Tights for NYE

If you already have plans for  NYE, time to start getting an outfit together.  Every fall and winter I get some new tights and I love the selection offered from British e-tailers.  I am a repeat customer at Mytights.com and I just bought some from ASOS.com last week.  They take a while to ship and clear customs and so forth, so if you are outside of the UK and need some unique tights to wear under a short skirt or dess, ORDER THEM NOW.  Be sure to check if the tights you want are in stock.

Get 20% off your purchase at ASOS with the code:

pswlovesasos

I am not sure when it expires...

HOLD-UP
If you want a solid over-the-knee look, I have and love Transparenze's Jennifer hold-ups.  They are made from wool blend so they will keep your legs warmer than nylon.  Another reason I love them is that they are comfortable, because despite my small-to-medium frame, I have a lot of weight on my thighs.  These fit! $28:

Another warm option are these ribbed angora socks from ASOS. $17:

Henry Holland designed these faux suspender tights. $28:

Another faux hold-up look featuring lace. $14:

BACK SEAM


Classic and sexy.  These were apart of my order. On sale for $7.76.

I am nuts about these hearts as a back seam.  Of course I had to order them.  You don't have to stop at a straight seem when ordering something for a sexy effect.  The gradual increase in heart size makes the eye wander...$10

Looking for some plus-sized back seams? ASOS has you covered! $14

SPARKLE

Love these Pamela Mann black tights with gold studs! $14:

Shimmery tights in 3 size an 4 color options from Jonathan Aston. $16:

SPOTTED

"Champagne Bubble" tights - how fitting for the night! $32:

A classic look with small dots.  $20:

Hearts disguised as small dots! $9

If you are looking for US-based e-tailers, check out Nordstrom, Target, sock-dreams.com (they have a lot of unique looks for great prices!), and barenecessities.com.

photos lifted from mytights.com and asos.com

From the Expert: Deep Conditioners

Earlier this month, celebrity hair stylist Antonio Gonzales listed his top 5 favorite hair masks

 

I don’t know about you guys, but my hair has been fried, dyed, and is almost ready to be laid to rest.  Oh yes, it is almost that serious! I finally found a hair color and colorist that I am sticking with (INOA and Ian at the Ted Gibson Salon) while I grow out all the chemical damage that I have going on.  I love this blog, and I found this article very helpful.  He has another article about dying hair red I will probably highlight here soon.  But for deep conditioners he emphasized the following:

 

In the past, hair masks were oil-based and potentially damaging; when used too often they stifled the scalp and made the hair limp, leaving it difficult to style. Nowadays, water-based masks are lighter, with added nutrients that are safe for the scalp, leaving your hair in mint condition.

 

I have to admit I have tried many oils and heavy oil or butter based deep conditioners and they did nothing or left my hair frizzy or with the feeling of build-up.   Out of these five, I want to try Davines’ Love Mask the most.  Antonio’s description of the benefits of this one fits me perfectly – my hair is thick, kinky/curly, and color-treated. 

Davines, $20 on amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Davines-Conditioner-Love-Smooth-8-45-Ounces/dp/B000V1DB9K

 

Kerastase, $58 on kerastase-usa.com (be sure to check out their samples and offer thru 11/30) and $50 on folica.com

http://www.kerastase-usa.com/_en/_us/resistance-masque_age_recharge.htm

http://www.folica.com/hair-care/hair-treatments/kerastase-resistance-age-recharge-masque-six-eight-ounce

 

Moroccan oil, $26.50 on amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Moroccanoil-Intense-Hydrating-Mask-8-5-Ounce/dp/B002N5MKMG/ref=pd_sim_bt_5

 

Matrix Biolage Intensive Therapy - I am not exactly sure which line he is talking about... Maybe he likes them all!

http://www.matrix.com/products/biolage/atHomeCare.aspx

Sooooo.... I just ordered the Davines Conditioner! I already love KBB and Massato, how will this stack up? 

The original post:

 

http://comessenyc.blogspot.com/2010/11/5-best-hair-treatments.html

school school school

Posts have been sporadic lately because I have been concentrating on homework outside of my day job, but the semester is almost over so I should have some steady posts starting in mid-December. 

There is light ahead! (and it include New Year's Eve outfits)

Splurges

Is there a beauty item or service you must splurge on?

I don't use this $140 shampoo, but Kim France, the founding editor-in-chief of Lucky, needs it in her beauty arsenal. I am pretty sure Jean Godfrey-June featured it in her monthly "the beauty closet" page a while ago, because this isn't the first time I've heard of it.  In order not to sound like a loon, France does recognize that its price is "certainly crazy and possibly outright vulgar."  I really liked this piece in Slate because it coincided with Lucky's 10th anniversary edition, and the first with the new editor-in-chief Brandon Holley.  Quite a few things that France needs in her life is featured among the most-loved products in Lucky's 10 years.

Phillip B.'s shampoo is certainly not the first  product to make waves for its miraculous effects and extraordinary price point. I remember ages ago when I thought that Dr. Brandt's microdermabrasion exfoliating cream was ridiculous at $75 for 1.7 oz. I still think that it's expensive but I discovered that there are more outrageous costs of beauty. And let's be honest, St. Ive's daily microdermabrasion cleanser is total crap for $5.  The whole point of spending more is to get better results.  After that, I have reports that Jennifer Lopez allegedly used La Mer's Crème de la Mer all over her body. A 1 oz. jar will set you back $130 and a 16.5 oz jar is $1,390. I think it was Lucky I heard raves about Fresh's Creme Ancienne, which costs $250 for 3.7 oz.  I sampled this when I was in a Sephora once, and I thought it was heavy, and didn't really think much else... I am sure there are other serums and conditioners that come at a hefty price tag that a lot of normal  people (but with a serious beauty product habit) use to look their best.

I think the products in my arsenal is in line with what my disposable income can afford.  I have expensive perfume and nail polish, but the price-per-wear is reasonable (plus these are my weaknesses).  Looking around, I think that the biggest splurge (other that perfume and nail polish) in weight is Dior's Crème Abricot - at $23 for .35 oz., that's about $66/oz.  And for the record, I wouldn't repurchase. To compare, the shampoo is about $9-12/oz.  Price-per-use will probably be a different figure since I have had the cuticle cream for quite a while now, I think maybe a year. 

What I do splurge on is hair color.  I started first at my local Dominican salon and I am now with  a master colorist at my local Ted Gibson salon, so you can imagine it puts a hurt on my wallet.  This most recent issue of Lucky offers tons of great tips the editors have learned and lived by over the magazine's life.  One such tip (on page 119) is to spend money on your haircut because "You. Wear it. Every. Day." I still go to the Dominican Salon for my trim (it's great), but getting the perfect shade of red was worth the trip to Chevy Chase. 

Go ahead and submit an anonymous comment and get it off your chest - what beautifying thing do you splurge on?

BTW, if you want to try the Russian Amber Imperial Shampoo, a review on Amazon.com suggests obtaining a sample from a stockist close to you.  It is currently selling on the site for $106.

photos lifted from amazon.com,  beauty.com, lamer.com, and sephora.com