Beauty on a Budget: Top Product Picks for NYE Glam

It’s New Years Eve time again! Here are my top product picks to get you NYE ready.

First, let’s address what not to do.

Do Not exfoliate your entire body two days before NYE. The impurities in your skin show up a day or so after exfoliation, so exfoliate at least one week in advance.

Do Not change your skin care in an attempt to achieve a new “glow.” If you have an allergic reaction, you will definitely have a glow, just not the kind you want! (Think Will Smith in Hitch.)

Do Not try a new hair color… yourself. Please leave this to a professional. There are way too many things that can go wrong with coloring your own hair. Believe me; I have spent years fixing my clients’ sudden hair color inspirations.

As long as you avoid those common mishaps, you are in a better position than most to thoroughly enjoy your New Year’s Eve! Now on to my favorite products for 2011!

Hair
There is nothing better than well-conditioned hair. Make sure to deep condition the day before New Year’s. My current favorite is Salma Hayek Nuance line: Intense Hydration Hair Mask Blackcurrant ($7.99).

Moisturizer for Your Body
Neutrogena Body Oil in Light Sesame. The scent is light enough to layer over your favorite perfume.

Foundation
I always spend more money on foundation, and typically I use Aveda. However, I fell upon this foundation when I realized I had forgotten to pack mine for a very important event. L’Oreal True Match Naturale is a loose mineral foundation that comes with a brush attachment on the top. I never use the attachment, because after one use, you have the potential to contaminate your skin and cause acne. The foundation provides great coverage, and if you apply it too heavily, you can buff it out with a powder brush.

Bronzer/Blusher
I am completely obsessed with Nuance Salma Hayek Flawless Mineral Cheek Trio Spice 305. It comes with three colors that can create a glow or a bronzed look. The trio has a little bit of sheen, so it is a great addition to the apples of your cheeks.

Eye Shadow
Avon has created the Expert Mega Palette containing 36 lip glosses, 36 eye shadows, 6 blushes, application brushes, and a mirror, all for $29.99. It’s small enough to throw in your purse, and gives you so many options and choices of colors that you simply can’t go wrong. Backed by celebrities like Ashley Greene, Avon recently made a big comeback. This product was also featured on “The View.” I love this all-in-one kit!

Eyeliner
I am a huge fan of liquid eyeliner. I love Adele’s eyeliner and had to try it. I already had Mac’s gel liner, but always had issues with it smudging. It my opinion, if I spent that much money, it shouldn’t smudge. Now I have found the eyeliner love of my life: L’Oreal Lineur Intense in blackest black. I don’t use a water proof liner, but this does not budge!

Mascara
You all know I am a mascara junkie. I always try the newest ones as soon as I can get my hands on them. Maybelline Volum’ Express® The Falsies™ in blackest black has remained a staple in my makeup routine. I apply it from the base of my eyelashes to the very tips, and angle them out slightly for a “retro” look. It layers well, stays put, and doesn’t clump or flake.

Lip Gloss
My favorite makeup accessory, even when I feel terrible, is lip gloss. In winter, I love a glowing complexion. We don’t have the sun to give us a sun kissed look, and I hate bronzer on people in the winter. I love a smooth complexion with glowing cheeks and lips. Avon has the perfect color called Sucked Red. It comes in a set of three, and you can’t beat the $7.99 price for all three glosses. The orangey pink looks great on everybody.

Hair Gloss
I am absolutely in love with Redken All Soft Argan-6 Oil. It is around $20, which is definitely a little more expensive than the products I typically recommend, but this is a miracle worker for me. Moroccan oil receives all the hype in the industry right now. It smells amazing, but personally, it does nothing for my hair. I know a lot of stylists that will disagree with me, but it dried out my hair. Redken’s Argan-6 oil, on the other hand, made my hair soft, silky and shiny. It can be applied wet, dry, or both. And because I believe shiny hair is a must have, this is a new staple.

Nails
I am the laziest person when it comes to nails. Even so, I am in love with Sonia Kashuk Tauped. It is the perfect shade that changes with what you wear. It can be a brown, a grey, a purple. It’s perfect.

Regardless of your makeup or hair perfection, your beauty comes from the person you are and your confidence. Let that reflect the gift you truly are to this world, and everything else will fall in place! Happy New Year!