My mom was on my mind a lot this weekend!  It’s been over four months since she died and I love feeling her with me as I’m driving, walking, getting ready for bed or simply lost in my thoughts.   I feel so insanely blessed–to be alive, to do what I love, to love what I do, to have developed enough resilience that I take the bad with the good and keep pressing forward–and I remind myself of my luck and of life’s gifts to me on a daily basis.

When Johnson’s Body Care approached me, offering to host a charity beauty sale, I jumped at the chance!  We threw a party today, generously supported by J&J through a kick-off donation of $100, in honor of my mother’s memory, with all proceeds going to the Lymphoma Research Foundation.  In total, we raised just under $1000–somewhere, my mother is pleased!  As luck would have it, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was hosting a bachelor auction on Friday night, so I attended that as well, and “won” a strapping young man for a fun date.  Mama Jolie would have been pleased by that, too!

My beauty sales have become yearly events, and I’m already planning the next one, which I’m tentatively throwing in late November/early December.  If you’re interested in getting involved, either as a guest or as a sponsor, please email me at nadine@jolienadine.com.

Here are the Johnson’s gift bags, full of Johnson’s Body Care 24 Hour Body Lotion and 24 Hour Moisturizing Body Wash, and Be Radiant Exfoliating Body Wash and Be Radiant Cocoa & Shea Butter Lotion.  I also threw in some extra Neutrogena goodies I had from my last sale, some Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals foundation samples, and a copy of my new book Confessions of a Beauty Addict!

Here’s the table with the beauty products on it before the sale started…

And a video after the sale ended!  Thanks to all who came, and a very special thank you to Johnson and Johnson for hosting!