Pandora Young

I am not a particularly photogenic individual, and yet most of the pictures you'll find of me are relatively flattering. Part of this is my tendency to swipe my friend's cameras and delete all the bad photos of myself, but mostly it's just wearing the right hair and makeup. The...

There's still time to buy the femme in your life something fabulous for the holidays. Most of the gifts ideas below are available at your local mall or can be shipped overnight.

Clockwise from top left:

In honor of Hello Kitty's latest cosmetic collection, Hello Kitty Noir, the famous feline teamed up with Sephora to create the world's most adorable hotel room. I stopped by boutique hotel Maison 140 in Beverly Hills last week to take a peek, snap some pictures, and...

For girls who love girls who love gifts.

The Jock:

Clockwise from top left:

• Water- and sweat-resistant headset by Sennheiser/Adidas stays in place during workouts thanks to adjustable ear clips. Kevlar-reinforced cables stand up to abuse while delivering high-quality sound. $59.99 at

My OCD gift to you: a gallery of the best nail colors this holiday season. Just one quick note, all the glitter polishes are in a clear base, so I used three to four coats to make them opaque. They also make great topcoats. The rest you can probably figure...

The best way to tell your hostess thank you -- and to assure you get invited back -- is with a special gift she's sure to love.

• Balenciaga L'Essence Eau de Parfum: If a forest nymph stumbled onto a perfume counter, this is what she'd buy. A woodsy green scent with notes of cedar, patchouli, and vetiver, built around a heart of violet leaves. $95 - $130 at

Technology isn't just for the dermatologist's office anymore. At-home devices for beauty and skin care are becoming increasingly common. But sometimes we're just being sold battery-operated snake oil, and at iPod prices. Best to do your research, and be wary of grandiose claims. The products listed below are ones...

• Nutra Nail Gel Perfect, a drugstore alternative to long-lasting UV gel manicures available in salons, is a product I've been waiting for with baited breath. This stuff is sturdy, cheap, and can be applied at...

• Merle Norman Lip and Nail Colors in "Hussy": The new collection was Inspired by the Merle Norman family's 1934 Packard LeBaron Sport Phaeton of the same name. These lip and nail colors recreate the car's custom...

Summer is drawing to a close, and your beach days are sadly numbered. But with a little help, you can cultivate that sea siren look, no matter the season.

From left:

• Nicole by OPI nail laquer in...

Mouth Art

• Violent Lips: Sure, I've tried to paint a rainbow on my lips before. It's harder than those circus clowns make it look. These lip tattoos are much easier. They apply with water, just like other temporary tattoos,...

This past weekend Los Angeles played host to the International Make-Up Artist Trade Show. That's IMATS for short, or as cosmetics addicts like myself call it, Mecca.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn from some of the leading makeup artists in the industry, meet the masterminds behind favorite beauty...

Clockwise from top left:

1. Sephora Collection Baked Eyeshadow Trio in Meteor Shower


2. Tarina Tarantino Sparklicity Shimmer Dust in Bronze


3. Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Shimmering Bronze


4. Urban Decay

• The Tända ZAP: This handheld wand is a wee version of the blue light technology dermatologists use to kill acne-causing bacteria. Used a few times a day on a blemish, the device provides a highly effective and irritation-free spot treatment. $49 at...

Nail polish continues to move past being merely a cosmetic decoration and into the realm of an artistic movement, this time with a host of unexpected textures and finishes. I'm particularly fond of the texture trend, because it delivers nail art in a bottle, making it both more convenient and...

My latest beauty crushes are particularly vivid. Colorful cosmetics, skin-brightening treatments, even a neon fragrance.

The cosmetics market has been flooded with perfumes this season, and it can be hard to navigate all the new scents. Below, a handy guide to some of Spring's fragrance highlights, and where they might fit on your social...

A round up of spring's hottest nail colors.

Pantone named lavender one of the season's top colors, and cosmetic companies have taken note.
From left: Estee Lauder