Archive for January, 2011

My nail polish phase just doesn’t seem to show any signs of slowing down lately.  There have been so many fun, new collections released that I just can’t stop myself from acquiring new ones.  (I am rapidly running out of room where I store them – clearly the solution is not to stop buying nail polishes, but to move to a bigger place).

Nicole by OPI has just launched a selection of Walmart exclusive shades, which is timed perfectly to my discovery that there is a Walmart less than a half hour drive from me (I can finally buy Hard Candy!)  Here are the four shades you’ll find: (more…)

Has anyone else had enough of this cold weather? I certainly am craving 70+ degree sunshine! If you feel like I do and are ready for spring, go check out clothing line 6 Shore Road, which will certainly get you in the mood. Inspired by vacations in the Hamptons, designer Pooja Kharbanda wanted to create pieces that would fit the “dusk ‘till dawn lifestyle” where everything is “relaxed but still stylish and trendy.” (more…)

Melinda Maria grew up loving to create jewelry and in her 20′s, she turned it into her full-time job by launching her eponymous line of jewelry. Made with semi-precious stones and gold-plated metals, her pieces are worn over and over again by celebrities like Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Emily Blunt, Jessica Alba, Isla Fischer, Zoe Saldana, and more. Find out what Melinda’s obsessing over this month below! (more…)

I’ve found the Dita von Teese, the Marilyn Monroe, the Ava Gardner of lashes in Hourglass’s Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara.  This is the mascara to give you Hitchcock-heroine lashes and the ebony fringe of Audrey Hepburn.  One of my favorite beauty eras is the 1950′s, there’s nothing I love more than a red lip and a sooty stare.

Putting on a coat of Film Noir mascar gives me the lashes I always envied in my old-style classic movies, with  voluminizing lashes that are worthy of an Edith Head-era starlet.   The mascara evenly and deeply coats every single lash, with a subtle hourglass shaped brush that allows you to get mascara even to the tiniest and most delicate of eyelashes.  Uniquely, the Hourglass Film Noir formula also has a slight, jet-black, glossy sheen that ups the glamour quotient and is incredibly moisturizing thanks to the addition of ProVitamin B5 (no crunchy lashes here).  I’ve had no problems with smudging, and love using this mascara for a night out when I really want to accent my eyes.

Hourglass’s Film Noir Full Spectrum Mascara retails for $28.

I’ve been lucky enough to get the chance to visit a lot salons in Los Angeles, but one of my favorites is Warren-Tricomi on Melrose.  It had been awhile since I was there, but recently, I headed over for a cut and color and it was every bit as great as I remembered. (more…)

I think I speak for all of us at TDO when saying that I’m just a bit envious of Andria Mitsakos, wanderlista, designer and PR guru.  Always a lover of travel, Andria first came onto the scene in 2003 as the president of AMPR, a hospitality communications firm representing an international roster of exclusive travel and lifestyle brands.  Many of her clients have  made it into TDO in our lust lists and travel obsessions.  In 2010, Andria channeled her worldly and well cultivated style into another one of her passions- design.  She launched a collection of exotic skin handbags while living in Italy. Her line, Dea Rosa, is a tribute to her late grandmother and focuses on clean lines, a streamlined color palette, and affordable, luxurious styles. Having spent time and many many email conversations with Andria, I can attest to the fact that her warmth attracts new confidants, while her little black book connects her to old friends in the media, travel and fashion industries- making her the ultimate insider!  Below she shares with us what makes her life so fabulous!

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Urban Decay is celebrating its 15-year anniversary (can you believe it’s been that long?) with all sorts of fun new goodies for spring.  I got my hands on a few of the products and have been trying them out for the past two weeks and you should all be very excited to get your hands on them shortly.

By far the most exciting product is the 15-Year Anniversary 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil Set.  I seriously could not wait to see this and it lived up to all my expectations and more.  We all know of the genius of Urban Decay’s eyeliners, and if you’re looking to bulk up your collection of them, this is definitely your product.  (more…)

“New Year, New You,” is a common theme. But aside from new eating habits, a new workout plan and a list of things to organize in 2011, the new you can often include a new look. And for me, that usually means a new hair color.

I look at hair color as a fun way to change things up — and it’s way less of a commitment than a haircut. If you don’t like the results, there’s no need to spend a year or two growing it back out — you can usually just color it back to its prior state!

That said, I’ve met a lot of people who want to take the plunge but are afraid they won’t be able to pull off their dream hair color. Those people have said to me, “You’re so lucky; you are one of those people who can pull off any hair color. I’m sooo not.” Well, I’m not either — and I have the bad-hair-color photos to prove it. My secret weapon? A good colorist, specifically, celebrity hair stylist Marco Pelusi of Marco Pelusi Hair Studio in West Hollywood.

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Located at Kilometer 14.5 on Cancun’s posh “hotel zone,” the Ritz Carlton Cancun easily occupies the best real estate on the famed strip.  It is located within a stone’s throw from all the luxury shopping the city offers, is far from the traditional “party zone,” and boasts the best beach of all the hotels in Cancun. Combine that with a resort that is both family and couples friendly, large ocean view rooms, and award winning service-  it’s easy to see why the Ritz-Carlton Cancun was top of my list when I booked my Mexican vacation last month. (more…)