Think Bamboo Pink!

The Bamboo Pink Collection from Clinique offers lovely variations on the theme of fresh-picked softly glowing flowers.

The collection, exclusively from Clinique, takes its name from Bamboo Pink, one of
Clinique's best-selling lipstick shades - a wearable and subtly seductive hue.

The collection includes:

Fresh Bloom Allover Color-- A beautiful pressed floral powder compact that combines three powder shades to create a soft, luminous glow. This long-wearing powder offers versatility, sheer coverage and a beautiful finish for the entire face.

Colour Surge Eye Shadow Quad-- a gorgeous grouping of super and soft shimmer shades to create looks that range from subtle and soft to more sexy and sophisticated.

Butter Shine Lipstick -- One of Clinique’s best-selling lipstick shades is now available in a revolutionary gel formula that delivers the shine of a gloss and the comfort of a lipstick. Butter Shine Lipstick drenches lips in moist, lush color that glides on buttery-soft and feels luxuriously smooth.

Long Last Soft Shine Lipstick

Provides up to eight hours of beautiful color that won’t feather or dry out.

Powder Brush—a luxurious, natural-hair brush designed with a large dome for easy application of pressed and loose powder providing a smooth and even look. The brush uses a unique anti-bacterial technology that protects the brushes from mold, fungus and bacteria.

A lovely collection, indeed. A Perfect Pink.

Make-Over for Make-Up

Have you been to www.avon.com lately? They have recently made-over their entire make-up line and the results are impressive.

Avon Color is debuting updated shade palettes housed in

new compacts, tubes and bottles, as well as upgraded

formulas for True Color Eyeshadow and Nailwear

Pro Nail Enamel. As they state themselves, "We wanted to take our classic products and give them a modern twist. With upgraded

formulas, updated shade palettes and chic new packaging, you’ll love the new formula."

The hype is correct. The lip and eye colors are up there with the best of them. Take the Ultra Color Rich lip color. With a center core that moisturizers and plumps lips and an outer layer of fabulous color with real staying power, these really should be a staple in any cosmetic case.These lipsticks are absolute perfection.

Nailwear Pro nail enamel has a new customized flat brush with triangular bristles provide a smooth, even, streakfree application with high-shine and a glossy finish. There is no messy overflow, and the unique channeled rod helps distribute product evenly onto nails especially in hard-to reach corners and sides for the look of

a professional manicure. If that sounds like much ado about a brush—it is. And it works. The polish is a new formula that now contains acrylic for strength, protection, and brilliant high gloss that lasts up to 10 days.

The eyes also have it. Avon enhanced its core eyeshadow with an improved formula and new packaging. With more intense pearl, metallic and matte finishes, the color bond technology delivers crease-proof buildable color that stays true all day. The new square single and quad compacts feature domed shadows and new applicators. The quad compact also includes a larger mirror and liner applicator to help create a flawless look. The new dome shape allows for a for quick color pickup with the new bigger brush. And some lovely new shades have been added.

Add in the new Ideal Shade Pressed Powder, Cream To Powder foundation, powder and concealer all in one and True Blush and what more do you need? Here you have affordable and impeccable make-up. Why pay more?

Blush-Up in No Time

Perhaps the best test for a powder blush is whether it can be easily and smoothly applied to bare skin without any blotchiness. Clinique’s Spring Collection includes Quick Blush, and not only does it come in a sleek tube that contains everything needed in one place, but the blush itself brushes on effortlessly and leaves even bare skin with a flawless, natural looking flush of color. You can take it with you to give your face a color-lift during the day. This is truly a new kind of packaging. The blush is built into the cap so all you have t do is turn the brush while the cap is on and then remove the brush full of just the right amount of blush.

Quick Blush—in 4 shades that will have you envisioning warmer sunnier days—Hurry Honey, Peach In-A-Pinch, Minute Mocha, Berry On Time. Twist and blush in no time. $21.50

This is an innovative, time and clutter-sparing beauty product that is sure to become a staple.

Purely Alima

Alima Pure, a quiet company based in Portland Oregon is making inroads in the mineral cosmetics realm. Alima Pure offers more than truly lovely 250 products with 60 foundation shades, making it easy to find a perfect match. Their items are available online and at select boutiques and spas nationwide.

Alima Pure is offering Holiday Collections that feel as good on the skin as they make the skin look.

Act 1: Four coordinated shadows for smoky eyes:
Lana (a shimmer of pink), Ingrid (a pearly taupe), Ava (sterling silver) , Bette (a deep, velvety blue) [if you have to ask who those first names belong to, never mind.]

Act. II: Light minerals to create classic contoured cheekbones:
Harlow ( soft pearled highlighter), Garbo ( matte neutral brown for depth), Leigh (a neutral rose, almost matte but with a hint of copper shimmer)

Each Holiday Gift Collection is $25 (a $36. value), and $2 from the sale of each will be donated to the Global Fund for Women

www.alimapure.com

Holiday Gifts that Make Beautiful Sense

Sephora has been a leading source of fabulous cosmetics in Europe for a long time. The company was founded in France in 1969 and acquired by Paris-based LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's leading luxury products group, in 1997. Sephora basically revolutionized the global beauty industry with its unique retail concept based on a very savvy combination of brand and product assortment, distinctive store design and the beauty expertise of its sales consultants.

Sephora has been celebrating their 10th Anniversary in America this year. (The company operates more than 220 stores in the United States and Canada, and the world’s top beauty website, Sephora.com. In Europe Sephora has more than 500 stores within 12 countries and has established 30 locations in China.)

With choices of more than 200 classic and emerging beauty brands across a broad range of product categories including skincare, makeup, fragrance, bath & body, hair care, smile care and tools, as well as the company’s own private label, it should be easy to find a holiday gift.

One idea might be a lip gloss set from Kat Von D that looks like very Hedwig in the tube but appears almost conservative—but still fun-- when applied. The Lightening Lipglosses Mini Set of 5 is $26. Shades include Gunshine, Stormy, Fierce Red, Bam and Saint.

This would be a perfect present for a more reserved friend you think could use a slight edgy touch. It is wild in the tube but a little bit more tame on the lips.

Another choice for a special yet practical gift and a great buy is Sephora’s selection of palettes— such as the 360˚ Palette ($38) – or the 360˚ Palette Beauty Insider Exclusive ($30) – Both are ideal for those who want to streamline their beauty routine or are just starting out in makeup.

Or there is the Body Butter Sampler ($22) – Sephora’s luxurious body butters all in one package. Choose from Home for the Holidays (Cinnamon Nutmeg, Chocolate Espresso and Apple Dumpling) and Island Holiday (Guava Passion, Coconut Cream and Tropical Jasmine).

Or perhaps a Super Shimmer Lip Gloss Set ($28)

There are also a great selection of clutches, starting at around $16. –some holiday sparkly and others a bit more subdued, but all perfect to give or to use. They work as make-up bags or evening bags.

Between the down-to-earth prices and the heavenly products it might be difficult to decide what to keep and what to give.