8 Beauty and Style Holiday Favorites

These 8 beauty and style holiday favorites are the perfect essentials for parties, events, dinners, and gift exchanges!  Every one of these items will bring a gleaming sparkle or sense of sophistication to your holiday festivities.

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette

This beautiful palette is made up of a mix of 15 matte and jewel tones, each one designed by Gwen Stefani herself and guaranteed to spice up any holiday makeup look.  The texture and pigmentation is stunning and so long lasting you will not have to worry about creasing or fallout during your holiday blitz of food and gifts.  My absolutely favorite shades has to be Pop, a pale coral with iridescent sparkle, which I will be applying to my lid this Christmas Eve as part of a shimmery pink and mauve cut crease.

Huda Beauty Classic Fall Lashes

   Huda Beauty lashes are stunning.  They are lightweight, reusable, vegan, and cruelty-free, and come in a variety of styles guaranteed to fit and makeup look or occasion.  My favorites are Giselle, Samantha and Sasha, which are all low-to-medium volume and more natural than dramatic.  I will be wearing Giselle this holiday season to create a natural look that is subtle while still remaining beautiful.  I have been a Huda Beauty fan for a long time, and these lashes remain a staple in my makeup routine!

Kate Spade Lily Avenue Wallet

  Have a holiday party or even to go to, but don't want to lug around your heavy everyday tote?  Kate Spade's Lily Avenue Wallet is the perfect accessory for all the essentials.  I can fit my iPhone, lipstick, ID, and cards easily, with room to spare for a few tampons if the time calls for it.  This wallet comes in the colors Ballet Slipper, Black and Cherry.  Ballet Slipper, a soft pink, is my favorite, and the scalloped snap-flip closure is elegant and sophisticated, while still remaining girly and cute.

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita

The reason this is one of my go-to lipsticks for parties or events is because of its great coverage and ability to last.  The texture is rich and feels like satin upon the lips.  My favorite shade, Anita, is a gorgeous petal pink, which gives my lips a subtle tone without being too dramatic.

Deborah Lippmann Glitter Nail Polish in Ruby Red Slippers

When I found this perfect shade of shimmery Christmas red, I had to stop in Sephora for a moment of silence and appreciation.  Honestly, you cannot get more festive than this.  These are long lasting, glittery, and comes in a show-stopping red.  If this is too much glitter for you (but honestly how could there be such a thing?) use this as an accent color on either your ring or index fingers, and paint the rest a bright red.

Kate Spade Small Square Stud Earrings in Rose Gold Glitter

In addition to purses and wallets, Kate Spades makes the most beautiful jewelry that is affordable, sophisticated, elegant, and effortlessly girly.  At only $38 these bazel-set faceted stones feel like a steal.  The glitter is subtle but always catches the light just right.

Kate Spade Metro Scallopped Leather Watch

 I know what you're thinking: Kate Spade, again?  Hell yes, Kate Spade.  This watch gives me life.  It is scalloped (to match the wallet), stylish and comfortable.  The face and color combination is stunning and classicly elegant.

Diorshow Mascara

This is my favorite mascara for wearing beneath a full set of false lashes.  It is voluminous, lengthening, and comes in a very deep jet black.  The brush is thick and lashes turn out lush and full.  This is also my go-to mascara when I want a dark eye look without false lashes.

 

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My 6 Favorite Holiday Inspired Makeup Tutorials

 

With Christmas almost a week away and holiday parties in full gear, it's time to start thinking about your holiday makeup looks!

Here are SIX of my favorite holiday makeup tutorials this year.  They range from bright and glittery to deep and smokey, and are guaranteed to fit anyone for any occasion!

Click the title of each makeup look to be taken to the full tutorial.  Enjoy!

Champagne Gold

Can you tell I am already excited about the holidays?  Plummy lipstick?  Check.  Silver eyes?  Check.  Pearl and gold jewelry?  Double check.  There is nothing I love more than looking festive, but this look can also be easily worn throughout the year.

This tutorial is currently being featured on the homepage of one of my favorite female blogging sites BlogHer, check it out here!

Classic Holiday Vintage Makeup Tutorial

This makeup tutorial uses vintage charm to create a classic, elegant and wearable makeup look.  The simple black cat eye liner and a light eye contour allows the red lip to POP.  I paired this look with a stunning emerald green blouse and round pearl and diamond earrings.  Throw on a pair of dark skinny jeans, grab a pair of nude pumps, and you've got yourself a casual chic holiday look!

Smokey Cranberry Gold

This smokey cranberry gold makeup look will inspire you throughout the holiday season.  This warm tone look has just enough shimmer and just enough smokiness that will make getting ready for a holiday dinner (and the inevitable food coma to follow) something to feel good about.

Black and Gold Glam Smokey Cat Eye

This black and gold smokey cat eye has been one of my favorite Fall looks that I have created.  This look is dark, smokey, and alluring.

Tiffany and Co. Holidays

Next to nothing is more representative of love and the holidays like Tiffany & Co.  Likewise, nothing better represents Tiffany's that it's iconic blue green boxes.  I wanted to create a look that capured that beautful color along with the shimmery Diamond embellishes that the store is so well known for.

Holiday Vintage Glam

For this holiday vintage glam look I can envision myself on a Christmas Eve circa 1945 with my hair tied up in a bun, an apron around my waist, and taking freshly made Italian cookies out of the oven.

 

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Classic Holiday Vintage Makeup Tutorial

This makeup tutorial uses vintage charm to create a classic, elegant and wearable makeup look.  The simple black cat eye liner and a light eye contour allows the red lip to POP.  I paired this look with a stunning emerald green blouse and round pearl and diamond earrings. 

Throw on a pair of dark skinny jeans, grab a pair of nude pumps, and you've got yourself a casual chic holiday look!

The Face

 Prime, Foundation and Conceal 

1. I moisturize my face with Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Cream and my under eye area with Clinique Moisture Surge.

2. I prime my skin with NYX Angel Veil Skin Perfecting Primer and prime my under eye area with ELF Studio Hydrating Under Eye Primer.

3. Using a Beauty Blender, I apply a mix of Maybelline Fit Me Foundation in Soft Tan and Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation in Light 49 to my entire face.

4. To highlight and conceal I use the Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Concealer in Light Warm in a V-shape beneath my eyes, in the middle of my forehead, down the bridge of my nose, on my chin, and on my eye lids. 

Highlight, Contour and Blush 

1. To set everything I take the Real Techniques Setting Brush and place a mixture of the highlight shades Lucid and Lyric from the Kat Von D Shade and Light Contour Palette and place a generous amount over the areas that I highlighted with concealer.

2. I also add a generous amount to my jaw directly below my contour line.  I allow the extra powder to sit on my skin for a few minutes to "bake" before brushing off with a Morphe Brushes G23 Soft Fan Brush.

2. With the Real Techniques Sculpting Brush I take the contour shade Sombre from the Kat Von D palette and contour beneath my cheekbones, underneath my jaw bone, along the hairline on my forehead, down my temples, and alone the parallel sides of the bridge of my nose.

4. After blending I apply the middle blush color from the Morphe Brushes 9B Blush Palette, a soft shimmer pink-peach,  using the BH Cosmetics Blush Brush.

Highlight and Brows 

1. Using the same fan brush as earlier, I then apply the Jaclyn Hill and Becca Highlight in Champagne Pop to the tops of my cheekbones, my forehead just above my brows, and the bridge of my nose.

2. I highlight over this with the first highlight color from the Carli Bybel by BH Cosmetics Palette, a shimmery frosted pink.

3. I shape my brows with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Ebony.

4. I fill it in with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Powder Duo in Dark Brown.

5. I set it into place with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel.

The Eyes 

Primer and Transition Shade 

1. First, I prime my eyes with the Urban Decay 24 Hour Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Eden.

2. I take the shade Peach Smoothie by Makeup Geek, a soft matte peach beige, with a BH Cosmetics Fluffy Blending Brush into the crease of my eye and start blending upward.  This is going to be our transition shade.

3. Right below this I place a second transition shade, Frisk from the Naked2 Basics Palette, a warm matte grey. 

Crease and Lid 

1. I then apply the shade Cover from the Naked2 Basics Palette, a matte red brown, directly into my crease with a BH Cosmetics Small Tapered Blending Brush using windshield wiper motions.

2. I reapply this color a couple times to build the color, making sure it blends into my transition shade but stays directly within the crease.

3. Using a BH Cosmetics Flat Shadow Brush I take the shade Stark from the Naked2 Basics Palette, a matte nude pink, and take the color all across my lid and to my outer corner. 

Outer Corner and Wing 

1. I use the color Primal from the Naked2 Basics Palette, a deep matte brown, to define my outer corner.  I apply this directly to the outer third of my eye lid with a BH Cosmetics Tapered Blending Brush in the shape of a sideways "V" to smoke out the look.

2. While I make sure to concentrate the color only to this area, I take it up into my crease and down into my lower lash line ever so slightly so as to enhance the smokey effect.

3. I take a BH Cosmetics Small Angled Brush to draw on my eye liner using the NYX Gel Liner in JetBlack.  I get as close to the lash line as possible and press down on the lid to create a black line.

4. I wing this out when I reach the outer corner of my eye and continue it until I reach the end of where I have place the black eyeshadow. 

Highlight and Lower Lash Line 

1. I then use the shade Shimma Shimma by Makeup Geek, a metallic champagne, to highlight the inner tear duct with a BH Cosmetics Fluffy Blending Brush, and a small flat shadow brush to highlight my brow bone just below my eyebrow.

2. Finally, I take the shade Cover again and glide it below my bottom lash line using a small eye defining brush, making sure to blend into the outer corner of my eye to give the entire look a rounded out eye.

3. I go over the bottom half of Cover with our original transition shade, Frisk, to blend out any harshness. 

Mascara and Falsies 

1. I apply Benefit Cosmetics Rollerlash Mascara to my upper and lower lashes.

2. For my falsies I choose Ardell Curvy Black Lashes #410 and apply them using the Vegas Nay by Eylure Waterproof Lash Glue.

The Lips 

For this look I wanted a festive and holiday inspired red lip.

1. I line my lips with the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella.

2. I fill in my lips with Rimmel London Matte Liquid Lipstick in BurningLava.

3. I set the entire look with the Mario Badescu Facial Setting Spray.

Let Me Know! 

Tell me your favorite holiday inspired makeup products this season!

 

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