Holiday

Estee Lauder Holiday 2009: Collectible, Luxe Compacts!

Oh readers… there are many products in the world of makeup that I anxiously await each holiday season. Estee Lauder’s beautiful, collectible, and sometimes quirky collection of compacts ranks high on my list.

The image above features only two of the many styles available this holiday season. These limited-edition beauties will win the heart of the collector in your life!

Pictured above are two exclusives to Saks Fifth Avenue. Pictured at left, The Sensuous Brilliant Bloom Compact, $250 (filled with a solid form of Estee Lauder Sensuous Perfume). Pictured at right, The Jeweled Tiara Compact, $175 (filled with luxurious Re-Nutriv Intensive Comfort Pressed Powder and refillable with Lucidity Pressed Powder, large size refill).

Click HERE to buy them at Saks.com Beauty Place. Be sure to check out the other designs, too!

Click HERE to check out other compacts at Estee Lauder.

Click HERE to buy Estee Lauder at Nordstrom online.

Click HERE to shop Estee Lauder at Macy’s.

Urban Decay Smoke Out Kit Review: Yerba

This Fall’s trendiest, hottest new look was certainly the green eye. Mixing shades of Forest, Emerald and Kelly may not be as easy as you suspect, however. So, Urban Decay has introduced this delightfully teeny tiny shadow palette to help you conquer the look. The Urban Decay Smoke Out Kit in Yerba is a one-stop shop for creating a perfect smoky green eye. (Please note, the palette pictured does not contain the Yerba shades)!

Also included in the kit are a mini 24/7 Eye Pencil in Zero (their super-popular pitch black shade), a waterproof pencil, and NEW Skyscraper Mascara. The palette design itself is genius. Each of the four layers fan out to reveal all of the products at once, and then stay shut tight using magnets.

Retail price is $34.

Click HERE to buy the Smoke Out Kit in Yerba from UrbanDecay.com.

The author of Raging Rouge received press samples for purposes of this makeup review / product review. For more information on sample policies, please click HERE to read my full disclosure statement.

MAC Reviews: Holiday Lip Kits

I don’t know why, but I’ve always felt a lip palette is so glamorous.

As part of the Magic, Mirth & Mischief holiday collection, MAC has introduced 8 holiday kits. MAC describes the packaging as “bubbly optimism” and who couldn’t use a bit of bubbly optimism right now? When I first glanced at one, my first thought was of festive confetti… so do tote yours to that New Years soiree!

Two shade selections are available. The Heavenly Dish Neutral Lip Kit contains these shades: Floating Lightly- a pale neutral pink beige lustre lipstick, Heavenly Dish- a sheer mid-tone neutral pink satin lipstick, and Barely Visable- A glossy pale nude with pearl lipglass. Possessed by Pink! Lip Kit contains: Tickled- Dark Plum Lustre Lipstick, Laugh A Lot- Creamy mid-tone blue pink Lustre Lipstick and Sweet Smile- glossy mid-tone pink with pearl lipglass.

Retail price is $22.50.

Click HERE to shop at MAC online.

Click HERE to buy MAC at Nordstrom online.

Click HERE to shop MAC at Macy’s.

The author of Raging Rouge received press samples for purposes of this makeup review / product review. For more information on sample policies, please click HERE to read my full disclosure statement.

Smashbox Review: Wish For The Perfect Palette

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Every holiday season, I drool and droolover the palette selection, unable to select just one. This year, the mega-makeup-palette offerings have been more plentiful than ever. Rather than feature a handful of these beauties, I decided to do one better. After shopping, and hemming, and hawing, I've narrowed down the blockbuster-palette selection to one final choice for my readers who don't want to spend hours shopping for the perfect makeup palette. SMASHBOX!

Why is this palette the winner? This professional palette has everything you'll need for makeup application except foundation, concealer and mascara. I've never seen another palette so comprehensive in such a storage-friendly size! Naturally, the products contained therein are all of the quality you've come to know and love from smashbox. The kit also includes a "get the look" book, for step-by-step instructions on how to create sexy looks with the makeup inside.

Last but not least, a great reason to choose this palette is the charitable contribution that goes along with purchase. Every purchase from the smashbox "Wish" collection will result in a $1 donation to Children’s Miracle Network*, a non-profit that grants the wish of life to millions of sick or injured kids by providing care and investing in life-saving research (donation up to $25,000).

Retail price is $59. When you consider the amount and quality of makeup this money buys, you know it's a steal! Included are: 64 Eye Shadows, 8 Cream Eye Liners, 6 Brow Tech Powders, 1 Brow Wax, 8 Lip Glosses, 2 Blushes, 1 Complexion Brightener, 1 Bronzer, 1 Highlighter and 4 Mini Brushes (Shadow, Liner, Brow & Lip).

In the kingdom of palettes, smashbox reigns supreme!

Wish For The Perfect Palette is available exclusively at Ulta. Click HERE to buy yours!

Flirt! Reviews: Holiday 2009, Flirt! Giftable Gift Sets

flirt fragrance

Holiday shopping can be so cumbersome, especially if you’re attempting to drag your children through a crowded mall to accomplish the task. If you’re tacking the task of last-minute holiday shopping, skip the pilgrimage to the mega-mall! You need only stop by the beauty department in Kohl’s for some fabulous gift-worthy finds.

Exclusively at Kohls, the Flirt! Fragrance Collection contains three mini perfumes: Flirtatious, Glamourazzi and Flowerific. This is the first time I’ve tried these scents, and I must admit I was thrilled.

Flirtatious: A girly, sweet formula perfect for date night!

Glamourazzi: This warm, powdery vanilla just screams “LUXE”!

Flowerific: This spirit-lifting floral is the perfect way to contrast a dreary Winter day.

Pick one favorite? Why would you do such a thing? Retail price is $35 for the set of three.

flirt nailpolish, nail lacquer

For the lacquer lover in your life, Flirt! offers this limited edition holiday Nail Wishes set! From the palest nude shade to a deep, berry red… this set of 6 mini nail lacquers (all free of DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde) are packaged in a candy-cane striped box perfect for gifting! The shades ensure all of the seasons are covered, so this gift will be used all year round!

Retail price is $14.99. Both gift sets are available exclusively at Kohl’s.

The author of Raging Rouge received press samples for purposes of this makeup review / product review. For more information on sample policies, please click HERE to read my full disclosure statement.