the new nail essentials from butter london6

butter london manicure

(photo by kate headley)

here’s the thing about nails. just like skin, they behave completely differently in the winter than they do any other time of year. mine get hard and brittle withy dry, unruly cuticles. it ain’t pretty, people. i was having this conversation with the butter london girls in nyc and they loaded me up with products to combat my problems, along with a new nude from their spring ‘starkers’ collection. here’s the combination that’s been working wonders on my frozen fingertips:

melt away cuticle eliminator breaks down and softens the stray skin around my nails and makes removal a cinch. after two minutes, you can push them down with an orange stick or even a cuticle stone eraser to eliminate the need to cut them.

horse power nail fertilizer can be used as a stand-alone strengthener, as a base coat, and a top coat. this 3-in-one works overtime to repair damaged nails and the results are quite impressive. like your best repairing skin cream or hair treatment, horse power improves the look and feel of your nails, especially important in the harsh weather.

the girls prescribed shandy (a light, apricot creme) as my go-to nude. it showcases my skin tone in a soft, understated yet sophisticated way. (fun fact: it’s named after a beverage that’s equal parts beer and sprite…yum?)

finally, they tucked handbag holiday into my pocket. they urged me to apply it nightly and enjoy the hydrating, intensely nourishing benefits. i’ve also been using it over my finished manicure for extra shine and a little “slip” that means i can spend less time sitting and waiting for my nails to dry.

what do you think of these manicure miracles? think you’ll give any of them a try this winter? (or even this weekend for those of you trapped inside during this crazy northeast blizzard? stay safe, beauties!)

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these or those: vintage earrings8

these or those: vintage earrings

i have a soft spot for vintage-inspired sparkle and i’ve had my eye on these lulu frost stunners for the longest. my husband might have a heart attack if i spent $180 on a pair of earrings (that in all likelihood, i will be over by next season…i’m the most fickle of fashion lovers), so i could not be more thrilled by these gorgeous alternatives from mark. both styles offer a unique feathered shape with an art deco feel. they’re ornate and at the same time, timelessly elegant. one of each, please?

these: mark. good vintage earrings, $18

those: lulu frost demeter earrings, $180

ps – did you hear lisa salzer was at the ifb conference in nyc yesterday? she doled out a wealth of warm-hearted business advice, i think i developed the most serious of girl crushes. still not sure i can pull the trigger on those earrings, though :)

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flower beauty10

drew barrymore's flower line for walmart

i recently took a journey to my not-so-local walmart (oh, the things i do for you! :)) with the sole purpose of experiencing drew barrymore’s new makeup line, flower. i had been casually following the buzz on its release, but it was this interview on emily’s blog that really pushed me over the edge  to check it out. i became quickly obsessed with the philosophy on how drew built this brand and i knew i needed it in my makeup bag.

upon discovering the gorgeous tower of pretty in the beauty department, i started stocking up. here are my early favorites from the line, all priced from $5-$14.

lip service lip butter in princess & the peony, $6.98
about face foundation with primer, $13.98
ready set glow! blush/bronzer duo in shimmering goddess, $9.98
nail’d it nail lacquer in cosmo-politan, eye of tiger lily, and good bud-dy, $4.98
petite fleurs pocket triplet lip in shade 1, $6.98
petite fleurs pocket triplet concealer in combo 3, $6.98
zoom-in ultimate mascara, $7.98

as you can see, there is a lot to love here. i’m really impressed with the quality of these products, the color ranges, luxe packaging and overall cohesiveness of the line. (it’s also selling like hotcakes.) in the end, i guess i should have known that i would be in love with a makeup collection from her bohemian highness. if you like what you see, get yourself to a walmart to experience the loveliness in person!

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FLOW blow dry & beauty bar2

FLOW reception

this here’s a post for all of my northern virginia beauties.

i had the positively delightful experience of a “flow” out at the new FLOW blow dry & beauty bar in reston. not only is the ambiance at flow comfortable, girlie, and whimsical, but the customer service is exceptional. i spent an hour with my sweet stylist katrina, darling receptionist shannon, manager anna, and make up artist extraordinaire mona. the ladies treated me like royalty and trust me when i tell you that they are a fun bunch!

FLOW

upon sitting down in katrina’s chair, she treated me to a brief consultation where we talked about the type of hair i have and what kind of flow’out i wanted. (they have a full menu of 8 styles, each $35 and each more gorgeous than the next!) katrina then explained my cocktail. she washed and conditioned my hair with kevin murphy’s angel wash and angel rinse, followed by an indulgent scalp massage. post-wash, she worked kevin murphy’s body builder (a weightless volumizer) and his young again heat protecting gloss through my hair. then, she pre-dried my roots in the opposite direction than they were going to lay in order to cut drying time. for a finishing touch, she spritzed my mane with moroccanoil gold glimmer shine and gave me some extra oomph and staying power from kevin murphy’s fresh hair, a dry shampoo-type product.

FLOW'out

(look at that flip! that shine!)

flow’s talents go far beyond blowouts and their service list includes braiding, ponies, updo’s, half updo’s, threading, organic makeup application (the salon is fully stocked in tarte cosmetics) and strip lash application. i went for the whole shebang, minus the threading. makeup artist mona gave me the ‘all glammed up’ which included a serious set of strip lashes. i was completely impressed by the whole experience and enjoyed countless compliments on both my makeup and hair at friday’s nomaterra event. i’m so grateful to the entire FLOW team for their efforts in dolling me up and i can’t wait to see them again soon!

Mona & Katrina

call (571) 375 2347 to book an appointment or learn more about FLOW blow dry & beauty bar, 11700 plaza america drive, suite 130, in reston at flowblowdrybar.com.

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Posted in hair, my DC days | 2 Comments

johnson’s bedtime lotion10

johnson's bedtime lotion

okay, between what i’m about to say and this post from back in october, i’m truly starting to sound like a child trapped in a twenty-something’s body. but the glossarie is all about sharing what works and what we really love, so if we’re being honest with each other here, lately my go-to moisturizer has been johnson’s bedtime lotion.

made for babies.

i love the subtle scent, and the texture is the perfect middle ground between ultra-thick creams and those lotions that are just a tad too thin. it’s hypoallergenic and extremely mild (since it’s made for infants and all), so everything about it is truly gentle. it’s perfect to smooth onto slightly damp skin after a bath or shower, or massage into hands when they’re feeling a bit dry.

you can grab the ultra-soothing lotion here or at your local drugstore for $3.44.

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Posted in body | Tagged | 10 Comments

show me your lip bomb, meg2

https://twitter.com/megbiram/status/297814953581223936

name: meg biram
internet home: megbiram.com
number of products: 6
the bomb:  

*all tucked inside blair ritchey pencil case in black, $65
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nothing like a dancing #lipbomb for your superbowl sunday viewing pleasure! this charming collection comes from one of my very best blogging friends (and real life dc partner in crime), meg biram. she is a wizard consultant, a talented artist, and she is also half of the mastermind duo behind to&from. you can read meg’s lifestyle musings on the edit and i would definitely recommend keeping both your eyes on this girl – she is one to watch! i am so lucky to count her among my favorite people.
*
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Posted in lips | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

pretty for a penny: l’oreal voluminous power volume 24 hour mascara6

loreal-voluminous-power-volume-24h-mascara-cilios_iZ1640XvZmXpZ1XfZ48212181-30440343753-1.jpgXsZ48212181xIM

the last time i was in nyc i got to chatting with stephanie johnson when i realized that i hadn’t heard a word she said because i couldn’t take my eyes off of her eyelashes. a makeup minimalist, stephanie always looks great, but she was batting some major lash and i had to know her secret. when she was deep in the middle of telling me about sourcing fabrics for the fall 2013 line in hong kong, i blurted out “i’m sorry what’s happening with your eyelashes, i have to know!” she laughed and revealed to me that she had been at a magazine event and received a tube of l’oreal mascara in her gift bag. she said it was life-changing and that she would text me a picture of the tube when she got home (is she a good friend or what?). her text message that evening revealed an unfamiliar black and white tube – i immediately set out for the closest duane reade on a mission to find one.

i’m now a couple of weeks into my love affair with said black and white tube and i could not be more hooked. my lashes are sporting some serious volume thanks to the jumbo-sized brush and they are never clumped thanks to a crazy bristle arrangement that you’ve got to experience for yourself. my lashes have always been so, so – not super dark, not super long, not super thick but one coat of l’oreal’s collagen-laced formula and they are dark and defined. it holds curl without making lashes feel heavy and it stays all day without flakes or smudges. this has quickly become my favorite mascara and at under $8, i can imagine that it’s here to stay.

l’oreal voluminous power volume 24 hour mascara is available in drugstores and online for $7.99.

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Posted in eyes, lashes | Tagged | 6 Comments

something scented3

something scented
  1. gimmicky or not, i have to say that i’m kind of entranced with this fragrance jewelry by lisa hoffman. you can fill pendants, bracelets, cuffs and earrings with scented beads for a fragrance experience that takes you beyond the bottle. (tom binns for lisa hoffman studs, $200)

  2. my new favorite something scented! mark’s jewel shine perfume is a fruity floral (think guava and peach paired with sophisticated gardenia, a hint of amber and – get this – cocoa marshmallow). the scent really surprised me because it’s equally fresh, blossom-y and almost woodsy all at the same time. the notes are beautifully blended, culminating in a combination that’s perfect for everyday and a formula that lingers without feeling overpowering. yum! (mark. jewel shine, $28)

  3. this tiny travel atomizer is a big game changer. the reason being that you can fill it directly from any perfume or cologne bottle with a removable spray head (read: pretty much all of them). there is no funnel necessary and it holds fifty sprays of your favorite scent. (perfume travel atomizer, $7.99)

  4. i can’t get enough of these fragrance wipes by nomaterra. single-use and begging to go abroad, these babies are available in packs of twelve. dc beauties can join me tonight to celebrate the new fragrance launch and take these for a test drive! (nomaterra fragrance wipes, $36)

  5. if you’re looking for a great way to keep it pretty, anthropologie’s provence society perfume bottle is the perfect addition to your vanity. just fill it with your favorite fragrance, dab on wrists, and watch them swoon. (small perfume bottle, $18)

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Posted in editorial sample, fragrance | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

rica0

lip-butter

i met the sweet and charming kristina while working the international gift fair in nyc over the past week. let’s just say that my lips were cruisin’ for a bruisin’ in the frozen new york weather and kristina’s offer to sample her mowrah lip butter was too good to pass up. my lips were quickly softened and soothed and i was entranced by the taste of tangerine butter cream. while i was rubbing my lips together and chatting with kristina, i learned that the formula also works to prevent wrinkles and it serves as a great lip primer. sold!

butter-all-over

to complement my newly refreshed lips, kristina encouraged me to give her ‘butter all over’ a try. i noticed an immediate difference in the formula before i even put it on: the tub weighs next to nothing! the shea butter is light and fluffy, a one stop shop for ridding your entire body of dryness. i love that it absorbs quickly leaving crazy softness behind. yet another wonder product, this stuff can be used on skin, nails, hair (it makes a killer deep conditioning treatment), and even beards. amazing!

rica is truly comfort food for your body and skin. i am obsessed with the brand’s mission that dates back to kristina’s great great grandmother and their continued dedication to using fresh ingredients in their gorgeous products, made with love. this is a brand new concept in beauty, a little something i like to call ‘farm to vanity’ and my new rica products definitely have me feeling good both inside and out.

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best in beauty: spring 20136

spring beauty favorites

the beauty brands are coming out big for their spring 2013 launches and i am loving everything that I see. here are my picks for the best products from the spring 2013 collections:

paul & joe limited edition eye color in la belle epoque is perfectly pretty. shades of powdery pink and smoky gray mean that you’ll easily stay on trend this season. ($28, beautyhabit)

lancome nailed the blush trend this season. their “in love” blush for spring 2013 is a mix of pinks that presents the most gorgeous feminine flush. the brand also wins prettiest package with the added bonus of a slide out mirror. ($49, lancome)

deborah lippmann’s moon rendezvous nail lacquer gives a flash of metallic that’s perfect for day or night. since the color is on the pale side, you’ll be sweetly in line with spring’s pastel palette. ($17, nordstrom)

simple protecting light moisturizer isn’t heavy and it offers just the right amount of hydration as we head into the warmer months. i love the addition of spf15. ($10.99, amazon)

i’m getting my punk rock princess on with juicy couture’s new couture la la. talk about unexpected! this scent is all things girly, light, and sweet. ($70, nordstrom)

nars’ dressed to kill satin lipstick will go with many skin tones, and the gold-flecked fuchsia is just right for valentine’s day. get a bold rosebud lip from this tried and true formula – it’s definitely a shade you’ll wear for seasons to come. ($24, nars)

simple’s eye make up remover pads are a welcome addition to my beauty routine. i really feel like the market has been missing a disposable eye makeup remover wipe that’s easy on sensitive skin. these are sized right and impressively effective for removing all of spring’s eye makeup (including waterproof mascara) in one swipe. ($5.00, amazon)

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Posted in editorial sample, mixed bag | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments