The early bird gets the dark circles....

Work, family, friends, we are thinking of everyone but ourselves. It seems like taking care of ones self has become a lost priority. Take some time for YOU. Busy schedules often leave you haggard, causing dark circles under your eyes, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation. It's imperative that you stay hydrated, lower your stress levels and get in at least eight hours of sleep each night. As important as these things are for your physical appearance, they are most important for your overall health. So while you take a load off, vow to drink your H20 and set an earlier bedtime. I can help with the rest.

To achieve the maximum effects by doing your part to stay healthy as stated above, here are some holistic measures for your eyes: Place a chilled spoon, raw potato slices, or cucumbers over your lids to constrict blood vessels and diminish dreaded dark circles and puffiness. Tea bags also work as most contain an anti-inflammatory. My personal favorite is green tea. Seep for 6

minutes let cool off (so you don't burn yourself) and place the bags carefully over your closed eyes. Follow up with your own personal favorite eye cream. Then, if you need a little extra hand to perk up your peepers, makeup can be your best friend.

Although, let's be real. No matter how much time and money you spend on your makeup, you can't just expect it to perform miracles. Major skin ailments will not just completely go away with a dab of concealer. It's not cosmetic surgery, so understand what it WILL do for you. Camouflage.

Here's a list of my FAVES....

1. Smashbox - Photofinish Color Correcting Foundation Primer $38

If you suffer from rosacea, or any sort of redness, try this in "color adjust." Not only will it neutralize the redness with it's green shade, it will also minimize the look of fine lines and create a smooth canvas for your concealer and foundation.

2. Benefit - Erase Paste $26

Blends so smoothly, and erases before your eyes! Definitely lives up to it's name.

3. Benefit - Lemon Aid $20

My absolute favorite eyelid primer. Perfectly cleans the slate, hiding any and all discoloration.

4. Kevyn Aucoin Beauty - The Sensual Skin Enhancer $45

You won't need to use much as this is a super rich formula. It can be used as a foundation, concealer AND highlighter. And come on... it's Kevyn Aucoin, need I say more!?

5. Make Up For Ever - Lift Concealer $22

This is just one of those magic products.

Containing Tensine, this will firm and tighten while keeping skin healthy with vitamin A and E. It will also work as a concealer and highlighter. Oh! Did I mention it will also help reduce the appearance of fine lines, and wrinkles? Absolutely a must.

6. mark. - Speedway do everything makeup $8

This will work wonders to conceal those more pesky brown spots, blemishes and under eye circles. It also doubles as a foundation.

7. Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Smoothing Stick $6.50

Extremely lightweight, glides on easy and will not appear thick or cakey. Hence it's perfectly named "skin smoothing stick." Comes in a variety of colors, but as I stated before, yellow is the best color to neutralize those under eye circles.

Midnight Madness....

Seems that the world has been "glamoured" into loving things that go bump in the night. Audiences have been love bitten by Twilight, HBO's "True Blood," and The CW's "The Vampire Diaries." Making vampire pop culture more popular than ever. Let's toast to this madness with a little after dark beauty. Pick and choose products to be the queen of your night.

Let's start this off with a bang:

1. Kat Von D for Sephora - Perfume in- "Sinner" $55

Intoxicating! As this smell lingers it's bound to leave you on someone's mind....

2. Sephora by O.P.I - Nail Colour in "Dark Room" $55

"Bid adieu" to the tired french manicure. Try this black tweaked with forrest green. Be a rebel.

3. Lancôme - Declaring Indigo limited-edition color design

palette liberty in "Golden Audacity" $42

Think outside of the box of greys, and blacks with a sexy new idea for a smoky eye look in indigo and gold! Absolutely hypnotising.

4. M.A.C Cosmetics - Lipstick- In "Ruby Woo" $14.00

No doubt about it, from makeup artists, beauty editors, and all over the blogosphere this is a favorite across the board. Rock this blood stained lip look with a little clear gloss on top! Sinfully sexy.

5. Benefit Cosmetics - Face powder in "Thrrrob" - $28

Ultra light, and seductive this mimicks your cheeks natural flush when you're in an...errr... lustful situation.

6. mark. - on the edge hook up liquid eye liner- in "cleo" $5.50

Liquid liner is almost always present when trying to evoke your inner bad girl, this one has a great precise tip for any type of drama you're looking for.

7. Givenchy -Phenomen'eyes mascara- in "Phenomen'Black" $28

This will top off your look and make you look as untouchable as it's precision wand.

8. Hair - Try the Herbal Essences collection "Tousle me softly" for a low cost way to achieve sex kitten hair!

On a fashion note: Finish up whatever makeup you've mixed and matched for this look with a hot coverup. Just about every true badgirl out there owns a motorcycle jacket. This is one of my favorites:

Express- (Minus the) Leather Motorcycle Jacket - In "black" $118

and for an inexpensive alternative:

Forever 21 - Slant Zipper Cropped Moto Jacket - in "black" $32.80