The Neiman Marcus store always entices me and in the back of the cosmetics department is the new Shu Uemura kiosk where I met makeup artist Sarah Myers. After cleansing, moisturizing and hydrating my mile high dry skin with a very nice and beautifully packaged limited edition skin care line, Sarah gave me a soft classy makeup look with light eye shadow, and dark liner in the water area. OK, I asked too what the heck that meant. It’s a new application being used by makeup artists. The lashes are colored in and connected with a dark liner just under the lash line using either a wet down shadow, or a cream or gel liner. Sarah applied a medium bold lip in a rust tone that will be part of this winter’s Opera Collection. Looking at the beautiful counter area one can’t help but fixate on Shu Uemura Tokyo Lash Bar Collection. Here’s where makeup for an evening event is fun. These aren’t just the normal lashes you see around. You can wear a full set of handcrafted feather false lashes inspired by the butterfly, Peacock blue and black feather lashes with a touch of green, and yellow or red flares to accent by applying just a few to the outside of the eye. These are just to name a few. I hear Madonna’s $10,000 Precious Diamond Lashes come from the collection exclusively from Neiman Marcus. You can have these pricier lashes on special order or pick up some of the fun, different colors, and shapes for a more affordable $20.

The next day I was off to the Nars Cosmetics counter where I met Erroll Perkins the in-house makeup artist. Erroll designed my face with the Nars new Night Owl Holiday collection. He applied the storm grey cream eyeshadow, Lili Marlene, as a liner on my upper eyelid with the tip of a flat brush. Instead of the usual smoky shades, Erroll applied a metallic jade shadow from Belly Dance Duo Eyeshadow with the accompanying Deep Aubergine, on my lids, Christina Lipstick, and a drop of sparkling gold, Moon Fleet gloss right in the middle of my lower lip to give a slight pout. For cheeks one of my favorite Nars products is the The Multiple, A multi-purpose stick for eyes, cheeks and lips. I took home one in Malibu as well as the gel-based mascara in Bamboo. I looked perfectly made up, and not heavy at all thanks to the light weight powder foundation to give my complexion just the right amount of coverage. While you are at the counter, check out a Neiman Marcus holiday exclusive, Nars Body Glow Set. It’s really pretty, feels great on the body and packaged well enough to adorn your home vanity.

Just across from the Nars counter is Chantecaille Cosmetics. I’ve always wanted to try Chantecaille products and this was the perfect time with the arrival of Ernesto Ponce the national artist in for the day. This gentleman was a total pro, with a light touch and some great experience in his home of Panama where he worked in television and film. Gabrielle, the counter specialist cleansed my face and hydrated it with the Aromacologie line, based on healing organically grown flowers. In fact most of the products come from all over the world in order to create this top-notch line. Ernesto applied 60% water, hydrating foundation with just a little powder. A lovely gold shimmer was applied to my eyes with a dark liner. Ernesto conveyed the winter and holiday look as jeweled toned with accents of gold and silver used to hi-lite smoky lids. Lips are stained, or painted full with deep red or berry lipstick and gloss. I picked up the most expensive eye shadow palette I’ve ever purchased. Les Bijoux Eye Define Palette, contains five brilliant eye shadows that you can use wet or dry and as a shadow smudge, accent or liner. The enclosed liner brush is perfect for the new connect the lash eyeliner effect explained earlier in this article. They also

gave me a decent size sample of the foundation to try for a few days. I really liked my makeup and hours later my skin looked flawless.

Speaking of flawless, the next day I headed back to Neiman Marcus to meet with the International makeup artist for Laura Mercier Cosmetics Abby Ireland. Working closely with Laura Mercier Ms. Ireland has her own notable celebrity client list. Known for “The Flawless Face” concept, Laura Mercier’s new book The New Beauty Secrets: Your Ultimate Guide to a Flawless Face arrives on counters this November. An exclusive to Neiman Marcus is Laura Mercier’s 10^th anniversary Signature Collection Book with 3 eye colors, 1 eye liner, 1 Cheek Colour and 1 Bronzing Powder. For winter, according to Abby Ireland, the Mercier concept is that the skin becomes dryer and therefore we must change to products that address the texture of our skin. For that Laura Mercier came out with a new hydrating primer. Also out for the season is Star Struck Eyes, six shades of Mineral Powders, with a flip top ink well to dip your brush into. The powders are hi shine, which will flatten if used with a wet brush. Abby taught me a trick to apply the brushed on powder first to my hand, and work it into the brush so as not to end up with the loose flakes on the cheek bone and under eye area. Down to Earth Lips Collection is part lip colour, part lip glacé, and called Stickglosses I took home the Cranberry stick gloss, Constellation Mineral Powder and Flawless Fix Pencil in Warm for quick touch ups around my lips and to brighten the skin under my eyes.

Later, I was off to Park Meadows to visit the new Sephora Store. Sephora was opened in July just a month after their June opening in Flat Irons Mall. You can tour amidst the counters of designer makeup lines to get a feel for the store’s layout and be cheerfully assisted by one of the many well-trained associates. Look around the counter to find strategically placed clean up stations to remove all those tester stripes on your hands. The counters are user friendly and there are lots to choose from including Sephora’s Teen/Tween line of makeup in great colors, and packaging. All Sephora label brand shadows and blushes has been reformulated and repackaged.

While holiday shopping, look for Sephora’s Blockbuster Palette. This gorgeous kit contains a palette of 64 shades of eye color, 23 lip glosses, nine lip shines, six blushes and two compact powders. At $40 this will satisfy any cosmetic appetite. For the holidays there are lots of great buys from all the brands including one of my favorites, Smashbox Cosmetics. Smashbox is featuring a Houndstooth packaging in all their winter and holiday product lines. The look is very chic, and lots of fun. But wait. Take a look at both Sephora and Makeup Forever false lashes. OH MY! They are in fabulous, new shapes and color in full sets or individual flares. Sephora has some dazzling Glitter Lashes with an easy Lash Placement applicator kit.

So, wrapping up our holiday and winter finds, here’s the skinny on all these fat facts. Warm up your winter with: Clean, polished dewy skin, Jewel tone eyes, shimmered with gold and sliver accents, dark liner using gel or cream shadows with a flat brush either on the inside of the upper lashline or traditionally above the lashline, and false lashes. Balance a bold eye with neutral lips, or add luscious ruby red lips to a light eye rimmed in dark smudged liner. It’s exciting, flirtatious fun, and affordable. Do it!