Guest Post: The Makeup Addict`s Christmas WishList

With the holidays just around the corner and next year's make-up trends already gracing the pages of Harper's Bazaar, creating a concise Christmas make-up wish list has been more difficult than usual, but I think I've managed to scale it down to the essentials.

Red is the hot ticket color this season and is expected to continue with its popularity well into the spring. I just love the Art Deco/Pop Art style of which this shade is reminiscent. It reminds me of Mad Men's elegant Betty Draper.

Striking lip color is hitting the shelves from fashion gurus like Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent and with an array of colors from crimson red to plum purple, the hardest part of making out your holiday wish list is deciding on a shade.

My pick this year is Monsieur Saint Laurent's Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Startling Le Rouge.
But this fall and winter season is all about contradictions too and nude lip color has become trendy again for the first time since . . . well, before I can remember!

Nude-colored make-up and lip shades are all about expressing your natural beauty, something I need to remind myself of more often.

Neutral eye shadows, brown mascaras and rose-tinted blush can glam up the nude look, personifying the rule that the key to wearing make-up is to make it look like you aren't wearing any at all.

Since I like even a hint of color, I'm going with Clinique's Delovely Butter Shine lipstick, a pearlized nude color with soft beige undertones.

Thick eyebrows are also back in style, which suits me just fine. I've grown tired of over-plucking them to achieve the abnormal thinness that looks out of place on my face.

Thick, boyish eyebrows are in, so bring out the eyebrow pencils! For a more natural look, I'm putting the MAC Penultimate Brow Marker on my wish list.

This liquid pen colors and defines brows with precision control and has a quick-drying formula to keep those smudges at bay. I'd also like to get ahold of MAC's Superslick Liquid Eye Liner, which also dries quickly.

Anything to avoid those black smudges!

Orange eye shadow is also making a splash in the fashion world and is projected to be a big trend through the 2012 season. I must say that I'm not completely on board with this one yet. Maybe I'll give it more thought after Christmas.

Of course, like me, you're probably not expecting your entire wish list to be fulfilled come Christmas morning (or one of the many nights of Hanukkah). Also, if you're like me, you'll be rushing out the next day with the gift returning crowds trying to track down these hot make-up items.

One thing I've found that helps with my make-up-obsessed purchases is a rewards card and by that I mean credit cards that give you cash back for everyday things you buy. I try to maintain low balances on my credit cards at all times, so I don't overdo it.

Whether you receive your entire wish list come Christmas Day or end up having to use your own credit cards to make those make-up wishes come true, here's to a bright new year of hot fashion and make-up trends. I, for one, cannot wait!