BEAUTY DEALS & STEALS

Face Value

• True, giving is one way to feel fulfilled during the holidays, but scoring deals at the cosmetics counter can add cheer in a whole different way. We rounded up the best beauty bargains, discounts and free gifts of the season. Get 'em before they run out!
  Featuring a whopping 197 products, this pro-worthy kit contains all the makeup you'll ever need for the year ahead.
  SHOP NOW: Sephora Makeup Studio Blockbuster, $50
  
  
  Sugar Rush
  
  
  This sweet set, which includes Fresh Brown Sugar eau de parfum, body cream and lip moisturizer, is worth $61, but available right now in stores and onFresh.com for about half the price.
  SHOP NOW: Fresh Brown Sugar Muse Gift Set, $35
  
  
  At Neiman Marcus, this eyes, face and lips kit is just $29 (a $75 value) when you buy any regular-priced item online from Clinique.
  SHOP NOW: Clinique Tool Kit, $29
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The perfect little gift for you or someone else, this trio of fragrances lets you test-drive three designer scents, valued at $104.
  SHOP NOW: Marc Jacobs Rollerball Trio, $38
  
  
  Shimmer on this season with this eye, lip and cheek collection in shades that twinkle without being too over-the-top.
  
  
  SHOP NOW: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals "And Away We Glow" Collection, $54
  
  
  Spend $50 on products by Bobbi Brown at Macy's and get this Bobbi Brown Repair Duo (including eye cream and serum) for free!
  SHOP NOW: Bobbi Brown
  
  
  
  With this everything-but-the-kitchen-sink collection ($340 value), you get 18 shades of eyeshadow, three blushes, one bronzer, five glosses, two soft-smudge eye pencils, black mascara, eye makeup remover, a makeup brush set and a partridge in a pear tree.
  SHOP NOW: Estée Lauder The Color Stylist, $58
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

10 Surprising Simply Skin Tips

A Simple Plan

It's tempting to correlate the amount of effort and money we put into caring for our skin with its condition. But many experts favor simple, everyday skincare methods that don't include high-ticket products or heavy duty treatments. To help you get glowing, we've rounded up 10 simple, affordable and effective tips.

Come Clean!

First things first: Before you even think about washing your face, clean your hands with a mild soap. If hands are dirty, then you'll end up transferring more dirt and grime onto your skin.

Avoid Unnecessary roughness.

Because washcloths can be abrasive (especially if you have sensitive skin), opt for a muslin cloth instead. After applying cleanser, rinse the cloth in warm water and               use slow, circular motions to wash away product.

    

                                                                    Stay Slick.

As skin and hair oils become more popular, they also become more expensive. But women in the Mediterranean have been using extra virgin olive oil as an all-over hydrator for centuries. Warm a few drops of oil in your hand before smoothing over your face for ultra-moisturized skin.

                Quest your Thirst!

Although drinking water isn't a replacement for your moisturizer, staying hydrated is necessary for maintaining healthy skin 

functions, such as regenerating cells and improving circulation. The result? A more radiant complexion.

If you're prone to dry skin, then washing your face once a day is enough—especially during cooler, dry months. Doing thorough cleansing before bed means that you can simply rinse it with warm water in the AM.

Moderate exercise is great for the skin, delivering oxygen and nutrients to its cells. But chronic flushing—from exercise or heat—can lead to permanently dilated capillaries. So get into the habit of pressing a cold-water washcloth to your cheeks as part of your post-workout routine

.Instead of trying to smear away dark lipstick with a tissue, opt for a cotton ball doused with an oil-based makeup remover. The messy tissue technique can leave an oily residue around the mouth that may lead to breakouts.

Expensive sunscreens aren't usually any more effective than cheap ones, say dermatologists. The important thing is that whatever you use should contain broad-spectrum UV protection—to guard your hide from both UVB rays that burn and UVA rays that age skin—no matter the season. Pesky UVA rays can pass through glass and clouds, and are equally intense thoughout the year.

Grapefruit, strawberries, carrots, olive oil... No, this isn’t just the start of our grocery list; it’s a preview of edible ingredients that help nourish your skin from the outside in. See which foodie beauty products are the most crave-worthy.

Glitzy Ways to Dress Up Your Nails

Glitzy Ways to Dress Up Your Nails

So long, red nail polish! The latest manicures are flashy, festive and fun.


Try Glitter
WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND For glimmering nails—not gauche ones—manicurist Ashlie Johnson recommends the following tip: "Paint your nails a solid color first, then layer glitter on just the tips—like a French manicure." Bonus: Since glitter formulas are harder to remove, your manicure has more staying power. 
WHAT TO TRY Lippmann Collection Nail Lacquer in Shake Your Groove Thing, $18;deborahlippmann.com. 
Essie LuxEffects in Set In Stones, $8;essie.com. 
Butter London Nail Lacquer in Tart With a Heart, $14; butterlondon.com.

Try a Statement Nail

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND Painting your ring or middle finger a flashy color—here, Estelle tried leopard—is a no-risk way to experiment with outside-the-box techniques. Keep the other digits a neutral shade, like taupe, slate, or grey to allow the wild child to take center stage.
WHAT TO TRY Borghese Nail Lacquer Vernis in Arrivederci Mist, $8; borghesenailcare.comfor locations.

Glitzy Ways to Dress Up Your Nails

Try Press-Ons

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND
"If you don't have time to go to the salon for Minx, play with nail polish stickers at home," says manicurist Kimmie Kyees, who works with Katy Perry, Rihanna and Fergie. Cleaning your nail bed and removing oils with a swipe of nail polish remover ensures the strips stay put, Johnson adds.
WHAT TO TRY Minx in Black and Gold Polka Dots and Sari Design; minxnails.com to find a stylist near you.
Nail Rock Nail Wraps in Black and White Stripes, $11; nailrock.com.

Polka Dots

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND Polka dots are everywhere right now—including on your nails. A black base with gilded dots is easy with the Orly Dotter tool. The pointed metal tip collects just the right amount of polish. Just be sure to let the base coat dry, or things can look sloppy.
WHAT TO TRY Orly Dotter Duo Tool, $7;orlybeauty.com.
Lancome Vernis in Noir, $15; sephora.com.
Pop Nail Glam in Golden Metal, $10;ulta.com.

Glitzy Ways to Dress Up Your Nails

Go Metallic

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND To keep your metallic mani as shiny as Hailee Steinfeld's, Johnson suggests applying with a smooth, even stroke. "Metallics are challenging because they show more flaws than opaque polish," she says. "Stick to three even swipes per nail, and finish with a generous amount of clear top coat to prevent fading."
WHAT TO TRY Topshop Nails in Heart of Gold, Treasure, and Moonshine, $10 each;topshop.com.

Stripes

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND With Orly's Instant Artist polish, top off a red mani with thin ribbons of white for sweet candy cane nails. The microfine brush makes precise lines easy—even for nail art novices. Or, opt for less perfect stripes with magnetic nail polish. "Magnetic polishes are great for creating quick, easy nail art," says Kyees. "The Nails Inc. magnet leaves behind cool chevron stripes."
WHAT TO TRY Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish in Houses of Parliament, $16; sephora.com.
Orly Instant Artist in Crisp White, $5;orlybeauty.com.

Glitzy Ways to Dress Up Your Nails

Add Ornaments

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND "Don't go overboard!" Johnson warns. "It isn't practical to go through the day with different items dangling off of your nails, so apply crystals, beads, and embellishments to a couple of fingers instead of all five." Remember to layer on the clear top coat to anchor 3-D elements.
WHAT TO TRY Sephora Collection Nail Art Kit, $16; sephora.com.

Ombre Fade

WHAT TO KEEP IN MIND Ombre isn't just for your hair anymore. Make like Lauren Conrad with a manicure that gradually lightens from sapphire to baby blue. The five carefully blended polishes in this set take the guesswork out of mixing and matching the perfect color for each finger. (They also come in pink and black collections.)
WHAT TO TRY The New Black 5-Piece Ombre Nail Set, $22; nordstrom.com.

HOLIDAY BEAUTY TRENDS 2011

Top 10 Favorite Party Hairstyles

Jennifer Love Hewitt's Va-Va-Voom Ponytail

QUICKIE TIP Fake a side bang! Simply part your hair low, deep and on the side, allowing strands to slip down onto your forehead.

Ashley Greene's Retro Waves

QUICKIE TIP Working a dab of mousse into wet hair—rather than piling it on when strands have already dried—will result in touchable, moulded waves, not stiff crunchy ones. 

Jennifer Lopez's Soft Top Knot

QUICKIE TIP Volumize strands with a dose of texturizing dry shampoo before sweeping up into a high bun. Too-silky hair will just fall down. 

Emma Stone's Shiny Curls

QUICKIE TIP Ever dry your hair and still feel it's a bit dull? Keep going. The shiniest, bounciest hair is bone dry—an extra five minutes tacked on the end of your normal blowout routine will usually do the trick. 

Beyonce's Low Slung Braid

TAKE-HOME TIP Rough-up your braid with your fingertips once it's in place. Otherwise, it can look too prim and perfect.

Cat Deeley's Stick Straight Strands

QUICKIE TIP When using a flatiron, flick your wrists inwards a bit when you reach the ends. The slight and subtle bend actually makes hair appear straighter and less limp. 

Lauren Conrad's Asymmetrical Updo

QUICKIE TIP This is one of the easiest hairstyles of the bunch. Throw your hair into a haphazard chignon, allowing your front layers to fall as they may. Twist them around a curling iron, working upwards from the ends, and you're good to go. 

Ashley Tisdale's Sexy Half Updo

QUICKIE TIP Teasing the hair along your crown keeps this simple style from being a snooze. 

Jennifer Aniston's Dynamic Layers

QUICKIE TIP A few turns of a curling iron give face-framing layers a boost. Just be sure to twist the tool outwards, which lets hair open up your face. 

Gifts That Give Back

Kiehls Limited-Edition Koons Creme de Corps


From $29; kiehls.com

100% of net proceeds from this collection to The Koons Family Institute on International Law and Policy, an initiative of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.'

TOMS Classic Sunglasses

$135; toms.com.

With every pair purchased TOMS will help give sight to a person in need.

 

uicy Couture Faux Diamond Key Chain

$38; stjude.org.

100 percent of proceeds go to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

 

Jewelry for a Cause Gold-Plated Crest and Nylon Cord Bracelet

$28; jewelryforacause.net.

10 percent of proceeds go to donorschoose.org, which helps fund classrooms in need.