Holiday Small Gift Ideas From Lucky Magazine on The Nate Berkus Show (A Sneak Peek!)

Hello my darlings,

Air kisses! I wanted to give y'all a heads up about tomorrow's episode of The Nate Berkus show with Lucky magazine.  Tis the season for hunting down small gifts and stocking stuffers like dutiful lepidopterists waving nets in the mall, and so of course, Lucky magazine has lots of mega-fab ideas to share. Here's two to start!

Lucky Gift Idea #1: Lucky is digging the Yes To Cucumbers line. The shower gel ($8.99, Drugstore.com),  body lotion ($7.99), and lip butter ($2.99) are great to give as a set of three or individually. These products with cucumber extract soothe gentle and dry skin. Also, the scent is yummy and, oh yes, unisex. For quality and low cost, Eyeshadow Government agrees this line is tough to top.

Lucky Gift Idea #2: An Ame & Lulu pencil brush case ($18) is a perfect gift for makeup junkie moms and friends. This little case helps keep makeup brushes clean and neatly organized. Cheerful, preppy patterns banish the winter blahs. Like kaboom for cute!

Definitely tune into the Nate Berkus show tomorrow to find out out 2 more great, happy Lucky holiday must-haves. Check your local listings or click here to find out when to watch.

Love ya,
Charlotte

Fabulous Friday Night

Looking for a hot look to warm up your weekend? As I mentioned in my previous post, I have been mixing more luxurious beauty products with drugstore finds to create "high-low" looks. Here is round two. Rev her up!

All Eyes On You

1. Dab Bobbi Brown creamy concealer ($22) under the eye and on eyelids to create a fresh palette for your makeup.

2. Then, quickly and generously dab on Jouer Liquid Shimmer Eyeliner in Sable ($22, Jouercosmetics.com). This look-at-me eyeliner is a shimmering, golden aubergine that compliments every skintone. If you are new to liquid eyeliner, apply this in little strokes and just smudge the liner if it strays too far.

Glowing Cheekbones
 
3. With a blush brush, dust Milani Cosmetics Baked Bronzer in Golden ($8.99, Duane Reade) across your cheekbones. This will give you a healthy, movie star glow in an instant.

4. Then, blend a dab of pink cheek color, such as Maybelline Fit Me Blush in Dusty Rose, over the Milani bronzer to make the look even better. Be fearless!

Luscious Lips

5. Finish with L'Oreal Project Runway lipstick (um, yay!) in Audacious Amazon's Pout. Press this fuchsia beauty hard into your lips and then wipe most of the product off with a tissue for a gorgeous lip stain. The result will be stunning.

XOXO!

Terax Delicato Shampoo and Crema Conditioner Reviews

I tested my Terax Delicato Classic shampoo and Terax Crema Ultra Moisturizing conditioner for the first time today, and perhaps you should too. The Terax shampoo has a gentle, fresh scent that isn't overpowering. After leaving the Terax conditioner on for about 7 minutes, my tangled up mane felt as smooth as a hair commercial. The conditioner is my favorite.

These natural, sulfate-free products totally cleaned up my hair and gave it a "chill" look. My hair is often frizzy, not that there's anything wrong with this, but I think the conditioner really helped minimize frizz.  After a spree of cleaning and decorating at my new apartment (moved just 6 blocks!), a great hair day is icing on the cake.

GRADE: A

BUY IT: The Terax line is sold at Ricky's stores and Beauty.com.

Pink Confections: Beauty Tutorial

Is foxy your middle name? Don't be afraid to answer this question because the only response I will accept is "yes"!

This week, I have been mixing upscale, luxury products and drugstore finds to create new beauty looks.  This beauty look "Pink Confections" is great for a night out with your girlfriends or a funky, daytime look.

FACE

While I am on the hunt for a new "favorite" liquid foundation, I have been using drugstore concealer mixed with moisturizer as a replacement. Weird, right? Well, it's a lot like buying orange juice in the freezer aisle and adding water. As long as I first prime my skin with moisturizer and apply concealer sparingly and evenly with my fingertips, it looks like normal foundation.

My affordable Neutrogena 3-in-1 Concealer for Eyes (roughly $7!) works great layered over a healthy dose of moisturizer. Before applying concealer though, I have been pampering my face with high-end oxygenating skin creams or basic Body Shop Aloe Soothing Day Cream ($16). I love how the concealer is very lightweight but offers a lot of coverage in "problem" areas. (Other recommended drugstore concealers are Revlon Photoready Concealer, $9, and Iman Second to None Cover Cream, $13.)

So once your face is prepped, we'll talk about lips.

LIPS

No smile is complete without fabulous lip color. If you are in the market for an upscale lipstick, I recommend Dior Addict lipstick in Model ($28, Sephora). Maybe the name Model appeals to my vanity (ack! blush!) or fashion nerdiness (deep passions!), but the sheer wash of pink is angelic and suits me quite well. A makeup artist working for the Dior team recommended this shade to moi. Other Dior lip shades you might like are Granville, Couture and Stiletto.

EYES

Next, apply Revlon Expressionists Starry Pink eye shadow, designed by Gucci Westman. Always apply eye primer on eyelids first to keep glittery shadow, and then dab the shadow evenly across eyelids with the applicator. Add more for a night out, and less for daytime. I am in love with this shade, which reminds me of glittery druzy stones and happy birthday parties.

Pretty in Pink: Revlon Eye Shadow

You can find this eyeshadow in drugstores in special Revlon displays labeled "Expressionists."

Enjoy and talk soon!

 P.S. If you're feeling gorgeous, send me photos of your makeovers using this tutorial. Just e-mail eyeshadowgovernment [at] gmail.com.