Beauty Gifts Under $25

Whether you have secret Santa, co-workers, or stocking stuffers for family to shop for, or just want to have some "emergency gifts" on hand, here are some great beauty gifts under $25. Guys with female relatives and friends to buy for, take note as well.

RVCA Love Nail Polish Set, $24 from Revolve Clothing

Stila Eye for Color Palette, $18 from Skin Store

Ultra Gloss Set, $18 from Sephora

Paul & Joe Cat Lipstick, $25 from Urban Outfitters

Fresh Prime & Glow, $10 from Sephora

Tarte Ring It In Cheek Stain Set, $25 from Sephora

Kings & Queens Royal Favorites, $8 from Skin Store

Kneipp Herbal Bath Oil, $22.50 from Beauty Habit

Trish McEvoy Sexy #9 Pocketable Fragrance, $25 from Saks Fifth Ave.

Limited Edition Fragrance Kit, $12 from Lush

Flight 001 Red Eye Pak, $18 from Urban Outfitters

Still need inspiration? See some of my favorites pieces and lookbook.

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Photos from ShopStyle

Sometimes Being Too Faced is OK

Too Faced Shadow Insurance is the best shadow primer. This is a huge statement coming from me, a loyal MAC user for years. I don't have a single other brand in my [quite large] makeup collection, until now.

I have tried samples of other shadow primers, but always went back to MAC's Prep + Prime Eye. I like this primer because it goes on smoothly, neutralizes lid color so the shadow goes on true and helps the shadow last all day and night.

Too Faced Shadow Insurance, $18

Just recently, I tried a sample of Too Faced Shadow Insurance. It is stickier than MAC's Prep + Prime Eye and if you get it under your eye or outside of your lid, it can be difficult to blend. But, the stickiness is what grabs that shadow and makes it stay put.

The shadow colors looked true and beautiful, the shadow was easy to blend, yet the shadow was also able to be precisely placed. You only need a small dab for both eyes, so a little does go a long way. I woke up in the middle of the night, having not washed my face (I know, bad!) and my shadow looked as if I just applied it.

This primer is the primer. Shop for this and Too Faced products on their site, Sephora, Ulta, Beauty.com, Amazon, Skincare.com.

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Photo from Shephora

Lush Lashes

Don't you hate mascara commercials? The models' lashes are so long and thick! And, of course, I fall for every commercial.

As a person with an eyelash obsession, I have tried tons of brands, lengthening formulas, thickening formulas, undercoats and even the mascara that becomes tubes around your lashes.

Now, I believe I have finally found the best solution. My hairstylist asked if I had eyelash extensions and my husband (and for a guy to notice lashes, they must stand out) said that my eyelashes looked fake.

To begin, curl your lashes with a Shu Uemura curler ($19). Get the curler as close to the base of your eyelashes as possible; be careful not to pinch your lid! Squeeze and hold for twenty seconds per eye. This is the best curler I have ever used, and it is well worth the money.

Apply a lengthening mascara to your upper lashes. I have found MAC's Zoom Fast Black Lash ($13) does the job best. Start at the base of your outer lashes and wiggle the wand up; continue this until you reach your inner lashes.

MAC Zoom Fast Black Lash

If needed, comb your lashes to separate them. If you have very straight lashes, you can curl them again. Be sure that the mascara is dry before curling lashes again or you will end up with lots of clumps.

Take a thickening/volumizing mascara and apply a second coat of mascara to your top lashes. My favorite is MAC's Opulash ($14). Comb your lashes if they appear too clumpy.

MAC Opulash

inally, use a waterproof mascara on your lower lashes. I use MAC's Splashproof Lash ($13) for my lower lashes, and as my go-to waterproof mascara when I'm at the pool or beach. I like using a waterproof formula on my bottom lashes to combat the black under eye smudges some mascaras leave. When you apply mascara to your lower lashes, take time to only get the lashes and not any on your lash line.

For the thickest and longest looking lashes, use the blackest mascara you can find.

For precise mascara application, a magnified mirror is helpful. A magnified mirror is also great for eye shadow application.

If you use MAC's Fix+ ($18), which I highly recommend, spritz before doing your lashes to avoid any smearing or smudging.

Buy MAC products online, or find a store near you.

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Photos from MAC

Burberry Beauty

Burberry's cosmetics line is now available through Nordstrom. Their signature plaid is imprinted on the products and their grey packaging. The color palette is neutral with a few pops of color thrown in, though nothing too bright or unexpected is found.

Burberry Beauty includes liquid and powder foundation and pressed powder for the face ($45-52). The liquid foundation is sheer and available in nine shades. This foundation is very light, so if you like the bare face look and feel, this foundation may be right for you. The powder foundation, also available in nine shades, can be applied dry or wet, depending on the level of coverage you prefer. The pressed powder is only available in two shades; it is a light, matte powder designed to use sparingly.

Burberry Liquid Foundation, $52 from Nordstrom

To add come color to your cheeks, you can choose from blush or bronzer ($42-48). The blush comes in five colors, three are neutral and two are more pink. It has silicone in the formula to ensure a smooth finish and is designed to give a the appearance of a fresh flush. The bronzer is available in four shades for a natural sun-kissed look.

Burrberry Beauty offers eyeshadow, eyeliner and mascara ($27-29). There is only one mascara, which is volumizing, and it only comes in black. The description does not say that it is waterproof, but does say that their are natural agents in the formula that protect from humidity and extreme heat. Burberry's eyeliner is a silicon based pencil that is formulated to go on smooth and be resistant to humidity and heat. There are only five eyeliner colors to choose from and they are all dark (midnight black, midnight plum, midnight blue, etc).

The color in this collection can be found in the eyeshadow. Still, most of the colors are neutral, but there are pinks, purples and blues in the bunch. Again, this product is formulated with silicon for a smooth, even application. Though the twenty color palette is not as expansive as some other cosmetic lines, there is enough range to create a variety of looks from fresh neutrals to nighttime smoky. Number 14 Lavender is quite lovely.

Burberry Eyeshadow, $29 from Nordstrom

Burberry's lip line includes lip pencil, lipstick and lipgloss ($27-30). Pick from six colors of lip pencil to define your pucker. This lip pencil contains an amino acid derivative to firm the lips. Pretty neutrals, with some bright colors like brick red and hibiscus, make up the twenty-one color lipstick collection. With a satin finish, and very light formula, this lipstick is made with ceramides for fuller looking lips. The lip gloss is available in twelve colors, including some counter parts to the lipsticks.

Burberry Lipstick, $30 from Nordstrom

Burberry Beauty is a luxe line created for the Brit in us; to purchase products, visit Nordstrom's cosmetics department or shop online. Don't forget to save up for Christopher Bailey's beautiful fall/winter collection for Burberry.

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Photos form Nordstrom

POP!

Several months ago I was doing my normal 11:00 am activity- checking all the sample sale sites to make sure I'm not missing anything that I need.

I usually only buy MAC cosmetics, I couldn't resist the Pop Lippy Hippie lip gloss set on sale at Haute Look. It looked like so much fun, perfect for summer or on the weekends when you want a bit of lip color to run errands, but don't want a whole face of makeup.

Pop Lippy Hippie, $25

The Lippy Hippie set ($25) comes in a medium sized square box with see through top (and cute words printed on top: music, love, peace, freedom, etc), a lip brush that fits nicely inside and 20 lip glosses. The glosses range in color from sheer to red to plum. Colors vary in intensity and some are shimmery, while others are just glossy. Use the gloss over lipstick, lip pencil or own its own.

Pop Minty Goodnight Kiss, $18

Pop is an affordable line that is fun and girly, but also has a lot of great products to choose from. Pick up a their version of lip plumper, Lip Cushion which adds volume instead of inducing swelling that stings. If you want to try some bright eye shadows, but don't want to spend lots of dough at your regular makeup counter, grab Pop's Lid Neon set. Get 6 fabulous colors (green, yellow, pink, orange, teal, blue) for only $22!

Pop Smoky Eye Class, $32

Bronzers are great, but when you hit the beach or pool and it washes off, you are left with a streaky face or even a bare face. Tan in a Pan is waterproof! Go ahead and jump in with confidence. Also, a huge selection of nail polish will guarantee you find your favorite color.

If you just don't know what to get, ask Sara Strand, the creator of Pop!

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Photos from Pop

Spice Up Your Manicure

Plain nails are well...plain. With Sally Hansen's Nail Art Pen you can do a colorful French manicure or let your creativity take over and try stripes, dots, flowers, or anything else you can think of. The pen is the size of a Sharpie marker to allow for maximum control; the tip is fairly fine, but may be too large for intricate designs. The pen, $7.99, comes in white, black, red, light pink, pink, gold, blue and silver. The colors are saturated enough to color over dark polishes, such as gray, black, dark purple and maroon.

After you paint your nails, and let them dry completely (very important or the nail art pen does not go on well), start designing your one of a kind manicure. If you mess up, simply wipe your nail off immediately and the color will easily come off. When you are satisfied with your art work, let your nails dry completely and add your top coat. The top coat is important to keep the design from chipping off quickly.

Tip: Do this with a friend, because when it comes to painting your dominate hand with your non-dominate hand, things can get messy and your friend can do it for you.

People will definitely notice your unique nails and ask where you got them done. Watch their surprise when you say that you did it yourself.

To purchase Sally Hansen's Nail Art Pen click here to find online retailers and local stores.

For wardrobe & image consulting visit TheStylista Website.

Picture from Sally Hansen