It’s arguably the most beautiful time of year—illuminated homes, festive dining room tables, party attire to the nines, and holiday smiles everywhere to match. It’s a time when we look forward to the year that lies ahead, but also when everyone looks back on the memories and moments that defined the year that’s transpired.

It’s been quite a year for bloggers, gaining exponential editorial turf in every direction, quite notably in the realm of beauty. To celebrate, Spa Week Daily has teamed with Spa Boutique to create a high-value beauty and skin care gift basket to give away to the winner of this weekend’s contest.

TO ENTER: In the comments section below, tell us…

What was your favorite beauty blog post of 2009?

- Write the name of the blog

- Provide a link to the specific blog post

- Tell us why you loved it in 25 words or less.

THE PRIZE:

Dermalogica Limited Edition Body Therapy Favorites: A beautiful set with Dermalogica’s Conditioning Body Wash and Body Hydrating Cream. The rich, skin conditioning botanical cleanser for the entire body leaves skin soft and supple. The advanced body cream has hydroxy acids and essential plant oils to smooth and condition skin. Both smell wonderfully fresh. (retail cost $52.00, value of buying them individually $130)

Jane Iredale Limited Edition Sweet 15 Kit: To celebrate jane iredale’s 15th Anniversary, they released the Limited Edition Sweet 15 Kit that houses 15 PurePressed Eye Shadows, including seven new eye shadow shades, three PurePressed Blush and three Juts Kissed Lip Plumpers! (retail cost $89.00, value of buying the items individually $369)

Guinot Gift Bag: A beautiful, sparkling clutch full of Deluxe sample sizes of Guinot products: Age Logic Cellulaire (15ml), Longue Vie Vital Lip (5ml), Guinot Anti-Wrinkle Mask (15ml), Vital Body Care (30ml), Cleansing Water (100ml) ($125 value, the Guinot clutch is a gift that cannot be purchased)

Total gift basket value = $624.00

Winner will be chosen based on the blog post WE like the most, and we will inevitably take into consideration your reasons for loving it. As a bonus, the writer of the winning blog post will get a prize too– Spa Boutique will put together a custom little congratulatory package for blogger who’s post wins. Support your favorite beauty blogger!

You have until Sunday at 11:59 EST to submit your answers, winner will be announced Monday morning.

Spa Boutique in their own words: For the last 4 years Spa Boutique has been the online place for the best selection in quality, professional skin care brands. Carrying only the best such as Dermalogica, Guinot, YonKa, Jane Iredale, OPI, Zoya and more, you’ll never have to shop anywhere else for your beauty needs. Focusing on finding you the right products for your skin, they have many resources and ways to contact their fully trained staff. Gifts with Purchase and new brands are being added all the time so there’s always something new to see.

Want to win more more more? Don’t forget we’re giving away ALL 90 of THESE beauty products… and having the jane iredale ultimate guiltless pleasure Chocoholicks lip gloss sweeps… and Allure is giving away $260 of beauty products…  not to mention our Diamond Necklace sweeps… we’re just too nice. 

Welcome to Chapter One of the Little Luxury Gift Guide 2009.

Little luxuries are all around us if you know where to look – be it a bright red lipstick that makes you feel like a movie star on a Monday morning, a mini-facial that makes you glow inside and out, or a book that takes you to the other side of the world. These tiny everyday gems are anxiously waiting to be discovered by you and wrapped with a bow, and each chapter of the LLGG seeks to deliver a new morsel of inspiration to you and your holiday season. Fancy shmancy is out; it’s those legendary “small packages” that hold the key to a perfect season of giving.

Finding the ultimate gift is a daunting task, but giving the ultimate gloss can be the ultimate gift indeed. There are millions of glosses out there with a story to tell, but I’ve narrowed it down to six of my all-time favorites. No guessing – any one of these glosses would make an incredible stocking stuffer or a standalone sealed-with-a-kiss holiday present.

1. Raspberry Sorbet Lip Shine by Philosophy, available at Philosophy.com – $12

Lick-your-lips delicious and kiss-your-lips pretty. Philosophy has mastered the art of the perfect gift, and this sweet sorbet gloss is just one shining beacon of its fantastic holiday collection.

2. Melon PureGloss by jane iredale, the skin care makeup, available at dermstore.com - $19

It’s smooth and bright with a tingle that’ll keep your breath fresh to boot. Provides a shimmer that is equal parts healthy, replenishing and glamorous.

3. African Red Tea Exfoliating Lip Salvation by Ole Henriksen, available at sephora.com- $12

Infused with antioxidant-rich African red tea, this is a gift of health, powerful protection from the environment and super-soft lips.

4. Lipsicle Lip Gloss in Erte by Paula Dorf, available at yesstyle.com – $20

Opaque, bold and lasts for hours. Has a liquid A favorite of Warren-Tricomi hair and makeup artist Jillian Halouska.

5. Lip Gloss Compact by Bobbi Brown, available at Saks.com – $20

The whole line of colors is good for a classic, reliable gloss with hint of vanilla. They have soothing botanical extracts including Avocado, Jojoba and Chamomile Oils to keep lips supple.

6. Huge Lips, Skinny Hips in Kittypole Dancer by Purple Lab, available at ronrobinson.com - $20

“Double Duty Beauty” for the woman who wants it all! It’s got lip plumper and hoodia – yup, the stuff that makes you lose weight. Applying it won’t make you drop a dress size, but it might make you think twice before having that second slice o pie. Each color has a unique personality, and every single one is absurdly addictive. My favorite is Red Sole, named after Christian Louboutin shoes, but they’re all delish. MWAH!

The upcoming holidays mean one thing–sweets, sweets, and more sweets. To avoid sugar overload, make sure some of that chocolately goodness never makes it past your lips with jane iredale Chocoholicks, a holiday collection of chocolate-flavored lip glosses. Enjoy the delicious flavors and hydrating sheen of glosses in Truffle, Chocolate Orange, Strawberry Cream, and Caramel.

And what’s better than chocolatey treats? Obviously, the answer is free chocolatey treats. Until December 31st, you can enter to win this tasty gloss set free courtesy of SPA WEEK® and jane iredale. Go here to enter and read the official rules. Good luck!

Flex your creative muscles just a little bit and you might find yourself headed to New York City with $1,000 worth of jane iredale makeup products in your luggage!

Head over to jane iredale’s website to enter this amazing contest. Put together a digital collage explaining why you deserve a makeup bag makeover, and you could win a trip for two to New York, a professional makeup application, and $1,000 worth of glittery, glitzy, good-for-your-skin jane iredale makeup!

Photo courtesy of Jane Iredale

If, like me, you lack the brain cells that allow you to transform written instructions about a new makeup look into said look on your own face, there’s hope. Imagine a friendly, knowledgeable makeup artist coming to your house and showing you how the right way to get that smoky eye or perfectly matte lip. Now, imagine that it’s free.

Check out Jane Iredale’s YouTube channel for a series of clear videos showing viewers the step-by-step process to create subtle, trendy, and dramatic makeup looks. The well-shot, well-lit videos make it easy to recreate the look in your home bathroom. And you can’t beat the convenience of the YouTube format, which lets you watch the whole video before applying your own makeup or pause to apply after watching each step for maximum precision.

I love the wide variety of women chosen to model the application process. The “Timeless Beauty” video even provides step-by-step makeup application instructions to help older women accentuate—not slather over—their features. And it can be hard to apply makeup over makeup without looking like the Cryptkeeper at the end, so the “Day to Night” video is a personal favorite.

I hope Jane Iredale keeps adding to this great resource! If you’re inspired by the lovely shades featured in these videos, enter our Jane Iredale giveaway contest here. One winner will take home $500 of Jane Iredale goodies (including the Silver Lining collection featured in the “Day to Night” video!)