Here’s part 2 of the post from I am THE Makeup Junkie’s blog (AKA Marie). I am doing this in partnership with Marie. She has picked out 10 items, I am picking out close to 10 items. I might run over because I haven’t been focusing on much but skincare and I want to cover a few other beauty areas. Also if you read yesterday’s post, you will see the first part of this post– which was hair care and skincare (which was actually the end of Marie’s post and I made it the first of 2 parts so that I could insert my skincare favorites before I got to color & fragrance)
THE 10 BEST BEAUTY ITEMS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
I think you already know this, but the holiday season brings out my inner beauty nut. Beauty companies compete for our hard earned dollars with fabulous limited edition blockbuster sets that all of us fight to obtain by sometimes staying up late into the night (admit it, you have done this). Today I want to discuss my 10 favorite beauty items for the 2011 holiday season. You have gift cards and you want to spend them, am I right?
First, let’s talk palettes. I have three palettes that I think are part of this holiday’s best offerings. Two are from Urban Decay. I am loving their Naked 2 palette (http://iamthemakeupjunkie.blogspot.com/2011/12/yippee-urban-decay-does-follow-up-with.html)
and their 15th Anniversary Set ).
I chose this over their Book of Shadows IV because of the newer shadows it had in it. Finally, the third set is a Too Faced kit that has almost everything in it, Too Faced Sweet Dreams which is a Sephora exclusive.Other item(s) I am think are particularly special right now are: MAC False Lashes (www.maccosmetics.com), $19.00. I am a huge fan of mascaras and I think this one really makes lashes look long and lovely.
Hopefully you aren’t necessarily looking for tools. If you are, then I would see if you could find a high end or better beauty supply store and buy someone a great hair dryer like a Bio-Ionic Power Light Hair Dryer. Whether it’s a guy or a girl, there are small ones for travel and large ones for home use. They are lightweight and they ROCK when it comes to getting hair dry FAST! (Also check out my recent video/post on Byu-ti with Lara about tools)
I am a huge fan of Makeup Forever, Illamasqua, Armani Beauty and assorted brands that have bigger price tags.
My favorites are
1) MUFE waterproof eye pencils. They are called Aqua Eyes and I bought a metallic bronze which is a bit more copper but really a NICE pencil and it smudges nicely and also keeps a nice clean line allowing me application flexibility. $18.
2) Illamasqua loose pigment shadows ($24) are a worthwhile buy and they last a long time. A little goes a long way so less is more in application. They have a body powder also known as Powdered Metal that makes your skin radiate with a diamond shimmer. Definitely something you would want to do for New Year’s Eve or some other party!!
(find the Powdered Metal only at Illamasqua online)
3) Armani Beauty is a staple in my kit: the UV Foundation – in any formula is worth buying.
Their Eyes To Kill Intense shadow are extraordinary (- a cream to powder shadow ) and try to buy just one– impossible!! The colors are lush and they stay put!
I love their mascaras too — I have at least 3 of them and I rotate through them I even kept one that had gone dry because the wand was great at separation. (Eyes to Kill Excess is a superb one. The new lengthening mascara is a must have– particularly for New Years Eve )
4) Another mascara is the Lancome Hypnose Doll which is amazing!!
5) Want that golden glow? How about Modelco’s Tan Gloss Shimmering Self Tanner. WOW.. talk about blowing someone away with a great product. This will have you looking like you were in Tahiti and shimmer at the same time. It’s perfect holiday material (and dont’ forget to stock up for bridal and summer too. It’s a snap to apply.
Fragrance is one of my favorite things and if you can’t figure out what you can, check out www.LuckyScent.com for a dizzying array of fragrances. The great part is that you don’t have to decide all at once! You can buy samples of the ones you would like to try and then buy later. Yummy!!
Another couple of fragrances I have liked:
Soulgasm by Sasha Varon
Notes include:
Open: succulent peach, Anjou pear, South African freesia, ripe black currant
Heart: wild, night-blooming jasmine, delicate Eurasian lily, multi-faceted woodberry
Base: clean musk, warm amber, sweet French vanilla
It might sound like it’s so fruity but it’s not. It’s an unusual blend that’s both fun, light, yet intoxicating and will definitely get you noticed. I liked it enough to buy it for myself!!
If you are more a body lotion/fragrance type of person, here are a couple of scents you might want to try. from Chamfel. The Civilizations collection of body lotions come in French Revolution— a distinctly feminine scent of tuberose, sensual jasmine, the delicate lilac, heady champagne and sweet chocolate, spicy cedar, dewdrops of orange blossom and raspberry, a bouquet of sweet delights!
Nubian Princess is quite different! This is a bit more exotic with freesia, sweet hibiscus, lemon grass, banana, the rare essence of bird of paradise mixed with peppermint. All the body lotions have excellent skin nourishing properties so they are more than just fragrances– they are emollient and suitable to keep your skin soft and supple.
There are five scents in all– these are just two of the five. Do check them out here.
I think I have gone off the deep end here. That’s part of the “beauty addiction” and one could go on– but why? There’s enough here to find in stores or online — with a nice note popped into a holiday card saying the gift is on the way. Most of these brands and items can be found in stores so that you have the opportunity today.. (even right now) to call and get the items you want set aside for you on hold and you head into the mall or store to purchase them. It’s really that easy!
Thank you to Marie from I am THE Makeup Junkie blog
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
FREE Makeup Bag + 12 Free Samples with any $25 Purchase. Code: FROMSEPHORA
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