DO > Festive Nails

IF YOU want a manicure that screams HAPPY HOLIDAYS!, then might I suggest heading to the same Kristin G. at Spa Dana who does my nails on a regular basis. I popped in Sunday for a manicure and she had her stash of personal polishes with her (instead of the same hum-drum Essie selection). In it was the Orly Foil FX polish collection, which screams festive with it’s shimmery, glittery, heavenly, Christmas-ornament-gleaming-next-to-a-fairy-light sort of way.

I chose Luxe, which is a gold foil finish and it’s amazing. It’s the perfect accessory to pair with your LBD for the office party. Not too flashy the way, say, glittery eyeshadow can be. It’s a great way for grown-ups to do sparkle.

Orly Foil FX Collection (click here for swatches) and the China Glaze 2010 Holiday Collection (heart Jingle Bells, Party Hearty and Cheers To You… swatches here) are both uber-festive, as are Illamasqua’s Christmas Duos (swatch here) and Butter London’s Rosie Lee. Love them.

Get in the holiday spirit with festive fingertips this year!

Manicure at Spa Dana with Kristin, 660 N. State St, Chicago, IL 60654 (312-202-6000).

And don’t forget to check out their December offer of a free manicure with purchase of the peppermint pedicure treatment.

Image credit and image credit (not my nails but mine looked exactly the same as these!)

DO > Holiday Hairstyles

THIS IS the most gorgeous and simple hairstyle this holiday season. Plus you can do it without curling the ends if you want an edgier look. 

I did it yesterday with just four bobby pins. Plus you can do side-swept bangs or twist them up and back for a more retro than romantic look. 

In total, takes less than 20 minutes from blow dry to finished style.

Click here for instructions and details about this gorgeous girl’s makeup and clothes.

Re-posted from A Cup of Jo. 

SWEAT > FREE Dailey Method Class

What? Skinny Jeans Workout (Free Dailey Method class) at lululemon Bucktown  

When? Thursday, December 2nd, 7pm to 9pm (class is 60 minutes followed by jeans fitting)

Why? Butt-kicking, muscle-quivering workout that mixes ballet, pilates and yoga for a gorgeous, lean, mean body

DEAL > Molton Brown on Gilt Today

MOLTON BROWN is everywhere from posh boutique hotels to airlines nowadays. A far cry from the swinging London salon it was in the 1970s.

But it doesn’t mean the products are any less lush. This British beauty brand makes lovely body products in amazing exotic scents, confirming the truth in their strapline — “Made in England, inspired by the world”.

Gilt Groupe is hosting a Molton Brown sale today starting at 12pm (11am in our fair city, Chicagoans), offering luxury gifts sets, hand wash, lotion, candles, etc.

Shop Molton Brown now.

PS: Gilt Groupe has on offer a HUGE selection of Dr. Hauschka on sale right now too. For those who frequent the aisles of Merz, where you longingly look at the pricey Dr. Hauschka on display, now’s your chance to snap some up at a discount of at least 30%.

SHOP > Cyber Monday Beauty Deals

IF YOU’RE looking for a beauty bargain, today might be a good day to get one. Get the codes, details and deadlines by which you need to shop here…

AOL Stylelist lists top beauty brands who are offering up to 35% and 40% off and free shipping through tomorrow.

There’s some overlapp with AOL Stylelist, but Daily Makeover also lists some other crack brands that are offering everything from actually good, usable free gifts with purchase to free shipping and more.

FitSugar has a list of brands from Adidas to lululemon with offers on right now. 

Real Style Network has some goodies, like Bobbi Brown, Sephora, DHC, Origins and Philosophy.

Temptalia has an exhaustive list of beauty offers on Cyber Monday, including 67% off Ole Henriksen holiday kits and 50% off NYX while supplies last.

People Style Watch lists beauty.com as having Laura Geller at up to an 80% discount.

iVillage has a list in slideshow format that tells us about deals at places like Kiehl’s, C.O. Bigelow, Emerson Made, Forever 21, Nude Skincare and more.

RetailMeNot has a brilliant list of coupon codes for Cyber Monday, including MAC (free overnight shipping) and Boden (30% off and free shipping).

GeekSugar offers up a Cyber Monday shopping guide to help you navigate the glut of goods and pitfalls out there.

Courtesy of my other beauty blog, www.beautywoome.com.

Image credit

MAKE > Cranberry Face Spray

PACKED WITH Vitamin C? Anti-bacterial? Antioxidant? Sounds like an expensive face cream, doesn’t it? Actually, we’re talking about the common cranberry, a wonder-fruit that few eat outside of the holiday season.

If you have a half bag of the ruby berries left, you can do more than just chuck ‘em away. Might we suggest a facial spritz that’s packed with all sorts of brightening, anti-aging, anti-acne ingredients?

Cranberry Face Spray

Ingredients

1. 2 parts distilled/mineral water
2. 1 part cranberries (e.g. 4 cups water to 2 cups cranberries)

Directions

1. Boil cranberries in water until they burst
2. Let them cool a bit and then pour into bowl lined with healthy length of cheese cloth
3. Grab the cheese cloth by the corners and twist so that the pulp stays in the cloth and the juice drips out into the bowl
4. Discard the pulp (or use in a cranberry sugar body scrub)
5. Funnel liquid into spray bottle and keep in fridge
6. Add a few drops of desired essential oils for added properties if you’re up for it (tea tree for acne, chamomile to calm, etc.) 
7. Spray face at will for a refreshing, brightening blast of anti-aging, acne-fighting bliss

Stay tuned for more ways to turn your holiday feasts into beauty treats.