I wish I could get all of my closest friends diamonds for Christmas — they really are a girl’s best friend — but unfortunately I have yet to acquire vast riches and treasure chests of gold.

While makeup may not exactly be equivalent to a platinum pave friendship bracelet, there are several products out this holiday season that have just as much sparkle and shine. Here are three great choices for the best friend who is always there for you.

Make Up For Ever Professional’s Diamonds For Ever Kit

Sparkle, shine, drama: Make Up For Ever’s limited edition Diamonds For Ever Kit is not only beautiful but also multi-functional!

Every piece in the kit is geared toward creating a look infused with diamonds, and you can use pieces in the kit together or separately to create different looks.

The kit is just $49.00, but you get $110 worth of Make Up For Ever goodies including:

- Aqua Eyes Water Proof Eye Pencil 1L in Star Black
- Diamond Shadow 301 in Diamond White
- Diamond Powder 11 (a loose shimmer powder) in Champagne
- Fascinating Lip Gloss 1 in Pearly Transparent
- Waterproof Lengthening Mascara in 1 Black
- and a cute black vanity tote with a built in mirror and velcro closure to hold all of the goodies!

I know a few weeks ago I was ranting on and on about my glitter issues ,but the Diamonds For Ever set has officially made me one with the glitter.

I played around with the kit this weekend and totally fell for the Aqua Eyes Water Proof Eye Pencil, Diamond Shadow and Waterproof Lengthening Mascara. The Aqua Eyes is *the* standout product. It doesn’t tug at my lids and is super easy to apply. Once you get it on your eyes, it stays put all day. It performs similarly to MAC Technakohl, so if you are a MAC Technakohl fan then you might want to give Aqua Eyes a try. Methinks I love it even more than my Graphblack!

Here’s a fotd with all the products, along with MAC Dollymix blush on the cheeks and a layer of MAC Composure lipstick underneath a layer of Fascinating lip gloss:

The obligatory goofy pic…

Pick this set up for your glitter-lurvin’ best girl.

Givenchy Irresisistible Perfume: For the Girly-girl

I’ve been reviewing a lot of boyfriend-inspired perfumes lately like Covet, so I wanted to find a holiday perfume that would suit the other end of the perfume spectrum.

Feminine, floral, sparkly: Givenchy’s Very Irresistible is unmistakably girly.

(Oh, and in case you are wondering, I did give the new Armani “Diamonds” perfume — an obvious tie-in to this post — a sniff. I liked it but wanted to find something that was super-fem with strong rose notes.)

On me, Very Irresistible smells like a lovely bouquet of roses with hints of fresh, sparkling green notes — think emerald cut diamonds and fresh cut flower stems!

The scent notes include: Centrifolia Rose, Peony Rose, Fantasia Rose, Passion Rose, Emotion Rose, Verbena Leaf and Star Anise. In addition to being an uber-feminine scent, it’s also versatile, and perfect for both a work day and a date night.

Give your best girl the 2.4 Eau du Toilette spray ($69.00). The graceful pink bottle is huge, and like a diamond, will last forever.

Random fragrance fun fact: Givenchy recently celebrated their 50 year fragrance anniversary this year. Givenchy’s first fragrances were Le De and L’Interdit, and Audrey Hepburn (my style hero) posed for the advertising campaign, becoming the first celebrity to be associated with a fragrance launch.

Olay Definity Eye Illuminator, For Your Make Up Wearing Gym Buddy

What the heck does eye cream have to do with sparkly diamonds? Hear me out, ya’ll!

There’s been constant discussion on this blog about wearing makeup at the gym. If you are one of the lucky few who can brave the gym sans makeup, then props to you for being such a natural beauty! I wish I could get away with no makeup, but I’ve got to put at least some concealer under my eyes, otherwise I look like the living dead. It’s so not cute, especially when you’re watching yourself do bicep curls.

And lately my dark circles have been really bad. To remedy this pressing and slightly stressful issue I’ve been layering Make Up For Ever Lift Concealer on top of Olay Definity, an under eye treatment that helps to lessen darkness and shadows. And wowee wow wow!

I put a few small drops underneath my eyes and then layer concealer on top. It gives the tiniest amount of shimmer, and it makes my under eye area look brighter.

It’s a really subtle brightening effect, so don’t expect your dark circles to disappear in a magical poof of smoke. It’s an eye cream, not a Christmas miracle. However, if you’re uber-conscious like me about your dark circles, then you might find the extra step worth it.

Got a best friend who’s always working on her fitness and/or bemoaning her dark circles? Pop a tube of Olay Definity Eye Illuminator (about $22.00) in her stocking.

Enjoy this wonderfully sunny day, ya’ll!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

More Holiday Wish List 2007 – Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Perfume

It’s been months since I’ve gone surfing and I miss being in the ocean. Just looking at the blue packaging and bottle for Elizabeth Arden’s Mediterranean perfume makes me feel like I’m in Hawaii, sitting on my board and waiting for the next wave to come and carry me away.

Aside from the beautiful bottle and packaging, the best part about this perfume is that the scent isn’t too heavy or cloying. Mediterranean is described on the Elizabeth Arden Web site as a “radiant woody floral.” Imagine a hybrid between the best parts of Fresh’s Lemon Sugar perfume and Covet.

When I spray it on I get an initial burst that’s lemony and white floral. It then dries down to a light, black tea scent. On me Mediterranean smells gender neutral and not overly feminine or sweet.

If you have a girlfriend, sister or mom who likes perfumes that aren’t too sweet then she’ll love this. It would also be a great gift for a friend who loves beachy scents but doesn’t like strong “tropical” notes like pikake or tuberose.

The 1.7 fl oz bottle you see in the pic above is $47.50, but for the holidays Elizabeth Arden’s got a special set that includes the 1.7 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray, Body Lotion and a wee Eau de Parfum replica for $52.00. Don’t you love the extra goodies in gifts sets? I sure do.

A Holiday 2007 Face of the Day with Clinique’s “Happy & Bright” Makeup

Here’s a face of the day I did with Clinique’s Holiday 2007 “Happy & Bright” makeup. What do you think?

I used the pink shade farthest on the left all over the lid, then the peach shade to highlight the browbone and inner eye. I put the lighter brown shade in the crease and used the darker brown on the far right to line the top and bottom. Then I finished it off with two coats of BECCA The Ultimate Mascara in Black.

On the cheeks I used the lightest touch of MAC’s Dollymix blush with Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Peony layered on top.

I finished the look off with Raspberry Glace Different Lipstick and Camisole Full Potential Lipglass on the lips.

I really love these colors. They are buildable and pretty much mistake proof. My next Clinique Holiday 2007 mission: use the Pink Truffle quad to create a gentle smoky eye!

Weekend Reading Just For You

Your weekend isn’t over yet! Here’s the latest beauty buzz from The Beauty Blog Network.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic – Christine Explains how Antioxidants Work
A Touch of Blusher – All About Japanese Cosmetics
All Lacquered Up - All Lacquered Up Reviews OPI’s Holiday in Hollywood Dazzling Darks & Neutrals
Beauty and Fashion Tech – Beauty and Fashion Tech Looks at the New MAC Holiday Collection and Provides Swatches
Beauty and Personality Grooming – Homemade rich nail cream
Etailers Mall – The Blog – PlumSmoke
Face Candy – Bridal Beauty
Makeup Moxie’s Beauty Blog - Makeup Moxie Reviews Cover Girl Lashblast Mascara
Musings of a Muse - The Muse’s First Look at the Sephora 2007 Catalog
Mystical Beauty’s Musings – How do you feel about your makeup talking to you?
Savvy Skin - Skimpy Thinning Eyebrows
SugarShock – Fragrance Notes: Factory Girl
Temptalia - MAC Curiositease Review, Swatches, and Photos!
Makeup Loves Me - Refreshing Facial at Fresh

And oooh girl, I know you didn’t miss Makeup and Beauty Blog’s MAC Holiday 2007 Curiositease Lip Sets: What to buy, What to pass up!

A Few More Random Thangs Currently Up in My Grill

Because the world is constantly moving toward randomness…here are few tidbits that have crossed my radar in the last few days.

In definance to all the laws of the universe, somehow Christian Bale came SECOND PLACE to Wentworth Miller in Entertainment Weekly’s Ultimate Hottie Poll, BOO!

That’s okay, I’ll comfort you, Chris

I saw this kid dancing on “The Soup” and I laughed for about 10 minutes straight. I kept rewinding and laughing, rewinding and laughing. He’s my hero.

Not that I need any more TV in my life, but Torchwood on BBC is FANTASTIC. Tivo it, yo!


What’s My Motivation?

Today I was in an infinitely better mood then yesterday because last night I slept twelve hours. No joke. Every moment of sleep was like manna from the heavens. Ahhhh!

In between working it out at the gym and watching the Colts and Patriots game (that Tom Brady is HAWT!) I thought of all the stuff I have to get done this week that I just don’t want to do.

“Hmmm,” I thought, “What’s the ultimate form of motivation? What’s gonna make me want to go the extra mile to get all this craptacular crapola done?”

The answer? C to the H to the A to the N to the E to the L.

The reward for finishing my first project…

And the second…

And the third…

The moral of this story? A little Chanel bribery goes a long, long way.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Trick or Treat! This year I’m the short, brown, non-alcoholic version of AMY WINEHOUSE.

Here’s what I used to get the look:

Eyes:
MAC Blacktrack Fluidline (LOTS AND LOTS OF IT!)
MAC Plushlash in Plushblack
MAC Shadow in Woodwinked all over lid
MAC Concrete in brows
MAC Select Moisturecover Concealer

Cheeks:
MAC Mocha blush
MAC Dollymix blush

Lips:
MAC Cremestick liner in Red Enriched
MAC Lipstick in Dubonnet

Hair:
Garnier Fructis Full Control Hairspray
Streekers Instant Liquid Hairclolor in Yellow

I haven’t done big hair in about 15 years so I hope this massive bird’s nest on the top of my head stays put for the rest of the day.

What did you dress up as? Whatever it is I hope it’s cute!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. I gotta give some blog love to my husband (aka El Hub), who, in an ironic twist of fate, is at the dentist having his first cavities drilled today! Be strong, baby!

I was rifling around my makeup today and found a long lost friend, Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil in Jungle Green.

This beautiful emerald eyeliner is soft, glides easily, has all-day lasting power and gives a shimmery pop of color. And it’s only $2.99 at Walgreens, hello! If you’re feelin’ the itch to try a jewel-toned green liner this is the perfect way to test the waters without having to spend a lot of money.

In addition to Rimmel Jungle Green I used the following on the eye:

- MAC Groundwork Paintpot all over the lid
- MAC Soft Brown Matte Shadow in the crease and on bottom lashline
- LORAC Jade eyeshadow from lashline and just barely into the crease
- MAC Plushlash Mascara in Plushblack

On the cheeks:

- MAC Emote Blush
- MAC Pearl Sunshine Beauty Powder

On the lips:

- MAC Cremestick Liner in Beurre
- MAC Lipglass in Magestic

… HOLY FREAKING CRAP! Did you feel the earthquake?

I hope you are intact!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Face of the Day with Mac Matte2, aka When Purple Doesn’t Reign

Try as I might, I can’t seem to get it together when it comes to MAC’s Matte2 shadows. I’ve tried to do a full on matte eye a few times but it’s just too hard for me in terms of blending. Plus, I need a lil’ sparkle and some shine, ya know?

Here’s one of the attempts with three Matte2 colors:

Fig. 1 – eggplant purple
Copperplate – muted mid-tone grey
Poison Pen – deep mid-tone purple with grey

Although I originally wanted to do an all matte eye, I ended up using Next to Nothing (from the Smoke Signals palette) on the browbone to offset the dark colors.

I also used:

MAC Bare Canvas paint as a lid primer
MAC technakohl liner
MAC Plushlash in Plushblack

On my lips that’s MAC Mattene in Composure and on the cheeks is MAC Emote blush.

The colors were really hard to blend, and I had to really put that 217 into overdrive to avoid having stark lines of definition. I also had to work fast too, because once the Bare Canvas paint dried blending was virtually impossible.

And did I mention that I felt too purple to function?

I dunno how I feel about this. I guess next time around I’ll try it with a lighter hand, which I think will make me feel less, um, purple.

Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog…

You know that you need tough love some times. And that I’m here to give it to ya!

Dear Makeup and Beauty Blog,

I think my boyfriend is wearing my eyeliner.

I noticed a few weeks ago that I seemed to be going through my favorite eyeliner (MAC’s Technakohl in Graphblack!) really fast. I mean, I wear it every day, so I’m not surprised when it runs out. But lately it seems like I go through it so quickly. And one morning when I reached for it in my makeup kit, I noticed that the cap was off, which is something I never, ever do.

That night during dinner I mentioned it to my boyfriend, and told him that I thought there was a ghost or something in the house messing with my eye liner. He made a weird face and said that it was probably nothing and that I forgot to put the cap back on. Well, in between bites of pasta I looked closely at his lashline…and it seemed to look thicker, and bit more defined. That’s when it hit me: he’s using my eyeliner!

What should I do? Should I confront him about this? Should I just let it go? Help!

Sincerely,

Confused in California

Dear Confused,

It’s not the end of the world. Think about it: there are plenty of boys out there who work the lined eye with plenty of success.

Pete Wentz does Cleopatra liner

Prince does the cat eye

Jared Leto does a light smokey grey on the outer 2/3rds

However, if it really makes you uncomfortable, you might want to have a little discussion with him.

Here are a few approaches I’d think about taking if I was in your shoes.

Bait and Switch: Let the boy keep wearing liner…just don’t let it be your expensive eyeliner

I would hide my precious Technakohl away and replace it with a Prestige or Wet n’ Wild liner from the drugstore. I did this a few years ago when El Hub kept using my pricey Bumble & Bumble Gentle shampoo in the shower. He had no clue that it cost an arm and a leg, so I just replaced it with some Suave and he was none the wiser.

Full on Frontal: Ask him straight up why he’s wearing your eyeliner…but be mentally prepared for a potentially shocking conversation

This direct tactic is the one I’d be most likely to take in this situation, but I wouldn’t go into the convo without preparing myself thoroughly. First, I’d make myself a mental list of all the potential answers that El Hub could eventually give me:

“Honey, why are your wearing my eyeliner?”

Potential answer #1
“Because I want to be a rock star like Prince, so I’m quitting my job to start a band!”

Potential answer #2
“Because I’ve discovered that I like wearing makeup. By the way, those stretched out panties you’ve been complaining about? It’s not cause you’ve lost weight. It’s cause I wear them when you’re at hip hop class!”

You get the picture.

Next, I’d brainstorm all of the possible ways I’d react to these answers.

Would this exercise help me in the end? I don’t know for sure. However, I do know that going through the possible scenarios would get me thinking about how to handle each possible situation with compassion, dignity and grace. I would also hope that the exercise would prepare me for *anything* he threw my way. And should shit hit the fan, I would hopefully be mentally prepared enough to not lose my cool and be an understanding and open-minded partner during the conversation.

Make Him Up, 101: If he’s determined to wear the liner, make sure that it at least looks good

So if the boy is hell bent on wearing liner, then the least you can do is to make sure it looks good. I’d perhaps give my guy a lesson on blending and brushes, plus a fresh pot of his own MAC Fluildline in Blacktrack.

Good luck, and keep on trucking.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen