Here's a great mascara application tip from Self:

"Apply mascara in the three directions lashes grow: Straight up from the center; then, angling the wand, from the middle out to the temples and in toward your nose. You'll create a fan effect that frames your eye corner to corner." (Self, Dec. '08, p.150)

I tried this myself, and it really works! Particularly the bit about angling the brush to catch the lashes that grow inward, toward your nose. I always miss those! 

A feature in the December issue of Allure on the worst trends of the year left me feeling conflicted. Of the 9 trends they spotlight, I'm pretty evenly divided as far as the ones I agree are played out, the ones that I'm still enjoying and the ones that I feel fairly neutral about - in fact, in a few cases, I found myself thinking, "This was a trend? Really?!" Here's my personal breakdown:

Trends That Are Over (and Good Riddance!):

We love the Philosophy gift sets here at Latest Beauty and their Warm By the Fire holiday set does not disappoint. With Hot Cocoa shampoo/shower gel/bubble bath, Marshmallow lotion and S'mores lip gloss, this is one of my favorite gifts to give this season. It's only $25, comes in the cutest box and the scents of the all products are yummy without being overwhelming. It's actually a good gift to give yourself so you can indulge in some post-shopping pampering...

And! It ships free when you enter SHIPFREE25 when you checkout. And you can enter that for any purchase of $25 or more on Sephora's website through Sunday, 11/23!

More fabulous makeup savings! Too Faced, they of the fun, bold colors and girly retro packaging, is currently having a Friends & Family sale, now through December 3rd. Just enter the code TFFriends at checkout and receive 25% Off your entire online order. Check out the awesome gift sets in their Holiday/Christmas 2008 collection, or score even bigger savings by using the code on any of the items in their already discounted vintage section. I love the glitter liners in the Starry Eyed set - perfect stocking stuffers!

Despite my halfhearted efforts to convince myself that America's Next Top Model is no longer compelling, I just can't kick the ANTM habit! And, after weeks and weeks of breathless anticipation, tonight is the night; as Tyra would say, "Who will be America's Next Top Model?"

Discussing curly hair yesterday with a fellow actress, we were lamenting about how our naturally wavy hair looks great when we are living in LA and how when visiting family in more humid environments for the holidays (me, Florida; her, Tennessee) we forget that our hair doesn't do the same styles that we have gotten used to. She swears by Alterna Hemp with Organics Texturizing Glaze. The product was used on her for a job once and she was skeptical when it was whipped out to tame her hair. But, of course, it worked wonders! Now she uses it any time she needs to control her waves. When she was visiting family a few weeks ago she would wash her hair, slather on some Alterna and go - a feat that is not easily achieved under normal circumstances. I'm picking up a bottle before I head to Florida for Thanksgiving next week!

How could you, OPI?!

I was so excited about the concept of a brand new nailpolish collection inspired by the '90s melodrama's classic characters (Brenda, Kelly, Donna, et. al.) - but now All Lacquered Up is reporting that the polishes, which won't be out until January, are based on the new series...and there will only be three colors in the collection to boot. Queen of West Web-erly, a purple shimmer, is the most promising of the three, while the other two are different shades of red ("lollipop" and "ruby," to be exact). Only three colors, two of which are red, and none of them based on the original series? Meh.

If Nine West's fall advertising campaign is to be believed, we're going to be seeing lots of thigh highs this season. In my mind, the heyday of the thigh high was sometime circa 1996 - around the time Clueless came out and the sexy schoolgirl look was all the rage. Back then, thigh highs were usually paired with miniskirts, Mary Janes and a tiny backpack in lieu of a purse - and they were usually spotted on teenagers. I haven't really given thigh highs much serious fashion thought since then, but I am really digging the way they look in the Nine West ads. For instance, this sexy head-to-toe-purple look at left; The model looks divine in various shades of plum, and the brief flash of skin between the tops of her stockings and the hem of her dress is a nice way to break up the monotony of the monochromatic color scheme. I also love the way they layered shorter socks over thigh highs in the shoe and bag shot below. If you're a little shy about thigh highs, you could try pairing them with a flat, knee-high boot to keep the look casual instead of vixenish, or you could rock a textured pair of thigh highs over some opaque stockings. And if you're in the market for thigh highs, stockings or socks of any kind, may I remind you of the fabulous Sock Dreams website? Whether you're looking for something sexy and feminine or comfy and subtle, Sock Dreams has your back.

Nylon has given us a peek at Prada's latest collection of bags and shoes called Special Stones. Now, I'm as much of a Prada fan as the next girl, but something is not setting right for me when I look at these. Everything is under $1000, which is still ridic, but it is Prada. And I love the jewel-tone colors of the collection but...I'm not too keen on the actual jewels. It looks like someone found their old Bedazzler and went to town with it. But that's just me. Check it out for yourself and let us know what you think!

A good way to start off a Monday is to find out about a good sale to take you through the week.  Now through Wednesday (11/19), you can get 25% off J.Crew's regularly priced shoes and boots if you enter SHOESALE when checking out.  I love J.Crew's shoes, but they are a little expensive for me, so a sale like this is one I like to jump on.  If you're looking for a new pair of pumps or flats or boots or sandals (you get the idea) then now is the time to scoop some up!  

If you're into the idea of shorter hair but not quite sure you're ready to take the plunge, why not pin your long locks up into a faux bob next time you're getting ready to go out? This will give you the opportunity to see if you dig yourself with a bob (or, better yet, the new, longer bob!) without the risk of scissor shock. 

How to Fake a Bob (courtesy of Self, October '08, p.84):

01. Divide hair into two sections in the back.

02. Tightly roll the ends of each section under until it hits midneck (or grazes the shoulders, or wherever you want your new hair to hit!).

03. Crisscross bobby pins over ends to secure.

04. Finish by feathering layers over the bob to make it look natural.

Even if you end up deciding that you don't want the look longterm, you now have a new hairstyle in your arsenal for special occasions...and who doesn't love a change now and then?

I found a collection of antiquated beauty advice and it fascinated me so much, I wanted to share! I'll bring you a little nugget each Friday.

Today's nugget:

"To cure pimples: Take a fairly full breath and hold it momentarily while contracting the abdominal muscles and straining lightly. This brings a flush to the cheeks and fills the capillaries of the skin, insuring a better skin circulation. Standing on the head will have the same effect as the exercise given, and is worth a try." Home Health Manual 1930

And it is definitely worth clicking on the picture to see and read the Palmolive ad from 1924. Of course, this all has me thinking: While these crazy advices and ads seem old-fashioned, have we really come that far? Discuss...

Here is just a taste of what's to come from Hayden-Harnett's line for Target. If this clutch is any indication, it is safe to say I'm a HUGE fan. The line launches December 28th but I'm trying to not jump on couches yet, since I've been burned by Target's bag diffusion lines in the past. But I can't help the love I feel for the coin pouch on the side and the bronze studs and the chain wristlet. I love how it looks big enough to fit all of my essentials perfectly and how it also looks small enough to throw in a larger bag when I need to tote more. And Hayden-Harnett has some really cute larger bags in the collection. Check out their Flickr account for more exciting bags and mark your calendars...these could very well sell out quickly!

And before you go, here's an umbrella from their line that is making me pray for rain:

If you have been with us for awhile, then you know I love Bare Minerals.  If you're new, now you know, I love Bare Minerals.  So I was pretty excited to read some Bare Minerals tips on Beauty and the Blog from makeup artist, Bravon Pascua:

1.  When you are applying Bare Minerals foundation, apply lightly and let it set for 5 to 10 minutes, so that it "melts into your skin."  Bare Minerals is supposed to be like a "second skin," so less is more.  This is huge for me because I've noticed that my foundation has been more noticeable lately, which I attributed to my skin becoming more dry with the season.  This is going to be a great way to combat that chalky look.

2.  Apply your concealer before your foundation for a more natural look.  I don't know about you, but I always do it the other way around.  But this totally makes sense and I can't wait to switch my routine up!