Valentine’s Day Essentials and Date Night Makeup

Valentine’s Day may be commercialized but it is a great excuse to dress up, buy new makeup and eat lots of chocolate. Take a break from your hectic work week and plan a fun date to rekindle the romance.

Today I’m sharing a few beauty essentials that are perfect for a night of passion.

Recently I discovered a collection of vibrant red polish from Bio Sculpture. The Nourishing Nail Care range is formulated with multivitamins and plant hardening agents derived from Aloe, Lemon and Ginseng. Instead of leaving your nails brittle, yellow and damaged, the pigment hydrates, hardens and protects them with a built-in UV filter for long lasting manis and pedis.

Bio Sculpture holds a 5-star safety rating and their products are “ten-free” - meaning they are vegan, cruelty-free and do not contain 10 of the most common toxic chemicals found in nail polish.

The thick brush delivers the perfect amount of color in neat even strokes and I love the high-shine finish. For more information visit biosculpturenails.com

A bold red lip looks great with this manicure and Laura Mercier has some sexy options. The Rouge Essentiel Silky Creme Lipsticks ($42.00 ea) are infused with Mediterranean Sea Algae to moisturize dry skin and smooth fine lines. The curved bullet tip is designed to hug the lip contour and deliver intense, vibrant color in a single swipe.

I like the slick buttery texture and semi-opaque satin finish. You might need a couple coats to achieve consistent coverage but the buildable color keeps lips soft and supple. Laura Mercier is available at Sephora, Saks, Nordstrom and lauramercier.com.

Rouge Electrique (orange-red) and Rouge Muse (classic red)

Sultry red lipstick looks amazing with glitter eye shadow and for a night on the town, Urban Decay’s Party Favor Palette ($38.00) is a great choice. Each shade is laced with micro-fine sparkle for a diamond-like 3D effect.

The shadows are semi-sheer so you can layer generously or apply them over solid colors to fill in the background. Use a good base or glitter primer to keep the particles in place and enhance vividness. My favorite shade is Power Trip – a gorgeous coppery gold with flecks of pink.

Urban Decay is available at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Shoppers Drug Mart, freestanding UD Stores and urbandecya.ca.

If you prefer soft, romantic makeup, Shiseido’s Essentialist Palette ($48.00) in Jizoh Street Red is lovely. The silky spherical powders create a smooth second-skin effect that lasts 12 hours with no creasing or fading and the pigmentation is quite good. The deep rose pairs beautifully with the radiant gold or elegant champagne and the compact is great for travel. Shiseido is available at Hudson’s Bay, Rexall, Sears, Shoppers Drug Mart and shiseido.ca.

Enhance these feminine shadows with Estee Lauder’s bestselling shade – Rebellious Rose. The Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick (32.00) has a creamy satin finish with a hint of moisturizing shine for effortless application and luxurious comfort. I can see why this shade is so popular. The saturated pigment looks flattering on all skin tones and lasts up to 6 hours.

Rebellious Rose is also available as a Paint-On Liquid Lip ($40.00) with an intense full-coverage matte finish. The rich velvety texture is hydrating and flexible with no flaking or transfer. I prefer this formula because the color lasts longer and has a deep mauve undertone.

Swatches

Estee Lauder is available department store counters including Hudson’s Bay and esteelauder.ca.