Mama’s got a brand new bag.  To my list of all-time favorite beauty obsession lines (including Bare Escentuals, Nude Skincare, Lancome, JolieMD and Shu Uemura), I now add LiQWD hair care!

I discovered LiQWD a few months back, tried the products, and then was blown away by them, particularly the Volumizing line.  (Um, seriously.  Volumizing Catalyst?  Where you been all my life, baby?)  When Cameron Diaz showed up at the Academy Awards, her hair stealing the show, I wasn’t surprised to discover that her bouncy side sweep was courtesy of LiQWD (and stylist Lona Vigi).  So now, full disclosure, I’m working with them as a beauty consultant, hoping to help get the word out about this fan-freaking-tastic line.  That means you.

The entire line features Color-Safe Technology and Nano-Hydraspheres (next-gen nanotechnology), designed to help the ingredients more effectively penetrate the hair shaft, getting down to the inner cortex.  This equals volume and hydration from the inside-out, without weighing hair down, and longer-lasting color that won’t fade or wash-out.  Plus: the products smell ridiculously great, to the point where every review mentions the delicious scent.

Want to try LiQWD for yourself and see why I’m singing its praises from the rooftop (and why the bottles are taking over my bathroom)?  Help them get the word out, and you’ll automatically be entered into a contest this week to win the entire line!  All you have to do is follow @LIQWD on Twitter and then re-tweet “Want the best hair day of your life? RT to win the @LiQWD nanotechnology hair line and discover the difference for yourself!”

One US winner will be chosen at random from the retweets next Friday.  Good luck!

Mineral makeup is often unimaginably messy.  bareMinerals fans like me know the drill: a jar of loose powder accidentally opens inside your makeup bag, and suddenly makeup is everywhere, with industrial-level cleanup required.  (The more you rub, the more it resists!)  Bare Escentuals has recently revamped their foundation jars with a screw-lid, which minimizes mess–praise Jesus!–but I was still excited as hell when I discovered my new favorite makeup accessory: The Mineral Case.  Check out my video above about it, which provides a compact solution for storing and displaying your jars of mineral makeup.  No mess, no fuss, no problem!

STOP.  THE.  PRESSES.

Two of my favorite brands are about to make some babies: Shiseido is acquiring Bare Escentuals for $1.7 billion, reports WWD. Bare Escentuals ceo Leslie Blodgett, who holds 6 percent of BE–and is one of the most genius women in beauty, imo–will exchange 40 percent of her stake for an undisclosed interest in Shiseido.  I think it’s a very smart move on her part.

There’s a lot of consternation around the blogosphere, however, as devoted fans worry that the quality of Bare Escentuals will decline.  It’s a valid concern, but the precedent has already been set by smaller brands (Bobbi Brown, Ojon, etc) getting bought by huge firms and maintaining the quality that hooked women in the first place.  Let’s hope that’s the case here.  I trust Leslie enough to think (hope) it will be!

So says a recent article in the Daily Mail that I discovered on BellaSugar (one of my favorite beauty blogs!).  While everybody used to yammer on and on about facial symmetry, now it turns out “the evenness and glow of a woman’s skin” are the key factors.  It all comes back to reproduction: those with glowing skin must have better genes, so think modern-day Neanderthals, and are therefore worthy of mating with.  (Whether all of these highly picky men peering at your pores are worthy in return is another story.)

Bueno!  Yet another reason to get on board the Bare Escentuals Express: a little Bare Minerals followed by Clear Radiance (my holy grail product for fabulous-looking skin and an airbrush-miracle in a jar), and you’re good to go. 

And T-minus 1 month until JolieMD Metamorphosis is released, which was designed to (gasp!  how timely!) make skin more radiant, even-toned, brighter and all-around healthier.  It will not do your laundry and it will not snag you a man, but at least your complexion will look freaking fabulous.

Bare Escentuals’ Buxom glosses are my absolute favorites: they come in flattering, anybody-can-wear-’em shades, have a little plumping action, and aren’t too sticky–praise Jesus!  If you’re a lip gloss aficionado (seriously, I can barely remember the last time I wore lipstick) you’ll love Buxom Babes About Town, a collection of 4 lip glosses and 4 chubby lip pencils.  The pink, mauve, plum and spice offerings are super pretty, and at $39 for the whole set, the price is very nice.

Congratulations to Benjamin DM, Anne S, RscWallace, Sharon, UneAutre, Beth B., Susanne R, Susie VanB, MW and RcnMail, the winners of the bareMinerals SPF 15 Matte Foundation Giveaway!  (You should have received an email with more details about collecting the prize.)  I’m so excited for you to try out my favorite new product–you’re gonna love it, kids!