Jamie Freed is the personal shopping manager for Topshop and TOPMAN. She lives in Williamsburg and works in Soho. This is her take on four places she likes, and one place she doesn't.

The holidays are about to kick into high gear, and once again, we’re faced with the challenge of looking “festive” for countless events—from office parties to black-tie shindigs to low-key nog-fests. For some, the sequined dress is the go-to solution for any invitation requesting “Festive Attire,” but if you’re glitter-shy, allow us to offer a slightly less intense alternative: gold eyeliner.

● Aesop (Nolita) - Petite NY flagship of fabled Aussie skincare pros. ● Benefit Cosmetics (Soho) - Frisky Frisco boutique solving all your beauty dilemmas. ● Sephora (Meatpacking District) - Makeup, fragrances and skincare, oh my!

Beauty titan Marcia Kilgore’s bath and body line Soap & Glory has been a massive hit in the UK since she first launched it back in 2006—her Righteous Butter Body Butter was voted Britain's Best Body Butter. Now, after a short-lived initial run at Target stores in the US, the products, which combine Kilgore’s trademark humor and high quality, are finally back in the States. Kilgore also founded the hugely popular Bliss Spa, so Soap & Glory’s cheekily-named offerings will come as a welcome addition to the fans who already covet the Bliss phenomenon.

On September 8, Fashion’s Night Out will once again transform New York into one giant block party celebrating commerce. The lineup of events has just been released on a new and improved site that allows you to navigate and plan for what could easily turn into an overwhelming haul. I’ve cherry-picked a few of the top beauty events to check out, from fun giveaways to stellar appearances by luminaries of the beauty industry. Locations and events are still being added, so make sure to double back for updates.

Just when you thought the nail polish market was at full capacity, along comes London cult-favorite Nails Inc, which just landed in over 50 Sephora stores in the US. With 42 polish shades, the line celebrates London life with colors named after the some of the city’s lesser-known destinations: Basil Street (pale soft toffee), Chelsea Embankment (gold glitter), Devonshire Row (vibrant lilac). Nails Inc is known for its bright shades, crystal colors, and special-effects 3D glitter. But it’s not all about the shine.

Since I turned 16, the makeup staple I have consistently used and cannot live without has been black eye liner. Above lipstick, gloss, or blush, eyeliner is the item I refuse to leave home without. (I’ve even been known to use an eye pencil to jot something down in a mad, pen-less moment.) So I know from kohl eyes. While there are many two- or three-in-one eyeliner-shadow combos out there in the world, Ultraflesh’s Black Magic Ultimate Jet Black Eyeliner Collection takes the prize. It's a collection of five deep, dark black eyeliners in one box. Here’s the break down:

Just when you thought it might be possible to get by without an iPad, along comes an app from the beauty bigwigs at Sephora. After checking out what it's got to offer, even their spiffy website looks creaky in comparison. The three main categories are Beauty Report, Social, and Shop, and within those tabs you’ll find the usual social media and video components, as well as Beauty and the Blog, which takes viewers behind the scenes with Sephora editors, and Daily Obsessions, featuring must-have picks from the staff.

No, that wasn’t a Beth Israel-bound ambulance that almost ran you over you while crossing Irving Place. It was a Sephora Mini Cooper responding to an emergency. The beauty monolith now offers Same Day Beauty Delivery Service of their cosmetic products to NYC residents. You might greet this development with skepticism: New Yorkers are busy, but there are fifteen Sephora locations in Manhattan alone, including two within spitting distance each other in Times Square. What beauty emergency could actually require rapid-response door-to-door service? Actually, the list of potential calamities is endless:

If you’re itching to break away from summer's typical color palette of coral pinks and cherry reds, now's the time to try your hand at some adventurous nail art. California company Minx's patented digit decoration -- you might recognize their Chrome collection -- has a devoted celebrity following (Lady Gaga's studded hearts, Katy Perry's tiny images of her husband, Russell Brand). Here are a few of our favorite nail remedies, Minx and otherwise, to keep your nails interesting.