Essie introduces the Winter 2009 Nail Color Collection.  This collection conjures up holiday sweets and treats.  The festive holiday colors are:

• Mint Candy Apple - a creme de menthe mint
• Lollipop - Candy cane red
• Rock Candy - Sweet Treat pink

I've tried each of the colors in the Winter Color Collection and found each of them to be very flattering and wearable.  I wasn't sure if I'd like the Mint Candy Apple; I'm a normally "dark" color person, but it really looks good, particularly with short nails. 

Each single bottle retails at $8; a 4-piece set that includes 3-Way Glaze retails at $17.

In addition to the holiday nail polishes, the following Essie Gift Sets are available.  These sets are great for stocking stuffers or the holiday gift exchanges where there is a dollar limit (usually under $20).

• Mega Mini Jewels – A collection of four Mega Mini sized colors: Marshmallow, Vanity Fairest, Pink Glove Service and Really Red.   $15

• Perfect Hands and Nails – Keep hands and nails hydrated and perfectly beautiful.  Includes a 2 oz.  Hand Smoothie in Cranberry/Tangerine, nail color in Forever Young and a mini Apricot Cuticle Oil.   $15

• Magnifique French – All you need for a perfect French manicure: Millionails base coat, nail color in Blanc and Mademoiselle and Good to Go! fast-drying top coat.  $20

The essie Winter 2009 Nail Color Collection and Gift Set Collection is available at www.essie.com and fine spas, salons and beauty destinations nationwide, including ULTA Beauty.

bareMinerals introduces the Beautiful in Pearls 10-piece mineral makeup collection; a first time collaboration with Honora, an industry leader in fine cultured freshwater pearls.  Honora pearls meets Bare Escentuals makeup, and the result is an amazing mineral makeup collection full of shades with rich depth and texture. Better yet...a great price, as this set is the Today's Special Value on QVC!

This new bareMinerals Beautiful in Pearls 10 piece collection and vanity box features pearl infused eye colors, mineral veil and blush. Each shade in the collection matches a hue of pearls on the “Beautiful in Pearls” necklace created by Honora. With this collection of Honora pearl-powder infused colors, you can easily achieve a look that beautifully reflects light off the skin.

The 10-piece Beautiful in Pearls collection (A92182) includes:

• Brightening Pearl Mineral Veil
• Blissful Pearl eye color (seashell peach)
• Magnificent Pearl eye color (charcoal taupe)
• Precious Pearl blush (dusty pink)
• Big & Bright Mineral Eyeliner Pencil
• Flawless Definition Mascara
• Sugared Strawberry 100% Natural Lipgloss
• Precision Eye Defining Brush
• Tapered Blush Brush
• Flawless Application Brush

The bareMinerals Beautiful in Pearls mineral makeup collection is available exclusively at QVC.  If you pick it up today, the "TSV" price is only $44.97, which is a great value!

My picks of the Bobbi Brown Holiday 2009 Chrome Collection include:

Limited Edition Chrome Eye Shadow:  Nothing says holiday glamour like eyes dressed up in new Chrome Eye Shadow. Developed with highly reflective pearls, this opulent formula looks like liquid metal on lids and reflects light beautifully. Featured in a signature eye shadow compact, customized for the season with a luxe chrome finish.  $22

Limited Edition Goldstone Long-Wear Eye Palette:  This new sleek palette with a chrome finish includes Goldstone Metallic and Mineral Dust Long-Wear Cream Shadow, Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Caviar Ink and a dual-ended mini Cream Shadow/Ultra Fine Eye Liner Brush.  $40

Glitter Balm Lip Palette:  Festive and pretty, this sleek, chrome-accented palette is filled with four beautiful shades of Glitter Lip Balm and a lip brush.  Lip shades include Crystal Rose, Crystal Diamond, Pink Crystal and Crystal Rose.  $40

The Bobbi Brown Holiday 2009 Chrome Collection is available at all Bobbi Brown counters now and at BobbiBrown.com.

The three fragrances of the La Prairie Life Threads Fragrance Collection speak to the nuances of a woman's life.  Life Threads celebrate life's rich tapestry; the clean lines of the lucite bottles are adorned in strands of Silver, Gold and Platinum.  Simple and luxurious, each fragrance takes on the personality of it's namesake precious metal.

The La Prairie Life Threads Fragrance Collection includes:

• Platinum - an elegant and edgy chypre floral combination.  Rare and unique blends of florals such as violet leaf, rose, jasmine and iris meld with woods and and leathery notes to convey luxury and power.

• Gold - a seductive and spicy oriental fragrance. The complex scent of Gold seduces with the femininity of florals, sweetness of fruits such as plum and tangerine and spices of Clove Bud, Cinnamon Bark and Coriander. The drydown infuses Imperial Incense with Golden Myrrh and warm woods.

• Silver - a floral, woody fragrance that opens with a burst of citrus.  My favorite of the three Life Threads, the heart of the Silver fragrance blooms with Tuberose, Indian Jasmine, Ylang Ylang and Orange Blossom.  The drydown is a combination of woods and musk. 

Life Threads was designed to speak to the different dimensions of a woman's life, celebrating milestones, evoking memories of love, family, career and choices that women have to make every day.  To further reinforce this concept, videos glimpses into the lives of Silver, Gold and Platinum women can be viewed at www.lifethreads.com or www.laprairie.com.

The La Prairie Life Threads Fragrance Collection retails at $125 (each) and is available at Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and www.laprairie.com.

MAC shines for Holiday 2009 with Magic, Mirth and Mischief; a collection of makeup, brush bags and lip, eye and face kits.  You'll dazzle and delight with this holiday colour magic--from Lipstick to Dazzleglass to Mineralize Blush and Eye Shadows.  With MAC, you'll be ready to stand under the mistletoe!

The MAC Holiday Collection includes:

Lipstick   $14 US/$16.50 CDN

• Pervette - Soft bright pink with violet opalescent shimmer (glaze)
• Utter Fun - Fuchsia cherry pink
• Surprise Me - Mid-tone peach
• Total Wow! - Blue pink berry (glaze)

Dazzleglass   $18 US/$21.50 CDN

• She-Zam - Sheer silver with silver and red pearl (Like sparkling snow)
• Jingle Jangle - Sheer yellow peach (To me, it's a gorgeous pink glitter!)
• Phiff! - Yellow pink with red and sapphire pearl

Cremesheen Glass   $18 US/$21.50 CDN

• Ever So Rich - Sheer lilac
• Partial to Pink - Light creamy yellow pink w/light gold pearl
• Boy Bait - Light neutral beige with pearl

Softsparkle Eye Pencil   $14.50 US/$17.50 CDN

• Iris Accents - Pale Violet with silver pearl
• Nightsky - True black with silver pearl

Pro Lash   $13 US/$15.50 CDN

• Coal Black - Honest-to-goodness black

Mineralize Blush   $21 US/$25 CDN

• Superdupernatural - Mid-tone coral (frost)
• Conjure Up - Dirty, mid-tone plum (frost)

Mineralize Eye Shadow Duo  $19.50 US/$23.50 CDN

• Devil-May-Care - Base: rich light violet; Crescent: silver (frost)
• Under Your Spell - Base: light yellow peach link; Crescent: rich copper (frost)
• Midnight Madness - Base: dirty grey brown; Crescent: gold (frost)
• Mayhem - Base: dirty brown gold; Crescent: silver (frost)
• It's a Miracle - Base: deep blue burgundy; Crescent: gold (frost)
• Blue Sorcery - Base: bright turquoise; Crescent: silver (frost)

Nail Lacquer   $12 US/$14.50 CDN

• $$$$$ Yes - Metallic silver foil (frost)
• Lucky Number - Metallic blue pink (frost)

I've had an opportunity to preview the MAC Holiday Collection and I think the standout products for me are the Dazzleglass --the colors are gorgeous--and the Softsparkle Eye Pencils.  I think both of the Softsparkle colors are great additions to your makeup bag.

The MAC Holiday 2009 Collection: Magic, Mirth and Mischief is available at all MAC locations and online at www.maccosmetics.com.

The look for the NARS Holiday 2009 Makeup Collection is sophisticated and sensual,featuring shades that are deep and bold with festive shimmer. “For the holidays, I think it’s a great time to feel beautiful and sexy…with a little bit of movie star attitude,” says François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics.  I couldn't agree more!

Included in the NARS Holiday 2009 Makeup Collection are:

New, Soft Touch Shadow Pencil  $24

• Goddess - pink champagne
• Aigle Noir - bold black with gold shimmer
• Skorpios - irridescent copper

Eye Shadow - Duo $32  Single $21

• Brousse - Duo of eggplant and wood
• Eurydice - Duo of Bordeaux with iridescent blue and coal with metallic green
• Taiga - Duo of twinkling frost with glittering, garland green
• Mousson - single spicy pine cream eye shadow

Matte Lip Pencils $24

• Pop Life - holly red
• Toundra - wine

Rouge Andalou Nail Polish - bright candy apple red  $16

Luxor Multiple - iridescent pink  $37

The NARS Holiday 2009 Makeup Collection is available in department stores, Sephora, Sephora.com and www.narscosmetics.com.

Guerlain Holiday Colour Collection, Imperial Holiday, is a limited-edition makeup collection worthy of royalty but designed to be enjoyed by every woman.  Guerlain's holiday makeup collection celebrates the opulence and splendor of the aristocracy.  Colours remind us of the nobility of precious stones and fabrics, while the packaging is always elegant.  As with every Guerlain Collection, the products are stunning. Every year, Guerlain is the holiday collection that sets the standard for beauty.

The Guerlain Imperial Holiday Makeup Collection includes:

Sublime Radiant Powder Face & Body: Silky and ultra light in texture, this sparkling powder graces the skin with a sheer veil of diamond-like reflections.  Like fine-spun muslin dappled with delicate sprays of glitter, it will subtly illuminate shoulders, arms, back, decollete and hair and leave a light violet scent. Sublime Radiant Powder Face & Body is one of the most exquisite cosmetics you'll ever own.  $85

Meteorites Perles Imperiales:  These famous multiple-effect pearls are as luminous as imperial silk and come in three sizes--mini, medium and maxi--and three new colors, in order to optimize their corrective and luminizing action.   Mauve and white illuminate, pink freshens and gold brightens and smoothes the skin to perfection.  I've used Meteorites as my finishing powder for years and these new colors are the best yet.  $53.00

Meteorites Voyage Imperial:  On my Wish List for years (come on Santa!), the Meteorites Voyage Imperial Compact is a pressed powder formulation of the Meteorites Perles.  Gently pearlescent, the new size of the colour shades are presented as miniature "flecks", which makes blending easier.  A striking accessory, the white gold metal compact case is covered with genuine black Swarovski crystals, delicately dotting the lid like a constellation of stars.  I die.  $170

Ombre Eclat 4 Shades Eye Shadow:  This gorgeous palette combines two taupe tones, a lingerie pink and a gold-tinged white.  In person, you'll be impressed by the dimension of these eye shadows.  Application is a dream--they go on like silk.  $58

Le 2 Mascara: Gild your eyelashes with gold with this legendary two-brush mascara.  The larger brush is featured in ultra-black to intensify the beauty of your eyes.  Use the smaller brush for top coat application, giving a touch of glittery gold to eyelash tips.  In limited edition shade #12, Reine de Nuit, this mascara kicks up your holiday look a notch!  $35

Rouge G Lipstick: This gorgeous jewel of a lipstick has become an accessory in it's own right.  Two limited edition shades of Rouge G Lipstick diffuse subtly sparking golden reflections over elegant nude and gentle rosewood.  Weighty and substantial in your hand, get the case engraved for a memorable, personalized gift.  Limited edition shades #11 Grace and #12 Gems.  $45

KissKiss Gloss:  Extreme shine and radiant colours always look great under the mistletoe! KissKiss Gloss gets an extravagant boost for the holidays with glitter effects in three limited edition shades: #807 Perle de Lune, #808 Ambre Precieuse and #809 Rubis Rose.  $29

The Guerlain Holiday Makeup Collection, Imperial Holiday, is available at select Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman and Nordstrom department stores and online at Sephora.com and Nordstrom.com.

So how does it work?  Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ is the biggest breakthrough in body lotion in over 10 years. It is the only body lotion designed  to infuse and suspend moisture across all layers (top, core and deep down) of the stratum corneum, or surface skin, which is comprised of three layers.  The payoff is twice the moisture and an unmatched silky skin feel compared to leading everyday body lotions.

I've been really impressed with Vaseline Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ .  What I've noticed in using this product after I shower, is that my skin stays moisturized.  Usually after applying a body lotion, or even a thicker body creme, skin feels moisturized but eventually, it's back to being dry.  In my experience with Vaseline Sheer Infusion, skin continues to feel hydrated; not dry. And clinical data backs this up.  Studies showed a statistically significant difference in improvement of dryness with Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ versus a lotion containing glycerin, a common lotion ingredient.

Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™ comes in two sizes (6.8 oz. SRP $6.25 and 13.5 oz. SRP $8.99) and in three varieties--Botanical Blend, Mineral Renewal and Vitamin Burst. Vaseline® Sheer Infusion™ with Stratys-3™  is available at food, drug and mass market retailers.  I'm giving this product a big Beauty411 thumbs up. For more information and a coupon, check out www.vaselinesheerinfusion.com.

 

If you're looking for a treat for your skin, look no further than June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque.  This detoxifying spicy enzyme masque smells delish and is designed to target and exfoliate surface skin cells while detoxifying skin and stimulating cellular turnover.  The result?  Skin that glows and is comfortably hydrated.

This is the time of year when skin can get dull and ruddy.  There's less humidity in the air and skin needs more nourishing moisturization.  June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque is a blend of antioxidants, Vitamin A and Sodium Hyaluronate to promote cell turnover, protect and moisturize skin. Because this is an enzyme-based exfoliating treatment, you might feel a slight tingling on application. This masque is not recommended for use by people with sensitive skin.

One of the reasons I love the June Jacobs line is that the products really perform, while at the same time giving you a spa-like treatment at home. 

June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque retails at $78 and is available at prestige spas nationwide, at www.junejacobs.com and at SkinStore.com.

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum Spray gets dressed up with a pink ribbon in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. 

Cashmere Mist has long been one of my very favorite fragrances; I've worn it since it launched years ago.  Cashmere Mist is soft and sensual; a sheer floral, it combines the essences of Moroccan Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Bergamot, against a warm background of Sandalwood, Amber and Musk.  It's lovely.

Donna Karan Cosmetics will make a donation of $15,000 in connection with the sales of the Limited-Edition Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum Spray to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Donna Karan Limited-Edition Cashmere Mist Eau de Parfum Spray retails at $90 for a 3.4 oz. bottle and is available at Bloomingdales, Macy's and Donna Karan Collection Boutiques in the USA.