New for the New Year-The Saturdays

By Laura Medina

Everybody in America is buzzing about Downton Abbey's Season 3 premiering in January but what everybody is buzzing about in the UK is this girl group, The Saturdays.

The trials and tribulations of this new wave of girl group, since the Spice Girls, is going to hit E! on January 20th at 10pm.

Viewers can learn, watch, hear, and enjoy the girls getting their foothold in LA.

There's even a holiday cocktail to tie you over before the show arrives...

Frankie’s Peppermint Cosmo

1 Cup pomegranate juice
Juice of 1 lime
4 oz Vodka
¼ Teaspoon peppermint extract
8 Mini candy canes
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Calories: 70

Even during the holidays, these girls don't slack.  In the show, Rochelle is a bride-to-be while Una is traveling and working with baby in tow.

They stay fit doing yoga...

Being a hot girl group touring burns enough calories alone, here's how they deal...

New Mom Una definitely knows how to keep busy on long plane rides, especially when she is traveling with her daughter Aoife Belle. From movies, to snacks to long books, Una keeps her carry on stocked with enough activities for her baby girl. For herself, Una keeps it simple “headphones, a laptop, change of clothes for comfort on the flight, face wipes and moisturizer.”

Rochelle on the other hand keeps it simple when she’s traveling. All she needs is “a comfy tracksuit and headphones.”

It’s easy to drone out the families traveling for the holidays when you’re as addicted to True Blood and Revenge as Vanessa is. Pre download an entire season of a show you’ve been meaning to watch and as soon as the plane takes off let the marathon begin!

Mollie and Frankie on the other hand stock up on sweets and chat with everyone around them! “Normally the person who sits next to me gets an earful and will probably know my life story by the time we've landed!! How embarrassing!” 

Take it from the girls; bring your headphones, comfy clothes, sweets, face wipes, moisturizer and download a good TV series or chat it up with the person next to you for enjoyable, hassle-free traveling.

If you want to know about The Saturdays, like this scribe, you have to watch them on E! on January 20th at 10pm.

A New Slew of Looks from Smashbox Studio Pop 2012 Palette. A Gift that Keeps on Giving

 

 By Laura Medina

In the mood for cleansing out the bathroom and the vanity, as well as your insides tomorrow.

This means a new makeup with less clutter.

This scribe knows the apprehensions about the cluster of mismatching eye shadows, lipstick, gloss, and clashing blushes in makeup palettes.  The array of texture, shine, and color confuses most folks.

But, Smashbox's makeup palettes and kits are thoroughly thought-out and coordinated by their professional makeup artists before they're released to the public.

This scribe enjoyed testing the latest Smashbox Studio Pop Ultimate Palette then figured this is a great "traveling makeup case in a book" that one can slide through TSA screening then have a multitude of great classic looks for shopping, cooking, and partying.

Smashbox Studio Pop Ultimate Palette has some classic daytime with soft-focused features and a suede texture.  The muted gray-brown Rapture, the slightly purple-brown Fig and the coffee-rich Sumatra give the eyes a soft, velvet depth to the eyes.  Sunkissed Matte Bronzer to sculpture the cheekbones then highlighting them with a Passion Blush is the classic Winter Flush rosy look.  Tea Rose lip color brings a healthy rush of rosy pink to the lips.  You look alive and healthy, not sick with a rosy nose, with this wintery classic face.

The new evening look for 2013 is Disco Diva with a new pearlescent shimmer, replacing the Seventie's heavy, greasy feel and texture.

Evening Sunset purple and lilac replaces the black on black eye makeup and the bloody red lips.  A sunset ombre trio of Lavendar opening the entire lids, Orchid to smolder and Aubergine to line and define the eyes.

Prism Soft Lights flush the cheeks.  Petunia Blush is the spotlights the cheeks' high points.

A light tap of Lily lip color then glossing clear but glittering Freeze adds the sparkle.

This palette can be used straight into Spring 2013, Summer, Fall then back to Winter, just in time to restock your new palette for that year.

Smashbox Studio Pop Ultimate Palette keeps on giving...in the way you want it.

Soft Skin & Soft Hair on the Slopes & the Snow

By Laura Medina

Is your skin chapping in the Winter?  Peeling raw in the wind chill?  Cracking in the snow?

Yes hello to the most gentle skincare and haircare to arrive on the market, from the active, snowy, and dry climates of Denver, Colorado.

 Developed from high-tech labs and being skincare innovators, Osmotics Cosmeceuticals has brought some gentle and nourishing skincare and haircare products.  They do more than strip you clean.  They soften the the rough patches without the grease or the oils.  Great for the "sensitive-oily" complexions hitting the slopes or facing the wind chills...or even when it bakes in the arid, burning sun during Summer.

Clinique introduced then established the 1-2-3 Step System in properly taking care of your face.  Osmotics takes it further with its 4 Steps Daily Regimens System: Step 1: Cleanse,  Step 2: Correct, Step 3: Defend/Moisturize, and Step 4: Protect/SPF.

Let's start off with the Calming Cleansing Milk as the base of  the Osmotics skincare foundation, it's an extremely gentle cleansing milk for very dry, sensitive or irritated skin. This soap-free formula dissolves makeup and impurities, while natural botanicals provide soothing relief from irritation and redness. May be used by any skin type experiencing temporary sensitivity due to allergic reactions, or topical medications such as Retin-A, acne treatments or AHA skin peels.  Most people just say it nourishes and pampers the skin without stripping the skin dry or adding on pore-clogging waxy grease or oils.

This Calming Cleansing Milk is already a proven-hit seller.  Stockists can't keep this in stock.  Most beauty clerks say this flies off the shelf during the winter when the cold winds turn harsh, say like right now.

Eye Surgery Under Eye Rejuvenator uses powerful peptide technologies reduce stubborn dark circles and puffy eye bags while firming/smoothing creepy lids.
This grease-less Crease-Less Non-Surgical Alternative packs a powerful 3-in-1 punch to ease laughing lines and "crinkles around the eyes."  It carries their strongest anti-wrinkle octapeptide, 30% stronger than argireline, to relax the contraction of facial muscles, along with microalgae to stimulate the skin's cellular energy, and enhance the absorption of our octapeptide. Last but not least, hyaluronic acid wrinkle filling spheres instantly smooth, plump and firm---to visibly improve lined, aged skin.  Crease-Less is also the perfect companion product for maintaining and extending the results of injectable dermatological treatments.

 

 This spot-ridden scribe saves the correction step for bedtime when the UV rays disappears with the sunset.

Easing or fading sun damage spots, Osmotics Lighten FX duo pampers this skin right before it hits the satin bed sack for better effectiveness and results.

Lighten FX 3x Dark Spot Remover is an intensive spot treatment to dot and dab on spots, featuring triple (3x) strength actives to tackle stubborn brown spots on the face, body and hands with safe, natural, clinically proven ingredients.   A potent pigment buster contains: a new patented molecule to break up discoloration and visibly lighten brown spots, Niacinamide to brighten and smooth and Alpha Arbutin to target melanin production and prevent future discoloration–all without any irritation. It even helps banish blemish scars and prevent further skin damage caused by UV radiation.

  

Lighten FX Serious Brightening Solution is an high performance serum visibly lightens and brightens uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, discoloration and aging, brown spots with safe and natural, clinically proven ingredients.  The triple action formula features a new patented molecule to visibly lighten the skin and prevent UV damage, Niacinamide to brighten, moisturize and smooth and Alpha Arbutin to target melanin production and prevent future discoloration.    Lighten FX is also perfect for blemish scars and is completely non-irritating.

When you wake up in the morning, you can repeat washing with the Calming Cleansing Milk.  For extra nourishing and pampering,  you add on Eye Surgery Under Eye Rejuvenator and Crease-Less Non-Surgical Alternative to aid holiday-partying skin and worn-out eyes.  But, if you can't wait to the slopes then the shopping, you can go directly to the Anti-Radical Age Defense Moisture Veil.  Why it's called a "veil"?

Easy, it's the lightweight/fat-free/oil-free alternative to the traditonally lard and fat-laden moisturizers and lotions that clog oily but sensitive skin probe to acne scarring and blustering...and who wants that during the holidays and on ski vacation?

This revolutionary light weight moisturizer,  Anti-Radical Age Defense Moisture Veil, is a must for defending your skin against the ravages of time.  This total skin defense system combines the newest and most powerful anti-radical protection with skin compatible lipids to restore your natural moisture barrier, the first line of defense against aging.  It is the only product on the market that targets all three types of free radicals while protecting cellular DNA. This is the go-to facial moisturizer for this oily-sensitive scribe when she hits the slopes in Aspen or Norway or sunny, snowy California.

Of course, never leave home first thing in the morning without sunscreen. This skincare fanatical scribe is really impressed with this sheer, oil-free formula that combines high UV protection (Broad Spectrum UVA/UVB) with the finest and safest ingredients to create the ultimate age defense. Advanced anti-aging formula also contains powerful antioxidants to fight free radical damage.  Perfect for all skin types.

If you use sunscreen as primer, this works beautifully under make-up.

Daytime shopping and skiing, evening date by the fireplace, don't forget those wind-chapped lips.  Don't let that blue tint undo you, Osmotics' Blue Copper 5 Lip and Tuck's Blue Copper technology is based on  copper peptide technology developed and used extensively in the field of wound care.   Copper, an essential mineral for skin health, combined with our collagen boosting 5-chain peptide work together at a cellular level to fortify the skin against visible signs of aging...which translates into a plumper, more youthful lips.   Super hydrating Hyaluronic Acid particles penetrate and swell the lip tissue to additional volume and plumpness. Nourishing macadamia nut oil soothes dry, chapped lips and imparts a glossy, soothing, and ok, seductive finish.

Can't forget those wind-chapped straws on your head, called hair.  They're suffering further damaged if they were highlighted or low-lighted or straighten or permed for your holiday ski trip.  The harsh weather and the cold and dry elements only make things worse.

Osmotics' FNS Hair Thickening Products are the softest shampoo and conditioner on the market.  They don't stripe.  They pampered stressed-out strands, great for color-treated tresses.

This mild, anti-aging formula shampoo was designed without sodium lauryl sulfates, which dry and irritate hair and scalp. It thoroughly removes sebum build-up, clears the follicle pathways and prepares the scalp to receive the optimal benefits from Follicle Nutrient Serum. Essential vitamins, minerals and botanicals promote thicker, healthier hair with strength, body and shine.
  
FNS Revitalizing Conditioner is an anti-aging formula that moisturizes and detangles thin fine or chemically damaged hair without weighing it down. This light-weight formula contains essential oils to nourish the scalp and proteins to increase hair strength.

 Follicle Nutrient Serum goes one step ahead over styling creams and lotions and conditioners.  It is a natural, non-hormonal hair treatment containing a patented mixture of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. This clinically proven formula addresses thinning/damaged hair by providing essential nourishment directly to hair follicles to promote thick, strong, healthy hair. FNS is also perfect for restoring shine and vitality to color/chemically treated hair.  This fortifies the hair against the harsh weather while skiing or sipping hot cocoa on the slopes.

Osmotics Cosmeceuticals is ideal for the holidays and the ski vacation coming up in January.

The Arriviste's Xmas Gift: Snoop Dog, Ben Stiller, Dita Von Teese, Maria Menounos, Mario Lopez and Tiffani Thiessen for the Holidays

 

 By Laura Medina

As this scribe senses the holidays are approaching, soon after Merry Halloween, celebrities are going to burst out of the woodwork..; and they do it early so they'll have enough time to jump on vacation during Christmas.

Well, this scribe is thinking and thanking the faithful readers by compiling the best holiday parties in Hollywood.

"Glow" Smoothie Bar opening in the heart of Melrose Avenue led the charge right before Turkey Day.  Boy, that's a head start but ignited the glam holiday explosion.  Celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder to the stars, opened her own smoothie bar and her celebrity clients christened it, such as: Ben Stiller, his wife Christine Taylor, buddy Drew Barrymore (immediately after giving birth to daughter, Olive), and the femme fatale burlesque performer, Dita von Teese.  Now, mere mortals can slim down, shape up, and radiate just like their favorite celebrities.

 

 The healthy kick of holiday celebrations continued with "Chill!," a concept/launch party where not only Maria Menounos debut a healthy snack of Rickland Orchards Greek Yogurt Bar and Granola Bites covered in chocolate Greek yogurt coating, they also kicked "Chill!" when Westwood's W Hotel freezes the backyard pool into a ice rink.

It was a wholesome but interesting Winter Wonderland concept, guests feasted on a frozen vanilla and chocolate Greek yogurt bar then customized with guilty toppings after dining on the usual mini sliders and mini meals.  Oh well, the guests, like Fiona Gubelmann, Lance Bass, Aubrey O'Day, Jaleel White, Chelsea Ricketts, Jason Gann, Robin Antin, Jessica Kennedy Parker burnt off the calories ice skating.

Maria Menounos played host because she's the Greek-American spokesperson for

Rickland Orchards's "Greek on the Go" yogurt bars.

 

Fueling up on "Glow" smoothies and Rickland Orchards' yogurt got this scribe all fired up and ready for Snoop Dog's close to midnight concert (yes, a real one hour long concert) for PacSun's "Golden State of California/Common Threads" event series where PacSun offers what is best about the Golden State, like talents such as SoCal local, Snoop Dog.

 

 Midnight concerts switched to all day for the whole family and everyone at the Old Navy Christmas “Sledding and a Movie” event held in the courtyard of Hollywood & Highland media/shopping complex.

The kind folks at Old Navy built a sledding slope out of real snow. 

Guests of all ages were invited to sled all-day, snack on hot chocolate and popcorn and pick-up free Old Navy scarves before enjoying an outdoor screening of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and the "National Lampoon Christmas Vacation" ad campaign on cozy lounge chairs.

 Alumni from "Saved by the Bell," Tiffani Thiessen and Mario Lopez joined in the celebration with their young and new families.

For Tiffani Thiessen, it's not everyday you get snow in LA so why not celebrate it by sledding.  For her, Christmas now means its watching her daughter, Harper, getting all excited about Santa and gifts, wrapping presents, watching old movies, and staying up late.

At the Old Navy Christmas event, Tiffani Thiessen with daughter Harper were kindly decked out in Old Navy:

For mom, Women’s Rockstar Cords: $34.50: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=86370&vid=1&pid=576041162 

For Tiffani too, Pop-Color Blazer: $39.94 http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=330083042

For Harper, she was wearing... 

Toddler Polka Dot Faux-Fur Trim Booties: $26.94: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=37243&vid=1&pid=258858002

Toddler Skinny Jeans: $16.94: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=70136&vid=1&pid=263047022

Toddler Shawl-Collar Cardi: $24.94: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=71656&vid=1&pid=256370022

The Mario Lopez family with daughter Gia and new wife Courtney Mazza were outfitted in:

For Mario, Men’s Lightweight Vneck Sweaters: $29.94: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=84470&vid=1&pid=476712032

For wife Courtney, Women’s Chambray Shirt: $29.94: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=72302&vid=1&pid=897700042

For daughter, Gia, Toddler Skinny Jeans: $16.94: http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=70136&vid=1&pid=263047022

Mario Lopez sped down the hill for the family.

 

  Proposition Love, a jewelry line that is the leader in marriage equality jewelry, teamed up with an intimate group of celebrity partners, such as Tori Spelling, Kathy Griffin, Perez Hilton, Jayson Blair, Melissa Rivers, and, Patti Stanger to name a few, all of whom are vocal in their support of gay marriage.  The select group of celebrities has come together to each design a same-sex engagement and wedding ring for a charity auction, with 100% of the profits going to the charity of the celebrity’s choice.

  

Melissa Rivers, Peter Gallagher, Lindsey Shaw, and Bobby Trendy appeared for support at the debut party.

Here's one gift most of you all really want but can't get yet you'll get the fragrance facsimiles...in perfume and body care forms,...the constant Hollywood stand-by and burlesque artist,  Dita von Teese doing her All-American launch, at Ron Robinson on Melrose, of her fragrance line, the daytime Dita Von Teese Perfume for Women in "noir" black and her latest addition, Dita Von Teese Rouge, her evening wear perfume.

Her loyal fans lined up early, snaking around the corner, for the chance to meet their idol then smell like her.

Dita warmly greeted and hugged them, one by one, then autographed the lotion, body gel, body spray, and/or perfume they purchased as a keepsake.

The daytime black collection, Dita Von Teese for Women Fragrance contains top notes of fresh peony, sparkling bergamot, spicy Bourbon pepper to lead the room with glamor and confidence.  The following middle notes of Bulgarian rose, Tahitian Tiaré flower and jasmine announcing elegance in her presence.  Then, the base notes of Patchouli and musk together with smoky sandalwood and Gaiac lingers seduction, all in an enigmatic black glass bottle with a silk cord with a blood red pearl, which flows into a long black silk tassel, wrapped around the bottle's neck.  "Dita Von Teese" is available in two extravagant black glass bottles: an elegant flacon with ball atomizer and a glamorous perfume amphora.

It is the black daytime perfume that has the body gel and spray and lotion with the two sizes of perfume collection.

Her new evening perfume, Rouge Dita Von Teese for Women is the elixir of seduction, sexiness, and elegance.  Sophisticated and yet daring; glamorous, feminine, and yet undeniably strong.

.

 In a long and extraordinarily intensive cooperation with perfume specialists in Paris, she concocted this sophisticated and supremely feminine fragrance. The result is an exclusive and womanly perfume, which is the first ever to contain Lapsang Souchong tea as a fragrance component. This gives the scent's head notes a fresh combination of refreshingly delicious bergamot, surprisingly followed by pink pepper and the enigmatic Lapsang Souchong tea. The heart note is seductive with its beautifully fine magnolia flower, refined with eroticizing amber and sensually sweet gaiac wood. The base is a unique sequence of soft sandalwood paired with smokey patchouli and the sweet and powerful tonka bean. The result is a voluptuous, sensual and soft fragrance, which is at once mysterious and seductive, and which airs the glamour and elegance of a strong and confident woman.

  

 Yes, Hollywood does light the Christmas tree...in its own way.  At Universal Studios, Mayor AntonioVillaraigosa with Human Nature lit the interactive Christmas Tree for not just the holidays themselves but to kick off Hollywood's Christmas Parade.

This is this scribe's way to topping this gift with a bow.

Now, go get cheery on eggnog and mulled wine then stuff y'all silly with Virginia Ham, All-American roast beef, English goose, and fancy Lowcountry seafood swimming in decadent butter and cream sauce.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas!

Travel Makeup Makes Cute & Great Stocking Stuffers

Your man or men (big and small) are now running around like chickens with their heads cut off because...yes, they put up one, big, mean Christmas lights display; however they didn't about your wants and needs until now.

Since the sales staffs are kind enough to be opened until the wee hours when Santa arrives at midnight, here are a couple of tips to hit, or hint them in the head.

Multi-purpose, travel makeup makes great affordable stocking stuffers.  They're cute and adorable in size and color.  You love that eyes/cheeks/lip cream tints can slide into your jeans' pocket.  They're great for the moms-on-the go.  They can slide through TSA at the airport without any problems.

Here are some travel makeup brands to save your Christmas in the last-minute.  Shoot, you can even pick them up yourself.

Christina Zilber, Founder and Creative Director of Jouer Cosmetics, is a jet-setter mom and beauty-lover.  She created Jouer (French for "play") so she put on a full-face or dab a touch-up at the airport, at the gate lounge, in the plane, or on the road.  Plus, dabbing on makeup can be fun, so she made this nifty line playful.

Since she's a fun-loving jet setter, she was kind enough to offer this very affordable gift that your twelve-years old can even afford...inspired by a popular British tradition, Jouer introduces our version of a holiday cracker with Sparkle & Pop. This festive goodie is dressed in a beautiful pale pink box with sparkling gold confetti and a chic gift-tag for personalization. Jouer's Sparkle & Pop makes the perfect stocking stuffer or holiday party favor containing five fun surprises including a special Jouer treat. Pop, open and enjoy! 

It's a party container bursting with: a Party Horn, a Chic Cocktail Ring, a  Beauty Fortune, a  Mini Champagne Bubbles and one of three Jouer Deluxe Samples: Body Butter (0.21 oz.), Essential Lip Enhancer (0.07 fl. oz.), Glisten Moisturizing Lip Gloss (0.06 fl. oz.)...believe it or not, this slides right into a stocking stuffer.

The more pragmatic woman would appreciate this universal berry-lip/cheek/eye tint, Jouer's Dahlia.  According to Christina, this sheer berry stain is the company's best-seller because it looks good on everyone.  A no-brainer for the guy who's looking for one-stop makeup.

If he's sharp enough to give you the Dahlia berry-tint, you can use it, literally, as a building block for other Jouer products can lock and slide into a customized kit that you enlarge or shrink back.  It all has to start with him giving you that one Jouer product.

There's another chic and cute travel makeup option...Kjaer Weis, a veteran makeup of New York Fashion Week.  The mirrored compact is the mirror.  This portable makeup line cuts down to the essentials: cream blush, a moisturizing lip tint, and a single eye shadow.

The cream blush imparts a healthy flush as though you had a brisk stroll when, in fact, you're stuck in the car shopping or in the kitchen baking.   The lip tint gives the lip all-natural hint of color to make you look refreshed and alive.  The eye shadow is a simple swipe to subtly deepen the lids.

This Winter/Holiday 2012 Essential Trio Set of a mauve cream Abundance Blush, a Goddess burgundy sheer tint, and a soft Pretty Purple plum eye shadow gives a elegant Old Hollywood Glam look but in a more subtle focus.  For a more formal and natural look, you can double the Abundance Blush as lip color.  Great for the hurried mom on the go, from working to shopping to cooking to the church to the party, plus a Kjaer Weis item can fit into those tiny purse pockets.

The whole entire 3-piece collection or each individual item comes packaged already in this luxurious red, embossed faux-leather gift box, so your gift-wrapping is pretty much taken care of.  All you have to do, again, is slide it or them into the stocking.

Your lady will be thrilled if she finds these in her stocking stuffers, something she can really use all year-long.

Light Up the Night with Stila's Holiday 2012 Holiday Collection

 

 By Laura Medina

Hunting for that last-minute Christmas gift?  Panicking that your makeup will pass through TSA x-ray and pray to God, it will not be stolen?  You made it to your destination...good for you...but where is my foundation, blush, eyeshadow...you know,...the basics...and my lips are bare and chapping.

Yes, you're thankful you got your holiday makeup collection palette going on but why put on the glitter when you're the girl-next-door and you want special makeup that is approachable and warm as you? And, you don't want to flash like a mirrored disco ball when you see grandma (save that for New Year's Eve).

 Stila Cosmetic's makeup artist, Sarah Lucero is here for the holiday help.

For her, this current holiday look is classy, not flashy; approachable, not bare.  Simple but not everyday.  The general look for these holidays is a classic, soften matte skin with lustrous eyes and lips.  Iridescent texture and color defining the eyes as the focal point.

It's built upon the current trend of healthy skin where you can use a creamy blush (think Convertible Color) for both cheeks and lips in a moist, suede-like texture, matte berry.  For the eyes, a simple swipe of Smudge Stick in Stargazer (black with gold and silver pearl), Tetra (deep shimmery purple), and Oscar Fish (warm brown with gold pearl) softened by #4 smudger/liner brush.  It's a smokey eye look with the full-on, complex, eyeshadow over-load.  Speaking of overloading, Stila's Holiday 2012 Light Up the Night Collection is TSA safe and light on the back and shoulder. 

Now, let's look at the collection!...

This compact powdered 18 adjustable wet and dry eye shadows and 12 blushes collection with a deluxe size Stay All Day™ Waterproof Volumizing Mascara in Snow Angel Color Palette comes with a Step-by-Step Artistry Look Book.  The 18 Eye Shadows are the collection of the top-selling shadows, all in one package,: peace, love, gold, sleigh, cookie, dashing, eggnog, icicle, dance, merry, kitten (use it as a highlighter), jingle, gingerbread, truffle, chestnut, cool, clove, and fairy.  The 12 Cheek Colors are the new blushes: shimmery snow angel, shimmery coral, shimmery apricot, shimmery peach, shimmery pink, shimmery plum, matte pink, matte plum, matte berry, matte melon, matte clay, and matte bronze.  There is one trick that lightens the load off your hand, shoulders, back, and carry-on/tote, wipe lips with a multi-purpose moisturizing balm, use a fluffy eye/lip brush to any of blushes, get a generous amount of the blush then either brush or pat the blush onto lips and top it off with the balm or a gooey, lip gloss.

Written in the Stars Eye Shadow Palette doesn't come with a mascara or an additional palette of blushes but this 12 gorgeous, neutral eye shadow shades that can be mixed and matched for countless looks and can be worn both wet and dry.  Don't you noticed that these rosy-fleshed toned eye shadows are blush and lip color friendly.  Instead of disco glitter drama, Stila's Holiday 2012 Collection palettes give you a lively, not dead, rosy glow.  Healthy and alive with a flush.  Since these eye shadows can be used wet, smear the wet eyeshadow for a deeper sheen of a smokey look or really deepen as an eyeliner.  Again, use the lip balm and gloss with the pinker/rosier eye shadows as an emergency lip color.

 

 If you are a "Bold Minimalist" because you want to look fabulous yet traveling light, Stila "Light Up the Night" Seeing Stars Smudge Stick Set and Long Wear Liquid Lip Set got you covered.

Seeing Stars Smudge Stick Set is a stick eyeshadow and eyeliner in one.  This set of Stila’s best-selling smudge stick waterproof eye liners in five shimmery metallic shades gives you definition and glow where you need it, on the rims of your eyelids and crease...not all over. 

 

This is her #1 favorite set, next to the Long Wear Liquid Lip Set.  According to Sarah, you'll get a luxury and sophisticated appearance in multitude of looks.  With Seeing Stars Smudge Stick Set, the smudge sticks' texture set and stay all day and night.

 

Sarah suggests you can a full-eyeshadow look with the Seeing Stars Smudge Sticks.  First, layer Angelfish (metallic pewter or what Sarah calls "shimmering champagne) all over the lid as a cream eyeshadow and brow bone highlighter.  She says it makes a great eyeshadow base. Sarah used it in the Holiday campaign photo shoot.

With shimmering champagne Angelfish as the base, you can layer Tetra (deep shimmery purple) over Stargazer (black with gold and silver pearl) then define the brow with Moray (golden olive shimmer) for that iridescent look while opening up the eyes and shape.  To glide the lily, you can swipe mascara for that extra oomph!  

The general idea is layer the paler smudge stick over the deeper smudge stick for that full eye shadow look.

   

  Long Wear Liquid Lip Set, left.  "Light Up the Night" Holiday 2012 Lip Glaze Set, right.

 Sarah Lucero says the "Light Up the Night" Holiday 2012 Lip Glaze Set contains all new colors.  Sarah describes the Long Wear Liquid Lip Set's texture as luxurious, glossy and satin, plus the colors are more opaque, basically they're liquid lipsticks.  The texture is wearable, comfortable but modern.  What she calls "velvety."  The colors are: Caprice (hot pink), Petal (pale pink),  Coral (peach pink), and Muse (natural mauve).

 

 For an extra luxurious gift, here's the Holiday 2012 Brush Set, a collection of five essential best-selling brushes for only $28.

Sarah likes the Seeing Stars Smudge Stick and Long Wear Liquid Lip Sets and the Holiday 2012 Brush Set because they're time-savers, space-savers, and money-savers.  Especially with the Long Wear Liquid Lip Set, she suggested you can break it up into 2 liquid lipsticks to give to two people or give each one individually to four people as a stocking stuffer.

For the guy panicking right now what to buy for his love, he can't go wrong with Stila's "Light Up the Night" Holiday 2012 Collection.