Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Girlfriends

Christmas is fast approaching and it’s already time to start thinking about presents for our loved ones. During the next few weeks, I’ll be posting some gift guides for all those special people in our lives hoping it will help you and give you some ideas.

So, let’s start with your gal pals. When it comes to buying presents for my friends I always choose cute and affordable kits that offer good value for money, like the ones listed below:

Mineral makeup lovers will love Bare Escentuals Sweet Obsession kit ($48.00). It includes 9 mineral eyeshadows in Strawberry Mousse, Berry Custard, Berry Flambé, Lemon Meringue, Spiced Biscotti, Cherry Coco Truffle, Mint, Dark Chocolate and Crème de Menthe to create lots of deliciously beautiful looks.

Philosophy A Kiss & A Wish ($15.00) is a nice kit that contains 4 sheer and natural glosses in Red Licorice, Raspberry Sorbet, Candy Cane, Pink Bubbly for an irresistible pout.

Inspired by the warmth and beauty of the Mediterranean evening, Cargo Mediterranean Nights Palette ($34.00) features everything you need to create a lovely warm glow all year long. The gold-imprinted gift box contains 4 eyeshadow in Shimmering Brown, Golden Green, Rich Gold and Gold Shimmer Pink, a blush in The Big Easy (sheer pink with gold and red grapefruit undertones) and a Medium Bronzer and Blush in Rome (soft tangerine) Duo.

Best of Bliss Set ($45.00) is a nice way to try the brand’s most popular product. The kit includes Lemon and Sage Body Butter lite, Lemon and Sage Soapy Sap, Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask, Fabulous Foaming Face Wash and Best Of Skintentions Packette.

Benefit Celebulante ($34.00) is a nice and handy set to achieve that glamorous Hollywood look. It contains High Beam, Benetint Lip & Cheek Stain (rose), Dallas Face Powder (rosy bronze), lipgloss in I’m With The Band (golden pink shimmer), Full-Finish Lipsticks in Lady’s Choice (pinky nude) and No Competition (deep plum), Velvet Eyeshadows in Leggy (pink nude satin) and Dandy Brandy (copper spice), a Fluff Shadow Brush and Step-By-Step Lessons.

Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. II ($48.00) is the perfect gift for both makeup addicts and newbies. It contains 16 eyeshadows in both natural and colorful shades, travel-size 24/7 Eye Pencils in Zero and Bourbon, and a mini bottle of Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Containing their most popular products, the Best Of Korres Set ($29.50) is the perfect introduction to the brand. It contains travel sizes of Wild Rose Cream, Sugar Crystal, Evening Primrose Eye Cream, Guava Body Butter, Yogurt Cooling Gel and 2 Guava Showergel sample sachets.

Too Faced Glamour to Go III ($19.50) is a stunning kit that contains everything you need for the face, eyes and lips and would make a great gift for girls who are always on the go. The palette includes 8 eyeshadows in gold shimmer, pink champagne shimmer, pink shimmer, plum taupe shimmer, gray black shimmer, bronze shimmer, silver shimmer, and violet shimmer, a blush (peachy pink) and 4 lipglosses in sheer coral pink, sheer shimmering champagne, rose shimmer, and neutral pink.

Bath & Body Works Pamper Yourself Japanese Cherry Blossom kit ($20.00) is a willow gift basket full of delicious treat. It includes a Shower Gel, a Body Lotion, a Fragrance Mist, 1 oz. Anti-Bacterial PocketBac and a gauze sponge.

Pupa Kokeshi Palette (€21.00/$31.41) is an elegant palette with decorations that are reminiscent of the kokeshi world. It contains 4 eyeshadows, 4 cream lipsticks, a blush, a mascara and an applicator. Available in 3 color versions: white, red and dark blue.

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Wanted! Benefit Matterial Girl

Mattify your complexion and set your makeup with this silky, matte-finish loose powder. Dust over face, focusing on nose, forehead and any shiny areas and POOF! You’re a matterial girl!

Ok, I admit it. When I first saw Benefit Matterial Girl ($24.00) I wanted it just for the packaging. It’s so cute, girly and pink! I guess I really am a material girl sometimes.

But that’s not the only reason why this powder has caught my eye. I’m a fan of sheer powders and this is supposed to be very sheer and suitable for all complexions, so I hope it will work for very fair-skinned girls like me too. And even though I prefer a dewy-look, my face is oily in the t-zone so any product that vanishes shine is always welcome.

What do you think of this powder? Are you a Matterial Girl or not?

Benefit Launches Crescent Row Fragrance Collection

Benefit has just launched Crescent Row, a trio of scents inspired by three ladies, Lee Lee, Sophia and Gina, who live in a row of houses in Royal Crescent in England.

Laugh with Lee Lee is a woody floral with notes of cassis, melon, citrus, black violet, lily, jasmine, blonde wood, amber and santal.

Something about Sophia is an oriental floral featuring notes of mango, freesia, sheer lily, jasmine sambac, peony petal, musk, white caramel and vanilla bean.

My Place or Yours Gina is a woody oriental that includes notes of pink pepper, bergamot, tangerine, peony, wild raspberry, white lily, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla bean.

These fragrances come in the prettiest packaging that I have ever seen for a scent. Not only the vintage bottle looks like a cocktail-shaker but each scent comes in its own little house complete with a front door and interiors. How cute is that?

Being obsessed with everything England, I just want all of them. But my fave fragrance has to be My Place or Your Gina. There is something about woody oriental scents that I absolutely love.

Which one is your favourite?

Inside Davina McCall makeup bag

Davina McCall is an English actress and Tv presenter, most famous for presenting UK Big Brother. Here are her favourite beauty products:

UBERSASSY CELEBRITY FACE MOISTURIZER (£25.00)
Using extracts of frankincense and mandarin, the skin is fed and replenished. Extracts of oriental sea kelp and collagen support the skin and stabilise elastin levels, whilst avocado extracts ensure skin is re-hydrated. Davina think using a moisturizer called Celebrity Face is quite funny.

GARNIER NUTRIESSE CREAM (£5.88)
Davina colors her hair with Garnier Nutriesse Cream in Macademia Golden Brown. The product combines fruit oil and nourishing ingredients for a radiant, long-lasting colour.

LANCOME DEFINICILS MASCARA (£19.50)
This best-selling mascara shapes and defines to create long, beautiful lashes. The patented brush coats each lash evenly from base to tip for perfect separation with no clumping. Davina says that her mascara has got to be waterproof because she is very emotional and spends her whole life crying, mostly with joy at the moment.

BENEFIT HIGH BEAM (£15.50)
A satiny pink highlighter creates a young, radiant, fresh complexion on all skin tones.

Inside Kim Metcalf makeup bag

English actress Kim Metcalf is best known for playing Sam Mitchell in the British soap opera EastEnders. Here are the beauty products this beautiful actress can’t live without:

L’OREAL ELNETT HAIRSPRAY (£5.49)
It helps add body and shine, helps to increase volume and hold. Kim says: “It’s such an old classic and you can’t beat it to give your hair that little bit of extra oomph. It’s nice and cheap, too.”

BATISTE DRY SHAMPOO (£2.09)
It refreshes hair between washes and revitalises greasy, dull and lifeless hair. Kim is a huge fan of this shampoo, saying: “I don’t like to wash my hair every day but it doesn’t smell great when you’ve had a night out, so I use this – so not only does it make my hair smell better, it gives it a real lift, too.”

NIVEA SOFT MOISTURIZING CREAM (£6.99)
A moisturising cream for everyday use on face, hands and body.

CLARINS SUN WRINKLE CONTROL CREAM FOR FACE with SPF15 (£15.50)
A lightweight, non-oily cream for face that helps protect skin from the hazards of immediate and long-term sun exposure. Kim says she’s religious about making sure she applies sunscreen on her face whenever she leaves the house.

BENEFIT BADGAL LASH (£14.50)
The big brush and the rich black formula give your lashes that dramatic, falsies effect.