Archive for February, 2009

Skeem is a boutique Philadelphia-based company that produces some of the most delightful candles I’ve ever come across.  The company is founded by a husband-wife team of graphic designer Geoff Weiser and former retail buyer Suji Meswani.  They personally developed the scents, colors, wax formulation and product designs.  The candles are “wicked with a lead-free cotton wick,” and a soy blend wax is hand poured into glass containers, which are are silkscreened. 

I adore the packaging, which are decorated with swirling, vibrant patterns and have gorgeous vintage-inspired lettering.  On the glass, you’ll find a description of each scents.  Of the ones I’ve tried, my favorite candle is the Mandarin Sake, which is sweetly citrus and is described on the candle as to contain “ripe orange top notes muted with hints of floral currant blossom and vanilla.” I keep this one on my desk. Another one that I enjoy is the sexy Boudoir candle which perfectly balances fresh scent of french-milled soap with bright lime and grapefruit elements. It’s very mellow and perfect to keep on a bedside table. If you adore florals, you’ll love Vintage Peony that is a blend of peony, gardenia, lily, and musk.  To me, it reminds me of being in a garden!  There are five other votive scents to choose from, though I am personally looking forward to trying their pillars, lanterns and perfumes.

If you’ve tried these, tell us which one is your favorite.  Haven’t tried them?  Head to www.skeemdesign.com for more information or to shop.

I’ve been loyal to the Gillette Venus brand ever since they came on the scene as a specialist in women’s shaving needs. The new Venus Embrace razor just reinforces that for me and has replaced my old trusty Venus in my shower for good. It has 5 blades for a super smooth shave, and is surrounded by a “protective ribbon of moisture.” This means that you can shave safely and smoothly even without shaving cream! Perfect for those mornings when you’re in a rush, which happens to me way too often.

The way the blades are spring-mounted also lets the razor pivot better, so it follows the curves and contours of your skin very well. The handle of the razor provides a great grip, even when it’s wet, so you’ll definitely see far fewer nicks and cuts. My legs felt so smooth afterward, so I’m a believer. The Venus Embrace comes with a convenient suction Shower Pod for easy storage in your shower. It’s a winner all around! Check it out at your local drugstore or at drugstore.com.

Source

I have to say, Adam Lippie’s choice of music was a little unfortunate and distracting (Google the lyrics to Of Montreal’s Gallery Piece) – as was his decision not to put his models in bras, but his show was the first I’ve seen (at the tents anyway) really to mix up bright colors, proving that neither the fall season nor the recession serves as an excuse to dress in somber tones. Shades of fuchsia and blue seemed to be his colors of choice, as he mixed them with black and beige in a number of looks he sent down the runway. Lippie skillfully matches tone-on-tone color in one of his blue ensembles and even makes the classic red and purple no-no work. His attempt to mix red, purple and burnt orange fur however, didn’t win him any brownie points in my book. Two things I loved: 1) his use of colored opaque tights has me dying to get a pair for my own black dresses and 2) I was reminded that variations of red and beige look really nice together.

Oh yeah, Anna Wintour was slotted for seat A-1-9 but did not show. (more…)

Not even the non-presence of rumored attendee Michelle Obama could put a damper on my excitement for The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection, which showed just in time for Valentine’s Day. I was excited to officially kick off Fashion Week by attending The Heart Truth’s Red Dress show, which combines three of the elements in a truly awesome fashion show: celebrities, beautiful clothes and a fantastic cause. All of these elements were there in full force at the show today at Bryant Park with celebrities ranging from Amanda Bynes, Nastia Liukin, and Katie Couric  (who debuted a new, cute page boy cut), to some red dress stunners by designers such as Marchesa, Carolina Herrera, and Max Azria. (more…)

I love getting a manicure/ pedicure.  Besides the fact that I am nail-challenged and if I try to do them myself, it winds up looking like a four year-old painted them, there’s just something so relaxing about sitting in the chair and getting them done.  I have my standard place that I go to on a regular basis, but I’m always on the lookout for a great new spot, so when I got the chance to visit the famous Jessica Nail Clinic here in Los Angeles, I jumped at the chance.

Jessica Vartoughian (known as the “First Lady of Nails”) founded the clinic in 1969.  (It was the first nail salon of its kind!)  Located on the busy Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, it’s in a great location – you can get your nails down and then head out for some shopping or lunch (always my favorite way to spend an afternoon).  When I first arrived, I met my technician, and she was so friendly, I was immediately at ease.  All the technicians there are known as Nail Cultivists and are trained personally by Jessica herself, so you know you’re getting the very best treatment possible.  The first thing my Nail Cultivist did was analyze my nails and tell me what products she was going to use throughout the manicure to give me the best possible results.  It’s a great touch – I didn’t feel like I was getting the stock treatment, but rather a personalized experience best suited to my needs, which is always nice.  (And I found out that I have “normal” nails, which is always nice to hear!) (more…)

We all want to have naturally blushed cheeks – not overly pink, but simply healthy and happy-looking. In a perfect world, we could just glow all the time, right? Well, lucky for us, in Tarte’s A Perfect Whirled, that is entirely possible!

A Perfect Whirled resembles a candy swirl, but its effect is actually much more subtle. The shades of coral and pink blend well together, and like all other Tarte cheek stains, the colors complement your skin and apply smoothly. Just a few swipes and you’ll have a soft, natural glow. It’s more of an everyday blush, so I’ve been using it everyday and my face is looking brighter over all. It’s made of natural ingredients and is good for your skin, so don’t wait any longer. A Perfect Whirled retails for $28 and is available at your nearest Sephora.

Andrea and Liza Young is the dynamic duo behind Beam Laser Spa, one of New York’s top hair removal facilities.  I’ve been going to the spa for months how and have not only been so impressed with the results, I’ve become good friends with the sisters!  Liza and Andrea each come from a different professional background, but they are joined by one personal obsession – hair removal. Born and raised in Brazil, Andréa and Liza grew up using every method of hair removal imaginable before finally discovering laser as the most effective solution. Beam has a string of loyal clients due to the personal service, expertise and outstanding results that it provides in a sleek, intimate environment, delivering safe, effective results for all skin tones. I caught up with them on one of my visits to find out their current obsessions. (more…)

Ahh Valentine’s Day. I have to say I’m incredibly happy that Fashion Week starts today, which means I’ll be celebrating February 14 the only way it’s meant to be done – fashion shows all day and then partying with La Perla at 1Oak. But whether you have a hot date or will be bumming around with the gals (or yourself), make sure that you do something that will be good for your heart.

1. Eat Well. One of my favorite new discoveries is a custom artisanal cereal site called MeAndGoji.com where you can mix up your own morning meal by choosing a variety of wholesome, healthy ingredients.  The site is incredibly user friendly, making the process as informative and fun as possible. You drop your choice of ingredients into a bowl and their nutrition tracker automatically updates.  They even have their own recipe for a mix called i <3 my <3, a nutritious mix of oat bran, cranberry, strawberry, walnut, soy nut, chia and flax – all ingredients that have beneficial properties for your most important organ. I even brought my can of cereal to work to munch on it all day long.  The mix is so delicious, but if you have specific preferences, MeAndGoji lets you add or subtract individual items. Just make sure you don’t load up on too many servings of their divine choco-cranberries and you should be good. (more…)

We heard about a new invitation-only sample sale site called GlamList – and of course, we went to check it out. GlamList offers up to 80% off labels from France (i.e. not available in the U.S.). Of course, we wanted to sign up, only to find out that it’s super exclusive and instead, were put on a wait list.  So we waited and waited – and finally, we got our own invite!  Of course, we’re happy to share, so if you want an invitation, please email us at info@thedailyobsession.net with your email address in the body of the message and we’ll send one over to you!