In a perfect world, I’d always have at least 45 minutes to do my makeup. Not because it always takes that long, but because I like being able to take my time and relax.

Unfortunately, the clock doesn’t always cooperate, especially with the holidays approaching fast.

That’s why ’tis the season for makeup shortcuts! I’m always looking for makeup time-savers, and one of my new favorites is Sonia Kashuk’s Twist & Shout Kabuki Blush Brush ($13).

Remember Sonia’s Twist of Fate brush set last week? Well, her new kabuki brush models the same twisted faux silver handle, which, like its sisters, broadcasts every smudgy fingerprint (aargh!), a flaw I can easily forgive.

Why?

Baby, you’re much too fast!

Twist & Shout screams! With it I’m able to apply and blend blush in half the time it takes me with a regular blush brush. Fantastic when I don’t have minutes to spare.

Like a wand, this brush exudes magic. When I rest Twist & Shout’s wide and slightly flattened brush head against my cheek, it covers the entire apple — a large swath of cheek! It’s able to blanket almost my entire cheek with a light-to-medium layer of color in just a couple quick swipes.

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Like pearls, Sonia Kashuk’s new Classic Palette ($20) looks great either dressed up or dressed down, and it goes with everything!

Classic, with eight neutral shades for eyes, lips and cheeks, joins five other limited-edition holiday sets (remember the Starry Eyes Palette and the Twist of Fate Brush Set?) from Sonia.

The Classic Palette

• A matte light brown eyeshadow
• A matte dark brown eyeshadow
• A matte black eyeshadow
• A matte peach blush
• A shimmery nude lipgloss
• A creamy berry lipstick
• A creamy blueish red lipstick

Added bonus: It comes with four mini brushes, too!

Just gazing at the palette brings to mind a host of makeup looks…

• Maybe a black smokey eye with shimmery nude lips
• Or a brown smokey eye with nude or bold lips
• A simple (neutral) wash of color worn with some really bold lips
• A shimmery beige eye with black cat liner and nude or even bold lips

Creamy berry lipstick

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If you’re a budget-lovin’ babe who wears cool-toned shadows well, Sonia Kashuk’s got your back. Her new Starry Eyes Palette ($15) for holiday 2009 comes with six cool-toned powder eyeshadows in a mix of glitters and matte.

Exactly what’s inside?

• A shimmery brown with glitter
• Shimmery beige with glitter
• Shimmery taupe with glitter (fans of MAC Satin Taupe eyeshadow, this shade looks like Satin Taupe’s glittery cousin)
• A matte brown
• Matte white
• Matte taupe

I’ve been going through a glitter renaissance of late, and the glitter shadows in this palette are hitting all my right notes. You know how some glittery shadows are just too sheer? How all you can see sometimes is the glitter (but no color)? Well, these aren’t like that at all. All three deliver respectable pigmentation — a nice surprise for gals on Team Glitter.

Speaking of the glitter, I expected it to feel gritty here based on how chunky the bits look in their pans.

But that wasn’t the case. In fact, the particles appear fine — just right, in fact — once they’re applied.

It adds up to a very refined glitter look, if there is such a thing.

Swatches with flash

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Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate Brush Set, $20

Earlier this decade, Sonia Kashuk reinvented the budget brush market, making drugstore makeup brushes cool. For the holidays this year, she’s taking that budget luxe philosophy another big step forward by introducing a line with twisted faux-sliver handles that won’t break the bank.

But looks aren’t everything, and to find out if Sonia’s new brushes bring the noise, I put ‘em to the test.

The six-piece limited edition Twist of Fate Brush Set ($20, on sale now at Target), Sonia’s premium collection of brushes for the holidays, joins five limited edition holiday makeup palettes and accessories (also on sale at Target).

Sonia Kashuk Twist of Fate

With a black clutch purse to carry them in (one that looks like it could cost more than $20 by itself), these six short-handled brushes will be traveling in style.

• A powder/blush brush
• A foundation brush
• A crease brush
• An eyeshadow brush
• An eyeliner brush
• A brow/lash comb

Pros

• Look expensive
• Brush heads feel soft against my skin and apply/blend product well
• Clutch purse fits everything with room to spare
• Brushes feel lightweight — perfect for girls on the go!
• Fantastic deal; breaks down to $2.86/per item (including the clutch)

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We’ve been put on notice tonight — theNotice, that is. The delightful Rae of theNotice blog shares one of her favorite drugstore beauty products, the EcoTools Cleansing Sponge.

 
When Karen asked if I would do a guest post for Makeup and Beauty Blog, I didn’t know where to start (I rarely do). I asked her for direction, and she suggested drugstore beauty.
 
“Hm!” I thought. “I’ll have so much to talk about!”
 
But I thought. And I thought. And I blew the house down.
 
Well, no, not really. But I did come to realize that less of my makeup stash comes from drugstores than I previously thought.
 
But this is actually great news for you (no, really, it is). It basically means that if I’ve kept a drugstore item, it’s a darned good one.

Take these EcoTools Cleansing Sponges ($9 for a pack of 12), for instance. They’re one of my drugstore holy grails.

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