Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!

And Happy Chinese Food and Movie Theatre Day to some of the non-Christian peeps :-)

Have a wonderful day. 

Men's Week: Luggage

I have to admit that I roll my eyes every time I see a guy in the airport carrying an LV monogram carry-on.  There are much more suitable options when it comes to luxury luggage when these guys have an overall masculine look.   Also, I am more of a fan of understated elegance, and a large bag with LV’s logo printed all over it is hardly subtle.  I started following 00oo00's blog after seeing a post that introduced me to Trussardi 1911 with this bag that I went crazy for. He is certainly a travel bag ho after my own heart!  Trussardi also carries neat small leather goods like a French cardholder – well-seasoned travelers know to travel with games when going with group.  Might be perfect for my Sponge Bob Uno deck!

Known for their minimalist nylon handbags, Prada carries weekend bags in nylon as well as in deerskin and lambskin.

You really don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on a nylon bag, though.  I bought a great nylon and faux leather weekender with a large zipper from H&M this summer and I love it.  

But if you have a couple thousand to spend, why not look at Hermes?

If you are a frequent flyer, you are probably familiar with the high-quality luggage brand Samsonite.  How gorgeous is this Hommage II Boston Bag?  It also comes with wheels!

Kenneth Cole is a super popular brand with guys, I saw this great leather weekender on their site. 

The main reason why I love luggage targeted toward men is because they are big enough to hold all my crap.   If I need to pack just one bag, I need a bag that can carry the kitchen sink.  I need a ton of pockets  so my passport, ticket, mp3 player, and other essentials are quickly accessible.  That being said, I don’t like paying full price for carry-ons.  I rarely buy things for the retail price, anyway! I have gotten some DvF and Samsonite luggage from discount stores such as Loehmann’s and Ross.  And I am pretty sure I bought that H&M bag during a friends & family promotion.

photos lifted from 00oo00.blogspot.com, bluefly.com, hermes.com,  samsonite.com, and kennethcole.com

Men's Week: Fragrances

Fragrance can be lingerie: it is worn close to the skin and sometimes only you know that you are wearing it.  I think the secret of finding a signature scent, or developing a personal fragrance wardrobe, is to wear what makes you feel good in your skin.  Perfumes can smell different on people and certainly different comparing a paper tester and on your skin!  Scent is famously known for being closely linked to memory.  When I come across a guy whose fragrance turns my head, I remember! Two examples: In high school a classmate named Angel wore Acqua di Gio, which is nice but not great in the bottle or on a paper tester, but as he passed by my desk one day, I spun around in my chair and demanded what he was wearing.  In college I used to hang out with this guy I wasn't 100% fond of, but I really liked being around him when he sprayed on Angel for Men, and that is one I am certainly not crazy about.  And sometimes when I see a picture on the internet of a well-suited and impeccably groomed man, or when I like a character in a movie, I wonder what cologne he would wear...

When I used to work at Bloomingdale's, there were two men's fragrances I loved to spritz on myself - Viktor & Rolf's Antidote and YSL's L'Homme.  I wasn't a huge fan of Flowerbomb because I thought it was too heavy, and although Antidote was heavy as well, there was something about it that worked for me.  L'Homme I loved so much, I bought it!  Whenever I would spray this one on in the store all my female coworkers would sniff me like crazy, "ohmigosh you smell soooo good!!!" LOL. I love the metallic edge it has to it. 

If you are hesitant to step over the feminine/masculine boundaries, you can always try a unisex perfume... remember a little thing called CK One?   On most fragrance entries, LuckyScent.com has a  neat slider on a scale from femme to masculine (unisex is in the middle) to show you where the current fragrance lies.  In their top picks, they do have a list of top Unisex purchases, gs02 is one of them that looks very interesting to me. 

Luca Turin ad Tania Sanchez list the best overall masculine fragrances as:
Azzaro pour Homme (lavender, basil, sandalwood)
Beyond Paradise Men (lavender, tarragon, sage, vetiver, oakmoss, patchouli)
Cool Water (rosemary, sage, sandalwood, amber)
Derby (a re-issue that is rare to find.. there is a Derby offered by Bergdorf Goodman)
Eau de Guerlain (lemon, bergamot, neroli, tonka bean)
Habit Rouge (citrus, vanilla, leather)
New York (bergamot, Sicilian lemon, cloves, thyme, cinnamon, black pepper, pimento, oak moss, vetiver, amber)
Ormonde Men (juniper berry, bergamot, cardamon, oudh, vetiver, sandalwood, musk)
Pour Monsieur (amber, musk)
Timbuktu (green mango, pink pepper berries, cardamom, karo karounde flower, smokey incense of papyrus wood, patchouli, myrrh, vetiver)

The best masculines for women are:
Beyond Paradise Men
Cool Water
Dior Homme (Lavender, Sage, Cardamom, Iris, Cocoa Bean, Amber, Vetiver, Patchouli, Leather)
Eau Sauvage(Lemon, Rosemary, Petit Grain, Basil, Water Jasmine,Vetiver)
Jules (black pepper, Russian leather, sandalwood)
New York
Pour un Homme (lavender, vanilla)
Timbuktu
Yatagan (celery, musk)
Yohji Homme (coffee, rum, licorice)

Professional Makeup Tutorial videos

Dior  (classic looks)

YSL

Stila

Chanel

Bourjois (I hate how this guy blows on his brushes, though)

Men's Week: Shoes

I really only like two kinds of men's shoes.  Converse Chuck Taylors and long, and usually laced, dress shoes with an almond or a slightly squared off toe - I don't like the extremes of a total square toe or a round, clownish toe when a guy is trying to look sharp.


I have (or gone through) 7 or so pairs of Chucks, I love them! They fit my flat feet well.  I can't wait for these Missoni for Converse sneakers to hit the market!  Converse makes hundreds of different kinds of shoes for men, women, and children and I don't like to be confined to just the women's section.  On their site you can customize a pair with a selection of colors, prints, and styles. 

I feel a long stretch of foot looks great coming out of a slim-cut pant leg.  The elongated, boat-like type of shoe might be called "European" style.    00oo00 always has the most bangingist shoes (and carry-on luggage, but that is for another day:-P)

 

 

photos courtesy of wwd.com, nytimes.com, and 00oo00.blogspot.com

Men's Week: Watches

This week I am going to explore masculine looks that inspire me and that make a man stand out in a crowd.  Several influences that made me think more about the way men dress are a blog that I frequent, 00oo00; An "On the Street" called "Standouts"; and the picture to the left of David Beckham.  I mean, THAT is how a suit is supposed to be worn (and what a great looking couple, right?). 


In the "So Fine" video from Sean Paul, his white watch caught my eye.  A brand that makes such a white watch that popped first into my head was Chanel.  The J12 is a popular seller, and comes in a few different editions.  The sizes range from about 38 mm to 42 mm and mostly come in black and white ceramic, with the option of a stone bezel.  The one below is a limited edition J12 GMT. 


pics and more options after the jump.....

A feature that is commonly associated with masculine watches is the chronograph.  The BVLGARI Carbon Gold watch is made of stainless steel, white gold, and carbon and has a leather strap.  I love the all-black and the "BVLGARI" going around the face. 

Timex for J.Crew has a unisex military-inspired watch in stores.  The site offers many different nylon straps to choose from.   A co-worker (male)of mine has this watch and loves it.  Plus, you can't go wrong with glow-in-the-dark hands!  This type of watch is probably the most easily integrated into a woman's wardrobe.  You can layer this watch with thin fabric and leather bracelets.

This is  my favorite men's watch that I will probably get one of these days.  I don't wear one, so I usually wonder what's the point.  The Burberry Classic round watch comes in a women's edition, but I prefer the men's one with a rose dial.  A silver dial is also available.  I prefer a watch stainless steel band and I love the lines on the band and the face. 

Propaganda:

photos courtesy of popbytes.com, chanel.com, bloomingdales.com, jcrew.com, bulgari.com, and thesartorialist.blogspot.com

Music

What I am loving this week:

Lady Gaga's performance of "Speechless" from the Ellen DeGeneres show. She sounds AMAZING:



Jay Sean - "Down"... sorry, but this song is sooo catchy!

Review: Karen's Body Beautiful hair mask

This stuff if my favorite!!! The first time I tried it, I wasn't impressed. But I tried it a second time and my hair melted like butter. Curly/kinky hair already craves moisture, but add color to that equation and I really had to step up my deep conditioning treatment game.  My hair grazes my collar bone, and I really don't need much.  When I apply any deep conditioner, I first part my hair into 3 sections and then apply a little bit of the conditioner to my hair in 3 inch sections.  I twirl each section starting from mid-shaft to make sure that the conditioner saturates the ends.  KBB  has specials every Friday, so stay tuned to the site and Karen's Twitter page.  Shipping can be a little bit slow sometimes, but the products are usually fresh . 


The ingredients are: Purified Water, Aloe Butter, Jojoba Oil, Agave, Vegetable Wax, Vegetable Glycerin, Aloe Vera Juice, Panthenol, Arnica, Calendula, Echinacea, Nettle & Horsetail Extracts, Carrot Seed Oil, Rosemary Essential Oil, Arnica, Shikakai & Amla Extracts, Vitamin E & Natural Enzymes.

100% Glamour for NYE

 I have finally begun planning what the hell to do for New Year's Eve, so I guess I need to figure out something to wear now!  If your presence is not commonplace at black tie affairs, NYE is a great time to dress to the nines. 







Some runway inspirations after the jump... and it will be heavy on Naeem Khan

Winter skincare suggestions (body)

What you do to care for your face in the winter should be part of your regimen for your body in addition to other tips I may offer:

- Avoid washing your hands and body with soap with Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfates - these are harsh cleansing agents that may strip your skin of its natural moisture. 

-I have a huge problem with picking at my dry cuticles. One thing that I try to keep me from doing that is when I feel the need to pick, I apply an emollient cuticle cream.  It's pretty hard to pick at supple skin! Right now, I am using QTica's Cuticle Repair Balm and I think it is pretty darn good.  It is composed of lanolin, glycerin, and beeswax among other things.  What I haven't liked so far is Burt's Bees' Lemon Cuticle Crème and CND Cuticle Eraser.  I found that these two did nothing.  Dior's forthcoming rose balm is on my list (a link to the apricot  crème is here). 

More tips after the jump...

Winter skincare suggestions (face)

Here are a few tips to keep your skin in great shape for cold months.

1.  Sleep! This is important year-round to let everything regenerate and let your skin try to heal itself.  It knows how, and it tries, but you have to give it a chance!

Winter wishlist: An unlimited supply of chamomile tea! My mind gets all batty at night and has a hard time winding down when I should be getting to bed.  

2.  Get a humidifier, and keep it clean.  At the urging of my doctor, I will be getting my first humidifier this year (for Christmas,  I can't wait to use it!).  My whole outer casing hates cold, dry weather as much as my sinuses.  I asked for a warm-mist humidifier, because I assumed that it will be more comfortable than a cool-mist one, but who knows.  Make sure to clean your humidifier as directed, you don't want to breathe in bacteria, which grows in water.

3.  Water water water.  This is another year-round tip.  It is very important to stay hydrated from the inside-out.  In the summer you lose a lot of water from sweating and things of that nature.  In the winter, you probably feel more lethargic so it is hard to drink water all the time.  But you need to try to drink as much as possible to  deliver the water to your skin - the cold air is harsh!

4.  Take your vitamins, but consult your doctor first!  Make sure you keep up with eating fruits or otherwise getting your vitamins and minerals through supplements.  My skin really likes the summer, and I think the lack of Vitamin D from the short, overcast winter days has a negative effect of my skin.

Winter wishlist:  Y'all know I love my Dr. Eckstein.  The Active Concentrate Vitamin Complex is targeted toward skin suffering from cold weather.  I would love to try this!

5.  Exfoliate about once or twice or week.  I prefer to exfoliate at night because I don't want to expose my fresh skin to the winter weather, it will feel too tight.  It is important to exfoliate in order to clear away any dead skin cells that may clog up your pores and cause blemishes.  Sensitive skin can use a warm washcloth and more hardy skin can use an electronic skin brush.

Winter wishlist:  The DermaNew Facial Rejuvenation System.  I saw a review on YouTube from guru MissChievous, and became very interested.  I have a crappy brush I got years ago, so I want a newer, better one.  I don't use any products with it, so I would probably just use the microdermabrasion creme that comes with the system on my bikini line and underarms.  I don't want the Clarisonic one because in addition to being way too pricey, it looks like brush is too large and won't be comfortable going down the bridge of my nose and between my eyes. 

6. Moisturize like crazy.  Day and night.  Remember to keep lip balm in your purse and in your work space.  You have a favorite primer, put that on before leaving the house in the morning.

What I have used and loved:  Korres facial moisturizers.  I wholeheartedly recommend this line.  My skin reacts badly to a lot of products, but it loves everything from Korres, and I have tried a lot!  Last year I used and loved the Alpine Herbs Anti-Stress moisturizer (it's actually for anti-aging, didn't know that when I bought it!), but it looks like it has been discontinued.  And if you sign up for their e-mails or follow them on Twitter you can be privy to the specials that they have quite frequently.

For my lips I am exclusive to Alba Botanica's Coconut Cream lip balm.  I have tried others from AB, Korres, Yes to Carrots!, etc. but this is the best for my lips.

photos courtesy of ecksteinusa.com, dermstore.com, amazon.com, and albabotanica.com

Sephora will be dropping Frédéric Fekkai!

Drama!  So it looks like Fekkai's line will be stocked in Target and Walgreens in 2010, which prompted Sephora to drop the line. I would guess that the higher end lines that have been stocked in Target (like Pixi, Napoleon Perdis, etc.) have been very successful!  I can't wait to see how much Sephora puts the products on sale for in  order to clear inventory.  And hair snobs, don't fret - FF Advanced will be stocked in Neiman Marcus and Fekkai. 

Winter hair care suggestions

You've probably heard it all before, but in my opinion, you only need three things to worry about to keep your hair healthy.

1. Deep condition 1-2 times a week with a moisturizing treatment.  This can include an oil treatment before shampooing.  You want to concentrate on products that moisturize, rather than strengthen, but those of us with color-treated or otherwise chemically altered hair needs the repair mask every once and a while no matter the season.  When I use a protein conditioner, I usually follow with a regular moisturizing conditioner (Trader Joe's NourishSpa!!!). During the winter, the air is drier than the summer, which is when you can expect quite a few humid days.  I usually deep condition by washing my hair, putting the treatment in my hair covered with a plastic cap, wrapping a big towel around my head, and leaving it on for at least 30 mins.  For pre-shampoo oil treatments, I first spray a tiny bit of water in my hair, then I apply the oil (most likely a mix of coconut, jojoba, and amla) and leave in for a few hours or overnight.  I usually get a more noticeable effect when I do the post-shampoo treatment.

What I have and love: Karen's Body Beautiful Luscious Locks Moisturizing Hair Mask and Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deeeeep Conditioner. Staples for many black women with natural hair. 
 
What I have and dislike: Aveda Dry Remedy Moisturizing Treatment Masque.  I feel that it leaves buildup on my hair - it just feels icky after usage.  I love the smell though. 

Winter wishlist: Massato Treatment with Camelia and Shu Uemura Essence Absolue.

2. If you wear knit caps (gotta protect against sinus infections and colds, right?) and have any type of sewing skills, buy .25 - .5 of a yard of china silk and stitch a lining into the cap.

Winter wishlist: J.Crew ribbed cashmere cap (see above) and  Belfry Marion wool felt bow cloche (see below).  J.Crew makes awesome knits and a cloche would look fantastic with a low bun.  Most structured hats already come with a satin lining.  Unfortunately, my head is one of the largest heads you will ever see in your life so most hats don't fit! sad.

3.  When drying your hair, please protect your ends.  Cutting down on heat styling is one way to do so. Another option when straightening hair is to set on rollers and dry under a hooded dryer.  When I do that, I flat iron after fully drying between the roots and mid shaft and let my ends keep the curl from the rollers.  If you want your hair to be textured, set your hair in braids or twists. 

Holiday Shopping

Oy! it is getting the best of me.  I still have to buy a candle, maybe some hair spray, a lipstick (that is like, sold out everywhere!), and figure out something for my dad.  Here are some deals:

Korres USA: 3 Days Only - Get glamorous with a 5 piece korres color FREE gift (over an $80 value!) with $35 purchase + free shipping! Code "GLAMOUR".  This was posted on Friday the 11th.  They also have a bunch of gift sets at nice prices.


 Shu Uemura: Free shipping and free gift wrapping with the code "WRAP".  Expires Dec 13.


YSL Cosmetics: Friends & Family code of 20% off is "FF2009"


Lucky Scent: The are making way for new inventory so there are 50% off mark-downs on selected items across the categories.  You can also get free shipping this month with the code "December09".


Bliss World:  Get 40% off on all products under the Bliss and Laboratoire Remède brands with code "Bliss129".  This expires 12/14/09. 



The Outnet:  This fashion e-tailer has some of their designer duds for an extra 50% off. 


And I was on Shu's site and saw that the samples they had available for the Art of Hair section expires today... I wonder if they are going to have a % off... I can dream, can't I?

Current hair fashion

I try to practice my French by surfing on some sites that interest me.  Paris Breakfasts is my favorite (bonjour, macarons!), I try to read some of the reviews on Ciao.fr, and I recently found out about Le Figaro Madame's site - chock full of articles about jewelry, beauty, and fashion.  It is a great way to see how  Frenchies really speak/write; none of that text book stuff.  I enjoyed looking at the hair trends they posted for Winter 2009/2010 so I am going to share some.  The French are known for sporting chic topknots, so it is no surprise that the ballerina bun made the list.  I really loved this one from Paul Smith - the criss-cross action is lovely and elegant. 


more styles after the jump...

Music

What I have been listening to this week:

Daft Punk - One More Time


Enur ft. Natasja - Calabria 2007


Sade - Soldier of Love (single off her album set to drop in 2010.  Undecided about this tune.)

Watch this space...

The beauty blog on British Vogue's site is the BEST when it comes to the latest news in Makeup.  Seriously, they are major!  Along with Daily Makeover, they provide the baddest (and not bad as in bad)  behind the scenes beauty reporting during the fashion weeks - they snap pictures of all the products used by the professionals backstage.  Some selections include: lacy nails, a new skin illuminator from St. Tropez, MAC blushes set to go on sale in the Spring of 2010, and a clandestine picture of the still experimental NARS Orgasm highlighter!

They are not the only ones excited about these Chanel badges that will  be available for public purchase in the spring! Chanel sent these to the blog to promote a new collection.  I am really digging the first and third. 

Over-the-knee boots: High Heels

High-heeled OTK boots can add instant sex appeal to your look.  My favorite high-heeled look from Bill Cunningham's feature this week is to the left.  I really like that she is wearing these boots over solid black tights, and  that there is not much room between the top of the boot and the bottom of her trench.  Not promiscuous sexy, but spy-girl sexy.  You can also pair these with jeans, lacy tights, or back-seam pantyhose.








I found a few gorgeous options for this style after the jump...

Over-the-knee boots: Flat

"There's no question: the shoe has disappeared."  This week's NY Times' "On the Street" is entitled Leg It.   Bill Cunningham is saying that the number of women wear boots, and in particular this year the style of over-the-knee ones, has exploded.  In his pictures I saw a lot of these boots in grey suede and  black leather, usually with a round toe,  worn with tights/leggings and fur or sweater coats.  The picture to the left is my favorite of the flat OTK boots.  The roominess in the thigh area gives it an urbane feel, rather than an overtly sexiness that was associated with thigh-high boots previously. 




Let's check some cute options after the jump

Get Rich or Die Trying: The Swarovski Ottoman

This pic was snapped by 55 Secret Street at the new Swarovski store in NYC I believe.  She posted this on Twitter, and a new label on my blog was born , lol. 

Slouchy Leggings

I saw something very exciting in the Resort 2010 collections: slouchy leggings.  Sorry, but leggings will be around for a while - they are comfortable, you know.  Obviously, this is not your slouchy legwarmer look from the 80's.  This reflects more of the style of the first decade of 2000 - fluid drapes that flatter the feminine curves.  It seems to me to be made of a sheer cashmere or wool blend knit. 

To the left is a look from YSL - these gauzy leggings hug the legs and bunch at the ankle. This sleek, modern look is topped off by large, dark sunglasses; hair secured away from the face by a large headband;  a statement jacket; and chunky jewelry - in other words, the perfect outfit to hide a multitude of sins!

The look below is from  Moschino Cheap & Chic.  These leggings hit a few inches below the widest part of the calf and have the slightest hint of bagginess.  These probably do not hug the leg as much as regular tights or leggings, but still show the shapeliness of the leg.  A good tip for when you just don't know what the heck to wear, pull out everything that is black and white in your closet and put together an outfit.  A pop of color peeking out from this classic color combination is a surefire way to add some personality to the look.

 In both looks you see a play with layering:  an ample amount of the shirt/dress peek out of the jackets, as well as out of the bottom of the jacket.

Want to add this to your arsenal now? Similar styles available now after the jump...

Review: Dr. Eckstein Moor Kräuter Packung

Between Dr. Hauschka and Dr. Eckstein, I think I will be sticking with German doctors to take care of my face!

The short of it:

• dries to a soft, rubbery finish
• soft soft soft skin for days
• reduces the size of pimples

The long of it:
I received a sample of the Kräuter Supreme night facial cream years ago and have been faithful to it since.  From that point, I bought the Azulen Paste and more recently,the Moor Kräuter Packung (a moor mud facial mask).  This face mask is my favorite.  It contains moor extract, Peru balsam, zinc gluconate, panthenol, tormentil and witch hazel extract.  The scent  is not too strong, you can move your face comfortably as it dries, and it doesn't irritate my skin at all!  When a product irritates my face, I get a bunch of little bumps everywhere, but my skin feels smooth for days when I use this mask.  It comes in a plastic jar - I know some people prefer tubes because it is more sanitary, but I think this is just fine, after all I am the only one using it.  If you are prone to acne and have sensitive skin, I would recommend this and the general Kräuter(herbs)  line from Dr. Eckstein.  You only need a little bit, so I expect everything I get from Dr. Eckstein to last at least 6 months with regular use. 

Black Friday Weekend shopping list - Beauty

I got some stuff I am excited about! Most of it came only when I finally started buying stuff to give for Christmas.

Les Néréides - Impérial Opoponax.  I had a sample of this and fell in love! This will finally be in my arsenal soon.  Sweet, warm, deep, a nice ski n scent: opoponax (sweet myrrh), amber, vanilla, sandalwood, benzoin, citrus.






 Laboratoire Remede - Sweep Body.  I remember using, and loving, this scrub ages ago when I got a free tube.  It isn't worth the $60 it retails for, but I jumped on it when I saw it on Beauty Ticket (and they had a Cyber Monday 25% off code!)  My skin freaks when in contact with products with a ton of harsh chemicals, and from what I remember this manual scrub is very simple, with ground marble and a refreshing scent.  Can't wait to try it again!

Tade - Black soap.  You guys already know the deal.  This was a necessity! 







And a beautyhabit order may or may not happen by the end of the week :-)

photos courtesy of Luckyscent.com and beautyticket.com 

Yowza! Dolce Vita Arie boots

HO.LEE.CRAP.  These Arie boots are hot!!!! I bought some double buckle boots from Dolce Vita a few years ago and love them.  These would make my shoe collection into an even happier family, but $308 is  out of my budget right about now.  The platform is 1 inch and the heel is 5.5 inches.  Right up my alley.  Not on my wishlist, but I suppose they can make my lustlist?  These are so bad ass.



picture courtesy of shopdolcevita.com