As the holiday approaches, the party invitations gather, and the urge for the newest makeup colors ignites! This year it is all about the golden and pink shimmer powders, deep ruby reds or pinky nudes for the lips and nails, and jewel toned eye shadows.

Here are some of my favorite new holiday inspired looks:

Estee Lauder Holiday Spirit includes the limited addition Brilliant Shimmer All-Over Powder, a mirrored compact with an illuminating gold powder to sweep over your cheekbones and dust on the shoulders. A fun idea for a New Year’s bash.

Clinique’s holiday collections includes limited addition shades called Pink Chocolates which includes their limited addition Shimmering Tones Powder. This pinky powder collection is great for highlighting the eyes and cheeks and giving a soft glow.

Bobbi Brown gives the popular Shimmer Brick even more with limited addition Shimmer Brick and Lip Kit. This Bronze Shimmer Brick comes with a lip palate that includes 2 lip colors and 2 lip glosses. Bring this along on a weekend visit to the relatives.

Nars’ Holiday 2006 includes gold glosses, emerald greens, and deep violets. Some of the new striking colors include a platinum gold lip gloss in “Moon Fleet”, an eye shadow duo of jade and aubergine called “Belly Dance”, and lip pencils in a beige “Bettina”, and coral red “Walkyrie.”

Although Smashbox did not officially release holiday colors, a new Eye Shadow Quad collection was released in “Electric,” which inspires the holiday spirit. “Electric” includes shimmer palate of yellow gold, teal, copper, and eggplant.

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I use Laura Mercier’s Lip Pencil in “Natural Lips.” I love this color because it gives the lips a peachy nude color. The pencil goes on creamy and blends well with lipstick or gloss. It softly defines the lips without a harsh contrast to my skin color. I like to put a hint of chapstick on first to soften the lips and then follow with the pencil. For a nice easy finish, I follow with Laura Mercier Lip Glace in “Bare Beige.” This combination is a subtle way to bring color to your lips without over doing it.

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We all love that summer glow that happens almost natually in the warm months. But when the fall fades into winter often so does our tan. And nothing is worse than white, pasty skin. Here are a few tips to stay glowing throughout the cold season:

1. Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate!!! I can’t stress this enough. The best trick to keep your skin glowing is to use an exfoliator. You can find an exfoliator for the face, the hands and feet, and the body. Exfoliators can be scrubs or powders with natural enzymes. I suggest the powders on the face, which won’t scratch the surface of the skin. Find a fun soap or body wash with exfoliating beads. Add an exfoliator to your pedicure and manicure routine. These exfoliators will slough off tired, dry skin, and leave your skin rosy and fresh.

Try Dermalogica Daily Resurfacer, Alba Botanica Papaya Mango Exfoliating Body Wash, La Source Hand Recovery Cream, and La Source Revitalising Foot Smoother.

2. Tanning supplies are plenty. It seems like now almost every cosmetic line has their own self tanning products. You can apply self tanners in all types of ways, from easy wipes by Estee Lauder, to airbrush tans in a can from Model Co., there is a multitude of tanning applications available. Whatever self tanning method you pick whether it is gels or creams, or lotions, be sure to find one that is tasteful. Don’t turn into a pumpkin for Christmas!

A foul-proof brand that experts love: Clarins.

Clarins Radiance Plus Self-tanning Cream-Gel was voted as the best self tanner for the face in Instyle Magazine Best Beauty Buys for 2006. It was also Town & Country Magazine’s 150 Best Beauty Buys and Allure Magazine’s Best of Beauty. This hydrating self-tanner is packed with goodies like Vitamin E, and Kiwifruit.

Clarins Sheer Bronze Self-tanning Hydrating Gel was voted as the best oil-free self tanner for the face in Instyle Magazine Best Beauty Buys for 2006.

Clarins Self-Tanning Instant Gel was voted Allure Best of Beauty and Best of Sephora 2006.

3. Hail the almighty Bronzer. A bronzer is an everyday trick to keep your skin looking sun kissed. Add it to your makeup routine if haven’t already. Bronzers come in lotions and powders. Add an extra boost to your skin with body moisturizer that gradually darkens your skin tone.

Try Laura Mercier Loose Shimmer Powders, a shimmery powder that gives a nice looking glow to the face and body. A two-in-one bronzer!

4. As strange as it sounds…drink carrot juice. Yes, carrot juice. This is a little inside trick to maintaining a healthy skin tone. The carotene in carrots gives your skin a deeper color. And it is good for you!

Or if you hate carrot juice, take a vitamin. Beta-Carotene converts to Vitamin A which is beneficial to your health and helps improve vision. So you can see how great and glowy you look!

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The Kiwifruit (also referred to as Kiwi), from the land of China, was once referred to as the Chinese gooseberry. This green fleshy fruit is fun to eat, and fun to use in your beauty products.

The Kiwifruit contains a natural enzyme similar to papain, which exfoliates the skin. It also contains antioxidants and vitamins C, E, and A.

As the Kiwifruit is applied topically, these vitamins are absorbed into the skin while depositing the antioxidants.

Here are a few beauty items that contain Kiwifruit:

Philosophy Kiss Me lip balm, Murad Refreshing Cleanser, and Jacqua Exfoliating Body Polish in Pina Colada. Yummy!

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The Enzyme Cleansing Gel is a good cleanser for a variety of skin types. It works to gently yet thoroughly remove dirt and oils from the skin, leaving the skin soft and toned. This herby smelling face wash includes Papaya extract which works as a natural enzyme to remove dirt, as well as Grapefruit extract, which brightens dull skin. I liked it because it seemed to even out my skin tone. It isn’t a deep cleaner however, so use a toner after to remove any excess left behind.

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