It’s that middle season where swimwear is slowly just starting to hit the racks. And so comes images of warm, bronzed makeup and beach hair. While these looks are more typical of Summer collections, the Lorac Unzipped Collection makes it their own for Spring 2012.

A refreshing break from the cool pastels of many Spring beauty products, Lorac’s Unzipped Collection will easily carry you over to Summer. Check out some of our picks!

Lorac Unzipped Shimmer & Matte Eye Shadow Palette ($40 US): Create flattering neutral eye looks with the help of these ten rich eyeshadows and the included mini Behind the Scenes Eye Primer. This set is exclusive to Sephora and promises to be a popular item in any makeup stash.

Lorac Lips with Benefits Lip Gloss ($18 US): As good for your lips as they are pretty, these glosses are meant to hydrate and nourish lips with Acai Berry, Pomegranate Extract, and Vitamin E and C. The Crème Brule fragrance and the high shine finish in a variety of colors invite reapplication.

Lorac Tantalizer Highlighter & Matte Bronzer Duo ($32 US): This huge compact takes the guesswork out and makes touch-ups wherever easy. The convenience of a dark contouring shade and shimmery highlight hue guarantees cheekbones that pop! Apply sheerly or layer for more intensity to vary your look.

Lorac Unzipped: The Nude Collection ($34 US): This Ulta exclusive set shows you how to get the look Lorac created for Spring, complete with products for the eyes, cheeks, and lips. Color wise, the bronzy eye quad, peachy gloss, and plum blush would look especially fabulous on ladies with warm undertones.

Which Spring collections have you bought from so far? Are you more into Spring or Summer hues?

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A mini bag is mainly for emergency necessities like cash, but we all throw in a gloss or powder in there anyways. Now reverse the situation. Imagine a bag that is designed for makeup rather than the essentials.

That’s exactly what you get with the Tarte Puttin’ On the Glitz Color Collection & Clutch ($48 US). This metallic silver case comes with three interchangeable palettes that snap inside and an easy-to-reapply gloss for worry free touch ups. Card slots and a long chain strap keep things organized.

Immediately you get the sense that Nine-to-Five is a warm earthy palette. The nature-inspired colors are such a pretty way to ground thick, cozy sweaters and nude lips. The shadows are insanely pigmented and smooth to the touch.

The Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess offers a sheer sun kissed glow. There are traces of faint gold sparkles, but they never look unnatural and help keep the skin from looking muddy or too flat.

Very girly and rosy, A Walk in the Park is classically appropriate and the colors seem cooler than Nine-to-Five. The top four eye shadows are metallic and grittier than Tarte’s shimmer or matte formulas so careful patting is a must to prevent fall-out.

Tarte’s Amazonian Clay Blushes are a favorite of mine for their velvety, rich colors. Darling is a lovely hue that has enough blue tones to illuminate dull skin, similar to the way blue-toned reds brighten less-than-white teeth.

Girls’ Night Out is the palette you’ll want to insert into the clutch bag for edgier or smokier looks. The purple-black smoky eye is an interesting take and the shadows coordinate well together thanks to the variety in finishes and hues.

In dark lighting shimmer does wonders for opening up your features. The Tarte Amazonian Clay Shimmer Powder in Champagne has a soft, golden sheen that counteracts the cool-toned depth of the dark eyes.

The PureOptic Lip Gloss is Tarte’s relatively new gloss formula. The click-style applicator, usually messy and imprecise, actually performs and offers a burst of minty scented gloss with one click. This mauve pink is sheer, offering no more than a pink-tinted clear shine.

What do you think of Tarte’s bag plus makeup approach? How much makeup can you fit in a small clutch?

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This review contains sample products sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

There’s no doubt about it. Mrs. Iris Apfel has got style. Just look at those matching crimson nails and lips! Not to mention her kooky glasses and cover-worthy arm candy. As a fashionista who threw together couture pieces with flea market treasures years before we did, it’s clear why MAC chose to open the new year with Apfel.

With fashions always a season (or two!) ahead, we know we’ll be loving the bright colors that the MAC Iris Apfel Collection brings for Spring and Summer. Yet even now the colors are beautifully appropriate and on-trend. A touch of bold, coordinating color like Apfel demonstrates above is just right.

Lipstick ($14.50 US)
Pink Pigeon Bright cleanest pink (matte)
Scarlet Ibis Bright orange-red (matte)
Party Parrot Bright red-pink (matte)
Flamingo Light milky bright coral (lustre)
Morange Loudmouth orange (amplified)

Lip Pencil ($14 US)
Entertain Me Clearly orange
Embrace Me Vivid pinkish fuchsia
Redd Clearly red

Small Eyeshadow ($15 US)
Silver Gull Blue grey with sparkle (velvet)
Robin’s Egg Mid-tone teal (matte)
Diamond Dove Deep grey brown (matte)
Early Bird Bright coral (matte)
Howzat Deep grey with silver sparkle (satin)

Opulash Mascara ($15 US)
Bad, Bad, Black Black

Impeccable Brow Pencil ($15 US)
Taupe Mid-tone dirty taupe

Eye Pencil ($14 US)
Ebony Soft black

Beauty Powder ($23 US)
Too Chic Soft peachy cream with fine shimmer

Nail Lacquer ($15 US)
Oriele Orange Bright orange coral (crème)
Toco Toucan Bright blue fuchsia (crème)
Sandpiper Creamy pale stone beige (crème)

The MAC Iris Apfel Collection will be available at MAC locations and online at maccosmetics.com on January 5th.

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Everyone knows that a perk of shopping for beauty products during the holidays are amazing deal sets you can find from every brand.

But one of may favorite reasons for shopping makeup and skincare during the holidays are the great purchase with purchase deals.  One for me, one for you.. because I love gifting myself while I search for the perfect thing for you.  ;)

Right now Clinique is offering an amazing deal; get this amazing A Season’s Worth of Pretty palette for $32.50 US with any Clinique purchase.

The holiday palette includes great basics you need for a fresh and neutral look:

Color Surge Eye Shadows:
- Link Mink Duo
- Dark Blue from Polar Blue Quad
- Deeper Pink Shade from Pink Chocolate Quad
- Dark Brown Shade from Coffee Shop Duo
- Purple Shade from Plum Potion Duo

Blushing Blush Powder Blusher:
- Pink Love
- Precious Posy
- Sunset Glow

Butter Shine Lipstick:
- Crushed Grape
- Parisian Red
- Pink Goddess
- Ambrosia
- Adore U

I think I’m going to gift this to my mom, and pick up a new supply of moisturizer for me.  I’m currently a fan of Zero Gravity Repairwear Lift Firming Cream ($56 US).  This is marketed for more mature skin but I like anything that’s meant for lifting and firming; gotta start early!

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For all you MAC collectors out there, these are truly a work of art!  They are some of the prettiest powder compacts I’ve seen from the brand recently.

“A collection of three M·A·C Artist Powders inspired by the Masters & modern art movements. There’s an op art Optical Bronzer that explores the depth, dimension and sheer illusion of bronze. A Street Art Eye Shadow personalizes the eye with a madcap act of pure graffiti – and for those who love random acts of light and shade, an In The Abstract Highlighter. These palettes empower creation…make some art!”

From left to right:

Optical Bronze (Bronzer) Gold pearl and neon pink zig zag

Street Art (Eyeshadow) Graffiti design with light brown, white, light cool blue, warm orange, pastel pink, and pastel blue

In the Abstract (Highlighter) Soft pink base with yellow gold lines and lavender and mid-tone pink dots

How gorgeous are these powders?  These limited edition MAC Art of Powder compacts will be available on counters beginning tomorrow for $38 US each.  Will you collect them all?

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This review contains sample products sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.