If you — as many last minute New York shoppers do — are looking for a costume right NOW, this usually translates into fairy, Barbie or some variation thereof.

Sephora’s Halloween Kit makes your face perfect for that angelic or doll-like look, no matter how old you may be (bring on that Tinkerbell costume…go as Gabriel…who says a 30 year old can’t be a Cougar Barbie?).

This kit contains false lashes, Round a Pot in Beach Ball, Glitter Spray in Silver, Slim Eyeliner in Black, Slim Eyeliner in White and Luminous Glow.

It’s a $65 value that retails for only $19 at Sephora.

Packing our suitcase for a weekend away always seems to involve a struggle for space. If you’re a pack rat with more beauty products than a CVS, getting ready for a vacation can be especially difficult. While many hotel rooms come equipped with blow dryers on the bathrooms walls, we’d celebrate the day a flatiron hung there as well. Enter the Ken Paves Travel Flat Iron. Yes, this is the same Ken Paves known as Jessica Simpson’s BFF and hairdresser.

We were pretty skeptical about the flat iron, due to its petite size and our major mop of hair. However, this small flatiron wrangled our naturally curly hair wonderfully. We usually prefer to use an iron with a plate that’s at least 1.5 to 2 inches wide, just to save time and energy. However, Ken Paves’ plate is only 1 inch wide, and our straightening time clocked at the same length as our other flat iron. Point being, we were highly impressed with the product’s quality. And since it’s meant for traveling, the iron comes with a sleek, gray carrying case that’s ideal for sticking in the corner of your luggage. Finally, a flatiron that leaves us plenty of room in our suitcase! Now, if only they made a foldable blow dryer…

The Ken Paves Travel Flat Iron retails for $79.99 on www.shopkenpaves.com, but is currently on sale for $49.99.

With the winter months upon us and threatening germs around every corner, we’re pretty much washing our hands our day long. While constant cleansing may be the best way to prevent the dreaded flu, it also dries out our skin like crazy. We started using California Baby Calendula Everyday Lotion every evening before heading to bed, and the French Lavender scent proved to be just as relaxing as it is fragrant.

But here’s where the twist comes in: California Baby Calendula Everyday Lotion can be used as a facial moisturizer too. In all honestly, the thought of putting the same lotion on our face that we use on our hands made us very nervous. Wouldn’t it make our skin break out if it’s heavy enough for your hands? Luckily, California Baby is light enough to use as a facial moisturizer, but heavy enough to prevent drying hands. The anti-inflammatory Calendula, otherwise known as the pot marigold plant, has long been known as an antiseptic that helps to soothe skin irritations and rashes. If your skin is highly sensitive or prone to eczema, California Baby products will help to heal irritation and bouts of itching. And don’t be deterred by the name; California Baby can be used by your entire family.

There are so many things in the world that promise to hydrate: water, moisturizers, glycerin, Vitamin E….

But I have found that tried and true facials are really the way to go for a deeply hydrating experience. And what better name to deliver that than La Mer?

It has a Super Hydrator that contains Sea Moist Ferment, which is a blend of dark green algae gathered from around the world. It also has Superior anti-aging ingredients (mostly marine plants) to help diminish dark spots, discoloration. It also has cellular lipids and plant extracts from melon and avocado.

There are also Super Energizers: if you look at the spun-lace cotton mask, it is infused with all that moist gooey substance that forms the essence of the facial. But the cotton mask itself is embedded with tourmaline and Mariponic Ferments that supposedly energize and set molecules into motion. The mask also is supposed to drive the formula into the skin and help with hydration.

There are two “zone” masks: one for the upper (nose and above) and one for the lower (mouth and chin areas). The masks will overlap at the cheekbones but that’s fine, that’s the way it’s meant to be. Leave them on for 8 minutes and you’ll immediately notice more hydrated skin, fewer lines and a deep glow.

I absolutely LOVE this facial. It really does above and beyond what it promises, and even though it’s got a high price point, I feel it’s worth it if you have extremely dry skin. Supplement this regimen with your Creme de la Mer routine and your skin will be happily supple for months to come.

Suffice to say that this facial will be my ritual for the upcoming few months.

$250 for 6 applications at LaMer.com and select Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman.

Of the many body parts that shiver and shrivel up like prunes during the winter, the hands must occupy a special place. My hands dry, crack, peel…become something along the lines of a desert cactus that waits for every sign of a droplet.

So when Clinique’s new Deep Comfort Hand and Cuticle Cream came across my desk, I was joyous to find its thick, creamy consistency that did not leave my hands like a grease pit. The claims are that the cream improves the hydration of the hands for up to 12 hours (time it with an egg timer and you’ll be surprised — the claims don’t lag far from the truth).

What does this cream contain?

- Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate; birch extract; vitamins C and E; and a blend of other natural ingredients from barley, wheat and murumuru butters.

There is also a new Deep Comfort Body Wash that complements the cream. The hand cream retails for $17.50 and the Body Wash for $20.

These launch in November at counters and online at Clinique.com

While the recession may have hit us hard like a grand piano falling on the head of some cartoon character, it has only upped the ante on creativity.

And case in point – the holiday of Spookiness and Haunted Ghosts is upon us. If you are into weevils, decorating your front yard with plastic RIP tombstones and blowing up giant-size balloons of Frankenstein and Poltergeists to beat out the competition, you may be a little cash poor when it comes to the biggest case for creativity: Halloween costumes.

And if you have kids, the ante is upped more than ever. How could you resist those adorable little eyes the chance to wear something totally unique and glam?

Check out these darling videos by Liz Zack from iVillage; she tells you how to make a Bunch of Grapes costume for kids, a Bathing Baby, and Tiger Lily for all under $10.

This is a landmark launch for Sabon, which will introduce its first Daily Perfume Line called Essence of Pleasure. The addition of these daily perfumes and two supersize vanity editions are designed to complement the existing line of body lotions the store carries.

This collection should cap your perfume journey; no stops necessary in overpriced department stores or nosing through drugstore brands. Take your petty cash box money of $32 and invest, invest!

This marks the second big launch that Sabon has this year; the first was their Organic Skincare launch that was met by overwhelming enthusiasm by a public that is growing increasingly “green” minded. And have we told you how much we love the Organic line? It’s one of our “green” tickets of the year.

The eau de toilette perfumes in this line are really light (Bulgari’s Eau de The Vert or a DKNY Green Delicious fluffy texture) and great for layering. They are office-worthy and won’t encourage the colleague in the elevator to faint. They were created exclusively for Sabon in Normandy, France (where everything good comes from–for one thing, it’s where Christian Dior was born).

The daily perfume lines consist of these not-so-usual suspects ($32 each):

Aviv: The word means “Spring” in Hebrew, and is my favorite of the perfumes. Top notes of ylang ylang fused with Orange Blossoms, mid floral notes of Jasmine, Plumeria and Lily of the Valley; and base notes of White Musk and Amber. Wear Aviv if you want to think of blossoms  when your mind is all in Winter.

Oneg: Meaning “Pleasure” this perfume has top notes are Citrusy orange extracts, mid notes of chocolate, toffee, vanilla sticks from Madagascar; and Base Notes of Sensual Vanilla and Patchouli.

Tal: This Marine inspired fragrance is fresh, and perfect for men as well. The top notes are Silician lemon, Italian Bergamot, mid notes of airy and floral notes, and base notes of woody notes that adds a punch of masculinity. You’ll definitely need a “his” and “hers” bottle because chances are he’ll be stealing this from you.

Zohar: “A glow and radiant light that envelops” you has notes of rose petals and osmanthus and base notes musk, vanilla and sandalwood.

Shir: It’s all about Lily in this bottle, with top notes of young green leaves, green apples,unripened pear; mid notes of Lily of the Valley, White Jasmine, a touch of succulent lychee; and base notes of White Musk.

Zer: This is a bouquet of roses and is subtle. The message this sends is one of Love. Top notes are violet petals, mid notes are sensuous fruit, and base notes are sandalwood, musk and iris.

There are also the two Boutique Perfumes that are a perfect Vanity Size. These went through an aging process similar to great wines of France and are cocktail party and black tie friendly without eating up a sizable chunk of wallet change. These are slightly more expensively tagged at $42.

Sabon Femme: This is a blend of vanilla talc, with Top Notes of Ylang Ylang from Madagascar and rich Italian Bergamot; Mid Notes of floral  notes sprinkled with cloves, blended with Jasmine from Egypt; and base notes of Vanilla Sticks, Sandalwood and musk notes for a powdery aroma.

Sabon Homme: Is an elegant cologne for men, with a citrus scent. The Top Notes are of citrus fruit with spicy black pepper, mid notes of soft Water Lilies, and Base Notes of Cedar.

When you step into Pepper Pastor’s new hair salon, tucked away in a quiet corner of South Street Seaport on Front Street, you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into some wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art: you’ll notice solid elevator doors with a fleur de lis crests from the 1930s separating the shampoo wash bowls, four pristine hairdresser units, and a sleek glass cashier filled with unique pieces of jewelry.

The jewelry comes from various artists in the country and is hand picked by Pepper herself. What you’ll also notice is an ochre colored setee inspired by the era of Coco Chanel, and an atmosphere tinged with a bit of the edginess a la Tim Burton to lend the set some film noir flair.

Clawed Chandelier

Since there are only four hairdressing stands, the aura and feel are very intimate. Pepper herself has shockingly red hair just the color of Joan Holloway’s in Mad Men, and tells me she majored in Art History. Hence the eye for detail to the interiors, light fixtures that are both eccentric and interesting (magnifying glasses with iron claws at the ends), and an attempt to use the space to maximum efficiency without it looking as cluttered as a typically New York shoebox space. But she also has been a hairdresser since the age of 16, and even shuttled back and forth from international gigs while she was in college.

My hairstylist, Christina Fillorama, gave me a layered U-shaped razor cut and neatly shaved off three inches of my long strands (they were bordering on wig-like status anyway). The face framing haircut was not my only makeover: a corner of the store is filled with Youngblood Cosmetics and I received an eyeshadow, foundation, blush and liner expertise (my eyelids were dusted with a mauve-like color called Prism, wiht Bordeaux on the lid, and a touch of Concord on the lash line).

The store also carries sparkling lipglosses by Armour Cosmetics (I ended up using something akin to a Fire Engine red with a shade called Barracuda).

I would definitely come back to the salon for the intimate attention, the quality of the products (they use Oribe and Philip B), and the chance at getting a haircut in a settling that is so very Old Hollywood with a modernist edge.

It’s your chance for a Screen Siren moment.

Check out the site for the great treatments and prices. The salon also does bridal party makeup, brow shaping, hair weaves and color treatments. There are also some Royal Treatments like the “Empress”: a complete hair restoration and shampoo with Philip B’s Russian Amber Imperiale Shampoo (remember we wrote about this $140 product here) and an incredibly buxom blowout for any event. You’ll also get a custom wine and cheese/caviar plate with this $120 treatment.

ClumpsofMascara may not be dressing up for Halloween but her nails are in total costume!

Aly gets up close and personal with her favorite style icon.

The Beauty Alchemist find you can be tres chic while fighting acne and oil.

Butterflydiary views the world through Victoria’s Secret PINK holiday collection glasses.

ThinkThruFashion shows how to incorporate traditional garb you get on vacay into your everyday ensembles.

The Product Pasha shows how you can embrace the season’s blue and greens with a little help from Illamasqua Nail Varnishes.

DivaDebbi turns back the clock, with ZO Skin Health’s Oraser for Daily Hand Repair.

A few weeks ago I attended an event at the Spa Chakra hosted by Dove, where they showed me how to extend the shelf life of a good underarm shave. It’s called the “Piticure” but the name sounds more daunting than the process actually is.

Do you want to hear the steps to the Piticure? It actually might make an appearance as an add on service at a spa near you:

All you need is a good exfoliating wipe, like the Ponds Microdermabrasion Wipes (or anything that exfoliates your underarms). After you exfoliate, then apply a hair minimizing deo like the Dove Visibly Smooth Deodorant, which we’ve covered before.

Some of you have written to us that this deodorant doesn’t work at all, so perhaps you’d like to try this technique to make you stubble free for a longer time? Do report back with notes…

xx