Lorac Cosmetics Bejeweled Holiday 2011 Review & Swatches

Childhood ME rather excited about the Christmas outfit I'm wearing (Sometime after 1986)

The holidays are upon us and I'm a fan of this time of year for many reasons. There is just something about the holidays that makes you feel all warm & fuzzy inside. Sort of like a hot chocolate and a warm blanket on a cold winter day kind of feeling. My top reasons I LOVE the holidays are:

1. Family Time -- You can rest assured you will see your family more than ever now (even the ones you don't like.)

2. Holiday Decorations --There is just something about putting up a Christmas tree and decorating the house that makes you smile. Plus, the city is all light up and the windows are FANTASTIC.

3. Holiday Music -- Give me Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" any-day!

4. Gifts -- Ahh, yes, The one time of the year you can make a list of what you want and it may actually come true.

5. Food -- This actually starts around Thanksgiving and doesn't end till the New Year. YIPPIE!

6. The Mrs -- I mean, she makes me love everyday, but she makes the holidays so special by just being here and celebrating with me. Oh + she also has the cutest little excited face on Christmas morning!

7. Holiday Discounts -- It's like a giant sample sale all at once.

8. Holiday Beauty Launches -- Beauty launches get better and better each year. With it being so competitive out their for brands, they all strive to give you the best deal with the best products. The best time to shop is normally the holidays because you get the most bang for your buck.

That brings me to this fantastic holiday palette from LORAC. Yes, my friends, they've done it again. This box is jammed packed with all types of goodies: an ENORMOUS bronzer, two eyeliners, two glosses and two eyeshadow palettes; one for day and one for night. It's a steal at $56 and is exclusive to Sephora.

 *Products in post sent for consideration*

 I found nothing wrong with this palette except I didn't care for the gloss colors. That's my own preference though. I would have preferred a nude and berry shade instead. The gloss wear, however, was fantastic. Long wearing and not sticky.

This bronzer is a gorgeous color. It's on the shimmery shade so you can skip the highlighter when you wear this one.

Have you picked up any LORAC holiday launches yet?

Lorac Cosmetics: Meeting Carol Shaw & A Sneak Peak At Spring Collection

I had the fantastic pleasure of meeting the lovely Carol Shaw at a Spring Collection LORAC 2012 preview at a gorgeous hotel in the city. It was a cozy affair with a select handful of bloggers chosen to get a sneak peak at the Spring collection. LORAC is one of my favorite brands, so I was ecstatic when I got the invite. I was greeted by the lovely Carol Shaw who is beyond amazing and humble. She is an incredibly talented woman who took her love of beauty and created a gorgeous brand.

LORAC (pronounced LA-ROCK) is widely known as the "Red-Carpet Authority" and it's no wonder. Carol has done the makeup of many stars like Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Debra Messing, Nicole Richie and Ashley Greene. She created a fantastic brand and continues to create products every year that wow beauty lovers worldwide. I took a few photos to give you guys a sneak peak of whats to come. Get excited...

That large bronzer/highlight duo shall be MINE. It's absolutely stunning. From the products to the packaging, it's a definite WIN. On the right you can see some new glosses to look forward to. Guess which one I love? The nude, of course!

Complete Spring Preview: Starting at the left: you see the large bronzer/highlight duo, a mini eye shadow palette, blush, a brand new natural palette, Lorac's famous TANalizer in a darker shade and brand new glosses.

Are you in love yet?!

GOLD PACKAGING! I love that it's gold -- I can't wait to whip this one out my purse.

Are you excited for Lorac's Spring 2012 launch?

Urban Decay Launches Naked 2 Palette

Urban Decay's original naked palette broke records in sales and demand. With every neutral color you could possibly imagine, they've done it again and launched a brand new "Naked 2" in a handy tin that includes 12 eye-shadows, a double ended brush and a mini naked lip-gloss. This palette includes 5 NEW shades and I'm sure will sell out fast. Only 5,000 are available TODAY and more on the way next week. Order one  A.S.A.P to get in time for the holiday season. Retail is $50 and will be available at Sephora, Ulta, and Macy's in late January 2012.

                                 Will you be picking up Naked 2?

Wet N Wild Walking On Eggshells Trio Review & Swatches

Another gorgeous trio from Wet N Wild ($2.99). This one reminded me of Urban Decay's wildly popular naked palette. This trio of colors closely resembled three in that palette (Browbone: Virgin, Crease: Smog, Eyelid: Sin) Agree? I was drawn to it since my Sin has run out and I refuse to purchase again since I know it's so easily duped. This trio is called Walking on Eggshells 380B. I have to say this is one of the best trios I've ever purchased. It's perfect for everyday and no thinking is required. + at $2.99 it's a steal!

What's your favorite Wet N Wild product?

Too Faced's New Smokey Eye Shadow Collection

The question I get asked most often is what's the best way to create the perfect smokey eye. As a makeup artist I know that their are tons of different smokey eyes that can be created. It's really about what kind of smokey eye you'd like; the colors, the type, the mood. This is where Too Faced comes to the rescue. Too Faced is known for their fun kits with easy to use instructions. They just recently launched their new smokey eye kit, so I decided to check it out.

Top row

Second Row

Third Row

What I love about this kit is the array of colors. It's not just for that "classic" smokey eye. You can create smokey eyes with color like blue, purple, and silver. You can even create a "natural" smokey eye using the entire top row. My favorite color of the bunch is firefly, which is the first color in the palette. It's a silvery taupe color and I have nothing like it in my collection.

Retail: $36 at Too Faced, Sephora & Ulta

Have you ever tried Too Faced Cosmetics?

Become A Bronze Goddess With The Balm's Betty-Lou Manizer

I picked up this beauty during my TJ Maxx run the other night. I've been eyeing it for a few months trying to contain myself from purchasing yet another bronzer. If it's one thing I don't need in my cosmetic collection, it's bronzer. It may just be the product I have the most of. I was intrigued by this bronzer because it seemed like the perfect, bronze-y kind of Jennifer Lopez glow. I'm also obsessed  in love with luminizer, so this seemed like a great combo.

I'm so glad I decided to pick this up. It's gorgeous on the cheeks (very pigmented & heavy though--so only use a small amount. Gently tap your brush in the pan) and even stunning on the eyes. Another must have in your collection. I'm pretty sure I only paid $15.99 for this baby. That's a steal! You pay that for some drug-store brand bronzers. Don't miss out on this one. You can still purchase it at Sephora for $24 or find it at your local TJ Maxx for $15.99.

Have you picked up any must-have products lately?