As students prepare to head back to school, Macy’s and Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation’s oldest and largest children and family literacy nonprofit organization, are joining forces for another year to launch Macy’s 2008 ”Book A Brighter Future” campaign. The program is designed to promote and support early childhood literacy programs and resources, including books for underserved children throughout the nation.
For $3, which Macy’s will donate to RIF, customers will get a $10 off shopping pass to be used toward their next eligible Macy’s purchase of $50 or more. The RIF shopping passes are available in-store from July 23, 2008 and are effective through September 1, 2008. They will be redeemable in most Macy’s departments. (Exclusions apply. See shopping pass for details.) One dollar of each $3 donated will go to support a local RIF program; $1 will benefit RIF’s Multicultural Literacy Campaign; and $1 will support reading resources for children nationwide.

When style and beauty expert Jenn Falik headed south this summer to hot Houston she gave me a buzz, ready to share the latest and greatest products that she had tested herself. She has this one product called lip venom, made by DuWop. Guess what this lip plumper is made from... snake venom. It tingles when it goes on, but if Jenn's wearing it, I'll try it. She's a true New York City girl with Texas charm. I think she's from here, but it's been a while since she called Houston home. Jenn knows her fashion and beauty, and best of all bargains. I can't wait until she heads south again. Meanwhile check out Jenn's website.

Did you know you can get free cosmetics, skin care, and fragrances? This is no gimmick. Sephora, the big beauty emporium, in most major malls and shopping centers has a customer incentive program that rewards patrons with points that go toward free deluxe samples. Most recently for my purchases I received a great skincare package from Clinique, and for my birthday, when I just happened to drop in a local Sephora store because my lip brush broke, they gave me a bottle of bubble bath. You can join the rewards program and get "beauty-full" by visiting one of their many stores or http://www.sephora.com/beautyinsider/;jsessionid=2JWDQXRRUMWK4CV0KRTRXCQ