Barielle Shades Fall 2010 Argyle Collection makes me want to put on an argyle sweater, white Brooks Brothers No Iron shirt, a black pencil skirt with Cole Haan penny loafers and tool around town. Since it's still warm in DC I will have to wait to style and profile the preppy look. But, my nails can rock anyone of the Argyle colors.
Jimmyjane AFTERGLOW Natural Massage Oil Candle in Dark Vanilla is a two-in-one product. It's a candle that turns into a massage oil. I personally think it makes a great oil for all those dry areas on my body. It looks like a typical candle, but once it melts it becomes a luxurious massage oil. The candle has tons of great ingredients such as Jojoba, Shea Butter, Vitamin E, Soy, Aloe and no phthalates or parabens. I did not use it as a massage oil. Why? Because I didn't want to use all the product up. I added it to my daily body lotion. Jimmyjane also sells some "grown folks products" which should be looked at in the privacy of your home. Queue the wink here. I think they should package this oil in a separate container. I like the candle idea, but I need a large jar of this oil.
Elemis, one of my favorite spa and skin brands has partnered with Bliss Spas to offer two of its body and facial treatments. We finally have a Bliss Spa in DC and it's always a great place to rejuvenate and regroup. Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial is a natural exfoliation for the top layer of the skin to leave skin soft and supple.
Elemis Exotic Lime & Ginger Salt Glow treatment revitalizes the body with a light brushing technique and is followed by warms oils applied all over the body and Elemis' Exotic Island Flower Balm. I need this balm in my life stat especially after days frolicking on the beach.
Adara makes some of the best coconut oils for the body. Most coconut oils are not scented and it's so hard for me to use coconut oil for this very reason. I don't mind digging it out of the jar, melting it down, and applying it to my hair, but for my body I want a scent. I have this idea in my head that if it goes on my body it needs to have a scent. Adara is giving me joy. First, they travel well. Coconut oil has to be melted using hot water and I don't have to worry about these leaking all over my suitcase. Secondly, they have a variety of scents for this junkie to be happy a few mornings out of the month.
CHANEL, CHANEL, CHANEL - You complete me. Look at the nail colors that Peter Philips (Global Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup created for Vogue's Fashion Night Out. It's three colors based on a khaki theme. Khaki Rose, Khaki Burn, and Khaki Vert will be rocking my hand in the fall. The colors are available September 10. My pick is Khaki Vert.
Mark Body Care has recently launched a line of Fair Trade Body Products which means certain ingredients in the line come directly from the farmer and purchasing the products will help keep the farmers in business. I'm all for beauty that feeds the body and the soul. To learn more about mark Fair Trade Products click here.
The products I'm interested in getting are the Big Fix Balm (a balm is an all around beauty product) and the Hydrating Body Cleanser. I need the Balm to carry around in my makeup bag because with the fall and winter season approaching I have extremely dry skin and this will be perfect to help me as I tool around the city.
Sometimes a girl needs a little pampering. Especially after a few weekends of soaking up the sun and sand. After another gorgeous weekend in DC it was time to get some R&R - Retail & Rest. This is exactly what drew me to Beauty 360 and their Payot products. There in this beauty enclave I discovered Payot Regenerating Dry Oil.
In my opinion there is nothing better than a hot shower after a great workout. To make that shower even better requires the right product. This includes a body scrub that makes your skin baby smooth, but smells divine in the process. Last night I basked in Tree Hut's Coconut Lime Body Scrub. This stuff had me at "hello skin that has been in more sun this summer than in your entire life." It's the perfect scrub to wake you up and your body up after a morning run on the treadmill. Disclosure: I have a treadmill at home so it's easier to do a body scrub routine at home. With that being said - I'm telling you to go out and by this right now.
Revlon's Fuchsia Fever Nail Color is the perfect girly pink for summer. It's a punch of pink perfection. It's not too bright or too dark, but just right. Summer is the time I usually play with tons of colored nails and I vow to do it more. In the fall, I usually try a color, but take it off after two days and revert back to my "old faithful" color. Not this summer. I vow to change my color every week and not revert back to my standard neutral beige/pink color. Revlon is helping me. Tropical Temptation will also be in the manicure rotation.
The streamlined packing is working quite well for me here in South Africa. Unlock l'homme who packed everything and the kitchen sink I'm enjoying a streamlined wardrobe and beauty treats. Votre Vu Duette Luxe Lip Balm & Hand Creme is ingenious. It's a two-fer type of beauty product. A rich and luxurious hand cream with an equally yummy lip balm. It's the perfect accessory to my hand sanitizer which I use religiously all on flights. This leads to disastrously dry hands. Votre Vu has helped me streamline my travel beauty routine.
Have a beautimous weekend. It's summer, summertime. Bisous.
It's that time of year again for me. The summer travel season begins this weekend with the Memorial Day holiday. After the harsh winter in DC, I am going to embrace all this heat. It's also the time when I jaunt off to destinations full of products, tips, and trend items in a checked bag. But this year will be different. I have vowed to only take a carry-on with me to the beach and any trip under 7 days. Yes, I can hear the laughter as you read this.
Trust me, I did not think this was possible until I saw the slide show of Heather Poole on the NY Times website and was immediately hooked. I didn't think it was possible until my 5 day trip to Charleston and Barbados. I thought "I can do this." First, I needed to make a list of all the necessary essentials, outfits, and excursions then I would be well on my way.
I decided to call the series "Pretty in a Carry-On" to highlight what essential items you will need this summer season and beyond. It won't all be beauty products. Some will be cute scarves, luggage, totes, and clothing which will have you stepping off the plane and to "wherever your final destination may be." Can you tell I've been on a quite a few planes in the last couple of months.
First up is Bliss' Blood Orange + White Pepper Hand Cream. If you are traveling by plane, train, or automobile the one item of your skin that needs help will always be your hands and feet. I constantly wash my hands and frequently more than normal when traveling. I don't want to get sick because of airplane germs. Please don't get me started. I picked this hand cream and I'm currently giving it a test run. I'm pleasantly surprised. First, it's not heavy. I was looking for a thick hand cream, but in 80 degree weather a thick hand cream doesn't work. Barbados' water is very salty. Locals call it a "salt bath." My hands need edextra loving after taking numerous dips in the ocean and the pool and this product is now in the carry-on rotation.
For the past few weeks I have been slathering on Epicuren's After Bath Wild Lavender Moisturizer every morning. I usually associate all my lavender scented needs to bed time, but I decided to switch things up a bit and use it in the morning. I'm so glad I did. This moisturizer has made my mornings. I keep telling myself that I am finally going to work on a morning ritual, but I can't seem to get it off the ground.
Some mornings are better than others, but lately I want to stay under the covers longer and watch this ritual goes by the wayside. Hopefully this week will be it and I can at least spend three mornings on the yoga mat, writing in my journal, sipping chai tea watching the sun comes up, and then continuing to use my Wild Lavender Moisturizer to top the morning off.
Lifetherapy is a new line of products by Lynette Lovelace who decided to create products based on a person's various moods. The products come in 5 moods - play, chill, vacation, escape, and flirt. I'm still making my mind on which mood is my favorite. I'm in love with chill, but I can be easily persuaded by vacation. Lynette must have known that I needed a lot more play and a ton of chill in my life at the moment. The body cremes are thick and luscious and are the perfect way to embrace spring. I was all over the Chill Pulse Point Oil this weekend in my Yoga + Wine Workshop. It's not too heavy distract the yogi next to me, but I did enjoy my Ujjayi breathing with this product on my wrists.
As the resident beauty girl in my family everyone comes to me with suggestions and questions. I always try my best. but one request left me stumped to find more natural answers. One of my cousins came to me with the revelation that she was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. I immediately went into beauty research mode. She had one request. "I need a product to sooth my skin. A lot of products say they are going to work and they don't." A new product on the natural beauty scene is SEED Bodycare. The Invigorating Citrus Thyme is her favorite. She told me that it has soothed her irritated skin and now she is an all natural and organic kind of girl.
I was very excited to win the Olay products but admit I was
a skeptic at first. I never
thought that I had dry skin, but after the first few uses my skin needed a
little less lotion than before.
Although I don’t live in a cold climate, it can get very cold in
California in the winter months in the evening.
I used the Exfoliate & Replenish Body Wash and noticed
an immediate difference in the texture of my skin after getting out of the
shower. I wasn’t a big
“exfoliating” type of girl. Now I
see I definitely need to exfoliate and this makes the process a lot easier in
the mornings. Next I tried the
Deep Penetrating Moisture Body after the Exfoliate Body Wash and I can see this
is going to be a great combination in my shower. The scents are soft and natural.
Would
I buy this again? Definitely. But I'm a super lucky girl! I won a year's supply. Thanks Olay for the opportunity to
experience your new products.
I'm back from a quick jaunt to South Beach to thaw out and to connect with friends. What I've learned from going to be the beach is that I have to prepare my skin to come back home. I try to perform a quick exfoliation to slough off my sun-soaked skin. I wear sunscreen like it's going out of style, but after walking on the sand, frolicking in the ocean, and late night walks on the beach - my skin can look dull. I took this Erno Laszlo Body Care Set with me and prepped my skin for returning home to this cold weather. I will try a few more of the Laszlo travel products on my trips this year.
I love Olay. I have been using the products since they were Oil of Olay. I used to watch Mama Dear use them and naturally I wanted to be just like her so there are always Olay products in the beauty arsenal. The daily moisturizer has always been a steady staple. If you haven't tried it pick it up when you purchase these washes. The newest products are the Total Effects 7-in-1 Advanced Anti-Aging Body Washes which one of my lucky winners will win. One winner will win them today and a one year supply for one year on February 8. The winner will write a short description of what they liked about the products and I will post on the site.
Olay held a study and here are a few of the findings when they decided to study the body and here's what they found:
If body skin is maintained well a woman can look up to 10 years younger.
Body skin is just as important as facial skin for positive age perception.
Skin care technology for anti-aging is proven to benefit body skin.
This study is what I have been saying for years. Pretty skin before pretty makeup. You get one skin so let's keep it. Also, I'm all about aging gracefully. I understand we are in the age of let's solve it with a scalpel, but if you take care of your skin you won't be disappointed. I'm closer to 40 than 30 and I look and feel better than ever. Living life to the fullest is the biggest beauty secret of all.
The seventh person to comment on this post wins the first contest. I will email the winner for your mailing address. The second contest will happen Monday, February 8 at 11:00am so check. I will be using a contest machine and it will automatically pick a random winner.
I used to be really good about doing my own nails. I spent almost every weekend painting Mama Dear's and my nails on our weekly visits to Louisiana. Yes, we went to Louisiana every weekend when I was a kid and I loved it. Mama Dear had the most amazing nails - natural, super long, and always polished. Whether she was delivering one baby or 5 babies a day as a midwife she was utter perfection. Somewhere about the age of 23 (I'm definitely dating myself) I started going to the salon for my weekly manicures and that was it.
Then I meet Erika (my beauty blogging best friend forever) and all of a sudden my weekly manicures at the salon start slacking. I find myself doing them at home. Erika hates getting manicures. Hate is a strong word, but she really dislikes getting manicures. She doesn't think they file her nails properly and let's not get her started on how they polish her nails. After visiting her family last month I realized I'm not nearly as obsessed as those girls. I know in a weekend I painted my nails 3 times and that's because Ms. Bree, Ms. Bailey, and Ms. Janey said "let's change nail colors."
I came home and decided to start devoting a little more time to myself and use the nail polish I keep buying. This brings me to Rescue Your Nails by Ji Baek. Ji is the creator of Rescue Beauty Lounge, a top nail salon in New York, which has its own range of nail polishes and luxurious body products. So, I'm taking Ji's advice with making time for more at home manicures. Because I need the relaxation I'm going to the salon for my pedicures. Some things I won't give up.
Now that the weather has begun to cool
down I can't wait to come home at night and relax in the bathtub. No
bath would be complete without a Philosophy 3-n-1 bubble bath, shower
gel, and shampoo. Santa could always make my holidays a little merrier
with ANY of the scents from the line but I'm really looking forward
to Mimosa ( a fresh light citrus scent) to get me through this long
winter.
Philosophy has released gift sets galore
for the Philosophy gal (or guy) on your holiday shopping list. The Winter
Escape includes a 3-n-1 in Peppermint Hot Cocoa and a lip gloss and body
souffle in Melting Marshmallow (I own the cream and it smells fantabulous).
There is also The Bake Shoppe for those
on your list that are more into pink sweets. This set includes Pink
Frosted Layer Cake 3-n-1 (I own this and it's to die for), Raspberry
Mousse 3-n-1 (I smelled this one at Sephora and it was love at first
sniff), Raspberry Mousse lip gloss and Sweet Creamy Frosting Body Lotion.
Both gift sets are housed in adorable packaging so you can skip wrapping
paper altogether.
For the skincare lover on your list there's
The Miracle Worker Gift Set a $156 value for $85. This set includes
all of your favorite (or soon to be favorite) Philosophy skincare. If
you're on a stricter budget there is also the Magical Minis set which
includes smaller sizes for the more recessionista price of $45.
Lastly you can't forget all the lip gloss
loving ladies on your list and with the Under the Mistletoe Ornament
set and A Kiss & A Wish set you can't go wrong. Both would be completely
amazing for a stocking stuffer or a secret santa gift.
Skincando Combat-Ready Balm is an awesome natural skin cream created by my friend Sara Damelio who wanted to create a natural line of products to aid in healing the skin. I first learned about the brand while having a facial with Sara at The Still Point Spa here in Maryland. By the way, you guys need to make an appointment for her natural facial as soon as you finish reading this. It's that time of year where the leaves have turned, the wind is beginning to whip between the buildings, and my skin is starting to feel parched. The Skincando Combat-Ready Balm is a great hand and foot cream that I will be using well past winter. But don't take my word for it, watch these videos in which some of our military says the balm has healed the bugs, sand fleas, and other skin irritations while in combat.
If it's good enough for them, it's definitely good enough for my dry skin.
I am a addicted to body balms. This is my confession. I love body balms and can NEVER get enough of slathering them on my person. Yes, my name is Julia and I'm a body product junkie. When I heard that Kiehl's had come out with a body balm I had to investigate. It's my duty to bring the beauty and I can say Kiehl's Imperial Body Balm will be perfect for winter. It's thick and luscious. I can see using it on a cold winter's day to treat my skin after an invigorating run.
I like to add oils to my body moisturizers and just a splash of sesame oil will be what my winter-dehydrated-scaly-no-longer-luscious skin needs. This balm makes me feel so good that I find myself rubbing my own skin - and that my readers is a good thing
"Inhale lift your right leg back, step your left leg back into downward facing dog. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Float or step forward into a forward fold. Inhale, exhale." As the sweat began to pour down my face I listened to Carol's relaxing voice. It had been awhile since I've attended her lunchtime yoga classes and my mind and body was in need of the yoga mat.
I have been stressed - long work days, changing of the seasons, and life in general have had me stressed. Even big girl bath time had taken a back seat. This class, in the middle of a beautiful Tuesday afternoon gave me to myself. Later that day I didn't realize that the class whipped my out of yoga shape body. There was the aches and pains of jumping back into practice that sent me to the tub last night.
I needed to be transported and I achieved the "I was I was in the French countryside at a spa with Payot Cristeaux Mineraux." I soaked [pun intended] in the rich scent of the mineral salts as I read the current copy of Yoga Journal. I have to remember to put myself back at the top of the list. I was so relaxed that I couldn't stay awake and finally gave into the relaxation and deep Payot sleep.
The calendar may tell me that we are going into fall, but my body is still feeling summer. I come from a hot bodied family. Seriously we are always hot. My great-nephew takes his clothes off all the time. I keep trying to tell my niece that he's hot like the rest of us. Every time I call him he says "Aunt JuJu - I hot!" I'm on fire everyday right now and thank goodness for Elemental Herbology Skin Drink.
This lightweight body moisturizer is just the right amount of lotion - no too heavy, not too cloying, and light enough to use all over. I still plan to use this well into September because despite what the calendar says my body will still think it's summer for the next few weeks. I'm loving the fall beauty products, but I still want to want the days of wearing maxi dresses, flip flops, and sunglasses to last a little longer.
I'm usually great at giving information on beauty to anyone who will ask me. I feel a twinge of guilt at times when I don't want to divulge a beauty obsession that hasn't made it on the site. Today, I'm confessing. I'm confessing to finally letting everyone in on the body oil that I've been using for a long time. A few days ago a coworker asked what scent I was wearing and I said something from the beauty arsenal. I really didn't want to tell her for fear that she would run out, buy it, and come back to work smelling like - me.
But since it's my beauty duty I must report the beauty. I have been mixing Leonor Greyl Huile de Magnolia with Nivea Enriched Body Lotion and the scent together is so yummy that even I can't stop smelling myself. It started one night after yoga and a bath that I paired it together. I thought to myself "self me likey - a lot." It took my boyfriend to tell me "you smell really nice." In boyfriend speak that is shouting it from the mountain top for all to hear. He usually doesn't comment on my perfume choices so I knew then I had a killer perfume combination.
This is my confession and now it's time for you to go out and buy it.
Last weekend in NY I decided to have a beauty day. Every time I go to NY
it's business, business, business, where relaxation is a minimal. This
was one of the first trips where I was able to relax. I heard great things
about Dashing Diva's Gel Life, the nail treatment where a gel UV overlay is applied to
natural nails to give a perfect two-week shine. I was stoked to try it.
I wanted to put it to the test and see if it stood up to two weeks of
constant paper managing (I'm a legal assistant), cooking, and
beautifying.
I can report that the shine lasted amazingly well. I
will say that the gel lifted sooner than anticipated, but stayed for
the most part intact. I decided that I would then remove it all, because once I started picking at the nail I couldn't stop and that's not good for the health of my nails. The photo was taken one week after gel life.
Would I get Gel Life again? Abso-freaking-lutely. Gel Life currently
only has two colors - light and dark pink. I suggest mixing both if
you have any color to your skin because the light appears almost clear.
They are currently working on more colors and I will definitely keep
you posted because I'm such a Dashing Diva fan. As soon as I get
back to NYC. I will be at NY Fashion Week next month and will find
time to get another round of gel life. My nails and I both want it.
Estee Lauder Summer Bronze Goddess Collection is rich with deep bronze shimmer goodness. Let’s start with the EauFraiche Skinscent. It has the summer, summer, summertime feeling in every spritz. I have been liberally applying it as a precursor to my weekends. I wish it came in a roller ball as well which would make it perfect for a beach bag. (EL I hope this is a good hint)
The collection also includes the Sand and Sea EyeShadow Palette, Aqua Teal Duo Tone Eye Pencil, Pure Color Gloss Stick in Pop Pink, Wild Plum, Nude Almond, and Orange Poppy. A highlight of the collection is the Luminous Liquid Bronzer. It’s no secret that I love to be bronze and with this I add just a drop in my daily moisturizer. The bronze perfection of my skin is amazing.
Where has MAC Honey Salve been all my life. I've been waiting on such a product as this and oh my goodness how delicious this is.My only problem with this is that I need a huge tub of this salve.The tin is perfect for travel (you know me I’m always thinking of a getaway).MAC, I need you to make something bigger and larger.Plus, this is a solid product and I don’t have to worry about the clear plastic bag. The collection is definitely - HOT! Here's what's happening in the rest of the collection.
Lipglass
She's A Star Light Neutral Gold
Queen Bee Mid-Tone Apricot W/ Multi-Dimensional Pearl
Buzz Dark Copper Brown W/ Multi-Dimensional Pearl
Eye Shadow
Creme de Miel Frosty Light Yellow Gold
Pollinator Mid-Tone Warm Reddened Peach W/ Pearl
Buckwheat Dark Copper Brown W/ Multi-Dimensional Pearl
I love this One&Only Red Nail Polish created by uber pedicurist podiatrist Bastien Gonzalez. This color makes me want to completely change my current hotel reservations in Cape Town for next years' World Cup. I have my travel agent working on switching as I type this.
This color can only be purchased through the resort and I'm in love at the exclusivity of it all. The color was created by butter LONDON. I have loved every butter LONDON color that I have ever tried and I can't wait to add this one to the rotation.
I'm finally home for this first weekend of June. It's been so nice and despite the rain the sun has appeared. I decided to start a summer series based on my love of the beach. Here you will find what I love about summer, sand, and the beach and a few of the very pretty things that make my summer hot!
The LL Bean Zip Top Boat & Tote. My favorite color is the deep fuchsia and I love how you can pack this bag with so much stuff. I love the monogram and it makes a perfect gift for a wedding party - all you have to do is add goodies.
Beach Bag Beauty:
True Blue Spa - 29 and Holding SPF 29 Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion. Every beach bag will have a sunscreen. Why? Should you ask? Everyone needs to wear sunscreen to protect them from the sun's harmful rays. Yes, the sun does give us Vitamin D, but if you are like me and when you hit the beach you are out there for a few hours you need sunscreen. Enough said.
Borghese Radiante Brightening Hand Creme with SPF 30. I can't say enough about this hand creme. Always remember that hands tell the true age. This SPF 30 hand creme will protect your hands in the car and on the beach.
Davines Nounou Kit. The Nounou is a life saver to beach hair. The kit contains two different shampoos - The Dede Shampoo for moisture and The Nounou Shampoo to help your color stay. The Nounou Pak mask with restore your beached whip hair to city girl hair quickly or until your next beach trip.
A few weeks ago while in New York I explored a new beauty boutique wonderland on the recommendation of Mischo Beauty. I don't mean just another beauty boutique. This is the beauty boutique that I would create if I opened a boutique. As a shopper I always shop high and low. I go from Bergdorf, Neimans, and Saks to Duane Reade, CVS, Right Aid and Walgreens. Georgia NY Boutique encompasses them all. The store carries Davines, Jane Carter Hair Solution,Tocca (in love with all their candles), Mane & Tail, Mizani and many more.
They also carry another favorite item - beautiful and exquisite lingerie which adds to making me feel like a lady. It was created by two lovely women and how they wanted to shop. Now, Georgia is bringing their concept to the masses. Georgia might carry other lines, but it's there in house line that is surely not to be missed. A wonderful grapefruit body wash is just the summer pickup me up after a challenging morning yoga practice, but it's the Luxury Skin Cream that takes me beyond. The store also has a salon so you can get a blowout and a new beauty treat.
The in store shampoo bowl in a heart shape is this beauty junkie's idea of love.
The inspiration wall of women who create and maintain the pretty was inspired by their family.
Every time I think of Georgia NY, I think of Mr. Ray Charles. It's only fitting.
Georgia, Georgia, The whole day through Just an old sweet song Keeps Georgia on my mind.
"To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance."
Oscar Wilde
"The only real elegance is in the mind; if you've got that, the rest really comes from it."
Diane Vreeland
"Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live."
Dorothy Thompson
"Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."
Thomas Alva Edison
"Life is the flower for which love is the honey."
Victor Hugo
"Always be kinder than necessary."
James M. Barrie
"Dwell in possibility."
Emily Dickinson
"The only real elegance is in the mind; if you've got that, the rest really comes from it."
Diane Vreeland
"Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime."
Mark Twain
"Beauty is an ecstasy; it is as simple as hunger. There is really nothing to be said about it. It is like the perfume of a rose: you can smell it and that is all."
W. Somerset Maugham
"A woman who does not perfume herself has no future."
French Poet Paul Valery
"To begin with, let us take the following motto...Literature is Love. Now we can continue."
Vladimir Nabokov
"I can be changed by what happens to me. But, I refuse to be reduced by it."
Maya Angelou
"Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn."
Gore Vidal
"Perfume is like love, you can never get enough of it"
Estee Lauder
"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift."
Eleanor Roosevelt
"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"
Eleanor Roosevelt
"Small minds discuss other people while great minds discuss ideas."
