Happy New Year! It’s 2009 and I’m not looking back.

While 2008 was mostly wonderful for Makeup Bag (the WWD feature, the Elle mention, PARIS!), it was also a very difficult year for me personally. I lost my dad in January which has crippled me in ways that I can not explain. I’ve also spend most of the year away from my husband who is working on a business project in Hawaii that requires him to spend most of his time on the island of Kauai. For these reasons, most of 2008 was rather foggy and I haven’t really felt quite like myself.

This year, I’m taking my mom’s advice and moving forward. I have so many fun ideas for Makeup Bag but just haven’t had the mental energy to execute them.

This is the year I’m going to make it happen. Makeup Bag will be bigger and better than ever and I hope you’ll stick around for the beauty-adventure.

Here are some of my favorite products from 2008:

1. Bobbi Brown Mauve Palette Everything I need for makeup on-the-go is in this palette. Kudos to Bobbi Brown for creating yet another perfect palette.

2. CHANEL Haute Chocolat Nail Colour It was love at first sight with this deep brown, shimmery polish—and the honeymoon’s not over yet. I love this polish.

3. CLINIQUE Comfort on Call moisturizer This has been my go-to moisturizer for weeks. There is no scent to irritate my dry, sensitive skin.

4. CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara I like the waterproof formula—it does amazing things to my lashes.

5. CLINIQUE Blushwear Cream Stick in Shy Blush This color is so perfect for my skin and I love the convenience of the cream stick.

6. Jurlique Citrus Hand Cream The incredibly creamy texture and amazing scent of this hand cream make up for the price.

7. Zoya Nail Polish in Erika How could I NOT include my namesake polish on this list?

I’ve seen a few lists from other beauty bloggers around the web this week. Check them out:

• The Makeup Girl

• 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic

• Rocketqueen

• Blogdorf Goodman

• Makeup Minute

• Jolie Nadine
  

What were your favorite products of 2008? Leave a comment with your answer and be entered to win a selection of products from the Makeup Bag Beauty Closet.

Winner will be selected at random on Monday, January 5. Feel free to enter as many times as you’d like. Good luck!

“For one weekend only, and just in time for the holidays, CoverGirl and bebe are giving fashionistas the chance to try new CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain, an innovative, pen-style lipcolor that delivers the feel of bare lips and achieves a look that’s straight from the runway. From December 12-14, shoppers at select bebe stores across the country will receive one CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain free with a $100 purchase, while supplies last. But you better hurry: CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain won’t be available to the public until January 2009 and the exclusive samples won’t last long!”

The whole concept of pen-style makeup is so fun to me. Not since elementary school have I had so much fun with a “magic marker.” The great thing about CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain (aside from the aforementioned doodling aspect) is it really does stain your lips and stays on forever.

Janey and I sampled these yesterday afternoon and we both woke up to rose-stained (me) and crimson-stained (Janey) lips this morning. Janey also tested several shades on her left hand which were still vibrant even after several hand-washings.

Pat McGrath, makeup artist phenom and P&G Global Creative Design Director, created a palette of ten beautiful shades that deliver a flush of color to the lips:

• Everbloom Kiss
• Bit of Blossom
• Berry Smooch
• Teasing Blush
• Sassy Mauve
• Plum Pout
• Coy Coral
• Wild Berry Wink
• Flirty Nude
• Cinnamon Smile

“Over the last few seasons, lipstain has emerged as a key beauty trend on fashion runways,” notes McGrath. “The CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain collection is one step ahead of the curve with its novel pen applicator and prestige color palette. It’s a great way to update your look and stay on top of latest runway trends.”

Be sure to stop by a participating bebe store this weekend and get a free sample of CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain with a $100 purchase.

CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain will be available beginning January 2009.

Today is day two of my Seven Days of Holiday Looks series and JUST LOOK AT THIS PURPLE EYE SHADOW!

I tried to create a smoky eye with shades of purple and I have to say this look is more wearable than I imagined it to be. (My dentist was quite smitten and likely thought I dressed up just for him.)

Here’s the holiday makeup I used to create this look:

La Mer The Treatment Fluid Foundation SPF 15

My skin was looking extra red today (I’ve been testing retinoids) so I reached for my La Mer The Treatment Fluid Foundation SPF 15. My friend Annie from Blogdorf Goodman swears by this full-coverage foundation and so far, it hasn’t let me down. For creating an even, smooth canvas that lasts all day, this foundation is top dog. (P.S.–At $85 per bottle, it’s more cost-effective than you think. The bottle lasts forever as you only need the teensiest amount.) (P.P.S–as always, I mixed in a drop of my Prescriptives Custom Blend Tinted Moisturizer for near-perfect color.)

NARS Duo Eye Shadow in Jolie Poupee

With both vibrant violet (matte) and pearlescent purple (shimmery) this duo was all I needed to create my smoky purple eyes. I used the violet on my lid and the pearlescent purple along the bottom lashline. So simple! NARS eye shadows are easy to blend and have a high color payoff making them the best for smoky eyes. (I love the entire Nightlife Collection for this purpose but Night Clubbing (black with gold pearls) and Night Flight (black with cobalt blue pearls) are my faves.)

Prescriptives Winter Reflections All-Over Highlighter

Even though this Prescriptives Winter Reflections is a highlighter, my skin is light enough to use it as a blush. After applying to the apples of my cheeks with a brush, I tapped my finger onto one of the white pearls and lightly highlighted my cheekbones and nose. While hard to see in the photo, this creates a serious glow.

MAC Lipstick in Quiet Please

This sheer frosty beige lipstick gave my lips just enough color without taking away from the purple eyes. Quiet Please is from the Red She Said MAC Holiday Collection and is only available for a limited time.

CoverGirl LashBlast

Since it’s debut earlier this year, LashBlast remains one of my favorite mascaras (in the waterproof formula). Since the wand is huge, it’s tricky to keep the mascara from getting on your eye lids, but once you get the hang of it, it’s amazing.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Day 3 of Seven Days of Holiday Looks.

Miss Day 1? See it here:

Wow. I can’t believe it’s been so long.

How’ve you been?!

I am feeling fierce these days. Here’s why:

LASH BLAST .

CoverGirl’s newest mascara is rocking my world. I usually don’t try mascaras that aren’t waterproof because—like my "the dog ate my homework" excuses—they never seem to work.

Funny thing about LashBlast is that I actually thought it was waterproof.

A few weeks ago, I spotted the orange tube in my mom’s Makeup Bag which set off a few sirens in my head because 1) I’d seen the Drew Barrymore LashBlast commercials and was dying to try it, and 2) when my mom doesn’t immediately tell me about a new beauty product she’s trying it means only one thing: SHE’S HIDING IT FROM ME!

Of course, I had to assume the LashBlast was waterproof because my mother would have no need to hide it if it wasn’t. (Just so you know, she hides her spearmint Orbit from us, too!)

The brush on this mascara is the chubbiest ever, with TONS of teensy little plastic bristles. At first glance I thought I would hate it, but I soooo do not. Somehow, this chubby orange mascara makes my lashes thicker and darker and longer than any other mascara I’ve used.

Which is why I was shocked to find out the tube we have isn’t waterproof— it doesn’t smudge or smear or flake AT ALL. For someone who wears contacts, this is huge.

The thing that sucks is that I can’t buy it anywhere—it’s completely sold out of every drugstore near my house.

This means that between me, my mom and my sister (it didn’t take Bailey long to catch on) we play musical chairs with the LashBlast every morning. Bailey even yelled at me this morning for applying an extra coat that she felt I wasn’t entitled to. The nerve!

If you find one of these chubby orange tubes in the CoverGirl aisle of your local drugstore, do yourself a favor and pick one (or twenty seven) up. You won’t regret it.