Favorite Eyeliners

Hi friends!

Hope everyone's holiday shopping is going well!

For those of you who know me well, you know you won't find me without a nice swipe of eyeliner. It's my desert island makeup (the one item I would want if I was stuck-Lost style). I'm constantly on the look out for great liners and I think I've found some serious contenders for the prize. I'm happy to report there is more than one 'best eyeliner'.

I've talked about my favorite eyeliners in the past and definitely love each of those products as well. Lately, though I've been experimenting with a new collection of eye defining products. Here are some of new favorites:



Laura Mercier Caviar Stick ($24.00) This "smoky eye in a stick" is one of the best eyeliners I've ever used. It has a creamy formula that glides on your lids easily and can be smudged and applied as shadow all over the entire lid. The colors are rich without being overpowering. The pencil can also be used as an eyeliner on it's own or with a liner brush for a tight line. Let the formula set for a minute and you'll see that it's completely smudge, transfer and crease-proof. It's also one of the most long-lasting liners I've ever had and best of all the liner won't end up below your eyes or in the corners like most other solutions after time.  OBSESSED. Although there's no black liner, shades like Smoke, Jungle, Plum and Sapphire offer up a deep, black-like alternative.

NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner ($23.00) I love the amazing range of colors this product offers. From a plumy, rich purple to a deep royal blue, the shades are fun and suit a range of tones and moods. Although, this liner isn't very smudgy, it does apply easily and will seriously not budge. It's also a clean alternative to typical pencils that require sharpening. This one has a built in sharpener in the bottom that you can twist when you want a pointer tip. It's a seriously budge-proof product and comes in a wide variety of gorgeous shades.

Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eyeliner ($22.00) If you want a deposit of some serious pigment look no further than this fabulous Laura concoction. Wet an eyeliner brush, dip into the shadow and swirl it around. Then apply it like you would any other eyeliner. The color is deep, long-lasting and seriously budge-proof. It's one of the few liners that looks as deep and pigmented when you first put it on as it does when you take it out 12 hours later.

The Walk This Way Fashion Show for Becky's Fund

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of joining my good friends for a special event: The Walk This Way Event for Becky's Fund.

Becky's Fund is an organization that helps support and bring awareness for victim's of domestic violence. The organization also strives to establish prevention-based programs and collaborate with others in the community to educate others about this serious issue. You may recognize founder Becky Lee from her stint on CBS's Survivor: Cook Islands.

Carl Ray, Me, and Rick Raines at the Walk This Way Event

Their annual Walk This Way event was an amazing fashion show at the Andrew C. Mellon Auditorium. The show featured a mix of models and members of the Redskins strutting down the runway in their finest.

My good friend and Washingtonian Magazine's Top Voted Bridal Makeup Artist, Carl Ray was not only on the hosting committee, he also helped glam up some of the models. He's such a talent and did such an amazing job, as per usual.

Check out his blog to see his amazing work from the night. I was thrilled to attend the event and see my dear friend's fabulous work!

 

Clinique's Irresistible Holiday Offers

Clinique sure is making it easy to shop with them this holiday season! If you or a loved one is a fan of their line, there's not better time to shop with them than today!

-Get your Christmas gifts shipped FREE and in time for the holiday by placing your order on or before Monday, December 19th at 6:00 PM.

-Pick 4 skin care and/or makeup minis with any $25 purchase.

-Get a free Clinique Happy fragrance (travel size) TODAY only with ANY Clinique purchase online. Free Happy, free shipping and free samples!



 Happy shopping friends!

Winter Weather Relief In A Bottle

The holidays are right around the corner and with all the merriment and excitement in the air, one almost forgets one annoying little detail about the season: it's winter! 

With winter comes cold temperatures and hot furnaces. It also means dry skin and cracked hands and feet. Luckily, the holiday cheer distracts from these perpetual discomforts as does a few key skin solutions. I'm incapable of functioning in the winter without lathering myself with the most moisture-drenching lotion I can find. It's a fact. My body converts into a cave of moisture and I try desperately to store and retain what's left. Ok, I'm bordering on dramatic but I seriously make sure I'm using the most potent skin care products I can find. For me, Eucerin always does the trick. The drugstore brand is a favorite among dry-skin victims. It's supremely moisturizing but doesn't leave a gunky residue and doesn't dry your skin out as some alcohol-based lotions tend to do. 

Lately I've been rounding out my beauty routine with a few of their fine products. Here's what I've been loving:

Eucerin Calming Body Wash: A nourishing wash that provides a soap-free cleansing wash and includes soothing omega oils. 

Eucerin Calming Creme: A non-greasy formula that effectively treats dry, itchy skin. This creme uses natural oatmeal to calm and protect your pores. I love how long the moisturizer lasts on the skin and how smooth the skin feels even after a full day of wear. This is also great to use if you have eczema. 

Eucerin Intensive Repair Hand Creme: I always carry a tube of this in my bag and use it to relieve the tight feeling my skin has after washing my hands. It's non-greasy and (as the name would suggest) intensively moisturizing. The formula uses alpha hydroxy to exfoliate the skin which helps your skin look smooth and plump after use. It is best to use this lotion with a sunscreen as people can have sensitivity to the sun and can sunburn since it has alpha hydroxy acid in it. This hand creme is especially amazing to use if your hands and fingers are cracking.  

Eucerin Calming Itch-Relief Treatment: This lotion is fantastic to relieve itchy skin. It contains a cooling menthol that provides long-lasting relief. I love using this stuff after a long day outside (especially skiing) when my skin has faced the elements over an extended period of time and needs cooling moisture. 

Eucerin Smoothing Essentials: This bottle of lotion is the key element for getting me through moisture-less winters. It's supremely effective, fast absorbing and non-greasy. It really is a winter life-saver. It also contains alpha hydroxy acid which will help gently exfoliate the skin but will make it more sensitive to the sun. I always mix my moisturizer with sunscreen to help lather it all on. 

I'd be lost without these products but luckily I keep them close and handy. That way my mind is rarely on my dry skin and 100% focused on the fun and festive season in front of me! 

Happy Holidays!