Sizzling hot beauty secrets

PHOTO: Martin Boose

For anyone who knows me, it's no secret that I love Valentine's Day. Besides the fact that I adore bouquets from secret admirers, heart-shaped cards and pink stuffed gorilla dolls, I consider it one of the best opportunities to break out some of my very favorite and most decadent beauty tricks.

1. Bath first, dinner later.

Nothing will get you into seduction mode quicker than a really romantic bath. Light some candles and treat yourself to a hot bath with plenty of bubbles.

Don't forget to add a rich oil to help moisturize your skin (but be careful, this will make the bathtub slippery!). I love the scent of LaLicious' super rich body oils ($24, Lalicious.com).

For a super easy and budget-friendly option, try pouring a little olive oil into your bath water.

2. Glow in all the right places.

I often sing the praises of highlighter because it's an essential tool for enhancing your best features. Just as you would use a highlighter to bring out your lips, brow bones and cheekbones, you can use a shimmery powder or luminizing lotion to bring your favorite physical features into the spotlight.

Got great gams? Blend a little shimmer lotion like Smashbox Body Lights ($35, Sephora) onto your shins and the tops of your thighs.

If you'll be baring your shoulders and decolletage, don't forget to give them a little dose of sexy shimmer as well. If you want to give your honey bunny a tasty surprise, you can even brush on a little flavored body powder like the ones made by Urban Decay ($26, Urbandecay.com).

3. Send some smoke signals.

One of the all-time, sexiest makeup looks ever is the smokey eye. While smokey eyes created with black eye shadows will probably always be sexy, gray eyeshadow is still super hot right now.

If you plan on wearing a strong smokey eye, keep the look balanced with a romantic soft pink blush and lush nude lips.

4. When in doubt, wear red.

If you prefer not to wear heavier eye makeup, go light on your eyes and play up your lips. There are few makeup looks more festive for Valentine's Day than one that includes a pair of seductive, ruby red lips.