I always like to take advantage of as many holidays as possible to treat myself to some sort of interesting beauty regimen. Valentine's Day is one of them! It is one of those days that you can treat yourself and indulge in some beautification self-love! Some of my V-Day to-do's may seem cheesy, but they get me hyped for that special day:
10) Red or pink nail polish - I'm not a fan of bright pinks and reds - just something that is muted and has a great shine to it. Great for both fingers and toes (I tend to prefer a darker hue of the red or pink on the toes though).
9) Red lipstick - I always wear a dark red lipstick, but whatever - I added it to my list anyway. :) This is not the holiday for me to experiment with other colors :).
8) Scented perfumes and lotions - I'm a big fan of Victoria's Secrets perfumes and lotions - I'm pretty sure I have all of Victoria's Secret's "body splashes." They all have matching lotions (which is important if you want to "layer" the scents by putting on the lotion and spray the matching perfume on top for a longer lasting scent). The perfumes have romantic names and have amazing floral scents that indulge the senses.
7) Wearing a piece of red clothing at some point during Valentine's Day week (the week prior to V-Day) - cheesy, but I pretty much do this every year since I was a little tot.
6) Indulging in face mask treatments - I am slightly obsessed with "The Body Shop", and I have a whole bunch of masks that I bought while I was in Korea two years ago. To say that I went on a beauty shopping spree there is quite the understatement...
5) Exfoliating scrubs and sponges - I love my skin to be sparkling smooth by the time V-Day rolls around. Exfoliating is incredibly important especially during the winter months, where the dry weather and bitter cold can make your skin a bit rough. I top off my exfoliation with a facial spa treatment.
4) The facial spa: After exfoliating, I use "The Facial Spa" by Conair. AMAZING! It gently steams your face, and opens all of your pores. I usually do a gentle moisturizing mask afterwards in order to smooth over my skin and give it a nice polished finish. I love how my skin feels after doing this.
3) Candles - if there is ever a time to indulge in great scented candles, it is Valentine's Day! Most drug stores carry them (CVS, Walmart, Duane Reade, etc.). Bed Bath and Beyond in particular has an excellent candle collection - I visit that section of the store quite often in order to indulge in the Yankee Candle scents (yum!).
2) Eyelashes - I am very into long eyelashes on V-Day, but you won't ever catch me wearing fake lashes. I am all about great mascaras - Loreal's Carbon Black Mascara is my favorite lengthening mascara right now - it stretches and darkens the lashes, and 2 or 3 applications provides me with the perfect long lash look. I may also include Maybelline's mascara, "The Blackest Black," in order to finish it off for lash perfection.
1) A Victoria's Secret item (besides the perfumes and lotions) - I have to treat myself to Vikki's! Isn't Valentine's Day the day for every woman to feel sexy and put something on that makes them feel cute and womanly? I answer in the affirmative! :) What do I buy, you ask? Won't tell ya - it is called Victoria's Secret for a reason! :) 
My Personal Top Ten Valentine's Day Beauty Things To Do
What Kind of Cleavage is Appropriate?
Cleavage is pretty much around the corner in NYC - in several weeks, you'll be noticing fewer jackets (or skimpier jackets), and slim tops that may or may not modestly cover a woman's cleavage. Spring time welcomes the celebration of the female body - and men clearly appreciate it. However - how much cleavage is too much cleavage?
it's pretty intuitive that cleavage at work is a big no-no. It is pretty distracting, and can negatively affect how people treat and respect you as a person and as an employee. However, you shouldn't feel pressure to tape down your breasts with masking tape. According to Elisabeth Squires, author of "Boobs: A Guide to Your Girls," the appearance of breasts can help women in a workplace setting: "A recent study showed men photos of women in a workplace with large breasts showing cleavage, medium breasts and small breasts. When asked about who looked most professional and personable, the men chose the women with medium-sized breasts," she said. Squires further noted that "you don't have to be flat-chested to be taken seriously. You just have to be proportionate. For women who are small busted, that may mean a little padding. For well-endowed women, that may mean a minimizer." My take on all of this: I don't think it's too smart to show much cleavage at all in the workplace - I'm not sure how it wins respect from either men or women. I do, however, believe that a woman should feel comfortable with her size and wear clothing that fits appropriately - nothing too baggy, and nothing too tight. And I very much vouch for a minimizer on a woman if her bra is peaking through a button-down shirt. Victoria's Secret is a secret for a reason.
In everyday life, outside of the workplace, a woman has every right to show off as much as she wants, but the question is - is it a good idea to "bust" loose and show off the "girls"? I don't think so. I like the idea of "sexy modesty" - you shouldn't show much at all, but the clothing should fit in a way that very much flatters your figure. Women have been blessed with curves - show them off! Just don't show them off like a video vixen princess! BET does that enough already. In my own personal style, I try not to wear skinny jeans plus a tight top - I would rather wear looser bottoms with a flattering top, or tight jeans with a somewhat looser blouse. The only time I feel comfortable wearing extremely tight-fitting clothes is when I go running (spandex!) or a party that calls for tight-fitting attire.
The foundation of proper cleavage is a great bra. I'm a big fan of Victoria's Secret myself - plus, the employees there can measure your bust size (you should do this about twice a year, depending on how often your weight fluctuates). In particular, I love their "Very Sexy" collection - fits wonderfully!
Overall, a woman should very comfortable celebrating her curves, whether she is thin or thick. However, celebrate them in a way that wins respect, rather than encourage disrespect or the wrong sort of attention. And celebrate them with style!
