jin soon’s fall nail polish favorites, l-r: FACETS OF FUCHSIA BY REVLON, $11.75 available at Amazon; BLANK SLATE BY SONIA KASHUK, $4.99, available at Target; SUGAR DADDY BY ESSIE, prices and stores will vary; NARS CHINATOWN NAIL POLISH, $16.00, available at NARS.
Jin Soon’s Favorite
New Nail Polishes October 21st, 2011 By Diana
Hand Lotions
for the Thirstiest of Skin October 13th, 2011 By Diana
When the temperature drops below 65 degrees, I’m officially cold (what can I say, I’m a So-Cal girl through and through). I blast the heater non-stop during the winter so I often get dry, flaky skin on my hands. I’m a purist when it comes to lotion so I stick to the most emollient kind. No frou frou perfumed lotion for me! Here are two that I’m compulsively slathering on my skin, lips, cuticles and even the ends of my hair.
hand lotions for the thirstiest of skin, l-r: NEUTROGENA NORWEGIAN FORMULA HAND CREAM, $4.49, available at drugstore.com; AQUAPHOR HEALING OINTMENT TUBE, $5.89, available at soap.com.
Are you obsessed with paper-thin towels, too? 40% off. Never happens. September 13th, 2011 By Elise
So generally, there seem to be two camps of people: Those who love super, super plush robes and towels, and those who prefer the Turkish variety. The latter, which are hyper-thin (but arguably just as absorbent), don’t get any prettier than the offerings at Kara Weaves, an online store that supports various hand-weaving communities in Kerala, India. Personally, I stock up on guest towels—and at 40% off, the already reasonably priced variations are suddenly even thriftier.
HAND TOWELS SET: $30.00 for 10, available at Kara Weaves.
Beachy Keen – Romantic Waves for Your Hair May 11th, 2011 By Arianna
Whether or not you can get to the beach this summer, there is no reason why you can’t wear that sexy, wind-blown beach look. Top-tier hair pros like Frederic Fekkai represent a slew of stylists who have a “beach style” product in their arsenal. These are a few to check out this season, even if the only surfing you’re gonna do is on the Internet.
Fekkai Marine Summer Hair Beach Waves: A UV shield prevents color fade, and sea kelp hydrates and helps prevent moisture loss while you’re sunning and surfing. But this special spray will help create that wind-tousled texture, even if you can’t make it out of the house during daylight hours.
Philip B. Maui Wowie Beach Mist: “Beach hair in a bottle”! Sea salt in the formula actually helps create that surf sprayed-look.
KMS Hair Play Sea Salt Spray: Tousled, sexy, full hair, without stickiness or “product shine.” Just spray-n-go to look like you were out all day – in a good way.
Top 5 Moisturizing Foot Creams March 20th, 2011 By Staci Diane
Dry feet is a problem many of us face, yet are reluctant to admit. With spring well on its way, it’s time to moisturize, exfoliate and heal our feet so we can show them off in our favorite sandals! There’s no better day than Sunday to get this taken care of. Here’s what we love:
L’Occitane Lavender Relaxing Foot Cream has calming A.O.C. lavender essential oil which contain antiseptic, purifying and anti-inflammatory properties, stimulating mint extract and nourishing Shea Butter.
Barielle Rejuvenating Foot Treatment exfoliates and renews cell growth with a conditioning massage cream that contains botanical extracts, vitamins and essential oils to restore and rehydrate your feet to its natural softness.
philosophy soul owner Exfoliating Foot Cream is an extra-rich emollient cream with salicylic and glycolic acids to help reduce rough soles and knees.
AHAVA Dermud Enriched Intensive Foot Cream alleviates the itchiness, redness and scaling of dry feet with a special blend of Dead Sea mud, minerals and plant derivatives that moisturizes as it soothes and repairs.
Udderly Smooth Foot Cream with Shea Butter smooths roughness and softens skin with nourishing Shea Butter.
Spring 2011 Perfumes January 28th, 2011 By Mara
If there’s one thing we love, it’s a good fragrance. Here are some new spring 2011 perfumes out that I haven’t had a chance to smell yet, but am going to make a point to check out this weekend:
1. Fresh Brown Sugar Eau de Parfum
Sparkling citrus with sheer caramel and sugared magnolia. Sounds delicious. I also love all Fresh products, as described here.
2. Love, Chloe by Chloe
A feminine and musky scent, I’m also partial to the name since my sister’s name is Chloe.
3. Cartier de Lune
With wild roses, lily of the valley, and honeysuckle, I’m hoping this floral scent will be as elegant as its name. Avalable from Neiman’s, Saks, and of course, Cartier. But you can always shop and compare on Beso.
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh January 20th, 2011 By Mara
Have you heard about the latest fragrance from Marc Jacobs? Marc Jacobs’ Daisy Eau So Fresh is a reinterpretation of Daisy, and the results are just as fantastic as the first. This is a fruity fragrance with raspberry, grapefruit, and pear top notes with wild rose, apple blossom, and musk underneath.
Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh also has an adorable daisy bottle topper, which would look pretty on my dressing table.
Natural Beauty Products by Carol’s Daughter January 17th, 2011 By Staci Diane
Carol’s Daughter offers beauty products inspired by nature and made of high quality, all natural ingredients. Creator Lisa Price began making homemade concoctions in her kitchen, including pure oils such as sweet almond, jojoba, and soy. That hobby has transformed into a full range of hair, skin care and beauty products that have a loyal celebrity following. Whether you choose the popular Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk or the soothing Body Aches Bath Salts, every product is designed to cleanse, moisturize and restore your natural beauty without harsh chemicals.
Carol’s Daughter Roses and Honey Bath and Body Collection, $34.90 at HSN.com
Hair Milk Curl Defining Trio, $55.00 at Carol’s Daughter
Carol’s Daughter Ultimate Rosemary Mint Hair Collection, $34.95 at HSN.com
Body Aches Bath Salts, $18.00 at Carol’s Daughter
Favorite Fragrances for 2011 January 5th, 2011 By Staci Diane
Perfume can represent a woman as a true reflection of her personality, completing an outfit for any occasion. From fruity to floral to exotic scents, there are several breathtaking fragrances on my radar for 2011.
Carolina Herrera 212 Sexy is described as modern, urban, charismatic, unique, just like the City of New York. The light floral fragrance with musk undertones symbolizes the confidence of a urban young woman living in a large city.
Gucci Guilty is an alluring scent of fruit and sensual florals, designed for the glamorous, daring girls who shatter expectations and goes after what she wants.
My Life Mary J. Blige is a blend of fruit, woods and florals that represents a woman’s will power, femininity, confidence and strength.
When choosing a new perfume, first use the card to test the scent. After finding a perfume you think you like, lightly spray it on your body and wait an hour or two for the fragrance to settle. There will always be a change in smell over time, so it’s best to thoughtfully choose a fragrance that you will enjoy wearing all day.
Fresh Bath Products December 28th, 2010 By Mara
Over Christmas, my family and I did the non-traditional thing and stayed at a hotel in Santa Barbara. The Bacara Resort & Spa is spread over 78 acres of ocean-side property, and features Spanish-style suites and villas. One of my favorite things about staying there were the tiny touches that reminded me of home, like the fully stocked Fresh bath products that were in each room.
I first became familiar with Fresh back in college when I spent a summer interning for Lord & Taylor corporate in NYC. I stumbled into their store while on lunch, only to just miss the lovely Julia Roberts being trailed by a swarm of paparazzi. I was instantly hooked, and have been ever since. Here are a few of my favorites that I indulged in over the weekend (and definitely took home with me):
Comfort Your Feet with Powerstep ProTech Full Length Pro October 21st, 2010 By Staci Diane
Powerstep ProTech Full Length Pro Insoles are great for walking long distances or standing for hours. It is specifically designed to provide relief from a variety of heel and arch conditions. The double-layered, shock absorbing Poron/EVA cushion insole helps to prevent foot soreness while offering additional support for the foot. Other insole options are Foot Petals Killer Kushionz, Foot Petals Sporty Soles and Frontgate Rechargeable Heated Insoles.
After all, nothing comes between us and a killer pair of shoes.
Top 5 Summer Staples May 13th, 2010 By Alex
I was a summer baby, born in July. It must have been the alignment in the stars because I have an innate pull toward the summer months. As the weather begins to warm and vacations are in the last stages of planning, I am beginning to feel my favorite time of year creeping up. Here are my Top 5 Summer Staples:
1. I always wear SPF 30 on my face. Mineral versions like this Peter Thomas Roth powder with SPF 30 are a great alternative to heavy sunblock creams that can cause breakouts. I used to use these sunblock creams, but after applying makeup it proved too many layers for the summer heat. Now, I just brush this on in the morning and throw it in my purse for touch-ups as necessary!
Peter Thomas Roth Mineral Powder SPF 30
2. Chlorine can damage your hair, skin, and bathing suit. Kiehl’s makes the best product — Swimmer’s Cleansing Rinse for your hair and body. It’s gentle enough to use on your swimsuit, too! It neutralizes the chemical and keeps your hair from turning green, skin from drying out, and your favorite suit from deteriorating! If you spend your summers in the swimming pool, this is a must have.
All-Sport Swimmer's Cleansing Rinse for Hair and Body
3. Everyone is in search for the easiest way to get that tousled, beachy wave look without looking like a sloppy mess. I use a 1 ½” barrel curling iron and wrap 2” sections (or larger if I am in a rush) to create big, loose waves. Then I flip my head over, shake it out, finger comb, and finish off with this a few sprays Frederic Fekkai’s amazing Beach Waves Spray. It has an amazing smell, seals/protects hair from the sun, and gives you that California surfer girl look all day.
Frederic Fekkai Beach Waves
4. I am dying to get a hot new bathing suit this summer. I’m really want to get a plunging v-neck like this halter one-piece by Carmen Marc Valvo. While it’s still very sexy and on trend, no need to worry about getting a bunch of funky tan lines across my midsection. This suit exudes confidence and personal style — I can already envision myself cocktailing by the pool!
Carmen Marc Valvo Halter One-Piece
5. Lastly, I love this silk coverup from Diane von Furstenberg. Maxi-coverups were hot this season on the runways, and make it easy to go straight from lounging to lunch or dinner. This resort piece is hot, and the lioness in me can’t resist the leopard-print and embellishments! If you’re not as bold, try something more subdued (but still sultry) like this tunic from Calvin Klein.
Diane von Furstenberg Leopard-Print Silk Coverup
