Home for the Holidays!

Hello world! I am posting from ol' Cowtown! Yay!

So yes, I am back home for the holidays. We're having a bit of a to-do this year, such that my house has 11 people in it, 4 of whom are tweens. Should make for a fun Christmas! Sadly, this means that I won't have much time for blogging over the next few days. But I will leave you with some holiday beauty tips, courtesy of my own warped little head. (They won't make you look warped, they just came from a warped source, follow?)


One of my favourite make-up tools for creating a happenin' party look is the flat slanted eyeliner brush. (Mine is from Quo Cosmetics, but you can also find quality ones at Sephora, MAC, etc.) Dampened with a bit of water, it can turn any richly coloured eyeshadow into a dramatic eyeliner. Just press slanted bristle tips into a pigmented, jewel-toned shadow, then draw a line as close to the lashes as possible. You can make the line thick or thin depending on your look. To add more dimension to the colour, load the flat side of the brush (dry this time) with a sheer shimmery shadow in a coordinating shade, and tap lightly over the darker shade. Voila! Striking lids with a festive sparkle! I find this method especially great for enhancing Asian or almond-shaped eyes.



Want a plump, sexy pout? Dab a tiny bit of shimmer powder in a flattering shade (e.g., yellow golds for warm tones, beige gold or light pink for cool tones) on the dip of your cupid's bow, right where the lip meets skin. Repeat for the bottom lip, placing the shimmer at the fullest part of the lip line. Subtlety is key... use your pinky finger to apply to keep it softly blurred and slightly imperfect. Finally, top it all off with a bit of shimmery gloss on the fleshy centre of the bottom lip. The light will catch these parts of the lips and make them look fuller. Easy-peasy. Now go stand under that mistletoe and pucker up!


This last tip is kind of gross... but I think it's a good one. Besides, the art of beauty is not without its dark side.

Anyway, has this ever happened to you? During one of those fancy holiday shindigs, you hit the Ladies' to touch up your powder, only to realize that you have the remanents of a mini spinach quiche hopelessly wedged between your front teeth. Such a glamourous look, I know. But fret not -- the answer to your dental woes is probably already in your makeup bag. Just take one of those Clean & Clear style oil blotting sheets and use it as floss! The rubbery plastic texture means that it won't disintegrate when it gets wet, and you can stretch out the edge thin enough so that it'll slip in between your teeth. Like I said... kinda gross, but eminently helpful not only for the holidays, but also during dinner meetings, dates, conferences, etc. Because seriously, who has the foresight to carry around floss in her clutch???


Okay, that's all out of me for now. Before I go though, I'd like to point your attention to Elke's very touching post about why this beauty business isn't all just fluff and whimsy. [EDIT: Link is now fixed, sorry 'bout that] Somehow, it really helped put me in the Christmas spirit. (Admittedly, the eggnog + Kahlua I had last night also helped.) And since I negelcted to share these last week, I bring to you here the roundup of the best in beauty blogging!


Elke shares the newest way to update your look with the new smoky eye in her latest podcast. Perfect look for your next holiday party!

Lipstick, Powder 'n Paint say "Don't forget the boys this holiday!"

Mystical Beauty's Mini Review of Darshan Beauty

Hello Dollface checks out a hot new line, Napoleon Perdis

Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you all have a safe, warm, and wonderful holiday season, filled with friends, family, and good food. Enjoy the festivities, see you soon!