Wednesday night I had the pleasure of hanging with a bunch of cool CLE blogging babes while raising money for charity and clearing out the ALU beauty closet. You may remember that I hosted a similar event last year benefiting my local Dress For Success. This year I decided to coincide the event with my Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, donating the money raised to Living Beyond Breast Cancer.

This past year a local blogger, Allison from Green Dog Wine started organizing regular blogger meet-ups and was kind enough to include me in the group even though we hadn’t met.  It’s been wonderful getting to know other women in the community who have a passion for our city and blogging.

I decided it would be fun to host one of the meet-ups and combine it with my charity sale.  It was a blast having everyone over for wine and snacks and watching them head to the basement to clean me out of product samples.

At the end of the night everyone went home with a bunch of new beauty loot to try and I raised $1,085 for Living Beyond Breast Cancer bringing the total amount raised by ALU to $3366. Amazing!

I couldn’t have done this without of the incredible support of my blogging community and friends so thank you to Alana from The Dawg’s Dish, Alexa from Cleveland’s A Plum, Allison from Confessions of a Cohabitant, Allison from Green Dog Wine, Charity from I Heart Cleveland, Heather from Mile 26 and more, Jocelyn aka @Legalesque, Michelle from Cleveland Foodie, Molly from Food n Such and Suzanne from Life on Mars.  And of course I have to thank my good friends Christine, Jen, Sandi and Steph for coming again this year and supporting my fund raiser!

If you want to check out some of their hauls click on over to
Cleveland’s A Plum – Cleveland Beauty Blogger Sale, Green Dog Wine – All Lacquered Up, Mile 26 and more - CLE Blogger Beauty Sale and The Dawg’s Dish – Girls Night Out: Blogger Beauty Sale. Of course the biggest haul of the night went home with my friend Steph who doesn’t have a blog. She needed an extra bag just to take everything home. Love it!

image credit: Alexa from Cleveland’s A Plum

I’ve been bursting at the seams wanting to announce the results of this year’s BCA Month fund raising drive and the giveaway winners.  I am at a loss for words over the outpouring of generosity from the ALU reader community.

Together we more than surpassed my expectations and I’m truly thankful to each and every one of you for supporting my efforts to raise awareness and funds for such a worthy cause.

Your donations in the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway raised $2,131 for Living Beyond Breast Cancer almost THREE TIMES what we raised last year.  And thanks to all your wonderful comments, I personally donated another $150 to the cause.  Together we donated a whopping $2,281 which is simply amazing.  Thank you so so much!

Now for the winners…

There were 1,588 entries in the giveaway and using Random.org the winners were chosen.  I would like to congratulate…

Grand Prize Winner – Amber J. from the USA

1st Runner Up – Jane P. from the UK

2nd Runner Up – Faith D. from the USA

3rd Runner Up – Christy S. from the USA

Congratulations to the winners and to the whole ALU community for such a successful BCA Month.

As a woman, a daughter and a friend I am taking a stand for Breast Cancer Awareness by supporting Living Beyond Breast Cancer with my annual Comments For A Cure campaign.

Comments For A Cure started out in 2007 as a grassroots effort to support a fellow Beauty Blog Network member who was diagnosed with cancer.  I have taken it upon myself to continue supporting the cause here on ALU.

All Lacquered Up’s Comments For A Cure campaign launches TODAY, October 20th, 2010.

Please join me in the fight against breast cancer by leaving a comment on any post on All Lacquered Up today through Friday, October 22nd. Every comment will raise $1 for Living Beyond Breast Cancer up to a maximum of $150. That’s right, you leave a comment, I donate. What could be easier?

Also, don’t forget about all the amazing prizes you could win in the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway.  I’m so amazed by the immense generosity of the ALU community as we’ve already raised over $1400!! That’s almost DOUBLE last year’s donation.  Thank you all for your continued support.  I love you all!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and as I’ve done every year since starting ALU I am helping to raise funds for a BCA charity.  This year I have selected Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national support and education charity.

I’m asking you to support me in my goal in two ways.

1. I will be hosting my annual Comments4ACure campaign. Beginning October 20th through October 22nd every comment made on ALU will raise $1 for Living Beyond Breast Cancer up to a maximum of $150. It’s that simple. You comment, I donate.

2. How would you like to win a gift basket filled with 50+ nail polishes containing the hottest fall & holiday colors from Chanel, China Glaze, CND, MAC, OPI and more? By donating to LBBC via the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway you just might be the grand prize winner or one of the 3 runner up winners.  Read on to see what you could win and how to enter!

How To Win: All I am asking for is a $5 donation to Living Beyond Breast Cancer using the secure ChipIn Widget (below). It utilizes PayPal so your information is safe.  If we all donate just $5, what a huge difference that will make. However, if you can afford more than $5 you get extra entries. 1 entry for every dollar over $5. So if you donate $6 you get 2 entries. Donate $20 get 16 entries.

You have from now until October 31st to enter. International entries are welcome. From the pool of donations I will choose, using random.org, ONE Grand Prize Winner and THREE Runner Up Winners.

Grand Prize

Grand Prize: Chanel Khaki Vert, China Glaze Holiday Collection (all 16 colors), Color Club Enchanted Holiday Minis, CND Night Factory Duo, CND Sparkling Holiday Effects Duo, CND Sweet. Sparkling. Spicy. Creative Scentsations Set, Essie We Can Do It Pink, MAC Venomous Villains Nail Lacquers, Nicole by OPI Gossip Girl collection, OPI Burlesque Collection, Orly Tis The Season Holiday Set, Zoya Wicked & Wonderful collections

1st Runner Up: China Glaze Merry Mint gift set, China Glaze Dreaming Of A Green Christmas gift set, CND Night Factory Duo, CND Sparkling Holiday Effects Duo, OPI Burlesque Red Shimmer Minis

2nd Runner Up: China Glaze Party Hearty gift set, China Glaze Oh Ruby Deer gift set, CND Night Factory Duo, CND Sparkling Holiday Effects Duo, OPI Burlesque Red Shimmer Minis

3rd Runner Up: China Glaze Celebrate In Style gift set, CND Night Factory Duo, CND Sparkling Holiday Effects Duo, OPI Burlesque Red Shimmer Minis

Pretty sweet prizes, huh? Enter to win and together we can make a difference!

Disclosure: Some prizes were donated by the brands, some were purchased by me, others are extra samples I had available to give away.

Before we get to the fun stuff, let me first thank all of you for your support of my BCA Month efforts. Your comments and donations truly help make a difference towards finding a cure for breast cancer. Even in a time of economic crisis we managed to raise more money than last year for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and for that I am truly grateful.

We raised $758 through the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway with a total of 152 entries.

Combine that with my personal donation of $150, due to your support of my Comments For A Cure Campaign, and that’s a total donation of $908. Incredible!!

Now for the giveaway winners. Valerie D. is our Grand Prize Winner and Karin H. and Lisa B. take home the Runner-Up gift packs. Congrats ladies! Enjoy your prizes!

Breast Cancer Awareness month is coming to a close but you can still make a difference. I appreciate all of you that sounded off to support my Comments For A Cure campaign. The turnout was even better than last year but there is more we can do to raise awareness.

*Remember to do monthly self breast exams. You know your body best and doing regular self exams is your first line of defense.

*Encourage your friends to do the same. The more you talk about this issue, the less power breast cancer has.

*Talk to your doctor about mammograms. Only you and your doctor can determine the best time to start regular mammograms. Make sure he/she has all your medical history, including family members, and discuss what age you should start the uncomfortable but essential process.

*Support breast cancer research through donations and pink product purchases but do your research. There is a lot of “pink washing” in the retail sector and just because something dons the pink ribbon doesn’t mean there is a charitable contribution behind it.

The Estee Lauder family of brands has a lot of wonderful pink ribbon products that support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. If you’re going to shop for beauty anyway why not make a difference with your purchase?

Since they have generously donated four of their products to the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway (don’t forget to enter!), I wanted to highlight them for you.


AVEDA Hand Relief ($21) – I reviewed this hand creme last October (click to view) and can’t say enough good things about it. I’ve always been an Aveda hair care girl but thanks to Hand Relief I’ve begun exploring other parts of the line.

Aveda will donate $4 from each sale of the Breast Cancer Awareness Hand Relief to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation to fund environmental research to help find a cure, with a maximum donation of $300,000.

CLINIQUE Lipgloss Key Chain ($18.50) – A cute trio of pink Long Last Glosswear shades. I’ve been obsessed with this formula for months now. The LE Honey Shimmer shade is my go-to everyday gloss and it really does last.

$10 per Lipgloss Key Chain purchased during the month of October will be donated to The
Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

ESTÉE LAUDER Jeweled Pink Ribbon Pin ($12.50) – Show your BCA Month support with a little glitz factor. This pin is affordable and adorable.

Estée Lauder will donate $500,000 in connection with the sales of its Pink Ribbon Collection to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

PRESCRIPTIVES Pink Ribbon Palette for Cheeks and Eyes ($48.50) – With four eyeshadows and two blushes in flattering pinks and chocolates, this would be great for travel just to carry in your purse.

Prescriptives will donate $20,000 in connection with North American sales of the PX Pink
Ribbon Palette for Cheeks and Eyes to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

If you want to WIN all four of these items, make sure you enter the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway before October 31st. In addition to these great EL goodies you could win 30+ bottles of nail polish and other beauty booty. Don’t miss out!!!

There’s only a few hours left in ALU’s 3rd Annual Comments For A Cure campaign. Please take a few moments to leave a comment on ANY post to help me raise funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. So many of you have commented already with your support, let’s keep it up.

To brighten this gloomy, rainy Friday and keep the BCA Month spirit alive at ALU HQ, I’m burning the Altru Appreciation Collection Aromatic Incense. Throughout October, Altru honors BCA month by donating 20% of proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for ANY Appreciation product. I’ll admit that I haven’t burned incense since I was in college. My roommate always had one going. So when the reps for Altru offered to support my Think Pink – Donate & Win giveaway with three sets of incense I got a bit nostalgic for my U of Cincinnati dorm days. The Appreciation scent is definitely better than the cheap incense we burned from the head shop near campus. It’s floral with a bit of sweetness. Not at all granny-ish. Very soothing. Makes me yearn for spring blooms. The Altru Appreciation collection is available at Neiman Marcus and AltrubyGamillah.com and includes: Soy Blend Wax Candle ($48), Interior Fragrance Oil ($65) and Aromatic Incense ($15).

Want a chance to win some Altru Appreciation Incense along with a ton of other goodies that would make any Fanatic’s day? Make sure you enter the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway before October 31st. We’ve already raised $555 for the BCRF. Can you help us reach the $1000 mark?

As a proud member of the Beauty Blog Network, I am taking a stand with my fellow beauty bloggers in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month to support cancer charities through Comments For A Cure.

All Lacquered Up’s Comments For A Cure campaign launches TODAY, October 21st.

Please join me in the fight against breast cancer by leaving a comment on any post on All Lacquered Up today through Friday, October 23rd. Every comment will raise $1 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation up to a maximum of $150. That’s right, you leave a comment, I donate. What could be easier?

Don’t forget to enter the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway. You have until October 31st to donate for the chance to win one of THREE fabulous prize packages. Support a worthy cause and you could win!

For the 3rd year in a row, OPI has created a shade to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure and raise breast cancer awareness. They will be donating $25,000 to the Komen For The Cure foundation.

“The fight against breast cancer continues, as does the unrelenting commitment of Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help find the cures,” says Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive VP & Artistic Director. “OPI is proud to join with Komen for a third year, with Pink of Hearts 2009 Edition. It is OPI’s way to support the effort to end this disease, to honor those affected by it, and to give all women the power to help make a difference.”

Pink of Hearts 2009 is a slightly warm mid-tone pink creme. I would call it a semi-sheer since I could still see my tips after two coats. What you see below is three coats of color with no top coat.

As you know I am raising funds for breast cancer research through the Think Pink – Donate & Win Giveaway and OPI has been kind of enough to donate 3 bottles of Pink of Hearts 2009 to the cause. We are at the halfway point in the month and only a quarter of the way to our goal so please take a minute and consider donating to this worthy cause. You could just win a basket full of nail and beauty goodies.

Pink of Hearts 2009 is on sale now at salons nationwide including Beauty Brands, Beauty First, Chatters, Dillard’s, JCPenney, Pure Beauty, Regis, Trade Secret and Ulta for $8.50/ea.