Power Procter & Gamble brands CoverGirl & Olay recently teamed up for a gorgeous line of swirled cream blushes that I am just loving.

Available in four shades (I am a fan of Lush Berry as I have relatively fair skin), these bold and creamy blushes apply so easily with just a swipe of the finger and blend beautifully into skin, no tools required (though they do come with a sponge applicator).

The Olay Regenerist Serum swirled inside is infused with vitamins, skin conditioners and antioxidants that improve texture, leading to healthy-looking skin and a youthful glow. For me though, this product is all about the texture – it’s a dream!

Snag CoverGirl & Olay Simply Ageless Blush at drugstores nationwide or visit www.covergirl.com.

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Bobbi Brown is again a sponsor of the The Heart Truths Red Dress Collection 2010 Fashion Show. The show, which brings some of Hollywoods leading ladies together on one runway, will be taking place this Thursday, February 11th during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Tent at Bryant Park.

This year Bobbi created an exclusive, limited-edition Bronze Shimmer Brick Set in partnership with The Heart Truth campaign and its annual Red Dress Collection Fashion Show to raise awareness about women and heart disease. Ideal for creating a warm, bronzy glow, the set includes Bobbis iconic Shimmer Brick in Bronze and a Mini Face Blender Brush.

Only 500 of these limited-edition sets, which feature a specially designed package and the tagline Listen to Your Heart, will be available from www.bobbibrown.com for $40 each, so visit the site to shop.

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Valentines Day is just around the corner and it’s the perfect excuse to take your everyday pretty look to total vixen status. But its important to keep it tasteful — too much going on and Prince Charming will be running for the hills instead of into your arms.

Gina Pieper, Empire Beauty Schools resident makeup expert offers helpful tips to get that perfect beauty recipe that will leave him lusting for days! Here are a few of her recs:

Whats the best way to get kissable lips?

Lips can be tricky and many people go way overboard when it comes to applying lip-liner and lipstick for that perfect look. Line and fill in lips using a lip pencil that matches your exact lip tone prior to applying a sexy red or hot pink lipstick, both colors are very in right now. Applying lip liner before lipstick will keep lipstick in place and looking fresh. For a final touch, just dab a bit of shimmery gloss right in the center of the bottom lip. This will create the illusion of a fuller, lush pout!

What is the secret to sexy, touchable skin?

Too much caked foundation and powder is a big turn-off, so go easy on face makeup. All you really need is a little bronzer to get a radiant and pretty dewy look. Start by sweeping the bronzer from temple to chin in a 3 shape, and finish by lightly dusting over the forehead and chin. A little goes a long way, so if you go overboard, just lightly swipe a tissue to take it down a notch. This will give that perfect believable color thats naturally you. I also like to swipe a little bronzer on the brow bone to finish it off. This really brings a special little sparkle to the face.

How can I make my eyes look special without heavy makeup?

Thick dark eyeliner and smokey eyes can be sexy, but all you really need to knock him off his feet are some eye-popping eyelashes. Applying fake lashes is really fun and brings such a special effect to the eyes and you can easily find them at any local drugstore. Adhere a full-strip to each eyelid and go from zero to sixty in no time flat. Or, apply just a few single lashes to the middle and outer corners of each eye for a more subtle look. Top it off with black mascara and a shimmery champagne eye-shadow to complete this killer, doe-eyed look.

Are you planning any special makeup looks this Valentine’s Day? Do tell!

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Celebrity makeup artist and Vanitymark founder Brett Freedman is one of my fave experts to tap into here at Makeup Minute – I’ve incorporated his genius here and here in the past. Today, he shared a fab how-to for a proper brush cleansing (which I often procrastinate on…for the record, you should wash your brushes about once a week). To make a clean sweep, you need the following tools:

• towel
• sink and counter space
• Dr. Bronners Magic Pure Castile Liquid Soap

First, clean your sink so you have a fresh and clean surface to work with.

Next, squeeze the Dr. Bronner in a zig zag motion across the sink. Take your brushes one by one to a section of soap (each brush gets its own section) and swirl around, pumping up and down.

As you finish sudsing each brush, lay it out on the counter to soak in and absorb the soap for a few minutes.

Then take each brush, rinse it under warm water, and swirl and pump it up and down until all the pigment and bubbles disappear. This will clean your sink, too!

While the brushes are still wet, mold them back into their original shape and lay out to dry on a towel with the bristles hanging over the edge of the sink. This allows for dripping and more airflow for a faster dry!

And there you have it a celeb makeup artist’s method for optimal brush cleaning.

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Nail files are one of those innocuous little beauty tools that you can pick up anywhere and at almost any budget. But Kiss nail guru Michele Pierno shared a few tips with me recently on why you should avoid cheapie nail files and go for a higher quality tool. Here’s what she has to say:

Grit quality – Cheaper quality files are made with fewer grains per square inch creating more spaces between each abrasive granule. Imagine running a file over a nail that skips between grains. This can cause tiny tears which will eventually weaken nails.

Rigidity A good quality file has substantial firmness when run along the nail. When a file is too flexible, achieving the desired shape is more difficult due to instability of the file and it will not withstand a considerable amount of use. Most poor quality files will snap in half with extended use.

Edges High quality nail files are manufactured using a special process that seals edges to prevent cuts on the skin. Poor quality files skip this process to save money, but at the cost of your skin and cuticles.

You can shop Kiss (their nail files are fab, I swear!) at drugstores nationwide or www.kissusa.com

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