While these books are normally $4.99 on Amazon Kindle, they’re now a part of the lending library. That means, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can borrow them for free.

Haven’t read them yet? Totally check them out!

And if you have read them, could you write a review on Amazon or Goodreads? I’m sorely lacking reviews, and I’d be eternally grateful.

Speaking of books…

Read anything awesome lately? Right now I’m reading The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff. It’s good so far!

Want a seriously sexy, and ultra-feminine scent for the holidays?

That’s where Harvey Prince Eau Fling comes in.

Enter the giveaway to win a bottle of this sexy perfume! The giveaway will end December 8, 2011 and is open to all readers.

What You’ll Get

One lucky winner will receive a full 1.7 oz bottle of Harvey Prince Eau Fling. This ultra-feminine fragrance is sultry and warm with notes of lavender, plum, apple, cinnamon and pumpkin.

Check out my review of Eau Fling from the Harvey Prince Holiday Gift Set to learn why it’s my favorite.

This giveaway is worth $55.

How to Enter

There are two ways to enter:

1. Like Harvey Prince on Facebook, then leave a comment on this blog post telling me the main reason why you want to win. (Exception: If you don’t have a Facebook account, don’t worry. You can still enter. I won’t make you sign up for FB if you don’t want to.)
2. Follow Makeup Files on Twitter and post this tweet on your own Twitter page, then comment on this post again with a link to the tweet (in a separate comment):

RT @trishaatmf: Enter to Win a Bottle of Harvey Prince Eau Fling Fragrance http://ow.ly/7J21B

You can use both methods or either. It’s up to you!

Contest Rules

The giveaway for Eau Fling from Harvey Prince starts right now and ends Thursday, December 8th, 2011 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. Get in your entries before the end of the giveaway.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old. You can live anywhere in the world. Leave a valid email address in the “Email” section of the comment form below (but not in the actual comment) so I can contact you.

I’ll pick one random winner from the eligible comments and retweets and they will be contacted via email. If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours after I contact them, I’ll pick a new winner. Remember to get back to me! Then, Harvey Prince will send you your Eau Fling.

Enter the giveaway while you still can!

That’s right, I’ve increased the frequency of posts.

For the last 3 1/2 years, I’ve posted 3-5 times a week. Well, that just isn’t good enough anymore. I have way too much to say to you now, so I’ve been posting a lot more in the last few weeks, and it’s going to increase even more from here on.

I’m excepting to post 10-15 times a week from now on. Wow!

What does that mean for you? More awesomeness, that’s what!

I realize that not everyone will be used to the uptick in posting frequency. I certainly don’t want you to miss anything. So, I have two solutions:

1. Instead of reading the most recent post when you visit Makeup Files, look below to see if there was anything you missed. Even better, subscribe to Makeup Files so you never miss anything again.
2. I’ll be publishing a “Best of Makeup Files This Week” post most Saturdays so you can catch up on some of the best posts of the week. While it won’t list everything, at least you won’t be at a total loss.

I hope you stick around to see Makeup Files grow. I couldn’t do it without you!

Want to advertise your business, product or website on an award-winning beauty blog that was recently nominated for Best Beauty Blog of 2011 by SHAPE Magazine? Now you can!

Advertise on this blog and your ads will reach tens of thousands of beauty-lovers every month. By advertising on Makeup Files, you know you’re reaching a quality mostly-female audience.

Wondering about traffic?

As of February 2012, Makeup Files receives over 1,350 pageviews per day. Check out our stats for January 2012, courtesy of Google Analytics:

Makeup Files continues to grow, and I’ll update this page as readership increases.

In addition to traffic, Makeup Files also has…

• 140+ Facebook Fans
• 570+ Twitter Followers
• 240+ Feed Subscribers
• ~30 YouTube Channel Subscribers

Ads for All Budgets

Every business has its own unique budget for advertising. I’ve opened up 3 spots of advertising on the blog so you can get exactly what you want and need.

1. Prime Leaderboard 728×90

Placed at the very top of the blog, this 728×90 leaderboard will be the very first thing every viewer will see when visiting Makeup Files. Let readers’ eyes land right on your ad any time they want to learn more about beauty.

Current price: $18 per day.

This spot is perfect for…

• Large businesses that strive for a larger female audience
• Smaller business that want to grow
• Businesses with a great sale, discount or new product to advertise
• Those that want prime placement on an award-winning beauty blog

Though the price is currently $18 per day, this price will increase as blog traffic grows. Get in there while the price is still low!

2. Prime Sidebar Spot 300×250

I don’t know about you, but my eye always gravitates toward the sidebar of the blogs I visit. Take advantage of that pull with a prime spot at the very top of Makeup Files’ sidebar. This 300×250 spot will draw in the beauty-lovers perusing the blog.

Current price: $18 per day.

This spot is perfect for…

• Advertisements showing off your style or product
• Large and medium business wanting to expand their target market to beauty-loving women
• Small business that want a leg up from the competition
• Companies that want prime placement in order to be seen by over 1,000 readers daily

Just like the leaderboard ad, this prime sidebar spot isn’t going to stay at $18 per day for long. Snap up ad space now to lock in the price.

3. Super Affordable Ads for Small Businesses and Blogs 125×125

Don’t have a big budget but still want to reach thousands of beauty-lovers and fashionable women? This 125×125 ad is perfect for you. And, since there are unlimited spots for this, many square ads can run at once. Win-win for everyone!

Current price: $2 per day.

These spots are perfect for…

• Small businesses without a big advertising budget
• Blogs that want to increase readership
• Etsy stores that want more business from beauty lovers
• Start-ups that want to test the water

Unlike the leaderboard and prime sidebar ad spots, these square ads are going to stay at $2 per day for the foreseeable future. That’s my gift to all the small businesses that just want to get off the ground. Keep up the good work!

Want to purchase ad space? Just click the links above associated with the ad spot you want. These are covered by Blogads for the easiest transactions and ad placement.

Thanks!

You’ve no doubt been following my journey as I lose weight with Nutrisystem. Since April 11, 2011, I’ve lost 62.4 and went from size 18 to size 14 jeans.

Yeah, I’m proud of myself.

Now I have a treat for my readers. One lucky winner will receive 10 Days of Nutrisystem Select, sponsored by Nutrisystem! Perhaps you’ll have good results, too! (No purchase necessary!)

What You’ll Get

The lucky winner will receive 10 days of Nutrisystem Select. Select is the frozen selection of Nutrisystem foods. 10 Days includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert for each day.

Some of my favorites from Nutrisystem Select include the Roast Turkey Medallions (pictured above), Meatball Parmesan Melt and the Golden French Toast.

For more examples of what you’ll get, check out the menu lists and look for the “FROZEN” tag on the pictures.

This giveaway is worth approximately $150.

How to Enter

There are two ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post telling me the main reason why you want to win.
2. Follow Makeup Files on Twitter, and Nutrisystem, post this tweet on your own Twitter page, then comment on this post again with a link to the tweet (in a separate comment):

RT @trishaatmf: Enter to win 10 days of @Nutrisystem Select! http://ow.ly/79RUY #NSNation

You can use both methods, or either. It’s up to you!

Contest Rules

The giveaway for 10 Days of Nutrisystem Select starts right now and ends Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. Get in your entries before the end of the giveaway.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old, live in the continental US, and meet the eligibility requirements to be on Nutrisystem. Leave a valid email address in the “Email” section of the comment form below (but not in the actual comment) so I can contact you.

Nutrisystem employees are not eligible to win. There is no cash value received in lieu of the prize.

I’ll pick one random winner from the eligible comments and retweets and they will be contacted via email. If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours after I contact them, I’ll pick a new winner. Remember to get back to me!

The prize will be sent straight from Nutrisystem. Thanks, NS!

Enter the giveaway before it’s too late!

The voting period is now half-way over. But, luckily, you still have time to vote! Voting ends October 28th.

Show your love for Makeup Files!

Just click Makeup Files from the list on SHAPE and click “Vote.” Easy peasy!

You can only vote once, unfortunately. So, if you have already, but still want to help out, tell your friends! Just click the Twitter or Facebook buttons at the top of this post to spread the word.

Thanks! You’re all so awesome.

I’m constantly working to improve the blog, but that can be tough if I don’t know what my readers want.

Do you have any requests for me? Do you like a certain aspect of Makeup Files but don’t see it enough?

Well, I want to know about it! The more answers I get, the better I can make this blog.

After all, things can always get better. So, I wonder…

What aspect of Makeup Files do you want to see more of?

Is there something that you think I don’t do enough? Want more reviews? More tutorials? Let me know.

(You can pick multiple answers.)
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
Honesty is best! I want to give you guys the best beauty blog possible.

Thank you!

There’s still over a month of summer left on the calendar. And to celebrate the sunny, beautiful days to come, I’m giving away one tube of Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm to 1 lucky winner. You’ll love this tinted moisturizer with SPF 25.

What You’ll Get

The lucky winner will receive a full, never-opened 1.7 fl. oz. bottle of Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm. This multi-action makeup, consisting of SPF 25, is a tinted moisturizer perfect for those with light-to-medium skin tones.

To learn more about this tinted moisturizer, check out my Water Fuse review.

This giveaway is worth $32.

How to Enter

There are two ways to enter:

1. Leave a comment on this blog post telling me what you have planned for the rest of the summer.
2. Follow Makeup Files on Twitter, post this tweet on your own Twitter page, then comment on this post again with a link to the tweet (in a separate comment):

RT @trishaatmf: Enter to Win Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm from Makeup Files! http://ow.ly/6023C #giveaway

You can use both methods, or either. It’s up to you!

Contest Rules

The giveaway for Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Beauty Balm starts right now and ends Wednesday, August 24th, 2011 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. Get in your entries before the end of the giveaway.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old and live in the US or Canada. Leave a valid email address in the “Email” section of the comment form below (but not in the actual comment) so I can contact you.

I’ll pick one random winner from the eligible comments and retweets and contact them via email. If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours after I contact them, I’ll pick a new winner. Remember to get back to me!

Enter the giveaway before it’s too late!

PS: Fans of Makeup Files on Facebook knew about this giveaway before anyone else. “Like” Makeup Files on Facebook to learn about giveaways before everyone else.

Truth is, zombies are becoming a part of every day life. Can you blame them? After all, they seek brains almost as fervently as a nerd looking for love.

With all this zombie talk, I just couldn’t help myself. I had to create a makeup look inspired by zombies. No, I won’t help you look like this:

(FYI, that’s from the original Dawn of the Dead by George A. Romero, king of the zombies. Zombies + Shopping Mall = WIN)

I’m not going to show you how to look like a zombie. You can find that all over the Internet. But I will show you how to do your makeup with the same darkness as a zombie, with colors inspired by their rotting flesh.

Yay!

Time to get started.

Start with a good primer all over your eyelid, and under your eyes as well. I used the primer from the NYC IndividualEyes Custom Compact.

Next, put a greyish green eye shadow on your lid from the lash line to above the crease like shown above. Also, put it along your lower lid, just below the lash line. Pick a color that reminds you of the rotted, green flesh of the undead. I used Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Mildew.

Time to get dark, just like the sunken eyes of a zombie. Use a black eye shadow in the crease and outside corner of your eye, follow the outline you made with the first eye shadow and blend the colors together. I used Urban Decay Eye Shadow in Oil Slick.

See, zombies aren’t all clean and crisp. They’re actually pretty disheveled.

Add some whitish grey to blend up the edges of your shadow. I used the Revlon Matte Eye Shadow in Vintage Lace, which is a light beige that’s a few shades lighter than my skin.

Blend this under the eyebrow and in the inside corner of the eye.

Finish up the eye with super dark eyeliner and mascara. Line all around the eye including the lower waterline. Use mascara on both the top and bottom lashes. I used the Maybelline Define-A-Line Eyeliner in Ebony Black and Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara Jet Black’>Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara in Jet Black.

Now, you’re probably going to have a lot of fallout, so clean that up. Then, cover your face in super light translucent powder.

Don’t use blush. Don’t use bronzer. What with the lack of blood flow, zombies can’t blush. It’s a proven fact.

Also, if you like to fill in your eyebrows, go a shade darker than normal. Trust me.

Nice, huh? A zombie-inspired makeup look that’s still super glamorous.

“Braaaains…”

But wait…are you inspired by a shambling, walking dead that can barely lift its arms, let alone attack someone? If so, leave your lips bare.

But if you’re inspired by the zombie that finds human flesh, especially brains, a delicacy, paint up your lips in the bloodiest red lipstick you can find. I used Luzier lipstick in True Red and Merry Cherry.

Blood red lips? Totally like a bloody-mouthed zombie. You see the correlation, right?

Oh, the horror!

Actually, today is even more special, since the date reads 1-1-11. Have you ever made a wish when the clock struck 11:11? Well, think of today as one big 24-hour period made specifically for awesome wishes.

And you know what that means: New Year’s resolutions.

Have you made any yet? To help you plan out a new year, making your life—and you—a whole lot better, I’ve compiled some helpful tips from Makeup Files over the years.

Go on, be a better you. Make the life you dream of.

Beautiful Ways to Improve Yourself in 2011

• Make a list of resolutions all about beauty with Beautiful New Year’s Resolutions.
• Become even more beautiful than you already are (which is a challenge, since you’re already radiant) with a list of 21 Ways to Improve Your Makeup Look.
• Save money this year with 5 Ways to Get Inexpensive Makeup.
• Thinking of going for a new hair color in 2011? Dye your hair at home with the helpful tips in Home Hair Dying 101.
• Take the challenge! Follow the 10 Days to Ultimate Beauty challenge, or take it even further with my ebook, The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover.
• Look adorable while you work on your fitness resolutions with How to Look Cute While Jogging.
• Have your romantic wishes come true with 5 Beautiful Ways to Make it to the Second Date.
• Time to feel better about yourself by reciting the 26 Mantras for Powerful Self-Esteem.
• Don’t want to wear makeup every day of your life? You can still look amazing! Follow the tips in 5 Ways to Look More Beautiful Without Makeup and 10 More Ways to Look Beautiful Without Makeup.
• While you’re at it, improve your self-esteem even more with How to Feel Better About Yourself.

There’s no reason why 2011 can’t be amazing. Especially if you work hard to make it your best year yet.

Photo credit: Jesse757

::UPDATE:: Thanks for entering the giveaway everyone! It is now officially over. I’ve chosen a winner and will be contacting them ASAP. Thanks again, Trisha.

Time for a holiday Calvin Klein fragrance giveaway!

I’m giving away a his and hers fragrance set worth $148.

What you’ll win:

• Calvin Klein Euphoria for Women eau de parfum spray, 3.4oz bottle worth $78. It’s a feminine, oriental scent with floral and fruity notes.
• Calvin Klein Euphoria for Men eau de parfum spray, 1.7oz bottle worth $60. This is a masculine oriental scent that’s spicy and sexy.

If you win the giveaway, you get both fragrances. That means you could keep the women’s scent for you and give the men’s to your husband/boyfriend/dad/brother/best guy friend.

Or, you could give them both away as presents! It’s totally up to you.

How to enter: Leave a comment on this blog post telling me about your favorite thing about the holiday season.

My Answer: Christmas decorations!

The Calvin Klein Euphoria giveaway ends Sunday, December 12th, 2010 at 11:59 PM Mountain Time. That’s a little shorter than most of my giveaways, but I want extra time so the winner can get the package before Christmas.

The fine print: To be eligible, you must be at least 18 and live in the continental US.  Leave a valid email address in the “Email” section of the comment form below (but not in the actual comment).

I’ll pick a random winner from the eligible commenters and contact them via email. If I don’t hear from the winner 48 hours after I email them, I’ll pick a new winner. Remember to get back to me!

Enter the giveaway before it’s too late!

Speaking of Christmas decorations, here’s Apartment Gnome with a tiny pink Christmas tree on the ledge of my kitchen.

Hello, Apartment Gnome!

But how about some more tips? After all, it always good to look super cute without makeup.

Then, once you look hot without makeup, you won’t be afraid to head to the grocery store with a naked face. It’s a win-win!

10 More Ways to Look Beautiful—Even Without Makeup

1. Dress up. Throw on your favorite dress or a flouncy skirt. Just because you’re not wearing makeup doesn’t mean you can’t look amazing.
2. Give yourself a mani/pedi. Paint your fingernails and toenails some awesome colors. Don’t match the polishes, though. Go for a different color on your fingers than on your toes.
3. Focus on the shoes. Show off your adorable toes with peep-toe shoes or flip flops. Wear your favorite pair of low heels. Anything that’s cute and that makes you happy.
4. Improve your self-esteem and confidence. When you know that you look good, that confidence will shine through, and others will agree with you.
5. Exfoliate your face. Slough off all the dirt and dried skin that’s making your face look ruddy and dry. The better your skin, the better you’ll look overall.
6. Moisturize. After exfoliating, you have to keep your face quenched. Also throw on some SPF for good measure.
7. Get lots of sleep. With only a few hours of sleep, you’ll wake up puffy with dark circles under your eyes. Try to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night to look rested.
8. Eat healthy. I’m not going to lecture you. Just know that if you replace some junk food with fruits and vegetables, you’ll look healthier and prettier.
9. Go for a walk. The exercise will do you good and give you a nice glow that acts as a natural blush, especially when you walk outside in colder weather.
10. Use clear lip balm. It’ll quench your lips so they don’t peel or dry out. You’ll have kissable lips! Pick a balm with SPF so you don’t get a nasty sunburn there either.

Have any other ideas on how to look great without makeup? Share your tips in the comments section below!

So rather than feeling sad at summer’s impending doom, resolve to spend the last days of summer having F-U-N.

10 Ways to Enjoy the Last Days of Summer

1. Have a picnic at a park and invite everyone you know. Make it a potluck so everyone can bring their best dishes. Keep storage containers on hand so people can bring home leftovers. Set up a volleyball net and games of crochet and bocce ball.
2. Wear your most colorful and fun clothing. Summers all about bright colors. Wear green dresses or red jeans. Do your makeup in bright colorful shadows to match.
3. Go for a walk through your neighborhood. Appreciate the way the warm air feels on your face, and the scents of the trees, grass and flowers. Wave and say hello to everyone you pass.
4. Look up all of the outdoor events in your area. Attend every one of them. You won’t get the same chance until winter is over, especially if you live in a place that gets snowy or super cold.
5. Pick wildflowers and fill up a few vases. Place the vases all around your home: on your desk, as a dining table centerpiece or on your bedroom dresser. Wake up to the smell of fresh flowers.
6. Read a book outside. Reading a book under a tree while sitting on a blanket totally changes the way you experience the words. Don’t miss out on this important summer occasion.
7. Go on a road trip. Enlist some of your best friends and go for a day-trip to a local outdoor attraction. Make a special music playlist to listen to on the drive. Gossip about life and discuss the things most important to you with your friends. It’s bonding time!
8. Get dressed up for no reason. Wear your fanciest dress while doing normal, everyday things. Visit the post office. Peruse the stores at the mall. Eat at a casual restaurant. You don’t need an excuse to get fancy!
9. Get a pedicure. Soon, you’ll be covering up your tootsies with thick socks and heavy boots. Before it’s too late, dazzle up your feet with a nice pedicure. Choose a flashy nail polish color so your feet get all of the attention. Wear sandals to show them off.
10. Hold a garage sale. Garage sale season is almost over. Get rid of all the clutter in your home and sell it out on the driveway. You can make a little extra cash, get rid of things you don’t like, and make someone else’s day. If you live in an apartment, give it to charity instead! Or sell the good stuff on eBay!

Quick! Do these things before it’s too late. Or you’ll have to wait until next summer to have all of this outdoor fun.

And to my readers in the southern hemisphere: congrats on getting out of winter! Spring is at your door. Use these suggestions for having fun in the warmer months to come.

Photo credit: Crystal

The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover ebook is officially released.

Inner beauty is just as important as outer beauty. With that in mind, The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover will teach you ways to improve all aspects of your beauty, inside and out. That’s why it’s “Ultimate”!

You can now follow assignments focused on both inner and outer beauty for a full 30 days.

Here are a few sample days from the makeover:

• Day 2: Finding the Right Foundation for Your Face
• Day 8: Find Out Your Season
• Day 11: Sculpt the Perfect Eyebrows
• Day 15: Get Rid of Negative Things in Your Life
• Day 27: Surround Yourself With People You Love

Each day gives a full how-to or explanation for the day’s theme. It also gives you an assignment to follow so you can apply what you’ve learned. Finally, you can follow the day’s extra credit if you want to take things a few steps further.

After Day 30, you’ll have…

• …better self esteem
• …better makeup techniques
• …an organized life
• …a positive attitude
• …and more

You can buy The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover, with over 40 pages of intense beauty tips for the low price of $4.99, in multiple forms on Smashwords or for the Amazon Kindle.

PS: Like The 30 Day Ultimate Beauty Makeover? Buy my other beauty book, The Complete Eyebrow Guide from Smashwords and Amazon as well!

Remember: you’re beautiful. And I mean that.

But sometimes it can be hard to remember just how great you are. Having a hard time with self-esteem? Say some of these mantras to yourself. Print them out and hang them on the refrigerator or on your cubicle wall. Tape them to the wall next to your mirror so you can see them while you get ready in the morning.

Say it to yourself as often as it takes for you to start believing it.

26 Mantras to Increase Your Inner Beauty

1. “I love myself just the way that I am.”
2. “There are many things I like about myself.”
3. “My hair is great, even if it doesn’t always do what I want.”
4. “There are many things to like about me.”
5. “I’m good at lots of stuff, such as…”
6. “I deserve love.”
7. “I deserve to be liked.”
8. “I deserve to be treated well.”
9. “I deserve the good things in life.”
10. “My favorite facial feature is my…”
11. “My favorite thing about my body is…”
12. “I am fun to be around.”
13. “There are no reasons NOT to think I’m awesome!”
14. “I’m a good person.”
15. “Life is great!”
16. “I’ll get what I want if I work hard and try my best.”
17. “I love my body the way it is, even if it needs improvements.”
18. “No one is perfect. I’ll focus on what makes me special than on my flaws.”
19. “A great thing that happened today is…”
20. “I’ll always feel and look better when I put on a smile.”
21. “I enjoy being me.”
22. “I do a good job being me.”
23. “I work to improve myself to make an even better me.”
24. “If I don’t like something, I’ll work to improve instead of complaining and waiting for it to fix itself.”
25. “There’s always something to be happy about, even during the toughest times.”
26. “I will never talk down about myself; to myself or to other people.”

What is your favorite mantra? Do you have any to add? Keep the list going in the comments.

Photo credit: dotbenjamin