The Perfect Low-Maintenance Nail Polish Color by Essie

Irony! Tell me why, the most perfect, low-maintenance shade of sheer pink nail polish by Essie is called... get this... Hi-Maintenance. I just thought that was funny. Anyway, I don't know about you, but I hate getting bright colors on my fingernails only to have them chip in a few days. Because of this, sometimes I just opt for a clear shade. However, sometimes you want to feel a bit more fancy. If you can relate, this shade is for you.

It goes on quickly and flawlessly with two thin coats and makes you look like you just came from the nail salon.

This polish gets the Truly Beautiful stamp of approval! Make sure to try it. You'll thank me later.

Stay Truly Beautiful!

Tutorial: How to Wear Bright Lipgloss/Lipstick Featuring New MAC Collection

Have you ever wanted to wear a really bright, fun shade of lipgloss or lipstick, but have shied away for fear of looking like a clown? 

Well, we have all been there, but rest assured that you have nothing to fear if you wear a bright lip the right way. The key to this look is focusing all of the attention on your lips by creating a clean face and very subtle eye. Less is more. 

Follow the steps to create a similar look. This look features Red Devil lipgloss from MAC's new Brunette Blonde Redhead Collection.

Step 1: Create a flawless face by using concealer on your blemishes and under your eyes. I am sleep deprived, so I use a lot under my eyes sometimes! You might get away with less than I am using in this photo. Try MAC's Select Moisturecover Concealer for light, blendable coverage. 

Step 2: Use your ring finger to blend the concealer into your skin. Use a gentle tapping motion until the concealer is no longer visible.

Step 3: Apply foundation if necessary. I use MAC Studio Fix Powder to set my concealer and give my face a matte finish.

Step 4: Apply your lipgloss at this point before you do your eye makeup. Why? This way you can judge whether or not you are putting on too much eyeshadow. This step will help you to almost always avoid what I will dub "clownface." I am using Red Devil from the MAC Brunette Blonde Redhead Collection here.

Step 5: Create a highlight on the inner corners of your eyes and on your eyelids. This will help to brighten your eye area and draw attention to it without the use of excessive shadow. I used Evening Aura from MAC's Neo Sci Fi Collection, which came out over the summer. I got the colors from Saks Off 5th for the cheap!

Step 6: Use a light brown color in your crease and apply a highlight shade to your browbones. I used Time & Space (again from Neo Sci Fi) in the crease and Ricepaper on my browbone. 

Truly Glam Tip: MAC's Ricepaper is a staple highlight color. You need to own it (if it suits your complexion).

Step 7: Line your eyes and add mascara. I love liquid eyeliner for the classic, thin line. Try MAC's version in Boot Black. Keep your hand steady as you follow the outline of your eye and gently flick the eyeliner wand/brush outward at the corner to extend your eye visually. 

For mascara, I used Cover Girl Lash Blast in Black.

Truly Glam Tip: Use white eyeliner on the bottom waterline to brighten your eyes and make you look fresh-faced.

Step 8: We can't forget the brows! Use a MAC 212 brush dipped in brow powder to accentuate your arches and give definition to your eye area.

Step 9: Use a contour brush to apply blush to your cheeks. Tap the brush lightly into your blush pan. You don't want the color to be too bright, in such close proximity to your lips. Try MAC Sunbasque for a bronzy glow.

The Final Look!

Check out how subtle the eyeshadow is.

This is the right way to wear a bold lip to avoid "clownface."

Stay Truly Glam and Truly Beautiful!

The Truly Glam Girl's Holiday Gift Guide: Drugstore-Brand Beauty Baskets

For those pinching pennies this year, the thought of buying gifts for your friends and loved ones is a scary one. Never fear! You can still get your loved ones amazing gifts without going into debt - all it takes is a little bit of creativity. I just had a brilliant epiphany and I am definitely putting these together for some of the Truly Beautiful ladies on my shopping list... Holiday beauty baskets are a great idea! They are easy to make and allow you to personalize them for everybody and for every budget. All you need is a small basket (larger if you want to spend more to fill it), some cellophane wrap or tissue paper and a ribbon to tie it! Next, hit up your local Walgreen's. They have better sales. Often you can find makeup with the little orange tags for 50% off or more! Purchase whatever you feel your friend/loved one would love. For a natural beauty, try items by Neutrogena. For a glamour girl, try L'Oreal H.I.P. The sky is the limit with possibilities, but not the price tag.

Get Beyonce's New Natural Look

Along with her new double CD, I Am...Sasha Fierce, Beyonce ditched the over-the-top makeup and extensions in favor of a more natural look. I think that this look makes her look much more youthful and allows her natural beauty to shine through. Sometimes less is more...

The key to this look is a flawless face. Achieve this by applying a light foundation or tinted moisturizer all over your face to even out your complexion.

Truly Glam Tip: After you apply foundation, see where you still have blemishes that need to be covered and apply concealer there. This way, you will avoid looking cakey.

Make sure to dab concealer under your eyes too, to cover any dark circles or those pesky bags.

Define your eyebrows by lightly accenting the arch and tail of your brow with a pencil. Try Maybelline Define-a-Brow Retractable Pencil. Then, use a light brow powder to fill in any gaps.

Apply a very subtle blush to the apple of your cheeks. NARS Orgasm will give you a perfect, light peachy glow.

Set your makeup with a light powder to keep you shine free all day, and then apply 2 coats of Covergirl Lash Exact mascara and Clinique Air Kiss lipgloss.

Voila! You are now ready to show the world that you don't need tons of makeup to look amazingly fierce!

The Truly Glam Girl's Holiday Gift Guide: LAVANILA, The Healthy Fragrance

LAVANILA is the new, healthy fragrance and cosmetics line on the beauty block. Made with a mix of essential oils, goji berry, kakadu plum, olive leaf and other botanicals, these products nurture the skin without all of the chemicals that nobody can pronounce.

On top of it all, it smells great if you like warm, Oriental fragrance notes like I do. If you or your friends hate the smell of vanilla, avoid purchasing these products as gifts.

Sephora has the Vanilla Grapefruit fragrance in a gift set, along with the matching Body Butter for only $56. Not too shabby considering the fragrance alone usually retails for that price.

Truly Glam Tip: Fragrance gifts are best reserved for people you know very well, or if you know for a fact that someone has a signature scent they wear 24/7. Get a fragrance for your mom, aunt, sibling or best friend.

MAC Little Darlings Lipgloss Sets

Little Darlings, the final release in MAC'S Holiday 2008 Collection, is now available online and at a counter near you. The gift sets feature 5 miniature products, including lipglass and lustreglass, pigments and eyeliners.

I have been eagerly anticipating this release because I have an obsession with lip products and you can't get a better variety of the best colors at any other time of year for only $29.50.

The Little Darlings lip set choices are:

Coral Lips featuring Underage, Ola Mango and Pink Grapefruit Lipglass, and Wonderstruck and Budding Lustreglass.

Pink Lips features Fleur Delight, Song and Dance, and Magnetique Lipglass, and Flashmode and Little Vi Lustreglass.

Neutral Lips features C-Thru, Mouthwatering, and Languish Lipglass, and Love Nectar and Beaux Lustreglass.

I reallllyyyy want 2 sets, but I feel like that might be overkill. I can't choose between Neutral or Coral.

Neutral lips can go with look you choose to put together, but there is nothing hotter than a coral lip, especially in the summer. Oh... decisions, decisions.

Check out some great Little Darlings swatches from Temptalia.com!

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Fabulous: Essie Nailpolish Set

Even though it's only October, this cold weather makes December feel that much closer. Before you know it, it will be time to start thinking about Christmas shopping (or another holiday you may celebrate). Along with holiday cheer comes long lines, fighting over the hottest items and stress. To nip that before it begins, I will be doing the hunting for you to find the best gifts possible that are sure to wow the lucky recipients. Check out my first suggestion.


Essie Winter 2008 Mini 4-Pack Nail Polish Set

This set contains all you need to keep up with the dark, vampy nail color trends of the winter. Also, Essie is up there with O.P.I. in salon-quality polish. Your fab friend is sure to love this set. It includes:

"...Sexy Divide, an electric violet temptation; Bold & Beautiful Rich, a ruby garnet; It’s Genius, a violet quartz shimmer; and Rock Star Skinny, a glamorous crimson red."

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