travel favorites

my travel favorites

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i’m in nyc for another week of trade show fun and, as often as i do it, i like to think i’ve perfected the art of beauty travel. these are just a few things that make toting my makeup a more pleasurable experience and a couple of little luxuries that keep me calm and looking put together while i’m away from home:

brush protectors, $8 – these mesh sleeves help my makeup brushes to keep their shape and also protect them from harmful bacteria. they’re reusable and they come in all the right sizes.

pencil case, $33 – perfect for keeping lip products in check. stephanie’s sumatra print never fails to put a smile on my face!

small cosmetic, $38 – just the right size to hold my daily routine. i can easily throw it in my suitcase or in my purse for when i need the essentials handy.

la fresh beauty wipes, $5.25 – makeup remover, face cleanser, polish remover, body soother and hand sanitizer: everything you need in small, disposable doses.

bobbi brown empties, $15 – i can fit five days worth of product into these baby bottles. best of all? no leaks!

body wash caps, $0.80 – single use capsules in fourteen scents, now why didn’t I think of that?

this works deep sleep stress less, $22 – an aromatherapy blend that promotes restful sleep. a godsend for anyone who doesn’t get the best rest away from home.

do you have anything that makes traveling a little easier?

stephanie johnson fall collection

stephanie johnson fall 12

i’m drooling over the new fall goodness from my most favorite cosmetic and travel bag designer, stephanie johnson. she has brought some gorgeous new prints and fabrics to her classic styles this season and i want them all. these are just a few of the things on the top of my list – which one do you love best?

ikat love: the sumatra collection is super fresh in black and white with lime green trim. it’s all kinds of pretty in the small zip-top cosmetic, don’t ya think? i love this size for toting everyday beauty essentials.

not so basic black: the nolita collection is super sophisticated, but that pop of periwinkle liner and shiny gold hardware really give it some edge. i can’t get enough of the way it dresses up my favorite sj shape, the katie folding cosmetic. two compartments keep makeup or chunky jewelry organized for travel and it doubles as a clutch for an evening out.

batik floral: the jakarta print evokes stained glass windows and travel to far away lands. after watching this video on makeup brushes, i’m bulking up my collection and keeping them safe in an alonso pencil case.

jewel toned pouches: stephanie’s malibu collection is a batch of crinkle patent done in fun colors. i’m fairly obsessed with the deep jewel tones she went with this season (navy, forest green, plum, teal) and her pouches are the most versatile little solutions. i used my large flat pouch as a beach clutch all weekend, keeping my iphone, lip balm, hair ties, etc. all in one place and sand-free. it even looked great with my sundress when we stopped for a post-beach drink. i love that you can add a wristlet option to any of these, making them even more practical (as if that’s possible).

rainbow zigzag: oh, turin collection, how can i resist your zigzaggy goodness? if ever a more fun group of cosmetic bags existed, i am yet to find them. i am head over heels for this whole group, but the fiona dome cosmetic and i go way back to my first piece of stephanie johnson ever purchased. the size is just right for stowing my nail tools and best-loved polishes, plus i completely adore the tassel.

think you’ll be bringing any of these into your collection this season?

travel pretty: dc-nyc-boston-newburyport-dc

i’m on the train headed back to nyc for a week of fun with hobo at the international gift fair. from new york, i’m training up to boston for a little visit with my family, and then the husband and i will be flying back from mass back to dc.

the trip totals 11 days away from home and comprises planes, trains, automobiles, hotel rooms, my sister’s brighton apartment and my parents’ house in newburyport. as if the length of time wasn’t enough of a suitcase dilemma, it’s also a lot of different climates and activities to prepare for (a trade show, nights out in new york, a red sox game, lazy days at the beach). i like to think that i’ve mastered packing over this last year, but sometimes bringing beauty can still be a real challenge, especially when i’m tight on space and really suck at going without any of my favorite products.

here’s what i have tucked away in the tsa-approved liquids and gels department (all packed inside the clear zip around pouch from my favorite stephanie johnson ml traveler):

1. leila lou perfume oil - which i’ve lately taken to wearing
in the crooks of my elbows, does anyone else do this?
2. use me cleanser for fine hair – a godsend against harsh hotel water
3. somme institute nourishing cleanser, from the pillow pack
4. somme institute double defense spf, from the pillow pack
5. ole henriksen ultimate lift eye gel – completely necessary for the next few early mornings, will be completely unnecessary by the time i reach the beach on saturday :)
6. use me moisturizer for fine hair – see #2
7. nars lip lacquer in baby doll – a super easy daytime lip
8. somme institute serum (full size)
9. perricone md no concealer concealer - most days i’m lucky enough not to need this, but late nights and early mornings mean ugliness for my often-hiding dark circles
10. vaseline lip therapy (impossibly tiny!) – combats dry hotel and plane air to keep lips soft
11. somme instite a-bomb, from the pillow pack
12. clinique all about eyes - i never fall asleep without it!
13. urban decay naked skin (full post coming tomorrow, simply ah-mazing)

as you can see, i monopolize every inch of real estate in that clear plastic pouch – thank goodness for super small versions of my (many) essential products!

the golden rule

the golden rule

stephanie johnson medium flat pouch in palm desert white / benefit sunbeam / sephora by opi it’s real 18k gold top coat / mane message gold and black shimmer hair ties / ysl ombre solo in gold leaf / smashbox o-gloss gold

giveaway winners + stephanie johnson

(image via)

first things first: i have some winners to announce! check your in boxes and make some room on the vanity, ladies – i will send your beauty booty off to you asap.

stephanie johnson mini pouch in malibu royal – trishelle
stephanie johnson mini pouch in palm springs mint – amy
bite beauty high pigment matte pencil in bramble – meg
trish mcevoy thickening mascara in jet black – laurie / the flossy life
physicians formula hydrating eye cream – steph
super by nicholas perricone crinkle eraser firming serum – tessa
topshop lips in rio rio – tierney / ruby woo loves you
cargo eyebronzer – katie
revlon photoready airbrush mousse makeup in medium beige – collifornia
revlon photoready concealer in medium – jj
sheswai nail lacquer in babe – melissa

thanks so much for all of your entries – i think we should do more giveaways around here, what do you say?

the stephanie johnson mini pouches received by far the most entries, so i want to be sure that you are all aware of her friends + family sale going on right now! you can score 40% off (!!) her entire website with the code SJFRIENDS until 6/12.

and in keeping with the stephanie johnson theme, my most recent guest post for birchbox highlighted all of the little survival items that i tote around with me 24-7. i keep everything tucked inside my own mini pouch – take a peek!

thank you + beauty product giveaways galore!

the allure contest winner was announced yesterday and the grand prize went to shannon of gloss & dirt. i just wanted to take a minute and thank all of you for all of your time spent voting (so much voting! no more captcha codes :)), tweeting, and facebook sharing the contest over the last five weeks. i really appreciate all of the support and i truly feel the love.

i had a blast being a part of the contest and i’m still completely thrilled that allure took notice of me and the glossarie. i adore writing this blog and having you as my readers makes me feel so lucky! i wanted to do a little something for all of you, so i tapped into the glossarie archives and chose some amazing products for a crazy fun giveaway.

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thank you giveaway on the glossarie!

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stephanie johnson mini pouch in malibu royal
stephanie johnson mini pouch in palm springs mint
bite beauty high pigment matte pencil in bramble
trish mcevoy thickening mascara in jet black
physicians formula hydrating eye cream
super by nicholas perricone crinkle eraser firming serum
topshop lips in rio rio
cargo eyebronzer
revlon photoready airbrush mousse makeup in medium beige
revlon photoready concealer in medium
sheswai nail lacquer in babe

any and all of the above are up for grabs! to enter, just leave a comment below (please be sure to include your email address, open to u.s. residents only) with the product you would like to win. you may enter multiple times, but please only once per product. the giveaway closes next thursday, june 7th at midnight your time, and i will announce all of the winners next friday!

i hope you have a fabulous weekend. i’ll be back + blogging for birchbox all next week!

poolside pretty

Poolside Pretty

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hi lovelies! i hope you’re having a gorgeous long weekend. i’ll be lounging at the pool all day with my kindle (currently loaded up with jane eyre – have you read it? slightly ashamed that i’m just getting to it at age 30!) and a collection of summer day essentials that i blogged over at gina’s tulle & combat boots last week. clickety click on over to learn more! (major holiday weekend bonus, just in time for summer: i scored those marc jacobs sunnies for $60 at the nordstrom half yearly sale yesterday.)

ps – the voting ends TOMORROW. i can’t believe my allure adventure is coming to a close. please vote today if you can!

mother’s day gift guide 2012

mother's day gift guide 2012

1 – with styleseat, you can gift your momma with a little pampering. she can use her gift card for a service with any stylist listed in this expansive list of beauty and wellness professionals. the ability to search by location and read recommendations beforehand really sweetens the deal!

2 – how cute are these macaron trinket boxes? perfect for toting her medications or smallest valuables (grandma’s pearls?), i just love the idea of my mom reaching for this tiny treasure in her handbag.

3 – a lip scrub is the ultimate little luxury and who better to remind your mom to take care of her pretty pucker than you. fresh sugar lip polish smells like brown sugar…because it is brown sugar housed in some other yummy emolient that leaves lips perfectly pampered and primed for her favorite lip product. might i recommend pairing this with one of fresh’s famous lippies?

4 – somme institute neckline provides essential moisture to the forgotten parts: the neck and decollete. it improves the appearance of neck lines while also taking care of hyper-pigmentation and sun damage. it’s rich, luxurious, and a dream to apply each evening with an upward sweeping motion. such a great way to spoil mom!

5 – stephanie johnson’s entire line would make an appropriate mother’s day gift (in fact, my own mom might *just* be getting a piece of SJ in her mailbox this weekend), but the snap mirror adds a touch of glamor to her handbag or makeup case. it’s definitely something she might not treat herself to, but imagine how fondly she’ll think of you when she’s pulling it out to reapply lipstick or tuck away a loose strand of hair.

a very happy mother’s day to all the mommas out there!

ps – please vote for me and the glossarie in allure’s beauty blogger of the year awards today! thank all so, so much yet again for all of your votes and support! xo

what’s in her bag?

when the super sweet justine of ‘short is the new black’ asked me to be a part of her ‘what’s in her bag?’ series, i was more than happy to oblige. the beauty blogosphere is such a wonderful place when you get to meet and share audiences with someone like miss justine. i hope you’ll click on over to her little spot on the web and take a peek at my dailies. wait until you see just how shockingly simple my beauty routine really is!

ps – since you’re here, you must love the glossarie! please visit this week’s allure beauty blogger awards challenge and vote for me – i’d be so grateful :) (you can vote once per day, now through friday, and did i mention you can win diamonds?!)

recent beauty buys: april ’12

1 – looks just like it smells with a burst of electric pink rose paired with vibrant green tea;
a dozen roses electron, $95

2 – the exact right amount of richness, mine eyes have never been happier;
somme institute eye cream, $72

3 – separate zip compartments keep the peace between my makeup and jewels when traveling;
stephanie johnson katie folding clutch, $45

4 – the most natural way to fill in my brunette brows;
it cosmetics brow power, $24

5 – this watermelon coral is the official summer outfit for my nails;
sheswai babe
, $16

what’s new in your beauty bag?