SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Pantene Wants You To Have Rockstar Hair This New Year's Eve -- Check Out The Look (Modeled By Me)!

 

The countdown to 2012 has officially begun and, unlike all the doomsday prophets and fatalistic ramblers who predict the world coming to an abrupt end (and not in the beautiful manner Lars Von Trier imagined for his film Melancholia), I believe the new year will unfold much like any other year: with the promise of new and exciting horizons, with the possibility for enlightenment and personal growth, with the dream of soul-stirring connections, and the reality that disappointments and hindrances will surface alongside triumphs and successes. But, for tonight, we're focusing on the promise the new year holds, on wiping the slate clean and entering 2012 with clearness of mind, endless gratitude, and a sense of purpose.

If your New Year's Eve celebrations involve hitting a nightclub or attending a special bash, ensure that all eyes are on you with a cool-as-can-be hair look that conveys the idea that you bring the party to any place you enter. To party like a rock star, then, celebrity hairstylist Carlos Vera (who has worked with Thalía and Shakira, among others), a vital member of Pantene's team of hair gurus, suggests a pompadour look with lots of volume at the crown, slicked sides and pin-straight, flat-ironed ends. 

In the brief video above, Carlos Vera discusses how to get this look and what Pantene products to apply when styling your tresses. I had the honor of being Vera's model for this Pantene video (I was one of three New York-based Latina bloggers participating in this #TuPantene campaign), and I fell in love with the final look so, hopefully, you will too!

Check out the Pantene video, get some inspiration for your NYE hair look, and I'll catch you gals in 2012! Happy New Year to you all!

 

 

Gleaming the Cute -- Zoya Gems & Jewels Holiday Collection

 

Tomorrow evening, as you ready to toast the start of 2012, coat your nails in a jewel-toned shade with either a mirrored sheen or speckles of glitter and shimmering tinsel-like bits. The Zoya Gems & Jewels Holiday 2011 Collection ($8 per nail lacquer at Zoya.com) will help you attain this precise effect with its six fireworks-worthy shades.

The collection focuses on three gemtastic color families: emerald green, deep pink rubellite, and blue topaz. Three high-shine colors perfectly capture the luminosity of these jewels: Holly, a deep emerald green with swirls of darker forest green and very small emerald green pearl particles; Noel, an icy blue topaz shade with swirls of silver and tiny frost-like silver pearls; and Izzy, a deep fuchsia pink with swirls of lighter pink color and magenta pearl shimmer.

The remaining three shades feature a clear base but are saturated with glimmering pearls along with a unique brand of glitter that resembles tiny threads of metallic tinsel, lending nails a hologram-worthy effect. These colors can be worn alone (though you should expect to apply at least four coats if you wish to cover the majority of the nail plate and leave less gaps on the surface of the nail) or layered atop other shades for a more intense dose of color. There's Twila, which features blue zircon pearl glitter alongside deeper azure blue bar glitter; Rina, which features emerald pearly bits and green bar glitter that appears cyan and teal as the light hits it; and Kissy, which is loaded with bright fuchsia-meets-magenta pink pearls and holographic silver bar glitter that resembles the icicle strands you'd use to trim a tree.

You can give your nails enough razzle dazzle to rival a Vegas showgirl's stage ensemble with these glimmering colors — particularly when you layer them atop their sister metallic shades.

Get to know the shades with the photos after the jump!

Shimmering New Year's Eve Fashions To Shimmy Stylishly Into 2012

Mirrored balls dropping at the stroke of midnight. Firework displays synchronized to classic symphonies. Fistfuls of glitter and confetti dancing in the air. Bubbles rising in freshly poured champagne flutes. Metallic party horns with tinsel-like fringe touting the promise of a brand new year.

Yes, gals, New Year's Eve is all about shimmer and shine, and your outfit should reflect this thematic thread— which, of course, means plenty of sequins, paillette panels, glitter embellishments, metallic beads, and embroidered colored crystals and stones.

Here, we've amassed some of our top picks for pulling off a festive New Year's Eve look.

Dannijo Esme Earrings, $295. Available at Dannijo.com

Like chrysanthemum firework formations, these clip-on earrings feature prong-set, elliptical shaped Swarovski crystals with pointed tips and diamond-shaped facets along their top surface. Round colored crystals adorn the center, while a brass metal plate surrounds this nucleus.

 

Robert Rodriguez Silk Sequin Panel Dress, $1126. Available at FarFetch.com

This simple beige dress features a toga-like braided rope belt at the waist and a dazzling rectangular panel made of tiny gold sequins along the front of the short-sleeved frock. 

 

French Connection Friday Clutch, $118. Available at Nordstrom.com

There's an Art Deco quality to this envelope-shaped clutch thanks to the gradient black, charcoal, gray, and pale silver sequins used to adorn the inside of the petal-like shapes which, together, form a floral design reminiscent of tropical water lilies. Each rounded petal shape is outlined by two rows of black beads and the black cotton backdrop features scattered black beads. The clutch itself measures 10" in width, 5" in height, an 3" in depth, making it roomy enough to carry all your New Year's Eve must-haves.

 

 

Pelle Moda Favilla Evening Sandal, $195. Available at JildorShoes.com

This pewter-colored leather sandal gives you quite the height boost thanks to the 4 3/4" heel and 1" platform, but it makes an even taller style statement thanks to straps embellished with seed beads, round faceted rhinestones, tube beads, and more. Though its design is fairly standard, the diagonal slant of the center strap and the way it seems to caress the top of the foot, makes this piece feel sexy and timeless.

 

 

 

Fiona Paxton Sequin Collar Necklace, $178.16. Available at US.ASOS.com

Worthy of a Roman goddess, this Fiona Paxton necklace rests right at the base of the neck, creating a collar-like effect. Four rows of golden beads discs are layered atop one another and trimmed with a double strand of round black beads along the inner edge, while a square clasp fastener keeps the piece perfectly positioned.

 

Citizen Eco-Drive Silhouette Crystal Bangle Watch -- A Time To Shine

With the global warming scenarios presented in An Inconvenient Truth becoming less of a theoretical discussion and more of a survival of the species affair, we all need to make a conscious effort to liberate ourselves from an battery-reliant existence. After all, the batteries needed to power everything from wristwatches to alarm clocks, remote controls, digital cameras, stereos, computers, recorders, cell phones, and electric razors all involve an environmentally hazardous manufacturing process — mainly, the manipulation of toxic substances like cadmium, cobalt, and lead. Rechargeable batteries represent a change in the right direction, but they can hardly be considered green — after all, once they end up in landfills, they can crack and leak toxins that pollute the soil in which they're buried, the surrounding air, and even nearby water sources. A truly environmental approach, then, involves the complete eradication of batteries and the search for alternate sources of power — chiefly, solar and wind power.

Luxury watch brand Citizen has been at the forefront of this eco-conscious effort thanks to its Eco-Drive collection, which consists of quartz watches that rely on solar conversion panels and energy cells that harness this converted light energy to properly function. These energy cells don't have a life span so that, technically speaking, you may never have to worry about replacing a battery again (score!). 

The latest addition to the Citizen Eco-Drive collection is the Silhouette Crystal Bangle ($200; visit CitizenWatch.com to locate a retailer), a slip-on watch with black dial, a round case measuring 21mm in diameter, and Swarovski crystals encrusted into the bezel. Not only is the water resistant timepiece a greener alternative to standard watches, but it's notably sleeker thanks to a streamlined design that's dainty without feeling too precious or princess-like. Along the top and bottom of the dial, you'll find a glistening, high polish, lengthy, rectangular link with a cut-out shape at its center. The other watch links are smaller in size, square with off-center bars connecting them together.

I've rarely found a woman's watch I was compelled to wear regularly, finding them either too cumbersome and bulky or too precious, with pink metallic details and pearl dials that made me positively nauseate. The Citizen Eco-Drive Silhouette Crystal Bangle, however, is small enough in size to feel feminine, but it still has enough of an industrial edge to maintain its cool factor. 

Does that make me an environmental law-abiding citizen? I like the sound of that!

Nuance Salma Hayek Cucumber & Rosewater Dual Phase Makeup Remover -- Swipes Away Makeup And Sweeps You Off Your Feet

 

 

Back in September, during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City, a small group of beauty bloggers and editors (including yours truly) gathered at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Columbus Circle to meet pint-sized Mexican actress Salma Hayek, who was unveiling her new cosmetics and skincare brand available exclusively at CVS: Nuance Salma Hayek.

As far as modern day beauty icons go, few rank as high as Salma Hayek, making her an ideal candidate for this type of entrepreneurial endeavor.

Hayek first seduced audiences with her voluptuous figure, luscious black curly mane, and alluring almond-shape eyes when she appeared in Robert Rodriguez's cult hit Desperado (1995), playing a mariachi-guitarist-turned-gunslinger's love interest. After a few lovable albeit forgettable roles in romantic comedies like Fools Rush In and Breaking Up, Hayek amassed the type of fan base (and the bankable star factor) to suss out meatier roles that allowed her to prove herself as more than another pretty face — a herculean feat when your face is that striking.

And yet she accomplished this goal, far surpassing the expectations of naysayers who dismissed her as an interchangeable piece of eye candy. In 2001's TV movie In the Time of Butterflies, Hayek brilliantly played the idealist, fiery, fearless Dominican revolutionary Minerva Mirabal who, along with her two sisters, worked to overthrow dictator Rafael Trujillo's oppressive regime during the 1960s. Then, in 2002, Hayek turned critics into putty in her hands with her stoic portrayal of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, a figure as intriguing as she was tortured, in the Oscar-nominated film Frida. Her dramatic skills unchallenged, Kahlo then showcased her comedic chops via such roles as that of Jack Donaghy girlfriend on Season 3 of 30 Rock (watching Hayek go to-to-toe with Alec Baldwin led to some side-splitting scenes). And, in a natural progression, she took a stroll behind the lens, producing the short-lived but much beloved, Emmy-winning series Ugly Betty, about a plucky but homely college grad whose charm and inner beauty allow her to succeed in the superficial world of fashion, and directing The Maldonado Miracle, an independent film about a small town in which an unexplainable religious phenomenon causes residents to reexamine their faith.  

Nuance, then, seems to be a fitting name for her skincare, haircare, and cosmetics brand since, after all, she's been slowly but surely revealing small nuances of her own personality. She has also unveiled different stages of beauty, aging gracefully in the youth-obsessed world of film.

At 45, Hayek still manages to outshine any woman in the room — even the 20-something neophytes with the perky breasts and blinding smiles. Sure, a few laugh lines and crow's feet are visible if you examine her complexion closely, but Hayek has done nothing to erase them, instead considering them mementos of special moments, vital pieces in he map of her life journey. If anything, the wisdom and self-assurance she has developed over time have only bolstered her appeal, making her appear all the more radiant and exquisite.

The secret to her good looks? Well, genetics aside, Hayek says she credits her grandmother for teaching her some age-old beauty rituals involving plants and spices she found in her native village in Mexico. When developing Nuance Salma Hayek alongside CVS, then, Hayek envisioned a line that would incorporate many of these ingredients sourced in Mexico — among them: blue agave, the base ingredient of tequila and an excellent skin purifier, de-clogging pores, refreshing the skin, and restoring skin's natural pH level; cape gooseberries (known in Mexico as tomatillos or camapús), ripe fruits that boast anti-aging benefits due to their high vitamin C content; and tuna, not the fish type but a species of prickly pear that possesses anti-inflammatory properties.

The Nuance Salma Hayek line, then, is a tribute to Hayek's grandmother and a way of bottling some of the homemade beauty remedies Hayek learned as a young girl in Mexico. In fact, Hayek says she jotted down many of her grandma's recipes from memory while developing the products in the line, then traveled to Mexico to learn more about these ingredients and how they could be cultivated en mass, and discussed her ideas with the chemists and the product development team at CVS until they finally arrived at cost-affordable recipes that remained true to her vision while also boasting longer shelf lives and allowing for bulk manufacturing.

One of the star products in the line is the Nuance Salma Hayek Cucumber & Rosewater Dual Phase Makeup Remover ($7.99 at CVS.com), which removes makeup while toning, refreshing an softening the skin. The gentle liquid cleanser has a rosy tone when packaged in the bottle, and it's formulated with soothing chamomile and lavender extracts, along with cooling cucumber, and refreshing rosewater, a natural toner and antiseptic that reduces redness, brightens the skin thanks to its vitamin C content, and fortifies the delicate, wrinkle-prone area with its concentration of flavonoids and tannins. Mimosa, blue agave, camapú, and prickly pear extracts, meanwhile, work to stimulate collagen and elastin production, moisturize the skin from within, and tighten the complexion. Last, glycerin both moisturizes and softens skin.

The hypoallergenic, fragrance-free Nuance Salma Hayek Cucumber & Rosewater Dual Phase Makeup Remover feels gentle on even the most sensitive skin. Unlike so many makeup removers that are saturated with drying alcohols and harsh chemicals, this one feels as refreshing and delicious as a spritz of water with just a hint of botanical oils. To use, you simply pour some of the makeup remover onto a cotton pad and swipe it over the skin. Initially, you might feel a slight oily residue but it quickly dissipates as the botanical extracts seep into the skin. Best of all, after you remove your makeup, your complexion actually looks brighter, with a nice healthy flush.

At $8.00 per bottle, less than half of what most makeup removers cost, it's a fantastic purchase for all you frugal beauty hounds.

 

 

Workin' It With New WKSHP Tees

 

 

 

 

 

Rather than focusing on traditional T-shirt silhouettes (V-neck or crewneck, for example) with formulaic prints along the bodice, Los Angeles-based brand WKSHP seeks to reinvent the way the woman's tee is perceived so that, rather than a layering staple you conceal underneath sweatshirts and jackets, it's transformed into the center piece of an ensemble, the very piece you want to show off. Co-founder Christina Carter, then, stresses the importance of nontraditional cuts that feel fluid and convey a sense of movement and ease — cropped hoodies feature swooping backs with tail-like hemlines; boxy tees feature exaggerated necklines that allow you to wear them off the shoulder, at a slight angle; sleeveless tanks feature sporty racerbacks and swing style hemlines; and asymmetrical silhouettes abound on short-sleeved tees and sleeveless tanks. Cozy, lightweight fabrics are also prioritized so that pieces seem to graze the skin, rather than feeling stiff or cumbersome. And, of course, modern graphics that reference everything from tribal artifacts like dreamcatchers and woven textiles to Art Deco-inspired mosaic prints, designs mirroring cosmic phenomena, and marbled, geometric, or color-blocked patterns with a Bohemian twist. Fusing urban, Bohemian, and surfer aesthetics, WKSHP pieces  function as conversation starters, anchoring any outfit.

For Fall/Winter 2011, WKSHP released such edgy, versatile pieces as the Art Deco Lace Top ($52 at ShopExcessBaggage.com), pictured at top, a semi-sheer, periwinkle blue top with neon cyan dots positioned in vertical rows, diamond shapes, and arrow formations that repeat constantly to create the illusion of a woven overlay. The extra soft tee, made of rayon, features a cropped cut to reveal just a hint of flesh along the waistline, a slouchy neckline that extends to the collarbones, and a rounded hemline with longer sides.

Those who prefer a warmer autumn color pattern will appreciate the Antique Delight Top ($52 at BoutiqueToYou.com), pictured second from top, which boasts a boxy shape with tux tailed hems at the side, wide sleeves, and a blueprint-like outline with mustard yellow and brick red box shapes adding some pop to the design. When paired with a maxi skirt and some booties, the Antique Delight Top feels like a modern treasure.

One of our favorite designs is the Queen Elizabeth tee ($54), pictured third from top, a boxy cropped tee that also features an uneven hem line and is adorned with a gradient lavender, purple, and lilac pattern  along the sides of the bodice and all over the wide sleeves. Along the sides of the tee, you'll find mirror images of arched shapes that, at first glance, resemble floral petals or headdress shapes but, upon further inspection, conjure up images of the reticella lace shapes used to craft the ruffs of regal figures such as Queen Elizabeth I. Facing in opposite directions, the shapes are joined at the center by  a square shape formed with interlocking circles. Vines, meanwhile, undulate from the sides of these shapes, culminating in rosebuds.

Though most of the pieces in the collection consist of short-sleeved or sleeveless tops, a few sweatshirts were thrown into the mix — among them the WKSHP Thundercloud Hoodie ($69 at SaltAndSeaweed.com) pictured last above. Made of 96% rayon and 4% spandex, this lightweight sweatshirt features a slouchy hood with drawstring tabs, banded sleeves, and an asymmetrical cut that's longer along the back and the front. A beige-tinge gray color, the hoodie features bright red triangle shapes arranged to create a larger, tribal-flavored pattern that's whimsical and chic.

Look for WKSHP tees at Planet Blue, Free People, Wasteland, Fred Segal, ModCloth.com, Singer22.com,  and BoutiqueToYou.com.

Guerlain Holiday 2011 Vol de Nuit Collection -- A Spellbinding Look for the Most Magical Time of the Year

 

Hope you had a wonderful holiday, readers! 

If Santa left you a gift card to Sephora or left you some pesos to spend on anything you desire, you may want to consider grabbing some pieces from the Guerlain Vol de Nuit Holiday 2011 Collection, a luxurious banquet of delicious color cosmetics inspired by the enigmatic indigo, teal, midnight blue, silver, black, and blackened plum shades associated with winter nights.

For me, the center piece of the collection, the czarina of you will, is the  Guerlain Ecrin 4-Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in 10 Les Ombres de Nuit ($59 at Nordstrom.com and NeimanMarcus.com), which features shimmering whitened silver, blackened blue, and silvery, greenish teal blue colors along with a sooty matte black color. Perfect for an updated smoky eye with frosty hints of silver and blue, this palette is a must-have for the season (check out swatches of the shades after the jump!).

Another standout is the Guerlain Météorites Perles de Nuit ($56 at NeimanMarcus.com and high-end department stores), a limited edition version of Guerlain's illuminating Météorites packaged in a cylindrical, deep teal metal canister with a removable top lid featuring a dahlia-like adornment, its center petals a blackened shade. The Météorites Perles de Nuit relies on six different colors of spherical pearlescent beads that, when applied to the skin, help to correct any problems such as redness or uneven skin tone, conceal dark under eye circles, and give the skin a halo-like glow. How do they work? Well, the pale pink pearls help to even skin tone, while the darker pink pearls give the skin a healthy flush. The bluish green pearls combat any redness, while the white pearls illuminate the skin, the gold pearls boost radiance and convey warmth, and the champagne-toned beads reflect any beams of light that hit the skin. If you use a power puff and press it against the mixed pearls, then lightly tap your visage using the puff, you'll notice the way it transforms your complexion.

The collection also includes two new  Guerlain Rouge Automatique ($35 at NeimanMarcus.com and Saks.com) shades: Nuit d'Amor 170, a black cherry color that feels luxurious rather than goth, despite its dark color; and Flirt d'un Jour 169, a soft, dirty rose color with a sheer, glaze-like finish to keep the pout understated when you rock darker eye looks.

Last, there's the Guerlain Parure de Nuit Powder & Blush ($67 at Dillards.com ), which features a peacock feather design that isolates the pale pink, white, salmon pink, and teal colors contained in the blush formulation. You can use this as a skin tone-evening pressed powder by blending all the hues together, using a powder brush an gliding it up and down the surface of the palette, then swirling the mélange of pigments onto your skin or, for targeted use as a blusher, you can concentrate on the golden peach tone along the top and bottom corners, sweeping this shade onto cheeks. 

 

Last-Minute Gifts For The Extra Busy, Chronically Indecisive, Or Procrastination-Prone

Happy Nochebuena, readers! If you arose bright and early, worrying about last-minute gifts that needed to be purchased, missing ingredients for cooking your Christmas Eve meal, and a shortage of gift wrapping paper, take a deep breath and allow us to offer you a helping hand. These makeup palettes, fragrances, and skincare goodies can be purchased online or at major retailers, so you can always pop in and grab them before the day is up (and then exhale in relief).

Take a look at our picks below!

 

Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Ready 8.0 The Playlist, $40. Available at Sephora.com

Two months ago, when Bare Escentuals revealed its collection of bareMinerals READY pressed mineral eye shadows, we practically did cartwheels. For the holiday season, they upped the ante with eight-shadow palettes packaged in sleek mirrored gold tone palettes with black interiors. The eye shadows are formulated with bareMinerals' SeaNutritive Mineral Complex, so that they boast anti-aging benefits, smoothing any fine lines and puckering areas of the lids. We're particularly smitten with The Playlist palette, which features eight highly pigmented, long-wearing shadows with music-related names that would make DJ Premier smile.

First, check out swatches of the four shadows in the top row of the palette: Louder, a glistening rusty orange color with hints of copper; Max Volume, a blackened forest green with fine emerald shimmer particles; Chart Topper, a pewter-y, champagne-tinged nude shade with an all-over sheen; and Pumped, a rich mocha brown with a velvety texture and a hint of golden shimmer. Next, via these eye shadow swatches, get acquainted with the shades in the bottom row: Speaker Box, an antique brass brown with fine gold pearls; Remix, a Cleopatra-worthy yellow gold; Most Requested, a foxy burgundy-meets-copper hue with fine Merlot red particles; and One Hit Wonder, a dusky, buttery cream shade. 

 

Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Florale, $66 for 1.6 oz. EDT spray and $89 for 3.4 oz. EDT Spray. Available at Sephora.com

Who wants a floral bouquet that will wither in no time, when they can smell blossoms every single day with a spritz of the right fragrance? The Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Florale captures the natural beauty of a floral garden with dewy notes of lily, rose, and orange flowers mingling with zesty mandarin and developing a seductive mysteriousness via musk and white wood notes.

 

Korres Vanilla Guava Body Butter Duo, $39. Available at Korres stores and KorresUSA.com

This deliciously velvety body butter features shea butter and quince extract to moisturize, soften, and replenish skin; sunflower, avocado, grape seed, and almond oils to nourish and stimulate collagen and elastin production; and guava, which is rich vitamin C that brightens and protects skin from free radical damage. The scent, meanwhile, fuses the warmth and creaminess of vanilla with the succulent, juiciness of guava.

 

MAC Ice Parade 6 Snow Globe Eyeshadows in Cool, $38. Available at MAC Cosmetics stores and MACcosmetics.com

Not only does it include some gorgeous gray and lilac shades, but this palette also features a snow globe-inspired detail along its mirrored-looking, clear top lid: a see-through dome shape filled with silver glitter. You can spend hours twirling the closed palette around, watching as the silver glitter bits float inside the snow-globe-like shape or you can amuse yourself in a more productive fashion by playing with the six shades inside: a pearlescent, frosty white; a silvery light violet; an icy light silver; a deep violet purple; an almost creamy, slightly sheer, oil slick-like blackened gray; and a true carbon black.

Check out swatches of all six shades here. 

 

 

Philosophy The Gingerbread Man Bubble Bath & Shower Gel, $11. Available at Sephora.com

Every holiday season, Philosophy releases this gingerbread-scented shower gel and, every season, we rush to stock up on this limited-edition product since it's one of the most intoxicating Philosophy fragrances ever released. With the spicy but sweet sense of ginger snaps, it's the type of scent that feels like Christmas in a bottle.

 

In March, we lauded Camilla Morton's literary collaboration with designer Christian LaCroix, a modern reinterpretation of The Sleeping Beauty fairy tale featuring LaCroix's original illustrations and couture-related references in lieu of the standard characters and scenarios. Now, Morton has updated another classic, The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker, via a collaboration with shoe designer Manolo Blahnik. Chock full of fanciful footwear illustrations by Blahnik himself, Manolo Blahnik and the Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker: A Fashion Fairy Tale Memoir (currently $14.35 at Amazon.com) is part memoir, part art book, part fashion tome, and part fairy tale, filled with autobiographical references and style world details that update the age-old classic without altering its DNA. 

Holiday Shopping From A To Z -- Arriving At X, Y, Z

Over the past few weeks, we've escorted you through an alphabet-themed safari of holiday gift ideas in which each letter corresponded to a theme, pattern, style or art movement, color, aesthetic, or trend.

We began with the ABCs, guiding you through a coded world in which A stood for Art Deco, B for Blossoms, and C for Color Blocking. We picked up momentum with the next installment, in which we focused on letters D through F, with D standing for Dainty, E for Egyptian, and F for Fur-trimmed. Next, we sped along to the G through I round-up, in which G stood for Green, H for Haute Hippie, and I for Ikat. A glamorous excursion followed as we embarked on the J through L piece, in which J stood for Jewel-Toned, K for Kabuki, and L for Leather and Lace. Things took a modern turn in the M through Q installment, in which M alluded to Metallics, N referenced Neons, O corresponded to Op Art, P stood for Polka Dots, and Q alluded to Quirky. A sea of scarlet followed by pops of black-and-white ensued in the R, S, and T round-up, in which R stood for Red, S for Stocking Stuffer, and T for Tuxedo. Most recently, we started winding down the tour with a parade through the streets of U, V, and W, in which U stood for Urban, V for Velvety, and W for Western.

Today, our alphabet adventure comes to an exciting end with the final three letters: X, Y, and Z. What do they stand for? Read on!

 

X IS FOR XOXO

 

Finn Jewelry Carved Ox Blood Heart and Arrow Studs, $795. Available at Finnjewelry.com.

Robb Bass said it takes two to make a thing go right, but no one has ever claimed that the two people or items in question have to be identical. The opposites attract theorem is one of the guiding principles behind this whimsical pair of stud earrings by designers Soraya Silchenstedt and Candice Pool, the duo behind 6-year-old fine jewelry brand Finn Jewelry. 

Buxom More To Love Gift Set, $42. Available at Sephora.com 

There may be a shortage of mistletoe this year, but that doesn't mean there won't be plenty of smooching going on this season. To make your pout look all the more enticing, create smoldering bedroom eyes, and extend those lashes for an added coquettish factor, gals need to look no further than the Buxom More To Love set, which includes: a Big & Healthy Lip Polish in Clair, a reddish mauve saturated with ultra-fine gold glimmer; a Big & Healthy Lip Tarnish pencil in Scandal, a glaze-like plum-meets-mauve color; a jar of Stay-There Eyeshadow in Collie, a sparkling champagne nude; an Insider Eyeliner in Onyx, a stark black; and a Buxom Lash Mascara in Blackest Black for statement-making lashes. 

Lisa Pearl Black and White Striped Pillow with Bright Red Lips, $190. Available at RonRobinson.com

The faded black-and-white stripes atop this pillow conjure up memories of rockabilly style, while the plump red lips graphic atop these adds a decidedly Pop Art feel to the decorative piece.  

Doe Feather Heart Tee, $24.50. Available at Delias.com

We've seen a billion heart designs over the years, but this one is among the smartest, freshest renditions of the classic shape. We love the watercolor-esque quality of the colored feathers creating the heart graphic and how they add a Bohemian charm to the tee.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Kisses On My List Lip Gloss Set, $30. Available at Sephora.com

Formulated with Anastasia's Balkan Botanical Infusion, these lip glosses rely on conditioning sunflower seed oil, vitamin E-rich jojoba oil, firming brown algae, and soothing camellia extract to moisturize, soften, and smooth lips, allowing for any gloss color to go on smoothly, without feathering, smudging, or dehydrating lips to ultimately create a cracked and flaky pout.

This holiday gift set contains six Hydrafull Gloss shades: Barely, a beige-tinged peach cobbler color; Nectar, a pale seashell pink with tonal shimmer; Lychee, a sheer, near-clear pink with golden shimmer; Sugar, a mid-tone honeysuckle pink; Guava, a coral pink nude with opalescent shimmer; and Cameo, a sheer pearl color with silver shimmer that's strikingly similar to the Lychee shade but lacks the subtle pink undertones. Each gloss features a clear, rubbery applicator top that feels surprisingly soft against lips and that won't run the risk of fraying like a brush tip would.

Check out swatches of all the shades here!

 

Knock Knock Sweet Nothing Sticky Pad, $3.75. Available at KnockKnock.biz

Don;t just whisper sweet nothings into your beloved's ear. Put those thoughts on paper with these sticky 3" x 3" sticky notes from Knock Knock, which feature dotted lines for you to write your original thoughts, along with boxes you can check such as "I'm Proud Of You," "Go Get 'Em," and "Just Breathe." Each sticky pad features 100 sheets, so you'll have plenty of reassuring memos to offer your honey.

 

 

Ban.do Heart Clips, $15 each. Available at Shopbando.com

Put a little love in someone else's heart with these sequin-covered, heart-shaped metal clips, which feature a dual hair clip and brooch closure along the back so that they can be pinned onto clothing, scarves, shoes, and handbags or worn as hair accents.

 

 

Rebell Yell Te Amo Rocker Tee, $69. Available at ShoptheTrendBoutique.com

Give someone your corazón with the Rebel Yell "Te Amo" tee, a 100% cotton, short-sleeved, slouchy top with two rows of large black block letters and two red hearts framing the "Te" word to bring the amorous message home.   

 

Rachel Rachel Roy Heart Key Doorknocker Earrings, $38. Available at RachelRoy.com

 These funky heart-shaped earrings measure 2 1/2" at their widest point, with a skeleton key extending from one half of the heart shape to the other, its surface divided into mosaic-like square slots filled with red enamel.

We're Giving Away Two L'Occitane Hugs & Kisses Duos!

 

It's a simple formula: the smoother the hands, the gentler the caress; the softer the lips, the more tender the kiss. With its limited-edition L'Occitane Hugs & Kisses Duo ($22 at USA.Loccitane.com), the French skincare brand is helping star-struck lovers all around the word turn the variable in this formula into constants, ensuring that their every touch is electrifying. Each Hugs & Kisses duo, then, includes a 0.5 oz. tube of Shea Lip Balm and a 1 oz. tube of Shea Hand Cream, both formulated using top-quality shea butter produced by women in Burkina Faso. The duos come in their original scent (and, accordingly, each product is packaged inside its classic silver tube with the blue L'Occitane logo) or in one of the three scents developed for this year's Limited-Edition Shea Butter Collection: Hibiscus Flower, which has the tropical ease of the hibiscus flower extract's scent, along with the perkiness of zesty, citrus notes; Cocoa Flower, which incorporates cocoa flower harvested in the Ivory Coast and smells powdery and inviting; and Desert Rose, which boasts muddy rose aroma derived from Moroccan rose extract.

The delicious Limited-Edition shea lip balm and lip hand cream tubes are packaged in festive tubes with bright colors and geometric shapes inspired by the beautiful bogolan fabrics traditionally mud-dyed by women in West Africa. These duos are then inserted into pyramid-shaped cartons in colors matching their packaging (orange for Hibiscus Flower, pink for Desert Rose, and green for Cocoa Flower), each bearing an illustration of its contents and featuring a top flap with a tab closure for easy opening and closing.

To celebrate the opening of the amazing new L'Occitane flagship store in New York City's Flatiron District (located at 170 Fifth Avenue) — a veritable emporium of Provençal treats, featuring everything from a skincare bar for consultations and mini facials to easy-to-find sections dedicated to each collection's star ingredient (among them immortelle, verbena, lavender, and almond), and  photo booth where customers can snap their picture against a green screen and then select from a number of settings in the South of France — and to show our appreciation for our most loyal readers, we're giving away two Hugs & Kisses duos!

How do you enter? It's easy!

ENTER TO WIN ONE OF TWO HUGS & KISSES DUOS

Rules: You must be 18 years or older to enter. Contestants must reside within the continental United States.

Dates: The giveaway kicks off today, December 22nd, and ends on December 30th, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. EST

Winners: Two winners will be selected at random. These winners will be announced on our Facebook page, on Twitter, and in the comments selection below, PLUS they will be notified via e-mail.

How to enter:

There are just a few steps you need to take to enter.

1. "Like" Sicka Than Average on Facebook (Facebook.com/sickathanavg)

2. Follow us on Twitter (@sickathanavg)

3. In keeping with the Hugs & Kisses theme,l eave a comment below about who you'd like to kiss underneath the mistletoe (could be anyone from your boyfriend or husband to, say, Brad Pitt, but do keep it clean, ladies!)

4. For bonus entries, mention our giveaway on Twitter, making sure to @reply us.

Sample tweet: I entered to win a L'Occitane Hugs & Kisses gift set from @sickathanavg! 

 

That's it! Good luck, gals!