Photo: Thinkstock

I'm still searching for the perfect red lipstick that's not too blue, but not too orange—and I have a makeup bag stuffed with different variations of crimson to prove it. Instead of tossing the tubes that didn't live up to my expectations, makeup artist Kristofer Buckle suggested that I custom blend them in the microwave. "You can bump any shade into your comfort level by adding other colors," he says. While I'm no cosmetic chemist and even less a chef, I'm willing to head to the kitchen in the name of beauty research (and finally finding the ultimate red). You can steal his step-by-step:

1. Wind your lipstick all the way up and cut off the bullet with a butter knife. [If you want to soften the color, repeat the same steps with a lighter tone or nude. For more drama and intensity, add a deeper, blue-based shade in the same color family.]
2. Place the bullets in a small glass bowl or dish and pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds.
3. Repeat until the lipsticks are pliable (but not melted), then mix them together with a knife.
4. Scoop out your new homemade shade and put it in a small plastic jar or this purse-sized pill case from Walgreens, 99 cents.
   

Not only will this end your hunt for the ideal red (or pink, or coral, or...you get the picture), but you'll create a color that's unique to you.

What do you think of this DIY idea? Will you try it?

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Photo: Courtesy of DuWop

On a cold and gloomy January day, summer seems like a distant memory. But if you keep this gold-flecked, shell-shaped compact close at hand you'll feel one step closer to warm, parka-free afternoons. Tucked inside you'll find a creamy blush (to blend onto the apples of your cheeks) and highlighter (to dot along the tops of cheekbones) for a fresh-off-the-beach glow. The only thing missing: the sound of crashing waves.

$29, DuWop.com (Also available for eyes and lips)

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Photo: Ben Goldstein/Studio D

We found pieces to disguise your biggest body concerns without doing crunches...

The one time it's good to go all matchy-matchy? When you're trying to camouflage thicker ankles and lengthen legs. Pair opaque tights with the same color shoes, says O's creative director Adam Glassman, which creates one continuous line, and choose a pump with a thin heel and pointy toe to keep the illusion going. The mid-size heel (2.5 inches to be exact) on this pair  from Ivanka Trump adds height—minus the calf-strain and foot cramps. And the soft suede material is easier to break in than leather.


Shoes: $120, Nordstrom.com
Stockings: $26, Spanx.com

Keep reading to see 6 more shoes with slimming potential.

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Photo: C. Wonder

The weekend is within reach...let these little splurges make getting there more fun.Big Ideas Notebook, $14. Stick this embossed, faux-leather notebook in your purse or on your bedside table to capture that next "Aha!" moment.

"This Too Shall Pass" Print, $24. Whenever you're feeling down and out this will serve as a reminder that better days are ahead.

The Happiness Project Page-a-Day Calendar, $12. Adapted from the best-selling book and popular blog, you'll find words of wisdom, inspiring quotes, and strategies for putting a smile on your face—even on a manic Monday.

Ultra-Bright Arm Warmers, $59. Knitted from lambswool, these promise to keep forearms toasty when they're gripping bike handlebars...or typing on a computer in an unfairly frigid office.

Photo: Ben Goldstein/Studio D

We found pieces to disguise your biggest body concerns without doing crunches...

This pair of denim trousers will help conceal any post-holiday weight around your middle without sucking you in like sausage casing. The waistband sits higher on the hips and has just the right amount of stretch—meaning it's snug enough that your unmentionables won't be revealed to your co-workers next time you're putting away papers in those low file cabinet drawers, but not so tight that it squeezes your waistline creating a spare tire. And as for your tush, the no-sag fabric promises to do it justice.

$88, AnnTaylor.com

Keep reading to find out which pants Adam Glassman says are "magical."

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Photos: Courtesy of Kiss and Sula

With 2012 on the horizon, we found two new nail ideas to freshen up your fingertips in the new year:

Gaga-ify Your Nails: The fifth floor of Barneys department store in New York City has recently been transformed into Lady Gaga's Workshop—where you'll find everything from magnetic paper dolls of the lady herself to claw-shaped stockings fit for little monsters. Our favorite beauty find are these Kiss press-on nails—like the chain and studded set at left—designed by Gaga's personal nail artist, Naomi Yasuda. If you're daring enough to wear these press-ons for longer than a night, swap the sticker-style tabs for nail glue (included in the kit) and keep them on for up to a week. Plus, 25 percent of sales from all items in Gaga's Workshop will be donated to the Born This Way Foundation founded by Lady Gaga and her mother.

Paint and Peel Polish: Want to change your polish as often as you change your clothes? Try Sula's polish duos that peel off without breaking out the remover. Two coats of color has a shrink-wrap effect on nails and the clear top coat leaves an extra-shiny finish. Throw one of these pens in your purse or keep it in your top drawer to easily touch-up chips.

Would you try these? Have any new beauty finds you love?

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Photo: Taigan.com

The weekend is within reach...let these little splurges make getting there more fun.

Retro Handset, $49. Plug this vintage-style receiver into your mobile phone and chat old-school style.

DIY Cocktail Kit, $28. Make your guests feel extra special at your New Year's party (and ensure they don't leave a ring on your wooden coffee table) by customizing coasters and cocktail napkins with their initials using rubber stamps.

Angry Birds Cat Toy, $3. Your cat will be just as addicted to Angry Birds as you are with these plush toys filled with catnip.

Friends of the World Menorah, $40. This is like the United Nations of menorahs—light the Chanukah candles starting in the USA and work your way through Morocco, Russia, Ethiopia, Japan, England, Mexico and finally to Israel on the eighth night.

Photo: Courtesy of Sephora

When the season of giving rolls around I always feel like the runner that missed the gun at the beginning of the shopping marathon. In other words, I'm still standing empty handed at the starting line while everyone else took off sometime around Thanksgiving. In an effort to catch up, I came across these three festive and affordable beauty gifts that are guaranteed to put a smile on any woman's face (and save you from looking like a slacker).

Mini Shopping Bag Makeup Palette: No time to wrap? Hang this tote-shaped compact (at left) filled with nine eyeshadows, four lip glosses and a flattering shade of pinky-peach blush on any makeup junkie's Christmas tree. $15, Sephora.com

Nutcracker Soaps: Skip the fruitcake and bring this boxed set of five soaps to your holiday hostess.They may look like toys, but the sophisticated burnt orange, clove, and balsam fir scent is all grown up. $22, GiannaRose.com

Birchbox Subscription: Instead of a generic gift card, give the beauty lover in your life something original (and a whole lot more glamorous). Each month your mom/aunt/niece will receive a box brimming with high-end tools, makeup, hair, and skincare samples. She'll find her new beauty favorites without splurging on the full-sized product and cluttering up her cabinets with jars of half-used wrinkle cream. $30 for 3 months, Birchbox.com

Have any other last-minute gift ideas?

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Photo: Courtesy of Exude

Lipstick has had a cult following since...well...forever, but the same fundamental problems have existed since the very beginning. The bullet quickly transforms from a sharp, perfect slant to a dull, rounded nub in just a few uses—making application less precise. Gloss is always an option, but getting the last quarter out at the bottom of the tube with the wand is usually impossible. Exude's new line, however, is checking off those cosmetic quandaries one-by-one. The plastic applicator retains it's shape no matter how many times you reapply. Plus, you can release as much or as little of the moisturizing, mint-scented color as you want by clicking the bottom of the tube clockwise. If you've over-clicked, turning the base in the opposite direction sucks the product back inside so that you never waste a drop. For a more satiny look, opt for one of the nine crème shades. If you love shine, try the five gloss shades that range from red to clear.

$29, ExudeLipstick.com

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Photo: Vintage and Modern

If the recent auction of Elizabeth Taylor's legendary jewelry collection left you or a sparkle-loving friend longing for something special to call your own (and wear this New Year's Eve) then O's senior accessories editor, Tamara Rappa has a solution for you. One of her favorite websites to shop for the people on your list who have everything is Vintage and Modern (VandM.com)—where each bracelet, necklace, ring, pair of earrings has its own unique story. "It's like giving a friend a little piece of history," she says. Check out her top 3 must-have's (at left):

• For daytime earrings with drama, she suggests this pair of pyrite and brass chandeliers, "They're more offbeat than the crystal versions you see everywhere," Rappa says.

• Cocktail rings make a big statement when you're clinking champagne at midnight. Rappa likes this olive-colored one because the gold cutouts along the side are as eye-catching as the big stone in the center.

• This sterling cuff embedded with colorful minerals and shells was made by a master silversmith of the Laguna Pueblo/Chocktaw nation. "Many contemporary designers were inspired by Native American jewelry for spring, but this is an original," she adds.

Have any unique gift ideas? Share them with us.

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