Free Friday: Fashion Firing

This week's prize pack includes Benefit Primpcess, David Yurman eau de parfum and The Body Shop Large Colour Palette, and has a retail value of more than $175.

Welcome to the fourth Free Friday. Every Friday through Dec. 19, I'll be giving away free beauty products, accessories and fragrance.

The winner of last week's giveaway is Kiera McMillan. The answer we were looking for is Alexander Wang. Here are the rules for entry:

E-mail your answer to each week's question to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.

Your answer must be in the subject field of the e-mail.

Include your name and phone number in the text of the email.

Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.

Correct answers to the question posed each week will be entered into a random drawing.

One entry per e-mail address, please. Only the winner will be contacted.

Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Here is this week's question: Which designer lost his creative director position after showing grunge on the runway in 1993?

Giving beauty thanks

Sure, I'm thankful for my family, friends and our health, but I'm also thankful for Buxom Lips, which gives me the bee-stung look without surgery or the big price tag.

Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the day and holiday season, here are five products I am thankful to have found this year:

Tallulah Glossary in Mouth of the South: The color in the tube is a bit scary in it's brightness, but the gloss is fab alone (SPF 15) or on top of another lip color or pencil. Available at Jeffre Scott Apothecary.

BareVitamins Prime Time Eyelid Primer: I was doubtful that anything could slow or stop the landslide eyeshadow thing I had going on. Until I tried this primer. Fabulous! Available at Potion.

Kiehl's Centella Skin-Calming Facial Cleanser: This gentle, soap-free cleanser washes without drying. There's also no greasy film left behind after rising.

Bare Escentuals Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish: Your lips will tingle, and not in a frightening way. And your lips will feel more plump without having to go to platypus surgery extremes.

Too Faced Lash Injection: I had been on a seemingly endless quest for fat eyelashes when I discovered this big mascara. It was love at first swipe -- I can wear everyday or crank up the volume with few more coats for night time.

What products are you thankful for this year?

Christian Siriano in Charlotte

Fierce "Project Runway" season four winner Christian Siriano will be in Charlotte on Dec. 4 at Coplon's in Phillips Place.

As part of his visit to the Queen City, he'll be the guest of honor at a brunch and fashion show to benefit Dress for Success Charlotte. Tickets, $100 each, are limited. Visit the Dress for Success website for more details. A trunk show, open to the public, will be 11:30 a.m- 5 p.m. at the store.

Christian and I spoke by phone recently. Read Thursday's Style section for the full story, but here's an exerpt of our conversation.

How would you characterize your 'Project Runway' experience? "It’s so funny, it was such a long time ago, but it’s still so prominent. (‘Project Runway’) opened every amazing door for me. I skipped five years of the fashion industry. It was a lot of work, but I have no bad things say about it. It made my career."

What has been the biggest change in your life since 'Project Runway'? "Everything and all of the above. My bank account is different! It's fabulous. I moved into a big beautiful loft in Williamsburg that is my studio too."

Free Friday: Beauty 'Influence'

This week's prize pack includes a copy of "Influence" by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Hermes Eau Des Merveilles Glittering Fragrant Powder, Ecotools 5-piece mini-brush set and a Body Shop Sparkle Eye Palette. The prize has an estimated retail value of more than $120.

Welcome to the third Free Friday! Every Friday through Dec. 19, I'll be giving away free beauty products, accessories and fragrance.

The winner of the last week's giveaway is Anna Marshall. The answer we were looking for is Susan Posnick.

Here are the rules for entry:

• E-mail your answer to each week's question to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.


• Your answer must be in the subject field of the e-mail.


• Include your name and phone number in the text of the email.


• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.


• Correct answers to the question posed each week will be entered into a random drawing.


• One entry per e-mail address, please. Only the winner will be contacted.


• Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Here is this week's question:

Which designer recently won the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund award?

Shopping the Show

I lingered for some time at The Bag Girl's display, featuring bags and accessories made from vintage (and vintage-inspired) textiles.

I made my first trip in ages to Southern Christmas Show this week. The show runs through Sunday. There were a few things that caught me off guard:

• I arrived at 9:30 a.m., hoping to beat the crowds (doors open at 10 a.m.). The main parking lot was already 1/2 full when I rolled up.


• What economic crisis? The weekday crowd was shoulder-to-shoulder with minutes, and nearly impassable when I left around noon. And, it wasn't just folks browsing -- they were loaded down with bags.


• It was hard to be an anti-excess-of-the-holidays grinch while being bombarded with twinkle lights, festive songs and loads of unique offerings.


• Artisans weren't shy about proudly proclaiming their items were hand-made. Subtle (and not so, sometimes) signs help make shoppers make more informed decisions by questioning where their intended purchases originate.


• Most shoppers looked like festival pros -- cross body bags, rolling carts to hold their purchases, etc.. But I was stunned by the number of people wearing inappropriate clothing. Flip-flops are not good for walking in a tightly packed crowd. Or in November when it's so cold.


• Leave your outerwear in the car, but bring your patience.

Did you go? What is your take on the show?

Helping (our) hands

My favorite spa-like treatment for dry hands involves Old Navy fleece gloves and Curel.

Temps in Charlotte have quickly become mighty frigid for this time of year, and already my hands are taking a beating. I can't seem to put enough lotion on them -- they drink it up and still I have snaggy cuticles and brittle nails.

One way to prevent ashy hands is to wear gloves outdoors constantly.

Here's tip from my mom back home in Michigan, who is a glove-wearing fanatic (and you can tell from her perfectly moisturized hands in the dead of winter): Lotion up your hands right before putting on gloves when you leave in the morning. Make sure to wear your gloves as long as you can, and you'll have a head start on supple hands.

My mom's process works in a similar way to moisturizing your feet with lotion and heavy socks at night, except that it's your hands and you're not sleeping.

Do you have any tips for combating dry skin?

LISTEN UP! I'll be on the Matt & Ramona show at 6 p.m. Wednesday to talk about the five men's must-haves for building a solid wardrobe. Underwear is more important than you think, as are nice shoes. Read more in Thursday's Style section.

Free Friday: Makeup madness

Today's freebie is a copy of Bobbi Brown's new "Makeup Manual" (which is set to hit stores Dec. 1) and Urban Decay's VIP 24/7 Eye Pencil set and Three Piece Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner Set. Retail value of the trio is around $100.

Welcome to the second Free Friday! Every Friday through Dec. 19, I'll be giving away free beauty products, accessories and fragrance.

The winner of the last week's giveaway is Rhea Kelley. The answer we were looking for was Oleg Cassini.

The response to last week's giveaway was overwhelming -- more than 1,000 entries hit our inbox! We're refining the rules for entry a bit. Here they are:

• E-mail your answer to each week's question to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.


• Your answer must be in the subject field of the e-mail.


• Include your name and phone number in the text of the email.


• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.


• Correct answers to the question posed each week will be entered into a random drawing.


• One entry per e-mail address, please.


• Only the winner will be contacted.


• Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.
  

OK. Here goes with this week's question:

Which famous name in cosmetics, who has an eponymous line (available in Charlotte), was the personal makeup artist of Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay cosmetics?