Toasting the New Year and its 15th anniversary, NARS is celebrating with red-hot holiday-packaged gifts this season. Here are a few highlights:

NARS introduces two 15th Anniversary Palettes ($75 each) to celebrate 15 years of color innovation.
First up is Everlasting Love contains intense eye hues to create the perfect smoky eye while Wild at Heart featuring bold lip shades for a deeply pigmented pout.
The Plein ete Mini Multiple Set ($45) is n exclusive set of mini Multiples boasting three best-selling shades.
The Drop Dead Gorgeous Mini Nail Kit ($30) is a dreamy stocking stuffer; the mini collection includes four festive shades: Arabesque, Chinatown, …read more

Makeup artist Mai Quynh for mark consistently creates some of my very favorite celeb red carpet looks, many of which I’ve featured here on Makeup Minute in the past few months. So, I found myself wanting to know a little more about her!  Read on for an exclusive MM Q&A:

MM: How did you get your start as a makeup artist?
MQ: After high school, I decided to go to makeup school. Once I finished makeup school, I got a job working at MAC and stayed there for about 3 years. On my days off, I worked as an assistant …read more

If I let my lip gloss desires run amok, I’d have a purse full of options with me at all times.  But of course, that’s really impractical, so I have to thank goodness for Flirt!
This affordable line of cosmetics has quite a few star products but what I’m loving RIGHT THIS MINUTE is the new Candy Stripes Glossy Lip Palette.

In a sleek clear and black compact, Flirt! packs 5 shiny and moisturizing shades of  gloss.  Candy Stripes is available in two colorways – Pink Stripes (above) and Peach Stripes but both are versatile enough for any skintone.
These babies normally retail for …read more

Benefit is one of my very favorite brands thanks to their girlish and clever packaging, not to mention their delightful products. So you can imagine my excitement last night, when I was able to attend a very special event to introduce their latest product, One Hot Minute, an all over loose powder in a shimmering and versatile rose gold.
Benefit’s own Makeup Trend Artist Annie Ford Danielson (daughter of Benefit founder Jean Ford) was on hand for quick and easy makeovers – and here’s my “after” look post Annie’s magic:
To create the look, Annie used several key Benefit products:
Face: Some Kind-a Gorgeous (the …read more

These days, even those of us who LOVE to splurge (who, me?) are in a more recession-friendly state of mind.  That said, there are just a few brands that I can think of that deliver prestige-level quality at a wallet-friendly price – and one is N.Y.C., also known as New York Color. 
From eye shadow to blush or lipstick, this brand has got you covered. My personal favorite from the collection is the Browser Brush-on Brow Powder with Grooming Wax and Tweezers – at just $3.99 SRP, it has everything you need for perfect brows on the go. Love it!
But it’s not …read more

Even though we are in the midst of a recession, every once in a while you have to splurge on beauty products that you really like. After all, we all deserve some indulgences, right?
One of my favorite mascaras is Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes. Though it’s not as cheap as your drug store brand, it’s definitely awesome. Featuring a unique, revolutionary sphere brush that curls and separates every lash (yes, the commericals are true), this mascara leaves you with glorious, fanned-out, long beautiful lashes.
Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes is available exclusively at Sephora for $28. It comes in black or brown.

Have you heard the word Recessionista? It’s being bandied about these days as so many of us try to keep up with our beauty habits without breaking the bank.
Recessionistas are those resourceful ladies who refuse to let the failing economy interfere with their fabulous looks. They’re bargain hunters, they’re repurposers and they’re all-around smart cookies who keep themselves looking hotter than hot, even on a budget.
Thankfully there are plenty of great cosmetics companies offering fantastic beauty finds to all of us Recessionistas, and I’m thrilled to share some of them with you here. Take a look at where you can …read more

Guest Post By Kori Ellis
Shannon did great things with Makeup Minute over the past few years and I know all her readers will miss her. And I’m also sure Liberty Kontranowski, the new blogger, realizes that she has big shoes to fill and is up to the challenge. Liberty isn’t a stranger to the b5media Beauty & Style Channel, she has blogged at Teen Style Lounge and Snarkstress.
Liberty will be starting a Makeup Minute within a week or so. In the mean time, I’m going to fill in for the next few days until she gets started. I’m Kori Ellis, …read more

Prescriptives Director of Artistry, Jillian Veran, graciously gave me some tips to “beat the winter blues.” The best part? Some of the products she mentioned are from their new “spring” collection that launches February 1st. Fabulous!
* One problem many face during the winter is dry skin so remember to keep your skin moisturized during these harsh months. I recommend Prescriptives All You Need Moisturizers. They provide continuous moisturization for 24 hours to refuel skin throughout the day for softer, more healthy-looking skin. I also recommend Prescriptives All You Need + For Eyes to help keep the …read more

Robert Moulton, makeup artist and Creative Director of DEX New York, wants you to look your best this Valentine’s Day. And hey, even if you don’t have someone special to spend it with, at least you will look like you do.
The sweetheart look:
Eyes- Sweep a soft shimmer beige brown shadow on entire lid extending up to the crease.
Suggested product: DEX’s Mineral Loose Pigment in City Brass Center
Next- use a soft chocolate brown eye pencil on top and wedging between lashes, making a thicker line on outer corner, then blend top line with a soft brush.
Suggested product: DEX’s Luxe Cream Eyeliner
Cheeks- …read more