Thanks for all your comments on our Apple & Bee giveaway.  We’re so excited that so many people love the Apple & Bee collection as much as we do. We wish we could give everyone a prize, but we have randomly chosen a winner!  Drum roll please… Congratulations to Amy Hammond!! Amy  we hope that you enjoy the bags, and feel good about owning a product with a neutral carbon footprint.

For everyone else interested in purchasing your very own Apple & Bee bag, you can order it straight from appleandbee.com and tell them you saw it here first on Beyond Beauty Basics! Check back again with us for more giveaways!

Beyond Beauty Basics goes Down Under! We have teamed up with Apple & Bee to bring you a great giveaway.

As seen in Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, Apple & Bee is a 100% Australian-owned company that makes beautiful cosmetic, travel, and even baby bags without harming the environment. Each bag is made of the finest natural materials such as certified organic cotton, silk, hemp, burlap/calico, and leather. Each fabric is designed in-house and exclusive to Apple & Bee.

I personally love the Wooden Handle Clutch and the Silver Clasp Purse. They come in these great prints that I love for days and nights out, especially in the summer. They’d be great for a tropical summer vacation too (this is a hint to my husband).

If you were ever a Girl Scout, you were told to leave nature as you found it. Apple & Bee does just that – they have a neutral carbon footprint. They also donate part of all of their profits to environmental organizations. These are not only beautiful bags, but they are green, and that just feels good.

To be eligible for our giveaway, simply leave a comment and tell us why you think you deserve to win your very own Apple & Bee collection! The winner will receive everything you see here: Large Make-Up Bag, Wooden Handle Clutch, Silver Clasp Purse, Medium Make-Up Bag, and the Small Make-Up Bag – a $300 value. Each bag comes in a signature Apple & Bee dust bag.

You can check out the rest of the collection at AppleandBee.com

**Update** Congrats to our winner Amy Hammond!

Contest ends Saturday, June 27, 2009 11:59pm EST. One (1) lucky winner will be chosen at random on June 28th 2009. This contest is only open to U.S. residents and winners will be notified via email. One comment entry per person, trackable by IP address. Please make sure to provide a valid email address. Winner must confirm within 24 hours, otherwise another entry will be chosen.

So many makeup brands, so little time! Last month, the Makeup Show NYC 2009 was packed with information on makeup trends and products! Where does one start? With so many brands including Makeup Forever, Smashbox, Yaby, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, Graftobian, FACE Atelier, to name a few, it can be overwhelming!

After two days of non-stop visiting exhibitors and talking with fellow makeup professionals, I’ve pulled a few stand-outs from the show. Check out my list for the hottest trend in makeup products and must-haves!

Moisturizer

Embryoderme® Crème Vitaminée (Vitamin Moisturizer)Packed with fabulous ingredients our skin craves such as shea butter and Vitamin E, the rich creamy moisturizer is perfect for prepping the skin. It also contains elastin and collagen that gives the skin a subtle look. The non-greasy formula sets well under foundation.

Foundation

Graftobian Hi-Def Crème Super Palettes
Geared towards makeup professionals working in hi-definition television, this cream foundation comes in the largest color selection for an exact match—perfect for HDTV. Applies seamlessly and is easily blendable. The Super Palettes come in Warm, Neutral, and Cool.

Makeup Forever HD Foundation
This foundation is packed with moisturizing agents that leave the skin soft and silky. Originally formulated for hi-definition television, this light foundation can be worn daily.

FACE Atelier Ultra Foundation
This light-weight foundation is silicon-based and floats over skin for a flawless finish. The skin appears luminous and is hydrated all day. Perfect for professionals to everyday wear!

Color

Makeup Forever Flash Color Case
Wow. This palette is amazing! It’s like playing with crayons for the first time, ever! The Flash Color is grease makeup that is highly pigmented with a slight gloss-effect. You can use these colors on eyes, cheeks, lips, or body. Fun for everyday or special events!

Yaby World Of Paints Palette
Another fun find, the shadows are soft, almost creamy but not quite, blend beautifully and are packed with pigment punch! Formulated as eye shadows, you can also mix them into cream blush or lipstick shades to add a bit of shimmer to your look!

Smashbox Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion
A soft liquid highlighter perfect for popping cheekbones for everyday or photography. The lotion softens the way light hits the skin, adds radiance, and gives a smooth wrinkle-free appearance.

Smashbox O-Gloss Intuitive Lip Gloss
Searching for that perfect pink shade? With this gloss, your skin chooses the shade you should be. The O-Gloss reacts with your body’s chemistry to give you the perfect pink-lip look! This product looks beautiful in photos and natural for everyday.

Last..but most certainly not least!

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar
The most wanted product at The Makeup Show, this product is high in pigment and is long wear. What makes this product so fabulous is the way it applies: It goes on easily, like a gloss, but sets to a satin finish. You can add gloss on top with, no separation, for a perfect look! Obviously a killer product for photos but Lip Tar in Grandma is perfect for a long-wear everyday coral color! Another favorite is the perfectly red scarlet NSFW! HOT!

Found at The Makeup Show NYC 2009 and in Sephora locations now, Smashbox’s Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder is the first anti-aging powder. The advanced formula has the science of skin care as it contains pure gold, 48 minerals, and 11 amino acids. This powder also has a patented hydration system that continuously revitalizes skin for a bright, more radiant complexion that lasts all day!

Clinical studies have shown that after 10 minutes of wear time with Halo, there is a 33% decrease in the appearance of wrinkles around eyes. After only 6 weeks of daily use, you may experience a 67% decrease in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles overall. An absolutely amazing daily finishing powder hands down!

Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder comes in 4 shades, Fair, Light, Medium, and Dark. You can wear this product by itself or over foundation for a flawless, light finish. The compact has a twist shaver that emits the perfect amount of fresh powder every time! Just twist, gently swirl your brush, and apply to the face.

For more information visit Smashbox: Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder

Available at Sephora locations nationwide or online