Beauty

Whether you plan on rocking out hard this December 31st  or attend an intimate soiree (that’s me), New Year’s Eve is the best reason to try a festive new makeup look- and a few sparkles.  Below, I share some of my favorite new finds for the season.  May these great products make you feel extra beautiful this New Year!

Complexion

Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer:  Too many flutes of bubbly may dry out your skin so make sure to take preventative action with this new tinted moisturizer from Clinique which combines sheer layer of color with the brand’s best selling ultra lightweight moisturizer. If you’re going for a au-natural finish, this product does double duty as your moisturizer and foundation, or if you prefer a flawless finish, dabble heavier coverage foundation in trouble areas over.

Cle de Peau Refining Fluid Foundation: This serum-like foundation ranks as one of my all time favorite products and uses complex technology to make your skin look radiant and dewy under any type of lighting while a built in control powder prevents shine. The long lasting formulation stays as fresh at the end of the night as when you first apply it and the medium coverage provides a flawless finish.

Bobbi Brown Party Shimmer Brick: Having long been a fan of Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks, it’s no surprise that I think the special party brick in Oro/Argento is perfect for an evening look.  Whether you’re going for an overall warm or cool makeup look, this brick has got you covered, adding just the right amount of shimmer to highlight and brighten.  Try sweeping the gold across the brow bones to add a subtle twinkle to your eye.

Clarins Passion Face Palette: While this holiday palette is meant for the face, my favorite use is  to sweep it along the collar bones and decolletage for an all over subtle rosy finish that is sure to look great in photos.

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I haven’t gotten a chance to see the new Muppets movie yet, which I’m really disappointed about because everyone I know who has seen it has raved about it.  But the only time I’ve gone to the movies lately, it was a choice between the Muppets and “The Descendants” and I’m sorry, Muppets, but Clooney wins in that scenario.  I’ll see it soon, but until then, I’ve been passing the time playing around with their new collection from OPI.  “The Muppets” is a set of 12 different polishes that were all inspired by the new movie and are out for the holiday season.  I love the collection because it’s filled with sparkly glitter shades and tons of color – not many neutrals here!  I love glitter polishes pretty much any time of the year, but I especially covet them this month when you can wear them to all of your fabulous holiday parties.  Also, OPI has the best names for shades.  They make me laugh out loud every time I read about new collections and this one is especially fun.  Here’s what you’ll find in the collection: (more…)

When it’s cold, I’m rigid about using body lotion as much as possible to keep my skin hydrated.  My current favorites all come from Pacifica’s Magic Carpet Ride set.

For $28, you get three full-sized Body Butters, so you’re saving almost half of what it would cost if you bought them separately.  And the scents are amazing.  The three included are Indian Coconut Nectar, Tuscan Blood Orange, and a new scent called Island Vanilla.  Seriously, you guys, they’re fabulous.  I sometimes catch myself just opening the cap and sniffing the lotion even if I’m not putting it on – they’re that good.  (I make sure to do it when no one’s around, so I don’t look like a crazy person!)  The body butters themselves are delightfully moisturizing without being greasy or oily, and since I love to layer my scents, I really enjoy that there’s matching body washes to go with them.  I love finding favorite new products!

Are you on a staycation over the holidays or in need of a perfect hostess gift for the friend with the cozy chalet? Say thank you and spoil someone rotten with Waterworks’ luxurious giftables. We love the Tub Tranquility Set, taking you away with uplifting fragrances of Lemon Verbena, and soothing sea salts for a spa-like soak. Included is one oversized, natural sponge to cleanse and exfoliate, fragrant Lemon Verbena Candle and Hand Soap, Tub Tea to soothe every muscle and a lavishly long looped terry tub pillow for a soft spot to rest your head.

All packaged in a Palm White Wash Tray for $150 at  www.waterworks.com.

Urban Decay never fails to wow me, especially around the holidays when their already impressive lineup always expands to include lots of fun sparkly makeup and tons of holiday gift sets.  This year is no exception.  There’s so many fun things to play around with, I almost didn’t know where to start when I picked them up.  (more…)

Give your mommy friends not only an adorable gift but a practical one this holiday!  This cute kit will be sure to keep mom sane, especially during the craziness of the season. The new Minimergency Kit for Moms by Ms. & Mrs. is a survival essential to help avoid melt-downs. Contained is an amazing assortment of 17 personal (and kid-friendly) care items to avoid disasters on-the-go: lip balm, breath freshener, dental floss, emery board, clear elastics, earring backs, mending kit, stain remover, deodorant towelette, pain reliever, caffeine gum, facial tissues, adhesive bandages, hand sanitizing towelettes, thermometer, mini crayon set, mini playing cards.

Retails for $16 at www.msandmrs.com.

One of the most common questions I get asked about eye creams is “How can I tell it’s working?” The truth is, like cellulite creams, it can be hard to see results. Wrinkles/dark eye circles? Any beauty editor will tell you that these things are notoriously hard to change. This doesn’t mean that your eye cream has zero benefit though–the best eye creams prevent additional wrinkles and lessen the appearance of dark eye circles. I choose those words carefully because I fully believe that again, like cellulite creams, eye creams that promise to ERASE flaws such as wrinkles and dark eye circles are a hoax. Once you have either of those, you’re stuck. This is all a very long introduction to tell you about an eye cream I do like, Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery.

 Kiehls Midnight Recovery is a lightweight, super moisturizing eye balm, partner to Kiehls Midnight Concentrate. Like all Kiehls products, it’s formulated with a lot of super-duper natural ingredients that I don’t completely understand but certainly work. Midnight Recovery contains ingredients like lavender oil, evening primrose, and two other mysterious ones called squalane (which is a lipid and thanks to high school Science class, I can identify as a moisturizing fat) and butcher’s broom (sounds like something Harry Potter used in a Potions class). I like the Kiehls moisturizer because it’s non-greasy, substantially thick (in a good way) and soaks into the skin. It doesn’t leave a sticky film and absorbs quickly, so that you can apply eye concealer immediately over it. In terms of moisturizing softness, it leaves the under-eye dewy and moist, to go from morning to night.  Unlike most eye balms, Midnight Recovery is offered in a slim tube. The product can be squeezed out in a thin line, which I like for its precision and non-messiness.

The cream retails for $36 and comes in a 0.5 tube. It’s almost sneakable past TSA (kind TSA agents like some of those I’ve encountered in the Southern airports might let this slip by in carry-on. But then again, after trying this, would you really want to take the chance that they might want to confiscate it for their own personal use? )