But brands’ websites do offer better gifts, and I’ve seen a few lately that I thought you ought to know about:

BOBBI BROWN
Get a free full-sized Treatment Lip Shine SPF 15 in Plumberry with your $65 order at BobbiBrownCosmetics.com. Use code PLUM11. One per customer, valid through April 13th.

Get a free full-sized lipgloss in Nougat with your $65 order. The code is GLOSS12; also single-use, also valid through April 13th.

Or get free shipping on any purchase, plus a mini Lash Glamour mascara with code HEART12. Valid through February 12th.

LANCOME
Lancome’s been running a promo for free shipping on any order, plus a deluxe Bifacil makeup remover and a mini Hypnose Drama mascara (no code required; valid through February 12th).

Alternately, use code FEBLANCOME for 4 samples plus free shipping on your order of $45. That’s valid through the end of the month.

SHU UEMURA
Today through February 14th, use code ROUGE to get three deluxe samples (foundation, gloss, and pure:nu skincare) with your purchase of $65 or more.

February 15th through the 19th, use code BEAUTY247 to get an eye and cheek palette ($65) with your purchase of $150.

February 22nd through the 27th, use code REDCARE for 4 red:juvenus samples with your $65 purchase.

Earlier today this post was mislabeled. An email miscommunication led to my erroneous assumption that Xiao was creatively reinterpreting the Make Up For Ever winter look. Deepest apologies for the confusion.

Here’s her breakdown:

skin
I began by evening out my complexion with Cle de Peau concealer in Ochre, then used a generous helping of Burberry Sheer Glow on the entire face, concentrating on my cheeks, bridge of the nose, center of forehead, and chin. I used a little bit of Chanel Vitalumiere Hydra (new formula, not sure when it’ll be out in the U.S.) to go over the face.

cheeks
I swept Burberry Light Glow in Earthy under my cheekbones, below the jawline, and along the side of my face. Then I used Guerlain Meteorites Cruel Gardenia to highlight my cheeks once more before patting on Le Metier de Beaute Creme Fresh Tint in Tenne and topped it off with a pink-coral blush. I spent a lot of time (and product) on the skin because I wanted to recreate the luminosity on the model’s face.

eyes
I used Le Metier de Beaute Jojo as an all over lid base, then heavily dabbed Le Metier de Beaute Sugar at the inner corners of my eyes. To emulate the plummy brown hue, I used Chanel Magic Night and blended it into the two colors. I followed Karla’s advice and used Q-tips to clean up the sides. I also used Q-tips to smudge the edges to achieve a more natural effect.

lips
I dabbed on Guerlain Rouge Automatique #103, followed by Le Metier de Beaute Peche Creme, and finished off with a tiny dab of Le Metier de Beaute Purple Haze.

Several brands (Lancome, Guerlain, Chanel, Laura Mercier) are making the statement that pink can be worn anywhere — lips, lids, and cheeks. (And nails, of course.)  Hanging around the counters, I often hear ladies express a reluctance to put on pink eyeshadow. Pale pinks are easy, of course, often acting as lid-brightening shades — but PINK-pink? This photo of Ginta Lapina makes me believe that anything is possible with enough eyeliner.

Anyway, Guerlain’s spring collection is full of eyeshadow palettes. Let’s start with the two new eyeshadow quads ($59).

12 Les Aqua is not as similar to the holiday palette (10 Les Ombres de Nuit) as I originally thought. The shades in Les Aqua are a matte, dark, muted, charcoal-greyed blue-green; a satin sky-blue/lagoon-aqua with a subtle gold duochrome; a shimmery Greek blue/justice-blue; and a shimmery white.

11 Les Roses includes a red-purple-brown/burgundy-brown shimmer; a frosty bunny-rabbit white-pink; a matte carnation pink/candy-strawberry pink; and a very similar shade in a satin finish (though it’s just a bit more red-violet than pink).

There’s also a new six-pan eyeshadow palette (Ecrin 6 Couleurs, $84). 66 Boulevard du Montparnasse includes a soft, matte/satin white; a matte/satin dusty pinked-lavender; a matte/satin bruisey purple-rose; a soft, matte/satin black violet; and a shimmery bubblegum pink. The liner shade is a satin black plum when swatched dry. Wet, it brightens into a royal plum.

There are four Rouge G de Guerlain lipsticks in the spring collection, and they’re all quite sheer. 72 Rose Innocent is a sheer, pale, cool-ish pink. 73 Rose Ensoleille is a ruddy peach (my favorite, of course). 74 Rose Piquant is a warm pink. 75 Rose Barbare is a deeper, more red-violet pink. The lipsticks are $46 each.

There are also four Kiss Kiss glosses. 869 Rose in Bloom is a warm, sheer baby pink with lots of gold sparkle. 870 Cherry Pink is a sheer flamingo fuchsia with fewer silver sparkles. 871 Frosted Pink is a frosty, shimmery, pearlescent white-pink. 872 Flush Pink is a warm candy pink with a medium number of gold sparkles. The glosses are $32 each.

And the coup d’grace: Cruel Gardenia, a flower-embossed, pressed Meteorites highlighting powder ($67, and one of this spring’s most sought-after makeup items). It provides a delicate veil of shimmering iridescence; you really don’t see the pale pink until you swatch it heavily.

This collection also includes the nationwide launch of Noir G mascara (Saks had the early exclusive). The mascara comes in the same packaging as the Rouge G lipstick (mirror included), and is refillable. The complete unit is $49; the refill is $26. I got my hands on a sample, and it is an impressive mascara. Every time I wore it, people were really noticing my lashes — Noir G made them full and extremely long, and that can be addicting. But if I’m nitpicking, I worried that it was too mascara-y a mascara. I’m all for implausible lashes, but I want to think “lashes” when I look in the mirror, not “mascara.” I had to remember not to go overboard with the number of coats, or I felt I could almost see the thickening fibers. I definitely recommend a metal lash comb. Noir G mascara is also rose-scented (which I think is nice).

Larger Than Life glosses are $26 each. “Regular” NARS glosses come in a frosted plastic tube; LTL glosses are in clear, shiny, hard plastic. They have a short, dense brush, which (by virtue of its length) is not very flexible. That’s great for precision application to your cupid’s bow, but you may have to “re-dip” to get all the product you need. The gloss itself is unscented, and feels slightly thick and not-as-sticky as you’d expect from a longwearing lipgloss. If you have chronically chapped lips, you’re probably going to like the comfort these provide.

Spring Break is a Sephora exclusive, a pale, milky peach/pink (it looks like a creme, though it has ultra fine gold shimmer in sunlight). Gold Digger is a very sheer nude peach with gold multicolored sparkles. Tiber is a brown-mauve. Odalisque is peach-pink. Piree is a warm pink. Como is a grape-rose with gold sparkles. Norma is warm, lush cherry red. Place Vendome is a bright, hot, warm red-pink. Coeur Sucre is cool Barbie pink with silver sparkles. Born This Way is a light, milky, pale, pastel lilac.

This is a quickie picture of me wearing Norma (I wasn’t expecting to post this, but since everyone on Twitter last night asked what I was wearing, I figured I’d better share). Norma is one of those pigmented-but-not-full-coverage glosses (like Viva Glam Cyndi). It’s a semi-sheer, juicy, glossy, shiny, super-pretty shade.

I know the whole world wears lipstick and gloss together, but I’m lazy, and I wear my lip products one at a time. Norma, by itself, is definitely a berry-red, a pink-red on me (sheer lip products do vary, person to person, because your natural lip color shows through the gloss a bit). That luscious color you see in the photo lasts 20-30 minutes, then it starts to fade (as lipgloss always does, when it spreads/settles). As it wears, it fades to a sheerer pink. I’d say I get about three hours of feeling I have lipgloss on.

Compared to MAC’s Pro Longwear Lipgloss, the NARS LTL glosses are glossier/shinier. MAC’s are a little more opaque, a little more like liquid lipstick in finish. MAC’s are also thicker and stickier.

I learned (from the internet) that “Rosie Lee” (not to be confused with Annabel Lee) is English slang for “cup of tea.” Rosie Lee (the polish) is a rather fantastic — and quick-drying, AlexandraRC says — dense pink glitter.

Glitters can be annoying to remove, but I read about this Incoco Instant Nail Polish Remover on Sparkly Vernis. (And it smells good, you say? I’d give it a try.)

Butter London polishes are $14 apiece.

Endless thanks to AlexandraRC for letting me publish her ever-amazing swatches. For more photos of this manicure, visit her post.

Also, speaking of Incoco, I am minorly obsessed with this nail sticker. Duuuuude.

The collection is hot, and for me evoked a sundrenched Caribbean island. Estee Lauder’s creative director Tom Pecheux says he was inspired by the Arizona desert. Either way, I feel warmer just looking at it. Topaz is a semi-precious gem that I first think of as yellow (though I’ve seen blue topaz as well). If, like me, you enjoy collecting random facts, click here to learn more about the gemstone.

The collection includes a Pure Color eyeshadow quint (possibly my favorite Lauder eyeshadow palette to-date) and their second ever Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee.

Pure Color Five Color Eyeshadow Palette 21 Topaz Mosaic is glorious. Every shade is so smooth and pigmented. The combination of colors is just neutral enough that I feel like I could wear it often, but includes shades I don’t already own (and suddenly need: orange, yellow). It’s versatile but not quirky or one-note. I really think this is the best Estee Lauder quint I can remember swatching.

The palette includes a satin pumpkin, a shimmery tawny golden sand, a satin daffodil yellow, a low-shimmer beige-peach, and a satin red wood-brown. It is $45, limited edition.

Modern Mercury (fall 2011) included Estee Lauder’s first Illuminating Powder Gelee, a shimmery “gel-powder” that could be applied wet or dry. Because it was the first of its kind, that sparkly beige-pink highlighter didn’t have a shade name.

This collection launches the second (also limited edition) Illuminating Powder Gelee, a shimmering, sparkling, warming golden copper highlight that can be used on eye or cheek. It’s 01 Topaz Chameleon, $40, and I swatched it dry (first lightly, then heavily, with a triangle sponge).

This collection introduces Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayons, a chubby pencil eyeliner semi-inspired by the chalk-type kajal eyeliners you can so easily buy in India. The sales associate explained (and it makes sense) that the very sharp point will help you draw a more precise line.

Even though it’s a simple, basic black eyeliner (and maybe a silly thing to lust over), I adore 01 Dramatic Black. I tried it on at the counter and it went on so smoothly and easily. It was actually very easy to apply a thin black line to my inner rim (I tightlined with it, too). Since I applied in the afternoon on a cold day (difficult  to test heat-/humidity-proofing or wear time), I showered and napped in it — no fallout, no smudging.

The new Kajal Eye Crayon is not the same as taller, thinner Intense Kajal Eyeliner that just came out with the Cyber Eyes collection. These chubby crayons have a little less fallout, and they’re a little softer.

Whenever I see the word “kajal” or “kohl” on an eyeliner, I assume it’s meant to be used on the waterline (that it depends on the moisture of your eye to fix it). Kohls are usually smudgy when used on the upper lashline.

The Intense Kajal Crayons are $22 each, available in 01 Dramatic Black and 03 Dramatic Teal. And can you believe they’re limited edition?? Why oh why?

This collection includes three Sensuous Rouge lipsticks ($28, semi-sheer with a moisturizing core and a vanilla scent). 15 Sublime Nectar is new and limited edition, a sheer creme peach-pink. 03 Sensuous Nude and 02 Sultry Caramel are repromotes from the permanent line. (Sensuous Nude: a sheer peach caramel nude that I’m still in love with. Sultry Caramel: shimmery russet red-brown.)

There’s also a new, limited edition Pure Color lipgloss ($22.50). 50 Citron Kiss is sheer yellow with silver sparkles. As I learned with the yellow gloss in Alice + Olivia, yellow glosses settle down into a kind of honey color on the lips. Backstage at fashion week last September, Tom Pecheux explained that yellow gloss is the perfect transitional item to warm up your fall and winter lipsticks, and keep wearing them into spring. Try using it to tone down a too-bright red or pink.

There’s just one limited edition nail polish: 28 Teal Topaz ($19). I found a sales associate wearing it, and she agreed to be my hand model.

Teal Topaz is a teal creme that’s opaque in two coats (indoor lighting makes it look a little more green). I thought it reminded me of Ocean Dip from last summer’s MAC Surf Baby, but it’s deeper, more subdued, not as bright. The color also reminds me of this old Chevy I saw at a stoplight.

This collection is available everywhere Estee Lauder is sold, though NeimanMarcus.com is in gift right now (plus free shipping with code SHIPNM).

Do you love this collection as much as I do?

The collection includes one of Laura’s classic eye-and-cheek palettes (six shadows, two blushes — no lip products mixed in with the powders). The palette is $60, limited edition.

Buff Pearl is a beige-champagne-white satin. Tawny Apricot is a dusty rose satin. Rich Cocoa is a dark wood-/earth-brown matte. Pale Pink is a very whitened, very pale, ballet pink matte. African Violet is a shimmery violet-gold duochrome. Black Plum is a delightfully pigmented, dark, cool, dusty, muted, blackened blue-purple matte. Though these shades all feel really familiar, African Violet and Black Plum are the only two listed among Laura’s regular single eyeshadows.

Rose Desire and Fresh Peach are both new shades. Rose Desire is a blue (cool) rose pink; Fresh Peach is pinked peach with a few tiny sparkles (which give it a slight sheen).

The collection also features two Creme Cheek Colour blushes ($22). Oleander is actually a repromote from the permanent line. It’s a pigmented cool pink. Innocent Peach is a little more sheer. It’s a light peach-pink, and it’s limited edition.

There are three Sheer Lip Color lipsticks ($20). Baby Lips (repromote from the permanent line) is a warm rose. Kissed Lips (new, limited edition) is coral pink. Nude Lips (repromote from the permanent line) is a warm rose-beige-nude.

Naked Apricot and Tempting Coral are both “Lip Shines,” and I’m not exactly sure how to describe them. Potted glosses? Potted gloss-balms? They’re $22 each, both limited edition. Naked Apricot is very, very sheer peach. Tempting Coral is more pigmented, a red-berry-rose with gold sparkles.

The two cake eyeliners and two Eye Basics cream eyeshadow bases are repromotes (follow the links to revisit their original swatch posts).

Cake eyeliner is a dry “puck” of pressed powder, activated by water or a product like Laura’s Tightline Activator. You wet your brush, then muddle it on the cake until you achieve a paste the consistency of shoe polish. Apply your eyeliner and the cake will dry back to its regular state, ready for the next application. As you probably already know, a new cake eyeliner can be used with either water or Activator, but once you’ve used it with Activator, it won’t work with water again.

Mahogany Brown is dark brown.  Charcoal Grey (neither charcoal nor grey, really) is more like an industrial/nautical blue-grey. Cake eyeliners are $22 (and Tightline Activator is $20).

Eye Basics are $24 each. They are water-resistant, crease-proof, semi-matte eyeshadow bases containing vitamins and something called “Eyebright,” all meant to reduce inflammation. Flax is a manila-folder yellow-beige. Wheat is peach.

There were originally three nail polishes in this collection (including the mint green the model is wearing), but production issues resulted in the polishes being cancelled. My local counter put three other polishes in the display (rather than leaving gaps), but I didn’t swatch them since they’re not really part of the collection.

Spring offers two new Color Design Eyeshadow Quints ($49). Tendresse includes a pale, sheer, pistachio green; a mint-chip/Irish Springs green satin; a blue-green teal satin; a high-shimmer white; and a black with very fine, fairy-green sparkles.

Rose Romance features a shimmery pale white-pink; a low-shimmer peach sherbet; a satin candy rose-pink; a shimmery white-pink peony (slightly more pink than the first shade in this quint); and a shimmery satin dark red-purple-brown.

The collection also includes a limited edition embossed powder, La Roseraie ($42). I swatched the two shades individually with sponge-tipped eyeshadow applicators, then blended them with a triangle sponge (light swatch, then heavy). The flower is a warm, light pink; the “background” is a soft white. This product could be a subtle white-pink highlight, or a soft, sheer, light pink blush (depending on your skintone and how much of the “flower” you use).

There are also two Blush Subtil shades ($30), and “Subtil” is the operative word — these aren’t super loud. 361 Cosmopolitan Pink is a medium pink. 134 Tangerine Tint is a soft, pinked peach/tangerine (and I LOVE it. Of course).

There are three spring lipsticks, and the first is a bit of a mystery. It’s a French Touch Absolu, which means it comes in slightly posher, slightly more compact packaging. It’s also a bit more expensive ($35). The display unit, the Lancome website, and Lancome customer service refer to this shade as 316 Cotton Candy. But the packaging (both the tester and the actual product) say 316 Soft Marshmallow. Weird, but the two names refer to the same color. The lipstick is a warm, sheer, pastel pink (cotton-candy-ish, you might say).

The other two lipsticks are L’Absolu Nu (same formula, “regular” lipstick packaging, $29.50). Sweet Marmalade is a sheer peach-pink (#318 according to the display). Rose Candy is a sheer flamingo/strawberry candy pink (#314 according to the display).

There are three Color Fever Glosses ($26), which felt cushiony and not-at-all-sticky on my arm. 386 Green Petal is a very, very sheer mint green (clear, really) with a mint-scent and a medium number of green sparkles. 387 Tangerine Petal is a warm whitened-pink with pink and gold sparkles. 388 Rose Petal is a pale lilac pink with silver sparkles.

Finally, there are two Le Stylo Waterproof eyeliners ($25.50, mechanical). 600 Blanc is matte white; 502 Green Petal is a sheeny, springy, seafoam green.

You can pick up this collection anywhere, but if you’re planning to order from Lancome-USA.com, use code NEWYEARLAN to receive a four-piece gift with your $45 purchase. Valid through the end of the month.