Gift Guide 3: Quick, to the cosmetics!

It occurred to me that maybe it's a little late to be linking to online stores, what with the clock ticking down (remember: regular and Priority mail by Thursday, express mail by Saturday!) on the post office. So here are a few (okay, a lot) of cosmetics picks that you can pick up at your local Sephora (if you are lucky enough to have one!), and one very special gift that comes out at MAC counters tomorrow.

- First of all, I love the name of this: the Dior Detective Chic eye palette. Because what is more chic than a lady detective? I can't think of anything, can you? Great subtle warm colors, particularly for those of us with green, brown, and hazel eyes. It's also very useful for traveling, if you're willing to risk putting such a lovely little palette in your luggage. I don't know if I would be! It may be too nice for that! Dior has several other travel kits as well that are just as desirable. $49.50 at Sephora.

- I love Urban Decay, and Midnight Cowboy Rides Again is a great, great eyeshadow (as are Midnight Cowboy and Midnight Cowgirl). So it's awesome that they've put together a Best of Urban kit with the amazing Primer Potion, a gorgeously shiny 24/7 eye pencil (one of my favorites!), and some extra blingy glitter eyeliner, if you are into that as well. This would be great for New Year's Eve, and in general -- Midnight Cowboy Rides Again is a perfect going-out eyeshadow. $32 at Sephora.

- It's also pretty well known how much I like the products from DuWop. We actually have this DuWop Discovery kit at home -- last year it was a QVC exclusive, but this year it's at Sephora too. (My mom adores QVC; what can I say?) I have the full-size Amber palette and the Lantana gloss, both of which are lovely and valuable additions to any make-up kit. And if you don't have Lip Venom, you're missing out on a beauty cult classic. (But as I said in March, I really do like 2nd Sin more.) These are a great introduction to DuWop's products. Just be careful -- my mom dropped the eyeshadow and it shattered. $38 at Sephora.

- Fresh Cosmetics has this question for you: Are You A Sugar Lover? It's a quick kit of their Sugar Lover lipgloss and Supernova Mascara. I am a huge fan of Supernova Mascara -- I even like it better than Diorshow (the overwhelming fan favorite). I've already got long lashes, but the Supernova really makes them show up and applies really easily. The new Sugar lipglosses are also really fab; I own Sugar Flirt, a sheer raspberry. (I feel like I've written this part before; do I really need to sell you on a delicious shiny lipgloss that smells like lemon drops?) Sugar Lover comes with Sugar Shag, a lovely shiny red, and you can also buy Are You a Sugar Fairy, which has a sweet sparkly pink Sugar Fairy gloss. You know me -- I always go for the red. $42 at Sephora.

- This is one of those times when I'm glad my mom doesn't read this blog (that I know of!), because this is what I got for her. (I'm also going to get her something else, but this is one of her gifts.) My mom and I both use Bare Escentuals make up, but her much more so than me. She also has the bad habit of buying things for herself (from QVC, again) right before Christmas. What to do? I bought her this Blendable Eye kit in Tahitian Sunset, since they're colors that I know will look good with her green eyes, but that she'd probably never think to pick up on her own. Coral and tangerine will both make her eyes greener, as will the warm copper. Bare Escentuals has a lot of other color kits as well, but this is my pick for my mom. Awww. $36 at Sephora.

- Finally, the Final Great Beauty Gift. This comes out at MAC tomorrow, so be ready to either buy it immediately online and get 2-Day or Overnight shipping (enter code 2DAY by 11 am EST Thursday for free 2-Day and OVERNIGHT by 11 am EST Friday for $5 overnight) to get it by Monday, or head to your local counter or MAC store (check the store locator at MACCosmetics.com). Because guess what? Parrot -- the myth, the legend, the extremely expensive eBay auctions -- is back. Tomorrow. Do I need to say more? $14 at MAC.

Even if you don't know what your friend uses, cosmetics-wise, these kits will be a good introduction to different brands and new products that will definitely be appreciated by any level of beauty fan, from the hardcore to the beginner.

images from sephora.com and maccosmetics.com