Holiday smorgasbord
While December is fondly known as the universal month of merrymaking and gift-giving, stress from the season can easily wreak havoc on our looks and leave us scrambling for gift ideas. Below are some products to help take the edge off of the holiday hassle, keeping you looking fabulous for all forthcoming festivities and to spark suggestions for tokens for loved ones who enjoy dabbling in the beauty arena.
Party-hopping can leave you lingering with sweet memories yet, unfortunately, can also deposit nagging souvenirs to prove that you danced the night away. Dark circles are dire reminders that we’re not all spring chickens anymore. L’Oreal has an amazing eye zone brightener in its White Perfect line that tackles the problem too many of us share. Housed in a two-part pump, the blue anti-dark circle gel loaded with caffeine has a draining feature that penetrates quickly to get rid of that extra baggage. The whitening cream zaps brown spots by controlling melanin production to whiten and brighten the eye zone permitting you to flaunt your eyes. Bat your eyelashes without worry by coating them with the ergonomically correct Ultimate Expression Mascara from Shu Uemura. An angled brush permits easy application of the formula for length, curl and volume, making you an easy target under the mistletoe.
One of the most unique products to hit my vanity is the Diamond Powder from Make Up For Ever. It’s a super-fine shimmering powder that is incredibly versatile and useful. If you’re in need of some pizzazz, swirl some in your foundation, powder or lipgloss for high impact at your holiday fetes.
Smelling delectable is key this season. Imagine all the smooching you’ll be doing. The newest scents cruising on my radar are Bulgari Jasmin Noir and Ma Dame by Jean Paul Gaultier, two totally different perfumes but both equally enticing. Bulgari is a sophisticated, sensual scent that reveals heavy hints of jasmine and gardenia and comes in a mysterious black bottle. An edgier scent, boasting of rose, orange and grenadine, Ma Dame caters to sassy chicks and not madams. Fresh and floral, it’s easy to splash on and comes in the cutest busty bottle.
Most people don’t like to divulge their secrets but this product, aptly titled Top Secrets, is definitely worth sharing. From YSL, this little brush applicator attached directly to its tube tackles a whole slew of issues. When applied under makeup, Top Secrets smoothens skin, conceals symptoms of fatigue, lessens the appearance of pores and preps the skin to look its best by enhancing the effects of makeup. Topping off a flawless face is no easy feat but the sculpting blush from Guerlain handles the job well. Beautifully arranged in a golden compact, the palette contains four complementary shades that go on with a specific beveled brush that picks up the lighter shades for the top of the cheekbones while the darker shades contour the shape of the face. Applying makeup has never been this easy, cutting prep time and leaving more time for celebrating.
Holiday stress is bound to take even the most flawless face hostage. When my skin is on the fritz there’s no other like Mario Badescu to come and save the day. The products are in simple, no-frills packaging and just get the job done. Renowned for their drying lotion, there are several other stellar products that are worthy of bearing the Badescu label. A ritual involving daily cleansing with the Seaweed Cleansing Soap jump starts zit zapping as it gently exfoliates and removes all traces of dirt. When followed by Special Cleansing Lotion “O,” breakouts are kept at bay as this toner disinfects and mildly dries up traces of oil. Once those suckers have started nesting on your pretty face, applying Buffering Lotion straight on the affected areas can seal the deal, reducing breakouts and encouraging makeouts. The special healing powder reduces redness and controls excess oils while healing blemishes to make you good to go. More reason to celebrate!
