Beauty Talk: ‘Tis the Season of the Gift Set December 21st, 2009 By

Stila Lipglaze Collection $25

Stila Lipglaze Collection $25

Ah, the holidays, my favorite time of year.  I start saving up as soon as the leaves start to fall in anticipation of the awesome gift sets that come out right before.

When it comes to color cosmetics, I’m fickle.  I don’t stick with one look too long, so smaller sizes work best for me.  Let’s face it, we rarely finish a lipstick or gloss before it is time to dump it (2 years max, in case you were wondering).  So, why not enjoy a collection of tiny treats on the cheap?

Here are our faves:

Sephora Favorites Lashstash $39

Sephora Favorites Lashstash $39

Sephora LashStash:

The LashStash mascara sampler, $39, offers generous mini-sizes of 10 different best-selling mascaras, including Benefit’s A Little Bit BadGAL mascara and Cargo’s Lash Activator.

NARS I Want You:

The NARS I Want You gloss set features five mini versions of their long-lasting, sexiest glosses in 4 neutral shad

For just $25, you can score 8 of Stila’s famous glosses with built-in brushes.  The twist-up style is purse-friendly and ensures you’ll never have to stick germ-y fingers into your gloss while on the go.

Too Faced Queen For A Day $45

Too Faced Queen For A Day $45

Too Faced Queen For a Day:

If full-sized products are more your style, check out the Too Faced Queen For a Day set.  For $45, you get a cute makeup bag filled with a full-size shadow primer, soft pink lipstick, neutral eyeshadow quad and a warm bronzer along with a mini mascara and flatbuki brush.

Check out some more palettes.  You just might find your own favorite!

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Top 5: Gifts for the Glamazon December 9th, 2009 By

Have a beauty addict for whom you need to find the perfect gift?

Check out our top picks:

Clarisonic

Clarisonic

Clarisonic

The Clarisonic cleansing sytem is a must-have for the skin-care fanatic.  The cleansing brush rotates to gently and effectively exfoliate and cleanse skin.  At just under $200, it’s a fabulous luxury gift. It’s especially valuable if she is already using expensive skin care products (anti-aging or acne-fighting) because the Clarisonic will help them penetrate the skin’s surface.  Check out the Clarisonic Mia, a smaller travel version, which is similarly effective and $50 less.

Too Faced Glamour To Go

Too Faced Glamour to Go

Too Faced Glamour to Go

The Too Faced Glamour to Go sets are perfect for the girl with the giant makeup bag.  Each tiny set includes 8 eyeshadows, 4 lip glosses and a blush all packaged in a cute compact with a mirror.  They’ll slip into even the teeniest of clutches.  A bargain at under $20, these sets also make a great stocking stuffer.

T3 Featherweight Hair Dryer

T3′s hair appliances are widely regarded as some of the best available.  If your glamazon is doing a daily blow-out, treat her to something special that will also keep her hair healthier.  The Bespoke Labs Featherweight Dryer uses targeted ceramic generated heat to minimize frizz and enhance shine, all without weighing down her arms.  Get it for just $108 (originally $200) from Overstock.com. T3 also makes some fab flat irons.

Kat Von D True Romance in True Love

Kat Von D True Romance in True Love

Kat Von D True Romance Palettes

Tattoo artist Kat Von D has produced a cosmetics line sold only at Sephora.  My favorite products are the True Romance eye shadow palettes.  As soon as a new one is released, I’ve got to buy it.  Each set includes 8 beautifully pigmented eyeshadows that compliment each other.  A great present for a glamazon who loves to play with eyeshadow looks, these pallettes are beautifully packaged, perfect for gift giving!  The True Romance palettes are just $34 at Sephora.

Sephora LashStash Mascara Sampler

Have a beauty addict who hasn’t found her holy-grail mascara yet?  Help her try the newest offerings on the cheap with Sephora’s LashStash set.  The deluxe sample size mascaras in this set will give her a few weeks to try each one out and see if she’s found the one that’s right for her. Ten department-store quality mascaras are included for only $39.

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