Tuesday, September 8, 2009

In Honor of My 24th ... 24 of My Favorite Things

Aside from family and friends, there are certain things I can't live without. What better time to share them than today, right?

24.

My Douglas umbrella: It's not just an umbrella. Its an accessory. And it lasts forever.

23.

Sweaters: You (and by 'you', I mean 'I') can never have enough sweaters, especially black ones. They go with absolutely everything - wrap sweaters with pencil skirts, boyfriend sweaters with skinny jeans, studded sweaters with party dresses, cardigans in place of blazers, etc, etc. Here's one that I love. I may have to add it to my collection ...

22.

Pashmina scarves: Everyone knows I can't live without my scarves. Regardless of the weather, I always keep one nearby. Not just because I'm always cold, but because it adds a little something extra to any outfit.

21.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub: After years of trying fancy products, I finally found one that works perfectly. It has the biggest exfoliating beads of any product I've ever tried (but it doesn't hurt, don't worry), so I can actually feel it working its magic. It keeps my skin smooth, gets rid of any blemishes within a day, and keeps the oil away for most of the day. Plus, it smells great and it costs nearly nothing.

20.

Pearls: Every girl needs her pearls. They're a must-have, if you ask me.

19.

Zara International Store: If anyone is curious to know where most of my paycheck is, it's here. Whenever I need an item or an outfit for any occasion, I come to Zara. They have everything that a girl could ever want and the looks come straight off of the runway.

18.

Anything purple: It's my new favorite color. It's also the new color for fall. So, expect to see me wearing something purple every day for the rest of the year. If not clothing or jewelry, it'll be one of these two nail colors that I love: OPI's Louvre Me, Louvre Me Not and We'll Always Have Paris (from the France collection).


17.

Wedges: I've been wearing them all summer, and I'll be wearing them all fall. Why am I so in love with wedges, you ask? Because they have the sexiness of heels, without the pain. Sounds good to me.


16.

Bath & Body Works Japanese Cherry Blossom: I love it because it's smells much better than your typical scented lotion. So, it could easily replace your everyday fragrance, and no one will ever be able to tell that its not an expensive designer perfume. Right now, I'm all about the anti-bacterial mosturizer. Maybe I'll try the body scrub next.


Music: I know, it's not beauty-related. (But it's my birthday, so I can do what I want.) These are the albums that I will ALWAYS have on repeat:

15. Raphael Saadiq - Instant Vintage
14. Q-Tip - The Renaissance
13. Adele - 19
12. Bilal - 1st Born Second
11. Lauryn Hill - MTV Unplugged
10. Nas - The Lost Tapes
9. Emily King - East Side Story

8.

Funky rings: I'm not really a jewelry person. I really just need a few things - one of which is a cute ring, preferably a really big one. Just saw these on Forever21.com:













7.

Gold bangles: As annoying and distracting as the sound of 10 metal bangles moving up and down your arm is, I am never deterred. So, more likely than not, you'll see me with a stack of gold bangles, no matter where I am.

6.

Its A Ten: If I could pick one miracle hair product, this would be it. Its a Ten is a leave-in conditioner that will straighten ANY hair type, better than ANY other product, no matter how "straight-resistant" your hair might be. Trust me on this. Ever since I discovered it a few years ago, I've been taking it with me to any stylist I go to, just to make sure they use it on me.









5.

Big (really big) bags: I carry my life with me everywhere I go. So, I'm always on the hunt for the perfect, perfectly-oversized bag. You may have seen me around town with the Puma Runway Shoulder Bag, pictured here.










4.


My Solia flat iron: It takes a miracle to get my hair straight. But this flat iron does the trick, and you don't need to run it over your hair 5 times. Once will do. And I've had the same one for years, so it lasts forever.


3.

Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Toilette: It's my 'signature scent', so I always keep a bottle close by.





2.

My Cavalli cuff: This Roberto Cavalli Logo Bangle is the only bracelet that I've ever wanted to wear everyday, with every outfit. Its simple yet sophisticated, a great color, and it sparkles. Love it!


Drum roll please .....


My #1 Favorite Thing (right now) is



Chanel Velvet Body Cream: Every since I 'permanently borrowed' this from my sister a few months ago (thanks sis!), I've never not been wearing it. The texture is perfect and the smell lasts for hours. This is not your average lotion. Its heaven in a jar. And I just got a brand new jar for my birthday. Yay me!

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Just Because Keri Hilson Did It ...

Ladies, ladies, ladies - now I appreciate creativity just as much as the next person. BUT, there comes a point, especially when it comes to our hair, when being too creative isn't an option.

With the recent wave of celebs coloring, chopping off, and shaving their hair, its understandable that us common folk would want to replicate. Unfortunately, what works on the red carpet doesn't always work in real life.

So, here's a look at some of the latest hair trends, with practical options for real-world girls like me and you.


Trend: The Mohawk

The Rihanna Way:






















The Real-World Way:







Trend: Blond Highlights

The Keri Hilson Way:























The Real-World Way:





Trend: The Buzz Cut

The Amber Rose Way:





















The Real-World Way:








Photos courtesy of Essence.com. Check out their hair gallery for more.

Beauty Booty Pick of the Day: QUEEN by Queen Latifah

Stopped by Macy's yesterday and got a chance to smell the new QUEEN fragrance by Queen Latifah. Originally set to debut in the fall, it looks like it was released a bit earlier than expected.

I know, yet another celebrity fragrance ... as if we need more. But this one actually amade me do a double-take. (And it almost made me forget that I wanted to smack the perfume lady, for shoving the sample card in my face while I was mid-stride.)




Says the Queen about her first fragrance: "Beauty really does start on the inside. It's like a state of mind, a state of love if you will. So I see fragrance as just a natural expression of this state of love: scent expresses a woman’s confidence and sensuality, it’s how she embraces her body, her mind and her strength"

Well, I don't know about all that. But it smells good. So, if you're looking to change up your scent for the fall, you might consider giving this one a try. Why? She's the Queen, why not?


Available at Macy's, $59, 3.4 oz. Body lotion and body butter also available.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

I Don't Usually Do Sneakers, But These Are Kinda Hot ...

Fall is almost here, which means I'll be forced to retire the gladiator sandals and the espadrilles and the strappy heels. So, I got to thinking ... maybe I should get some sneakers. I haven't had a pair since 9th grade gym class, so why not try something new, right?

Now, don't get me wrong - I want cute, stylish sneakers, not athletic ones. (I don't do anything athletic and have no intention of starting.) To my surprise, there are a lot of hot sneakers out there for women. I'm tempted to rework my whole fall wardrobe. Ok, maybe not. But check out my new finds anyway.


See by Chloe Shearling Lined Sneakers, $340





















Onitsuka Tiger Sech HI, $80
















Ash Women's "Venus" Perforated Hi-Top Sneakers, $140

















PUMA BY MIHARAYASUHIRO MY-45























AND ... if you happen to have $915 to spare:

Louis Vuitton Dons mixed patch work