Friday, November 7, 2008

Makeup Junkie Holiday Gift Guide 2008: The Gift of Pretty Palettes!


Ready-made palettes take the guess work out of deciding what colours to match with what. Sometimes a girl just doesn't have time go through the beauty stash to create a look. Palettes are definitely convenient and offer a variety of fun looks!

Every woman should own a basic black dress, a basic blazer, and basic black pants. The ultimate basic every woman should have is Bobbi Brown's Basics Eye Palette ($52 CAD)! Love, love, love this palette! I've used this lil' lovely palette for bridal work, business events, and for nights that call for a serious smoky eye.


L-R: Navajo, Cement, Heather Mauve Shimmer Wash, and Mahogany. For a simple day look, apply Navajo all over, Cement on the lid, Heather Mauve Shimmer in the inner corner, and Mahogany as a liner. Want to bump it up a bit? Swipe Navajo all over, Cement in the crease for a subtle contour, Heather Mauve Shimmer on the lid and inner corner, and smudge Mahogany in the lash line and outer crease. For some night time drama, swipe Mahogany all over lid, into crease, and bottom lash line. Add Heather Mauve Shimmer to the inner crease and corner. Top off with loads of mascara! You can also use Cement or Mahogany as brow powders depending on your hair colour.

Another absolute basic must-have is Bobbi Brown's Basic Lip Palette ($52 CAD)! Can't decide if it's a lip gloss or lipstick day? Wear both! Swipe on a lipstick and a shiny gloss on top or wear each individually. The handy mirror and lip brush make it easy for quick touch-ups.

L-R: Posey Shimmer Lip Gloss, Naked Lip Gloss, Brownie Lip Color, Rum Raisin Lip Color. Universally flattering shades that can take you from subtle to dramatic. This palette is the perfect compliment to the Basic Eye Palette. The glosses have sheer colour and a non-sticky texture. The lipsticks go on creamy and the colour is highly pigmented and long-lasting. I love using Posey to highlight the lips! You can't go wrong with a few basics!

Additional Bobbi Brown Holiday sets:

Lip and Eye Palette: This limited-edition, double-decker palette includes new and exclusive shades of high-shimmer Metallic Eye Shadow and comfortable, long-wearing Creamy Lip Color. Comes with a Mini Eye Shadow Brush and Mini Lip Brush with cap.

Lip Gloss Trio: Tucked inside a golden copper faux-leather case you'll find three beautiful shades of gloss: a medium, golden pink; a pale glittering pink; and a pink beige with golden shimmer.

Moon Rock and Night Sky Long-wear Eye Palette: This celestial-inspired palette includes two NEW and exclusive Long-Wear Cream Shadows - the warm Gold Drop and the steely Mineral Dust - to impart a pretty shimmer to lids, Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners in Espresso Ink and the NEW, exclusive Black Topaz to beautifully define eyes.

Velvet Plum Eye Palette: The perfect day-to-night palette with everything you need to create two different eye looks. Includes a dual-ended Mini Eye Shadow/ Eye Liner Brush for professional application.

Tube Tint Sets: Our signature Tube Tints Set includes Lip Tint SPF 15 and Shimmer Lip Tint SPF 15 in four shades that flatter all complexions.

Metallic Eye Shadow: Add a festive touch to your look this season with Bobbi's limited-edition shades of Metallic Eye Shadow, featured in the Party Collection.

Glitter Lip Gloss ($25 CAD): Featured in the Party Collection. Infused with light-reflecting flecks of glitter, this gloss gives lips a high-shine and high shimmer look that's perfect for any party and evening soiree. Stay tuned for my review!

Copper Diamond Cosmetic Bag with Brushes: When space is premium, downsize with the Copper Diamond Cosmetic Bag featuring four Mini Brushes - Blush, Eye Shadow, Ultra Fine Eyeliner and Lip (with protective cap).

Glitter Lip Balm: A mix of pearl and glitter pigments make lips glisten as it moisturizes and comforts. Comes in a convenient mirrored flip top compact. Available in three shades, including new Pink Crystal featured in the latest Copper Diamond Look for Holiday.

Copper Diamond Beauty Kit: Bobbi's iconic accessory, updated for the holidays in golden copper faux-leather. This structured, multi-tiered case is sized to hold makeup and skincare essentials.

Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick ($50 CAD): Featured in "W" Magazine (Nov 2008). Sparkle this season with Bobbi's NEW Copper Diamond Shimmer Brick Compact. Five gorgeous shades — candlelight, gold, copper, beige and sand — work together to give skin a warm golden copper glow. Stay tuned for my review!

I love this concept of Stila's talking palettes! Stila Surprise and Shine - Record A Message Talking Gift Palette ($40 USD) has a great little microphone where you can record a special message! It's such a sweet little surprise for anyone. I had my lil' guy say "I love you mommy" and every time I use it I hit play just to hear his adorable voice. It's also perfect if you're traveling - you can keep that special someone close by with the hit of a button!

Packaged with a chic little ribbon, this limited edition palette includes (L-R): Nude (base - warm ivory), Wheat (lid- pearlescent beige), Espresso (liner - shimmering grey brown, and Peony (warm nude). Stila shadows are fabulous!! The textures are velvety-soft and the pigments are gorgeous! You can play around with the shades and customize to your beauty style. I love Peony Convertible Color for lips and cheeks. It's the perfect neutral. On lips, I like to add Stila Lip Glaze in Grapefruit for some yummy shine. Add a personal touch to gift-giving this Holiday!

Looking for a gift fit for a Makeup Junkie? Urban Decay's Book of Shadows ($45 USD) is the perfect gift! One of my favourites of the season, this palette comes complete with 16 eyeshadows, 8 best-sellers and 8 exclusive new shades only found in this palette! The 2 premium brushes will help you swipe on shadows like a dream and the travel size Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion will keep those shadows from creasing or fading! Urban Decay is a brand known for its cutting-edge trendy designs. You can expect a visual treat of 3D pop up UD graphics and a handy mirror so you can apply your makeup anywhere! I will have to pick up the normal size Eye Primer Potion! My shadows stay put all day, no creasing, no fading, and no smudging!

This was a hit with the ladies at the Chick Advisor Shop Crawl after-party where I did mini make-overs! The variety of colours suit any skin tone. The shadows are rich and blend smoothly onto the skin. There's a shade for every mood your in. My favourite? All of them! A must for Urban Decay junkies or an Urban Decay virgins!

Top Row: Goddess, Shattered, Absinthe, Protest, Shakedown, Roach, and Scandal
Middle Row: Best-seller Midnight Cowboy, Best-seller Baked, Smog, Sidecar, Gridlock, Perversion, and Last Call
Bottom Row: Grifter and Mayhem

Know a gal that enjoys the luxuries of a princess in one little box? Benefit Primpcess - Glamorous Eye Primping Kit ($38 CAD) is all a girl needs to get primped up and glamorous! Kit includes: boi-ing 02 concealer, creaseless cream shadow/liner in r.s.v.p., 3 powder shadows: for contouring, accenting & lining, BADgal mini mascara, eye bright instant eye brightener, brushes galore & a beauty lesson.

Top Row: Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner in R.S.V.P., Beige shadow, Sparkling Pink Shadow, and Dark Brown Shadow
Bottom Row: boi-ing Concealer #2 and Eye Bright Instant Eye Brightner

Love Benefit's line of Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liners! R.S.V.P. is a sparkling champagne that you can apply all over as a base or use to highlight in key areas for a radiant look. The kit comes complete with a mini beauty lesson for accenting, contouring and lining the eyes with these velvety shadows. I like using the boi-ing Concealer #2 to even out the skin tone on my eyes but it's a little to light for my under eye. To make it work, I used the concealer first then applied a natural foundation over top. I've used the Eye Brightner before and I got an allergic reaction from it. I didn't use it but I've heard it works well for other women! It's the perfect little box for that glamorous girl-on-the-go!

Additional Benefit Holiday sets:

24k Sexy Gold Set ($36 CAD): With a golden embossed clutch, a sheer gold 24k lipstick & a complementing, golden loose powder to adorn her eyes & cheekbones... this gift is the ultimate status symbol! Limited edition.

Peace, Love, & Glossiness ($30 CAD): What gal wouldn't want not one gloss... but SIX glosses? These are our most coveted colors all in one special set. Perfect for the gal who changes her gloss as often as she changes her mood! Stay tuned for reviews!

Best of Benefit: Sexy Stash: Sexy stash includes Benefit's sassiest faves: thrrrob, our pulse-racing pink face powder, that gal, our brightening face primer & BADgal lash, our lavish black mascara for sexy lashes.

Best of Benefit: Beauty Uppers: These little uppers: dandelion, our brightening face powder, benetint, our rose-tinted lip & cheek stain, & you rebel lite, a defiantly different tinted moisturizer, are all wrapped & ready to go!

Being a beauty addict doesn't mean you have to have makeup scattered everywhere! Beauty Addicts brand of cosmetics provides sleek, chic, and convenient compacts for those addicts who want a simpler life. The Express Eye Shadow Quad ($35 USD) is an essential palette of beige, rose-golds, bronze and browns for casual elegance.

This palette includes a base shade, accenting colour, lid shade and liner. The colours suit any skin tone and work for a variety of beauty looks. Shadows are highly pigmented and long-lasting. Excellent palette to dress up your prettiest holiday outfit!

Compliment those eyes with the ExpressLips Quad ($28 USD)! ExpressLips is a dazzling combination of luscious textures infused with shea butter, aloe vera, Vitamin E, and a hint of wild berry essence. Layer over one another or wear on its own.

These shades of beige, rose golds, and browns will keep your lips shimmering! Textures are smooth and non-sticky. A holiday essential for gals who want subtle elegance!

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