This week saw the release of New Moon, the second film in the Twilight Saga series, and to coincide with the premiere, Nordstrom is exclusively launching the Luna Twilight cosmetics collection. Whether you side with “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob”, these products will seduce to every Twilight fan. Included in the collection:

Luna Twilight Mortal Glow Blushing Cream – $20

This breakthrough blend of mousse and cream blush glides on effortlessly for a satin finish that perfectly emulates a vampire’s ethereal glow.

Luna Twilight First Light Body Glow – $34

Highlight collarbones, arms and legs with a light-weight, hydrating body illuminator that leaves skin dazzling.

Luna Twilight DuWup Lip Venom – $16

Apply this Venom-laced lip conditioner for a crimson stained pout with an intensely potent bite.

Luna Twilight Moonshadows Eyeshadow- $20

Smudge on this duel shimmer and cream shadow for a mysterious smokey eye effect.

What do you think? Does Twilight-inspired makeup speak to you?

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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, Candy Darling and Saratoga.

Last but not least is the D. Lovely Lip Gloss Duo Set ($45, above), which includes four smaller versions of the successful Duo Lip Gloss in a variety of mix and match shades: Misbehave/All Night Long, Pillow Talk/Sandpiper, Orgasm/Chihuahua, and Greek Holiday/Stolen Kisses.

The Holiday 2009 gift sets and palettes are available at www.narscosmetics.com though the Plein Etè Mini Multiple Set is a Sephora exclusive.

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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 to other makeup artists on music videos, commercials and photo shoots. After assisting for a few months, I became consistently busy, so I left MAC. I assisted many makeup artists for about 4 years until I was able to get my own jobs and eventually signed with an agency.

MM: What do you love most about the job?

MQ: One of my favorite things about my job is that I get to meet and see the coolest people & places. Because I work for various shoots and projects, I’m always doing makeup somewhere different and on different people. I love it!

MM: Any challenges?

MQ: Sometimes, it’s hard for me to keep doctor/dentist appointments because if an amazing job comes up, most likely I’ll have to re-schedule the appointment. Also, as fun as my job is, it also has an unpredictable schedule. Some days I’ll have to be at work at 5am or 5pm, so it’s definitely challenging to make and keep plans.

MM: Tell us a little more about working with mark. What do you love most about the line?

MQ: I love working with mark because they’re so inventive and they are always coming out with new products and packaging. The color ranges for all the products is very diverse, which makes it easy to find an entire palette for anyone – that makes my job a lot easier!

MM: If you had to choose 2-3 mark must haves, what would they be?

MQ: My must haves would definitely be the mark Flip for It in Urban Neutrals, mark Hook Up Brushes and the Britt Bardo for mark Only Need Me Tee.

Visit www.meetmark.com to shop for the products that Mai mentions above – and keep reading Makeup Minute for more scoop on her celeb clients!

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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 $14 (which is already quite a bargain) but this week, they’re on sale for $11.20.  To snag one for yourself, visit a Kohl’s store near you or www.kohls.com.

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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 foundation faker, $28)

Eyes: BadGal Liner Waterproof ($20), Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit (as base, $19), Velvet Eyeshadow in Bikini Line ($18)

Cheeks: posietint ($28)

Lips: Benetint Lip Balm ($20)

And of course – Annie used a liberal amount of One Hot Minute to give me an all over glow.  The product isn’t available until July at Sephora stores, but trust me, it’s worth the wait!

What do you think of my Benefit look?

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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 all about me here, ladies. It’s about YOU and you’re in for a treat. Makeup Minute has partnered with N.Y.C. to bring you an exclusive giveaway!

250 (NOT A TYPO! 250 of you!) will win 2 coupons worth $5 each for N.Y.C. New York Color Products good at participating retail stores. Winners will be chosen at random from the entries received.

Simply sign up via this link from now through 6/5 to enter. Good luck! 

What products will you be shopping for with your two free coupons?

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Givenchy Phenomen'Eyes - Image: Sephora.com

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.

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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 get the most bang for your beauty buck:

e.l.f. cosmetics – This generation’s answer to the 1980’s Wet ‘n Wild phenomenon, e.l.f. (which stands for Eyes, Lips, Face), is a bargain hunters dream. Here you can find entire collections for a fraction of the cost of a traditional makeup counter’s offerings. The e.l.f. site often features comparisons of their collection versus lines like Clinique at huge savings. It’s fun just to hop on and see what is available and how happy your pocketbook will be with the savings!

Furthermore, many of e.l.f.’s choices (single products, not kits) run around a buck a piece – seriously, that’s it. They often run lots of sales (be sure to get on their email list) and offer free shipping with orders over $75. Fantastic!

Drugstore.com – If you don’t visit Drugstore.com on a regular basis, you are definitely missing out.

Chock full of beauty bargains, Drugstore.com has everything from the latest and greatest offerings to the oldies and goodies. You’ll find greatly reduced prices on the very things you’ll find at online sites as well as big box retailers like Target and Wal-Mart. They also have shipping specials and other assorted offers here and there.

Mineral Makeup – Looking to save some cash, yet score quality products? Of course you are! In that case, I urge you to look no further than mineral makeup, the hottest trend in cosmetics. Nearly every single line offers some type of mineral choices, including bronzers, foundations, powders, eye and cheek colors and more.

The benefits of mineral makeup are endless. They’re naturally great for your skin and provide just the right amount coverage without a plastered-on feel.

Perhaps the greatest benefit, however, is that mineral makeup is generally found in loose form and very little of it is needed in order to deliver the results you’re looking for. Once you become used to applying minerals, you’ll soon find how much money (and time!) you can save by using these awesome products. And as I said, nearly every single cosmetics line on the planet now offers some mineral products, so finding what you need in any price range should definitely not leave you hard-pressed.

These are just a few ways to get your beauty fix without breaking the bank. Do you have any other ideas? If so, please share. And be assured, any time I come across a product I think will make your wallet sing, I’ll be sure to share it. Until then, give these tips a try.

Happy Budget Hunting!

This post brought to you by redtagcrazy.com where you’ll find one sought-after fashion label at a time up to 80% off. Get an instant $5 to spend on anything you want courtesy of Makeup Minute.

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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, the Channel Editor for the Beauty & Style Channel and Splendicity.com.

Are you looking for a sweet Valentine’s Day gift in the form of makeup?

Whether for yourself or someone else, The Love Set from NARS is a hot choice. Inside the black box, you will find their top-selling Orgasm Blush, Pillow Talk Lip Gloss in azalea-pink, and a Sex Machine Velvet Lip Pencil.

A $73 value, Sephora has the set right now for just $49. I’m a big fan of NARS blush and this pretty pink gift set is definitely worth it!

Photo credit: Sephora

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* 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 eye area hydrated, smooth and radiant during the cold winter season.

* To keep your skin extra fresh, try Prescriptives Instant Gratification Skin Renewal Peel. This luxurious self-heating treatment exfoliates while resurfacing beads sweep away dry patches and dead skin cells for smooth, beautiful skin.

* In addition to keeping your skin hydrated, I also recommend adding some color to your look to help beat the winter blues and jump start into spring. Try a beautiful pink lip like Prescriptives Limited Edition LipShine in Tulip or Zinnia – both are the perfect pop shades for spring!

* And don’t forget to pay special attention to cheeks this spring! I love Prescriptives Limited Edition In Bloom Cheek Color Duo in Warm or Cool. These cheek duos are the perfect combination of color and radiance and provide a natural, flushed glow.

*Photo Credit: Prescriptives

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