There’s no question that the BEST time to buy cosmetics is between November and January. Why? Because the gift sets offered have pretty significant discounts and group value. But not all sets are created equal. Too Faced has a holiday packet, and as usual, the colors have a white/silvery cast that can look ashen on dark skin. Too Faced, do better. Please.

Also, Urban Decay has a new Vice palette, but the colors aren’t all that different from the last three. There was only one color (kind of a teal) that wowed me. There were about six colors that are a very pale that does absolutely nothing for brown girls.

So as much as I love Urban Decay, the Vice 4 for $60 is going to be a “no” for me.

You’d be better off with Sephora’s Jem and The Holograms: Truly Outrageous Eyeshadow Palette with more colors, high pigment, all for $20 less.

Sephora Favorites Liquid Luxuries $65 is a GREAT buy, because you can give 15 high-quaility petite perfumes as a gift, and then get a certificate for a FULL SIZE version of any of the fragrances featured.

Bobbi Brown University EYES $60 has such rich pigments that you don’t even need a primer. So many potential color combos it’s ridic.

Mine, mine, MINE!!! Sephora Favorites $75.