How To: Create an Arm Party
Arm parties have been seen on the wrists of so many fashionable ladies over the past few years. You’ve seen these girls stack them up and you’ve always wanted to try it…but didn’t know where to start? We’ve got the answers for you from BaubleBar’s Fashion Director, Shoshanna Fischhoff. She’s answered the questions you need to know – from mixing colors to the perfect number of bracelets. Check it out below! More »
Dermadoctor Eye Lift
Eyes will always be the proverbial windows to our souls, but sometimes those window dressings need a little pick-me-up! Dermadoctor’s Photodynamic Eye Therapy does just that with a potent formula to relax fine lines and tighten lids while reducing puffy eyes and lifting sagging lids. Thought you couldn’t see improvements without the scary thought of a scalpel and anesthetic? I am terrified of any type of surgery, and gladly welcome any alternative that will show any visible differences. Before Dermadoctor Photodynamic Eye Therapy, I was dubious of creams and treatments. I started trying the cream on a few desperate mornings where I didn’t get enough sleep (grrr…) or had a bit too much salt for dinner the previous night, resulting in unsightly bags and puffy eyelids. The cream absorbed readily without any greasy residue, and after a few minutes of tingling (not harsh stinging), I finished brushing my teeth and voila! I felt like I was in college again after an all nighter and it only took a splash of cold water to restore my visage (if only I could get my metabolism back too). Now I can revisit those days minus the exams and stress, thanks to Dermadoctor’s Eye Lift. After using the Eye Lift regularly for a month, I can report firmer and healthier skin around my eyes, and a reduction in under-eye swelling. More »
Celebrity Skin: Kate Somerville
I have a little ritual I’ll share with you: every week when I’m home and ready to start the weekend, I do an exfoliation and pamper myself in the shower before switching to my “weekend wear.” It is a way of rewarding myself for getting through the stress of the work week and then leaving it all behind. I’m currently obsessed with celebrity skin specialist Kate Somerville’s Exfolikate Gentle Exfoliating Treatment (gotta love the name), which is a gentle formulation of beads that can be added to your regular cleanser. ‘Gentle’ is also the key word here – I have sensitive skin, so I need something that can still give me that post-scrub glow, while not taking off a whole layer of my skin. Exfolikate’s microbeads work in combination with papya, pumpkin, and pineapple enzymes to oxygenate and lift dead skin delicately without causing redness. Other ingredients such as Vitamin A helps fade discolorations (darn sun spots!) and caffeine helps to improve micro-circulation. I squeeze a small bean size amount of the blue scrubby and mix with one of my cleansers, depending on what my skin needs that day . My skin feels oh-so-soft following a 2-minute scrubbing session while I’m enjoying my steam shower.
I first heard about Kate Somerville when Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson, Demi Moore, and a slew of other Hollywood beauties started swearing by her name. Seeing how flawless their skin looks is testament enough for me! Somerville has mastered the art of the ageless face, and exfoliating is an indispensable step in decongesting, detoxifying, and polishing. I love how smooth and invigorated my skin is immediately after using this product, and even have to resist touching it for the rest of the day!
Summer PixieDust
Now this is exciting! Remember that fabulous PixieDust collection that Zoya put out earlier this year? Well, it was so popular that they just released a set of six new Summer PixieDust shades and they’re every bit as gorgeous as the first collection, just in brighter, in more colorful shades perfect for the hot weather. Here are the six new shades you’ll be obsessed with:
- Solange – A glittering pale yellow
- Beatrix – A glittering light orange
- Destiny – A glittering pink-orange (pictured)
- Miranda – A glittering raspberry
- Stevie – A glittering lavender
- Liberty – A glittering dark aqua blue
Last Minute Shopping: A Perfume for Every Mom
Last minute gift shopping for Mother’s Day usually results in a not-so-thoughtful gift, with the exception, of course, of buying her a new bottle of perfume, which is one of the most personal gifts out there. We know it’s Friday…and that you have to see mom on Sunday, but no sweat — the mall is open on Saturday, and our personal perfume picks below will definitely hide any trace of this being a last-minute job. So whether your mom is super luxe or super down-to-earth, we’ve got you covered with some of the best new fragrances this season (plus something extra to go with each one).
For the fun mom: Jimmy Choo Flash. If you have a fun mom — you know the kind that knows how to have a good time (and maybe even rolled to a few parties with you back in the day) — consider me very jealous of you growing up. Celebrate her fun-loving ways with the new perfume by Jimmy Choo, Flash, a bright burst of white florals tempered by pink pepper and powdery woods that creates an uplifting yet sensual fragrance. Even the bottle and the packaging is a lot of fun: the crystal-faceted, shimmery bottle is reminiscent of a paparazzi flash bulb and the glitter packaging barely needs any wrapping. If you’re really good to your mom, you might even get her a new pair of party shoes to go with it. More »
The Perfect Mother’s Day Gift: Alphabet Necklaces
If you’re browsing Mother’s Day gift articles this week, you’re probably seeing a lot of gift baskets, flower-shaped garden tools and cooking supplies. Cute and useful, but not particularly glamorous right? At times like these, I look to jewelry designers Ariel Gordon and Maya Brenner, the go-to gals for basic, stylish and very wearable pieces … like alphabet necklaces!
Oh wait, Mom has plenty of jewelry? She doesn’t need more? I beg to differ. Sometimes, even the pickiest moms appreciate a piece of well-crafted jewelry — especially if it’s something she can wear every day and layer with her existing collection. Plus, every time she looks in the mirror or receives a compliment, she’ll think of you! More »
Obsession of the Moment: Sandy Hyun Jeweled Cuff Bracelet
Kiehl’s Skin Rescuer
I’m not a betting woman …but I’ll bet that if I took a poll and asked readers if feel like they lead a stressful lifestyle, I’d get more yeses than noes. The sad fact is, I don’t know anyone who isn’t stressed out on a regular basis by something — be it work, exams, relationships, new baby, or kids in general. As if just being stressed isn’t already bad enough, it’s also pretty much a guarantee that the negative effects of stress will manifest itself on your face — in the form of fatigue, redness and unevenness, breakouts and dehydration. Thanks a lot stress hormones! And the kicker: odds are high than when we’re stressed, we also pay less attention to our skincare routines, making our already suffering skin even worse.
Well Kiehl’s is here to rescue us stressed folks and if we know anything about Kiehl’s, we know that they’re really great at saving our skin (and sanity). The newly launched, and aptly named Skin Rescuer Stress- Minimizing Daily Hydrator, uses highly effective ingredients to address many of the skin conditions that are caused by stress. In order to do this, Kiehl’s chemists identified a three step process (which thankfully, they rolled into 1 great product): calm and hydrate the skin, limit inflammation, and protect the skin barrier from future reactions. To sooth already-stressed skin, the new moisturizer uses chamomile extract to calm, glycerin to deliver immediate moisture, and shea butter to help keep hydration in. The product also contains Rosa Gallica, a flower extract, which has been proven to act as an anti-inflammatory agent and helps to keep reactions like redness and blotchiness in check. Finally, studies have shown that stressed skin is weak skin, so the moisturizer packs a trio of ingredients designed to replenish lipids and straighten the skin barrier. The result is that redness is minimized, skin is kept supple, hydrated and protected.
We love that Kiehl’s designed this as a daily moisturizer, because frankly that gives us one less thing to stress out about. Our four week test trial has shown that this is a very pleasant product indeed: we love that it’s lightweight, fragrance free, moisturizes thoroughly and has noticeably reduced unevenness and splotches in some areas. Sadly, they haven’t figured out a way to make me feel less stressed yet overall (damn deadlines always!), but at least I no longer have to look like it.
To learn more check out Kiehls.com.
DryBar Happy Hour
For me, happy hour is any hour where I’m getting a professional blowout. Luckily, ever since DryBar opened here in New York a couple years ago, I’ve been treating myself to waaaayyy more happy hours than usual (plus their services come with free champagne, so it really is happy). Even the pre-blowout wash at DryBar is really great — I always feel like my hair is softer, cleaner, and smoother after a professional shampoo. Recently the brand launched a collection of hair products and tools — the same goods used at their salons — for at home use, so now my happy hours have turned into happy mornings in the shower. Despite having tried all kinds of shampoos and conditioners, I still felt like there’s was a need for a really good daily use set (one that you don’t get tired of after a few washes), and DryBar has stepped in to create just the perfect one. Regardless of hair texture, every beauty editor I’ve talked to who has tried the products has raved about it, and I can definitely see why.
The shampoo and conditioner duo, aptly named Happy Hour, are formulated around the philosophy that a really great style starts clean, nurtured hair that isn’t weighed down by grease, oil, dirt, or excessive products. The Blowout Shampoo is a gentle shampoo that is extremely effective at cleaning hair and removing leftover product and residue. Even though it’s sulfate and paraben free (yay!), it still does an amazing job of lathering and covers my entire head with just a nickle-sized amount of product. It rinses off easily leave my hair feeling clean, but never squeaky or dry. More »
Capital Spotlight: Haven Beauty Lounge
“People underestimate DC!” exclaims spa founder and master esthetician Shae Jackson, when asked about introducing a fresh new concept in beauty treatments to the nation’s capital. We are sitting next to the zen waterfall in the outdoors of the newly-opened Haven Beauty Lounge. She is the expert that everyone is trying to book, and for good reason! Having traveled around the world researching beauty treatments, Jackson has formulated her own integrated approach to skin care and wellness, combining her vision with years of experience at the Spa at the Mandarin Oriental, Bliss, and Blue Mercury. Now, Jackson has branched out on her own and opened Haven, a members-only beauty lounge, where she has meticulously selected the best and most effective products for her signature custom facials, nail services and waxes. Membership starts at only $30 a month and instead of going through the hassle of setting up a pedicure every few weeks or monthly facial, you can have an ongoing appointment scheduled with credit card on file, so you can literally forget your wallet! More »
