Archive for April, 2009

Even though I’ve been working on developing a healthier lifestyle, I’m not always sure what to cook.  To be honest, most of my at-home meals are pretty bland.  For example, I’m having plain steamed broccoli and shrimp for lunch today.  Ok I don’t even know if they go together but it is microwave prep friendly- which sadly is why I made it this morning.

But when I’m not in such a rush, I actually like to try the recipes from my latest obsession: WomenHeart’s ALL HEART Family Cookbook. Being healthy isn’t just about watching your weight which I feel a lot of us young women forget when we try to shed pounds  by doing detrimental things to our bodies. For example, I finally gave up fake sugar and decided to opt for limited quantities of the real deal instead of ingesting chemicals.  And I would never, ever do the Atkins Diet again. The All Heart cookbook isn’t necessarily focused on losing weight- but it is focused on eating nutritious foods that’s good for your heart and body.  The weight loss, of course, follows when you eat a truly healthy diet.   The book contains over 170 recipes- most that I still have to try but have enjoyed reading about and looking at pictures of.

Here’s the best part- WomenHeart is giving the book away for free if you send in 6 Sara Lee proof of purchases on qualifying products. Otherwise, it’s under $20 at Amazon.com.

As most readers can tell, I looove mascara.  I will try any mascara in hopes that it will make my stubby lashes look longer and overall, more gorgeous. When I heard about Kiehl’s Marvelous Mineral Mascara, it piqued my interest; and after I chatted with my friend Sara (who has insanely gorgeous lashes), I knew I had to try it.

Kiehl’s Marvelous Mineral Mascara contains mineral pigments to provide the rich black color, while volumizing and conditioning with other ingredients like aloe vera, acacia senegal and jojoba oil among others.  Naturally, the formula is also hypoallergenic, paraben-free, and fragrance-free. Ultimately, this mascara promises to give natural-looking “length, volume and rich, glossy color” to your lashes.  Here is what I thought:

This mascara lengthens with just a few strokes. I was really amazed!  I loved the length I got and I loved how you could just keep on building the formula without your lashes getting clumpy. I mean, your lashes can really get out there. I think the brush is part of the reason. It has closely packed bristles that are soft and plush. It doesn’t tug or poke your lashes, so it’s really quite gentle in its delivery.  It also helps define and gives some volume to lashes.  It also did not smudge or flake at all throughout the entire day (even if you are prone to rubbing your eyes).  However, it does not fatten or curl your lashes – so girls, if that’s what you need, this mascara is not what you’re looking for. Regardless, I think this is a truly fabulous mascara for everyday.  (I’ve abandoned my previous mascara for it!)

Retails for $16.50 at Kiehls.com.

I love a good chick lit but I love it even more when it also includes insider secrets of the publishing industry, product recommendations, and is penned by a fellow blogger- in addition to the obligatory hot guys, lovable protagonist, and the bitchy underminer that eventually gets served. I devoured Nadine Haobsh’s newest book: Confessions of a Beauty Addict in one sitting last week while simultaneously getting jealous and giddy reading about all the going-ons of Bella Hunter, Beauty Editor. If you love yourself a little Devil Wears Prada style peek at what really goes on in the beauty world, you’ll have to get yourself a copy. (more…)

I’ve been obsessed with Pacifica’s candles and Solid Perfumes for a long time, so when I stopped into Sephora last week and saw their new spring Body Washes and Body Lotions, I got a little giddy with excitement.  I’ve always thought that their scents would be perfect for the bath and I’m so happy to see that my subliminal powers have finally gotten through to them! 

The first thing I noticed that made me very excited was that the Body Washes come in shatter-proof pumps.  As a total klutz and someone who often drops things in the shower, this is totally welcome news (for me AND my feet).  The body washes are sulfate-free, lather up nicely, and aren’t drying at all because of the Aloe Vera Leaf Juice, Green and White Tea Extracts, Chamomile Extract, and Cucumber Extract, all of which are known to have soothing properties.  Even better news?  Both products come in all your favorite Pacifica scents, including Malibu Lemon Blossom, Hawaiian Ruby Guava, Bali Lime Papaya (my personal fave), Brazilian Mango Grapefruit, Tuscan Blood Orange (my other personal fave), and the new Lotus Garden, which is a mixture of lotus blossom, cassis, green violet leaf, and pink pepper. The matching Body Lotions are really moisturizing without being greasy, and leave your skin deliciously scented with the fragrance of your choice. Both products come in bottles that are a generously sized 16 ounces, so you won’t have to run out to the store every other week to buy new ones.  (Plus, at $18 for the Body Wash and $22 for the Body Lotion, they’re reasonably priced as well).  And as always, the Pacifica products are 100% vegan and don’t test on animals, so you can feel good about your purchase.  I love when that happens.

The Pacifica Body Washes and Body Lotions are available now exclusively at Sephora and www.Sephora.com.

It was 40 degrees here today, but I can’t help but yearn for the summer. It definitely doesn’t help that Gap is having a 25% off sale on their dresses! Gap dresses are cute, relatively affordable, and even versatile enough to wear to work (with some layers, of course). I picked out a few of my favorites, from left:

• A-line Pintuck Dress: Every gal needs a little white dress, and this one looks really flattering. The A-line shape looks classically clean and the pintuck details add something extra, too. There are detachable straps that you can use depending on the look you’re going for.
• Racerback Pintuck Dress: Okay, so this one is a little too short for work. Still, I love the breezy, soft feel of this dress in a vibrant color. The racerback gives it a fresh and casual look. It’s effortlessly cute!
• Floral Flowy Ruffle Front Dress: I love love love this floral print. Plus the dress just has a flowy, easy, swingy fit. The pleated ruffle front and wide ruffle hem lend a more romantic look.

Let me know if I missed out on your fave from Gap. The 25% off dresses and skirts lasts until tomorrow, so happy shopping!

I’ve been obsessed with body scrubs lately.  It’s the best way I know how to get rid of dull, dry skin and get it looking glowy and healthy again. So when I heard about the Body Refiner by La Mer, I naturally wanted to try it!

La Mer products are always incredible – both because they’re luxurious and because they simply work.  The Body Refiner is no different.  Let me explain: this product contains 1.75 carats of pure diamond dust, which is meant to resurface and soften the skin simultaneously.  Wow, right?

From a scientific standpoint, The Body Refiner is truly impressive.  While pure diamond powder and polished sea quartz act as the exfoliants, it has a creamy base derived from fermented acidic sea mud, which detoxify, purify and bright skin.  It has a low pH level and therefore, is perfect for everyone – even those with sensitive skin. Moreover, because tourmaline and sea quartz help to stimulate circulation and awaken the skin for a gorgeous glow.

And the Body Refiner does really work.  It comes in a convenient tube, from which you squeeze the sea foam green scrub.  You only need to use this once or twice a week, so just scrub well when you do use it.  Start by rubbing the scrub onto your skin in circular motions until the particles dissolve, and then rinse off.  You’ll notice that the scent is light, airy and does not linger. I love the creamy texture, especially since it spreads out nicely and evenly.  The particles, while noticeable, are not abrasive; instead, they actually are fairly gentle so it feels quite nice on your skin.  My skin definitely looked brighter and healthier after my first use, and since I’m on my third week…I can definitely say that my skin is looking better each time!

Indulge for $110 at the Creme de la Mer website.

The recession’s got you planning a staycation? Sure a trip to St. Barth may have to move down a few notches on your 2009 to-do list but that doesn’t mean you have to kiss travel good bye this year. Consider Asia, where the combination of the exchange rate, a heavy dependence on tourism and the weak economy means you can do five star luxury travel for shockingly cheap.

I just got back from a whirlwind week in China, and TDO editor Kathleen is currently spending time in Taiwan. We figured that if we are to do Asia right, then we can’t miss one of the most iconic Asian hotel and resort brands: The Shangri-La. Simply saying the name evokes decadence, as it is derived from the fictional location set in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon and has since become synonymous with paradise on earth. The Shangri-La Hotel and Resorts certainly deliver on this mythical ideal with some of the most luxurious properties in the world. But what I found to be a true shocker is when I went to look at rates, expecting something astronomical in the $500+/night range and came up with prices for under $150. (more…)

Recently, I was invited to dine at ONE Sunset on the Sunset Strip and after hearing a rave from our New York editors about the One Group sister venue, STK, I was super excited to go and try this restaurant out.  I went on the night of their Tuesday Tastings, where Chef Jason Marcus puts together a “One of Almost Everything” menu that is composed of five courses – for a mere $45. For a dollar more, you can get a bottle of wine to share between two people.  All I could think was…what a deal! (more…)

Back in January, I wrote about the first 4 colors in Dashing Diva’s Manhattan Collection. Now, the collection has grown to over 100 shades! Each is inspired and named after different aspects of NYC, and above are my picks for spring:

• East River View: This is a sheer, nude apricot color. On its own, it’s a very neutral, subtle peach-pink, and I think it would make for a pretty French mani as well.
• Cosmopolitan: Dashing Diva calls this one a “nude juicy pomegranate.” It’s a sheer, berry-hued jelly that is really gorgeous.
• New York Slice: Described as a “creamy, orange-red coral,” this is a vibrant, tomato red shade. I love how fun it looks on my nails and it makes me yearn for summer.

What are your favorites for spring? Check out the entire Manhattan Collection at dashingdiva.com, and let us know!

I’m not one of those people who puts a lot of product in her hair.  I like leave-in conditioners and shine serums, but that’s about it.  On a rare occasion, I’ll go the extra mile and put in some mousse or gel or some other sort of styling product, but that’s only when it’s really necessary.  (I have a weird phobia because in college, some friends and I teased our hair for Halloween and my long hair was in dreadlocks for a week afterwards.  Seriously.  I almost had to cut it all off because it was so  knotted from all the product we put in it and ever since then, I’ve hated that “crunchy” feeling).  But lately I’ve been looking for a new hairspray because I have a few events that I’m going to need my hair to look good for, so when I got the opportunity to test out Kerastase’s Double Force Controle Ultime Hair Spray, I jumped at the chance.

I’ve loved every Kerastase product that I’ve tried and I’m happy to say, this spray continues that streak.  It totally works as a hair spray to keep my strands in place, but there’s absolutely no “crunch” to my hair after it’s applied.  I can still run my fingers through it and my long hair stays knot free, which is the key advantage for me because that never happens with hair spray, in my experience.  I used it today after I curled my hair with the Remington Emi hair dryer (which is awesome, by the way) and it kept my new curls bouncy and gave them some volume, too.  As an extra bonus, the spray contains Ceramide, an ingredient which helps to strengthen weakened hair fibers, so instead of breaking your hair and giving you split ends, it’s actually protecting them.  It is a little pricey at $36 a can, but a little goes a long way, and since you probably won’t be using it every day, it should last you a long time.  Now I just have to work on finding cute new hairstyles to use it on…

You can find Kerastase products at www.kerastase-usa.com.