M∙A∙C Year of the Snake.

In case you haven't heard, the Chinese calendar says that 2013 is the Year of the Snake. Leave it to M∙A∙C to come up with a collection that embodies everything that this year represents. This is the Year of the Snake collection.

The snake-inspired collection is defined by a palette of vibrant shades and shimmering finishes. Beauty Powder illuminates the skin, eye shadow creates striking contrasts and pigments intensify the effect. Zoom Lash adds definition and Powerpoint Eye Pencil defines a razor-sharp line. Lipsticks quiver with lustre and M∙A∙C's exclusive packaging slithers with chic - featuring Beauty Powder, Lipsticks and Eye Shadows Embossed with a gorgeous snake design.

The collection:

LARGE EYE SHADOW - $21.00
Once Upon a Time… - Metallic vanilla (veluxe pearl)
Aztec Brick - Frosted true copper (veluxe pearl)
Altered State - Deep frosted blue purple (veluxe pearl)
Carbon - Intense black (matte)

PIGMENT - $21.00
Brash & Bold - Bright magenta
Push the Edge - Deep bright purple with pearl

LIPSTICK - $15.00
Freckletone - Neutral peach (lustre)
Plumful - Blossoming rose-plum (lustre)
Cockney - Sheer yellow red with multidimensional pearl (lustre)

BEAUTY POWDER - $24.00
Shell Pearl - Pale peach with gold pearl

POWERPOINT EYE PENCIL - $16.00
Engraved - Rich black

ZOOM LASH - $16.00
Zoomblack - Rich black

I love the intricate snake design that is embossed into the products.

I am thrilled that M∙A∙C brought back the Large Eye Shadow as I love the handy size. Even though I most often use shadow palettes, I love a larger single eye shadow, especially when they are made of shades that will get a lot of use. Once Upon a Time is a wonderful beautiful shimmery vanilla shade that is perfect as a base color, as is Carbon, the ultimate matte black that I like to use as an eye liner.

My favorite product in the collection has got to be the Shell Pearl Beauty Powder pictured above. It is simply beautiful on my skin. It is beautiful when wanting to add a bit of radiance all over the skin. To get this look, I take a large fluffy powder brush and apply it right over my foundation. I also love dusting it over my bronzer and blush to soften and highlight the look.

The M∙A∙C Year of the Snake collection is available at all M∙A∙C locations and online at maccosmetics.com now.

Make It Lash: CHANEL Le Volume de Chanel Mascara.

CHANEL's Le Volume de Chanel Mascara is not only luxurious, it is simply wondrous.

The mascara is very thick and very black. The formula plumps the lashes super full and thick so lashes seem to almost multiply as it is applied. Lashes are lengthened as they take on a new life with the carbon black color.

The brush is like the best mix of a traditional feeling brush and the newer rubber tipped brushes. The bristles are shorter than normal mixed with some longer bristles, yet overall fuller than normal mascara brushes. It almost feels flocked. What it does do is make sure that each lash is coated with the wondrous formula.

Le Volume de Chanel Mascara is available at all Chanel counters and specialty stores now. It retails for $30.00.

The Ultimate Beauty Resource: the L’Oréal Paris NEW Website.

I am pretty much obsessed with the new L’Oréal Paris website. It is not your usual product site, because this website is so much more. It is all about you, your beauty and the site contains such a huge amount of helpful beauty information. It's the ultimate beauty resource.

As I first logged on, I immediately noticed my current weather. Weather? Yes, my weather with a very helpful product tip was at the top of the page. I could look out the window and know it was cloudy, but it told me how SPF is very important even on cloudy days. And guess what? I remembered to put on my sunscreen that day. I thought, it doesn't get more personalized than that, but it does.

The site features a "My Signature Beauty" service that is super customized. I entered the "My Beauty Picks" section to receive personalized products picks and very useful information. It only took a few minutes to fill out a little survey where I filled in things like my hair color, skin tone, eye color, skin care concerns, etc., and then the site became tailored just for me. Not only did it recommend products for me, it told me how to use them with expert beauty tips from L’Oréal Paris pro's. My perfect makeup look, skincare regimen and perfect shade of hair color were available - within seconds.

Beside getting the personalized beauty suggestions, there is an extensive "Beauty Library" that features a seemingly endless amount of beauty articles and videos that can be filtered by category. Whether it is information about hair care, skin care or makeup that you want; it is here. L’Oréal Paris teamed up with AOL to ensure that this section has up-to-the minute, trend-focused beauty information.

Another notable area of the site is the "Genius Tools & Consultations" feature. Here you will get expert advice from L’Oréal Paris’ roster of consulting beauty pros – including makeup artist Billy B., hair stylist Johnny Lavoy, dermatologist Dr. Gervaise Gerstner, nail expert Tom Bachik and hair colorist Christophe Robin. It is like having a top dermatologist, hair stylist and makeup artist at the ready.

The new L’Oréal Paris website is also the first major beauty site to provide optimal viewing across all devices. Forget those bare bones mobile sites, I am experiencing the same great site, tools and information whether I am on my desktop, laptop, iPad or mobile phone. How cool is that?

Check out the site now and play. The official address for you to easily remember is LOrealParisUSA.com. I know you will find it an ultimate beauty resource for a long time to come.