Polish Pic{k}s: New Year's Eve Style

I love me some sparkle & the holidays are a perfect excuse to take it up a notch!  I've been using Essie's Beyond Cozy as an accent color on my ring finger as of late, but for New Year's I decided to do a full mani!

This shade works so well since it has a little bit of silver mixed in with the gold glitter. I'm a big fan- it's like champagne for my fingertips!

Peace. Love. Polish.

Merry Christmas

I hope this day finds you surrounded my those you love the most, making memories you will cherish for years to come.

Peace. Love. Happiness.

Lorac: Sweet Temptations

 The countdown has begun! I can't believe Christmas is tomorrow- though my house certainly reflects that fact, wrapping paper everywhere! One last gift for you last minute shoppers- you know who you are;) I first spotted this Lorac collection right before Hurricane Sandy. I thought if I'm going to be stuck inside for 48 hours due to Maryland being in a state of emergency, I'm going to have ample amounts of chocolate- both for my actual mouth & eyes!

I think this is just about the cutest thing, all of the palettes look like chocolate bars! Another great kit that you can break up into smaller gifts for sisters, nieces & coworkers. Lorac launched a few versions of this collection: the 4 piece palette set that I got from Ulta ($36), a 6 piece palette collection from Sephora ($59) & a 5 piece set I spotted on HSN.  

 The palettes are broken down into color groups: navy, bronze, plum & brown.

It makes me smile every time I use the shadows which are very user friendly & the colors are classic enough that it's great for all age groups.

Indulge in White Chocolate (top) & Tease Me Truffles (bottom) palettes.

Satisfying Toffee Crunch (top) & Tantalizing Dark Chocolate (bottom) palettes.

Here I am sporting the Tantalizing Dark Chocolate with the darkest shade used as liner. See my Beauties, now it's perfectly acceptable having chocolate for breakfast! Merry. Merry.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Stocking Stuffers

Stockings are soooo my favorite part of present opening! But boy do those little presents add up price wise! Throughout the year I set aside little things from Gifts with Purchases & samples that aren't right for my skin or coloring for my sisters & mom.  That way they get a custom compilation that makes them feel special. I also make sure to utilize any Sephora & Ulta discounts that come my way;)

Worth scooping up: Oribe's Dry Texturizing Spray mini ($19.) I'm obsessed with this product & it really works on all hair types- who doesn't want a little more volume in their lives? I also use it as a dry shampoo- not a trace of residue is left so my brunette self isn't left looking like Cruella DeVille!

I first saw this L'Oreal eyeshadow compilation in Italy & they were sold out. Devastated, I hopped online to find it to no avail. Luckily, they have now arrived in stores stateside! This is a perfect neutral palette for everyone on your list & under $10. The textures have enough dimension to appeal to younger crowds, while the classic shade selection will appeal to the older crowd.

I always implement a buying in bulk strategy as a cost saving measure when there are 3 stockings I need to do. Then I break up the set & wrap individually. These lip butter from La Licious smell divine, feel fabulous on & are perfect for this time of year when our puckers get particularly parched. One retails for $12.50- this set is a bargain at $25.

This kit alone could have your stocking needs taken care of in one fail swoop! 16 mini OPI best selling shades plus a free jewel top coat to boot. Regularly $49- it's now on sale for $33 at Sephora- I say run! Mally Beauty put out some amazing value collections this year worth mentioning, but since we're down to the wire in terms of shipping days- your best bets for value sets I feel are from Anastasia of Beverly Hills & Tarte. Get creative with your treats-my mom also puts lottery tickets in ours as a fun bonus. You gotta play to win!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Polish Pic{k}s: Butter

With only a week away til Christmas, I can start to feel the panic in the air. Traffic is that much heavier, the fear in men's eyes more noticeable...  To keep in the spirit, I have lots of spirits and continue the search for festive shades. Lately I've been sporting a lot of reds. This Butter Polish in Chancer is straight out of The Wizard of Oz in terms of Dorothy's ruby red slippers. It's so stunning in person - I was quite smitten. That is for the day that it stayed on before chipping. Spirits not brightened:( I'm hoping it's the fact that it's a glitter polish versus a comment or two I've heard about the brand in general being prone to chipping.  It's held up a bit better on my piggies, but not much. The color is swoon worthy, but the durability has left me saying Bah Humbug I'm afraid.

Peace. Love. Polish.

Holiday Gifts: Giving Back

You know that on this blog I share all thing beautiful, shiny & sparkly. I'm that girl & I don't apologize for wanting to make the world a prettier place. But last night, I got some heartbreaking news. One of my best friend's brother passed away suddenly at 39. Losing anyone ever is horrible, but right around the holidays is a double bowl of suck. I'm a fixer, I always try to fix things- but I can't fix her heart right now & I feel powerless.
So today's post will be about gifts that give back- gift that will make you feel good about giving them. If you've never seen a FEED bag, you might not know about the amazing concept behind it. Founded by the truly inspiring Lauren Bush, FEED's bags directly feed third world countries in need. This collection from Clarins gives back! For around $40 (both Nordstrom & Sephora have versions) you get a make-up bag plus 3 Clarins essentials while providing 15 school lunches for a child in need. Think of how much we spend on a Starbucks cup of coffee.  I had the pleasure of sitting in on an interview with Ms. Bush & she truly is inspiring- I urge you to check out the FEED site. There are cute bags that with the purchase of one- you will be providing a child with school lunches for a YEAR. Enough said.

My cousin just had a little girl & I do believe it's never too early to shine! Tom's Shoes is such an amazing organization that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need with every pair purchased.  Toms was the originator of this concept, before big corporations joined in as a PR move. We should all have a pair of Toms!

I love the Heifer Organization & feature it every year. You can donate livestock to families in need. It's concept of teaching a man to fish versus giving him a fish is right on.  I put a fun spin on it like "you're a cool CHIC" when donating a bunch of baby chicks. If a friend of family member loves a particular farm animal or has always had allergies, you can give an animal in their honor. But you don't need to even look online for giving back, we can look in our own backyards. The Wounded Warrior Project is amazing, my sister adopted 2 families that were hit hard by Hurricane Sandy & I will be focusing on Charm City Animal Rescue in honor of losing my beloved Butterscotch this year. Lend a hand, hug someone you love today. Life is too short.

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Holiday Gits : The Luxe List

Here are a couple of luxe gifts on my list that make my heart go pitter patter! I justify nice sunglasses the way I can justify a nice watch- it's something I wear almost every day. In fact, I can go even further in saying sunglasses are an anti-aging item, since they help prevent squinting!

So no I couldn't walk a mile in these Valentinos, but how gorgeous are they?!? Diamonds for your feet Girleens!

For the serious make-up lover, this professional kit from Make Up For Ever is swoon worthy. It's actually at steal of a deal at $330-including 28 products with a retail vale of $600.

This collection of three hardcover books is like art for your coffee table- at only $75 it's the most affordable Chanel item ever;)

Until Louboutin starts making more wedges & flats that I can actually walk in, I'll settle for gazing adoringly at his creations $150. Other 'food' for thought in terms of great gifts? Gourmet cheese & wine of the month clubs- it's a gift that keeps giving all year long!

Peace. Love. Lipgloss.

Polish Pic{k}s

I tend to stick with my one signature shade throughout the year. It's just my shade, I just feel like myself when I wear it. But there's something about the holidays that makes me want to get a little more festive with my polish picks. So as the weather turned colder, I gravitated towards Zoya's Delilah.

There's a subtle sparkle, but it's still work appropriate & the true red definitely gets me in the holiday spirit!

Peace. Love. Polish.

Anastasia: Want You To Want Me Palette

Mark my words, if Anastasia of Beverly Hills keeps up with their amazing line of make-up launches, they will start to become a big player in the prestige market. I used to associate Anastasia with only brows- now I think awesome glosses & shadows. Speaking of shadows....

Check out her holiday Want You To Want Me eye offering. The packaging alone makes you feel like royalty! Nestled inside a velvet latched box, lies a 9 pan shadow palette, clear brow gel, liquid liner & dual ended brush.

The shadows consist of soft chocolately browns & regal purples. As a gift, this set looks like a million bucks, but comes in at an affordable $34.

The esthetician in me loves the fact that Anastasia's shadows offer skin care benefits with their Youthful Synergy Complex! Smoother, firmer eye area while sporting sumptuous color? Yes, please! Shades left to right, top to bottom: Platform Wedge, Front Row Center, Ziggy, Members Only, Power Ballad, Jellies, Graphic T's, Brass in Pocket & Iron On. I often use Members Only as brow powder & Iron On wet or dry for liner.  Is this palette going on your wishlist for Santa?

Peace. Love. Lipgloss. M