I’ve taken off the black and gray nail polish and traded it for this purple amazingness instead. I am foregoing the boring nudes and minty greens that are so popular right now for this gorgeous lavender color that makes me more happy than nail polish should when I look at my bony little fingers.

It’s limited edition so buy quickly (you can also get $1 off at CVS if you buy from their Maybelline Sweet Thing display).

Here’s the thing: I can’t find a link to purchase online, but I bought mine at CVS, so call your local drugstore and see if they have the Maybelline Sweet Thing collection in stock. And, yes, if you’re still stuck on the mint green shade, the Sweet Thing collection has one of those available too.

I’ll keep looking for an online purchase option, so feel free to check in with me if you’re desperate!

I forgot to put makeup on this morning while running out the door, but I happened to have my emergency makeup kit in my handbag. Thank god! Once I got to work, I ran to the bathroom, threw it on and ran back—it took less than 2 minutes.

How do you find a makeup routine that’s fast and looks great every time?

I have a foolproof method. I don’t care what complexion your skin is, how dry or oily it is, what color your hair is, if you have darker skin or if your skin has never seen sunlight: this kit will look good on you, I promise.

Here are the goods, but feel free to substitute with less/more expensive versions, if you want:

• Cargo Bronzer, $28
• Bronzer/Blush Brush (This one is $25 by Clinique)
• CoverGirl Outlast Lip Stain, $7.50
• CoverGirl Lash Blast, $8
• L’Oreal Extra Intense Eyeliner, $8
• Rimmel Eyeshadow Quad in “Smokey Brown”, $12 (Other options by Elizabeth Arden, $30; Lancome, $42)

And here are quick instructions to get it on fast:

1. Apply bronzer on cheekbones and a bit on your forehead, chin and nose. (Just a bit now!)
2. Grab the eyeshadow quad. Put the second darkest shade over your whole lid. Then, use the second lightest shade and put that on above your lid up to your brow bone. Now, put the darkest shade in your crease and along your top lash line.
3. Time for eyeliner. Pull the outside corner of your eye taut. Draw the eyeliner with your free hand on the upper lash line from the inner eye to the outer eye. The line should get slightly wider as you do this. Switch and do the other eye.
4. Apply mascara. The best way to apply mascara quickly is to hold the wand directly beneath your lashes (while your eyes are open) and then blink. This way the mascara is not only applied, but also curls as you go.
5. Apply the lip stain.
6. You’re done!

You should be able to get this routine down in less than 5 minutes pretty quickly. Of course, adding foundation and moisturizer and undereye concealer and all of that takes up much more time, but if you’re looking for a quick way to get some color on your face, this is the best way to do it!

Note: depending on your skin tone, you may want to adjust some of the colors. For instance, very pale, very blond women should probably stick to a brown or soft black eyeliner and mascara. If you have darker skin, use a darker bronzer and vise versa. But, in general, the colors above were chosen because they are more or less universally flattering!

Good luck and, as always, feel free to e-mail me or ask me if you have any questions!

Okay, so I know I shouldn’t be reading these e-mails, let alone GOING to sample sale websites, but Billion Dollar Babes is having a sale on Pop Beauty products and it’s definitely worth checking out.

This little number is called their Pink Beauty Cabinet and it contains 2 lip creams & 4 lip glosses, 3 cheek colors & 1 face glow, 1 black eyeliner, 1 brown brow & liner color and 10 eye colors.

How much?

Only $15, from $40. That’s a daily deal if I ever saw one.

Pop Beauty Pink Beauty Cabinet, $15

So yesterday I posted a how-to on curling your hair with a curling iron.

This how-to is a bit different: it involves no heat products (yay!) and is quick, simple and perfect for when you just don’t feel like blow-drying. I must give my sister, Jera, credit for inventing this fantastic trick! If you don’t follow her, you should be!

And added bonus is that if you have naturally stick straight hair, this WILL give you curls. If you have wavy hair, it will help define them further.

WARNING: You will get a LOT of volume out of this.

As always, feel free to comment or e-mail me with your questions!

Want to see how the finished product looks?

(Not the best photo, but you get the idea!)

My favorite new nail polish is Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri.

There are a few reasons why I like it so much:

• The color in the bottle translates well to the on-nail color. There’s nothing worse than picking out a great color and testing it on a nail only to discover that it’s much darker or lighter (or so sheer that it’s invisible).
• It dries fast. Lightning fast. As in, less than a minute. I’m notoriously bad about being patient enough to let my polish dry. This is the first time I’ve painted my nails in sometime and didn’t have an instant nick a couple minutes later from trying to type or write or something.
• You’ll probably need two coats for completely even, opaque coverage.
• Sally Hansen’s Perfectionist Brush (which is trademarked, by the way) is completely genius. You can sort of see it in this photo. It’s a wide, flat brush that ensures near-perfect application every time…hence the name, I suppose.

These are my favorite colors in the collection: 07 Quick Sand and 18 Cinna-snap. There are more trendy colors (like dark purple, blue and green), but I’m more of a nail polish purist. I like dark toenails and a nude-y pink on my fingers.

I always get lots of compliments when I do my hair in a loose wavy, curly style like in the photo above. It’s one of those things that looks harder than it is—and once you get the swing of things, you can have your whole head of hair styled in less than 10 minutes.

Some tips to remember before the how-to:

• Everyone’s hair curls better under different conditions. Some women prefer their hair a little dirty (so there’s extra oil to hold the style). I like to wash my hair at night, twist it into a bun and sleep on it. The next morning I blow it dry for about 3 minutes (no brush!).
• Choose an extra hold hairspray for this, especially if you tend to have problems holding a curl.
• For extra volume, flip your hair over and spray some hairspray on your roots.

Now for the how-to guide!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave me a comment or e-mail me!

These stocking stuffers are ultra-luxurious but priced low enough that you won’t feel bad “splurging.”

• Wise Owl Soaps with Dish - $21
• Eggwhite Facial Soap - $20
• Smith’s “Three Lavish Layers” of Lip Balm (includes Rosebud Salve, Minted Rose Balm and Strawberry Lip Balm) - $16

I’m about as impressed with Forever 21’s Love and Beauty makeup line as I thought I would be…that is to say, not much at all.

There is one thing, though, that may be worth the $6 it will set you back: this “Starlet Smoky Eye Kit.”

I can’t speak to the quality (hey, F21, e-mail me!), but if you’re in a pinch and have a party to get to, $6 for mascara, eyeliner and shadow is a pretty good deal. Also, if you’ve never tried a smoky eye before and want to give it a go, this is an inexpensive way to see if you like the look before purchasing higher-quality cosmetics.