Here we are again at the end of the year, which means it is time for the best of the year posts! Below are Beauty and Fashion Tech’s best beauty product for 2011. The list includes the best makeup, best skin care, hair care, and best beauty gadgets that we tried this year. The items are in no particular order, although I tried to keep absolute favorites near the top. There are also a few items at the end of the list that I tried in 2011, but have not written the review of the item yet.

Best Beauty Products of 2011

(1) Ott Lite Makeup Mirror: This is a great makeup mirror that provides natural light in a highly adjustable and attractive package. Forget the cheap drugstore lighted mirrors an get the real deal with this one! I adore mine. Learn more in our initial review here: OttLite Makeup Mirror Review .

(2) Lancome Bi-Facil: When your dog eats a hot pink lipstick on the carpet, you will be glad if you have have some of this around. Oh, and it removes makeup from your eyes and face very well too! For more and for the story of the lipstick eating corgi, look here: Lancome Bi-Facil Review

(3) Skinsonic: The Skinsonic is a sonic skin cleansing system, similar to the popular Clarisonic, but much cheaper. Sonic cleansing is great for overall skin care and exfoliation. You can read more in our at home microdermabrasion guide.

(4) Iswas Handbag organizer: This is the best purse organizer on the market and it comes in several nice shades. Read our report: Iswas Handbag Report

(5) Sedu Revolution 4000i: Sedu makes great products, and the Revolution 4000i dryer is no exception. Learn more about the top hair dryers here: Best Hair Dryers

(6) Verseo eGlide: The Verseo eGlide is an interesting permanent hair removal device that uses a galvanic current instead of a lasers, which makes it great for those with darker skin or who want to remove facial hair, since a laser is not safe for either of those. I personally prefer my Tria Laser, but the eGlide did work for me to remove some facial hair. For more on the eGlide, see our Verseo eGlide review or our laser hair removal at home guide.

(7) Tokidoki Soda Shop Palette: This limited edition item is getting hard to find, but if you look at Sephora, there are multiple Tokidoki palettes and all are packed full of really well pigmented makeup. Learn more here:  Tokidoki Soda Shop Swatches and Review

(8) Hot Tools Pink Titanium Curling Iron: Hot tools makes a number of great curling irons. To learn more see our report: Best Curling Irons

(9) MAC Me Over Fall Collection: MAC’s fall collection was particularly impressive this year. See more here:  MAC Me Over Swatches

(10) MAC Bloggers Obsessions: the MAC Blogger’s Obsessions colelction was really fun because fellow beauty bloggers designed it! You can see photos here:  MAC Bloggers Obsessions Photos

(11) Sedu Pro Ionic Ceramic Tourmaline Flat Iron: I love Sedu irons and this one it right up there at the top.  Learn about the top Flat Irons here: The Best Flat Irons

(12) Laura Mercier Luxe Colour Palette:  Laura Mercier has been putting out a number of neat palettes lately and this set is particularly nice.

(13) Brazilian Peel: This 30% glycolic peel works wonders for dull and acne prone skin. I used it weekly for four weeks with excellent results!

(14) Stila Dream in Color Palette: The best makeup palette of the holiday season. Get a large number of Stila shades in a single pretty palette!

Interested in the best products from past years? Look here:

Best Beauty Products of 2010

Best of 2009

Best of 2008

Best of 2007

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Holidays are a great time to give beauty gadgets and higher end tech items as gifts. Technological advances in beauty have been huge the past few years, resulting in many interesting and unique items that many women would love to have, but might forgo buying for themselves because the items seem like a splurge. Thus, beauty gadgets make perfect gifts-they are interesting, unique, fun and make you, as the gift giver, stand out from the crowd.

Here are our top beauty gadgets for gifts this holiday season. Or, if you simply want to know our opinion on the best beauty gadgets to consider buying this list is for you!

(1) Tria Laser: Home laser hair removal costs a small fortune at the salon, but is now very affordable at home. For women who are best suited for it (people with lighter skin and darker hair) it also is highly effective. I know so many women who want a Tria that you really can’t go wrong with this one. One important caution. Laser hair removal cannot be performed on medium or darker skin tones. If your recipient has medium or dark skin, look to the eGlide further down on this list instead. Want to know more? Read our full guide: Home Laser Hair Removal.

(2) Ott Lite Makeup Mirror: This is the best makeup mirror a woman can have. The lighted mirror provides the perfect type of light for makeup application and is highly adjustable. The OttLite also has an attractive and unique appearance, making it much preferable over other lighted mirrors on the market. Trust me, any woman would love this mirror! Learn more here: Ott Lite Makeup Mirror Review.

(3) Clarisonic: Sonic skin cleansing does wonders for the complexion and is great for overall exfoliation. The Clarisonic is the most popular tool of choice in sonic cleansing and is adored by women who own one. Looking to save money? The Skinsonic is a more affordable similar product for those on a budget. Want to learn more? Read our guide: Home Microdermabrasion.

(4) Baby Quasar: Baby Quasar is the leader in LED skin therapy devices. For women with oily skin or acne, a blue light device can be an incredible skin saving gift. For the spa loving woman with anti-aging concerns a red light will be a welcome item. To learn more, see our previous article on Home Light Therapy.

(5) Whitening Lightening Tooth Lightening Pen: This unique new tooth whitening product is a compact, easy to use pen that whitens teeth without the mess of using strips or trays and without causing sensitivity. It also freshens breath. Just paint on the lightener and go! Definitely a neat and interesting gift.

(6) Lasertron Hair Growth System: Laser combs and brushes are some of the most interesting new developments in hair growth, especially for thickening hair. This system offers a brush over a comb, which makes it particularly nice for women, but men will love this one too.

(7) Verseo eGlide: The eGlide offers permanent hair removal without the use of lasers, making it perfect for those who cannot use a laser because they have darker skin. Unlike a laser, the eGlide can also be used on facial hair. However, for those with lighter skin and for use on the legs, we prefer the Tria Laser, number one in our list. For more on the eGlide, see our Verseo eGlide review.

(8) Personal Microderm: The personal microderm provides home microdermabrasion at a fraction of the cost of similar spa services. the device is easy to use and leave skin feeling soft and looking fresh. Perfect for women who love to their own home facials. Want to learn more? See our at home microdermabrasion guide linked above.

(9) Glo Brilliant Tooth Whitening System: The Glo tooth whitening device lightens teeth without messy gels and promises to do so without sensitivity. To learn more, read our Glo Brilliant Tooth Whitening Review.

(10) Pressure Leg Massager: This compression leg massager feels incredible and provides a great way to improve circulation and get a relaxing leg massage at home. Buy two for the most comfort and spa-like experience! Conveniently, they often are offered at half price for that purpose.

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Below are what I think are some of the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to come through my inbox. I am not listing everything since plenty of places have free shipping (just about everyone will do some sort of shipping offer over the holiday weekend) and others have sales but nothing super outstanding. so I left those out. Here are ones that really caught my eye.

Elizabeth Arden: Get the 33-Piece Holiday Blockbuster Color Collection (a $350 value) for $45 with any $27.50 or over purchase at Elizabeth Arden. Good through 11/30. Also get free shipping and 25% off on Black Friday with coupon code BF2.

Folica.com. Receive $25 off plus Free Shipping on orders over $75. Enter NOV25 at checkout. Good 11/23-11/29.

Beauty.com has a free special limited edition Erickson Beamon makeup bag full of beauty samples. Free with $100 purchase on Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2011 while supplies last.

Stila brings the Stila warehouse sale online begging Cyber Monday and running through Friday, December 2, 2001, with up to 80% off of some items.

Target: Target has so many deals going on that they are too much to list here. Instead, hit the into link, which goes to their deals page to see updates, or see our full post on the Target Black Friday deals and sales.

YSL: Receive 20% off plus Free Shipping on any order with Code CYBER at checkout. Valid 11/22-11/26. Also, receive 20% off plus FREE shipping on every order, plus spend $100 or more and get a free gift with Code MONDAY at checkout. Offer Valid 11/28-11/30.

Clarisonic:  Cyber Monday Exclusive Offer: 20% Off Skin Care Pairs & Gift Bundles with coupon code CYBER20

E.L.F.: Free shipping, plus buy one get one 50% off when you spend $30 or more using coupon code BLKFRI 11/24-11/26 and save up to $100.  Also, get 50% off this Cyber Monday with all orders over $25. Use code 50WIDE from 11/27-11/29 and save up to $100.

Drugstore.com: Get up to 80% off select Conair hair , and get RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum for $24.95. Offers end 11/28/2011. For new customers: spend $50 and get free shipping + a $100 Restaurant.com gift code! Or spend $25  and get free shipping + a $50 Restaurant.com gift code! Offers end 01/01/2011. Those are pretty nice new customer deals!

Benefit Cosmetics: There are various free shipping specials, including international shipping, plus, Get a free high beam mini with $35 order with code HLDYMINI at checkout. Or, get a free full-size thrrrob with $90 order and code HRTTHROB at checkout. Offers valid 11/22 – 11/28 11:59p PST.

Miche Handbags: LOVE Miche bags and interchangeable shells and this is a great deal! From Monday, November 28 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time to Monday, November 28 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time, a list of specially-selected Shells will be offered to customers at 50% off. The sale Shells will be limited and ONLY while supplies last.

Just in: Verseo.com Cyber Monday – 35% OFF all orders over. Coupon Code: cyber35 Biggest deal of the year!

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Well before it was the name of a busy pre-Christmas shopping day, the term Black Friday was used to describe a number of tragic and unfortunate events the happened to take place notoriously on Fridays. Interestingly, the first recorded instance of Black Friday was in regard to a financial incident rather than a disaster or invasion.

Gold Panic – 1869

Called the Gould-Fisk Scandal and it took place during Ulysses S. Grant’s presidency during the Reconstruction era. A couple of speculators conspired to drive the price of gold upwards, causing a panic in the New York Gold Exchange as well as America’s financial sector. As the scandal was investigated, the president as well as many of his close advisors were implicated as being directly or indirectly involved with trying to manipulate the gold market.

Philadelphia – 1966

Philadelphia newspapers started referring to the Friday after Thanksgiving as Black Friday when police started noticing increased traffic and congestion problems with the increase in shoppers on the streets. That Friday also coincided with the surge of visitors attending the Army-Navy football game that Saturday. While retailers were happy for the extra business and holiday traffic, civil servants and police forces were stretched thin as the crowds flooded streets and sidewalks. Black Friday carried a negative connotation as it referred to the extra problems and incidents the local police had to deal with because of the extra crowds.

Retailers Nationwide – 1980s

Store owners traditionally followed an unwritten rule and did not release their holiday product line until after Thanksgiving which officially marked the start of the holiday shopping season. And as they built up the release of the post-Thanksgiving product, consumers responded by flocking to stores in an attempt to get their holiday shopping started early. The only thing that kept retailers from really capitalizing on this consumer trend was the perception of Black Friday as an unruly, negative event because of its historical significance.

So retailers hit up on a genius idea: tie Black Friday into the profits generated by increased sales. When accountants track the revenue and profits of a business, that business is said to be “in the red” when in debt and “in the black” when making a profit. Retailers started to spin the idea of Black Friday as the day when businesses go from the red to the black with the start of the holiday shopping season and increased profits. This repurposing of an otherwise ominous term made the day after Thanksgiving seem to consumers to be not only a day to get exclusive Black Friday deals but also to help the economy and support local businesses. While it doesn’t make much sense that a business could remain open with staying red three quarters of the year, the terminology and appearance of logic was enough to retake the term Black Friday and give it a positive connotation in the eyes of American consumers.

Author: Analise Marcus can think of no better way to walk off a Thanksgiving turkey dinner than with a Black Friday shopping spree.  She is always on the lookout for Black Friday deals from all kinds of retailers both in stores and online.

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

I previously posted about some great Black Friday Ulta coupons. Dermstore is another retailer with some very good Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and deals. Particularly intriguing is the Black Friday Mystery Black Bag sale. the $30 off $100 coupon is a better than average deal too.

Dermstore sells a good selection of makeup and cosmetics, so they are not just about skin care. The holiday Dermstore coupon codes are below. Also check out HolidayMakeup.net.
Dermstore

• Dermstore: From 11/26 through 11/29. Add products to your favorites list to save 20% for only 4 days from Black Friday through Cyber Monday.
• Thanksgiving Day – FREE 2 Day Shipping + a FREE Super Set gift for the first 200 orders. Use code 2DAYSHIP.
• Black Friday through Cyber Monday - 20% Off Favorites thru 11/29. Add products to your favorites list to save 20% for only 4 days.
• Black Friday – Mystery Black Bag Sale! Want $200 worth of luxury beauty products for only $25? Grab your Mystery Black Bag before they’re sold out. You’ll receive some of the hottest skin care and hair styling products for only $25 – that’s 88% savings. 11/25 only while supplies last.
• Thanksgiving Holiday – 25% off all Kinerase products! Get 25% off all Kinerase products between 11/22 through 11/30.
• $30 off $100 coupon expires 11/30 – $30 off $100 coupon for new Dermstore.com customers from November 15th – November 30th: NOV30OFF100DS
• Deal of the Week Nov. 29th
  Get 10% off on Cargo’s Eye Shimmer Collection

Note, this the 2010 post. but Dermstore has good 2011 deals too. Visit Dermstore.com for more details.

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Bobbi Brown Chrome is Bobbi brown’s 2009 Holiday collection.  It features some neat and unique metallic shades. The eye shadows are quite different from other lines and the lip shades are extra metallic.The collection is below, along with a few other items that Bobbi Brown lists as “gifts,” and a couple of brush kits that I just had to toss in because Bobbi Brown makeup brushes are so darn good!

I recently looked at the Bobbi Brown Holiday Line in the store.  If you like creative holiday looks or simply just don’t want your holiday makeup to look like everyone else, take a look at the Bobbi Brown Chrome Collection. It just might meet your needs.

For a full look at alternate shades on individual  items, click the picture to see it on the Nordstrom website.

If you are reading this in the feed, click the title to go to the website to see the shopping links.

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

This is pretty darn cool. Sephora is playing Santa! Tweet what you want in this form: Dear @Sephora, All I want for the holidays this year is _____ with a product up to a $150 value and use the hash tag  #SephoraClaus, or visit SephoraClaus to send your request, and SephoraClaus will grant one wish each day until December 19. One entry per person, per day.

So, what should you wish for? Here are five great ideas. These would all also make great holiday gifts as well.

Coming in just under the $150 limit is the favorite skin care tool of many, the Clarisonic Mia™ Skin Cleansing System . It even comes in pink (there is a white version as well).

This Marc Jacobs Daisy Gift Set includes the following versions of the popular Marc Jacobs Daisy fragrance: .4 oz Eau de Toilette Spray,  0.02 oz Solid Perfume, and 5.1oz Luminous Body Lotion.

For beautiful, useful, shades in a unique and pretty makeup kit, the LORAC Double Booked Full Face Collection can’t be beat. Lorac always has great kits and makeup palettes.

The Givenchy Prismissime Eyes Palette in Tempting Chocolate is pretty, pretty, pretty! this limited edition palette is a must have holiday item!

Good tools are essential and Kevyn Aucoin makes great ones. The Kevyn Aucoin The Mini Brush Set comes in just under the SephoraClaus $150 limit.

What are you wishing for?

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Nordstrom Beauty Exclusives are available for preorder (shipping begins July 17)! These items will be available only through Nordstrom for a limited time this summer. I’m keeping myself on a budget, so I have to decide what to limit my self to. Here are a few neat items that I am looking at (but there are many more at the Nordstrom website):

I have tons of MAC stuff already, but I still kind of want the MAC Look in a Box .

But I’m leaning even more toward getting this Bobbie Brown Must-Have Set , which I might get along with something from her new Nude line.

And then there is this lovely little Jane Iredale Sweet 15 Makeup Palette !

I think I need to win the lottery so that I can buy more makeup!

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Attention Chicago shoppers. Shecky’s Girls Night Out is on the horizon. Sample beauty products and shop emerging designers at up to 75% off, all while drinking one of the cocktail samples that are available.   There are both free and paid admission options, paid receives a gift bag with beauty product samples.

Date: Wed.-Fri., Mar. 18th-20th, 2009
Time: 5pm-10pm
Place: The Great Hall at Chicago Union Station
210 S. Canal St. (entrance on Jackson Blvd.)

Also, one of my favorite spots, Beta Boutique, is having their semi-annual stacked rack sample sale on January 24 and 25.

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech

Bath and Body spa kits make great holiday gifts. Just about everyone likes to pamper themselves from time to time, yet they might not want to buy themselves individual products to do so. During the holidays, great home spa kits seem to pop up every where. If you are hitting the stores, look in the beauty isles for fun kits. If shopping online, here are three recommended items:

I adore Bliss spa items, so the Best Of Bliss Kit is high on my personal wish list! This kit contains the best of the best from NY’s hottest spa and contains a bliss bag filled with deluxe trial sizes of lemon+sage body butter, hot salt scrub, high intensity hand cream, triple oxygen energizing mask and the youth as we know it moisture cream. $55 at Beauty.com

Another favorite of mine is Caudalie. The Vinotherapie Spa in the Box Set includes luxurious Crushed Cabernet Scrub, Hand and Nail Cream, Vine Peach Shower Gel, French-Milled Soap and Nourishing Body Lotion. $38.

For a value packed full home spa experience, check out the Borghese Essentially Borghese Holiday Gift Set.  This kit offers 7 products from rejuvenating Fango Active Mud for Face and Body to gently cleansing Bagnodi Vita Gentle Foaming Bath Gel for Bath and Shower, to deeply intensive and protective moisturizers for face and body and soothing botanical eye compresses. $45

Comparison shop for spa kits

Copyright Beauty and Fashion Tech