” she says. Oh, Karen, don’t even worry about it. There’s no way they can pin that ozone thing on you.

Friday Giveaway: Matcha Tea Body Lotion from Origins

This delicious-smelling moisturizer is part of Dr. Weil’s The Way of the Bath line for Origins. As, I’m sure, you already know, everything from Origins smells and feels amazing. (Talking to you, Ginger Souffle and A Perfect World serum!) This body lotion is no exception. Matcha, as Dr. Andrew Weil describes, is a green tea drink that promotes an “energetic awareness and sense of well-being.” The tea is used in Japanese Tea Ceremonies known as the Way of the Tea, which focuses on four principals: harmony, respect, purity, and tranquility. If this stuff doesn’t help you meditate, though, that’s okay, because it’s full of antioxidants, rice butter, murumuru butter (whatever that is), ginseng, and jojoba seed, almond, and essential oils, so it’ll for sure help you hydrate. Plus, it comes in a lovely green bottle and smells so fresh and clean. We’re giving away three. Fill out the form here and good luck.

*Update: Congratulations Heather, Becky, and Anthea!

’80s Fashion Flashback: Hello, Baby Blue

You might know Evan Grant as that baseball guru over on InsideCorner. But did you know he was such a fashion plate? Here he is donning a smorgasbord of pastel circa 1987. You can’t really tell from the photo, but Evan says that center stripe on his shirt was a lovely shade of sunflower yellow. Don’t forget to send in your own 1980s photos so I can post them for all the world to see! Also, in case you’re not keeping up with the comments, please note that fellow ’80s fashion victim Jay Jerrier of Cane Rosso pizza is offering up a free Cane Rosso hat or t-shirt to the person who sends in the most embarrassing pic by the end of Friday.

’80s Fashion Flashback: Big Bangs Theory

Oh, how I love this 1987 picture of D Empire co-worker Jennifer Hayes (right) and her friend Sherry. Jen decided to let her hair down while Sherry went for the banana-clip look, but both, surely, used copious amounts of White Rain on those righteous bangs. L.A. Guns forever!

’80s Fashion Flashback: Class Act

Here’s my friend Michelle (front row, second from left) in a school picture from back in the day. She’s sporting the curious combo of white Keds, white socks, AND white tights. Also note her classmate on the far right with his rolled-up khakis and red boat shoes. Man, we liked to roll things up in the ’80s! If you look closely, you can see a Coke shirt in the mix: second row, second from right.

’80s Fashion Flashback: A Star Is Born

In 1987, Dallas-raised musician David Slater was the male vocalist champ on Star Search. That’s him in the middle next to dear old Ed McMahon. But let’s be honest. That blue and black blazer with the rolled-up sleeves is the real star here. And his competitor’s get-up is none too shabby either.

’80s Fashion Flashback: A Stonewash Christmas

Reader Cody sends us this shot of him and his mom taken at Christmas 1989. I spy some stonewash jeans and a perm. Yep, it’s the ’80s! Now, someone out there has to have a Coca-Cola shirt pic or maybe a pose in some rolled-up pegged jeans. Bring it, ShopTalkers!

UPDATE: That’s Cody’s mom’s natural hair, not a perm. Lucky lady!