As a beauty junkie living in New York, I’ve been to my fair share of spas and salons. And all the ones I have blogged about are places I recommend with fantastic customer service that have delivered great results. But when I visited Edris Salon in New York’s Meatpacking district, I did not come out feeling great; I came out feeling exceptional.

I visited Edris for a whole slew of services one Thursday afternoon after work. I was gross, sweaty and running late when I arrived - basically, not cute. At all. And I left feeling like a celebrity - a high that I’ve carried with me every time I think about my experience there.

This salon, named after found and owner Edris Nicholls, is very well known for catering to the most glamorous clientele. In addition to styling countless editorial shoots, the staff regularly works with personalities such as Heidi Klum, John Galliano, Naomi Campbell and Alicia Keys. They also style the Tracy Reese show at NY Fashion Week, which is how I first met Edris (check them out this September). The salon is located in the heart of the Meatpacking District on West 14th and Washington on the 3rd floor in the most Zen, bright open space. I was instantly calmed. The stations are spaced wide apart, while big windows overlook the cobble stone streets and the luxury stores that line them. Like most upscale salons in the city, you’re offered your choice of beverages upon entering. I, of course, chose wine. (more…)

When summer rolls around, there’s pretty much nothing that can stop me from dousing myself in Kai. The fragrance is an instant reminder of tropical islands, everyone will compliment you on how great you smell - and well…I kind of have an addiction to anything scented with gardenias. Really, it’s an obsession. If it were ever discontinued, I would cry and then hunt down stock like a mad woman.

However, believe it or not, as much I love this fragrance, I’ve only tried one item from their line - the original perfume oil. Boy, was I missing out!

I’ve been buffing and exfoliating with the Body Buffer this past month. Blending the original Kai perfume oil, it incorporates palm, coconut and olive oil as well. Together, it is “infused in a hypo-allergenic sponge to cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize the skin.” It comes in a two-pack, so you should be able to have these for quite some time. When you first use it, make sure to douse the sponge in water and let it completely soak (to soften the sponge up). Simply scrub all over your body and you will notice that it will produce a bubbly foam. The sponge is slightly rough, so you feel like it’s really sloughing off all those dead skin cells. You probably won’t be able to notice a huge difference in the shower, but once you step out and towel off, you’ll see that your skin will be much smoother and brighter. Bonus: The Kai scent wafts up and scents the entire bathroom!

I’ve also been finishing with the Body Glow, which is essentially a dry oil spray. It will help hydrate and moisturize your skin, while leaving you deliciously scented. For the warmer months, I think it’s a great alternative to moisturizer since it sinks in pretty easily and feels very light during application. In fact, if I’m using this, I will substitute it for my daily roll of the perfume oil. However, you bet that when chillier weather rolls around, I’ll be reaching for the Body Butter for more intensive hydration (and to wish summer was still around!).

I have tried a lot of self-tanners. A LOT. Seriously, a ridiculous amount. And while I’ve found some great ones for the body, it hasn’t been as easy to find one for the face. They’re all either too greasy or too orange or too streaky… The list goes on and on. And then I tried Dior’s Bronze Sun Powder Spray and now all is right in my self-tanning world.

Available in two shades, Light Tan and Bronze Tan, it’s also the quickest self-tanner I’ve ever used. You simply spray it all over your face, blend any areas you need to with your fingertips, wait a short minute or so for it to dry, and then go.  Seriously, it’s that easy. The spray left no streaks on my face, but I had a distinctly bronzer glow then before I used it - and it looked completely natural. I was kind of in awe, to be honest. I liked it so much that even though the product is supposed to be for your face only, I used it on my entire body this past weekend because I was at a wedding and wanted to look like I’d just flown in from Aruba. (And I totally did. Score!) The difference was noticeable enough that some of my family at the wedding commented on how I’d gone from pasty white to glowing - definitely enough of a confidence booster to make this spray a regular part of my beauty regime. (Although at $60 for 2.3 ounces, it’s not exactly cheap. Still, the fact that it gave me the perfect tan somehow makes the price tag a lot more justifiable. Who needs to eat anyway?)

Dior Bronze Sun Powder Spray is available at www.sephora.com and Dior counters everywhere.

How many of you have reusable bags that you reserve for trips to the grocery store? And how many times have you forgotten about them? For me, it’s been too many to count. Despite my efforts of actually leaving them in the car, I still manage to forget them to bring them with me into the store, 9 out of 10 times. (Totally a bummer whenever I’m at Trader Joe’s…the parking lot is always busy, so if you run out and get them, you’ll leave behind at least one angry driver waiting for a parking spot when you head back into the store. Never fun!)

Then I discovered flip & tumble bags - the most genius reusable bags ever. (more…)

Hi everyone, I’m in London right now and will be for the remainder of the week until I jet to Prague for a mini weekend vacation. Even though I’m a product junkie, I consider myself a fantastic packer. A few years ago I spent a month in Europe with only one backpack. Lest you think I was ghetto-ing it out, I came home with a Marni dress, Fendi shoes, a Balenciaga bag, a Prada bag and many other things - all cleverly tucked into that one backpack. Mmm…memories of when the dollar actually meant something.

As for my 10 day excursion this time, I managed to pack similarly light. In my one small suitcase, I packed everything from gym wear (planning on early morning runs along the Thames - ha!) to clubbing wear to work gear - and even a trench coat and a book. Along with my 4 pairs of shoes, I also brought along a little bag of makeup.

I don’t actually like travel sized items; I find that they clutter up my already cluttered apartment so I only have full-sized products. That’s why I need to be clever about what I’m bringing and I need my products to do double or triple-duty. What’s getting me through this week is Chanel Hydramax + Active Teinte. This is truly the crème de la crème of tinted moisturizers. It acts as my moisturizer, my sunblock (SPF 15), my foundation, my coverup, and my bronzer (since I got a slightly warmer shade than my skintone). Hope you don’t think that multi-functioning products suck because this is truly one of my all time favorite products…ever.

Chanel Hydramax + Active Teinte is the perfect consistency. It is heavier than many tinted moisturizers I’ve tried, but it is not greasy at all. I love that it’s a slightly thicker formula because I feel like the foundation part of the product is actually working. Plus it doesn’t run off my face. The product also has a lovely peach bellini scent. It’s a pleasure for me to put on in the morning. I rarely have irritation problems with fragrances so my skin didn’t react to this at all. If your skin is more sensitive, you might want to spot check first.

The product is $55 for 1.4oz. Yeah, it’s a little steeper than your average tinted moisturizer but it’s seriously my most favorite thing of the moment. If you are going on any trips this summer, you must get this! Just think of all the extra room you’ll save in your bag for your foreign fashion purchases!

Fall colors from NARS Cosmetics are some of the prettiest that I’ve seen in a long time. I have been exclusively wearing it for the last week - for no other reason than that I just naturally pick up the colors because they are so nice. The collection centers around rosy pinks and bold bronzes. I imagine it’s what 1940’s film noir actresses would be wearing…very feminine and sophisticated, but mixed with mystery and intrigue.

Blush: Dolce Vita, NARS’ fall blush, makes all the difference in this collection for me. This is the color that adds the old fashioned glamour to the entire look. I’ve been using Orgasm for years - a color that is easy, buildable, and sweet. When I first tried Dolce Vita, I thought it was too dark and too rosy. But I came back to it a couple days later and now can’t put it down. Unlike Orgasm, you have to be careful how much you put on or the color is incredibly noticeable. With a light hand, however, Dolce Vita is a very, very pretty rose flush - at once, coy and sexy.

Eyeshadow: The Cordura duet is my favorite of the eyeshadows this season. This shimmering set of cocoa and dark brown creates adds sparkle to the brown smoky eye. Like all NARS’ eyeshadows, this duo is rich in pigment and staying power. I love it for the night, but sometimes I mix the lighter brown shade with a cream shadow for the day as well. This set goes together very nicely with the blush.

Lipstick & Lipgloss: NARS’ Senorita lipstick has made me believe in lipstick again. Prior to getting this, I almost never reached into my bag for lipstick; it was always tinted balm or lipgloss. But this lipstick has converted me. It is just as moisturizing as any tinted balm I’ve used - plus twice the pigment. The texture is feather light, and it lasts and lasts. The cool dusty pink is the most amazing color for my skintone and completely brings the whole look together. I finish with the gloss in Female Trouble, which I find to be almost the same color as Senorita. Nars’ lipglosses seem to be hit or miss- some are really thick and some are really sticky. Female Trouble is neither - instead a nice, light, liquidly texture.

This collection from NARS just really worked for me. It is a very grown up set of colors - very old-fashioned beautiful.  I almost can’t wait for the season to turn so I can rock the look with my fall wardrobe.

Rebecca Minkoff’s pre-fall collection has already hit the shelves this summer, and it’s safe to say that I’m completely obsessed with each bag and new shade! Rebecca Minkoff is an NYC-based designer and all her creations are made right here in the USA. She hit the fashion scene in a huge way with her Morning After Bag, designed to take you well through the night before, right to the morning after. Her bags are regularly seen on tons of celebrities and stylish women, and I recently purchased my first one from her pre-fall collection.

What I love about the new pre-fall colors is that they are perfect for summer without being the typical bright, in-your-face summer shades. I’m in love with my Nikki bag in Iris, pictured left above. The Iris color is very rich and dynamic, a deep blue with purple undertones that come through in certain lights. I’ve been carrying it all summer and have gotten so many compliments. I think the color is dynamic to wear all year long, and the Nikki bag is the one hobo I’ve seen with the perfect amount of slouching. Another gorgeous RM creation is the Clutch, pictured in the middle in the Sea Green shade. The Clutch, with its long detachable chain, is so versatile, and the Sea Green shade is absolutely gorgeous. Not surprisingly, it’s been seen on lovely ladies strolling the NYC streets, like Blake Lively and Agyness Deyn. Agyness is carrying the Clutch in Persimmon, a vibrant orangey-red hue. Rebecca Minkoff’s smaller take on the Morning After, the Morning After Mini, is just the perfect size for shorter gals. Pictured far right above in the Cloud Grey color, it’s roomy and embellished with light gold hardware.

Check out the gorgeous pre-fall collection at your nearest RM retailer, or on shopbop.com. While you’re drooling over the pre-fall choices, catch a sneak peek at what’s coming up for fall right here!

This past Thursday, Louis Vuitton invited a select group of bloggers, VIPS and serious fashionistas to preview their 2009 Cruise Collection which will be available to the general public this November. I think many of us forget that Louis Vuitton is so more more than just a line of handbags, and their collection extends into some beautiful ready-to-wear, swim, evening, shoes, jewelry, accessories - you name it. The event was nothing less than amazing and TDO has the pictures to show you what you can expect to see in a few months!

Pictured above and also attending the event were bloggers from The Jet Set Girls, Haute Concept, Fashion Indie and Nitrolicious. That’s me in my new favorite blue dress of the moment. We all gathered at the penthouse at 163 Bank St in the Meatpacking District for an evening of Moet, fashion, and mingling. (more…)

You may have already read my rave about the Soap & Paper Factory’s amazing scented beauty products in the first part of my review. Now I’d like to share their covet-worthy home and paper products with you! All of these are available in Soap & Paper’s signature scents and designs: Verbena, Orange Blossom, Rosewood, Green Tea, Fig, and Cinnamon Clove.

Let’s start with the home goods. I love Soap & Paper’s scented candles ($36), made of pure beeswax and hand poured into Italian glass. A cute ribbon is tied around the glass, and the glass is reusable long after the candle has burned out — which will be a long while later, since each burns for 60 hours! The candles are absolutely darling, and the box it comes in is decorated in hand-drawn patterns that depict its scent. Needless to say, I’m already reusing the box! Also for your home, Soap & Paper has made scented drawer papers ($28). Although I’ve seen these kind of papers in various stores, I’ve never really bothered using them. I didn’t see the point of taking the time to paper my drawers with cheesy looking designs and heavily perfumed scents. The Soap & Paper drawer papers are completely different from those you may have seen too–they are printed on recycled paper, and just printed and scented beautifully. Now every time I open my drawers, I smell sweet orange blossoms and get peeks of gorgeously drawn designs.

Soap & Paper has a great collection of paper goods, as well. Ranging in price from $12 to $48, there are collections of wrapping papers, note cards, thank you notes, stationery collections, and scented stationery. The scented stationery even includes a small vial of perfume, which was an unexpected added touch. All of the products have great paper quality and feature unique hand-drawn prints, so they seem super luxe. I’m the type of person who relies a lot on email, but I found myself finding reasons to send hand-written notes to people just so I could use the note cards and stationery.

So if you couldn’t tell already, I’m completely obsessed! You can see for yourself how charming the products are at soapandpaperfactory.com.

We absolutely adore the bags from Andrea Brueckner’s line - and we were so excited when she agreed to do an interview with us! Launched in 2004, Andrea Brueckner is known for her stunning and innovative collection of handbags - from the famed Saddle Bag to the obsession-worthy Luxembourg Satchel. We asked Andrea everything - from her bag must-haves to her fashion icons. Let’s get started, shall we?

The Daily Obsession: Before starting your own line, you worked at Carolina Herrera, Jill Stuart and Craig Robinson. Did your experience at those brands influence your aesthetic today?
Andrea Brueckner: The designers I worked for before I started the company didn’t necessarily influence my aesthetic. They more gave me the experience and background I needed to start my own company. All of these companies were very small, so while working there, I was able to gain experience in all aspects of a small business, from design, to sales, and production. Craig Robinson probably influenced me the most, though, in terms of aesthetic. He was a bespoke menswear tailor, who taught me a lot about design and construction and form, which are typically what influence me the most when I begin to design.

TDO: When you started your line, what made you choose handbag design over clothing, shoes, or other accessories?
AB: I started my line while working for a clothing company. I began to design and sew little handbags on the side, for myself and for my friends. I pounded the pavement for awhile, and then the little ideas turned into bigger ones. (more…)