Get prepped for Valentine's day

Ah, Valentine's Day.  Many a cynic will tell you it's just consumerism run rampant, and I know this to be true, but the hopeless romantic in me can't help but get excited for city streets swathed in pink.  Who doesn't want to eat chocolates out of a heart-shaped box?  I don't think it matters if you're on a date or you're on your couch in a pair of sweats... it's still delicious either way.  Don't even get me started on how much I love the Sweet-Tarts that are shaped like hearts for the holiday (they totally taste better when they are shaped like hearts or Easter shapes!).  
But what I love more than anything is the excuse to buy Valentine's-related beauty products.  Whether you've got a hot date, or you're having a V-Day-is-stupid-party with your girlfriends, these beauty products will have you falling in love, and for a lot longer than one night:
   
Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush

The adorable heart shape isn't the only thing that makes this blush so great for V-day, it's the universally flattering shades that are inside.  The baked palette has rose, coral, and peach colors that you can mix together or wear individually.  

Lipstick Queen Saint lipstick in Hot Rose or Sinner lipstick in Bright Rose 

Lipstick Queen makes a lipstick for either of your alter-egos.  The Saint lipsticks are more sheer formulas, while the Sinner lipsticks are more opaque, vibrant colors.  Go with the Saint color if you're going for the Miss Innocent vibe, or go with the Sinner color if you're going for full-out bombshell.  Or if you can't decide where the night will take you, get both.  You can't lose either way with the moisturizing formula with an awesomely smooth texture.    

Physician's Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Bronzer

Like the Too Faced blush above, this has separate tones that you can wear on their own or mix together.  This one has a corset shape that is a little more sexy than it is sweet, and the pheromone-like ingredients, mixed with the fragrances of vanilla and musk will definitely help you to feel sensual.  The formula contains Cocoa Extract, which contains a "love chemical" that creates feelings of attraction, excitement, and euphoria.  It also has Horny Goatweed, which is not only totally fun for me to say out loud, but is allegedly an aphrodisiac.  Don't get me wrong, you're not going to just rip your clothes off because you used this bronzer, but it looks good, smells good, is easy-to-use, and is friendly to the wallet.  That seems sexy to me.      

Agent Provocateur Pétale Noir

Agent Provocateur's newest fragrance is available online just days before Valentine's Day, and is a sexy, sophisticated fragrance.  Would you expect anything less from Agent Provocateur?  It's sexy, but not over-the-top or gaudy.  It opens up with top notes of Mandarin, Water Lily, Bergamot, Violet Leaves, Hyacinth, Flower Stem Accord and Magnolia, which seems like it would be too flowery, but it's actually quite a soft, powder scent at first.  Heart notes are Rose Otto, Rose Absolute, Ylang Ylang, Muguet and Neroli.  Then there are rich, sexy base notes of Ginger, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Leather, Oak Moss, Tobacco Leaf, Benzoin, Patchouli and Amber.    

A new Luxury Body Elixir will launch alongside Pétale Noir.  This lotion contains a blend of natural oils to keep the skin hydrated. Extracts of Devil’s Eyelashes and Tephrosia Purpurea Seeds are special secret ingredients with aphrodisiac properties. 

Kevyn Aucoin Nail Lacquer in Bloodroses

In honor of Kevyn Aucoin, his favorite lip color, Bloodroses, was re-launched recently.  Now just in time for Valentine's Day (which was also his birthday) Bloodroses is out in a limited-edition nail lacquer exclusively at Barneys.com.  It's the first nail color for Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, and it's a deep black-based plum in a sleek bottle.  

Prep lips with Laura Geller Lip Strip and Darphin Hydraskin Intensive Skin-Hydrating Serum

We've already discussed lip color and beauty products with aphrodisiac properties, but should all this preparation get you get close enough for a Valentine's Day kiss, your lips have got to be soft.  I don't think any man or woman alive has ever said that they want to kiss someone with chapped, scaly, flaky lips.  Before the big day, ditch your normal chapstick routine and go with a more intense treatment.  Exfoliate dead skin cells with my favorite lip-specific exfoliator: Laura Geller Lip Strip.  30 seconds of massaging this sugar cane and peppermint oil exfoliator into the lips and you'll see immediate improvement.  Follow the scrub up with a potent moisturizing serum like Darphin Hydraskin Intensive Skin Hydrating Serum.  You can use it all over your thirsty skin to rehydrate, but you can feel good about using it on your lips because 93% of the ingredients are of natural origin.  The paraben-free formula contains hydrating and anti-oxidant rich pomegranate, as well as Hyaluronic Acid to make sure those lips will stay plump long into your romantic evening.