Photo: Courtesy of Smashbox

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

Your hunt for the perfect lip color is over. Smashbox O-Gloss goes on clear, reacts with the chemicals in your skin and turns a flattering shade of pink (unique to you) in seconds.

$22, Smashbox.com; 100 percent of sales goes to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.


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When in doubt or pressed for time in the morning (which, let's face it, is pretty much always) I resort to the one makeup item that takes the least amount of time to apply, but makes the biggest impact: lipstick. Case in point: The photo at left of food editor Lynn Andriani's grandmother—her perfectly made up mouth acts as a badge of confidence and strength. Similar to a little black dress, lipstick is always there when I have no clue what to put on and makes me look instantly pulled together despite the dark under-eye circles and the blemish in the middle of my forehead. And the color I choose is often a barometer of my mood: red when I'm feeling punchy, orange or hot pink when I need a boost, nude when I'm feeling content, and dark burgundy for days I feel like I can take on the world and anything it throws my way. And it seems that others have noticed the power of lipstick and its ability to highlight emotions—no matter what they may be. Here are three celebrations of this classic cosmetic  guaranteed to make you smile:

• This interactive image of lips by photographer Greg Kessler morphs and changes color as you scroll across it. If you need a two-minute mental break this will do the job. [via Nowness]

• Watch this lip-focused film series by photographer Elle Muliarchyk that features 24 international models spitting out tongue twisters in their native language. The equivalent of "Sally sells seashells by the seashore" in other parts of the world will leave you laughing. [via The New York Times]

• Check out this gallery of photos from the new book, A Shade of Red, by jewelry designer and photographer Alyson Fox. It features 100 portraits of women of all ages tied together by one common thread: Revlon's Certainly Red lipstick. While you may be expecting glamour shots, what is interesting about Fox's approach is how the same color brings out something different in each of her subjects. [via Of A Kind]

How do you express your emotions? Is lipstick a visual cue of your mood?

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Photo: Ben Goldstein/Studio D

If there was ever a time to roll out of bed and show up to work in my Mickey Mouse fleece jammies now would be it—as October is National Pajama Month [as reported by Glamour.com]. But if your boss isn't the type that would look fondly upon you swapping out your black pumps for bunny slippers and your pencil skirt for pajama pants, then at least use this as an excuse to treat yourself to a new set of PJs to slip into after hours. We like this owlish pair from Piggy Pajamas (at left) that gets softer with every wash and donates 20 percent of sales to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of another worthy October cause—National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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Making decisions has never been my strong point, especially when I'm faced with too many options. Facing a menu at a diner, for example—with all its possibilities of getting whatever I want, whenever I want—I usually end up ordering a mix of things (a grilled cheese, a shrimp cocktail, and a side of mashed potatoes with gravy) that have no business being together.

I'm faced with the same problem when it comes to deciding on a nail polish color. Whether it's choosing from the rainbow of options at the nail salon or digging through the colors stuffed into multiple bins under my bathroom sink, I end up testing at least 20 shades on my fingers before deciding on one. So when I spotted O contributing assistant fashion editor Sara Mitzner's nails, I knew I had at last found a way to embrace my indecisive nature.

She created this ombre effect by choosing five shades in the same color family, then started at the darkest point on her thumb and gradually worked her way to the lightest on her pinky. The key to making this manicure look sophisticated (and not like a preschooler's paint-by-number project), says Mitzner, is choosing neutral and understated colors that are office-appropriate on their own. Try varying intensities of pink, or go bold with blue. To get Mitzner's mani, try these shades: RGB Cosmetics Nail Polish in Black, CND Nail Colour in Asphalt, Dior Vernis in Gris Montaigne, OPI Nail Lacquer in French Quarter for Your Thoughts, and Ginger and Liz Colour in Tuck Me In.

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Photo: Courtesy of Citizen

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

A pink dial surrounded by 20 diamonds will make getting to that early-morning meeting a lot more glamorous. Plus, this Citizen Watch is water-resistant up to 100 meters, so forgetting to take it off before you shower or tackle a sink of dishes is no longer an issue.

$395, Macys.com; $100,000 will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation

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Photo: Cotton Ridge Emporium

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

Mice Halloween Decorations, $6. Add these rodent silhouettes to your baseboards or stairs to surprise your guests (or make them scurry) and get everyone in the Halloween spirit.

Hard Candy Eyeliner, $5. These creamy pencils glide on easily and the chopstick shape makes them ideal for holding a bun in place in a pinch.

Real Simple Hangers, $10 for 12. We love that these ultra-slim hangers have built-in hooks so that you can stack your pants, skirts, and blouses to free up more space in your closet.

Drumstick Pencil Set, $10. Give these drumstick-shaped pencils to the musical genius or aspiring rock star in your life.

Photo: Courtesy of Infinity Sun

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

Infinity Sun's non-greasy, moisturizing serum contains a small percentage of DHA (a skin darkening ingredient) to extend the life of your self-tan by at least two days. Plus, it leaves behind a light, vanilla scent and a subtle dose of shimmer.

$40, DermStore.com; 20 percent of proceeds goes to Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation

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Photo: Courtesy of BFFL

Join the fight against breast cancer while treating yourself (or your mother, aunt, or a friend) to something special.

Created by radiation oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Chabner Thompson, this duffle is packed with all the necessities a woman needs after surgery or during chemotherapy visits. The designer bag has metal feet to keep it off hospital floors and is filled with everything from playing cards (for stress relief and waiting room entertainment) to a heart-shaped microbead pillow (for placing under the arm and taking pressure off the area where lymph nodes are frequently sampled during treatment).
 
$99, BFFLCO.com; 15 percent of net profits will go to The Cancer Resource Foundation

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Photo: Thinkstock

Yes, it could—so finds a recent study lead by author and assistant clinical professor of psychology at Harvard University, Nancy Etcoff. In addition, how you apply cosmetics (or if you wear them at all) could affect others perceptions of your level of likability, competence and, as you may have guessed, attractiveness.

The female subjects of the study were photographed barefaced and with three different makeup looks (natural, professional, and glamorous). One test group was shown the photos for 250 milliseconds; the other was allowed to study them for an unlimited amount of time. Both groups rated the women wearing makeup higher on the competence and attractiveness scale than those without it. However, the group given more time judged the subjects wearing the heavier, glamorous looks as less trustworthy and less likable. Sarah Vickery, a scientist and another author of the study, told the New York Times that a dark, shiny lipstick makes a powerful impression, but lighter, less glossy lip colors helps others view you as a more level-headed team player.

While these findings don't exactly prove that the years it took to perfect my liquid liner technique or the fact that I tried every pink lipstick on the market until I found the right shade was time and money well spent, it is interesting to discover that spending more time in front of the mirror in the morning—but not too much time—could earn me more respect at the office and in life.

It seems that mobile phones equipped with digital cameras (and stand-alone versions alike) have allowed everyone to become the star of their own reality show, one where every moment—from enjoying a morning cup of coffee to a play-by-play of a tropical vacation—is documented and instantly uploaded to Twitter and Facebook. I've become so accustomed to seeing these candid shots of friends having the time of their lives (whether the really are or just appear that way before the flash goes off, is still up for debate) that flipping through my grandma's dusty family albums or looking at the portrait of my great-great-great-grandparents that hangs on her bedroom wall is slightly disconcerting; the expressionless faces and rigid poses are creepy and almost zombie-like. And while my grandma has some pretty good stories of all the wild shenanigans they all used to get into (with my great uncle making gin in the bathtub during Prohibition), there isn't even the slightest hint of emotion documented in any of the photos.