I know we are all sporting taupe, greige, and gunmetal manicures right about now, but Chanel's pale ice blue nail lacquer, Riva, has just launched with their Côte D'Azur 2010 Cruise Collection. If you are gearing up for a tropical vacation like I am (not to rub it in or anything), this might be considered a necessary expenditure. The Rouge Coco lipsticks are available in four limited edition shades (for $30 each) in Sari Doré, Perlé, Taffetas Rose, & Chintz

After hearing gals rave about this palette, I decided that I better pick up a few next time I saw it in stock! I must say, this is not just hype...this is UD's best palette to date. Inside the sleek velvet mirrored compact you will find 12 eye shadows (5 of which are new), a double ended 24/7 eyeliner (two shades) and a mini Urban Decay primer potion all for the price of $44 (that is over $200 worth of product!). Each eyeshadow is gorgeous, richly pigmented, and have a buttery smooth texture making application stress-free. This is the only Urban Decay palette I can think of that is completely void of those pesky chunky glitter shades (ahem Midnight Cowboy Rides Again), making it perfect for the office, or for women who leave the glitter to the tweens & teens. Because of this the palette is the PERFECT gift idea for the ladies on your shopping list regardless of their age or skin tone--these shades will look amazing on anyone!

This palette is currently sold out online at Urban Decay and Sephora.com, but I found a whole shelf full at my local Sephora, so keep your eye out for it & keep checking the sites! It truly is an A+++ palette so it is definitely worth the effort as a gift for yourself or someone on your shopping list!

*EDIT NOTE* The original images from this post were accidentally deleted *poof, gone* by me (BLONDE MOMENT!), thus I have replaced them. However, you will note the palette has since gotten much use out of it so the images aren't quite as pretty as they once were. :(

I absolutely love the Nars Holiday collection! Affording it is another matter entirely, but it was certainly instant lust!

{top} Nars Bad Influence Nail Polish (Smoky Taupe) $16; Nars Pokerface Nail Polish (Lilac) $16; Okinawa Trio Eyeshadow (Silver, Cobalt, & Onyx) $45; Melusine Duo Eyeshadow (Pale Silver Lilac & Bright Deep Purple) $32; all by Nars;

{middle} Etrusque Single Eyeshadow (antique gold) $23; Sex Appeal Blush (Soft Peach) $26; all by Nars;

{bottom}Petit Monstre Lipstick (Bronzed Berry w/ Satin Finish) $24; Downtown Lip Gloss (Metallic Pink Lavender) $24; Bougainville Lip Gloss (Pomegranate) $24 Little Darling Lipstick (Nude Beige) $24; all by Nars

UPDATE: I picked up Bad Influence nail polish and Little Darling lipstick while I was out and about. I adore both of the shades! Little Darling is a perfect nude lipstick that applies sheer giving my lips a nice natural sheen without being the least bit drying.

While taupe nail polishes are a dime a dozen these days I was surprisingly impressed by Bad Influence. It certainly is dupeable (it is nearly identical to Chanel's Particuliere), but if you are looking for a great taupe/greige shade and you can get your hands on this I highly recommend it. It is a creamy formula that applies smooth with great coverage (2 coats is more than enough). 

I was also really fond of the Etrusque eyeshadow. This gold was a huge improvement as far as texture and pigmentation on Nars' Silent Night eyeshadow that I find to be a little heavy on the glitter and takes a bit more care as far as application. Check out my swatches below:

M.A.C. has wrapped their holiday collection in tartan plaid this season. The packaging did nothing for me personally, but I know a few of you will embrace your inner Charlotte York and pick up a few goodies from this collection. There are a ton of repromotes which is great if you missed them the first time around (or happen to really love a given shade), and there are a lot of permanent & PRO items that have been repackaged for the holiday collection. As always, be sure to check your personal stash before handing over cash! Regardless of your feelings on the packaging, the value of the sets and palettes can be exceptional provided A) you LOVE all the shades in the palette and B) don't already own one (or more) of the products in the set/palette. I usually find the pigment and brush sets to have the best value in M.A.C.'s holiday collections, but in this massive collection there is temptation every step of the way! Check it out below:

'A Tartan Tale Holiday Colour Collection:

M.A.C. Tartan Tale eyeshadows ($19.50): Golden Crown (champagne gold); A Wish Come True (soft pink w/ frost finish); Follow Your Fantasy (medium orange w/ champagne shimmer); Enviably Fun (soft chartreuse w/ gold sheen); Semi-Precious (red plum w/ violet sheen); Glamora Castle (steel blue w/ silver sheen);

M.A.C. Tartan Tale Blush ($18.50): My Highland Honey (peach-orange w/ subtle sheen) & Her Blooming Cheek (fuschia pink blush);

M.A.C. Tartan Tale Nail Polish ($13): Sly As A Fox Nail Polish (darkened red-brown w/ micro shimmer) & Style Clan Nail Polish (taupe w/ copper glitter)

MAC Tartan Tale Lipstick ($14.50): The Faerie Glen (pale neutral pink); Cut-a-Caper (mid-tone peachy pink); Full Fuchsia (bright blue fuchsia); Courting Lilac (sheer lilac mauve with soft gold pearl); Deepest Wish (deep creamy red-brown);

MAC Tartan Tale Dazzleglass Cremes ($18): Lightly Prancing (light peach with gold pearl); Soft Dazzle (mid-tone peach pink with gold pearl); Passing Fancy (bright orange coral with soft pearl); Gone Romancin' (mid-tone lavender with multi-dimensional pearl); Radiant Jewels (dark magenta w/ sparkle)

Pigments ($19.50):  Later (black with transforming purple pearl) (repromote from Alice+Olivia looks amazing when applied wet);  Moonlight Night (blackened teal with teal pearl); The Family Crest (blackened bronze with pearl);

Zoomblack Mascara ($14)

MAC Pearlglide Eyeliners ($14.50):  Lord It Up (bronze with pearl); Undercurrent (teal with pearl);  Petrol Blue (deep navy with pearl); Blackline (black with gold pearl); Black Swan (black with pearl);

A Lady & Her Tricks ($49.50): 168SE 187SE 209SE 219SE 252SE

She’s Got It All ($49.50): 194SE 204SE 224SE 266SE 275SE

Sweep Me Off My Feet ($49.50):129SE 190SE 227SE 212SE 275SE

{top} Dashing Lassies' Eye Kit ($36):  Bronze (copper penny), Buckwheat (frosty medium brown), A Dashing Lassie (metallic milk), Magical Mist (metallic taupe), Showstopper (dark brown), and Once Upon a Time (metallic vanilla);

Beauties Play It Cool' Eye Kit ($36): Silverwear (metallic lavender), Hold My Gaze (medium grey), To the Ball (dusty lavender), Magic Moor (purple grape), Altered State (blackened plum), and

Heather Belles (dark charcoal).

Reelers & Rockers' Eye Kit ($36): White Rabbit (shimmer white), Melt My Heart (metallic silver), Carbon (matte black), Family Treasure (metallic bronze), Gaelic Gold (metallic gold), and Crown & Sceptre (metallic copper).

Twists of Tartan' Eye Kit ($36): Lady’s Prance (clay), Rolled Gold (gold), High Spirits (shimmered avocado), Vainglorious (metallic maroon), Set to Dance (dark royal blue), and Bows & Curtseys (metallic hunter green).

{bottom} Happily Ever After' Lip Kit ($22.50): Endless Fun (sheer frosty pink), Cheers All Around (bright candy pink), and To Joy (medium pink)

Triumphant Blush' Face Kit ($38): Melba (soft coral peach)(Permanent), Peachtwist (golden peach)(Permanent), and Smooth Harmony (neutral mid-tan; beauty powder)(repromote from Heatherette).

Hark the Heraldry' Face Kit ($38): Dame (sophisticated blue-pink)(Permanent), Plum Foolery (faint dusty plum) (Permanent), and Oh So Fair (pale pink; beauty powder)(Repromote from Venomous Villains).

Fabulous Fantasy' Lip Kit ($22.50): Heroic Tale (sparkle flesh tone), Imagine This (pink- beige), and Storybook Ending (raisin).

Dazzle the Lads Lip Bag ($36): Baron’s Rose Lipstick medium rose (Cremesheen) (Limited Edition)/Moth to Flame Dazzleglass sheer neutral beige (Dazzleglass) (Permanent)/Draw Me Close Lip Pencil dusty rose (Limited Edition)

Pigment, Lipglass, & Nail sets (available on Nov 11th)

Lipglass sets: Sassy Coral Lassies Lipglass ($29.50): Tad Saucy Pale (muted pink) (Limited Edition)/Jest for Fun (peachy blossom pink) (Limited Edition)/Pretty, Quick! (bright coral)(Limited Edition)/Mimmy (bright pink coral) (Repromote from Hello Kitty, ’09)/Hearts-a-Beatin’ (pale raisin) (Limited Edition); 

Sassy Neutral Lassies Lipglass ($29.50): Scottish Lilt (peachy beige) (Limited Edition)/Spirits a’ Flying (pale gold) (Limited Edition)/ Girls at Play (plummy brown) (Limited Edition)/Stealing Kisses (glossing spice) (Limited Edition)/Bright & Perky (classic bronze)(Limited Edition);

Sassy Pink Lassies Lipglass ($29.50): Sassy Lassy (bright pink fuchsia) (Limited Edition)/ Fab Fun (pale crystal pink) (Limited Edition)/Frozen Dream (medium pink rose) (Repromote from Chill, ’08)/Electro-Lush (medium mauve) (Limited Edition)/The Wee Coquette (naked neutral pink) (Limited Edition)

Pigment/Glitter Sets: Cool Thrillseekers ($32.50): Reflects Pearl (white glitter w/ pearl sheen)(Glitter) (Permanent)/Silver Fog (platinum silver) (PRO)/Cheers My Dear! (pale violet) (Limited Edition)/Softwash Grey (grey with purple pearl) (Repromote from Sundressing, ’06)/Mauvement (cool taupe with gold pearl) (Repromote from Fabulous Felines, ’10)

Warm Thrillseekers Pigments/Glitters ($32.50): Reflects Bronze (sparkling rich gold) (Glitter) (Permanent)/ Most Darling (medium brown shimmer)/Gift o’ Glamour (pale metallic pink)/ Gold Mode (tan gold) (Repromote from Rushmetal, ’07) Gilded Green (frosty mid-tone green with gold pearl) (Repromote from Colour Forms, ’08)

Smoky Thrillseekers Pigments/Glitters ($32.50): Reflects Blackened Red (sparkling burgundy) (Glitter) (Permanent)/Naked (fleshy beige with golden copper pearl) (Pigment) (Permanent)/

Jigs & Jives (naked taupe) (Limited Edition)/ Blue Brown (deep brown with frosted green/blue reflection) (Permanent)/Dark Soul (charcoal black smoked with gold) (Permanent)

Nail Set: Naughty Little Vices Nail Lacquers ($25.50): Nocturnelle (black-as-night black) (Cream) (Limited Edition)/Asiatique (creamy classic red) (Cream) (Limited Edition)/Beyond Jealous (blackened blue green) (Cream) (Limited Edition)/Vintage Vamp (deep black wine) (Cream) (Limited Edition)/Vice is Nice (classic metallic gold) (Frost) (Limited Edition)

I'm going to start making a habit of browsing Kate Spade on dreary mornings that make me want to crawl back into bed, because today I did exactly that and it made me smile! Is that strange?! I can't help it when there are beautiful, quirky, and fun items there that I would just love to have.

The Letter Perfect bracelet ($95) reminds me of my own Word Jumble bracelet I bought a couple of years ago at Anthropologie; All Typed Up Clyde ($495) This bag couldn't be more fun. It is definitely a conversation starter!; Taxi mittens!? ($65) Brilliant! I'll be needing these; Left Right Mittens $65 -a great gift for a silly kid sister maybe!) :); Twirl Karolina Gold Sequin pumps w/ Red Patent leather heel $350- My thoughts on sequins: More, More, MORE!; Hang in there typewriter pendant ($95) To complete the theme!; All Typed Up Large Pouch ($95) I might be tempted to draw on it :(; Giada Velvet Bow Slingbacks ($350) The PERFECT shoe for the holidays!;  Jeweled Peacock Brooch ($175) Simply gorgeous, I think I could find a way to wear this daily!; all @ Kate Spade.