Archive for January, 2010

Not all candles, let alone soy candles are created equal. I’ve fully embraced soy candles recently because I can’t stand the black soot/smoke and wick trimming that come with their less-green counterparts (and admittedly, after watching Avatar, I decided I need to be a little kinder to Mother Earth.)

Past soy candles I’ve purchased were of the cheaper variety, and while clean burning, sputtered weak flames and didn’t quite emanate scent very thoroughly through my apartment.  I like my candle scents to be enveloping, without being overpowering; luxurious but without a $65+ price tag; and was recently introduced to Linnea’s Lights, a line of luxurious soy candles with a reasonable price tag that have become my new favorite hostess gift. (more…)

Move over, Longchamp! JPK Handbags are the cutest, most colorful, and practical handbags to hit store shelves in a while! While I certainly love my Longhamp for its versatility and flexibility, JPK’s are all of the above… and more! My girlfriend Steph recently gifted me with the Bucket Nylon, which I absolutely adore for its bright pink color, gold hardware, and thick leather shoulder strap. Even more, the lining is a funky floral pattern of lavender, blue, and green. With tons of interior pockets, zippers, and snaps, you can easily organize your belongings and separate makeup, money, extra pair of underwear… who knows?

JPK’s handbags come in a wide array of colors, so you’re sure to find a black or brown staple or a color completely unique and extreme to add that extra “pop” to an outfit. Steph purchased my purse at North River Outfitter on Boston’s Charles Street, but they’re also available at Lord & Taylor and Nordstrom!

The way that my eyes look are the first sign of how things are going in my life.  If I get only 4 hours of sleep the night before, I know I’ll instantly wake up with bloodshot eyes and what I swear is an extra wrinkle under my eyes.  Cried the day before? My eyes will be puffed up like a marshmallow in the morning, sometimes with a mysterious extra crease.  To mask to the world exactly how my night went, eyeliner has become one of the quintessential tools that I must have in my arsenal.  It took me a long time to learn to perfect pencil eyeliner and now I can perfect the line without even the aid of a mirror, but the ultimate goal is to eventually perfect the winged liquid liner, a la Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada.  One day!

For eyeliner newbies who aren’t quite skilled at either pencil or liquid liner, I recommend the Trish McEvoy Eye Definer, which I recently tried out and found so easy to apply that I wish I had started my eyeliner skills with this product first.   (more…)

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Those pesky blemishes can arise at the worst times – everything from an important business meeting to your best friend’s wedding. Getting rid of them in a flash can be difficult (unless you make a visit to a dermatologist); the key is finding a great spot treatment.  I thought I found some fabulous ones in the past, but the La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment may be the best that I’ve tried to date.

The Effaclar AI Intensive Acne Spot Treatment uses a combination of lipo-hydroxy peroxide (LHA) and a micronized form of benzoyl peroxide to fight off blemishes.  LHA is a derivitive of salicylic acid, so it helps exfoliate while benzoyl peroxide “releases active oxygen and targets acne deep in pores.”  It claims to reduce blemishes with minimal irritation in only three days.  It’s also an oil-free formula, which is incredibly important if you’re skin is prone to acne. I love that a little dot of this works for a blemish and didn’t leave any stickiness.  It zapped my blemish quickly; from the first application to totally gone, only took a couple days. I imagine for a more stubborn blemish, it may take an additional few days.  Overall, it healed without any dry spots or irritation, which hasn’t happened with any other product.  Simply, this is my go-to acne spot treatment from now on!

Available at Glow.com and La-Roche Posay website.

TDO is excited to announce a new partnership with Elle Magazine where we bring you our weekly favorites from their fashion, beauty and lifestyle stories.  Be sure to check out what’s new every week!

1. Ready for Awards season? Check out the latest red carpet looks and celebrity fashions.

2. New guy for the new year? Read up on your Daily Love Horoscopes for 2010.

3. Always a favorite of TDO editors: Street Fashion: New York

4. Chic Winter Coats: The season’s coolest coats come in a variety of bold prints and striking silhouettes—from Jason Wu’s rose-covered evening coat to Marc by Marc Jacobs’ leopard trench.

5.  Curious about this trend?  So are we! Harem Pants: How can I make spring’s slouchy trousers work for me?

This sponsored content is brought to you by Style Coalition.

Copyright Getty Images Elle.com

When you’re busy and running around from place to place (and really, who among us isn’t these days?) it can be hard to put on makeup or touch up the makeup you’re already wearing.  I often find myself trying to fix my eyeliner in my car at night after work (not while I’m driving!) or digging through my bag trying to find the lip gloss I’m sure is in there.  That’s why I was excited to hear about two new innovative products from Too Faced that are perfect for helping you to look great when you’re on the go. (more…)

I’ve been dying to buy a new Marc Jacobs tote for spring, but sadly, my bag budget is definitely not going to allow that to happen.  Luckily, I was able to console myself with a much more affordable Marc Jacobs product, his new fragrance, Lola.

Normally I’m not one for the floral scents, but Lola is really interesting and different.  It opens with notes of pink peppercorn, pear, and ruby red grapefruit, so it’s almost fruity when I first spritz it on.  The midnotes include geranium and rose, but it’s the notes that linger during the drydown that make the difference for me.  They include layers of vanilla, warm tonka bean, and creamy musk and the combination is irresistible.  It’s warm and modern, the kind of scent that’s perfect for the daytime, but can also transition into the evening.  (One of my main problems with florals is that a lot of them remind me of something my grandmother would wear, but I’m definitely not thinking of support hose when I’m wearing Lola!)  The bottle is gorgeous too – it’s a sheer purple with a multi-layered cap that’s made to look like a bursting floral bouquet with blue, purple and red petals.  It looks so pretty sitting on top of my dresser and it’s a nice change from my normal routine of clean, fresh scents.  If you’re looking for a sexy, romantic scent to spice up your fragrance wardrobe, give this one a try!

Available at Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Dillard’s and Sephora.