Someone asked me the other day, “Bella, what’s up with you and all these giveaways?”

I just LOVE doing them. Part of being an online editor or blogger is learning about, and often getting the opportunity to review all of these amazing products. Offering a giveaway to my readers gives me a chance to spread joy. Please know that I do my best to review the products I personally use and respect the quality of. In turn, it brings me joy to hear back from you when you’ve won something here. Just recently I got awesome e mails from the winners of my Peace Images earring giveaway, and the Sarenzo Beads headband giveaways, complete with photos of them rocking their prizes. I can’t tell you how happy that made me!

I hope you enjoy the giveaways as much as I do, and even if you don’t win this one, keep commenting. Don’t give up – someday it’ll be your turn!

The winner of the Q-Tips giveaway is #50 – Kami. Congrats!!

And like I said, if you didn’t win – best of luck with the next one. I’ve got an AMAZING holiday season jam packed with giveaways, including my biggest giveaway EVER, so keep entering!

Sometimes I use them dry. Sometimes I use them wet. Depends on what look I’m going for. Doesn’t matter the method — either way Q-Tips are must-have beauty essentials.

I do have a battalion of makeup brushes, but still I reach for the familiar brand name cotton swab, when it’s time for a quick eye-makeup application (or clean-up, if I’ve managed to make a mess… which happens often).

And I’m not alone! The amazing Mally Roncal recommends using Q-tips to vamp up your office-appropriate look for an after-work cocktail party (she advises dipping a Q-tip into smimmer powder, then highlight cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, the center of your eyelids, and your brow bones. Blend, blow a kiss at your reflection and you’re out the door!) Makeup artist to the stars Troy Jensen (yeppers, Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist!) offers a helpful tip — roll with Q-Tips for those long days out when you’re just bound to wind up with raccoon eyes. Smart!

How does a brand as ubiquitous as Q-Tips update their image? By releasing the adorable and tres-chic Vanity Packs. Initially available in four trendy designs, the Vanity Packs are about to make a holidazzle debut with chic boxes to go with your Yuletide decor. AND to up the ante, the good peeps at Q-Tips are offering Afrobella readers a special giveaway!

One lucky Afrobella reader will win all four Q-tips® Vanity Packs and a chic jewelry box from West Elm (retailed at $100).

SO pretty, right??

All you have to do is tell me: how do you use Q-Tips in your beauty regimen?

I’m gonna close these comments by Thursday and choose a random winner on Friday, so let me know ASAP!

Good luck, bellas!!

The e mail in my inbox was short and to the point. “Bella, have you chosen the Carol’s Daughter winners yet?” It was the kind of thought that’d normally run through my head, shortly after the giveaway. Except this time it hadn’t. I let THREE giveaways come and go, and STILL hadn’t chosen a winner for any of them. Why?

Because I’m spreading myself too thin, juggling too many jobs, spinning too many plates. And forgetting things-to-do that are actually important. So please accept my abject apologies, and let’s get down to business! All of the following winners were chosen randomly, by number.

The winners of the Carol’s Daughter Princess and the Frog collections are:

– #11 – Angie O
– #24 – Dayeshell Muhammad
– #40 – Marilise

The winners of the Cover Girl giveaway are:

– #7 – soukho
– #20 – Danielle

And the winner of the Sherri single survival kit giveaway is:
#32 — Michelle

WHEW! Congratulations to all of you beautiful bellas! I’m going to pace myself better and let one giveaway run its course before I begin the next one. So if you didn’t win this time — hang in there. I’ve got some INSANE giveaways coming up for the rest of the year. The holiday season will feature the biggest giveaway yet!

I love hosting giveaways, but it’s so rare that I actually get to see the winners enjoying what they won!

Just this last week, two Afrobella readers — Brightstarr82 and Nina — won tickets to the Lexus Listening Lounge. At the time I couldn’t reveal details of the performers. But now I can — Ryan Leslie!

From what I hear, the winners had a blast. Here’s Brightstarr82 and Celena of Strictly Fab looking tres chic at the event!

Celena got an up close and personal pic with Ryan Leslie, and Nina — where you at?? E mail me and I’ll add your undoubtedly gorgeous photo as well.

More on Ryan Leslie and Hal Linton’s style, courtesy of Strictly Fab, under the jump!
Read the rest of this entry »

Sherri Shepherd — Chicago gal, comedic actress turned serious actress, she of is-the-world-flat?-I-don’t-know opinions on The View.

There’s something about her that I find extremely likable.

Even when Sherri’s putting her foot in it alongside Whoopi and Babs and making me yell at my TV, I still like her. When she’s playing Tracy Jordan’s take-no-BS wife on 30 Rock, I LOVE her. And I’m interested to see how she’ll fare on Lifetime, as the star of her own self-titled sitcom.

Sherri can be described as semi-autobiographical. It “centers around a newly single mom, paralegal and part-time comedienne/actress who tries to get back into the dating scene and move on with her life after divorcing her cheating husband.” I’ll let the New York Times say it, not me — “Any resemblance to her own very public break-up with the comedian Jeff Tarpley will be purely coincidental.”

During Lifetime’s Sneak Peek Week, all new episodes will air nightly at 7 pm EST. And during this special Afrobella/Lifetime giveaway, one lucky reader (who lives in the USA) will get a sweet Sherri “Single Survival Kit,” which includes the following:

*a PurseN
*Pamper U Pouch (printed zipper pouch includes 10 oz lavender fragrance body lotion, 8 oz lavender fragrance bath crystals, unscented tea light candle, and cool eye gel mask)
*a chrome purse holder
*a pair of velour slippers
*an umbrella
*a rabbit style wine opener
ALL inside a branded Sherri tote bag!

Pretty sweet gift for a single lady! I NEED to get myself a PurseN – how have I never heard of this miracle product before??

All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me — which of those survival kit items would help you the most as a single woman?

I’ll close comments on Friday and choose a winner over the weekend. Good luck to all my single ladies!

Without further ado, because time is of the essence: here are the randomly, numerically chosen winners of the Lexus listening lounge giveaway!

#9 – Nina

and #23 – Brightstarr82

Congratulations!! I’ll be in touch to get your names and contact info so you can be added to the list for this exclusive event tomorrow night.

And for the rest of you who didn’t win, fret not thyself! I’ve got more special ticket giveaways coming up, AND the Cover Girl Giveaway will be open until this afternoon. So you can still win a little something with ya girl Afrobella!

Happy Monday, bellas!