Archive for April, 2009

I can never quite make up my mind about Jessica Simpson.  Sometimes I find her super annoying and wish she’d just go away, while other times I read something she’s said that makes me think she’d be a really fun girl to go out and drink margaritas with.  (Plus, I have to admit that I am totally envious of her closet.  She has worn some seriously gorgeous outfits over the years).  So when I saw her new fragrance, Fancy, on the shelves, I wasn’t sure what to think.  I figured I would either love it or hate it, and after smelling it, I’m happy to say that I’m definitely more on the loving it side.

I’m one of those girls who likes sweeter fragrances, so this one is right up my alley.  The top notes in it include sparkling pear and apricot nectar , and the heart of the scent gets its light floral touch from night blooming jasmine and dewy gardenia, with the sweet notes of toasted almonds (yum!) and caramel added for a warmer touch.  The scent winds down with base notes of sandalwood, amber crystals, and vanilla creme.  It’s hard to describe the overall fragrance – I can definitely smell the vanilla and caramel, but the amber crystals give it an intriguingly different twist.  It’s a really feminine scent, but it’s also very versatile – I could see wearing it with jeans and a blazer during the day, but it also seems appropriate for a more formal occasion.  I guess Jessica knew what she was doing!

Fancy retails for $49 for a 1.7 ounce bottle, but for only $10 more, you can get yourself the 3.4 ounce size, so if you find yourself liking the scent as much as I do, go for the bigger size.  It’s a much better value.

We’ve noticed wedges popping up everywhere this spring, so we’ve been keeping our eye out for fresh new styles to share with you.  The Mercury Tie Wedge by Hayden-Harnett would certainly qualify.

The standout feature of this shoe is probably the double soft ties around the ankles. The studs are two-toned giving the perfect amount of shine and toughness.  The mix of leathers, solid and woven, provides an interesting combination of textures.  Because it’s Hayden-Harnett, you also know that the leather will be impossibly soft and therefore, comfortable to wear.  Wear this with your new breezy spring dress and we guarantee you’ll receive endless complements!

Retails for $258. Order at the Hayden-Harnett website.

A week ago, I hosted a Johnson’s Body Care Cause Party at my apartment with a group of great girl friends – all to benefit Minds Matter of Chicago, a mentoring organization that I volunteer for. Johnson’s made a donation to Minds Matter so I could encourage my friends to do the same, all while enjoying the newest goodies from the Body Care line. We had so much fun mixing champagne cocktails and it was great to raise money for the charity!

We also did some testing out of the new Be Radiant Cocoa & Shea Butter Lotion, which smells delicious, among other products. We all pretty much grew up using the Johnson’s Baby line, and it’s great that J&J has formulated the Body Care products to be gentle, soften women’s skin, and stay affordable now that we’re all grown up. My new favorite is the 24 Hour Moisturizer, which smells good, is super creamy, and actually moisturizes for hours like it says.

My girl friends loved going home with gift bags full of Johnson’s Body Care products, and we’re happy to be able to share one with one lucky reader as well. Leave a comment and we’ll pick a winner tomorrow night! Visit johnsonsbodycare.com for a round-up of all the great products available.

Update: The winner, chosen randomly, is Kristina A. (comment #1)! Please check your email for more information. Thanks to everyone for participating.

For someone with dry skin, the transition between the seasons can be tough. My skin is dry and becomes super sensitive, especially in Chicago, when it can be 60 degrees one spring day and 30 the next. Fortunately, I’ve discovered a great product made of natural ingredients–California Baby’s Calendula Cream.

I’ve been using the Calendula Cream on problem areas, like my exceedingly rough elbows and the random dry spots on my skin that have popped up through the winter. I’m impressed with California Baby, because they are devoted to natural product gentle enough for babies and your whole family. Yet, these products are still absolutely effective. After a few days of applying, my elbows have noticeably softened and my dry spots are gone! The cream has a nice consistency and the smell is really aromatic. Now my skin is ready for the spring and summer. See the entire line of California Baby products at californiababy.com.

As most of you know, finding a great pair of skinny jeans is not easy. There’s got to be an insane combo of things that have to work together – from the stretch of the denim to pocket placement. My newest discovery is the Slider jean by Chip & Pepper, which fits like a dream. I’ve never tried Chip & Pepper denim before so it’s a pleasant surprise to find out how well the fit is.

The Slider jean is a new take of Chip & Pepper’s popular Nik style, which originally was created as ultra-skinny and extra long.  The difference? The Slider has a bit of a retro twist with the eight inch zipper at the ankle, which I quite like actually.  It’s subtle, but still fun.  This five-pocket style is all about creating a slim leg, with a stretch cotton blend that is oh-so-comfy.  This style fits true to size, and only gives a little as you wear them.  I have this style in Alpine, which is a super dark navy finish – the perfect color in my eyes. The jean actually sits at the natural waist, with a slightly higher rise in the back.  I love that because really, who wants to see a plumber’s crack? Seriously, my legs may have never looked better in another pair of skinnies – and hey, the bum isn’t bad either. With flats or with heels, I’ll be wearing these jeans everywhere and I can happily say that Chip & Pepper is definitely a new denim label obsession.

Visit www.chipandpepper.com to order (and bonus, they offer free shipping)!

I’m a sucker for a good pair of flats. Though I love my heels, I’m a bit of a wimp and can’t really stand wearing heels for a prolonged period of time. (I deeply applaud several of my fellow editors, as well as any of you readers, who can. Send me your tips!) So, every few months, I find myself wearing out my flats much, much quicker than anticipated and find the need to replace them almost every season.

The Jewelled Flats by Boden are definitely contenders for the spring season. These flats retail for $128, which is fairly reasonable when you consider cost per wear. I’m fond of the metallic leathers and the fun jeweled adornments at the toe, which can easily spruce up some basic outfits.  I’m especially loving the gorgeous gold flower on the black pair, but maybe it might be a bit too ornate for everyday. I still love it though.  Perhaps the gold is a much more practical choice, with it’s more subtle silver circled embellishment. The silver flat could also be a great option with the clear crystal jewels and small bow.

Hmm…what to buy?  Clearly, I can’t decide! So tell me, which pair would you indulge in or what do you think I should order?

I’ve never flown first class before, but with SheerinO’kho’s First Class Flight Mask, at least my skin can feel pampered. My skin is already prone to dryness, and it seems even more exacerbated on flights. My arms and legs get so dry, and it even affects my scalp! But my face always gets the worst of it, becoming dried out, rough, and uncomfortable.

That’s where the First Class Flight Mask comes in. It’s formulated especially to replenish your skin from the dehydrating effects of airplane travel, and is packed with Vitamin E, hibiscus, and Indian senna. I was really surprised at how soft and smooth my face felt after using and can’t wait to try it while traveling! At least my skin will feel first class. You can find the SheerinO’kho First Class Flight Mask at Space.NK.

The latest in the wave of vibrating mascaras, Prescriptives has come out with their own offering: Prescriptives MotorEyes, featuring a color as dense and slick as motor oil.  The vibrating mechanism is controlled by clicks, functioning similar to Estee Lauder’s Turbolash, and not by a button like Lancome’s Oscillation.   The vibrating function only turns on while in the tube: one click of the tube to the right instantly starts the vibrating wand and one click back to the left turns it off.

The formula itself is a little dryer and less thick than Lancome’s Oscillation.  However, this is a benefit to those of you who are used to working with a dryer formula.  While I personally love Lancome’s Oscillation, some of my friends who were unused to its application method and wet formula often found themselves with spidery lashes.  With Prescriptive’s dryer formula, there is no danger of this occurring and I found that my mascara stayed on all day at work as well as through a grueling trampoline jumping class at the gym.

In addition to being touted as volumnizing and flake-free, the formula also boasts curling powers.  While I fully applauded its volumnizing  and flake free capabilities, I found that I still had to use my Shu Uemura eyelash curler after applying to get the curl I truly wanted.  But, as a disclaimer, I find my eyelashes strangely impervious to all mascaras which claim to curl, so it may be that mine are strangely resistant to curling formulas.

Prescriptives MotorEyes currently can only be purchased on QVC and retails for $32.  It will be available on the Prescriptives website beginning on April 15th.

We simply adore Reese Witherspoon and think she’s totally gorgeous.  We also think she’s been making more smart, but bold fashion choices lately.  We particularly liked her fashion-forward Rodarte dress at a recent premiere and thought her makeup complimented the choice appropriately.

We wondered how to get a similar naturally gorgeous look and asked celebrity makeup artist Melissa Walsh to help us out! “Reese’s look is natural with a modern twist,” says Melissa. “The matte pink lips rather than the usual neutral shade update a classic and give it a new fresh feel.” To get the look, follow Melissa’s instructions behind the cut. (more…)