Blog Posts by DivineCaroline

Each new year means new developments in the beauty industry-after all, even the most tried-and-true blockbusters once started out as new ideas. Remember when Brazilian Blowouts, mineral makeup, and palettes first hit the market? Here are our picks for the most ingenious innovations, products, and trends of the year, which we'll all be seeing a lot more of from now on.

More from DivineCaroline:

Twelve Days of Christmas Manicures

The Best of 2011's Holiday Makeup Collections
15 Reasons to Keep Vaseline in Your Makeup Bag

Be Party-Ready in a Flash with This Holiday Emergency Kit
What's Your Biggest Winter Skin Complaint? Tell Us and Win!

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Peppermint hot cocoa
Hot chocolate just might be the best part of winter. It's decadent and delicious, and it warms you up faster than a Snuggie straight out of the dryer. Who would turn down chocolate, arguably one of the best creations known to man, when it's melted down to a thick, rich liquid and topped with mini marshmallows and a dollop of whipped cream? What's more (yes, there's more!), hot chocolate accoutrements hardly end there-think cayenne pepper, pumpkin purée, and even Fluffernutter. If you're craving a steaming cup of cocoa this season, go beyond the usual mix of instant powder or chocolate syrup and water. There's a wide world of hot chocolate recipes like these just waiting to be tried, tasted, and treasured.

10 Toasty-Warm Cocktails for Cold Winter Nights

Spiced Hot Chocolate
Today we think of hot chocolate as being sweet, but the ancient Mayan people's original version included hearty spices. They may sound odd in theory, but they blend beautifully with chocolate in execution. (Recipe

Whether you've been together for years or two months, the stress of the holiday season can take a toll on your relationship. 'Tis the season to be jolly, not fighting in your boss's coat closet, so here are eleven seasonal relationship pitfalls and how to avoid them.

You and your SO have different ideas about holiday fun.
Holidays

You imagine a holiday season like a Norman Rockwell painting or a scene from Love Actually, but your SO seems more interested in watching football or cursing the long lines at department stores. It's perfectly reasonable to expect your loved one to fulfill some of your dreams of say ice skating hand-in-hand, sharing a hot cocoa, making paper snowflakes or whatever tradition you've exalted in your head. Just don't expect him to read your mind, especially if he's a little more Scrooge and a little less Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life. And don't forget to compromise. If he's not the cheery elf that you are, maybe cut back on the Christmas music a bit when

Any self-respecting beautyphile knows that the holidays are hands-down the best time to buy makeup. Everywhere you look there are palettes, limited-edition sets, and special seasonal colors that make the holiday season seem so much more festive. We've examined the offerings from our favorite beauty brands, and found the greatest, most gorgeous, and most must-have products from this year's Christmastime collections. While you're stuffing stockings for your loved ones, why not pick up one of these for yourself?

Smashbox Click You're It Holiday Eye Palette
Smashbox Pallette
Tucked inside this limited-edition palette are fifteen eye shadows, five liners, one vial of primer, and a world of amazing holiday makeup possibilities. Follow the directions on one of Smashbox's six get-the-look cards, or get gorgeous your own way. ($49, Smashbox.com)

Be Party-Ready in a Flash


MAC Glitter and Ice Lipstick
MAC Lipstick
MAC's holiday collection-packaged in futuristic, limited-edition white-features six stunning winter lipstick

The holidays are a time for reflection on the year behind us. And what better way to remember what was on the collective American consciousness in 2011 than to turn to the Twittersphere? Like a time capsule in 140 characters or less, these celebrity (using the term loosely) tweets-some random, some relevant, all insightful-are among the best of 2011.

Snooki, @Snooki
Snooki

"I feel like shopping for obnoxious over the top gaudy animal print

In other words: "It's Wednesday."

5 Celeb Stories We Hope Don't Make It to 2012

John Hodgman, @hodgman
John Hodgman
"Everything good I have done, I have done on a Mac."

And he's a P.C.

Weird Al Yankovic, @alyankovic
Weird Al
"72 Days is now an official unit of time known as a Kardash."

Four Kardash and seven years ago…

Gifts We'd Give Our Fave Tabloid Train Wrecks

Kat Dennings, @OfficialKat
Kat Dennings
"Every time a magazine photoshops my nose, a nazi gets its wings. #nosepride"

So right it's wrong.

Demetri Martin,

Intricate, detailed nail art is awesome-if you have the money for special tools, the artistic ability to draw peacocks and video-game characters, and the time to sit down and do it all. But fun, festive manicures really can be easy! Using the holiday collections from a few favorite polish lines, we created looks that are simple, seasonal, and don't require an art degree or any crazy techniques. And since they're so quick to apply, you won't worry about keeping one manicure intact for days, leaving you free to try them all!
2011's Best Holiday Makeup Collections

Sugar Cookie Sparkle
Sugar Cookie Sparkle
DivineCaroline cannot be held responsible for the fact that this manicure will make you crave Christmas cookies! Start by applying two coats of pearly-white Orly Au Champagne. Get the "sprinkled" look with a coat of Rainbow Connection by OPI, a multicolored glitter coat with a clear base. You can apply another coat of Rainbow Connection if you're a serious sugar freak.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Girl applying face creamThere are some beauty and skincare products that do more harm than good. If a dermatologist or skin expert won't touch the following products with a ten foot pole, you should probably steer clear as well.

1. Lip gloss without SPF

According to Dr. Christine Brown, a dermatologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, "These lip glosses can make more of the light rays penetrate directly through the skin, instead of getting reflected off of the skin's surface." At worst, this can lead to "the degeneration of collagen and elastin, which leads to a loss of lip fullness, increased lines, and an increased risk of skin cancer," according to Dr. Leslie Baumann, Chief of the Department of Cosmetic Dermatology at the University of Miami and author of The Skin Type Solution.

In other words, for better lips tomorrow, stick to a lipstick or gloss with SPF today, such as Clinique Moisture Surge Lipstick SPF 15 and Neutrogena Moisture Surge Lipgloss with SPF 20 ($12 for two,

In the era of celebrity stylists and glam squads galore, it's hard to tell which stars actually have a sense of style and which ones simply have enough money to look like it. Not so with Diane Keaton; the beloved actress, who revolutionized the way women dress with a men's tie and a baggy pair of chinos in Annie Hall, always shows up looking fabulous and quintessentially Keaton. Now, with a new book flying off the shelves and her first modeling contract at the age of sixty-five, Keaton's star is shining brighter than ever; or maybe we're just finally catching up to a woman who was always leaps and bounds ahead of her time. Take a look at some of our favorite fashion moments from the style icon over the last forty years.

10 Women Who Redefined Spinsterhood

Early 1970s

If there's one thing Keaton has mastered (besides acting, of course), it's the art of accessorizing. She rarely steps out without a well-chosen accent-a fun scarf, a statement belt, a pair of thick-frame glasses, or her signature