While more often than not my lips might have a bit of lipgloss (if anything), every year at about this time I find myself wanting a fresh bit of color by way of lipstick.  Maybe it is all the love in the air brought around by way of Valentines day?  Or maybe it is simply that it is the middle of winter with paleness reigning supreme leaving me craving color...

When I am going to wear lipstick, I prefer Benefit, Nars, and Mac.  I tend to love their colors the best.

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Whenever I am getting ready to celebrate, be it a holiday party, a wedding, or just a date night, I like to put a little extra effort into getting my makeup just right for the occasion.  There is something about adding a bit of pop from a new lipstick or a dusting of a fun eye shadow that says I am ready for a fantastic evening of celebrating! 

And while I have been playing with makeup since I can remember, I will take all the tips I can get from experts such as Kimara Ahnert.  I was recently emailing with the ladies of Kimara Ahnert Cosmetics and first off I have to say wow- this place looks amazing and I have added to my list of must go to places when we visit New York.  I mean how could you not feel amazing after a pampering afternoon of spa services or getting your makeup done at this cozy and elegant studio!

So back to getting ready for that celebration and those tips! Like in most things, it is all in the details.  Kimara Ahnert was sweet enough to share tricks for adding a little glamour into your holiday or celebration makeup routine...

Cleopatra eyeliner, bold new brows, and lips so red they make the heart race – there’s very little that’s muted in makeup this holiday season. 

Make Eyes POP!

• To make eyes really stand out, line the inside rim with a white pencil.  Apply an iridescent shadow to the inner corners of the eyelid, while dusting the brow bone as well

• Great camera eyes are created using shimmering shades of champagne, gold and copper.  The sheen shows off the sparkle within the eyes and creates the most impact, helping you to look beautiful, not painted

• Always use mascara!  Plump natural lashes by adding individual false eyelashes on the corners of your eyes and within your natural lash line

 

Even, Conceal and Contour

• To instantly contour the face, use a fan brush to sweep bronzer along the cheekbones, nose and jawline.  This will draw attention away from any redness or other imperfections and will accentuate the shape of the face

• Use a cream based blush on the ball of the cheek to create a flushed, "pinched cheek" look; you can even use your lipstick “in a pinch” 

• Undereye concealers should be applied with a concealer or foundation brush.  The best formula to use is a stick foundation for strongest and longest lasting coverage, or try an illuminating concealer to not only hide circles but to also brighten the entire eye area in one quick step  

 

Create Fuller Lips

• To maximize your smile, brush lips with a toothbrush to exfoliate and create a fuller pout.  Then, line lips outside of the natural lip-line, fill with your favorite lipstick and dab a pearlized gloss to the center of the lip for added “VaVoom”

• To create shape, dab a shimmer eye shadow very subtly just over the top lip before lining to create the perfect “cupid’s bow”  

 

Troubleshooting Tips

• Instantly narrow your nose – Contour the sides of your nose with a bronzer using a fan brush and highlight the bridge with a good concealer
• Color code – No matter what, always have a pop of color somewhere – blush, lip or eyeshadow color

Beautiful!  I do love a bit of glamour for a night out celebrating. 

And as a little public service announcement; Kimara has some pretty lovely products available in an online shop which is great for those of us not able to go to her lovely studio.  I was lucky enough to score a free sample of her lip gloss and it is now my favorite, go-to lip gloss with that perfect color for the day and enough shine to lead into the evening - love it.

One of things the outcomes of this recession that I actually appreciate is the way that it has lead to people taking a more objective look at how they spend their money.  Some people have had to do this from an immediate necessity due to layoffs or struggling to keep their house and others have done it for more of a precaution or simply out of a desire to establish better money habits.  Whatever the underlying motive might be, it is a pretty interesting exercise to really evaluate what you spend your money on and to see whether it reflects your priorities.  I personally prefer to allocate a higher percentage of my discretionary spending on "experiences" rather than "objects" and yet realized my spending habits in reality were reflecting the opposite.

One of the areas that I have determined I could cut my spending was on "grooming products" so this past year I have been doing a little experimenting.   Is it really necessary to spend quite so much on a product that is down the drain within a month to have healthy hair? My non-scientific findings are that it most definitely is not.  I have been haunting the aisles of Target and trying out inexpensive product substitutes to see what would do the trick without taking up so much of my budget.  Here are my favorites that I plan to incorporate well beyond these recession days...

• For shampoo and condition I have long been a fan of a pricy yet lovely product that left my hair soft and shiny but at $30 a bottle it seemed like a logic place to find an alternative. Once I got over the label it was a bottle of Suave (Humectant) that won me over, yes seriously!  At about $3 a bottle it leaves my hair soft, shiny, without residue (looking at you Pantene), and quite frankly does a pretty darn good job. 
• Even if I am using a pricier shampoo/conditioner combo, I use a leave-in conditioning creme to keep my hair smooth.  On a whim I decided to give Garnier's version (Sleek & Shine) a try.  And wow am I glad that I did!  I really can not tell a difference and again it ends up to be quite the savings when comparing around $5 a bottle to $28.
• Facial cleansing and lotioning products are something that I don't change often. But with the wins in the hair aisle I was up for the challenge.  I found that while it is clearly marketed towards a younger demographic, the Clean & Clear (Morning Burst) facial cleanser was a winner.  For a few dollars a bottle it nicely cleanses without being harsh or drying. 
• Something I determined I could easily live without is perfumed body/shower wash.  I find that Lever2000's body wash for $5 has me actually feeling cleaner than the $20 bottles (I really don't like the uber-lotion+perfume versions). 

Through these small little product switches I have found $92 (plus the tax savings as 10.25% sales tax adds up) in my 4 to 6 week spending that can be reallocated towards going to a show with my husband or adding to a vacation savings account or maybe an extra little day trip...  And it has simplified my errands by getting these frequently replaced items at a store I will already visit during that time period. 

Speaking of grooming products, have you heard about the Dove switch to Visibly Smooth promotion?  Chicago ladies, you can head to certain area salons to switch an old deoderant stick for a Dove Visibly Smooth one and get a discount on spa services.  Details and participating salons are listed here. (I am totally not above a free full sized product giveaway- even deoderant :) )

{image via fashionableheart; image 2 via ffffound}

I am toying with the idea of a new hair style. Very cliche of me to go for the post wedding new hair style. But I am not sure that I am quite ready to give up the length... yes it is only hair and it does grow back. But as I have had my share of horrible hair cuts, I am pretty conservative when it comes to any thing more than a maintenance trim. And I do like having my hair long.

That said, I could go for less time spent with the hair dryer. And I love the hairstyle for Niko on Lipstick Jungle (oh yeah and I will take her job too!)...

If only my hair could hold curl enough for this style I would be sold...

Before the wedding I was set to immediately cut my hair to above my shoulders but I hesitated. I am not sure if it is because I like it long or if it will just be too much change within a few months to change my look right now. But my next hair appointment is coming up... Anyone else on the fence about the cliche post-wedding haircut?

And yes, I confess that Lipstick Jungle is one of my guilty-pleasure tv shows!