Holiday 2015: MAC Magic of the Night Color Collection.

If you like bold smoky looks with lips to match — think elegant, nighttime looks — then this years MAC Holiday color collection is definitely one to check out. As its name, Magic of the Night suggests, this one is definitely for the evening or those who are not shy with their makeup.

"Get ready for an enchanted evening that won’t stop until dawn. Play it cool this holiday with eyes done up in deep smoky hues, and lips in tones that boldly lead the way for a night of unexpected thrills.

Jazz it up with new Colourdrenched Pigment, whose highly pearlized creamy hues glisten against skin. Lips let loose and live a little, playing nocturnal notes of dusky lilac, ruby rouge and luxe blackened plum. Out on the town, velvet-hued eyes swing to an elegant vibe as ebonized blue and navy join classic noir for a look that’s smoking haute. Nails set the mood in metallic, and Mineralize Skinfinish lights the way with its signature shimmering glow.

The magic is in the night, darlings. Let’s have some fun."

The MAC Magic of the Night collection includes:

IN EXTRA DIMENSION SKINFINISH - $36
Oh, Darling - metallic gold
Shaft of Gold - deep bronze

COLOURDRENCHED PIGMENT - $22
Night Thrill - gold shimmer (frost)
Ascent of Glamour - cobalt violet-blue (frost)
Tonight ’s the Night! - deep blackened teal (frost)
Moon is Blue - royal blue (frost)
No Taboos - blackened blue (frost)

PEARLGLIDE INTENSE EYE LINER - $17.50
Petrol Blue - deep navy w/ pearl
Black Swan - black w/ pearl

LIPSTICK - $17.50
Please Me - muted rosy-tinted pink (matte)
All Fired Up - bright fuchsia matte (retromatte)
Evening Rendezvous - deep reddish purple (matte)
Dark Side - deep burgundy (amplified)

LIP PENCIL - $17.50
Redd - clearly red
Nightmoth - blackened plum

Buy the MAC Magic of the Night collection now at maccosmetics.com, MAC stores, Macy's and Nordstrom.

Holiday 2015: CHANEL Collection Vamp Attitude.

Can you believe it's been 20 years since CHANEL introduced their VAMP nail polish? I remember it so well — I probably have a bottle of the stunning black-red shade stashed around here somewhere. It was a sell-out and it became legendary. For this years holiday collection, CHANEL has taken that Vamp shade and created an entire collection around it and the glamour that the shade represented for Collection Vamp Attitude.

Of course, my favorite piece of the collection has got to be the Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow with a shade that is oh so reminiscent of Vamp. It's so dramatic and goes beautifully with the gold, beige and lavender taupe shades that complete the palette. I always love the embossing the CHANEL shadows and this one features a double-C monogram.

Also in a black-red shade is the Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow which is quite shimmery. This makes for a gorgeous smoky, shimmery holiday eye for nighttime. Finish it off with the Le Volume de CHANEL Mascara in Rouge Noir, which is an intense red-black.

The Joues Contraste Lumière Highlighting Blush is simply gorgeous and it is the perfect complement to the darker black-red shades in the rest of the collection. This blush in Coups de Minuit is a golden peach shade that is soft and golden on it own. I like to layer it over other blush shades.

Of course, the lippies are all beautiful and if you'd ask me to pick a favorite, I'd be hard pressed. I'm always drawn to the Glossimer's and the shimmering soft pink of Rose de Lune is certainly beautiful. I really like Ultra Wear Lip Colour in Merry Rose and have been wearing the grey pink shade quite a bit. It's a wonderful neutral lip shade that is very long-wearing.

Finally, I think everyone needs the Le Top Coat Gold Sparkle Nail Coat. This is a multi-effect top coat that contains a really unique combination of black-red lacquer with high-gloss metallic shine. It pairs perfectly with the original, trendsetting Vamp shade, of course.

The entire CHANEL Collection Vamp Attitude includes:

JOUES CONTRASTE LUMIÈRE HIGHLIGHTING BLUSH - $45

•  Coups de Minuit - Peach Beige

LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - $61

• Signe Particulier - Satin Beige Pink, Velvet Purple, Black Red, Saffron Gold

LE CRAYON YEUX PRECISION EYE DEFINER - $32

• Or Safron - Warm Saffron Gold

LE CRAYON KHÔL INTENSE EYE PENCIL - $32

• Rouge Noir - Black Red

ILLUSION D’OMBRE LONG WEAR LUMINOUS EYESHADOW - $36

• Rouge Noir - Shimmering Black Red

LE VOLUME DE CHANEL MASCARA - $32

• Rouge Noir - Intense Black Red
• Ultra-Black - Intense Black

ROUGE ALLURE LUMINOUS INTENSE LIP COLOUR - $36

• Vamporeuse - Light Pink Purple
• Rouge Noir - Black Red

ROUGE ALLURE VELVET LUMINOUS MATTE LIP COLOUR - $36

• La Merveilleuse - Intense Raspberry Red

LÈVRES SCINTILLANTES GLOSSIMER - $30

• Rose de Lune - Shimmering Soft Pink
• Étincelle - Golden Black Red

ROUGE DOUBLE INTENSITÉ ULTRA WEAR LIP COLOUR - $36

• Merry Rose - Soft Grey Pink

LE VERNIS NAIL COLOUR - $27

• Rose Fusion - Luminous Purple Grey

LE TOP COAT GOLD SPARKLE NAIL COAT - $27

• Lamé Rouge Noir - Shimmering Black Red

The CHANEL Collection Vamp Attitude is available now online at chanel.com and at department and specialty stores such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and select Macy's.

Best of the Best: Department Store Foundations.

I think we are all pretty particular when it comes to our foundation. If you are like me, you are still on the search for your holy grail. While I definitely have my favorite foundations, I can't argue with the facts and sales figures.

Sales figures speak volumes as to what YOU say the best foundations are. I've done some research and found out what the best selling department foundations are.

There was a lot of data and a few of the foundations were very similar.

For example, the best-sellers seemed to mostly be full coverage and liquid and I know not everyone wants a full coverage or liquid foundation. So I broke it down to find out the best-selling department store foundations in the top foundation categories that women want: Full Coverage, Light Coverage, Liquid Foundation, Matte Coverage, Powder Foundation and Cream Foundation.

Full Coverage

Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Wear & Comfort Retouch Free Divine Perfection Makeup - This foundation is long-lasting, promising up to 24 hours of wear. It's made with technology that makes it go on velvety soft and feels very comfortable as it leaves skin fully covered yet not mask-like; skin looks flawless and beautiful. It comes in a complete range of 35 shades.
Check the current lowest price of Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear here.

Light Coverage

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrated Gel Cream - This tinted gel-cream formula is definitely a light coverage foundation that feels like a moisturizer as it glides over the skin. Skin is left looking glowy all day and looking very natural. This comes in 10 shades. It blends easily into skin and is forgiving so it will match a variety of skin tones. The tip is to apply it with this brush. Read my complete Complexion Rescue review. 
Check the current lowest price of bareMinerals Complexion Rescue here.

Liquid Foundation

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Liquid Makeup - This foundation is liquid yet super lightweight. It builds up to the coverage you want from medium to almost full. It is long-wearing and looks very natural and fresh all day. There are 30 shades to select from so chances are, there is a shade to match your skin tone. 
Check the current lowest price of Estee Lauder Double Wear here.

See also: Covergirl TruBlend Matte Made Review

Matte Coverage

bareMinerals Matte Foundation SPF 15 - If your skin is oily, you will want a matte foundation and there is no better matte foundation than this one. This innovative mineral powder foundation leaves skin with a very natural looking matte finish (never caked on) to stay shine-free all day long. This comes in 19 easy to blend shades to match a good variety of skin tones.
Check the current lowest price of bareMinerals Matte Foundation here.

Powder Foundation

Lancôme Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup - For full coverage, apply this powder with a damp sponge and be amazed and how natural and beautiful skin is. For light coverage, dust on with the enclosed sponge or dust on with a large fluffy brush. I like to use this as a finishing powder with a fluffy brush. It is a best-seller because it is very versatile.  This powder comes in a complete range of 34 shades but they are very similar so you need help from a beauty advisor.
Check the current lowest price of Lancome Dual Finish Powder Makeup here.

Cream Foundation

Clinique Even Better Compact Makeup SPF 15 - This cream foundation is really unique; it glides on with ease and blends over the skin as a cream then transforms into a powdery finish to last all day. It covers really well and looks natural. It feels hydrating and is great for dry and mature skins. This one comes in 20 shades. 
Check the current lowest price of Clinique Even Better Compact Makeup here.