♥ Kate Gene ♥: August 2010

August 29, 2010

Luuux.com & Pink Ice Giveaway Winner

There has been quite a bit of buzz lately about the website: Luuux.com. Users can earn Luuux Money by creating an account and interacting with others in the community. Sign up and start sharing your beauty tips and tricks, product reviews, photographs of yo' momma, etc. The more you contribute, the more moolah you accumulate. The great thing is, the money you earn can be used towards a variety of luxury items in the Luuux.com Online Store. Louis Vuitton, Apple, and Sigma Makeup products, anyone?

If you decide to sign up, please add me as a friend. I am listed as Kate_Gene.

Unfortunately, the original winner of my PinkIce.com Giveaway failed to respond to my announcement post, so a new entrant was randomly selected.

This lovely blogger has been a loyal follower of my weekly ramblings for quite some time now, and I truly appreciate all of the great comments she leaves.

Congratulations, Miss Nikka!

Please send me your full name and mailing address so I can get your package out to you. You have one week to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

I apologize for the short, picture free post.

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

My Jewelry Store: EightSeventeen Jewelry

Tweet, Tweet: http://twitter.com/kate_gene

Ask Me Questions Anonymously: http://www.formspring.me/KateGene

Luuux.com

Disclaimer: I earn Luuux Dollars for every person who creates an account via my link. If you prefer to go straight to the site and sign up without doing it under my name, click here. No hard feelings! :)

August 24, 2010

You Know You're a Beauty Blogger If...

Your loved ones feel neglected by your daily blogging/vlogging habits.
Your family and friends don't understand how one can be truly smitten with a beauty product.
You have spent hours - or even days - working on a post.
You have spent countless hours watching YouTube tutorials, reviews, and hauls.

[Photo Credit: www.ceo1shop.com]

Your make-up, bath, and body products require special storage containers.
Your make-up, bath, and body products require a separate room and furniture.
You don't own large quantities of beauty products, and fear people will think you are a beauty blog fraud because of it.
Your bank statements are full of charges from [insert every company ever mentioned on YT, MUAlley, Specktra, and Blogger].
You have spent two hours painting your face, polishing your nails, and giving yourself a sleek blowout -- all in preparation for a beauty blog "photo shoot"...
...but no one is available to take pictures...
...so you end up with a million and one up-close self portraits...
... and an arm that appears to be ten miles long.

[Cropped to twenty miles, down from 1,000.]

Tired of seeing your Stretch Armstrong limb and/or taking pictures of yourself in the mirror, you invested in a tripod. (This comes in especially handy when your boyfriend/husband/partner/friend/kid isn't available. Hopefully those aren't all one in the same, redneck!)
After snapping two hundred pictures, you find that only two of them turned out to be decent.
You have had to crop the bottom half of your photos because, in them, you are wearing pajama bottoms.
You could teach Picnik.com classes. (Their cropping feature is excellent for trimming the aforementioned pajama bottoms.)
You want to invest in a fancy camera.
You have invested in a fancy camera.

[Photo Credit: www.amazon.com]

You think swatches are a bit of a pain to photograph, and truly appreciate the work of Temptalia, Karen, Elessa, and Karla.
You know who Temptalia, Karen, Elessa, and Karla are.
You know that writing a post isn't as simple as typing a few words. One word: EDITING.
You occasionally cheat and use Google Images to find pictures of the products you are reviewing. (Kind of like what I did for this post.)
You know why this stamp was created:

You use the words "orgasm" and "deep throat" with reckless abandon.
You wonder how you will ever find 100 people to follow your blog.
You wonder how bloggers with a GFC count of 1,000+ got people to follow their blog.
You realized that posting regularly and interacting with the beauty community is the best way to churn interest in your blog. For those of you who didn't know this, now you know. :) Over time, the followers will come, I promise. It's not about what you look like, whether or not your grammar is perfect, or how great your make-up skills are. Send out friendly vibes and I am confident your friend count will increase. And if it doesn't? Oh, well. Write for you. Write for those handful of people who do appreciate what you have to say.
You realized that commanding and demanding is not the way to call attention to you and your blog. "I FOLLOWED YOU. NOW YOU FOLLOW ME!!!! PLS!!!! LULZ!!!!1".
You get excited when you see your follower count has increased.
You feel a little sad when your follower count decreases.
You are a little envious of those who get sent free products.
You wonder how and why people get sent free products.
You become the object of envy when you get sent free products.
You worry about writer's block.
You suffer from writer's block.
You have almost gone "Office Space" on your laptop, fancy camera, and Blogger. (Upside down photos and weird gaps between your paragraphs, anyone?)
You have gone "Office Space" on your laptop, fancy camera, and Blogger.

You need an anxiety pill when your Internet connection is on the fritz.
You feel bad if you allow a week to pass by without posting, fail to respond to comments, or fall behind on your daily blogger reads. (These "sins" usually occur simultaneously.)
You understand why bloggers/vloggers apologize for going M.I.A., even if it's only for a few days.
Having felt this guilt before, you know their apologies are sincere.
If your favorite bloggers/vloggers don't post for a week, you grow a bit concerned.
If your favorite bloggers/vloggers don't show any signs of Internet activity for over a month, you leave a comment in their chat box. (Appropriate messages include: "Where are you? I miss your posts!" or "I hope you're okay! Come back soon, girlie!".)
If your favorite blogger(s)/vlogger(s) delete their blog(s)/channel(s) without notice, you request that said blogger/vlogger's picture and information be put on the back of milk cartons STAT.

[Photo Credit: www.mooncostumes.com.]

You wear the SFOTDED (Same Face of the Day, Every Day), and are running out of FOTD ideas.
You wear a smokey eye, even to the gym. (Okay, maybe that's just a Kate Gene thing.)
YouTube and Blogger "made you do it".
You never win beauty blog giveaways.
You wish there was an easier way to create buttons for giveaways.
You know basic HTML, thanks to months of posting giveaway photographs in your sidebar.
You suffer from the Blogger's Four Month Itch. (Word on the streets is, that is the average life span of a blog.) For those who have made it past that point, congratulations.
You don't understand trolls and the hateful comments they leave.
You have bravely defended a fellow blogger/vlogger who is attacked by the previously mentioned trolls (a.k.a. some thirteen year old geeks who have no lives).

[Photo Credit: www.childrenofthenineties.blogspot.com]

You have posted Adsense ads, praying they will bring in some extra income.
You have realized the ads will not allow you to quit your day job, but leave them on your page -- just in case.
You feel honored when someone tags you, or awards you with an... award. ("Durr... Allow myself to introduce... myself.")
You feel special when you see you've made it onto someone's blogroll.
You are inspired by the girls (and guys!) who share their talent and passion with the world.
You understand that make-up artistry and fashion are true forms of art.

[Photo Credit: www.trendland.net]

Initially, you were scared to share yourself with the beauty community...
...but you realize that if you hadn't, you would have missed out on meeting some really great people.
You have exchanged full names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and BB Pins with your blogging crew.
You consider your "blogger/vlogger friends" friends.
You understand this entire post.

[Photo Credit: www.starpulse.com]

We in the beauty community may not be as close as these two, but hey! I am always down for a sweet photo shoot at Sears. Holler if you're interested. ;)

My Jewelry Store: EightSeventeen Jewelry

Tweet, Tweet: http://twitter.com/kate_gene

Ask Me Questions Anonymously: http://www.formspring.me/KateGene

August 20, 2010

Moon's Harvest Giveaway Prizes & PinkIce.com Winner

Yesterday I received a package from Moon's Harvest Bath and Body Shop. Sadly, these edible-looking bath treats are not for me.

[You could knock someone out with the bath bomb. It's the size of a soft ball, and heavy!]

[Body Scrub, Body Butter, and Body Mousse]

One lucky EightSeventeen Jewelry follower will be winning all of these goodies -- and more! The requirements to participate in my Grand Opening Giveaway have been changed; entering is now as simple as leaving a comment on the giveaway post. However, please take a minute to read the rules; a simple "enter me" is not what I am looking for. :)

Check it out!

The winner of my Pink Ice Giveaway is...

Petite Asian Girl!

Congratulations!

If you are not already following PAG's blog, I strongly encourage you to check her site out. Not only is she gorgeous and incredibly sweet, she epitomizes style and class. (Her wardrobe would have made Jackie O. green with envy!)

Please send me your full name and mailing address, girlie! You have one week from today to claim your prize, otherwise a new winner will selected.

New (non-business related) posts will be coming soon, I promise! Work has been consuming nearly all of my free time. I haven't put on a full face of make-up in ages. Yikes!

In addition to working on my jewelry line, I am still participating in Lacy's Be Fit Challenge. Does anyone have any healthy recipes or workout tips they'd like to share?

Also, does anyone have any idea as to where I can purchase treadmill slippers? Clearly this gentleman is on to something.

Ha ha ha!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

My Jewelry Store: EightSeventeen Jewelry

Tweet, Tweet: http://twitter.com/kate_gene

Ask Me Questions Anonymously: http://www.formspring.me/KateGene

August 19, 2010

Shoe Dazzle Review & Giveaway [CLOSED]

A few years ago, I was feeling uncharacteristically adventurous. My adorable husband and I were lounging on the couch when I casually asked, "Do you want to go to Hawai'i tomorrow?" The next thing I knew, we were boarding a plane and heading towards the beautiful island of Oahu.

After checking into our hotel, we decided to make a beeline to our room. We both wanted to freshen up a bit, change into our ~~Bedazzled thong Speedos~~ beach attire, and relax. As we waited for one of the hotel's six elevators to make its way down to us, we were suddenly engulfed by a hundred Japanese tourists. Somehow, my husband and I lost one another in the shuffle. Swimming in a sea of jet black hair, almond shaped eyes, and cameras, I frantically scanned the crowd for my hubby. (To the untrained eye, I probably appeared to be a part of the Japanese tour group. Ha!) Thank goodness my fella is tall. He stood out like a sore thumb, so I was able to spot him rather quickly. Locating my short behind was a different story.

Had I been wearing wedges or heels, my husband and I undoubtedly would have spotted one another immediately. For those who don't believe shoes are important, take note. Thanks to my evil flip flops, I nearly drowned in a sea of overzealous tourists. XD

[The Charm Flat & Dust Bag.]

Speaking of shoes, Jackie, a wonderful ShoeDazzle.com employee, kindly sent me a gift card so that I could experience what their company had to offer.

For those of you unfamiliar with ShoeDazzle.com, it is an online shoe and accessory retailer that was co-founded by fashion icon: Kim Kardashian. Here's how it works:

1. You take a fun, three minute Style Profile Quiz.

2. Every month, a personal stylist will recommend an assortment of shoes and accessories they believe you will like based on your Style Profile Quiz answers.

3. You pay a monthly fee of $39.95, which covers the cost of any one item you would like to purchase. (Everything they sell is $39.95, and shipping is always free!) Don't like what your stylist has selected? Let them know and they will recommend another set of products to choose from.

I was very pleased with the selection I was sent by my stylist. Despite my deep love for sky high heels, I was in dire need of some pretty flats. The Charm Flats immediately caught my eye. (I am a sucker for anything quilted.) A couple clicks later, and my order was placed.

Two days later, my Shoe Dazzle order was at my door. I was SO impressed!

[How cute is the bottom of the shoe?]

[A model wearing The Charm Flats. Photo Credit: ShoeDazzle.com]

[The packaging is girly and cute!]

PROS: Reviewing what my stylist had recommended was fun. With such a large assortment of shoes, everyone is bound to find a pair they'd enjoy. The ordering process was simple. Shipping was FREE and lightning fast. The packaging is cute. A pink dust bag was included at no additional cost. The quality is fantastic, especially given the price. The shoes are very comfortable and true to size.

CONS: The shoes I ordered were created using all man-made materials. Thus, the shoes don't allow your skin to fully breathe.

Overall, I am extremely impressed. Shoe Dazzle is a must for all of you shoe junkies on a budget!

Want to win a prize from ShoeDazzle.com, as well as Moon's Harvest Bath and Body, and NARS? Head over to my jewelry website to find out how! (I changed the rules; it is now easier to enter.)

Have a wonderful weekend!

My Jewelry Store: EightSeventeen Jewelry

Tweet, Tweet: http://twitter.com/kate_gene

Ask Me Questions Anonymously: http://www.formspring.me/KateGene

Disclaimer: These products were sent to me by www.shoedazzle.com , free of charge. I am not affiliated with the organization, nor am I being paid to endorse their products. My views are not influenced by anything other than my personal experience. Please use these products at your own discretion.

August 9, 2010

My Jewelry Store Grand Opening Giveaway

My EightSeventeen Jewelry website is officially open!

Head over to my site to find out how you can win prizes from Kim Kardashian's ShoeDazzle.com, Moon's Harvest Bath and Body, and NARS from yours truly!

Thank you for all of your kind words and support. It means so much to me!

My Jewelry Store: EightSeventeen Jewelry

Tweet, Tweet: http://twitter.com/kate_gene

Ask Me Questions Anonymously: http://www.formspring.me/KateGene

My PinkIce.com Giveaway ends soon. Get your entries in now!

August 6, 2010

My Jewelry Line & OPI Nail Polish Ramblings

Oh. Em. Gee.

Opening an online retail store is much more complicated than I had anticipated it to be. For weeks, I have almost completely shut the world out. Not only have I neglected my loved ones, I have failed to take proper care of myself. A few nights ago, after slathering night cream on my mug, I leaned a bit closer to our bathroom mirror and reluctantly peered at my reflection. Holy dull skin and barbaric eyebrows! I looked rough. The (stained with black hair dye) white t-shirt, pajama shorts, and Britney Spears bun I was rockin' really brought the whole look together.

[The site isn't open to the public yet, but will be very soon!]

[Gemstone Beads & New and Improved Charms]

But, I digress... I am a perfectionist, and refuse to rest until my shop is ready for the world to see. My hope is that the public will be able to look past my homeless/cave woman appearance and appreciate my jewelry. No breaks for me!

Any time I feel like relaxing, I take one good look at this guy and change my mind:

[Photo Credit: www.sythe.org]

Ha ha ha!

Back to work I go!

Okay, I lied... I had to take a quick peek at OPI's website. Have you seen their latest collection? As much as I love summer, I always look forward to the fall. I love the rich, deep colors the season brings.

[Photo Credit: www.thebeautybunny.com]

My Must Haves:

Diva of Geneva

Ski Teal We Drop

Cuckoo for this Color

William Tell Me About OPI

These polishes make me want to bundle up, sip on something hot and delicious, and walk outside in the crisp autumn air.

For better photographs of the polishes, check out OPI.com.

All, right... Back to the grind! I mean it this time! ;)

Tweet, Tweet: http://twitter.com/kate_gene

Ask Me Questions Anonymously: http://www.formspring.me/KateGene

P. S. To all of you who responded to my post regarding my accidents, please know each of your comments meant a lot to me. I am so grateful to have met all of you!

P. P. S. NYX's Round Lipsticks are currently only $2.25 at Cherry Culture!

August 2, 2010

Makeup by Lacy's Be Fit Challenge

If you haven't already checked out Makeup by Lacy's blog, you should. She is a fantastic freelance makeup artist and esthetician. Her site is full of great beauty tips, DIY tricks, and tutorials.

Lacy is currently hosting a fitness challenge, in which I am a participant. Each contender was sent a questionnaire to fill out. I was very candid and elaborate, revealing more about my personal life than what you typically see here on my blog.