BellaSugar

Birchbox: The High-End Beauty-in-a-Box Sampler Kit

Jaime Richards — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:00:18 PST

Have you heard of Birchbox? It's the latest beauty products sampler-in-a-box that's been generating a whole lot of buzz - and with good reason. For $10 per month (or a one-time $110 payment for a full year), you can try out four to five larger-size high-end samples from brands such as NARS, Deborah Lippmann, Stila, Phyto, and Too Faced. There are even plenty of opportunities to earn points along with way.

Cofounder Katia Beauchamp put it best when she likened it to a mashup of fruit of the month-meets-Sephora-meets-Allure kind of experience. "My business partner Hayley Barna and I came up with the idea while we were still at school [Harvard Business School], specifically, December 2009. We had a successful beta while in school, graduated in May, and launched in September," Katia explained. Have you tried out Birchbox - or if you haven't, are you planning on it?

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FREE Sample Alert: Alavert Allergy Medication

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 02:30:00 PDT

It's FREE sample alert time again and this time it's allergy medication. I'd say it's very appropriate since this is one of the worst allergy seasons ever.

Alavert, the makers of the quick-dissolving tablets that melt in your mouth and provide non-drowsy, 24-hour allergy relief are offering FREE samples right now. They come in two flavors - Original Mint and Citrus Burst. Personally, I like to keep some form of allergy relief in my purse in case I have a run in with a cat (or blossoming tree for that matter) -- Sample sized Alavert tabs are perfect for just that, especially since water is not needed to take Alavert.

To get your free samples, just visit here and fill out the information along with answering two questions on your current allergy medication preference. It's super quick, I promise.

Beauty Byte: NewBeauty Believes Samples Sell

BellaSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:35:55 PST

If you're a product sample junkie, then you'll be a sucker for the latest in super-sized swag. As opposed to tiny samples in magazines, NewBeauty is offering subscription-only mailings of TestTube™ sized samples in conjunction with retailers and cosmetics companies.

Although they aren't totally free, for just $25 you get an estimated net worth of $200 in samples along with a brochure that details the benefits of the products and how to use them. Participants include: Lancôme, Jane Iridale, Purpose, Skingenic, CaliDerma, Babor, GoSmile, ROC, SuperSmile and Bioelements. This program was founded in the fall and has already generated 11,000 subscribers within two issues of the magazine.

To read more about NewBeauty,

read more Adam Sandow, chief executive officer of Sandow Media, which publishes NewBeauty said,

"We were sitting with an advertiser, and were told, 'We love NewBeauty, but we need to come up with another way to quantify how many people are responding to this ad.' That's when we came up with the idea for the TestTube, which offers samples - some of which are full size - of beauty products, both mass market and prestige. Four times a year, a new TestTube is sent to subscribers, along with a detailed survey. We're then able to go back to advertisers and say things like, 'Twenty-two percent of those who got your sample say that they'll buy this product,' and for those the users didn't like we can say, 'Well, here's why they don't like it.' It's phenomenal information for them."

Based on the success of the TestTube project from NewBeauty a new project called the BeautyBox will be available each quarter for retail outlets for $29.59. Soon you will be able to purchase the BeautyBox at Nordstrom and Barnes & Noble - and by the end of the year it is expected to enter additional retail and outlet stores. Looks like they are really onto something here...sign me up!

Kate Middleton Continues Her Liverpool Tour at a Children's Hospital

Allie Merriam — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:26:10 PST

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was in Liverpool today for her second-ever day of official appearances on her own. She started things off with a visit to the alcohol-free bar The Brink, where she sampled a honey and almond smoothie christened "The Duchess" in her honor. Kate was next off to the Alder Hey Children’s hospital, where she met with young patients in the oncology section. She watched as they made Valentine's cards, some of which featured pictures of the royal couple! Kate actually visited the facility last February as well with Prince William by her side. At the moment, however, William is across the Atlantic stationed in the Falklands. He's into his second week of a month-and-a-half-long deployment with a Royal Air Force search and rescue squad.

Kate's schedule isn't slowing down any time soon. Her next outing will be on Feb. 21 at the charity The Art Room, and the first week of March will see her attending events alongside her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, and stepmother-in-law Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

This Blockbuster Gift With Purchase Lets You Be Your Own Valentine

Miriam Lacey — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:13:11 PST

If you'll be doing some department-store beauty buying today or tomorrow, we highly recommend that you check out Barneys, because the "Love Yourself" gift with purchase it's currently offering is one of the best we've ever seen. It has everything a beauty fanatic could want, including a full-sized Deborah Lippmann nail polish, Lipstick Queen lip color, and Sunday Riley lip gloss. There are also a ton of substantial sample-sized goodies from the likes of Kiehl's, Nars, and Frederic Malle. To get it, you need to spend $200 on beauty online or in a store through Saturday, Feb. 11 (and shipping is free, too). So if you were thinking about stocking up, now's the perfect time to treat yourself.

How to Select the Perfect Oyster Assortment

Sara Yoo — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:26:19 PST

It's well-known lore that oysters can really titillate the palate (among other things), so I consulted Parke Ulrich, executive chef at Waterbar Restaurant in San Francisco, for tips on crafting the perfect oyster plate at home. Constructing a carefully curated selection of oysters is a bit of an art, much like creating a cheese plate. According to Chef Ulrich, oysters "have a great sense of place. They may be the same species but taste different depending on where they are actually grown." Since selecting an assortment of oysters can be intimidating (after all, various oysters get their flavors from tidal changes, minerality, water temperature, and other factors!), I asked Ulrich for a few pointers.

Map out your choices. Oyster characteristics - liquidy, chewy, briny, earthy - often depend upon the oyster's origin. For example, "Tomales Bays [oysters native to the San Francisco Bay Area] are briny and sweet because they are influenced by the cold water and fresh water in this area," Ulrich points out. To represent this pearl of the sea's vast variety of flavors, choose a geographically diverse assortment. Not only will you create a satisfying plate, but you'll have fun guessing each oyster's home!
Span the flavor spectrum. Briny oysters tend to be "cleaner tasting and have less of an aftertaste," Ulrich explains. The more earthy and complex the oyster, the more it lingers on your palate, an attribute that's better for the more advanced oyster eater. At your local market, keep an eye out for Ulrich's faves - Preston Points (from Tomales Bay in Northern California), Nootka Sounds (from British Columbia), and Wellfleet (from Cape Cod) - and opt for more obscure varieties that you're not apt to find at other restaurants.

For the rest of his tips, read on.

Ahoy (Again) to Peg Leg Pete's Grouper Sandwich

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:12:02 PST

Between the Bread has a knack for offering up drool-inducing photos and descriptions of the many sandwiches she samples. But her story of her most recent encounter with Peg Leg Pete's fried grouper sandwich has given us a major craving.

I have already sung the praises of Peg Leg Pete's fried grouper sandwich, but one visit wasn't enough. So on my last trip to Pensacola, dad, Dee, and I took Andrew to taste the strange deliciousness of American cheese on fried fish.

Thankfully, Peg Leg's did not disappoint. We ordered two dozen oysters, an afternoon bushwacker, and a few fish sammies. I got the Cajun grilled grouper this time (below), and though the fish is just as succulent and buttery, the fried version still wins out.

Keep reading for more.

Playing Around With the Photojojo Wide/Macro Phone Lens

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:23:31 PST

For me, iPhoneography is becoming an obsession, so of course, I'd want to load up on apps and tools to help me take better pics. First up, the Wide/Macro Phone Lens ($20) from Photojojo.

The lens is easy to install onto any phone - just apply the included metal sticker ring around your phone lens (there are several that fit just about any phone, including those with flash), and your macro lens will grip with ease, thanks to a strong magnetic pull. The lens works like a charm and really does improve the look of your close-ups. One note - your pics may turn out darker than normal in low light, so be sure to compensate with a light source.

Want to see some sample images before you buy? Check out the gallery!

Love-Filled Quotes From Sci-Fi Romantics

Kelly Schwarze — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:54:16 PST

Ah, love. Whether it's found on board an intergalactic spaceship, while running from a zombie invasion, or amid a battle of good vs. evil, love can be discovered in any science-fiction scenario. We've pulled together a sampling of our favorite sci-fi character quotes on L-O-V-E in time for Valentine's Day.

Now, this list is in no way exhaustive: we want to hear what your favorite lines about love are, whether it's from one character to the object of their affection or an observation of this sweetest of feelings. Just anything about the emotion that humans and aliens alike search the galaxies for.

David Beckham Celebrates His H&M Line With Posh's Parents

Lauren Turner — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:13:26 PST

David Beckham was sporting a star scarf as he left his hotel in London today. He's been on the go in the UK all week as he promotes his new bodywear collection for H&M. David launched the underwear line at the brand's flagship store yesterday and celebrated the exciting project with a bash last night. He started at the Henry Moore Courtyard, where he was joined by Victoria's parents, Jackie and Anthony Adams, and his own mom and dad, Sandra and Ted. Victoria's sister, Louise, Emma Bunton, and Tana Ramsay also came out to show their support and pick up goodie bags full of samples. David continued the party at The Arts Club with best friend James Corden, who apparently stayed out until three in the morning with David.