Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

Madaline Donnelly, Allure magazine

I really love December. If all the months had a holiday get-together, December would easily be the life of the party. She'd be laughing it up while gifting July with a new bikini, spreading her cheer to sad, grey January, and probably chugging eggnog with November. And yes, the day after, December would be hungover. So for all of you Decembers out there, here are a few tips for making the next two weeks of waking up to a puffy, bagel-craving version of yourself a little bit easier:

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1. Hydrate!
Your biggest ally is water-and lots of it. Supplement the coffee you're downing first thing in the morning with H20. Or, even better, according to dermatologist Dr. Ranella Hirsch, "Drink Gatorade. It has all the nutrients that you'll want. Similarly, consider a thermal spray mist, which is essentially a Gatorade for your skin." (Here are some great options.) Lastly, use gentle, natural

Courtesy of IMI CELESTE/PATRICKMCMULLAN.COMJeffrey Slonim, Allure magazine

Even on the red carpet, you learn something new every day. We recently asked 30 Rock's Dean Winters what grooming item he wanted for Christmas. "Maybe a personal shaver," he answered. A what? "You know, a little manscaping kit-and don't pretend like you don't know what that is." Now (thanks to Google) we do: a gentle razor to use below the belt. Here's what a slew of other hunks told us they want from Santa at the Museum of Modern Art tribute to director Quentin Tarantino, a party thrown by Tommy Hilfiger and GQ to honor the Men of New York, an Old Spice event at Dave & Buster's, and at the New York City premiere of Promised Land.

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Matt Damon: "I'm growing my hair back, so maybe some hair gel."

John Krasinski: "I'm always a big fan of new toothbrushes, which I know is kind of weird."

Stanley Tucci: "Hair spray. [laughs] I really like those Ren products, moisturizers-wonderful and all natural."

Josh

Elizabeth Siegel, Allure magazine

We're not saying you should go right ahead and have that second vodka soda (especially if your office holiday party is on a Tuesday night), but if you do, an easy change to your skin-care routine could pay off.

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A new, small study from the University of Berlin suggests that alcohol depletes antioxidants in your skin. And when that happens, skin is more susceptible to the oxidative stressors that break down collagen and elastin. Over time, all this can cause fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven skin texture, says Joshua Zeichner, director of cosmetic and clinical research in the dermatology department at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

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"This study isn't conclusive, but it is opening the door to new research in cosmetic dermatology and skin protection," he says. "If you know you're going to be drinking, make sure you use topical antioxidants that

Renee Trilivas, Allure magazine

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Yes, it's the holiday season, which means it's time for me to hit the holiday parties with my vampy black cherry lipstick in tow-and I won't be alone. According to Birchbox's Beauty Pulse Survey Holiday Edition, tons of women are excited about breaking out the bold lippy: 23 percent of women polled said dark red was their lip color of choice for the holidays. But sometimes the color can look more scary than sophisticated. Here, we explain how to pull off a deep lip without looking like an extra in the Twilight movies.

Prep your lips. To remove dead skin, use a lip scrub (Sara Happ makes a good one) or buff with a wet towel or clean toothbrush, and then apply lip balm. This will prevent the lip color from settling into the dry spots that can prevent the color from going on smoothly.

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Think about formula. For parties (where you're drinking and snacking on hors

Catherine Q. O'Neill, Allure magazine

If Scarlett O'Hara is any indication, emerald green is worn by women who should be kissed, and often-and by someone who knows how. But if you don't have access to drapes or a sewing machine, there are a few easier solutions to wearing the Pantone color of 2013. Like swiping it on your face. Here, our favorite emerald-colored beauty products:

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Yves Saint Laurent Eye Pencil in 5
If you're hesitant about bright eye shadow, colored liner is your safest bet. A thin stripe of green across your upper lash line brings out your eye color and looks less jarring than black.

Make Up Forever Pure Pigments in No. 18
This blue-based green is on the brighter side of emerald, and will look killer on dark eyes. The loose powder has zero shimmer, so you won't look like you're going to a One Direction concert (but if you are, I won't judge you).

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Rescue Beauty

Courtesy of International Fragrance Association of North AmericaAnne-Marie Guarnieri, Allure magazine

If you've got a spare 17 minutes this weekend, pop over to YouTube and watch The Story of Fragrances, a short and sweet documentary from the good folks at the International Fragrance Association of North America (IFRANA). It's a fascinating look at how the scents in our perfumes, cosmetics, and body products get made. And this isn't just for fragrance lovers: It's a compelling bit of background for anyone who uses products or smells them on other people. In other words, everyone.

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"Consumers probably don't even realize how much of an interchange they have with fragrances on a regular basis," says Jennifer Abril, IFRANA president. And according to perfumer Mark Banwer, we probably use fragrances 10 or 12 times a day. I mean, I just did a quick inventory and so far I've used soap, conditioner, hair oil, eye cream, sunscreen, face oil, body lotion, deodorant, perfume, hand soap, hand cream,

David StesnerRenee Trilivas, Allure magazine

Although a blowout can transform hair from a ball of frizz into sleek, shiny waves, they can take forever, leave your wallet empty, and-if you're in the wrong hands-look more country-music star than Victoria's Secret model. But if you try them at home, you're likely to give up after the first section (do we look like we have any bicep strength?) or wind up with frizz in all the wrong places (see: everywhere). But there are ways to get a similar effect at home, even if you don't have Michelle Obama's arms and Serge Normant's skills. Here are three foolproof ways to fake a blowout without the pricy trip to the salon.

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The Hot Roller Method. OK, so they may be old-fashioned and the favorite hot tool of grannies the world over, but I swear by hot rollers. After roughly blow-drying your hair (or on second-day hair), wrap one or two in sections around medium-to-large-sized rollers and clip in place.

Elizabeth Siegel, Allure magazine

Ah, the lower lashes: They're so little. But they can go so wrong. Add a smidgen too much mascara and they clump. Two smidgens, and you've got scary spider lash syndrome. The only people who seem to be able to pull this off are makeup artists, so we asked them how to apply bottom-lash mascara like a pro. (Or, at least, like a non-crazy-looking person.)

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Switch to a waterproof formula. This works best on lower lashes, since it doesn't have the same tendency to smudge as regular formulas. Keep in mind that waterproof formulas tend to make lashes stiff as they dry out-typically after three months or so, so change yours regularly. If you can't part with your favorite mascara, follow makeup artist Quinn Murphy's advice and dust a bit of translucent powder under your lower lashes to prevent the formula from migrating south.

Do "The Pinch". Clumps happen. And a lot of us (ahem, me) don't own a mascara comb. Do