Jewelry is often a go-to gift for Valentine’s Day. While jewelry can be a very nice gift, it can also be trite if given with little thought. Jewelry mishaps on Valentine’s Day can be avoided by choosing from these five terrific jewelry gifts.

Best Jewelry Gifts For Valentines Day

1) Lockets
A locket is a thoughtful and timeless piece of jewelry. Lockets can be engraved with special sayings and have photographs placed inside. Photos of loved ones or of special memories can be treasured and kept close when inserted in a locket. A heart-shaped locket is a popular choice for Valentine’s Day, however lockets are available in a variety of shapes, materials, and designs. Choose a design suited to your loved one’s taste. A locket is generally a more personal, intimate gift, so you may want to avoid giving one to someone with whom you have a more casual relationship.

2) Watches
A watch is a jewelry gift suitable for men and women alike. Both practical and stylish, a watch can be used year round. Tastes in watches can vary greatly, so if you plan on buying a watch as a gift, you may wish to take your loved one out to shop for one rather than having it be a surprise gift. A gift card to go toward the purchase of a watch is another option.

3) Charm Bracelets
A versatile gift option is a charm bracelet. Charm bracelets can be given to a significant other, but at the same time, they are casual enough that it would not be inappropriate to give one to a close friend. For long-term relationships, consider giving a bracelet with a special charm for the first year of your relationship and add on a charm for every Valentine’s Day after. Choose charms that are meaningful and that match the look of the bracelet. Charms and bracelets come in a wide range of prices, so be sure to select a bracelet in an appropriate range for your budget and relationship.

4) Rings
Rings are often given a sign of promise and commitment. They tend to be a gift of romance rather than one of friendship, so consider your relationship carefully before giving a ring as a gift. A ring can rage from a simple band with an inscription, or something more elaborate with diamonds or other stones.  Gemvara is a particularly good source for custom rings.

5) Stones for Rings
For marriages and committed relationships, consider adding a stone to your loved one’s ring. A stone can be added to a wedding band in commemoration of all the years you have spent together. The addition of a stone should be discussed with your loved one, as they might not want their ring altered in any way. However, if this is something he or she would be interested in, the addition of a stone can be very meaningful.

The bottom line to shopping for a jewelry gift for Valentine’s Day is to follow your instincts and think about what you know about the person you care for. Take their tastes into consideration, and you are sure to find the perfect piece of jewelry for Valentine’s Day.

Find excellent custom jewelry at Gemvara

Disclosures: Girl Gloss at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

About the Author: Carleen Coulter

Valentine’s Day is coming up and no matter if you have a special date or if you just want to have some fun with your style, a good place to begin is at your fingertips. Get inspired by the colors and themes of Valentine’s Day for your next manicure. There are thousands of looks out there, but here are a few ideas.

1. Reds
One of the first colors to come to mind when you think Valentines Day is Red, of course. It’s the color of roses, hearts, a symbol of passion and a stunning color that anybody can pull off. There’s an array of reds to choose from, from ones with blue undertones to fiery orange-reds. Certain shades will look best depending on if you have cool or warm undertones. Cool or blue-reds look best on people with cool undertones and red-oranges look best on those with warm undertones. When you find the right red that’s right for you, it’ll pop against your skin.

2. Pinks
Sweet, girly pinks are another fun color for Valentine’s Day. They’re always flirty and can range from a darling ballet slipper shade to a punchy fuchsia. Light pink would be great for a romantic date in the park whereas its bolder cousin would look amazing for a fun night out on the town. Keep nails filed short when wearing hot pink since the color is so bold already. Coral-pinks can be another fun way to decorate your fingers for Valentine’s Day.

3. White
White nails are striking, modern and unusual. They’re great for Valentine’s Day and the winter season in general. You can go for a brilliant snow white or white mixed with a nice silver or gold shimmer. A French manicure is a classy look to consider that always looks good with white. Since a solid white nail is so striking, keep the length short. Anybody can pull this color off.

4. Glitter
Whether it’s tiny, big and chunky or even shaped like hearts for Valentine’s, glitter is a fun way to punch up your nails. You’ll want to go for something in the pink or red family to stay in the Valentine’s Day spirit. Try festive heart shaped glitter for a cute holiday look. You might even want to try applying one heart and leaving the rest of the nail a pale color or even clear. Get even more creative with glittery polish by doing a shimmery French manicure or maybe even stripes.

5. Nail Art
One trend that’s very popular right now is kiwai nail art. This trend comes from Japan and uses acrylic nails as well as clay and various materials to get a unique look. Nail artists can sculpt hearts for Valentine’s Day out of the gel or Fimo clay they’re using as well as an array of other shapes. If you don’t have the time or money to get a professional manicure you can always paint your own designs with fine brushes that can easily be found in craft and beauty supply stores. For example, paint the base of the nail pink then paint on a deep red heart, Cupid’s arrow or some angel wings. Get creative and have fun. Lack time? Look for nail stickers and press on art at your local drugstore.

Overall, be imaginative with your Valentine’s Day manicure. It’s a great holiday to get playful and try designs that you might not normally wear. Have fun with the colors and let everybody know that your fingertips are holiday themed by sporting pinks, reds, or some of the other colors that have been suggested.

Shop for Nail Supplies and Nail Art at Sephora and Beauty.com

Right – so you have finally finished Christmas shopping,  and it might even all be wrapped and secreted around the house away from little prying eyes.  And, if you are an exceptionally clever little so-and-so, you may even have planned out your Christmas Dinner.  So what about you?  When do you fit in time to beautify yourself and feel good about yourself on the day?  Well my friend, I’m going to share a few things that I do in order to make sure I look and feel as good as I can before the in-laws arrive…

In order to free up as much time as I can, I delegate tasks.  My children set the table the night before, and the whole family help make sure the house is clean.  Guests often take various courses with them, e.g. starters, sweets or cheese and biscuits.  It’s even better if the courses don’t require cooking as that means I don’t have to worry about oven or hob space.  All vegetables and other trimmings are prepared as much as possible the night before.  So, let’s assume all that has been done (oh, if only!) – what now?

First of all, try and squeeze in a hair appointment a few weeks before the big day.   A decent cut (or colour) will make you feel better instantly!  But remember that every woman and her Mother will be making appointments before Christmas so do it now!

I like painting my nails but can’t be bothered with all the waiting around for it to dry.  So I use varnishes that dry within 60 seconds, but I’ll tell you a bit about that later.  Suffice to say, if you want to stick with normal varnish, then paint your nails the day before as you won’t have time the next day!

Christmas Eve
I like to give  my scraggly, dry, laden with split-ends hair a good condition every now and then.  You can buy various pots of intensive conditioner, or even one-treatment sachets, but I prefer to use a good quality conditioner.  I usually wash my hair as usual, then slather with conditioner, wrap in a towel and only rinse it off before I go to bed.  Sometimes however, I leave the conditioner on all night and rinse off in the morning.  You will be gob smacked at how smooth and sleek your hair looks and feels.

If you are anything like me, I like shaved legs – even supposing they never see the light of day!  Make time to remove any unwanted hair – it’s so worth the effort.

I like a bit of colour to my skin and usually slap on a bit of fake tan before I go to bed – it’s lovely waking up in the morning and looking like you’ve had a short break somewhere hot.  Not too much though – orange is definitely not the new black.  And don’t worry about staining your sheets – any decent product will not do that particularly if you put it on an hour or so before you retire.

I would also file and shape my nails before bed in preparation for painting them the next day.

Christmas Day
After you have opened the presents and sipped your champagne (what?  It’s a family tradition – and who am I to break that tradition?), and done whatever you need to do in the kitchen, it’s time to shower and prepare.

Have you tried fake lashes?  If not – you definitely should!  Invest in a reasonably priced pair (maybe a pair over £6) – this may seem pricey but if you are careful, you can use the time and time again (even if they don’t tell you that on the packaging).  Or perhaps Santa could bring you a pair?

Put on your make-up as usual (including mascara) and then prepare the lashes by putting a thin line of glue along the length of the lash, and leave until tacky.  Then whilst looking down into a mirror, carefully press the lash down as near to your natural lash as possible.  Hold in place with a cotton bud or tweezers for a few seconds and voila – gorgeous lashes!  But note, a general rule of thumb is ‘less is more’ – unless you are 15, go for something natural looking, or else you’ll end up looking like a drag queen.  Before bed remove them carefully, then peel off the glue and replace them in their box.

For my hair I would use my wonderful Babyliss Big Hair.  For the uninitiated, it’s a hairdryer with a large revolving brush that creates masses of volume, and there are ionic elements which give your hair a really glossy finish.  I love it!  It’s so easy to use; dry your hair to 80% dry, then section off (with the clips that come with the dryer) and dry with the brush.  You don’t have to be particularly skilful (I’m not) but the end finish is amazing.  You will look like you have just come from a salon.  Finish it off with a light spray of hairspray to hold your style in place.

I would recommend painting your nails with any of the fast-drying varnishes that are available now.  And look for varnishes with extra-wide brushes – you can coat most of your nails with one stroke giving a smooth  and even finish.  Load up your brush (wiping off the excess back into the bottle) and place the brush as near to your cuticle as you can.  Slowly and minimally move the brush from side to side to create a nice sharp top edge, the pull the brush down the length of your nail.  Done.

Now go put something lovely on (and comfortable too – it’s a long day), find your favourite bling, and enjoy your day!

Have a happy – and beautiful! – Christmas!

Jacqueline Leith is a writer and regular blogger for a number of sites, including one that allows you to compare prices.

‘Tis the season to look fabulous. You’ve chosen the perfect festive outfit and accessories. Now you need the right makeup to finish off your look. These holiday makeup tips will make sure your face is just as beautiful as your ensemble, so get ready to party the night away!

1 – Choose a focal point - Before applying any makeup, decide which area of your face will be your focal point. Most women opt for either the eyes or the lips. You don’t want different parts competing for attention, so pick the facial area you like the best.

2 – Smoky eyes are where it’s at - If you’ve chosen to play your eyes up to maximum effect, a smoky eye look is always dramatic and sexy. You don’t have to go with basic black, either — deep violet, charcoal grey and even a rich, chocolate brown can all create a smoldering eye look that complements your eye color. Brown-eyed women may want to showcase their eyes with violet shades, while other women can create knockout baby blues with charcoal grey. Green and hazel eyes will pop with plenty of deep brown color.

3 – Play with lashes - Now is the time to pull out all the stops when it comes to eyelashes. Either use a mascara that promises thicker, longer lashes or go for fake ones. Today’s false lashes have come a long way, so application is a breeze. Place lashes only at the corners of your lids for a cat’s eye, come-hither look. You may also want to wear lashes with shiny gemstones embedded on them — you’ll have enviably full lashes and instant sparkle!

4 – Go metallic - If you avoid shine in your daily makeup, the holidays are the perfect time to shine and shine big. Metallic eye shadow, blush and lipstick can all add the right amount of glam; just don’t wear them all at once. Place an icy metallic shadow under your brow-bone as a highlight, or dab just a bit of metallic blush on the top of your cheekbones to make them stand out in a big way. Women with warm complexions will look fabulous in metallics that contain hints of peach, bronze and orange, while cool complexions will shine in silver, blue and lavender metallic makeup.

5 – Glossy lips rule - Create a gorgeous party-ready pout with glossy lip colors. Red, rose and pale pink are all great selections. Forget matte formulas; instead, go for moisturizing colors that last all night. Top with a coat of clear gloss and your lips will be irresistibly kissable.

Use these helpful hints the next time you’re headed to a holiday happening, and create a knockout look that’s the talk of the party!

Shop for the best in holiday makeup and fashion at Nordstrom

Have you been invited to your in-law’s house or your friend’s house to spend the holidays? Sure, the holiday season is filled with entertaining others, and visiting others. Sometimes, the thought of going to celebrate the holidays with your in-law makes you want to stay home and take care of your pooch. Even if you are a college student returning home for the holidays, there are certain etiquette tips that you should always remember. These tips will help you enjoy your holidays. Even if it isn’t the holiday season, here are some tips to be a great guest.

1. Open House

Let’s say that you are invited to an open house. You aren’t sure how to dress, you don’t know who is really invited?make sure that you find out the details ahead of time. It is better to ask about it than being embarrassed at the party.

What to give: give the host some delicious fruits, or some baked holiday goods.

What to do: Tell your host that you will be going. You don’t want to surprise them with a last minute show up! Make sure that you mingle with the other guests?you want this to be a fun experience! Don’t wander around the host’s home?unless they take your on a tour.

How to Dress: Layer accordingly. It can get really hot in a crowded home.

When to arrive: Since this is an open house, you don’t have to get there right when it starts. You can leave whenever. Just make sure that you thank the guest.

2. Office Party

There are so many stories about office parties. You want to be on your best behavior here.

What to give: It isn’t necessary to bring anything to office parties (unless your are specifically asked to do so). If you are giving out gifts, make sure that you are giving it to everyone. If you aren’t, then give the gifts at different times.

What to do: Introduce yourself to the top dogs of the company?but don’t go too far. Let others talk. Don’t drink. Make sure that you stay sober during the company party. People will not easily forget the time when you were drunk. Get there within 10 minutes of the start time. You don’t have to wait until your boss leaves. No one is guarding the door.

How to dress: Dress a little better than you would at your office. A simple black dress (or suit) will always flatter and make you look nice.

3. In-laws

This can be a stressful time for your in-laws and you! You want to be the least stressed.

What to give: Bring your mother-in-law a floral arrangement. Give your father-in-law an old fashioned shave. Bring Christmas classics like, A Christmas Carol and “The Gift of the Magi”.

What to do: Ask the family about their tradition. You can share a recipe with them, but don’t be too imposing. Don’t disrupt your hosts schedule. Make sure that you would treat them as your own family. Thank your in-laws after by sending them with a thank you note with candy or baked goods.

Good luck with your holidays! Just don’t forget to enjoy other’s company and remember that the holidays are supposed to be joyous!

About the Author

Neltje Maynez is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers is a widely used resource for those that are trying to find a way to get the education that they want.

How To Find The Perfect Holiday Party Dress

The holiday season likely conjures up a lot of images in your mind; delicious food, family and traditional rituals may be a few of them. For all of this, you should have the perfect dress. But how do you find it?

1. Think of the Setting and Situation Before you go out looking for your ideal dress, you need to think of the situation in which you will be wearing it. Is the party a gathering of your closest friends, or members of your family? If there will be a lot of children present, for example, you may not want to go for plunging necklines and mini-skirts; this may upset parents at the party, and this will only lead to trouble that you do not need.

2. When Shopping, Wear Shoes, Slip and Other Items That Will Be Worn With the Dress After you have thought about what kind of people will be at the party, you can then go out and shop for it. If it is at all possible, make sure that you bring along the pair of shoes that you have chosen to wear to the party. When you do this, you can get a better idea of how everything will look together. You should also wear, underneath the dress you are trying on, the bra and slip that you plan to wear. This will help prevent any unexpected surprises, and save you a trip back to the store to return the dress.

3. Ask Loved Ones If They Have Something You Can Borrow If you have a rather small budget and you do not think you can afford to find exactly what you are looking for, your dream holiday dress could be sitting in the house next door. Do not be afraid to ask your neighbors, a close friend or even a family member if they have a dress that you could borrow. You will have to be extra careful with the dress, and the giver may expect a favor in return, but it will be worth it. It may even be possible to get them to give it to you permanently.

4. Check Online Of course, the Internet is an option that a person would be crazy to completely dismiss. You can find just about anything online, and whether you want to socialize or shop, you will not be short on options. Finding your dream holiday dress online is very possible, so long as you have an idea of where you want to look. Some websites provide measurements, and you should measure your body before you purchase anything to stay on the safe side. Do not order to dress mere days before you will need it; shipping could be delayed, and you will be out of luck.

Holidays are one of the more anticipated events of the year. This is not so hard to believe, considering many of them call for eating special meals and giving away gifts to loved ones. For occasions such as these, you are going to want to look your best. Take the opportunity to wear something fresh and new, something that helps you feel good about yourself. By looking at the ideas above, you can find that perfect dress.

 Shop for great holiday dresses at Nordstrom

Gemvara is a company that offers fine jewelry with a wide range of customization. So, you can select the gems and the settings in order to get the perfect look. Aside from traditional choices, Gemvara also offers a range of more modern fashion pieces. The Gemvara Naked Gems Collection is perfect for that, with choices of gems paired with a simple and clean look.

Gemvara is holding Cyber Monday 2 sale on their Naked Gems on Monday December 5 with 15% off of the Naked Gems collection.  So if you are looking for fine jewelry this holiday season, that is a great sale to check out!

Shop for Naked Gems at Gemvara

Lip palettes are the perfect solution for a variety of gift giving needs. They often fit in stockings, are great for an affordable small gift, or can be packaged with other beauty items to make a nice beauty gift box.  Pick up a few items, put them in a tissue covered holiday box or bag, and you are ready to go! Here are a few neat holiday lip items that any woman would love.

With the onset of winter, lip balm and gloss see higher than normal use and the Ulta 10 Piece Mini Lip Gloss Set is perfect for anyone on a budget. At $14.99, it offers a great selection of glosses in a cute little set.

For a bit of everything, the Sephora Favorites, Give Me Some Lip Set consists of  six best selling lip items. This is great for a wrapped gift, as the box is a nice gift size.

For a nice stocking stuffer, grab the Korres Lip Butter Trio. This set of three natural lip balms is great for winter lip care.

As a small gift of for a stocking the Bare Minerals Keychain Kisses set is an adorable and unique gift.

For a bit of luxury, try the Nars Kudoki Kabuki set. This pretty little box of lip pots comes with a unique brush and exclusive limited edition packaging.

Great lips never go out of style, making lip items an easy to give gift!

Update! Here is the verseo Cyber Monday offer: Verseo.com Cyber Monday – 35% OFF all orders over. Coupon Code: cyber35 Biggest deal of the year!

Verseo is a health and beauty site with a number of interesting products, including beauty products and gadgets. A couple of items that I have found interesting are the eGlide, a galvanic current hair removal device, and Hair Plus, which promises increases in hair growth and thickness. Here are our reviews of those items on Beauty and Fashion Tech:

Verseo eGlide Review

Hair Plus Review

I also recently ordered leg massagers from Verseo, but I haven’t received them yet.

The Verseo Black Friday coupon is rather good this year, allowing for 30% off through 11/27/2011.  Click below to browse the site and get the Verseo Black Friday deal.

Verseo.com Black Friday – 30% OFF all orders over. Coupon Code: black30 (Expires Nov 27, 2011)

This is our updated list of of the Best Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals, which we are updating as they arrive. We also are posting singly with with the best sales and deals, so check back often or follow us on Twitter and/or Facebook to get updates on all the great deals. I am not posting everything that was sent to me this year. Instead, I am trying to focus on what I think are the best stores and best deals or sales to keep it from getting overwhelming. I will try to keep updating this list as I get further notices, so check back in case there are more deals that pop up!

Makeup

Elizabeth Arden: The 33-Piece Holiday Color Collection, often referred to as the Holiday Blockbuster (a $350 value) for $45 with any $27.50 purchase at Elizabeth Arden. Good through 11/30. Also, on Black Friday you can get 25% off and free shipping with coupon code BF2.

Beauty.com is offering a free special limited edition Erickson Beamon makeup case filled with beauty samples with $100 purchase on Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2011. Good while supplies last.

Stila: The Stila warehouse sale begins online of Cyber Monday, 2011 and lasts through Friday, December 2, 2001. Save up to 80% on some products.

YSL: Receive 20% off plus Free Shipping on any order with Code CYBER at checkout. Valid 11/22-11/26. Also, receive 20% off plus FREE shipping on every order, plus spend $100 or more and get a free gift with Code MONDAY at checkout. Offer Valid 11/28-11/30.

E.L.F.: Free shipping, plus buy one get one 50% off when you spend $30 or more using coupon code BLKFRI 11/24-11/26 and save up to $100. Also, get 50% off this Cyber Monday with all orders over $25. Use code 50WIDE from 11/27-11/29 and save up to $100.

Drugstore.com: Get up to 80% off select Conair hair , and get RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum for $24.95. Offers end 11/28/2011. For new customers: spend $50 and get free shipping + a $100 Restaurant.com gift code! Or spend $25 and get free shipping + a $50 Restaurant.com gift code! Offers end 01/01/2011. Those are pretty nice new customer deals!

Benefit Cosmetics: There are various free shipping specials, including international shipping, plus, Get a free high beam mini with $35 order with code HLDYMINI at checkout. Or, get a free full-size thrrrob with $90 order and code HRTTHROB at checkout. Offers valid 11/22 – 11/28 11:59p PST.

Jewelry

Gemvara Save $20 off orders under $250 plus get a $20 Gemvara cash code, Save $50 off orders over $250 plus get a $50 Gemvara cash code, Save $100 off orders over $500 plus get a $100 Gemvara cash code. Offer good 11/25/11 to 11/28/11.

Swarovski: Coupon Code CHRISTMAS2011. This code requires you to spend $160 or more, at which point you will receive a 10% discount. Purchases must be completed by the end of December 23, 2011, and 10am EST that same day is also the last shipping date to get items in time for Christmas using overnight delivery.

Jewelry.com: Black Friday Offer: 60% Off + Bonus 20% Off. Valid on November 24th at 11:59pm through November 26th at 11:59pm only. Also, free shipping and 30 day no questions asked returns.

Forzieri: Black Friday Sale: Get 40% off hundreds of items. Valid Nov 25th thru Nov 27th at Midnight. Promo Code: BFRIDAY, and Cyber Monday Sale: Get 40% off hundreds of items, Valid Nov 28th Only until Midnight. Use Promo Code: CMONDAY

Handbags

Miche Handbags: LOVE Miche bags and interchangeable shells and this is a great deal! From Monday, November 28 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time to Monday, November 28 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time, a list of specially-selected Shells will be offered to customers at 50% off. The sale Shells will be limited and ONLY while supplies last.

Hair Care

Folica.com. Get $25 off plus Free Shipping on orders over $75. Enter NOV25 at checkout. Good 11/23-11/29.

Department Stores and Big Box Retailers

Target: Target has a ton of Black Friday/Cyber Monday specials that are really too much to list here. Instead, hit the intro link I provided, which goes to their deals and sales page to see updates, or see our full post at Beauty and Fashion Tech on the Target Black Friday Deals.