Hello Beauties!

I just wanted to write you a quick note to wish you all some Happy Holidays! I have been uber busy this week and haven’t had much time to sit down and post. I came home to San Diego for the holidays and it has been a non-stop whirlwind of adventure. I will get back into my regular posting routine after Christmas, and hopefully I will be able to bang out a few more posts before then too! I have another holiday makeup idea coming up, as well as a few product swatch posts and hopefully I will get some new makeup for Christmas that I will be able to review

.Hope your holidays are happy, safe and filled with lots of glitter

Holiday Makeup Idea!

I LOVE Jennifer Hudson’s makeup in this picture! I think it was for the Grammy’s, but the silvery smokey eye would be perfect to add a little bit of pizazz to your holiday makeup. Whether you are going to a company party, Christmas Eve dinner, or ringing in the New Year with friends, this sexy look will set you above the rest!

What You Need:

Silver Eyeshadow or Pigment

Matte Black Eyeshadow

Matte Chocolate Brown Eyeshadow

Black Eyeliner Pencil

False Eyelashes (Medium Length)

Shimmery Mauve Lipgloss

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How To Get The Look:

1. Start out with your foundation or tinted moisturizer. Add a drop or two of luminizing lotion to add a healthy glow to your skin. Smashbox’s Artificial Light and MAC’s Strobe Cream are great for this technique.

2. Take your silver eyeshadow and begin to apply it to the inner half of your eye. Look at the diagram below, the red dotted line shows where you should carry the silver to.  I like to use a firm flat brush to “pack” the color on. It will show up more vibrant this way. Do not go past your crease with the eyeshadow.

3. Add a little touch of the silver to the inner corner of your eyes (near the tear ducts!) It brightens your eyes and looks amazing.

4. Now, take a matte black eyeshadow and apply to the outer half of your eye, picking up where the silver leaves off. Extend the shadow out a little past your eye and blend well into the silver with a clean blending brush.

5. Once your silver and black shadows have been blended, take a matte chocolate brown eyeshadow on a clean brush and lightly contour your crease. Use the windshield wiper motion, back and forth. On the diagram, the yellow line shows where to apply the brown. Up until this point, you shouldn’t have gone past your natural crease with the other shadows, so now is the time to give it a little definition and to make your eyes pop.

6. Take your black eyeliner (pencil, gel, liquid, it’s up to you!) and line the upper eyelid, don’t worry about getting it too perfect because you’ll be adding lashes on top of it.

7. Now it’s time for the falsies! Apply these to your eye, and wait for them to dry completely before moving on.

8. Once the eyelash glue has dried, go BACK over the strip with your black eyeliner. This will help to hide fake eyelash band, and will define your eyes even more. Also apply two to three coats of black mascara to plump them up a bit.

9. Next, line your lower lash line with the same black eyeliner and smudge softly with a q-tip, just so the line doesn’t look too harsh. Don’t forget to line your waterline too! Jennifer’s lower eyeliner is not dramatic or too smokey, so just a little definition will do.

10. Sweep a plum or berry colored blush on your cheekbones.

11. Apply a shimmery mauve lipgloss like Jennifer’s, or make the look your own by wearing your favorite lip color! Nudes, burgundy’s and berry’s would all look stunning with this silver, smokey eye!

The Multiple Coffret

NARS has released a new gift set containing three of their Multiples, a cult-favorite item! Use the Multiples on your lips, eyes and cheeks- It’s the ultimate multi tasker! They are very creamy but blend flawlessly into your skin, providing a sheer finish of light color which is naturally gorgeous!

Do you hate when companies come out with their annual gift sets but leave out the best colors?? You don’t have to worry about that with this set! The three piece, trial sized gift set comes with Copacabana (my favorite!!) a pearly highlight, South Beach- a shimmery apricot, and Orgasm- their world famous, peachy pink shimmer.

Only $40 which is a great deal because one full size multiple is $37!

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I Want You Lipgloss Set

The NARS lipgloss set is a great stocking item!! It comes with 5 mini shades of lipgloss which pack on intense shine and gorgeous color. The set comes with Turkish Delight- their famous pink sorbet, Striptease- a candlelit nude, Greek Holiday- a sparkling pink sand, Orgasm- a warm pink with golden shimmer and Dolce Vita- a sheer dusty rose. A $76 value for $45!

Both Items Are Sephora Exclusives

I’m really excited about this gift set because MAKEUP FOREVER is one of my favorite cosmetics brands ever, definitely in the top 3. This Christmas, they have come out with an amazing gift set that contains 5 of their “best” products. If you’ve never tried Makeup Forever, it’s time to get acquainted!! Makeup artists swear by it and celebrities love it, but I’ve noticed that many women outside of the industry are not familiar with MUFE’s amazing products. The best of gift set contains an Aqua Eyes black eyeliner, their Smokey Lash mascara, the incredible HD powder, a travel sized HD primer and their Sens’Eyes sensitive eye cleaner.

MUFE’s Aqua Eyes eyeliners are amazingly creamy and uber waterproof! If you struggle with your eyeliner running or rubbing off, this pencil is definitley worth trying. They have tons of colors from metallics to mattes and can even double as a lip liner (in the right color, of course).

The Smokey Lash mascara great for va-va-voom eyelashes! It gives off intense black pigment while lengthening and curling. I’ve only used this mascara a handful of times but loved the results every time. Great to top of that sultry, smokey eye.

Their Sens’Eyes Sensitive Eye Cleaner is a fabulous product! It’s mineral oil free and contact lens safe! It’s a gel cleanser that wipes away your makeup easily and effecitively. If you have really sensitive eyes, this makeup remover is an awesome product to try.

MUFE’s HD Microperfecting Primer is the only product I have not specifically tried and tested. I have their green HD Primer (to counteract redness) and it’s pretty good!. When I was at the Makeup Artist Trade Show the year Makeup Forever released their HD line, I watched a live demonstration of their primers. They worked wonderfully and come in a line of 7 colors, all designed to correct or conceal specific problems.

Last but definitely not least, their HD Microfinish Powder is one of my favorite loose powders! It’s 100% silica powder and it gives an airbrushed, smooth look to the skin when buffed on. I love it because it does not make my models cakey looking at all and it’s invisible to the camera. Love, Love, LOVE.

I don’t know how MAKEUP FOREVER was only able to choose 5 “best of” products because everything they make is the best, but they did a great job with this set! It’s a Sephora exclusive and costs $49. Also, note that the products are travel sized.

Black Friday / Cyber Monday Savings!

Why is it that cosmetic and beauty items get kinda jipped when it comes to holiday deals?! Granted, there are tons of holiday gifts sets that are released but I wish that cosmetic companies would give us a sale every once in a while! Anyway, I found some deals that will save you a few extra bucks here and there, and most of them do not even require that you risk your life braving the crazy crowds!

Ulta!

Save $10 off of your purchases of $60 or more during Thanksgiving Weekend.

Good 11/24 through 11/30.

Coupon Code: 30138

ELF Cosmetics!

50% off Purchase of $15 or more

Coupon Code: Facebook

Spend $15 and get a $25 gift card free!

Coupon Code: Yummy

Target!

CHI 1″ Flat Iron- $89

In Store and Online. No coupon code necessary.

Not the best deal on a CHI but good for Target considering they are usually $119.

Folica!

$15 off purchases of $50 or more plus free shipping!

Expires: 12/01/09

Coupon Code: Save15

Benefit!

Free Shipping on Orders $25 or more.

Coupon Code: BlakShip

Bath and Body Works!

Get $10 off  purchases of $30  or more.

Coupon Code: TenOff 11/29/09

NARS Cosmetics is having an online sale! Take 22% off any order $60 or more. Enter 0011290CP in the coupon code box at checkout. You will receive free shipping on orders over $25! This is a rare opportunity, so it would be smart to jump at the chance to stock up on your favorites, try a new lipgloss or get some Christmas shopping out of the way!

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Some of My Favorite NARS Products:

The Multiples!!! (Copacabana is gorgeous!!)

Orgasm Blush (Obviously, a staple)

Lipglosses (Turkish Delight is a great soft pink and Bloodwork is a gorgeous true blood red)

Velvet Matte Lip Pencils (Great for perfect matte lips)

The Perfect Chance to Try Smashbox’s Best Selling Items!

Smashbox is one of my favorite brands of makeup so you can imagine my delight when they sent me an email this morning advertising their “Best of Sampler Kit!” Seriously, what is it about samples that makes us freak out?! When I worked at the makeup counters in Macy’s, people would go nuts for these, sometimes buying a full size item JUST to get a tiny sample dropped in their bag.

Anyway, if you have been dying to try out Smashbox’s famous and heavily raved about items, now is the perfect chance! This sampler set contains 10 (11 if you include the bag) of Smashbox’s best selling items ever!

You Get:

Artificial Light in Glow

Photo Finish Primer w/SPF 15 and Dermaxyl

Photo Finish Primer (Light)

O-Gloss

Photo-OP Under Eye Brightener

Eyeshadow Trio in Headshot

Softlights in Stardust

Pout and Afterglow Lipglosses

A FULL SIZE Creme Eyeliner Duo in Caviar/Midnight Brown

All of this for only $35!! It’s available only online, but shipping to the U.S is free!! This is a great deal, and could be a perfect gift for someone on your Christmas list.

P.S- The Artificial Light is my FAVORITE Smashbox item!! It gives you perfect highlights if you dab a little on your cheekbones, collarbone, or anywhere you want a little bit of shine. I use it on almost every photoshoot.