Preview: tarte Holiday Collection

Every year around this time I love scouring the beauty stores for holiday gift sets. I love variety in my everyday routine and holiday collections always include huge palettes of eyeshadow, blush and lip gloss and some fabulous embellishments on the packaging. tarte's holiday 09 collection is probably the best I've seen in awhile. 

The standout product is definitely the Treasure Chest, a limited edition palette exclusive to Sephora. This thing is huge and contains 16 new shimmering shadows, 16 new matte shadows, 16 new lip glosses, the best-selling mineral powder bronzer in park avenue princess, new soft pink luminizer and four new powder blushes. What I love most is that every shade in this kit is completely wearable and it literally will be the only thing you use everyday. I travel a lot and instead of packing a huge makeup bag, I just take this and I have everything I need to create a multitude of looks. Plus the outside is decorated with pretty jewels that scream holiday. And at $52, it's a no brainer.

I'm the girl who always has at least 20 lip glosses in her purse because I can never choose just one lip look per day. Crown Jewels lip gloss multi-gift set is the solution to lip gloss split personalities. The set can be given as one gift, or broken up into three (or you can be like me and keep it all for yourself). The glosses are broken up into categories: Glittering Green Goddesses, which contain sheer, natural everyday wear shades like sheer nude-peach, Dazzling Divas, which contain high shine glittery glosses that are great for a night out, and Twinkling Trendsetters, which contain more pigmented glosses for a more dramatic dose of color in shades like twinkling brick-red and sheer raspberry. So many options for $39.

tarte is known for their amazing cheek stains. They look so natural, like the flush is coming from within, which is what every girl wants her blush to look like. Three Carats, tarte's mini cheek stain set contains three shimmery, everyday shades including brilliant, a shimmering champagne, princess, shimmering rose and cushion, deep, shimmering apricot, all blinged out for the holidays. Get your glow on for only $25.

And because it's tarte, all products are free of parabens, sulfates, gluten, preservatives and a ton of other bad stuff, but they're chock full of good ingredients like tarte's t5 superfruit complex, mineral pigments, vitamin E, and goji berry extract. Available now at Sephora, and should be available any day now on the tarte website.

Luxury vs. Function

Everyone knows that times are tough. Market research firm Euromonitor International found that when it comes to beauty products, we're substituting our indulgence purchases with ones that are more functional. I'm on a budget, same as everyone else, but I don't think you have to sacrifice luxury for functionality. One of my all-time favorite products is The Multiple by NARS, an all-in-one makeup stick that can be used on eyes, cheeks and lips. The rich, creamy consistency feels weightless and leaves a nice, subtle sheen behind. At $37, it seems like an investment, but for a product that does triple duty, it's a relatively cheap indulgence. Mustique, a peachy hue, South Beach, a shimmering coral and Orgasm, a peachy pink are my favorite and what I think are the most versatile shades.

If you're truly on a budget you can't get any cheaper than e.l.f All Over Color Stick, which is literally $1. Available in six shades, and at this price, why not get them all?

Avon Launches Reversalist Duo

If you're like me when you hear Avon you think of some woman in a skirt suit ringing your doorbell trying to sell you products, but the brand really has come a long way from Skin So Soft bugspray (you know you used it). What I love most about the new, updated Avon, is that the products actually work and they're reasonably priced. Take Avon's newest addition to the Anew franchise - Anew Reversalist. This anti-aging duo of serum and night cream go for $32 and $44, and a set is available for $59.

This duo treats every age concern from fine lines and wrinkles, loss of firmness and discoloration with Activinol, an active ingredient designed to reactivate skin's repair process. When we cut our skin, the activin molecule is released to repair it. Avon harnessed this natural process since wrinkles are actually micro-injuries, so they need to be repaired, not just smoothed. As I move into the twilight of my 20s, I am starting to notice signs of aging here and there, and it's never too soon to start on a good regimen. Pick up the duo at Avon's website.

Seeing Spots

I have a confession to make: I have sun damage. I'm super preachy to everyone I know about sunscreen and how important it is to protect skin, but I inevitably encountered a few burns here and there and some general overexposure that resulted in a few pesky brown spots and an overall lackluster look. I'm always on the hunt for something that promises a glowing, even complexion and I've found a couple standout products that deliver on their promises.

Perricone MD Pigment Corrective System - combining a supplement with a topical, this two-part system banishes discoloration with Pycnogenol, a new ingredient derived from trees grown in the south of France that renew collagen and brighten skin. Vitamin C Ester increases skin's luminosity, while providing antioxidant protection and DMAE, a key Perricone ingredient firms, tones and diminishes fine lines and wrinkles. Just pop a capsule once a day, apply the topical twice daily and brown spots disappear before your eyes.

Clinique Even Better Skin Tone Corrector - easily incorporated into your existing regimen, this product lightens all types of spots - whether incurred from the sun, the aging process, even past acne scarring. As an added bonus, Even Better also refines skin's texture for an overall smooth look. Vitamin C and antioxidants combine with exfoliating ingredients to leave skin even toned in as little as four weeks. What I love most? The texture is super light and leaves skin with a nice satin finish, almost like a primer.

Once you're all even and glowing don't forget the sunscreen! Spots will pop right back up again if you aren't protecting your skin on a daily basis. My top pick: Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral SPF 30.

Murad Launches Hydrate Exfoliate Celebrate

It's Murad's 20th anniversary and in honor of the event the brand is launching a new anniversary collection gift set, available in October and will feature five of Murad's top-selling products. The best part? The collection will be available at a price reminiscent of 20 years ago. The collection includes AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser, Hydrating Toner, Perfecting Day Cream SPF 30, Soothing Skin and Lip Care and Renewing Eye Cream - all for $32.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Murad before and he really knows his stuff. All products are based on the Science of Cellular Water, Dr. Murad's theory of health and aging. This kit is a great intro to Murad if you've never tried any of the products, and of course, perfect if you want to get a jump start on your holiday shopping. Pick up the Hydrate Exfoliate Celebrate kit at Sephora, Murad.com and select spas and salons next month.

Beauty Crush: Garnier Triple Nutrition

I'm usually not big on drugstore shampoos and conditioners. Since I color and use heat appliances daily, my hair really needs a lot of TLC, and usually the drugstore varieties contain harsh salts or just don't nourish my hair enough. Add the fact that my hair is not only dry and damaged but also fine, it's not easy to find drugstore hair care that gets the job done. Until now of course. Enter the Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition line of shampoo, conditioner and 3-Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment. Garnier is known for their use of fruit oils, and Triple Nutrition combines olive, avocado and shea to penetrate and nourish every strand. Olive oil nourishes hair at the core, avocado nourishes and softens the middle layer and shea smoothes the surface.

I noticed a difference after the very first use - my hair was soft, strong, shiny, while also feeling light, fluffy and not weighed down. The packaging is definitely an update from the old Garnier hair care and these are apparently flying off the shelves because every time I walk in a drugstore there's one or two bottles left. If you're loyal to salon hair care give Triple Nutrition a shot and let me know what you think!

Red Carpet Recap: The Emmys

I have to be honest: I am not a fan of all the awards shows. I just find them boring and way too long. But I absolutely LOVE watching the red carpet beforehand! From the makeup to the hair to the fashion, there's nothing better than dreaming of owning the gown, the shoes, and having a whole glam squad get you ready for a night out. While the Emmys aren't exactly known for standout red carpet moments, there were a few looks that caught my eye.

I've mentioned my hair crush on Blake Lively before and here is no exception. For someone in her early twenties she always looks so put together and polished, but still age appropriate. And I love her cool braid here. Updos can feel so dated, but this is a fresh twist on a sleek, pulled back style. Huge bonus: it's totally easy to do yourself. First apply a straightening lotion (try Alterna Hemp with Organics Straightening Balm) to damp hair and blow dry super straight with a paddle brush. Gather hair at the crown and secure into a tight ponytail. Run hands coated in styling balm and smooth the hair from your face to the ponytail. Braid the ponytail, secure with a clear elastic (Goody makes some great ones) and finish with a mist of hairspray. If you're not attending an awards show anytime soon, try this look on Saturday night - it works dressed up or casual.

I can't stand Jennifer Love Hewitt, but her hair looked so pretty and romantic. And again, this is a great look that goes both casual and dressy and takes 10 minutes. First work a glossing cream into damp hair to prevent frizz and add a glassy sheen (one of my faves is Alterna Hemp with Organics Repair Gloss) then blow dry straight with a round brush keeping a center part. Set hair in large rollers or use a large barrel curling iron to create loose waves. When hair has cooled, pin back front sections and then take more glossing cream and and break up some of the waves.

On the makeup side, red lips were in full swing worn by the likes of Leighton Meester, Drew Barrymore and Hayden Panettiere. I've been having my own red lip moment lately and I highly recommend it if you want an instant feeling of fabulousness. Plus it takes two seconds to get out the door since when you're wearing a red lip you only need a thin black liner on the upper lash line, a swipe of mascara and a champagne hue on your cheeks. You can't go wrong with Maybelline Color Sensational in Red Revival or NARS lipstick in Red Lizard.