What's in My Winter Beauty Bag.

With the change of the seasons comes the change of the items in my handbag. Just as I am changing out the colors in my makeup and switching up a few things in my skincare routine, I always make a point to go into the beauty bag that I carry in my handbag and switch out products too. I keep my beauty bag stocked with just the necessities that I might need to get me through the day. These are the few vital products I am keeping in my beauty bag this winter.

A concealer for touching up is a must! I've sung the praises of COVERGIRL Ready Set Gorgeous Concealer in the past and I think I've had it in my beauty bag ever since. This concealer is perfect for touch-ups and layering over makeup. It's super lightweight and blends easily.

I rarely touch up my mascara, but because it is party season and I've been doing a lot of running around lately, I recently added a mascara to my beauty bag. Thinking of any possible eye look, I have the Makeup Academy Amp-Up Adjustable Mascara tucked into my bag. You see, not only does this mascara feature a buildable volumizing formula, it has a really innovative adjustable bush head. That means that I can create a lash look that is natural, full of volume or length or both — it's up to me and how I use the wand.

For face touch-ups, I have a L'Oréal Paris True Match Lumi Powder Glow Illuminator in Golden in my winter beauty bag. This is a blush and highlight product in one. It adds the perfect golden bronze glow to my cheeks and it seems to blend well over any makeup look I am wearing.

Of course I have lippies in my beauty bag; it wouldn't be complete without it. I could fill up an entire bag with lipstick and lipgloss but I've learned that I only need a few good basics, so I keep it pared down. I don't wear lipgloss as often in the winter as I do in the summer, so I've kept it to just three lipstick products for winter. Right now I have COVERGIRL Lipperfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Coco Twist, COVERGIRL Outlast Longwear Lipstick in Phantom Pink (this is super moisturizing) and L'Oréal Paris Colour Rich Balm in Nourishing Nude.

The perfect accessory to my lipstick is white teeth, of course. I mentioned how I was working on my party perfect smile a few weeks ago, and I've been touching that up on-the-go as well. That's why my beauty bag also includes the Whitening Pen from the CVS Health™ Toothbrush & Whitening Pen On-the-Go Treatment. This Whitening Pen is a really quick and easy way to whiten my smile. I apply the gel formula (it has a refreshing mint flavor) to freshly brushed teeth and let it dry for about 30 seconds. I'm careful not to eat or drink for 30 minutes after applying and just let the clinically proven advanced formula do the work.

I use the CVS Health™ Whitening Pen when I know I am going to be out and about driving, running errands, shopping or right before a hair or nail appointment. It's one of those effortless little things that I can do that has a big payoff. I have noticed whiter teeth after only a few days of using.

The last item in my winter beauty bag is a hand cream. This year I discovered Excipial Rapid Repair Hand Cream and my skin just drinks in the concentrated formula. I've been applying it every night before bed, but I also keep a tube in my beauty bag to use it on-the-go. Cold weather and a lot of hand washing means I need extra moisturization throughout the day too.

The products in my winter beauty bag can all be found at CVS/pharmacy, where you can find me shopping often. I like shopping at CVS for a few reasons. First, it's so convenient for me with two CVS stores in my town. I love that both stores (all CVS stores, in fact) have a HUGE selection of beauty products and innovative new items like the CVS Health™ Toothbrush & Whitening Pen On-the-Go Treatment. Second, CVS always has great deals and special perks. The perks are courtesy of the Beauty Club. Members of the CVS Beauty Club get things like $5 ExtraBucks® Rewards for every $50 spent on qualifying beauty products plus $3 ExtraBucks® Rewards on your birthday. Sign up if you haven't yet; you'll get a 10% off beauty shopping pass when you first sign up.

Do you carry anything different in your beauty bag in the winter months?

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with CVS/pharmacy. All opinions are 100% my own.

Top 10 Luxury Beauty Gifts.

With Christmas just ten days away and it being a top ten Tuesday, I thought I'd put a fun spin on today's theme of 'Luxury Beauty' and share my favorite Luxury Beauty gifts. I sure have expensive taste when it comes to some beauty goodies and it's not all that luxurious when you think about it; some of these items are actually very effective beauty tools that I use. Affording DIY beauty tools are definitely a luxury so I included them! These are my top 10 favorite luxury beauty gifts for 2015.

1. NuFACE Chic Black Trinity + Eye and Lip Enhancer Attachment Bundle - $449 ($564 value)
Featured in my holiday gift guide

2. SkinCeuticals Age-Defying Laser + Antioxidant System - $649
Previously reviewed here

3. Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X Essentials Kit - $449 ($469 value)
Featured in my holiday gift guide

4. Illuminage Sleeping Beauty Deluxe Set - $99
Featured in my holiday gift guide

5. Clarisonic Mia 2 Keith Haring Pop Skin Cleansing System - $149 ($206 value)
Featured in my holiday gift guide

6. CHANEL Lower the Shades Eye Set - $127

7. Kevyn Aucoin Beauty The Essential Brush Collection - $650 ($710 value)

8. Christian Louboutin Beaute Rouge Louboutin Starlight - $675

9. Laura Mercier Limited Edition A Work of Art Colour Collection - $285

10. Kate Somerville Limited Edition Youthful Radiance Trio - $298 ($430 value)

Make sure you click on the reviews or features from the earlier gift guides to learn more about the products. If I haven't reviewed them, these are products that I have on my wish list and am definitely lusting after myself.

See what my beauty friends have on their luxury beauty top ten lists!

An InLinkz Link-up

My Perfect Holiday Pedi with Amopé™.

I've been on the quest for soft and smooth feet for sometime now. I spend a lot of time at the beach (I travel to Florida about once a month) and my feet pay the price. I am constantly pampering my feet because they are usually in pretty rough shape. I was introduced to the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ and added it to my routine just in time to get the perfect holiday pedi.

Amopé Pedi Perfect™ is an electronic foot file that quickly and easily helps to remove dry, rough skin from the feet.

It's really easy to use; so easy to use because the unit does the work for me. The secret is the specially designed Micralumina roller head that rotates as I pass the unit over my feet.

I've been making a point to use the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ once or twice a week and the difference I see and feel is amazing. The unit is lightweight and easy to hold. The file does not hurt one bit as I glide it over the rough areas of my feet. I am amazed at how fast it works to remove the dead skin. The secret is to keep moving the unit around and not to leave it on one area too long. I continually pass the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ over the areas in slower movements until the rough areas are gone.

My first Amopé Pedi Perfect™ treatment took about 10 minutes on each foot — my feet were pretty rough. Now, with using it once or twice a week, I only need to spend about three or four minutes on each foot to keep them looking and feeling their best. A coat of pretty polish (red for the season) has my feet holiday pretty and perfect.

I like the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ so much that I think it makes a great holiday gift. I'm giving one to my sister as a Christmas present this year — I know she will love it. My sister Cindi is just as obsessed with pampering her feet as I am. We often go and have pedicures together and giving her this gift so she can keep up the routine of smooth feet at home will certainly be a treat for her.

Save $5 on the Amopé Pedi Perfect™ Electronic Foot File this holiday season with the $5 coupon on coupons.com. It's redeemable at Walmart nationwide! I bought the bonus pack (which included the extra refill) at my local Walmart. I couldn't miss the huge display right by the entrance to the store.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Amopé™. The opinions and text are all mine.

philosophy Gift of Joy Collection with Holiday Stocking.

Calling all philosophy girls and wannabes! philosophy has put together a HUGE collection for Christmas that is a must have! The philosophy Gift of Joy Collection with Holiday Stocking is a collection of fabulous philosophy goodiesthat includes 11 wonderful best-sellers. What is additionally great is that these products come packed in a holiday stocking. It seriously could not get any cuter.

With skin care, lip care and body care, every part of the body will be taken care of with this amazing philosophy gift set.

The collection includes:

• purity made simple one-step facial cleanser
• the microdelivery daily exfoliating wash
• christmas cookie shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath
• sparkling hollyberries shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath
• amazing grace shampoo, shower gel, and bubble bath
• hope in a tube
• renewed hope in a jar moisturizer
• amazing grace whipped body creme
• peppermint stick hand cream
• fresh cream high-gloss, high-flavor lip shine
• have a cherry christmas high-gloss, high-flavor lip shine

The philosophy Gift of Joy Collection with Holiday Stocking is a QVC exclusive so you need to buy it there. It sells for $89.94 now. Grab this beauty before it is gone at qvc.com.

MAC Mariah Carey All I Want Lipstick.

When I first got news of the MAC X Mariah Carey lipstick collaboration back in September, I could not wait! Just one glance at All I Want Lipstick and I knew that this shimmery champagne frosted lipstick had to be mine. I was immediately sold on this limited edition holiday release.

All we want this holiday is M·A·C Mariah Carey, featuring All I Want Lipstick in shimmering champagne. One luminous swipe makes lips as fierce and timeless as the icon herself.

All I Want Lipstick is beautiful, especially if you like shimmer! It is perfect for this time of year. It is like a sheer golden champagne shimmer. It is called a frost, but not like one of those 80's frosted (you know the type of frosts I'm talking about!) lipsticks. This is more of a shimmer that reflects off the light.

This lipstick honestly looks different with all different makeup looks and in different light. I never take makeup pictures, but I did just to show you how different this looks in a swatch vs. on the lips (one reason I never swatch).

All I Want Lipstick sells for $17.00 and it's available right now at maccosmetics.com. It's an online exclusive so that's the only place you're going to find it.

Get Kissably Soft Lips with fresh Sugar Lip Lovers.

Everyone wants kissably soft lips. I mean, lips are meant to be smooth. Dry, cracked and chapped lips hurt, never mind the fact that lipstick looks horrible on lips that are all flaky. I regularly keep my lips soft, smooth and flake free with the help of products from fresh, so when I saw this Sugar Lip Lovers holiday gift set I got excited!

Sugar Lip Lovers contains all of fresh's best lip nourishing products for the lips, bundled together, at a great price. This holiday set includes:

Sugar Lip Polish - This brown sugar scrub buffs away dry flakes, but it does so gently as it conditions the lips. I love this!

Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy - This is an age-defying treatment that firms and tones the lips. It truly is a serum (like for the face) that was designed for the delicate lip area.

Sugar Lip Treatment Advanced Therapy - This is a lip balm to use nightly, designed to not only nourish and hydrate the lips, this is designed to smooth the look of wrinkles around the lip area. That's a great bonus. I also love this one and use it nightly right before bed.

Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF 15 - This is a lightly rose tinted lip balm that hydrates and repairs the lips as it protects them with SPF 15.

Sugar Rosé Shine Lip Treatment - This is a high-shine lip treatment, like a lipgloss, that has the added benefit of nourishing ingredients. It hydrates the lips while wearing. It comes in a pretty universal rose shade.

Not only does this make a perfect gift, as it is gift boxed, this is the perfect way to stock up on some great nourishing lip products and treat yourself! Buy the fresh Sugar Lip Lovers set for $45 at fresh.com and in store at Sephora.

10 Ways to Get Your Hair Holiday Ready!

With the holidays here, you want your hair looking its best at a moments notice. Whether you want it to look freshly blown out, curled to perfection, straight and smooth or in a fancy updo, you will need the right products on hand. These are the top products that will have your hair holiday ready all season long.

1. Kenra Perfect Blowout - This lightweight styling creme helps to direct hair when blow drying and gives it the texture and hold it needs so a perfect look is achieved each and every time. When used, I don't need to use any hot tool, just a big round brush and a great hair dryer (like the one below). Buy it from Ulta.

2. Ultra CHI Glitter Sweet Hair Dryer - This fashionable hair dryer features ceramic heat plus infrared and ion technology so hair is dried faster with less frizz. That means, smoother, salon-quality hair in no time. Buy it at Ulta.

3. Proganix Moisture Balm - Made with a blend of coconut water, electrolytes and coconut oil, this moisture balm does a fantastic job at taming unruly flyaways in the dry winter months. Buy it at CVS, Ulta or Walgreens.

4. Show Beauty Premiere Finishing Spray - This hairspray not only finishes and locks in your hairstyle, it does so while giving it incredible shine — more shine than I've ever seen from a hairspray before. I like the small 1.7 oz. size for my handbag. Buy it from Sephora.

5. Scünci Hair Tattoos - Hair tattoos are the latest hair trend, and this set contains two sheets of the hottest designs to wear on the hair. These are perfect to add a little fun design to a half up/ half down look for a holiday party. Buy it from Target or Ulta.

6. Ultra CHI Glitter Sweet 1" Iron - This 1" flat iron will have hair silky smooth in your favorite style and fast. It features 30 second heat-up and ceramic plates for even heat distribution. Negative ions ensure that hair is frizz free too. Buy it from Ulta.

7. Kenra Fast-Dry Hairspray - I am in LOVE with this newer hairspray for two reasons. Not only is it a perfect finishing spray to lockdown my hairstyle and hold it in place for 24 hours, but it is great to use BEFORE using hot tools. Yes! I spray on a light misting of this thermal spray before curling my hair so my hair is protected and curls are held longer and better. It's really unique and what I've been waiting for. Buy it at Ulta.

8. Moroccanoil Dry Shampoo - The holy grail of dry shampoo's, this instantly absorbs oil and product build up without leaving behind any visible residue. It contains natural volumizing and deodorizing agents so hair is revived of volume and is left smelling fresh and clean with a hint of the signature Moroccanoil scent. Buy it from your favorite salon.

9. AGEbeautiful Root Touch-Up Spray - When you're short on time and need to conceal your roots or maybe some gray hair, this spray will do the trick in no time. It saves me in between salon visits and when I pull my hair back or updo's all the time! Buy it at Sally Beauty Supply.

10. WEN by Chaz Dean Re-Moist Hydrating Hair Mask - This is the ultimate moisturizing treatment for dry, damaged, or stressed hair which is going to happen this time of year. Run it through clean wet hair and leave on for about 45 minutes for a salon quality deep conditioning treatment. For a very intensive overnight treatment, put a plastic shower cap over wet hair that has been treated with the conditioner and sleep in it all night. Buy it from Sephora.