Bette Midler with Joy Behar

Bette Midler is making the rounds - just a few weeks ago she appeared on the BBC's very funny Graham Norton Show, and now she's chatting with Joy Behar on CNN.



I thought everyone knew she had panic attacks before going on stage? Or is it only me?

Save Our Oceans

Just because it's the holiday season doesn't mean we should forget about the stuff that goes on every day on our planet. Nautica is introducing a limited edition Save Our Oceans t-shirt, of which 100% of the profits will to to support the continuing relief efforts on the Gulf Coast.

The t-shirt retails for $25.00 and can be purchased at Nautica.com, 100% of the proceeds from the sale benefit Oceana, Inc. (Purchases from the following states will not benefit the charity: AL, MA and ME).

I have one t-shirt to give away, in the size of your choice. Just leave a comment and you'll be entered in the drawing. Contest ends December 22nd.

The fine print:

Entrants who have won a prize from any Minx blogs will be ineligible to win again for a period of sixty (60) days.

Only Entrants who provide valid e-mail addresses will be considered in prize drawings.

Unless otherwise specified, Entrants must be 18 or older and located in the US or Canada only.

The odds of winning are dependent on how many entries are received.

Winners will be chosen randomly and notified via email.

Merry Christmas to Me!

I've been a very good girl this year, making very few fragrance purchases (three full bottles in April, at Sniffapalooza, and only samples the rest of the year), so I decided to treat myself for Christmas with a couple decants I've been craving.

While I usually buy decants from folks at Scentsplits, I found even more goodies at Crystal Flacon. My gift to myself was five 10ml decants from three different Crystal Flacon sellers (Mudassir, Archmemory, and Strifeknot): Chanel Coromandel, Annick Goutal Musc Nomade, Chanel 28 La Pausa, Etat Libre d'Orange Like This Tilda Swinton, and Odori Iris.

So did you buy yourself anything for the holidays? Do tell!

Burlesque Madrid Premiere

What's wrong with this photo? Sixty-something Cher can still get away with wearing mini skirts, ok, I get that. But why is 20-something Christina Aguilera wearing such an unflattering below-the-knee hem length? And why is she wearing yet another black dress to a Burlesque premiere?

Joan Rivers Back on TV

...in Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?, premiering January 25, 2011!

OMG... Wouldn't you want to curl up into a ball and die if your mother was Joan Rivers?

Beyoncé Heat

While I'm not normally a huge fan of celebrity fragrances, I just had to mention singer Beyoncé's first fragrance, Heat. It's a woodsy, fruity thing, something that I have seen described as a "fruitchouli" and similar to lots of new fragrances that are popular with the younger set. It's not bad at all, actually.

Before you yawn, check out this potentially great stocking stuffer:

A ginormous cocktail ring that contains Heat solid perfume. The ring is heavy, huge (the top is about 1 1/4" x 1"), and utterly fabulous. And it comes with the cute little pouch, too. $35. Someone on your gift list is bound to love it. The only problem I can see is that the ring is about a size 6.5 or 7, which is huge on my tiny fingers, but may be perfect for other folks. YMMV.

Beyoncé Heat Notes: magnolia, neroli, red vanilla orchid, blush peach, almond macaroon, honeysuckle, crème de musk, giant sequoia milkwood, tonka bean, amber

ASOS Comes to the US!

From reading other fashion blogs, I understand that British fashion company, ASOS, has some really in-demand garments, particularly in plus sizes. And now they're available in the US!

What's more, for the next few days international shipping is FREE!

Click here to shop ASOS.

Give a Gift of Beauty for the Holidays

If you're looking for some gift ideas in the beauty/fragrance department, here are some of my recommendations. If I find more, I'll do another post.

L'Eau Ambree Gift Set $76 at Sephora

Includes:
1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
3.4 oz Hydrating Body Lotion
0.2 oz Eau de Parfum

I got this yummy set for Christmas last year! The scent is a rich amber that is a bit on the cool side, with a touch of chypre to my nose. Notes: Mandarin, Lemon, May Rose Absolute, Gardenia, Amber, Patchouli, Vanilla, Opoponax

Philosophy Holiday Parade Set $25, exclusively at Macy's

Includes:
6 oz each Butterscotch Candy, Bubble Gum Blow Out, and I Love Red Licorice shampoo/shower gel/bubble bath

I love Philosophy products because they 1) smell great; 2) are versatile. No need to have multiple products in the shower when one will do. This would make a really cute gift for a Secret Santa or a co-worker.

Nest Holiday Candle $32 at Saks

Created by Laura Slatkin, this candle is the essence of the holiday season with its notes of pomegranate, mandarin orange, pine, cloves, and cinnamon. I got a votive as a freebie at Sniffapalooza last year and loved it so much, I bought the 8oz version to burn this year. It really makes my whole house smell like Christmas.

How about another one of my new favorite scents, Iris Noir?

Iris Noir gift set, $40 at Yves Rocher

Includes:
1.7 oz Iris Noir EDP
6.7 oz Perfumed Shower Gel

Notes: bergamot, coriander, iris, ambrette seed, patchouli, Tonka bean