My girl Maritza Ramirez (fashion designer/event producer/girl-about-town/beauty guru at Kiehl’s Nordstrom MOA) joined in the beauty wishlist fun - now that she works at MOA too, we can chit-chat about our latest obsessions way more often! She’s going to Puerto Rico for Xmas, which I think is probably the best gift ever, but here’s what she’d like to see under her tree this holiday season.

SACHAJUAN Ocean Mist System 3: I’d say 9 out of 10 days I won’t got through the trouble of taming (attacking, really) my wild mane with a flat iron.  This is especially appealing to me, because I’m headed to Puerto Rico for the holiday next week and all I want is an effortlessly chic “beach look.”   I may be splurging on this as a Christmas present to myself.  (Woodley and Bunny, $72.25) 

Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Body Oil: I’ve been DYING to try Rodin Olio Lusso products for quite some time.  Given the fact that we are about a month away from the coldest/driest part of the Minnesota winter, I think the time has finally come for me to indulge in the body oil.  11 essential oils in a chic, deco-inspired bottle?  Yes, please. (barneys.com, $95)

Jo Malone Vitamin E Treatment Body Scrub: While I am excited to be ringing in 2012 in a few weeks, I am haunted by apocalyptic visions of chapped, dull, dry skin. Ok, ok.  That may be a tad dramatic, but what’s a girl to do? I’m arming myself with this Jo Malone scrub and vowing to use it on the regular for the next 4 months.  (Nordstrom, $85)

Armani The Madreperla Harmony 1 Palette:  Why do I love this palette so much?  Let me count the ways.  Armani achieved perfection with this radiant golden palette that every girl needs at her side on NYE.  As usual, Armani lures me in with sleek, cutting-edge packaging.  (Nordstrom, $59)

Maritza and I talk makeup/skincare/beauty a lot; our phones are always cheeping with texts about Chanel and mascara. She works in the industry and I, well, I keep the industry afloat. She asked if I’d been compiling my fall beauty wishlist and I said, “Duh, I’ve already bought it all!” Here’s hers!

1). Chanel Peridot le Vernis.  I first saw this nail color a few months ago and immediately fell in love.  It’s such an unexpected green-gold and when the metallic hits the light, it’s truly spectacular.  I never thought I could love a nail color as much as I love peridot.  For this fall, it’s the new black.

2). YSL The Black Collection eyeliner pen.  A perfect pen for a precise cat eye or a dramatic smoky eye.

3). Laura Mercier creme lip color in Bing Cherry: Brick red is the THE color of the Fall 2011 runway.  I love this particular formula, because there is no shimmer, just shine.  With flattering pink-and-brown undertones, it will look great on every woman.

For night: YSL Rouge Volupte Perle No. 106  (purple) 

4). Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Foundation Primer.  Nobody does primer like Smashbox.  I’m substituting my classic Photo Finish for the new hydrating version during fall/winter months.  After just one use, my face felt smooth and moisturized without feeling heavy underneath my foundation.  Hands down, this is one of the best products of the season.    

5).  NARS Illuminator in Copacabana.  Because of the deep lipsticks, shadows and nail polishes I will be sporting, I want to keep my face as illuminated and light as possible.  I plan on using this highlighter as a very light and natural blush.

6). Malin + Goetz lip moisturizer. I was on a mission to find the most effective lip treatment after a recent bout of extreme dry lips!  After a dozen or so failed attempts, I turned to beauty expert Kara Nesvig and she had the answer in Malin + Goetz.  Voila! My lips are supple and smooth and I’m never leaving home without this!   

7). Cleanser 27 by M.E. SkinLab.  Cleanser 27 is an oil-rich wax with the texture of a skin butter (scary, right?!) that transforms into a foamy emulsion when it comes into contact with water.  It promises to soften, moisturize and brighten the skin, without stripping it of natural and very essential oils.  When I first read about this, I was skeptical it would be right for me, but after reading endorsements by colete (http://www.colette.fr/) and Woodley & Bunny (http://woodleyandbunny.com/), I am dying to try this cleanser during the harsh, dry Minnesota winter.   

8). Philosophy the microdelivery: mini peel pads.  Simply the best at-home way to exfoliate your dry skin and rid your face of dullness.  I like these because they are gentle and also work well on the neck and arms. 

9). Kiehl’s Rosewater Facial Freshener-Toner:  No matter the season, rosewater is a must in my skincare routine.  It soothes and calms the skin, while providing aroma therapeutic benefits.  Kiehl’s puts actual rose petals in the bottle, which provides an aesthetic appeal.  Tip: I like to chill rosewater in the fridge and spritz it on my face in the morning for instant perkiness! 

Spa trip:
10).  Spa getaway: I’m headed to Ruby Room in Chicago (http://www.rubyroom.com/) for an ultra-indulgent birthday present to myself.  I plan on getting an Arcona facial (my first ever!), an enerssage with cupping and the pumpkin hand and foot treatment. 

(photo by the lovely Amy Gee)

Maritza Ramirez is a local fashion designer and girl-about-town. (You can usually find her doing a badass rendition of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” at any karaoke bar or dancing all night at Club Jager’s Transmission on Wednesday nights.) But when she’s not whipping up adorable confections, she moonlights as a Benefit makeup artist at Southdale and is a certified makeup junkie of the highest order. Let’s see which products she can’t live without.

When did you start wearing makeup? - I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup until I was in 7th grade. Naturally, I stole my older sister’s makeup when I was in 5th grade.

Who taught you/what products did you use? - I had to teach myself since I was using makeup in secret for 2 years. I spent all of my teenage years experimenting with various brands from Target and pouring over magazines. I am from a suburb that is about 30 minutes from the Twin Cities and 20 minutes from the nearest mall, so everyone was using the same Covergirl brand powder compact. Around the same time, I went through a frosted lip phase in junior high with the rest of my class. Everyday I wore a cappuccino-colored lipgloss (Hey, it was 1997, don’t judge). I think for these reasons, I kept my look pretty natural in high school. At the time I think my favorite item was Rosebud Perfume Co. rosebud lip salve. I discovered Sephora later in high school, which opened up a whole new world of cosmetics!

What is your greatest beauty strength? - I like my lips.

What is your daily beauty routine? - I use Shiseido for all of my skincare needs (I use the Skincare line for cleanser, softener, moisturizer and Future Solution eye cream). For face; Smashbox Primer, Smashbox Tined moisturizer, Chanel Double Perfection powder. I use 3 different products on my eyebrows (I know, I’m obsessed): Benefit Speed Brow to shape, Benefit Brow Zings to give the illusion that my brows are fuller than they really are and Benefit Instant Brow to perfect. I love Smashbox eye primer and Smashbox and Chanel eye shadows with Benefit’s High Brow on the brow bone. I use Benefit erase paste as an under-eye concealer. On my lashes, I have to have Diorshow mascara. Since this winter is never-ending, I’ve been keeping the cool-tones in my routine with Chanel Violet Smoke eyeliner, Laura Mercier Second Skin blush in Violet Orchid and Chanel glossimer in Imaginaire. I finish the look with a highlighter by Benefit called High Beam.

What are your favorite products? What can’t you live without? - It has been my life’s mission to find the perfect fragrance. I have yet to find it, so Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume and bath products are always on hand. I also think Bulgari Omnia Crystalline works well with my body chemistry. To supplement my everyday skincare, I like Lush’s Mask of Magnaminty face mask for purifying. I like wearing Smashbox tinted moisturizer even on those days off where I do nothing. It’s a nice lightweight way to cover up small imperfections. Lately I have been into Lush’s Lip Service lip balm. Diorshow mascara and about a zillion lip glosses (Smashbox, Dior and Chanel, mostly) can always be found in my bag.

Who are your beauty icons? - Dita Von Teese has the most amazing skin ever. When I am feeling too tired to wash my face at night, I think of her and run to the bathroom. Leighton Meester knows how to pull off perfect sun-kissed skin. (I plan on using lots of Chanel bronzer in Terr D’ or to help me this summer). I’d die for lips like Monica Vitti, Sophia Loren’s cheekbones or full brows a la Penelope Cruz.

What are products you think every girl needs? - I think a lot of girls in their 20s (and 30s and 40s even) skip out on skincare. In this harsh Midwest climate that is a huge no-no. If you don’t wear any kind of skincare, a lightweight moisturizer and an eye cream are a good starting point. Benetint is the first and best cheek and lip stain. Also essential are a great mascara (I like Diorshow), everyday lipgloss (Smashbox and Chanel are my go-to gloss brands), and at least one brow product! The brows frame the face and I think people forget how important they are by over-tweezing or simply ignoring them. (Please see me at Benefit at Macy’s Southdale, I am happy to help!). Also, I think every girl needs to have a favorite signature lip color. Mine is Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon.

What are your favorite Benefit products? -Well, of course their original product, Benetint—it is the perfect red flush and the only product you’ll need (aside from giant sunglasses) if you have to do a walk-of-shame back to your car on a Sunday morning. All of the brow products are fabulous. In particular, High Brow is a really nice matte pencil used on the brow bone to accentuate the brows and open up the brows. It’s really great for everyone. I wear Erase Paste everyday to hide my dark circles. It’s got a really nice texture and helps to lighten and brighten. High Beam is the perfect highlighter. I just dab a little above my cheekbones, forehead, nose and chin for an instant glow.