Friends, it’s that time of year – the time when fingers and toes are on full display, and it becomes painfully clear that my pedicure budget needs to be increased for the summer season (Hubs, are you listening?). This summer (as ever), I’ve noticed a few color favorites rising to the top of my list, and since I’m nothing if not an exhaustive researcher, I’ve tried out more formulas and shades than you can shake a bottle of polish at. Read on
Happy Earth Day, friends! (Or Earth Day, Observed, at least.) Since you know I’m all about living the green lifestyle, doing everything I can to curb excess waste and…
Yeah, not so much. You could look pretty hard before finding someone less environmentally-inclined than I am. If I’m honest, I barely recycle. I never carry those reuseable totes for grocery shopping (though I have about 967 of them spilling out of my hall closet). And last night, I put some old medications right in the garbage can. I know, I’m going straight to hell.
But. Every now and then, I see a little something I could do to be better. Nothing drastic, just a little nudge of environmental altruism, without going too far out of my way. And hey, in those rare instances, when I get to pat myself on the back for all the polar bears I’m saving? I’m totally an activist. Read on
You know those times in life when things are so harried that you just don’t have a single ounce of energy left in your bones to deal with a beauty routine? I’m in one of those phases, friends. And yet, there’s no denying my looks need some energy spent on them. I’m past the point in my life when I can just rush out of the door, fresh-faced and damp hair, and trust that all will be well. (Boy, you don’t realize how much you’ll miss those days until they’re gone. College self, you really should have appreciated that more.)
On the days that a full-blown foundation/cheeks/liner/lips/blowdry/flat iron routine seems, well, roughly on par with scaling Kilimanjaro, I’ve found myself relying on a few grab-and-go goodies that are making my life infinitely easier.
True story: A couple of weeks ago, I went to a gathering of my extended family. While I was there, two different relatives thought I was my mother. Not though I looked like her. Thought I was her. Now granted, my mom’s a pretty foxy lady, but still. Something needed to be done, and fast.
The moment I got home, I entered counseling for a severe traumatic stress disorder started rummaging through my sample bins, desperate for any tricks to remedy whatever situation had been going on under those clearly-unflattering fluorescent lights.
After trying and discarding a few different options, I’ve landed on two new loves worth sharing. Read on
Oh, winter, the things you do to my skin. This is usually the time of year in which I’m frantically searching for scrubs, super-strength night creams, vats of olive oil…anything, really, to get my dry, irritated skin back in line.
All this to say that testing a new face cream in winter is…well, let’s just say it has a steep hill to climb. Read on
Still stumped by someone on your gift list? Believe me when I tell you a spa gift certificate works for literally any woman on your list. If she’s into serious pampering, she can nab herself a facial or a body scrub; if she’s a high-power exec, I’m sure she’s in need of a massage; and if she’s one of those weird people who doesn’t like spa treatments (hi, Mom) she can still get a pedicure…or even a few excellent beauty products.
For my Portland peeps, let me save you the agony of hunting through a plethora of Aveda chain spas and hemp-wearing hippies: head north, a bit off the beaten path, and straight to Blooming Moon Wellness Spa.
Welcome to Gift Guide Season at SMC! For the next week (or so), we’ll have dozens of ideas for every last impossible-to-buy-for person on your holiday list. By the time we’re done, you’ll have made that list, checked it twice, and settled in for a long winter’s nap. Enjoy!
For most of the girls who’ll lust after this list, their holiday fantasy is a Sephora shopping spree. To make sure you deliver the perfect find, I’ve done months of exhaustive testing and culled the best of the best from the legion of holiday gift sets you’ll see this season. The result? My favorite beauty gift guide yet. Those Stila lip glazes are just the thing for your gloss-addicted friend, the Origins set is perfect for the boho glam girl on your list, and really, does Bobbi Brown ever get it wrong?
As for me, I’d be happy to curl up in those unbelievably soft Eberjey pajamas, snuggle into those limited-edition leopard UGG slippers and call it a night.
Talk about Monday morning eye candy! Following in the glamorous, seductive footsteps of Marilyn Monroe, Catherine Deneuve, Lauren Hutton, Nicole Kidman and Audrey Tautou, the newest face of Chanel No. 5 is…Brad Pitt. Unexpected? Definitely. But really, is there a better person to convince you of the power of a classic perfume than a man you wouldn’t at all mind wearing it for?
Check out the full ad campaign video here, which I’m guessing will be just the thing to get you through your day. Enjoy!