Holidays Start with Sister-Night, Wine & Hallmark Movies
Yay! Holiday season is upon us and IDK about you, but I’m so super stoked! I….. love the holidays – it is my absolute favorite time of year. My sister Vickie and I have “Sister Night” most Saturdays. That means I go to her house, we turn on the fire, order something yummy, open a bottle of wine and binge-watch Hallmark Christmas movies.
We yell “DRINK” every time someone spots the following:
(Yes, we like to make rules)
1. We spot a wreath
2. Someone wears green, red or a bad Christmas sweater
3. Lead actress falls into the arms of tall-dark-hunk, while trying to put the star on the tree. Yes, we know this is basically the entire movie. That’s the point 😉
Sister-Night usually comes down to Hallmark Movies, buttercream and a bottle of something bubbly…
First Things First – Start with these 3 things:
The second part of the fun of course – are all the Glam parties, Christmas getaways and seeing friends and family. We all want to look and feel our best, and with a little planning we can! From Glowing Skin to Impeccable Brows, Shimmery Make-up & Party Outfit looks – I’ve gotcha covered!
FIRST, there are 3 things you definitely want to do before the holidays start. Trust me, it’ll save you time, hassle and make parties just way more enjoyable. Here’s what you want to do:
1. Botox & Fillers: Get ‘em scheduled and done ASAP so you’re good for the entire season. You want to have injectables 2 weeks before your first party or event because they generally need 10-14 days to settle and take effect. More importantly – if any bruising occurs, 2 weeks allows time for bruising to heal and disappear!
2. Pre-Schedule ALL Glam Appts: Holidays are super busy, especially for beauty service providers! Schedule ALL of your Glam appts in advance, to last through the holiday season: Hair, Mani/Pedi, Facials, Spray Tanning, Lash Extensions and Waxing. It’ll reduce stress levels, knowing you’re on the books for all beauty needs!
3. Pre-Select 2-3 Holiday Party Looks: From your closet, put together 2-3 easy Holiday outfits to have on hand in a pinch. Pull the bag, shoes and accessories to go with each outfit and try them on to make sure you like them! Check to see if they need dry-cleaning. Take pictures of each outfit, so you remember. Now you’re ready for any last minute invite.
Pre-schedule Glam appointments through the holidays!
Your Get-Glam Checklist
What you’ll need for glimmering gorgeousness all season long!
SKIN
BRIGHTENING MASK, Shiseido:
Want to look extra bright & glowy for a party? This Shiseido brightening mask is the bomb. Seriously. There are 6 masks in the box, each completely saturated with brightening & moisturizing agents to brighten, soothe and hydrate your skin making it party ready! Oh, and ummm…. It’s equally effective for “the day after” a long night of cocktails.
Alcohol sucks for your skin – that’s why we look dull, tired and 100 years old the next day. At least I do….Ugh. Soaking your face in this mask this will help infuse your skin with hydration and brightening elements, bringing it back to life again. The mask plus a few gallons of water. And a nap.
HYDRATION MASK, Skinceuticals:
Hydrates and brings radiance to skin! My esthetician Chrissy, introduced me to this hydrating gel mask last year, and I’ve since turned my friends and the fam onto it. It’s super hydrating, packed with vitamin B5 and hyaluronic acid and just makes your skin look dewy-hydrated and nourished.
The instructions say to wash it off after 20-minutes, but I leave it on overnight which is completely fine to do, and it actually benefits your skin more. It’s a smooth, clear gel that you smooth over your entire face, neck, chest and back of hands. It will never totally dry, FYI. It’ll just feel slightly tacky to the touch – so put a towel over your pillowcase. Rinse the next morning for dewiness!
GENTLE “PEEL,” Dr. Dennis Gross:
I truly love this gentle at-home peel, by Dr. Dennis Gross and have incorporated it into my nightly skincare routine. Don’t let the word “Peel” scare you off. You’re not going to actually peel, rather the Alpha Beta hydroxy acids used on the pads are just enough to exfoliate away dead skin cells from the day – keeping skin clear, bright and healthy looking. I am a FAN!
HAIR
DEEP CONDITIONING MASK
Dry, winter months and hair. Ugh – need I say more? Dry, dull and just not as shiny as we want! It’s ok – that’s what a good hair mask is for, right? Pick a night when you’re going to stay in and make it a “Recovery Night!” Hop in the shower, shampoo, apply a Deep Conditioner and leave it on for an hour covered with a shower cap to really let it soak in. Alternatively, if you’re crunched for time – leave it on for 10-minutes in the shower. Hair will feel hydrated, silkier and smoother.
OLAPLEX – for Processed hair
Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask
SMOOTHING CREAM, Oribe or Olaplex
A must-have, for sleek, silky hair. A good smoother helps tame and well….smooth hair and reduce frizziness which works perfectly for any style you want to rock. Healthy is always IN 😉
Again, Oribe’s product line is top shelf. I use both Olaplex and Oribe. The Oribe is bit thicker, feels more luxurious and gives a bit more control and smoothing so this is what I use when going for a super sleek, straight style.
The Holy Grail for color-treated hair. Not only does Olaplex repair the bonds of your hair that have been damaged by coloring, perming or using hot styling tools, the Smoother gives your blow-out sleek, gorgeous glossiness.
Listen, sh*t happens right? Sometimes you end up with ZERO time to wash hair before an event. I’ve had this happen more times than not, and the ONE product I can always-always count on, is my Oribe Dry Shampoo. It is hands down, the best. Greasy looking hair immediately looks fresh, clean – with the added bonus of extra body and volume. It’s a little pricer than most – but worth every penny.
DRY TEXTURIZING SPRAY, Oribe or Amika un.done
When you want Big-Sexy-Hair with lots of volume for the night, Dry Texture Spray is what you want! Texture Spray is a must for volume and is what helps hair to hold a curl. I spray at the roots then muss it like I’m shampooing my hair. Next, I spray it all over my hair, scrunching. Then use a 2” curling iron for sexy loose waves. The spray helps hold the waves.
My absolute favorite is ORIBE Dry Texturizing. It’s light & airy, yet has a lot of horsepower to do the job especially on thicker hair. Oh, and it smells really nice too!
Almost half the price and my second favorite is amika un.done. Before discovering Oribe, I used amika and loved it. It gives nice volume, texture and helps to hold a curl just fine.
If you have have longer, thicker hair I’d recommend the Oribe. It’s got a little more horsepower to support that type of hair. If you’ve got above the shoulder hair that isnt’ too thick, the amika will work perfecty well.
BODY
Winter always saps the living daylight out of our skin. Dry, crinkly and crackly. Blech. You’ll want a couple basics to keep it moisturized, nourished and glowy! A good Body Scrub + Hydrating moisturizer + Self-Tanner.
BODY POLISH, Fresh Brown Sugar
Luxurious body polish that smells as amazing as it works! The real brown sugar crystals scrub away dead skin cells. As you scrub – you’ll feel the sugar crystals melt away, making way for the primrose, sweet almond, apricot kernel and jojoba oils to soak into the skin to nourish and moisturize. It’ll leave your skin soft, smooth, moisturized and smelling deeelicious!
BODY BUTTER, Indigo Soothing Silk
First – how beautiful is the calming purple color?! I feel relaxed just opening the jar. One of the highest rated Body Butters, the Indigo Soothing Silk Body Butter by Tatcha, contains Japanese indigo – which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Infused with liquid silk – it not only hydrates dry flaky skin, but leaves your body with a healthy-looking, glowy sheen. A Must-Try!
Glowy Holiday Make-Up!
Shimmer! There’s nothing more fun than adding holiday sparkle to your party look! Shimmery lids, sparkly eyeliners – It’s all good! TOP MAKEUP PICKS.
Whatever you do, just remember to slow down and enjoy time with friends and the Fam. It’s fun to get dressed up and pretty, but don’t stress over it. It’s just for fun 😉
