e.l.f. Cosmetics Holiday 2015 Favorites

There's still time to get your last-minute holiday gifts, and maybe even more time if you aren't seeing certain friends and family until after Christmas. I recently took a trip to the e.l.f. Cosmetics shop at 741 Broadway in NoHo to preview their holiday assortment and a peek at their new launches for 2016. 

While picking up e.l.f. Cosmetics gifts (especially for my nieces who love the brand) it was hard not to get some new items for myself! Here's a list of my top 10 holiday favorites:

• All About Eyes 32 color eyeshadow palette: This is at the top of my gifting list! Not only does it come with a mix of neutral and bold color shades, it also comes with an eyelid primer and eyeliner and eyeliner brushes.
• Made for Matte lip color set: 4 matte lip colors for when you want to go bold and make your lips stand out.
• Beautiful Brows eyebrow kit: Whether you are looking to shape your own eyebrows or just maintain them, this kit has everything you need, including 4 reusable stencils, 2 eyebrow powder shades, 1 eyebrow defining wax and 1 dual-ended brow & pencil brush.
• Lip Exfoliator in Sweet Cherry: I love that this exfoliator takes a lipstick form, which is easy to thrown in your purse and apply when needed, or right before applying lipstick or gloss. It also a perfect stocking stuffer!
• Lip Color Remover: This is another useful product that I didn't have previously! I can't tell you how many times I have decided on a lip color for the day just to change my mind and wipe it off. This will especially come in handy for removing those pigmented lipsticks and lip stains. 
• Foundation Serum: This is a gift you should get for yourself! A friend recommended this to me and I love the light coverage and that it is formulated with SPF 25 sunscreen. It doesn't even feel like you are wearing a foundation - it's more like a tinted moisturizer.
• Maximum Coverage Concealer: Concealer is one product I can't live without, since I always need to cover up my lack of sleep! I am always splurging on concealers but I'm hoping I won't have to anymore with this one! This highly pigmented formula blends perfectly with my skin tone and is also oil free. 
• Daily Brush Cleaner: This is something everyone needs! I must admit, I don't clean my makeup brushes as often as I should but intend to now that I have this anti-bacterial cleanser.
• Mattifying Blotting Papers: My My t-zone always gets shiny so these blotting papers come in handy, especially before snapping any selfies or pics. The blotting papers are infused with translucent powder to help matify skin and absorb oil without affecting your makeup. The unique sponge applicator makes touch-ups super-easy.
• Kohl Eyeliner: Whether it's my nieces or my mom, they are always asking me for eyeliner! I can't blame them - it's a product I use daily to make my eyes stand out. I also love creating a smoky eye so this eyeliner is perfect for that look. It glides on easily and can be used as a liner or eyeshadow. An added bonus - there's a sharpener right on the cap so it's perfect for your cosmetic bag!

If you aren't familiar with e.l.f. Cosmetics you'll find that there are a variety of options for each product, whether it's an eyeliner, mascara, foundation or concealer. There's a lot to choose from so you can really experiment and see which products are best suited to you. It's also incredibly affordable! Many of the stocking stuffers I picked up are between $3-$5 - you can't beat that price!

To wrap up this post, here's a look at what will be coming soon for Spring 2016, including a Hydrating Gel Melt Cleanser, Hydrating Bubble Mask (I'm most excited about this one!), an applicator for applying the mask, facial roller massager, and new palettes!

- Kim Weling

Accessories Council Holiday Gift Picks 2015

Here are my top ten favorite highlights from the Accessories Council holiday preview. There are some great gift ideas for shopping for those last-minute or post-holiday gifts, along with some items you may want to pick up for yourself! 

During the Ace Awards last month, MR. was announced as the winner of the 2016 Emerging Designer competition. Heather Hubbard presents an exciting holiday collection, featuring leather and suede fringe bags and colorblock clutches. You can find MR. handbags at Bloomingdale's and Ssaks Fifth Avenue, 

Nothing feels like winter like chunky hand-knit accessories. I love the fall/winter accessories that the3rdpiece.com can add to your edgy look, including cabled infinity scarves, fingerless knits, cowl scarves with a fringe border, beanies and headbands. Or if you prefer DIY gifts, you can create your own designer pieces! On their website they offer knit packages that include a downloadable patterns. 

Luxchillas has expanded their line to offer bucket mochila bags embellished with crystals and leather fringe for a luxe, boho-chic look, handcrafted by Wayuu Indigenous of Columbia. 

Pluma Jewelry creates gorgeous statement pieces made with gemstones and geodes like azurite, malachite and apopthyllite. I lvoe the whole look of pairing stones with metal, and even layering the pieces to create a bolder look. This is definitely on my own list to shop!

Black Lace Skin Jewelry is the luxe version of flash tatoos! They are made of the finest glitters, Swarovski elements, silks and satins and metallic gold and silver foil inks. The designs are inspired by Medieval times, with a modern, edgy twist. Their designs include Fleur de lis, royal crowns, roses, hearts, gothic crosses, crystal beaded snakes, thorns and feathers. They are hypoallergenic, self-adhesive and waterproof!

3D printing is taken to a hole other level, with jewelry designs by John Brevard. His rings, earrings, pendants and necklaces are inspired by natural geometries and phenomenology. 

Christina Greene jewelry is made of unique one of a kind handmade designs, incorporating natural stones from all over the world - amethyst, black onyx, labradorite, lapis, orange quartz, pearl, pyrite, red quartz and turquoise. Lapis and pyrite are some of my favorite stones - her designs definitely make beautiful gifts!

Deondra Jereé handbags are made of luxurious leather, with red being a prominent color this holiday season. Her designs are available as a backpack, clutch, crossbody, bucket bag, small leather goods and more. Her collection includes colorblocking, tassels and gold tone studs. 

Laudi Vidni reminds me a lot like Shoes of Prey except for handbags! A custom gift is the perfect gift to treat yourself to and play designer. With pouchettes starting at $75 and wristlets starting at $95, you can create your own accessory, choosing from 21 styles, 50 leathers, luxurious finishes and hand-brushed hardware and beautiful linings. Your custom designed bag arrives at your door within 4 - 8 weeks! One of my favorites is the Legato Fringe, starting at $195. 

I have already gotten so many compliments on the Rave Metal Clutch in Silver by Glass Handbag. I wore it to the International Emmy Awards last month and also used it for a recent style post (coming soon)! This limited edition bag is so unique, since it has a built-in electroluminescent lighting system and also comes with the batteries. 

The light panel built into the bag lasts about 25,000 hours. The battery life of the bag depends on the use, but typically if you use your bag every day the battery should last one month. In addition to this clutch there are a number of different handbag styles available, including crossbody, satchel, evening and vegan bags. 

I am always saying how I wish I had a bag equipped with a light when you open it up, and it looks like I got my wish! 

- Kim Weling

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Last-Minute Accessories to Gift

Dana Bronfman Jewelry

Looking for some last-minute gift ideas? Hopefully these on-trend jewelry, handbags and accessories will inspire you to get the perfect gift for friends, family or for yourself. Some of my favorites include the tube-shaped pendants from Dana Bronfman, H by Halston bucket and crossbody bags, Buffalo Check accessories from Vera Bradley, statement necklaces from Chloe + Isabel and Fairchild Baldwin, luxurious woven leather by Welden, and Issac Mizrahi New York sunglasses and phone cases. 

H by Halston 

Vera Bradley

Chloe + Isabel

Fairchild Baldwin

Welden

Isaac Mizrahi

- Kim Weling

Holiday Gift Guide 2015

In case you are still shopping for holiday gifts (or are now focused on gifting yourself), here are my favorites from this year's Holiday Gift Guide media event I attended over the summer. Highlights include the latest products in beauty, tech, candles, and other accessories. 

This was my first introduction to Savannah Bee, which has a number of amazing products in their line, including body butters, hand creams, lip balms, heel balms and bar soaps. These products are sure to keep your skin soft and moisturized all winter long. One of their star products is the Royal Jelly Body Butter, which smells amazing and has a super-rich formula (you'll never have to worry about dry skin if you are using this). I absolutely love the packaging too! 

One of Vitabath's newest scents is Orchid Intrigue, with a scent of amber velvet, layered with luxurious amethyst orchid jasmine, and sugared musk. For the holidays, Vitabath also launched Spice Is Nice and Sweet Pink Peppermint. Spice is Nice is a blend of pumpkin, allspice, rum and maple syrup, topped with delicious cream cheese icing. Sweet Pink Peppermint has a scent of pink candy cane, cheery vanilla and sugary musk. 

The Softlips Cube make the perfect stocking stuffers. The 5-in-1 lip care  is made with SPF 15, shea butter, and Vitamins A,C, and E. New scents include Pomegranate Blueberry and Peach Mango. Also be on the lookout for the limited edition Hello Kitty Cube. 

Products you'll want to gift from Hada Labo this season include the best selling Skin Plumping Gel Cream, Anti-Aging Hydrator, and Replenishing Hydrator. The newest product is the Ultimate Anti-Aging Facial Mask with Super Hyaluronic Acid. The single-use mask instantly boosts hydration, smooth fine lines and refreshes skin in just 10 minutes. 

Barbar blow dryers are stylish and effective, reducing drying time up to 50%. Barbar also makes an eco-friendly blow dryer, saving 40% more electricity than a standard dryer.

This Belkin Ultimate Pro Keyboard Case is the perfect accessory for your iPad, for home or for travel. 

The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive is perfect for transferring photos or videos from your iPhone, iPad or laptop, up to 64 GB. 

Cobra JumPack is a must-have for your car, as you never know when you'll need jumper cables or a charger. 

Zolt Laptop Charger Plus  is perfect for the home, office or travel, powering up your laptop, phone and tablet at the same time. 

Puppy Bumpers are a cute and safe option for keeping your dog from escaping the fence. They are available in different designs, including festive ones such as snowmen or wreathes.

Yankee Candle is one of my go-to candle brands, with cocktail-inspired candles such as Vanilla Bourbon, Sparkling Wine, Holiday Sangria and Pomegranate Cosmo. 

Corkcicle Canteens keep beverages cold for up to 25 hours and hot for 12 hours thanks to its triple insulation. The tumblers keep drinks cool for 9 hours or hot for 3 hours. The design and variety of colors really caught my eye, especially the brushed copper!

Plaid is definitely trending this winter, and the Vera Bradley Buffalo Plaid collection is perfect for the holiday season, whether you are looking to gift a wallet, cosmetic case, tote or travel bag. The Midnight Geometric collection features a fun, modern black and white design. 

- Kim Weling