Archive for May, 2009

Ladies, listen up.  In exactly three days, Kerastase will send out e-vites to 150,000 of their clients from coast to coast letting them know that participating salons will do a free treatment and free blowout.  Then they will tell their clients to forward on the invite.  Which means, if you try to book your free appointment on May 15- well it might end up like that KFC/Oprah situation.

So you if you want a free Kerastase treament and blowout next Wednesday, May 20, you better pick up the phone right this minute and call your favorite Kerastase salon before the masses get wind of this amazing treat.

Kérastase will promote the program, called Our Treat, on their website, www.kerastase-usa.com where participating salons will be listed (in a few days). You’ll be able to make an appointment with the salon of your choice and on May 20, just bring the printed e-vites to local participating salons to receive your free treatment and blowout.

In addition, Mark Garrison Salon in NYC, Maxine Salon in Chicago and Joseph Cozza Salon in San Francisco will be offering VIP service, red carpet and all.

For now, call up your favorite Kerastase salon to see if they’re participating.  For a full list, check out Kerastase-USA.com.

Mineral makeup is all the rage right now and if you want to find out why so many people can’t stop raving about it, one of the better collections I’ve tried recently is Prescriptives Mineral Color.  The collection consists of a number of products, but my two favorite are the Lip Glosses and the Making Eyes kits.

The Lip Glosses have quickly become a staple in the ever-revolving stash of colors in my bag because they’re super shiny and sparkly.  They’re so sparkly, in fact, that I would put them on a par with MAC’s Dazzleglass, the cult favorite that sold out almost instantly last year and made a much anticipated return last month.  It’s the kind of sparkle that looks glamorous and chic, not glittery like the colors you used to wear when you were a kid, so they’re perfect for a night out.  The four shades, Amber, Rose Quartz, Sunstone and Amethyst, were inspired by gemstones (and who doesn’t love the way those sparkle?)  They’re infused with vitamins and minerals and feature the exclusive R.E.C. complex, which stands for Radiance Emitting Crystals – a unique combination of Amethyst, Rose Quartz and Calcite that gives the glosses their shiny radiance.  At $17.50 each, I’m sure I’ll be toting these classics around for months to come. (more…)

Do you still remember the first piece of clothing that you loved?  For me, its a toss up between two items.  One was a white, pinafore style dress that I adored in the second grade, with small yellow daisy print, a long white sash, and a lace-up ribbon back. I think this was during my Laura Ingalls obsessed days.  It was exactly the type of dress I imagined her traipsing about on the prairie, while getting into trouble.

The other, was a dark blue, elastic waist, A-line, corduroy skirt in a Liberty print (see, I was ahead of Topshop trends even in those days.)  I loved that skirt so much that I wore it for a week straight to my kindergarten class.

The MINKPINK “Dandelion Skirt” reminds me of that much beloved skirt from my kindergarten days, updated for adulthood, while still retaining those nostalgic elements of youthful charm. The same elastic waistband is now accessorized with a much cuter bow belt. The dark blue corduroy is also replaced with on-trend light blue chambray, and shortened to a cute, mid-thigh miniskirt length.   This is the perfect skirt for summer casual days, and would look laid-back cool, paired with some silver flat sandals (as shown in this picture) and a rolled sleeve white t-shirt.  At $63, you can also wear it to death an entire season, while still having some money left over to invest in some other key pieces.

Boston’s Chinatown is one of my favorite areas of the city. No, it doesn’t have the best shopping, best spas, or even the best food; however, what it does have is the most authentic feel of anywhere in the city. When I want a break from typical Boston life,  I’ll head over to Chinatown. I love being immersed in a completely different experience than the typical Beacon Hill yuppy or touristy North End vibes. To me, Chinatown is a refreshing escape.

Chinatown used to be known as the Combat Zone, a seedy adult entertainment area of the city. Prostitution and drug dealing were rampant and unfortunately are still issues. However, with the development of Emerson College, Suffolk University, and the Ritz Carleton on the outskirts of the neighborhood, as well as general gentrification of the area, Chinatown can now be valued and appreciated for the cultural experience it offers.

My friends joke that I am the resource for everything Chinatown. Whenever they have questions on where to get the “best of” in the neighborhood, they come to me. I have yet to let anyone down with my recommendations! Below is a taste of the best of what Chinatown has to offer. (more…)

Editor’s Note: We are SO excited to introduce our first intern, Sarah, to TDO.  Sarah is a sweet and spunky recent New Yorker by way of the South.  We’ll be having Sarah take some fun new projects, so keep an eye out for her posts her on the site!  Today, she checks out another new mascara!

We have all seen the incessant ads for the next big mascara. This mascara is different from the rest. It will enhance you lashes more than you ever imagined. You will have a movie star look in your everyday life. Of course, with a bombardment of advertisements like this, somewhere along the way, we stop listening.

Ladies, Max Factor’s new Extreme 2000 Calorie Lash Plumper is a definite wake up call! I recently tested this mascara out and have nothing but positive things to say. I have naturally long lashes, so my biggest issue with mascaras is that they  make my lashes thick and clumpy. Extreme Lash Plumper does just the opposite. It actually separates the lashes while thickening them – so no scary spider lashes! The mascara is hypoallergenic and did not bother my normally sensitive eyes one bit. Also, it definitely stayed on all day; in fact, I even had trouble washing it off!  Make sure to have a really good remover – but, seriously, what’s a few extra scrubs in the evening when you can have amazing lashes during the day?  A girlfriend and I were out at coffee and our adorable server noted my beautiful long lashes. With a compliment like that, you can be sure I will make Max Factor Lash Plumper a part of my daily makeup routine! (more…)

I recently discovered the contemporary brand, Modern Amusement, and now feel like I’ve been missing out on some fabulous designs that are perfect for a SoCal gal like myself. Right now, I find myself gravitating toward more and more dresses as summer approaches. Modern Amusement certainly has some gorgeous options to choose from. (more…)

I’m totally obsessed with ultra-light moisturizers and refuse to use anything else during warm weather months. Right now, my moisturizer of choice is Lancome’s Aqua Fusion Lotion SPF 15. As you can probably tell, we’re huge fans of Lancome on this site and it’s because their products simply work. This moisturizer is no different.

This moisturizer is oil-free and has 16 “skin-essential elements,” such as calcium and zinc, that help keep skin hydrated. The moisturizer is a pale watery blue hue and has a very fluid silky consistency. The scent is soothing, lightly sweet, fresh and does not linger. Just a pump or two into your palms will cover your entire face and when applied, the lotion absorbs within seconds – very important in warm weather. Even better, it doesn’t leave your skin greasy (pretty amazing since it does contain SPF) and it serves as a great base for makeup. My skin is hydrated without getting weighed down and breaking out; I’m calling this one an obsession!

Order for $37 from Sephora.com, Nordstrom.com or Dillards.com

Ormonde Jayne is a luxury British perfumery located just off London’s Old Bond Street. Founder Linda Pilkington had a simple philosophy when she created the brand: true quality, luxury, beauty, and elegance. To that end, Ormonde Jayne ensures the quality of its rare oils and botanical extracts by carefully sourcing and visiting their growers worldwide. They have 11 different scents that are absolutely intoxicating – but I’m sure it would be difficult to make it over to London to choose your favorite.

Luckily, Ormonde Jayne has made that task just a bit easier with its Sample Programme. It’s a coffret that slides out to reveal a guide to the fragrances and 2ml EDP mini sprays of each of the 11 perfumes. This is perfect for any fragrance aficionado to personally try out each luxurious scent! The Sample Programme costs £35 (roughly $53), and shipping fees are actually complimentary anywhere in the world. Linda recommends trying each one over a few days to see how the fragrances go from day to night in your everyday life. I’ve been having fun making my way through the Programme (right now, my fave is Sampaquita, a summery, fruity floral).

Read more about Ormonde Jayne at ormondejayne.com, and get the low down on the different blends after the cut! The diverse and exotic oils and herbs will truly impress. (more…)

There isn’t a beauty editor (or product junkie!) around that doesn’t adore Sara Happ’s The Lip Scrub.  (We raved about it here last year).  And now Sara has introduced another great product, The Lip Slip.  As her description says, “The world doesn’t need another lip balm.  It needs the right one.”  As a connoisseur of lip balms, I have to agree that she’s knocked it out the park with this one.  (Can you tell by the phrase that I’m happy it’s baseball season again?)  Sara worked with chemists for two (TWO!) years to get the formula exactly how she wanted it and it definitely shows.  The colorless balm glides over your lips, giving them shine and hydration for hours after you apply it.  (It’s the perfect product to slick on for a long flight or right before you go to bed).  The “secret” ingredients in the formula are macadamia nut and jojoba oils, which gives it a fantastic consistency – it’s not too gloopy or runny and it’s not sticky, so it won’t glue your hair to your lips when you’re outside in the wind.  It also passes my “color test” – it looks equally as good on its own as it does over lipstick, so it’s very versatile.

The Lip Slip comes in an elegant gold box tied with a white ribbon and counts Jennifer Garner, Jessica Simpson and Kate Moss as fans.  Pick yours up at beautyhabit.com.

Recently, I’ve been driven crazy by my boyfriend. While I appreciate his efforts to try to minimize noise and use headphones when I’m working, his pair were simply horrible.  He might as well not use them at all since I could still hear the music from the other room.  I was determined to find a new pair  - mostly to save my own sanity. I turned to the great people at Ifrogz, who had a great selection to choose from. 

From their EarPollution collection, I decided to try out the Nervepipes, which are fully customizable. You can choose from a variety of colors and patterns for six parts that make up the headphones.  (On the right is an image I customized; my boyfriend went for a navy, silver and red combo.)  The best part is that they’re only $35, which is so affordable. The sound quality is pretty decent, the fit is comfortable, and best of all, it helps zero out noise – so no longer can I hear my boyfriend’s music from across the room anymore (while he’s still wearing headphones). (more…)