NYE: Synonymous with sparkle

What Halloween does for making skimpy outfits "acceptable" in public is what NYE does for sparkle and glitter. Party favors, decorations, outfits, hair and makeup...it's endless.

In my personal opinion, I don't know that there can such a thing as being "too"sparkly or "too much" glitter. Not on New Year's Eve.

There are a million subtle shimmer lotions and products suited for everyday use, but tonight feels like a "go big or go home" kind of scenario.

It doesn't matter how old you are or where you're at: NYE demands some festive glitz. No one is saying you've got to glitter it up a la Ke$ha, but even if you're home in your PJs, a little sparkle helps create a celebratory air.

(When it comes to putting the sparkly stuff on your actual  person, I suspect this goes without saying, but for the sake of safety first: Don't use craft glitter unless you want to end up in urgent care by morning with lacerated eyeballs and a raging skin rash.)

In a nod to the pending new year and the surrounding festivities, PopSugar Beauty shares two slightly more subtle ways to sparkle, courtesy of The Huffington Post.

Want to shop? Locally, it looks like Sally Beauty and Sephora both carry loose cosmetic glitter in an array of colors. (If you're at Sephora, they also carry Lit's Holographic glitter kits.)

Like the concept, but want to keep it super-simple? Urban Decay's "Heavy Metal" line of liquid sparkle eyeliner is vegan, cruelty-free and available in more than a half dozen colors.

So here's to a sparkling, happy and safe ushering-in of 2014 tonight. See you  next year.

The one-minute smoky eye

Just in time for all those Christmas Eve photos, celebrity makeup artist Tina Turnbow demonstrates how one eyeliner can create a glam smoky eye in less than 60 seconds, courtesy of PureWow.

Merry Christmas!

Holiday giveaways

Less than two weeks till Christmas. What the what?

I had big plans of parceling out reader give-aways throughout the month to help everyone feel festive. But clearly, my time management skills are lacking and we'll have to improvise instead.

Basically, there's a drawer full of swag from a number of companies and it all needs a good home. (If you want to re-gift, I won't tell.) So read on for an unofficial and unexpected gift guide, brought to you courtesy of my random desk drawer.

For the feminine:

L'Occitane en Provence makes incredible hand cream. Years ago I found myself in NYC in January with chapped, cracked, miserably stiff claws where there should have been hands. I'd packed a tube of the "Shea Butter" hand cream that Santa brought, but I had yet to try. I nearly cried it was so lovely.

It's the only product of L'Occitane's that I've used, but I'll vouch it's worth every penny. 

So what does it mean for you? Free stuff that's probably amazing. 

There's a full size tin of "Rose Tenderness" ultra rich body cream, which is apparently "exceptionally concentrated" with 25 percent shea butter. It's my impression this is a limited edition fragrance, and while the product itself is sealed, when you open the tin you catch a waft of something dreamy.

Also for giving, we've got a squeezy-tube of the limited edition "Jasmin Passion" lip balm. I have no idea what it smells like or how well it works, but I suspect it's likely legit.

For the techie/minimalist:

Pursecase was seen on ABC's Shark Tank and is touted as being a "stylish and elegant" way of carrying an iPhone, cash and compact mirror without wrestling around inside the depths of our beloved "Mary Poppins" handbags.

Available for iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5, Pursecase comes in a variety of solid colors (including a neon yellow that glows in the dark), has a chain handle and front clasp that bear resemblance to an iconic line of quilted hand bags. 

These cases run about $30 on the official website and a coworker gave one a whirl for a few days. She felt her phone and cards were secure and said she would likely buy one for herself. ("Definitely, if I was still clubbing.") 

Pursecase has been mentioned in the Los Angeles Times, Glamour, Lucky and Real Simple, among others. 

For those who like to go hands-free, Pursecase also offers a cross-body chain strap addition for $8 that's currently sold out on the website.

Want one? We've got a hot pink iPhone 4 Pursecase for to give away.



For the nostalgic:

Personal reflection is essential for mental well-being and this delivers in a non-painful way. The 90's gave us so many treasures, and "The 1990s Coloring Book" is an entirely entertaining reminder of things forgotten not-so-long ago. 

Giga-pets. The song (and ensuing fashion statement) "Rico Suave." AOL.  The phrase "If the glove don't fit, you must acquit."

Solid gold.

Inside you'll find a quirky mix of pop culture, outdated technology and activities such as 'Design your own Trapper Keeper."

For $10, this could make you the most popular gift-giver of the year. It's available online in a number of places and physically at Barnes and Noble, Urban Outfitters and others.

Totally.

For those with curly/natural hair, I've got multiple items for you.

Cantu has provided four, full-sized shea butter products from their new line. I wish I could say I've tried and loved these products, but my hair couldn't be straighter and these would be wasted on me.

But here's how Cantu describes what we've got to give away:

Shea butter coconut curling cream- heals dry, damaged hair while providing moisture and strength. Also defines, conditions and adds manageability to curls. Can be used on damp or dry hair. 

Shea butter daily oil moisturizer- helps prevent breakage, tangling and frizz; restores moisture to dry or damaged hair and scalp; provides silky texture with lasting shine.

Leave in conditioning repair cream- stops and mends breakage and is formulated for severely damaged, dry or coarse hair. Can be used for daily styling or overnight as an intensive leave-in treatment. It supposedly promotes strong, long and healthy hair when used daily.

Shea butter for natural hair deep treatment masque- moisturizes and repairs "extremely dry, damaged hair" that's brittle, and there are several ways to use this masque, depending on the level of damage already done.

See something you liked? 

Email me by 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19 with "Giveaway" in the subject line and a note about what you'd like to have turn up in the mail. (Please include your phone number and mailing address.) We'll announce winners and start shipping on Friday.

DIY meets holiday parties

*Correction: Today's column in the Observer Style section listed the incorrect date for the Carolina Place H&M opening. The updated (yet tentative) opening date is for mid-January, 2014.

An invitation to the Montolinno Christmas party arrived before Turkey Day, the first of a number of holiday gatherings to "look forward" to. And I started thinking...

In theory, these seasonal soirees are such a lovely idea: Get dressed up, spend time among friends - undoubtedly in a festively-decorated environment with music and dancing - have a few cocktails and delicious snacks, maybe exchange gifts, then call it a night. (And since this is a total fantasy, there would even be snow.)

To be fair, I've only been on the holiday party circuit about a decade, so maybe I just haven't been patient enough. But the above description has never actually been the way a holiday party has played out.

Oh no. True to my nature of making things more difficult than they need to be: What's the appropriate host/hostess gift? Do I need to bring a dish or drink? Is it fancy dress? Etc.

But hopefully my neurosis can help your holiday season, or at least the parties, be as painless and joyful as possible.

Clothing conundrum. You want something a bit out of the ordinary, but it can be time consuming and daunting to put together something fabulous, with the added guilt of self-spending when you’re supposed to be thinking of others.

PureWow is one of a slew of sites that offers several, trendy options that vary according to occasion (and age.) Their featured frocks are pretty well out of my acceptable party-clothes price range, but the slideshow is a fun source of inspiration. 

Want something new-to-you on the cheap?  Retailers such as Target and H&M routinely have festive finds for prices that are mostly affordable.

Or try one of the 22 area Goodwill locations or other local consignment shops, such as Buffalo Exchange or Boris + Natasha, to name only a few. 

If you were able to think ahead for Holidays 2013 and hit a Goodwill last January (and/or when people started switching over to their spring/summer clothes) the recently worn NYE outfits – and amazingly ugly holiday sweaters – are among the first items people part with.

Accessorize accordingly. Glitzy jewelry and tiny handbags. Yes, please. But again, the buyers' remorse that comes from spending on yourself during the holidays can suck all the fun from the experience. 

So when I saw the DIY tutorial for a pearl-embellished clutch on P.S. I made this... I was more than a little excited. 

The supplies are affordable (Jo-Ann and Michael's regularly have decent coupons) and you can refurb a bag from previous parties. Added bonus: the level of necessary skill is low enough to keep it fun, not frustrating, making it perfect to tackle while watching The Muppet Christmas Carol or Scrooged.

Go big. There are endless variations of hair and makeup options that seem to center around the same themes every year: Smoky or glittery eyes, bold statement lips, sparkly/funky nails and hair that's either an updo, super-sleek or extra voluminous.

Everyone from Real Simple to Cosmopolitan and All Women Stalk offer their own take on how to do it best. Spend 10 minutes on Pinterest's beauty boards and you'll likely find a look to try. It should go without saying, but don't over do it. It may be the season of excess, but stick to just one of these beauty elements, any more will likely be too much.

Cheers to the season.