#Blogmas Day 18: Cocktail Hour - Boozy Egg Nog

You guys, it feels so amazing to be back at it again on this blog. And since I've been feeling so great, I thought it only fitting to bring back what is arguable my MOST POPULAR (and certainly most-pinned about) segment of all time: Friday Cocktail Hour!

And since I'm in a festive sort of mood, I thought I'd raise a glass of boozy egg nog to all of you! Now, a few thoughts on eggnog for the holiday season: I realize this drink is not for everyone. Some of you may find it mildly disgusting. But I must admit, as I've gotten older, eggnog has certainly grown on me. And the way I like it best (sorry bourbon-lovers) is with a nice, dark rum. I think the sweetness of the rum works beautifully with this sugary, frothy confection of a cocktail! And alcohol is key in preserving this drink since it does contain raw eggs. But still, it should really be consumed the same day you make it, or at the very least, the next day. As always, drink responsibly! Cheers to the weekend!

Directions:

Step 1: Separate the egg whites and yolks, and pop whites in the fridge for later.

Step 1: Start whisking your yolks up, and slowly add in the cup of sugar little by little until it's smooth and blended.

Step 3: Add in your milk, cream, and rum and whisk it all together.

Step 4: In a separate bold, whisk up your egg whites until they've stiffened up, and then fold them into your eggnog to give it that yummy frothy texture.

Step 5: Top each glass with a pinch of ground nutmeg. Serve and enjoy! Note: this recipe will be enough for 5-6 cups so feel free to double if you're making enough for a party!

#Blogmas Day 17: Kate Spade "All in Good Taste"

I can't even explain how much I need this book. I just...there's a deep history of how much I love Kate Spade on this blog. I basically worship at the temple of the religion of Kate Spade. And not just because of her gorgeous clothing, or her statement handbags. The real reason is because I find her attitude completely celebratory of all things womanhood! While she's obviously an incredible tastemaker, I also firmly believe she is truly in touch with the modern woman who might not be perfect, but isn't trying to be! Her life is one big party with champagne and glitter and bows on everything, and frankly I want to jump inside her world and never leave. So when I saw that this book "All in Good Taste" was coming out, I knew I had to have it. In fact, skip the Holiday wish list and I think I'll just celebrate my own womanhood and pick it up on my way home from the office!

I want to get lost in the art of assembling a vibrant guest list, trying new recipes, raising a toast to myself frankly. It's been a long year, and a very tumultuous month. But I can firmly say that I'm even more proud of the woman I am today than I've ever been. Cheers!

#Blogmas Day 16: The 12 Lips of Christmas

I can not believe #Blogmas is over halfway over. How does this work, anyway? Do I blog every day until Christmas? Or keep going and blog every day until January? Stay tuned...Oh, the intrigue! My goodness. Though, at the risk of sounding too cutesy, I have really LOVED blogging everyday and reconnecting with whoever is left of my followers (and most importantly myself). Tear. I just may keep it up!

That being said, today I'm here to share with you my absolute favorite Christmas Lip Products! While many of these are what I'd consider to be my absolute favorites for achieving that bold, red holiday lip, others are perfect for nourishing your lips in winter, or just great tools for keeping your lips loud and proud this season. Whether you wear lipstick all year like I do, or you pull out a BAM! lip just for the holidays, each of these products below are tried and true, and JSQ-approved!

1  Nars Satin Lip Pencil in "Rikugien" 
While this isn't a red, I thought I'd ease into with a lip pencil guaranteed to just take your natural lip color and give it a bit more polish and pizazz. I am in love with this shade, and it looks beautiful with a bold eye, or can be equally great with a natural, pretty look.

2  Aveda Nourish-Mint Smoothing Lip Color in "Poppy"
I've sworn by this lip color for at least the past 5 Christmasses. It's a perfect cool-toned classic red that makes your teeth look hella white. And it also smells so minty fresh and feels incredibly nourishing. It's a fave!

3  Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in "F-Bomb"
I'm a huge fan of Revolution Lipstick's formulation. It's so intensely pigmented and totally creamy. It feels fantastic on the lips, and I love this shade for a classic holiday lip look.

4  L'Oréal Colour Riche Le Matte Lip Pen in "Matte-r of Fact"
This color came into my life in the summer, breezed through fall with me, and will now probably be my winter lip look of choice also. It's a perfect berry fuschia color that is both glamorous and totally festive. It was one of those shades where I thought, this will NOT be my color, no way will this look good on me...and I ended up absolutely LOVING IT. If I want to step out of my comfort zone, this is what I reach for and it nails it every time. (I am having a heart attack that I'm not seeing it on the L'Oréal website...but I did find it online at Ulta. Fingers crossed it isn't discontinued!)

5  Sugar Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15
First of all, just because it's winter doesn't mean your lips don't need their SPF. And I have blogged about this beautiful, oh-so-pricey number before. And the story is still the same. I can't live without it, nothing nourishes and protects my (super dry, flakey) lips like it, and I put it on continuously throughout the day. Bury me with it so I can take it with me to the afterlife, okay?

6  The Balm Cosmetics Meet Matt(e) Hughes Liquid Lipstick in "Loyal"
This liquid lipstick, in basically every shade offered, is my TOP makeup pick of 2015. It smells like a thin mint Girl Scout cookie, it stays on literally all day, and you can drink all the champagne and eat all the passed hors d'oeurves you want this Christmas and it will stay put. It's like magic in a tiny tube. Must buy all of them.

7  Bite Beauty - Bite Mix and Mingle in "Holly/Tannin"
This is a two-for-the-price-of-one perfect holiday lip set. Holly is the perfect bright red while Tannin is this deep berry full-on glamour girl color. You can even do a lip ombre look where you dab holly in the centers of your upper and lower lip for extra dimension! I believe both shades are sold separately too, because I have the full-size of Tannin and wore it to death last winter.

8  Nars Lipstick in "Scarlet Empress"
This is definitely my favorite lipstick when I'm going for big film noir type holiday drama. It's gorgeous for a party with a black dress and an chignon. Or it's amazing as a beautiful, deep fall lip look as well, like Zoella often does. Stunning and makes your chompers soooo white.

9  Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer
When you want your lips to last, I'd absolutely recommend using a lip primer like this one from Too Faced. It's definitely smoothing, if you're trying to smooth out your natural lip texture. And it definitely keeps lipstick from feathering, though I'd still use a lip liner if you're doing a red or deep lip look. It's just a little something extra to hedge your bets on the way to your holiday party.

10  Clinique Long Last Soft Matte Lipstick in "Crimson"
This is the newest red lip to my collection, and I thought I'd share one that was more warm-toned in case that's better on you. I kind of love both cool and warm reds. And I love this formulation, because it's matte-like but it stays so completely creamy at the same time. Divine. And dare I say, it might be my favorite everyday red at the moment!

11  LUSH Santa's Lip Scrub
A lip scrub is absolutely essential for me. My lips don't love lipstick as much as I do, and this is just my little way of reminding them who's boss. I try to use this twice a day, because my lips are truly a dry, patchy desert by the end of the day. I do one round before bed, and top with the Sugar Lip treatment (Number 5) and I do another round in the morning if needed before I put on my lipstick. It tastes so yummy good, like Christmas cookies or something. Mmm!

12  LOC | Birchbox and Tati Vibrant Matte Lipstick in "Glam Life"
Tati from Glam Life Guru on YouTube is my GIRL, seriously. I fangirl hard for her. And she created this collection with Birchbox for their debut brand LOC (Love of Color). And this lip color is kind of the centerpiece of the lip collection (hello, the name is Glam Life). In fact, it looks like it's sold out so I'm sorry about that! But it's a stunning berry shade that comes through a bit lighter than it looks in the packaging, and I'm completely in love. It does dry out my lips a bit but as long as I make sure to use numbers 5 and 11, I'm good to go!

#Blogmas Day 15: Too Faced Stardust Palette by Vegas Nay

While this stunning palette from Too Faced by @Vegas_Nay came out this past fall, I'm planning to add it to my collection this holiday season! It's exclusive to Ulta, and while I know I could totally just order it online, I always love to go to the store when I'm home in Ohio visiting my family. I drag my mom and sister there with me, and they don't quite love makeup as much as I do, but they're usually good sports when I spend over an hour looking at every little thing. (I really wish they'd open an Ulta here in Manhattan...maybe someday!)

Anyway, this palette comes with a collection of other items like a loose glitter pigment, and deluxe sizes of Shadow Insurance eyelid primer and Better Than Sex Mascara. Plus it also comes with a guide to creating six looks with the palette! This is getting great reviews, and especially considering the additional samples included, it's such a great value at only $45.00!

Some thoughts, so far, on this palette and additional goodies: While I'm not 100% comparing them, I think I may end up purchasing this instead of my beloved UD | Gwen Stefani palette because I think I might personally get more wear out of the statement shades included in this palette (than the cool-toned pink and blue in the other palette). They seem like they could work a bit more with my own freckle-faced coloring. And since I have 3 Naked palettes already, I'd love to try Too Faced shadow's formulation. So, hopefully I'll find this underneath my Christmas Tree, even if I put it there myself ;-)

#Blogmas Day 14: Holiday Candles from Bath & Body Works

Happy Monday, y'all! Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for more #Blogmas action here on the blog! I've said it before, but the holidays are not the holidays without a 3-wick candle from Bath & Body Works burning in the background. And one of my favorite things to do is pop into the store near Grand Central Station and just stick my face into each and every one of them until I decide which are THE BEST. It's a very scientific process, and part of my own personal catalogue of Christmas traditions. Anyone else? No? Well, that's okay... I've done the embarrassing legwork for you then! Below are my personal top 4 Holiday 3-wick candles. And, as always, pay attention to sales because you can get an amazing deal on these. In fact, as of now (for a limited time only) they are $15.00 marked down from $22.50, so get to shopping!

1  Cinnamon Caramel Swirl Basically a christmas cookie/dessert in the form of a candle. Yum!

2  Mahogany Teakwood This is a totally masculine, woodsy scent that (not gonna lie to you) kind of smells like a sexy man! I told another lady who was sniffing it, and she bought two! Heyyy girl.

3  Vanilla Bean Noel This is a classic. It's just so sweet, creamy, and totally just  warm, and I love burning it in the kitchen.

4  Frosted Cranberry This is also totally an annual classic, and really reminds me of home. It's fresh and fruity, and totally festive.

#Blogmas Day 13: Short Stack Editions

My best friend Cate shared these super cute cookbooks from Short Stack Editions with me this past week, and I was totally inspired. They include recipes centered around a specific ingredient which would be perfect for someone with a favorite food (did someone say broccoli?) or for people with a CSA box who knows without a doubt that there will be tons of surplus fruits and veggies during various parts of the season. But most importantly, the covers on these are beautifully illustrated. I would love to have each and every volume in my kitchen, but could easily pick and choose the ones that will work best with my own cooking lifestyle. These are one of my top gift ideas this season, and super affordable at $14.00 each! How about you guys? What's your favorite food to cook with? Leave a comment below!

1  Eggs  |  Volume 1

2  Buttermilk  |  Volume 4

3  Lemons  |  Volume 13

4  Prosciutto de Parma  |  Volume 14

5  Brown Sugar  |  Volume 12

6  Corn  |  Volume 10

#Blogmas Day 12: Pantone 2016 Color(s) of the Year

I know I'm not the only one who was a bit mystified at Pantone's announcement that they've selected not one but two colors for 2016 - Rose Quartz and Serenity! I personally have a soft spot for Rose Quartz (not that I'm very into crystals) but on a special vacation with my aunt quite a few years ago, during a time when I was going through a bit of a heartbreak, I first heard about the rose quartz and how it symbolizes unconditional love, peace, and comfort. Ironically, I find myself in a similar position today...and while Rose Quartz and Serenity are certainly not my favorite colors ever, I definitely aspire to the feelings of calmness they bring! While I know, with any setback in life, that I'll be fine if not better than ever after some time passes, I do know that makeup tends to act as a beautiful band-aid in the interim!

That being said, Sephora + Pantone Universe wasted no time in debuting their 2016 makeup line showcasing these two colors. From spot-on Rose Quartz and Serenity pastel lipsticks (not sure about these) to a palette of shadows and a line of lip glosses that I kind of love, we'll be able to step out in the pastels that will dominate 2016. How about you guys? Did you like the colors Pantone chose for 2016? Leave your thoughts on the comments below!

#Blogmas Day 11: Holiday Wish List - 2016 Planners

It's that time of year where you really start to wrap your head around the fact that it's about to be a new year. Whether you start getting your resolutions ready, or you at least try to get your affairs in order, a new year totally feels like a new beginning. And sometimes even just the feeling of a new beginning is important for keeping things in a busy, overwhelming life feel fresh, new, and fun. This also happens to be the perfect time to start the new year right with a planner. In the digital age, I know my phone and computer calendars keep track of my appointments and office obligations, but there's just something so charming and fun about keeping personal plans, birthdays, and other fun fetes in a beautiful agenda book. And why stop there? There are meal planners, diet planners, grocery planners, even content planners for bloggers and vloggers and people who work from home. I put together a few planners that I either have and am currently using, or have had my eye on for a while now. They would make excellent holiday gifts for someone special who's looking to grab 2016 by the horns and live their best-ever life!

1  Kate Spade 2016 Planners  I'm currently using the gold polka-dotted planner and it makes me so happy to look at it every day.

2  Skinnytaste Meal Planner I've blogged about this before, and I'm loving using it to plan out my meals (and grocery shopping/cooking schedule) for the week.

3  The Erin Condren LifePlanner This planner has a huge cult following on the internet. People create products specifically for it, they blog and vlog about it in Plan With Me videos on YouTube – it is kind of like the Rolls Royce of agendas.

4  Ban.do 2016 Agenda  These are so cute, and the design is flawless. I love the look of these planners, and they come with super cute stickers. This would be an amazing gift for someone in high school or college, but hurry because they are selling out fast!

#Blogmas Day 10: Holiday Gift Guide - Kitsch Cat Press

Hello hello! We're 10 days in to Blogmas, and I must say I'm feeling good. I can definitely keep going, easy peasy. I've loved putting more thought into bringing you guys holiday content every day. But for those of you who aren't trying to buy thirty tons of makeup for yourselves and others, I thought I'd keep it fresh and share some incredible prints from one of my besties from high school, Jennifer, who is now a super cool screen printer (and badass improv comedian) in Chicago! Her online shop, Kitsch Cat Press sells some incredibly unique geometric and hand-drawn patterns that would make amazing holiday gifts. They can be purchased as framed art prints (how I've shown them below), or printed on tons of items like phone/ipad cases, shower curtains, carpets, even comforters for your bed! I am obsessed with Swim Fan, especially because I die for that name. Anybody remember that movie? But there are too many amazing options to choose from. Have a look for yourself here at Kitsch Cat Press!

Stoked Strokes

Abstract Flower Child

Swim Fan 

Swimmer Head

Geometric Pattern

Mannequin Bed Head

#Blogmas Day 9: Merry Quizmas

Okay, my little Christmas Kweens (or Kings), the time to prove your Christmas Pop-Culture Know-How has arrived! The Challenge is Merry Quizmas - A Nearly-Impossible Holiday Character Challenge that my friend sent me this morning. Things started out well for me, checking off the entire top two rows, easy peasy. Then there were some head-scratchers like...was this a Christmas movie? Why is the Russian from Rocky IV here again? I think I need to rewatch a lot of movies, starting with Trading Places. Also, this must have been made by boys because Little Women and Meet Me in St. Louis are nowhere to be found and there are so many aliens and people with guns #boymovies #amirite?

...BUT by the time I was half-way through, the entire office was in on the challenge! We were completely obsessed with guessing correctly, and as designers, we were drooling over these adorable illustrations by James Kenison! I could only manage to get 42 out of 60 on my own (the images in white vs. the colorful backgrounds). Note: I whited out the correct names so as to not give away any spoilers! Tell me your score in the comments below!

How cute are these illustrations by James Kenison?

Questions 1-30: Code by Tad Thorley

Questions 31-60: Copy by Ryan Kroker

#Blogmas Day 8: Holiday Wish List - Quay Australia

Not only do I need new glasses, I am also itching for a new pair (or 3) of new sunglasses! And I have been lusting after a bazillion pairs of Quay Australia sunnies since last spring. I think these create such an edgy, trendy eyewear look for an AMAZING value – Most pairs retail for $50 bucks! These are totally statement pieces that would work perfectly year-round and really give your everyday look a polished, chic finish. I'm drooling over the pairs below at the moment. If you could pick one, which would you choose?

1  Girly Talk in Tortoise Shell
2  Delilah in Black with Smoke Lens (currently sold out)
3  Steelcat in Gold with Gradual Gold Lens
4  Isabell in Black Tort/Silver
5  Envy Nude
6  Love Child in Tortoiseshell with Smoke Lens

#Blogmas Day 7: The 12 Masks of Christmas

Is there any greater treat than a mask? I just love them! A mask can turn a regular, lazy Sunday into a day of pampering, or a night with a friend and a bottle of wine into a spa evening! Whether or not they do anything miraculous to my skin (or it's sometimes just a placebo effect) I just love any excuse to treat myself. This is doubly important in the winter months when your skin and hair tend to dry right up. So, I thought, this is a perfect time to get festive and share a few of my favorite masks with all of you! Enjoy! And if you've tried an amazing mask that you don't see here, leave a note in the comments and I'll give it a try.

1  Boscia Luminizing Black Mask
I love love love this and find it super refreshing! The fact that it peels completely off in one go (like shiny black latex on your face) is weird and a bit tricky to get right, but I love how it makes my skin feel.

2  Dr. Jart+ Vital Hydra Solution Sheet Mask
Sheet masks are the easiest and fastest ways to pamper. And they're also great for travel because there's no ban on liquids to worry about! This hydrating mask from Dr. Jart+ was the first sheet mask I ever used, and I keep going back for more!

3  Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask
This mask will 100% make you look like the moon emoji, but it is non-greasy, super clearing, and ultra refreshing. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a mask at a drugstore price point.

4  Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Instant Facial
I've used this mask for years and years, and I am such a fan. It's a quick and easy beauty treatment to incorporate into your regime – the mask wears for 5 minutes and you rinse off with warm soapy water and massage the granules into your skin to exfoliate. I love to put it on in the shower, and let it do its work while I'm shaving my legs or washing my hair...it makes rinsing extra simple.

5  Sephora Pearl Eye Mask
I love this brightening sheet mask from Sephora. It's refreshing, really affordable, and I love to stock up a few at a time in case I'm having friends over, or traveling. I'm planning to bring a few home to put on with my mom and my sister over the holidays. Looking forward to it!

6  Glamglow Thirtstymud Hydrating Treatment
This hydration mask is definitely on the pricier side, and I confess I haven't purchased a full-size. But I received a sample and it was one of the most soothing masks I've ever tried, and it left my usually dry, patchy skin feeling dewey and amazing. I may go ahead and get this for myself for Christmas! Stay tuned!

7  Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask
This little mask/cleanser combo is such an amazing drugstore product. It feels cooling and refreshing, and really helped me to minimize my pores and improve the condition of my skin after the first use! It's a great mask at a super high-value price point. Definitely check it out!

8  LUSH Cranberry Fresh Face Mask
This mask is so perfect for the holidays! It gives a deep cleanse, and a boost of hydration, and the rose clay leaves your face oh-so-amazingly-soft. As with all fresh masks from LUSH, remember to store it in the refrigerator and use it within a few weeks.

9  Boscia Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask
At first, I will admit, I didn't understand how this mask was any more hydrating than slathering your face in moisturizer or night cream before bed. But now I am addicted! I wake up to a completely dewey, glowing face that feels like I just applied the mask moments ago –

10  Tony Moly I'm Real - Tea Tree Face Mask Sheet
This soothing sheet mask smells incredible. I struggle with redness, and this mask feels so rejuvenating on the skin. And how cute is this packaging? Check out the entire line for even more adorableness.

11  Pureology Super Smooth Relaxing Hair Mask
While I love a face mask, I love a hair mask just as much! And this product literally saved my hair. Imagine my displeasure in finding out just now that it's been discontinued...I guess don't get too attached!

12  Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask
This mask is by far the biggest price tag on the list, but oh my goodness, what a treat! It's absolutely worth the cost if you're a SERIOUS mask lover and skincare freak like me. Enjoy!

#Blogmas Day 6: Holiday Wish List - Clinique

You guys know I love my Clinique. In fact, this list was tricky to put together because I pretty much have it all, or I've certainly tried it all, already... But I'm itching to add the below items to my collection because I haven't found something I love yet from other brands. And when that happens, I know I will always at least like and trust a product from Clinique. They are my home base brand, and I'll keep coming back forever no matter how far into other luxury and drugstore products I venture.

1  Airbrush Concealer 
I am struggling to find the perfect under-eye brightening concealer. In a past life, when my makeup game wasn't quite as strong, I tried to use this concealer as a way to cover spots and blemishes...wrong. But I do have a feeling I will love this under and around the eye area, and to make my brows really pop.

2  Almost Lipstick in Pink Honey
There was a magical time when Clinique sold its Almost Lipstick in tons of amazing shades. Though, it seems to have been discontinued (other than Black Honey which went totally Pinterest-viral a few years ago). Anyway, the formulation is amazing, so creamy and subtle, and it really just enhances your natural lip. I was heartbroken when they nixed my favorite shade, Flirty Honey, but Pink looks pretty similar to me!

3, 4 Chubby Stick Hefty Highlight and Sculpting Contour
I tend to run dry so, for me, cream contouring is a better bet than powder to prevent the dreaded cake face. My current cream contouring kit from Color FX is great, but it's only something I can do when I have lots of time to put my face on at home. But my typical makeup routine is something a bit more grab-and-go, so I would looooove to try these.

5  Cheek Pops
My blush game is sorely lacking, to be completely honest. I just went forever without using it because I thought bronzer was enough. Other than the occasional pat of Nars Orgasm on the apples of my cheeks, I am a complete blush newbie. This post could actually just double as makeup fails, come to think of it. But I think these Cheek Pops are adorable, and I'd like to get at least 2 or 3 different shades in the New Year.

6  Long Last Soft Matte Lipsticks
This formulation is beyond amazing. Possibly holy grail, honestly. I have tried TONS of mattes, and loved a few. But this! I received a sample of Matte Crimson, and it has become my new favorite go-to red. It's matte-like in appearance, but never loses the feeling of being an amazingly creamy texture on the lips. I want to stock up on lots more shades, so I have a Long Last Soft Matte lipstick for every occasion. I'm obsessed.

#Blogmas Day 5: Sephora Stocking Stuffers - $15 and Under

On the Fifth Day of #Blogmas, my true love gave to meeeeee... Okay, okay, I'm sorry, but I couldn't resist! I am feeling festive after having started my own holiday shopping this week, and I'm headed out for more in a moment to do some more. Here's a fun fact about me: My absolute favorite gifts are stocking stuffers! I know most people view them as a bit of an afterthought, or even a total pain-in-the-wherever to buy. Especially if you're a mom like mine, buying gifts to stuff your own stocking...But I love getting (and giving) lots of simple, inexpensive little gifts just as much as bigger-ticket gifts. Below are a few items I spotted at Sephora, all for $15 dollars or under, that would make amazing stocking stuffers for the beauty or skincare enthusiast in your life!



1  L'Occitane Hand Cream Ornament
This would look adorable hanging from the tree on Christmas morning, or tucked inside a stocking - at a pricetag of only $12! And L'Occitane hand cream is such a rich, replenishing formula with shea butter that will leave your hands softer than gently-falling snow!

2  Bite Beauty Mix and Mingle 
I would recommend this lip duo to anyone, as a stocking stuffer or even just to buy for yourself! Bite lip products are my absolute favorite. They feel so replenishing – a complete treat for your lips! And these give you two shades to try at only $14 dollars, compared to a full-size lipstick at around $24.

3  Josie Maran BearNaked Nail Wipes 
These nail wipes smell fruity and ahhhmazing! And not only do they remove polish, but they also nourish and repair cuticles and do wonders for your nails. They're a must-have for your travel makeup bag, because they're perfect for taking off polish in a hurry if you chip or break a nail.

4  Fomula X: Studded X Mini Lip + Nail Duo
This little duo packs an edgy punch, by pairing a mini Kat Von D Studded Kiss lipstick with an identically matching Formula X nail polish, available in several cool statement colors.

5  Sephora Collection Eye Masks
There's no more refreshing beauty treat than an eye mask, and these fiber versions are super easy to use and remove, no muss no fuss! My favorites are the rose and pearl versions – both have brightening properties. But any of these is sure to be a nice and refreshing surprise.

6  Klorane Dry Hair Rescue Set
We all struggle with dryness in the winter and this little set would be a really nice, nourishing treat for someone looking to try some new hair products. I can personally attest that the dry shampoo offered in this bundle is one of the BEST I've tried, so I'd be very happy to give or receive this little gift set.

7  Tony Moly Apple Hand Cream
This cute little hand cream, in twist-off, apple-shaped packaging, is super cute and refreshing. There are additional versions in Peach and Tangerine scents as well. I always love Tony Moly's packaging, and these are too adorable to pass up!

#Blogmas Day 4: Urban Decay | Gwen Stefani Eye Palette

In keeping with the #Blogmas theme of things I'm dying to buy this holiday season...This UD | Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palette is everywhere on the internet and I'm hearing such amazing things about the formulation and wearability of the shades. I'm already a huge fan of UD shadows, and I have three of the four Naked palettes already in my arsenal (Naked 2, Naked 3 [my fave for spring and summer], and Naked Smoky) so I thought maybe I didn't need this palette? But the more I stare at it, the more I covet it...and I happen to have received a few Sephora gift cards for my 30th birthday so I'm betting I'll have this in-hand by the weekend.

Some thoughts on the palette so far, though: It seems to have a lot more neutrals than people were expecting from a Gwen Stefani palette, knowing she's such a fashion icon known for her bold style! But if you think about it, Gwen almost always does a beautiful, wearable nude or smoky eye look and pairs it with a bold lip or a crazy hair color. So, I would honestly recommend the Urban Decay Vice 4 palette for those of you who still want Urban Decay quality but are looking to go super COLORFUL.

I'm certainly adventurous with makeup, but the one thing that's kept me from getting the Vice palette myself is that I prefer a single palette that works together to create tons and tons of different eye looks, because I travel with my makeup bag constantly, and I usually put one palette in there and use only that for weeks and weeks. Vice palettes, in my opinion, have what I'd use as accent shades toned down with some neutrals.

Anyway, I'm rambling. I can't wait until I have this palette in-hand to swatch and play and experiment. How about you guys? Any holiday makeup releases you're dying for? Tell me more in the comments!