Holiday Gift Guide: Sweet Treats

Need a gift for a real sweetheart? These fun and irresistable gifts are great for little ladies and grown up ladies alike. 

 1.  L’OCCITANE Limited Edition Creme Caramel Candle: $28, usa.loccitane.com; To create a calm and relaxing atmosphere, light this decadent scented candle to find your own comfort and joy this holiday. 

2. Fossil Candy Dome Ring Size 7: $40, fossil.com; This pretty metal and gemstone ring will be sure to please even the most finicky of recipients.

3. Hard Candy Just  Nails Polish; $5, select Walmart stores; The newly reinvented Hard Candy line is now exclusively sold at Walmart. With a larger color selection and variety of finishes (cream, shimmer, glitter) there is something for everyone. These also still include the signature ring in a coordinating color. Tip: Online is almost always sold out of these so input your zip to find a store nearest to you. 

4. Lush Creamy Candy Bubble Bar: $6.65, lush.com and stores; This bubbling bath treat smells so yummy you’ll want to eat it but it’s best enjoyed crumbled into your warm bath water for a deliciously scented bath-time escape. Bath bars can be crumbled into pieces and used for multiple baths. Best when kept in an air-tight bag or container. 

5. Sephora Sweet Candy Gloss Trio: $13, sephora.com; These glosses are slick and never sticky while having a slight shimmer and shine to make your pucker look irresistable. Set includes Guava Passion (my personal fave), Apple pomegranate, and Tropical Jasmine. Glosses are also sold individually in 8 different flavors for $7 each. 

6. Girl’s Juicy Couture Eat Candy Hoodie: $74.00 for toddler and child size 2-6, $98.00 for girls size 7-14, juicycouture.com; This soft velour-feel hoodie features glittery “eat candy” print on back. Matching pants and candy tee also available separately. 

7. Dylan’s Candy Bar Birthday Cake Batter Lip Saver: $8, sephora.com; DCB best-selling flavor “birthday cake” scented lip balm is hydrating and smells delish.

Holiday Gift Guide: The Hip Gentleman

Confession: I know more about men’s fashion then I do about women’s and love to style guy’s outfits (when they let me, which is rare). Here are my fave picks for the hip, modern gentleman:

 

 1. KRIS VAN ASCHE – Elongated waistcoat: $500, farfetch.com; Want to spend a little extra change on your fashionable guy? Try this “waistcoat” that he can wear with everything from tee shirts to a suit. I’m also a fan of the John Galliano Double Vest Jacket. Look for similar styles at Nordstrom and Macy’s. 

 2. Fossil Analog Silver Dial Watch: $75, fossil.com; This modern cuff watch features a sleek dial, date window, is water-resistant up to 5 ATM and has an 11 year warranty. Look for similar, less expensive styles at Target. 

 3. Pinstripe Paisley Tie Mens Fedora: $16.99, tillys.com; This cool grey fedora features a subtle paisley print that will look smart with any look from casual to dressy. 

 4. D & G 6 L’AMOUREUX & 1 LE BATELEUR: $65 each, sephora.com; This series is modeled after tarot cards and features simple yet elegant 3.3 fl oz bottles at an affordable price. The collection is genderless (for neither man or woman) and each fragrance is designed to be worn alone or layered with another in the collection. L’Amoureux is the “lover,” sensual and romantic with notes of musk, woods, bergamot, and cardamom. Le Bateleur is the “magician,” is seductive and features notes of an aquatic accord and coriander, vetyver, and cedarwood. I really like the advert for these fragrances, especially Le Bateleur with Tyson Ballou. Click here to see it on youtube. 

 5. BKE Argyle Skinny Tie, $24.50, buckle.com; This grey, black, and white silk tie is a go with anything essential. Also available in blue argyle. 

 6. Banana Republic Black Split Leather Belt: $49.50, bananarepublic.gap.com; Sizes 32-46, 100% leather, 1 inch width. Look for similar, less expensive styles at department stores, discount stores and Target. 

7. Personalize your gift with a mixtape or mixcd. Or, if you can get ahold of his mp3 player, a special mix playlist.

Holiday Gift Guide: The Spa Lover

Since most of us can’t get spa treatments done often, giving the gift of spa-inspired products is a great way to treat someone this holiday season. Here are my top picks for the spa-lover in your life (or even for yourself):

1. Caudalie Spa in a Bag: $30, sephora.com; This luxe set includes everything you’ll need to relax and revitalize the body. Includes a full size Fleur De Vigne shower gel, Crushed Cabernet Scrub, and travel sizes of Caudalie’s best-selling hand cream and body lotion.

2. Elemis Spa Candle: $76, timetospa.com; Indulge in this cinnamon, vanilla, and orange candle. The beautiful wooden base is reusable when your candle has finished its 130 hours of burn time.

3. Clarisonic Plus Skin Cleansing system: $225, sephora.com and clarisonic.com; As your cleanse your face and body, the sonic system rotates 300 times per minute to remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells to reveal more radiant skin with less oilyness, fewer dry patches, fewer blemishes, and reduce wrinkles and pores. Used in many salon treatments and recommended by estheticians and dermatologists. This new plus system now has a third setting and special brush head for the body. Replacement brush heads, $25.

4. Calvin Klien Lush Bathrobe in White: $99, Macys.com; This cozy machine washable cotton robe is a great gift for anyone on your list. One size fits all, also available in the color Green Tea. A good alternative to this robe is the Bath and Body Works Sweetest, Softest Ever Robe, $39.50-$49.50, in multiple sizes and colors.

5. Tanda Regenerate Anti-Aging Starter Kit: $275, sephora.com; Is there someone on your list that must try all of the hippest, newest skin care gadget trends? Give the gift of youth with the Tanda. This anti-aging light therapy device helps to improve skin texture, tone, and firmness. There is also a blue LED light (sold separately) for acne.

6. Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Exfoliating Cream: $75, drbrandtskincare.com; Previously called “microdermabrasion in a jar,” this fine, smooth facial exfoliant is the creme de la creme of at home treatments. A version for the body is also available. Treatment may not be suitable for those with hyper sensitive skin or open lesions.

Holiday Gift Guide: Eastern Influence

 

1. Eastern Inspired Throw Pillows: $14-$24.99, worldmarket.com; With several patterns, colors, and styles, World Market is a great place to shop for unique decorative pillows. Check out more styles in-store and stop at the sale section.

2. Carved mirror: Various prices in-store at World Market. See store finder for the location near you.

3. Blue Velvet Mary Janes: $21, amazon.com; Other material options include cotton, silk, and velvet. This pair only in size US size 5-7. See seller for other styles, colors, and sizes.

4. Woven Tray: $39.99 sale price, westelm.com; This 24″diam x 14″h woven tray is perfect to use as a table, as a breakfast tray, catch-all, magazine, tray, the possibilities are endless. Stand not included.

5. Cargo Eastern Eye Pencil Set: $18 for five, sephora.com; This set of five mini eyeliner is perfect for any fashionista, girl on the go, or anyone that likes to emphasize their gorgeous peepers. Make sure to pick up a pencil sharpener, too.

6. 1928 Middle Eastern Style Jet Black Filigree Hoop Earrings: $15, 1928.com; Polished, textured hematite is finished with grey and black crystals.

7. Chinese Nylon-Cloth Fan: $11.99, amazon.com; Also available in yellow, magenta, and black.

8. Japanese Cherry Blossom Hanging Paper Lantern: $13.95, amazon.com; 10 mini paper lanterns are lit by 10 mini lightbulbs (included).

I <3 Going to the Theatre

 

I’m a busy bee this week so I won’t be blogging again until next week. The photo above is a peak of the show I’m currently working on.

Next week I plan to review Bare Escentials Matte Foundation. I’m generally NOT a B.E. fan (the bismuth oxychloride makes me itch soo bad) but I’m trying to give the new formulation the benefit of the doubt. I’ll  let you all know how it goes after I’ve been wearing it for a few more days.

Fun Times: The Flat Tire

I was having a marvelous day off last Monday. I slept in, got a little holiday shopping done, and was on my way to get my brows waxed when I heard a loud BOOM. It sounded as if something had hit the roof of my car and I was worried it cracked the glass on my sunroof. I pulled over, checked the top of my car and all looked fine. I also checked the rest of the car and everything looked fine so I drove on for a few miles. Nothing sounded or seemed out of the ordinary until I suddenly wasn’t able to accelerate. Shortly afterward, I started slowing down even though I was pressing the gas. I pulled over again, got out, and saw that I had a flat. I’ve only ever had a flat tire once before and also didn’t realize it was flat for quite some time (until a nice lady  flagged me down).

Even though I didn’t have many warning signs of a flat that I immediately recognized, it’s good to know what to look for. I can’t tell you how to change a flat (I know it’s supposed to be easy but I still haven’t learned how) but I can inform you of the basics of tire care:

-I always get my tires rotated on schedule. This helps them to wear evenly and it’s also a great way to know if you need any repair work done (retreading, etc.) or if your tire shop expert notices any potential problems for the future. They will also usually check your pressure (if not, ask them to). I take great care of my tires since they are pretty big investment and sometimes no matter what you do, flats will still happen. If you don’t know how many thousand miles to have them rotated, ask your local shop.

-You should also always check your tire pressure at least once a month. To do this, you can purchase a gauge, which is relatively inexpensive, at your auto parts store or any store that sells basic auto products (Target, Walmart). I prefer to have my own so that I can check the pressure anytime and anywhere. Most gas stations also have air you can fill your tires with and the hoses usually have a gauge that you can use for free. Side note for Californians: It is now illegal for gas stations to charge you for air use. To find out the desired pressure for your tires, there is often a chart on the driver side door of your vehicle, in your owner manual, or you can ask when you purchase your tires or have them rotated. The place I purchase my tires from will also check my levels for free and fill them if needed. Many places will also do this for free or a small fee.

-If you are in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately!  If you need to pull over due to a flat or stall (for any reason), try to do so safely and pull off to a safe spot. Grip your steering wheel firmly and steer carefully, minding traffic conditions around you. Do not slam on your brakes and don’t stop in traffic as it may cause an accident. Turn on your blinker to alert drivers of your lane change. If you remember to turn on your emergency flashers, now would be an ideal time to do so. Carefully exit your car (preferably on the side NOT adjacent to the road) and stand off to the side of the road.

-If you carry emergency flares, place them 300 feet away from your car. If you have a second pair, those should be placed about ten feet from the first set. Flares are especially needed at night or in bad weather to warn other drivers that you are on the side (or middle) of the road. There are now LED flares on the market that can be re-used several times.

-If you are not able to accelerate, it’s a good idea to pull over and inspect your tires. This, for me, has always been a sign that I had a flat.

-Some people hear a flapping sound or a boom when they have a flat. It’s always good to pull off and investigate.

-If you have a cell phone, always make certain it is charged or that you have a car charger in case of emergency. It is also a good idea to have emergency numbers on hand to refer to: road side assistance or a tow company, your highway patrol, and someone you can count on for a temporary loan if you don’t have charge or cash on hand (or someone who will be nice enough to drive you to a bank or ATM).

-I believe that it is best to over prepared then not prepared at all. I keep an emergency kit in my car that consists of: a blanket, plastic rain gear (pants and jacket), a change of warm clothes, socks, old shoes, two jackets, a gallon of water, flares, bungee cords, jumper cables, a travel-friendly tool kit, a large towel, paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, first aid kit, and a personal toiletry bag (new disposable razor, sample packs of cleanser, moisturizer, spf, eye cream, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, a small brush, extra hair pins, and a tooth-brush and tooth paste. Plus, I always carry two flash lights and I check the batteries every six months.

It’s always good to expect the best and also be ready for the worst.

Happy Halloween + Tips on Pro Makeovers

Halloween: The one day you can dress up as anything or anyone you want without getting strange glances. It’s also a day when many people have their makeup done by someone else. This should be a great and fun experience but sometimes things can get in the way. Here are some of my favorite tips for helping things run smoothly any time you are having someone else do your makeup, Halloween or not.

1. Have an idea of what you are looking for and bring examples (color swatches from fabric, photos, or anything that inspires you). If you aren’t certain of what you want, brainstorm with the artist to help come up with some ideas.

2. If you bring a photo of what you want, remember that may not be the exact look you get. A good makeup artist will try to work with your own unique features to replicate the look, but sometimes our faces are different then our inspiration model’s and things might have to be tweaked. For example: You may have a more delicate eye area then the model in your inspiration photo, and doing the same dramatic smokey eye in exactly the same way might make you look like someone punched you in the eye.

3. Relax! When your body is relaxed, we are able to work more efficiently. It’s hard to apply eyeshadow on someone who is closing their eyes tightly and it’s harder to enhance the brows of someone who is moving their face. Relax your face and follow the directions of the artist of when to open, close, and look up.

4. Know that there will usually be a fee to have your makeup done. If makeup is “free” you are expected to purchase at the end of your makeover session. Having worked cosmetics retail myself, I can tell you that it is very rude to get your face done and simply walk away. The associate/artist is spending valuable company time with you. Most counters and stores nowadays charge a fee up front to ensure their time is not wasted. If yours doesn’t, it’s because the company has good faith that you will purchase something. Freelance artists (individuals that do not work at a counter or store) will usually discuss a fee up front when you book your appointment.

5. Do not think that it’s okay to bring a friend to your appointment and expect to have their makeup done. Most companies assign someone to do your face and will not often have the time to accomodate an extra face, especially on a busy day. If you plan to bring someone with you who also wants a make-p application, call before hand and see if you can book an appointment for them after yours.

6. If you do not like the direction your makeup is going, please speak up. We want you to be happy, so please let us know how we can better help you. There’s nothing worse than having a client proclaim they love what you’ve done only to find out later that they didn’t like it.  Things you can say if your wishes aren’t being meant, “I was hoping we could try it another way,” “I thought I’d like that color/look/method/etc. but it may not be for me afterall. Can we try something else?” Just be honest, and be polite. It’s much easier to fix something as it’s being done then at the very end.

7. And the most important: BE ON TIME (yes, I am yelling). It seems like people these days have either A.) No sense of time.  B.) Respect enough for themselves (it’s YOU that looks bad when you show up late) and the other person to be on time.  C.) Some other reason, which is still no excuse for tardiness. If you will be late, please telephone to let your artist know. Often times there is only a certain amount of time alloted for your appointment and your time will be cut short by being late. Give yourself enough time for travel, finding the location (if you have never been there before), and time for parking and walking to your destination. Also, give yourself at least 15 extra minutes, just in case there is unforseen traffic or other circumstances.

Travel Beauty Items vs Full-Sized

Dear readers,

There is an issue I would like to bring to your attention that will hopefully help to prevent some disappointment from future purchases of certain beauty items.

So, lets say I’m in the market for a new hair dryer. I want salon quality without the price tag but any old drug store dryer just won’t do. The dryer I want is $150, but I see there is a travel size for only $100! Should I:

1. Pick the travel size because it will save me some money and save space.
2. Go with the original size.

If you are like most consumers, you probably picked the first option to save a bit of money. The best answer is really 2. By the way, this is just a pretend scenario. I happen to love my Conair from Target.

Most electric “travel size” beauty accessories (i.e. hair dryers, flat irons, styling tools, and skin care items that require an outlet or batteries) are just that- travel size and only for travel. They often have shorter warranties and are not intended for daily use. They will not usually hold up to every day wear and tear and are meant for occasional use, hence why they are for travel.

Think of it this way: If you wash and condition your hair at least five times weekly, little travel sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner would last, at most, only for that one week (maybe longer if you have shorter hair). You would possibly end up spending more on the smaller size items then to just shell out for full size shampoo and conditioner.

It is the same concept for beauty appliances. You might be saving a little money for the moment, but you’ll spending more in the long run, having to purchase a new one when the manufacturer deems the warranty void because it wasn’t used as intended. And, as previously mentioned, the warranties are often much shorter in duration, sometimes by up to a few years.  

If you really do intend to use it occasionally then you will be fine with purchasing the travel size with no problems at all. Just make sure that if you find yourself using it more often to invest in the full size/original size version.

XOXO,

A.

Update: More reviews Coming Soon

Life has been crazy and I am exhausted. I would like to give you a sneek peak of products I’ve been trying out. Some of the products I have been using long enough to give them a fair review, while with others I’ll need a little more time to use.

• Dior Creme Abricot Fortifying Cream For Nails
• Lancome HYPNOSE DRAMA Instant Full Body Volume Mascara
• Carmindy for Sally Hansen Luminizing Primer
• Too Faced Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer
• Makeup Forever HD Invisible Cover Concealer
• Fresh Sugar Rose Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15
• Ole Henriksen Aloe Vera Deep Cleanser
• Bliss Fat Girl Slim
• Philosophy Eye Hope Advanced Anti-Aging Eye Cream
• Bath and Body Works SLEEP Lavender Vanilla Scrub
• Korres Pomegranate Mask
• Clinique All About Eyes Rich Eye Cream
• Lush Bath Bombs (3), Bubble Bars (2), and Figs & Leaves Soap

Stay tuned! I also have a rant about “travel” products that will be coming up soon.

SF: Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs

The de Young Museum in San Francisco currently has an exhibition showing various items from King Tut’s tomb. It features artifacts from King Tut’s tomb as well as his ancestors (Note: there seem to be more of his ancestors items then of his on display). The museum advises that the self guided tour takes about 90 minutes. My mom and I finished in 45. There is an audio tour for $7 that you can follow, although we did just fine reading the signage for free.

General admission on weekdays for adults is $27.50 and $32.50 on weekends. For what it was, I felt the tickets were a little steep but you also get to view the rest of the museum. One of the most impressive pieces Tjuya’s gilded coffin (thought to be Tut’s grandmother). It was huge! And gold! There was also a fairly large head from a broken statue of Akhenaton (Tut’s father). The rest of the items were smaller, everyday objects like jars for ungents and oils (I was excited to see these after studying about the role of fragrance in ancient Egypt for my Fragrance Foundation certification). I was blown away by the amount of gold used, but then again, you wouldn’t expect anything less for a king and royal family.

I wouldn’t recommend going to the city just  for the exhibit. Plan a day around the city to make the most of your time. By purchasing a ticket, you will receive a Pharaoh’s Gold Card, which offers discounts and perks for various businesses around the city. There are quite a few restaurants that offer 10% off or a complimentary dessert with purchase of entree. There’s also tons to do in SF, and if you don’t want to venture too far from the museum, there are several things to do and see within the park: Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden, Arboretum, and California Academy of Sciences, to name a few. Sutro Heights, the beach, and the zoo are also close to the park.

Read on below for information about handicap access at the museum and the exhibit.