To foundation or not to foundation, that is the question when it comes to creating a solid palette for a look. And although in recent years there has been innovation is the world of foundation and powder with M.A.C Studio Fix in the '90s and anything by Laura Mercier during the last decade, L'Oreal recently released a foundation that could revolutionize your routine. Magic Smooth Souffle Foundation is easy to apply (although I find that fingers work better than a brush in this case for fine tuning) feels like velvet once on and blends with skin tone seamlessly. Now, if only you could eat it.

The best way to bust out in this season's brightest lip colours? NARS Pure Matte Lipstick. Not for the timid, the lipstick goes on smooth and rich without an ounce of shine. Colours stand out even more when their finish is unexpected and matte is the finish du jour. But careful with the nude colours; although classy when glossy, when matte, the shade can make your lips dissappear. And you wouldn't want that. Mwah!

Feel like you need a little something extra to take on this weather? Maybe a golden lasso of truth, bullet proof bracelets or an invisible plane that could take you away from all this? Well, M.A.C. can't bring you that, but they can offer up a whole capsule collection of cosmetics that are packaged to pay homage to Wonder Woman and add a little bang to your beauty routine.

Available from mid-February (right when you really need it) until the beginning of April, you can super charge your entire makeup kit! The limited line offers everything from nailpolish, to lipglass, powder to blushes, mascaras to eyelashes!

It may seem like an old lady cosmetic item, but not only is blush a hot look right now for women of all ages, but in the grey of winter, it can make you, and your look, come to life. Inspired by a colleague in the early summer who always looked so refrehsed, I started working blush into my very small 5-minute makeup routine. The extra 20 seconds has certainly more than paid off since I no longer feel like the walking dead on those mornings when the sun has still yet to rise and you find yourself already at your desk. Cover Girl and Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush not only gives you the colour you want, but in the winter, helps your skin gets the moisture you need.

There's something about this time of year that makes beauty involved women live perilously close to the edge of "too much". Glitter, sparkles, red and gold all signal celebration and so why not embrace them all. Except for the fact that together they signal "I've lost my mind down the rabbit hole that is Christmas excess". To dial it back in style, I rely on a navy mascara, rather than the drama of a "very, very black". Subtle, sultry, seasonal! My fave? Yves Rocher Couleurs Nature Extra-Volume Mascara in Blue. Not 1980s blue, but 2010 sophisticated, feet firmly planted, navy. Happy Holidays!

Beauté Weightless Lip Crème in Masochist

Early last year, I developed a little obsession with the thought of fiery-red lips. Nothing says romance and sophistication like an unexpected flash of this sensuous colour.  I was on the hunt for a lipstick for months before discovering my perfect hue came in lip-gloss form: Beauté Cosmetics' Masochist. 

Actually, calling this product a lip gloss is a bit of a misnomer. The crème applies like a gloss but provides a matte finish that is never thick or sticky. If you usually shy away from lipstick as I do, this weightless crème is the perfect compromise.  The product is very hydrating, a breeze to apply, and the Helmut Newton red shade is guranteed to turn heads in any soirée. The best part? Beauté Weightless Lip Crème is Canadian and 100% paraben free. 

Beauté is a celebrity best-kept secret so retail availability is a bit scarce. If you order in December, however, you can get 20% off from their website through the Facebook page.

It took some years, but I’ve finally come to love my oily skin. It’s hard not to see a natural 24-hour facial glow as a blessing. But what isn’t much of a blessing is the oily film that forms on my eye lids causing my eye shadow to slowly slip away.

Luckily there exists Smashbox’s Photo Finish Lid Primer to put an end to every girl’s greasy lid sorrows. Packed with vitamins, the formula glides on to smooth the surface of the eyelid, creating a perfect base for eye makeup application and soaking up every bit of extra oil along the way.

But not to fret, my dry lid friends! The product work equally well on normal or dry skins. The creamy formula helps to fill in fine lines and wrinkles and contains Phytomoist™, a plant-based hyaluronic acid that moisturizes the skin, allowing for a smooth application of eye shadow.

With just a little, all skin types can enjoy the immense staying power this product brings to your makeup application. The added bonus? Sweep a bit under your eyes and watch the bags and fine lines disappear!

Rimmel London Match Perfection

My grandmother was a beautiful woman - elegant, stylish and until she died, up on trends in beauty. I was fortunate enough to inherit her love of fragrance, lipstick andher ability to find the perfect blush brush like a heat seeking missile. What I ended up also inheriting and curse every morning, is the thin skin under her eyes. Not matter how much sleep I've gotten or how smooth my complexion is, the tell-tale shadows that come from blodd vessels below the surface are the first thing to go when I start my makeup routine (which BTW is 4-easy steps). I am ALWAYS on  the search for a concealer that will change my life. And a few months ago I thought I had found the one. But last week, I found Rimmel London Match Perfection Concealer, and we're in love. Soft applicator brush, seamless complexion match and smooth finish. What else can a girl ask for? Oh yeah... and the price is right!

My quest for the perfect metallic eye shadow ended when Bourjois Paris’ Little Round Pot Eyeshadow in Brun Irréel landed on my desk. I used the conveniently stowed sponge-tip applicator to test out the new find. And it was love at first stroke of the brush.

The baked formula, in a shade that likens the visual indulgence of a chocolate mousse cupcake, went on smooth and blended beautifully into a soft iridescent wash of colour, making me feel like a lab full of geniuses spent years perfecting a product that I only dreamed of until that day!

And I’m happy to say that this little love story did not end in sorrow. My morning application of the shadow clung lovingly to my lids all day, and washed away with a gentle splash of soap and water at night. Available in a range of fairytale colours, the Little Round Pot Eyeshadow can be yours for only $17.

Bourjois Paris…je t’aime!

 MAC - A Tartan Tale Viva Glam Gift Bag

My general rule of thumb is that if you wore it the first time around, perhaps you should pass on a trend's second kick at the can. Sure, it may seem like a good idea to relive the neon + plaid paring of the early 80s, but those looks in the elevator at the office are probably not of the "aren't you fashion forward" variety, but more of the "this ain't Back to the Future". 

But... when I can add just a little nostalgia with a whole lot of contemporary I know I've hit it on the mark. And in stores tomorrow is the perfect mix. MAC is launching an entire Tartan collection in time for the holidays. Everything from brush kits to shadows come emblazoned with the mark of the Scotich Highlands... or an English "high street" circa the Sex Pistols depending on who's asking. My personal fave is the Viva Glam Gift Bag, 'cause I like to give while I get...