Holiday Hotness

You’ve decked the halls , lit the lights and picked out the perfect little holiday dress – all that’s left is to steal a smooch when the clock strikes midnight, which requires serious seasonal seductiveness. The weather outside may be frightful but with a few fun beauty techniques, you’ll warm up the room, instantly!

The best part about holiday makeup is that it’s the one time of year when over-the-top can really work for you! New Years is a celebration – no one rings it in with a golf clap. It involves jumping and cheering and even “noisemakers…” (when else do you break out devices created solely for the purpose of making noise!) Translation? Loud is good. So dare to wear some noisy makeup!

Out on the town in a little black dress? Add some excitement with BRIGHT colored shadow, teals and purples are the hottest hues right now and they look great with any eye color.

The easiest way to wear these colors is to line the top and bottom lids with a bright shadow, using a stiff, angular brush. Then, use a soft, clean brush or your finger to smudge the color around. If all goes according to plan, it’ll end up looking subtle, but attention grabbing at the same time.

If you’re feeling really bold, try using a standout color on the entire lid! Check out these suggestions from Sephora for a vivid violet eye:

• Apply violet shadow up to the crease of the eye, and line the lower lash line with the violet, too.
• Next, take a dark purple shadow and apply to the inner and outer corners of the eye crease
• Finally, use a highly pigmented lilac shadow on the balls of the eyes, and blend the rest of the lines so that they’re smooth and continuous.

Too Faced’s Eyeshadow Duo in “Party Girl” has two perfectly complementary purples and the trio of purples in CoverGirl’s Eye Enhancers in “Dance Party 125” gives you everything you need to get the look for under $5.

If bright eye colors aren’t your bag, new years is the one time of year that glittery makeup ≠ stripper makeup! Good news for all you sassy senoritas who love to sparkle! Try glitter on your eyes, shimmer on your cheeks or sparkle on your lips!

Makeup Forever has gorgeous glitter powders that can be applied to the eyelid with a wet brush, and will glitter all night long. It comes in a variety of shades, so you can get truly glitzy.

For a subtle cheek shimmer, try dusting Bobbi Brown’s shimmer brick onto the tops of the cheekbones in a sweeping “C” like motion from the eye down toward the nose. Or try Smashbox Softlights, which also beautifully highlights the contours of the face without being blindingly shimmery or shiny looking.

Finally- for sultry, sparkly lips, try Benefit’s Glitz Glam and Gloss kit! For only $26 you’ll get six shades with subtle sparkle that will work with any skin tone and look just festive enough to wear long beyond the New Years countdown!

Go ahead and get loud, gals- it’s new years! Sparkle until the sun shines- and I’ll see you in 2010!

Happy Holidays, Beauties!

Give the Gift of Gorgeous!

Sleighbells are ringing, carolers are singing and Santa is “ho, ho, ho-ing,” which is why it’s no wonder that holiday cheer often comes with a hearty side of holiday headache. For many of us, yuletide stress lurks around every Christmassy corner, particularly when it comes to finding the right gifts for the important people in our lives. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a gift is worth a Tolstoy novel: from roommate appreciation to romantic intent the gift you choose expresses how you feel. So what’s a gal with a little time and a lot of names on her list to do?

When in doubt, give gorgeousness! There are so many great buys this time of year for all the fabulous females on your list (and even for some of the guys!)

Following are a few of my top picks:

e.l.f (eyes lips face) has been flying under the radar for years, with amazing products at mind-blowingly low prices! The beauty kits that they offer are perfect for when you don’t want to spend a lot but have no idea what to buy! Check out these three fab choices at three different price levels:

Under $5:

Need some stocking stuffers for the ladies in your life? e.l.f. has an unbelievable array of lip glosses and shadows for $1 or $2. Check out this lip color trio that costs less than your latte!

Under $10:

For that fabulous friend who looks like a knockout in neutrals, check out this amazing kit for only $8. It contains Natural Lash Kit, Dramatic Lash Kit, Flirt Hypershine, Super Glossy Lip Shine Goddess, Candy Tin Melon Mayhem, Nail Polish in Clear, Nail Polish in Nude and Eyeliner Brush. Guaranteed to be adored!

Under $15

Know someone who loves to experiment with her makeup? Get her this 27-piece kit for only $15! It includes everything but the kitchen sink! (Kitchen sink included in the 81- and 141-piece collections offered by e.l.f.!)

Want to get something super-special for your sister? Sephora’s got something for everyone and if you shop soon, you can take advantage of one of its rare sales!

http://www.sephora.com/browse/section.jhtml?categoryId=C10214&om_mmc=oth-dailycandy-dedicated12132009

Laura Mercier’s Eye Design Kit is pricey at $75, but that’s $50 off of the original price and Mercier’s products are rich, luxurious and work for every skin tone.

For the frazzled friend who needs some R&R: Let Philosophy sweep her away with the Winter Escape set. Cocoa scented shampoo, Marshmallow lip gloss and body lotion will give her an indulgent treat in her own boudoir. All for only $19

For the man in your life that loves to travel and, of course to break hearts:

Get him the Jack Black First Class Five Gift Set to keep him looking dapper without getting stopped at security in the airport.

Finally, Give the gift of Happiness:

Every one of the nine pieces in the limited edition Bare Minerals Happiness Collection are infused with mood-boosting Happybelle, a complex containing a natural plant extract believed to mimic the effect of endorphins and induce a sense of happiness. Even if euphoria doesn’t come inside the package, it will look like it did! The gorgeous colors, rich black mascara and fabulous berry lip gloss combine to leave a look that will have people wondering whether the glow came from being on the naughty list or the nice list! The $137 value is only $54 for the holidays!

Giving gifts doesn't have to get ugly! Enjoy shopping online or in stores by giving everyone the gift of gorgeousness!

Happy Holidays, lovelies!