Holidays are stressful, y’all.  There are all the parties, the gift giving, the holiday cheer, the elbowing in the stores.  And you often feel like you’re being pulled in ten different directions so that you can get everything just right.  I can feel the tension building just thinking about it.  We are in the midst of Hanukkah and Christmas is next Friday….do you think you can squeeze in a little R&R for yourself before the end of the year?  Because if you can, and you are in the LA area, then you need to check out this rundown of spa specials that expire at the end of the year.  If you don’t think you can fit in some “me” time, you might change your mind when you read about some of these tantalizing treatments.  I am totally getting the Rock Star treatment over at El Leon Spa on Beverly Blvd.   Here’s the rundown:

El Leon, a Spanish-Moroccan oasis, and its sister spa the Raven, inspired by the jungles of Thailand, offer $50 off a treatment they call the Rock Star: more than two hours of services featuring a Dead Sea salt and lavender oil hand/foot massage, a full-body Thai massage, and a head, neck and face massage ($135, regularly $185).

TWO HOURS of services for what some spas charge for one hour??  And I have been dying to try a Thai massage.  Mama needs to be stretched.  Seriously.  Now I know what to tell my husband to get me for Christmas.  Heck, we should go together as a holiday treat for both of us.  Which means my shopping for him is done…ooh…I can already feel the tension slipping away…

If massages aren’t your thing, there are plenty of spas offering deals on facials and pedis and more.  Treat yourself.  You deserve it.

It was announced this month that THE color of 2010 is Turquoise.  Pantone, the global authority on color, has made the call and they explain their reasoning behind this decision, saying,

Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing.

Well, sign me up!  I have always been a big fan of turquoise and I think it is one of those rare colors that is bold but also flattering on most skin tones and colorings.  With turquoise being the latest and greatest color to look forward to in the new year, I decided to get a head start and pick out a few turquoise pieces that can take you throughout the year….

This turquoise coat from Love21 (Forever21’s contemporary line) is sophisticated and stylish.  I love the collar and the texture of the trim.  Perfect for getting you through the beginning months of 2010.

And I am crushing majorly on this chunky statement necklace from Banana Republic.  How amazing would it look with a crisp white tee in the spring?  The combination of the turquoise and the gold chains is totally on trend.

Once summer rolls around, show your playful side with these turquoise sandals from Steve Madden.  Think of turquoise as your new neutral and wear it with any color combination.

A NOTE TO LATESTBEAUTY FANS:

Welcome to the second installment in what will hopefully be a long series of posts contributed by our fellow beauty bloggers from around the Web! Our guest blogger today is Brittany from Clumps of Mascara, who shares her considerable expertise about which mascaras are actually worth the cash! Enjoy, and again, feel free to comment.

XOXO,

The LB Team

***

The commercials get you every time. Just when you think you’re satisfied with one, you see another. The packaging is so pretty. The claims are so promising. It has to work this time. It WILL work this time. Right?

Okay, I’m definitely not talking about a man. HA! I’m talking about mascaras. Beauty brands spend millions of dollars annually on commercials and advertisements to get you to spend your pennies on the newest and hottest mascara. And guess what? It works. At least it does for me. I am a complete and total sucker for new mascaras. I try at least 3 a month. Very few make the cut. Check out my list for the mascaras that are worth your money.

For Big Volumized Lashes - CoverGirl Lash Blast

Yeah, I know…some mascaras received a little TOO much attention. This is definitely one of them. Despite it having a chunky wand, it gives even the wimpiest lashes out of this world volume.

For Super Long lashes - Imju Fiberwig

This mascara will always be one of my top mascaras for length. This innovative wonder uses eye-safe fibers that attach right on your lashes. They look just like extensions and come off easier than traditional mascara. Loves it!

Wanna Try something new?

It’s been a great year for mascaras. We’ve seen mascaras that look like daggers and others that vibrate. And have you seen the mascara that actually applies eye shadow? Haha, I’m kidding about the last one but with all of the innovative mascaras coming out…something that loco may not be too far behind. Givenchy’s Phenomen’Eyes and L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascaras both have spiky balls for wands. I think they are great for separation and definitely worth a try for any mascara user. Lancome Oscillation and Maybelline Pulse Perfection vibrating mascaras took the mascara world by storm. I LOVE vibrating mascaras. Your lashes literally double in volume. And they are fun to use.

Mascaras make the world go ’round. You would think that having reviewed more than 50 that I would be sick of them by now but noooope! I’ll be reviewing mascaras and helping other mascara junkies for years to come.

What’s your favorite?

If you’re looking for a really special holiday gift for someone and you live in the L.A. area, may I suggest a custom perfume? According to a recent article in the L.A. Times, making a custom scent for yourself “offers the experience of creating something tailored to your favorite notes and a chance to focus on the intimate details of who you are as a person.” In other words, not only will the finished product smell amazing, it will also make a statement about the very fiber of your being! Pretty awesome. (Of course, this also means that if you are thinking of giving one of these custom perfumes as a gift, you’ll probably want to bring the person along with you for the creation process!) There are a number of different perfumers in Los Angeles who will create personalized scents, each with their own aesthetic - and price range. Smell Bent has a playful, cheeky vibe, with custom perfumes starting at $200 for a quarter ounce, although you can buy one of their pre-mixed scents starting at just $20. Strange Invisible Perfumes, on the other hand, is impossibly swanky and luxe…with the price tag to match: A custom blending session and a quarter ounce of your signature scent will set you back a cool $6,000! To my mind, the best bang for your buck can probably be found at Memoire Liquide,  where a quarter ounce of custom perfume starts at a reasonable $45. (Also, I love the gorgeous fancy/antique-looking packaging!) At these prices, custom perfumes are unlikely to take off as last-minute “impulse buys,” but for the true perfume connoisseur, I can’t think of a better gift.

It has been chilly here in Los Angeles the past few days and it really is “beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” to quote the holiday song.  However you celebrate this time of year, tomorrow is the perfect day to get some of your holiday shopping with done with the 2nd Annual Holiday Walk on the Avenues.  From 6:00 - 9:00 on Dec. 10th, participating businesses in West Hollywood will be offering shoppers special discounts, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, and signature gifts.  There are even going to be roaming carolers and Santas throughout the Avenues and personal shoppers to help you get all you need on your list.  The Avenues of Art and Design consist of Melrose, Beverly and Robertson, with the Pacific Design Center as the district’s anchor.

This sounds like a great way to get into the holiday spirit.  I plan on grabbing a few girlfriends and making an evening out of it.  I can already picture us sipping our hot cocoa, walking along with the holiday lights twinkling and scoring deals at stores like  Kitson and Coco de Mer.  Fa la la la la, indeed!

I’d like to take a moment today to address my newly rekindled love for an old favorite from my high school days: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Blackberry. Back then, I wore this lipstick on a daily basis, applying and reapplying until I had worn the color down to a nub. In recent years, I’ve been pretty lax about wearing lipstick, preferring instead to just slather on the lip balm and focus on my eye makeup instead. But now that it’s winter and the weather is actually (finally!) changing here in L.A., I started to crave dark, berry-colored lips again, and on a recent trip to the drugstore I was browsing around, trying to find just the right shade, when I happened upon my old pal Blackberry. I bought it right away, and I have to say that I love it just as much as I ever did. This is a great shade that can be layered for a deep, dark lip look, or you can slick on just one coat and then blot for a light berry-colored stain. The formula is perhaps my favorite among all drugstore lipsticks - creamy and moisturizing. Come to think of it, I really have no complaints about this lipstick whatsoever. Highly recommended if you’re craving a new lippie for the colder months. What’s your favorite drugstore lipstick?

I have a confession:  Until about a month ago, I had not bought shampoo or conditioner for well over a year.  I had some Garnier products stockpiled from an event I went to early in 2008 and I didn’t need to buy anything new.  And, another confession, I still have enough shampoo and conditioner to get me through another few months…

But I recently decided to grow out my shoulder length hair and I’ve heard nonstop chatter about Pantene’s Beautiful Length Collection.  On blogs, in magazines - it keeps showing up everywhere - and people are raving.  Marie Claire’s editors even voted the conditioner as one of the best products of all time.  That is a pretty bold claim.   And I got curious…could it live up to its hype?

So I broke down and finally bought the Pantene Beautiful Lengths shampoo and conditioner…

Pantene claims that their Beautiful Lengths line allows your hair to remain healthy and strong in order for it to grow past its “breaking point,”  protecting against breakage when it is both wet and dry.  My hair is fragile - it is thin and I shed so much that at times I wonder how I’m not completely bald.    So a product that claims to protect against breakage gets my attention.  What holds my attention is that this is the first drugstore shampoo and conditioner that I have tried that actually delivers on its claim.  I’ve been using Beautiful Lengths for over a month now and my hair has never felt softer.  And, while I’m fully aware that it may be the power of suggestion, my hair seems longer.  To really quantify the effect, I definitely shed less - which I can tell by my comb. And looking at my ends, there is definitely less breakage.  Which is another major bonus, since I haven’t had my hair cut since…September?  I think?

I am beyond pleasantly surprised by my month-long affair with Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths and I have a feeling this is going to turn into a long-term relationship.  I wasn’t looking for love but sometimes the right product comes along and surprises you.

Welcome to the latest entry in my retrospective on the fashion, beauty and hair trends that have been making waves in 2009! Today I’m focusing on a recession-friendly way to keep your hair looking gorgeous, the comfy/sexy fashion sensation that just won’t die, and one of the two biggest nail trends of the year.

HAIR: Coloring your hair at home. Okay, so home hair dye has always been an option - but the big news now is that it doesn’t have to be your “last resort” anymore. More women are opting to save the money they would spend on a trip to the salon by stopping by the drugstore and picking up a box of their favorite shade instead. Personally, I’ve had good experiences with Clairol’s Natural Instincts, which can freshen up or slightly change your existing color for about a month or two, but you can find products that are perfect for everything from highlighting your hair to touching up your roots. Instructions are easy to follow and virtually foolproof, and the kits are very affordable. Does anyone have a favorite at-home hair color to recommend?

FASHION: Leggings. After several years in the fashion spotlight, it’s beginning to feel like a bit of an understatement to refer to leggings as a mere “trend.” Celebrities - including unofficial poster child Lindsay Lohan, who even designed her own leggings line - swear by them, as do non-famous ladies everywhere. They’re so widespread that it seems clear that they may soon be taking their place in the fashion canon, right next to jeans, as an indelible staple of the American wardrobe. Why? Because they’re form-fitting and sexy yet comfortable and flattering, and they can be styled in so many different ways, depending on the rest of your outfit and accessories. (Plus, they’re perfect for layering!) They’ve really come a long way from their workout wear/80s origins.

BEAUTY: Glitter nail polish. With so many different brands to choose from and the increasing popularity of nail polish blogs (yes, there is a subset of the beauty blogging world devoted solely to swatching and reviewing the latest polish collections!), nails are really coming into their own - and one of the biggest trends for tips this year was intensely glittery polish. Rescue Beauty Lounge came out with this amazing trio of glitter polishes early in ‘09, and pretty much everyone followed suit, from Zoya to OPI to Sally Hansen - and, most notably, China Glaze, who unveiled a collection of fifty gloriously glittery shades. There’s only one polish trend that eclipsed glitter this year…which I’ll talk about in next Monday’s Latest Trends! Stay tuned…

There is no debate about how gorgeous our First Lady looked in Naeem Khan’s golden dress during Thanksgiving week.  But what I can’t stop coveting is her glowing complexion.  I usually think of glowing skin only during the summer months (or on pregnant women) but Mrs. Obama shows us that a healthy looking shine looks good all year round. Her skin has a soft and subtle sheen that I want to replicate on my own pale and pasty winter skin at all of the holiday parties I plan to attend.  Glowing skin is the latest and greatest way to show off your holiday spirit!

So what is the best way to be the shining star at the parties you attend?  Here is a tip, courtesy of Glamour, from Mara Levarre, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist:

“I layer a light oil like Alba’s Kukui Nut Body Oil under a rich lotion made with shea butter.”  Victoria’s Secret Shea Butter Soft Embrace Deep-Nourishing Body Lotion is nice and rich, if you’re looking for one.  “The combination of oil and lotion gives you amazingly soft skin!”  For mess-free application, Levarre suggests pouring the oil onto a damp washcloth in the shower and gently scrubbing legs with it and rinsing off the excess.  Finish by putting on the lotion when you get out of the shower for a party ready glow…”

For the New York premiere of her latest movie, Everybody’s Fine, Drew Barrymore showed up on the red carpet in this eye-catching Emilio Pucci sequined cocktail dress, looking - as usual - like the epitome of unstudied, casual cool. Since the dress itself, which combines shimmering sequins in a mishmash of colors (silver, gold, green and blue) with a few asymmetrical, deconstructed touches like that bare shoulder, is rather busy, Drew wisely balances the look with opaque black tights and simple yet chic black ankle boots. If a genuine Pucci dress is a little out of your price range but you’d like to steal this holiday-appropriate look for yourself, try this one-shoulder sequin front minidress from Forever 21. It’s not a dead ringer, but for just $22.80, you can’t really complain - and it definitely nails many of the original’s key elements, including the sequins, the shortness and the long sleeve/exposed shoulder combo. Since your dress won’t be quite as colorful as Drew’s, why not make up the difference with a fun pair of showstopping red or cobalt blue ankle boots instead of basic black? Finish the look with a pair of black tights and an oversized cocktail ring, and you’re good to go. And to really capture Drew’s playful, subversive spirit, leave your makeup soft and simple and your hair slightly messy and tousled. Ta-da! You’re dressed up, but not stuffy, just like Drew.

A NOTE TO LATESTBEAUTY FANS:

Welcome to the first installment in what will hopefully be a long series of posts contributed by our fellow beauty bloggers from around the Web! Our guest blogger today is Ms. DWJ from The Art of Accessories, who has written a piece on  how to jazz up your holiday beauty routine. For more holiday goodness from Dana, check out her 2009 Winter Gift Guide! Enjoy the post and feel free to leave your thoughts in a comment.

XOXO,

The LB Team

***

During the holiday season I get asked a lot about how to jazz up your everyday beauty routine with a few hints of holiday appropriate sparkle. I’ll be honest, I use the holiday season as my excuse to get a bit wilder with my makeup. I love a great foil look on the eyes and added shimmer to my cheeks. So what are a few easy makeup pieces to add to your makeup bag?

Add an all-over glow:

I love Bare Escentuals Warm Radiance. This shimmering powder gives a soft golden shimmer to your skin. I apply it to my face like many would apply bronzer, adding a bit of shimmer and subtle sheen to any place that the sun would naturally hit my face. It gives me a warm glow that makes my skin look even more radiant than before I put my foundation on. If you think Warm Radiance is too much for you there are several other radiance options available to you based on your skin tone. Once you put it on, you’ll wonder how you got dressed without it.

Emphasize your eyes:

You know that you’ll be eating at every open house, holiday party and celebration between now and New Year’s Eve. Instead of focusing on lips I focus on making sure I have fabulous eye makeup. A metallic smoky eye is so holiday chic and super simple to achieve with the Stila Smoky Eye Palette in Platinum. I like to think of it as makeup for dummies. The palette actually talks and tells you how and where to apply each shade.

Not up for a smoky eye? Then upgrade your liners with L’Oreal HIP Color Chrome Eyeliners in one of the chromed out shades like Gold Charge or Silver Lightening. The liners are super pigmented and pack a great metallic punch that will really make your eyes the focus (I’m obsessed with Silver Lightening and Black Shock.)

Keep the lips simple:

Since you’ll be sipping on hot toddies or popping petit fours stick with a nude gloss or a glitter infused lip balm like the Bobbi Brown Glitter Lip Balm Palette. These four shimmery shades are easy to apply and not only add a great sparkle to your pout but moisturize your lips like a balm.

No matter what you do with your holiday makeup, just make sure you have fun. It’s all about merriment and delight and your makeup should be as festive as your mood.

Happy Holidays!

dwj

Anyone who lives in L.A. will tell you that “mobile cuisine” is all the rage right now. It all started with taco trucks and hot dog carts, and before long you could find basically any type of food under the sun being sold from a vehicle of some sort somewhere in the greater Los Angeles area - everything from sushi and ice cream to Indian dosas and Korean BBQ. (Check out this article on the phenomenon for a detailed rundown on the trend.) Of course, this led me to wonder whether anyone has had the brilliant idea of putting beauty services on wheels, and a quick online search indicated that, indeed, they have! Call a number and you can have a mobile spa roll right up to your house (or office!) to give you a quick massage, facial, or mani/pedi on your lunch break. Pretty awesome, right? It’s not quite the same as a food truck - you make your appointment in advance and tell them where to go, as opposed to finding out their latest location via the Web. Still, it’s the same concept: Can’t make it to the spa or salon? Then make it come to you! You can even hire these mobile beauty gurus for your next party. Here are a few to check out in the L.A. area:

• GreenBliss EcoSpa - combines “green lifestyle and wellness trends with authentic spa rituals”
• Serve the Goddess - “offers pure indulgence and exquisite pampering with massage and a wide selection of spa treatments”
• SQ Nails Mobile Manicures & Pedicures - lets you sit “in the comfort of your own home or office and [have] a professional manicure or pedicure done”
• Spa-Go’s - “a luxury mobile day spa and lifestyle company” founded by a massage expert

Has anyone ever used the services of a mobile beauty expert? I would love to hear how it went!

Yes, we’ve already talked about Twilight - a lot, in fact, from the red carpet styles of stars Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning to the Twilight makeup line that recently hit stores, but it just occurred to me that we’ve never actually discussed our feelings about the latest movie itself! The Twilight Saga: New Moon, as the second film in the series is officially called, is a supremely guilty pleasure for me, but it is a pleasure nonetheless. Is it silly? Yes. It is borderline offensive at times? Sure. But seeing the film with a big group of girls gave all of us the chance to relax, giggle like teenagers, and leave our worries behind while we focused on debating much more pressing issues, such as whether Robert Pattinson (as brooding vampire Edward Cullen) or Taylor Lautner (as hotheaded werewolf Jacob Black) looks better with his shirt off. The movie feels a little long, but I think it’s more eventful than the first film, and I loved the Italy-set scenes in which Bella finally visits the sinister, vampire-governed city of Volterra. And, love it or hate it, you can’t deny that the Twilight ladies are a pretty gorgeous bunch! Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella, may be a bit divisive with her devil-may-care red carpet persona, but she looked great in her casual/dressy emerald green birthday gown with black cardigan and sneakers. Love that headband too! Rachelle Lafevre, who plays villainous vamp Victoria, also made an impression in this movie with her wild, untamed curls and bohemian wardrobe. Unfortunately, I heard that she’s been replaced in the next film, Eclipse,  by Bryce Dallas Howard - can anyone confirm or deny this rumor? It would be a real shame if it’s true - I’m seriously starting to love her. And, of course, Dakota Fanning is the epitome of sadistic sweetness as Jane, one of Volterra’s vampire elite. If you feel like investing in a black cape and a pair of red contacts, Jane would be a super easy Halloween costume, no? (Yes, I’m already thinking ahead to next Halloween…!) Overall, I thought New Moon was a fun ride…as long as you go into the theatre knowing what to expect! Anyone else have any thoughts on this movie?

Hope everyone had a fabulous Thanksgiving and a great Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday! We’re edging closer to the end of the year here, so I’d like to take this opportunity to observe a few of the latest trends that have been popping up in fashion, beauty and hair. Here are three of my favorites:

FASHION: The statement necklace. The beauty of this showstopper is that it does all of the work for you. Throw on an enormous, eye-catching necklace and what you’re wearing  is really of secondary concern. In fact, since your necklace is so bold, your best bet is to keep things simple. For formal occasions, choose a strapless gown or a basic sheath in a solid color; if you’re going casual, try a plain white T-shirt, skinny jeans and boots. And, of course, the rest of your accessories will need to stay understated - or completely non-existent. For a quick primer on how to do this right, check out Amy Adams in this sparkling emerald, sapphire and ruby bib necklace at last year’s Oscars. Gorgeous! If you don’t have a movie star budget, there are much more affordable takes on the trend available at stores like Old Navy and Forever 21.

HAIR: Shampooing less often. In the December issue of Glamour magazine, hair guru Oscar Blandi recommends shampooing no more than twice a week. Apparently, this practice “keeps hair healthy” - not to mention the fact that your scalp’s natural oils will make your hair much easier to style. If you’re concerned about smelling like, well, unwashed hair, rest assured that your locks will adapt over time as you start to shampoo them less - and in the meantime, why not try a dry shampoo? They come in a wide range of prices and scents, and you can buy them in a powder that you shake on or a simple spray for convenience and portability. Professional hairdressers seem to swear by dry shampoo - and you can even make your own low-budget version with cornstarch if you’re watching your wallet!

BEAUTY: Lining the inner rims of your eyes. As modeled by the lovely Olivia Wilde, lining the inner rims of your eyes (i.e., the “waterline”) with a soft pencil will throw the whites of your eyes into sharp relief, really making them “pop.” Several companies are making super skinny eyeliner pencils just for this purpose, but it’s easy to do with any eyeliner as long as you take the time to sharpen and then soften the point beforehand. (Try running the tip on your hand or on a Kleenex before beginning.) Line slowly to avoid poking yourself in the eye, and stop immediately if you feel any irritation. Unfortunately, this look probably won’t work for contact lens wearers or ladies with especially sensitive eyes. But it sure looks pretty, doesn’t it?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving (yay!), and that can only mean one thing: Black Friday is almost upon us. Even if the recession is bumming you out, you have to do your holiday shopping sometime, and Black Friday - a.k.a. the day after Thanksgiving - always offers some amazing money-saving deals that you can’t score any other time of the year. If you’re planning to wake up bright and early to hit the stores on Friday, why not stop by your local H&M? They’re offering 25% Off on everything storewide from opening until 10 AM. (Yes, this sale ends at 10 AM, so if you’re a night owl like me you’re going to have to set your alarm for sure!) If you miss the big sale, you can still find marked down items all day, starting at just $5. Have fun!

Michelle Obama has cemented her reputation as the most fashion-forward First Lady to hit the White House in decades by stepping out in this gorgeous sequined evening gown by designer Naeem Khan, which she wore to an official state dinner in honor of the Prime Minister of India and his wife.

The look was accessorized with an armful of sparkly silver bangles and a seriously amazing pair of intricately detailed drop earrings. I love how Mrs. O manages to evoke India with this dress without crossing over into costume-y or exploitative territory, and her decision to go with a lesser-known designer calls to mind the way she wore Jason Wu to the inauguration. Gorgeous!

As I’ve mentioned before - several times, in fact - acne has been a recurring problem in my life. The severity of the problem varies, but having problem skin in some form or another has been a reality for me since high school - and I’m definitely not a teenager anymore. Accutane solved the problem for a while, but now, years after my treatment, I still have to battle occasional breakouts. I figured that I knew pretty much all there was to know about adult acne,  but after reading TotalBeauty.com’s Ultimate Guide to Fighting Adult Acne, I can safely say that I learned a few things after all. I recommend reading the whole thing, but here are a few highlights that took me by surprise:

1. More than half of women over the age of 25 have some acne, and it’s most common in women who are in their 30s.
2. Adult acne is almost always caused by stress.
3. As you age, your ability to heal decreases and your cell turnover rate slows down, which means that adult acne sticks around longer than the breakouts you may have had as a teen.
4. Adults are more likely to suffer from painful, tenacious cystic acne.
5. Whereas teens break out on their noses and foreheads, adults tend to break out on the lower half of their faces (i.e., chin). Definitely true for me!
6. Because adult acne is different, you need different products to treat it - particularly because acne treatments are usually drying, and dry skin can lead to wrinkles in adults.
7. Tea tree oil is fantastic for slowing oil production, fighting inflammation, healing blemishes and decreasing redness. (I LOVE tea tree oil! I highly recommend Trader Joe’s tea tree oil soap - you can buy 2 bars for around $2!)
8. Granular exfoliating scrubs are bad, because they can open up blemishes that are healing and spread bacteria all over your face. Instead, use an exfoliant with enzymes, hydroxy acids or salicyclic acid.
9. You should use one type of moisturizer for the parts of your face that break out and a different type for the rest of your face.
10. Only use mineral makeup or foundations, powders and concealers that contain acne-fighting ingredients to cover blemishes in order to avoid aggravating the problem. Steer clear of anything containing lanolin, isopropyl myristate, mineral oil and fragrance.
11. Whenever you try a new treatment, you can expect your skin to get worse for the first week or so as your skin purges itself of  sebum and bacteria (ew!), but if you don’t see a definite improvement in around four to six weeks, the product isn’t working.
12. Eventually, your routine will need tweaking; as one dermatologist puts it, “skin care is like working out - eventually you reach a plateau and you need to make adjustments to keep improving.” Fascinating! I always wondered why this would happen to me; I had no idea that products just become less effective at fighting acne over time.
13. Clean your phones, your makeup brushes and your pillowcase. Don’t wear makeup at the gym. And - this one is news to me - don’t use fabric softener on your pillowcase, because many of them contain beef lard, which is bad for skin. Beef lard!

Does anyone have any acne-fighting skincare tips to share? Right now, I’m all about tea tree oil, drinking water and keeping my hands away from my face. (Whenever I absent-mindedly rest my chin on my hand, I end up breaking out exactly where I was touching my face. Curse my greasy mitts!) Leave your favorite clear skin trick in a comment!

My apologies to all of you Twilight detractors, but I’m not ready to stop talking about New Moon just yet. (Maybe it would help if the cast was just a little less attractive, hmm?) My latest fixation is Dakota Fanning’s vampy (in both senses of the word!) turn on the red carpet last week at the L.A. premiere of the second chapter in The Twilight Saga.

Dakota, who plays villainous vamp Jane in the movie, managed to look like exactly like the 15-year-old movie star she is in a short black leather Valentino cocktail dress with a laser-cut floral print and red and black satin D&G platform pumps. Hair is down, makeup and accessories are minimal, and she still manages to look amazing. This is definitely a young look, but if you’re up for replicating it for your own holiday shindig, I found a few viable (read: affordable) alternatives at Forever 21 here, here and here. As for the shoes, these pumps from Nine West bring the satin, but don’t quite nail the shade or the exaggerated platform, while these Dolce Vita heels do a better job at nailing the silhouette, but fall short in the color and material departments. I’ll keep my eye out for shoes that are more similar to the D&G pair without the price tag, but in the mean time these could fit the bill, no?

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This is serious business, people: Black Friday is exactly one week away. This year, more than ever, we could all use a good deal to help with our holiday shopping. If you want to get the most out of your shopping experience next week, then you need to have a plan of attack. Start your battle plan now by visiting BlackFriday.info, which has a comprehensive list that is continually being updated of stores, ads and deals.  Every retailer from Banana Republic to Home Depot is on the site, so you can be sure to know where to go for everyone on your list.

Not interested in fighting the crowds?  You can wait for Cyber Monday (11/30) to do your holiday shopping online and score the same deals.  And, yes, there is a site that can help you navigate the sales on the web, aptly named CyberMonday.com.  They have featured deals going on now and on the actual day of Cyber Monday there are hourly sales that occur, adding to the excitement.  I’m more of an online shopper myself  (being a blogger, that is surely a shocker).

Have fun shopping!  Oh yeah, and a Happy Thanksgiving too!

Remember Hard Candy? The company came up strong in the ’90s, when it made its name as one of the pioneers of fun, unique cosmetic shades, particularly when it came to nail polish. (I don’t think I had ever even seen sky blue polish before HC debuted!) Unfortunately, they went out of business last year, unable to survive the tough economy in a very crowded marketplace. But fear not, Candy fans! The brand has been resurrected at your local Walmart! That’s right: Instead of making the trek to Sephora, you can now stop by the discount retailer and check out the newly revamped line, which includes everything from tinted moisturizers and concealer palettes to pretty eyeshadows and, of course, creative nailpolish shades that you won’t find anywhere else. (Check out the complete collection on Walmart’s website.) The bad news? The packaging and products aren’t exactly the same as before. The good news? Everything is a lot more affordable - think the $5 to $10 range. (This lovely deep purple glittery nail polish, for example, is a mere five bucks.) I have to admit that I’m not exactly a huge fan of Walmart, but I’m curious to see this collection in person - and it’s definitely cool to see the brand back in some form. Has anyone else checked out Hard Candy for Walmart yet? How does it compare to the HC heyday?