House of Harlow 1960--my new jewelery obsession

Nicole Richie's jewelery line, House of Harlow 1960 (named after her daughter, Harlow) became a favorite of starlets & celebs alike (Madonna, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, just to name a few). After seeing the line myself, I immediately fell in love. My mom is a HUGE jewelery buff--she's a true believer in diamonds being a girl's best friend and rarely buys any artificial jewelery--I, however like more of the fashion forward accessories/jewelry and dabble in the artificial jewelery every once in a while. I love things that will make my outfits pop and stand out, but I hate sacrificing quality (thanks for life lessons, mom!).
Enter, House of Harlow 1960: the perfect compromise of fashion forward, trendy jewelery without sacrificing quality OR breaking the bank! 14 kt. yellow gold plated, along with leather are some of the materials used to make her jewelery line--not like other lines, where you really don't get much "bang for your buck".

Here are some of my favorite pieces from the line:


Resin and Stone Earrings ($35)



Sunburst Leather Cocktail Ring ($45)



Feather Earrings ($72)



Leather Drop Necklace ($65)

I love the fact that the pieces are casual enough for daytime but can work for a night out as well! And at these prices, I definitely won't complain.

Most of the pieces pictured above are available at Bloomingdales where I found the prices to be the most reasonable (most of the high-end boutiques--i.e Kitson--somewhat jack up the price). The Feather Earrings however, are not at Bloomie's, but can be found at www.shopbop.com

Don't forget, the Bloomingdales coupon code works til 11:59 pm tonight--enter HOLIDAY at checkout for 20% off!

xoxo

Sale on Mike & Chris and Loeffler Randall!

One of my favorite boutiques Singer22 is having a 20% off sale on Mike & Chris and Loeffler Randall! Mike & Chris is known for being a celeb favorite when it comes to leather jackets, the style is contemporary and trendy while still being a classic. Trust me--it's worth the investment, and at 20% off who can resist?! Loeffler Randall shoes are just exquisite and also a celeb fav!

So fashionistas, if you're looking to splurge (while saving a few $$) now would be the time!

I love the Singer22 website because they show what celebs are wearing so you're always in the know--what LA fashionista wouldn't appreciate that?!

Enter code: MCLR20

at checkout and enjoy! Remember to buy by Sunday at 11:59 pm!

Happy shopping!

xoxo

Steals & Deals for the week and weekend!

I love getting coupon codes, sample sale alerts, etc. in my e-mail!

Bloomingdales has a 20% off coupon code both in-store and online! (make sure you check the fine print, some items/brands are excluded)
online: enter the word HOLIDAY at checkout
in-store: click here, print, and shop!

Sephora's offering Beauty Insiders 20% off this weekend as well! If you haven't signed up for the VIB card at Sephora, I highly suggest it.

And via my DailyCandy e-mail here are sample sales galore!

What: Steven Alan Sale
Why: Signature button-downs for men ($68) and women ($58) along with big deals on goods from Demylee, Relwen, Sophomore, Generic Surplus, and others.
When: Thurs. & Fri., 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sat., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Siren Studios, 6063 W. Sunset Blvd., b/t N. Gower St. & La Baig Ave., Hollywood (323-467-3559).

What: A.P.C. Overstock Sale
Why: Up to 75 percent off past seasons’ women’s and men’s clothing, shoes, and accessories.
When: Sat. & Sun., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 715 S. Los Angeles St., b/t W. Seventh & W. Eighth Sts., Downtown (323-297-0414).

What: Decadestwo Shoe Blowout
Why: The final day of the weekend-long pop-up shop affair has new and gently worn designer (Louboutin, Prada, Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton) shoes marked $150 and below.
When: Sun., noon-5 p.m.
Where: Post26, Brentwood Country Mart, 225 26th St., at San Vicente Blvd., Brentwood (310-451-0950). For a chance to be one of the first 50 in line, e-mail rsvp@decadestwo.com.

What: Amenity Home Sample Sale
Why: Half off current collections, 75 percent off Belgian linen pillows, organic cotton duvets in test colors for $50-$100, nursery samples for $15-$60, and more.
When: Fri., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where: 453 S. Spring St., b/t W. Fourth & W. Fifth Sts., ste. 918, Downtown.

What: Kimberly Ovitz Sample Sale
Why: Samples, overstock, and one-of-a-kind pieces from spring and fall collections going for $10-$600.
When: Sat., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Where: 2601 Colorado Ave., b/t 26th & Princeton Sts., Santa Monica.

 Although I won't be able to make any of the sample sales this weekend--I'm definitely looking forward to the Sephora and Bloomie's discount! I've already started stocking my cart!

Happy shopping fashionistas!
xoxo

Review: Bare Escentuals Brush Roll

I've been on the hunt for a good brush roll like it's my job. I hate having so many brushes (I have the Bobbi Brown Professional Brush Set, Chanel foundation brush, Bare Escentuals Kabuki brush, MAC 141 brush etc...you get the point, I'm a brush whore.) just scattered all over the place! When the F&F sale at Sephora came around, I was determined to find a cute and functional brush roll (as blogged previously). After scrolling through Sephora's website I found the darling Bare Escentuals Brush Roll that I blogged about earlier and my bf--being the doll he is, got it for me!

Basically there's a spot for your kabuki brush (so handy since no other brush roll would have it!), 10 "large" brush pockets (i.e foundation, blush, etc.) and 10 "small" pockets (eyeshadow, lip, concealer, etc.) hello functional! I used one of the large pockets to fit an eyeliner, eyebrow, and concealer brush all in one, and even in the smaller pockets I was able to double up without damaging my brushes! I know, there are cheaper brush rolls out there ($35 is pretty steep) but the quality is pretty fabulous if I do say so myself. (Plus the 20% off during the sale made it even more fabulous!)

Bottom line: LOVE the roll! There's so much room; you can easily fit more than one brush in each pocket without damaging them, there's a flap that covers your brushes so they don't all touch each other, it's super easy to clean, and the color is adorable!

However, if you're not a huge brush fanatic and don't need this much space-- my best friend adores the brush roll she got at Target for about $10, she said they have a pretty good collection (in-store not online) so check it out!

xoxo

From Cashmere to Cosmetics?

Now that I finally have some spare time--it's time to catch up on blogging!


When I think cashmere, scarves, Fall or Winter, automatically Burberry comes to mind. Who doesn't love the simplicity of their pattern, high quality cashmere (oh-so soft), and the fact that it's London based is an extra plus in my book. Rumor has it that Burberry has now decided to expand their empire to include cosmetics--and guess what? It's true! At first thought, this seems like quite a stretch, I mean how many fashion/apparel lines have ventured out of their comfort zone and failed miserably? However, in my opinion, Burberry has proven themselves outside of apparel and accessories with the launch of their first fragrance, Touch, which was accessible to both men and women in the beginning of the 21st century. In 2003, they presented another fragrance for women called Brit (which is one of my faves!). The bottle for Brit was luxuriously patterned with the famous plaid logo launched a men’s version in 2004--which of course, my daddy has! 

The cosmetics line--which is dated to debut in July 2010--will be carried at Nordstrom, which is always exciting news for a Nordy's girl, like myself. Here are some of the deets I snagged from bellasugar: 

Philippe Benacin, chairman and managing director of Inter Parfums SA, says the collection will be "a complete color line with about 100 references for eyes, lips, and skin" .

100 references? They don't mess around. I wonder what the colors will consist of? Perhaps on the more neutral, classic side--like their model Emma Watson? I would love to see that! Oh the possibilities are endless. All I know is Burberry is an A+ in my book so I don't see why their cosmetics line would be anything less than the best--something to look forward to in 2010, bellas! Besides the Harry Potter movie releasing in November 2010, of course. (I had to throw one Harry Potter reference in there).


Hope you all are having a fabulous day!
xoxo

Sephora's Friends&Family Sale

Hey dolls,
It's finally time for the return of Sephora's beloved friends&family sale--20% off! A lot of people seem to think the sale isn't being offered this year, but it is! After all the $$ I've dished out recently on beauty buys, I've decided on purchasing the bare essentials for the sale!

Purchase #1 Bare Escentuals Deluxe Brush Roll, $35.00.
It's pretty steep for a brush roll, I know. However, I've been looking for a decent sized brush roll for the past year! Nothing seems to be able to keep my full set of Bobbi Brown brushes, Bare Escentuals kabuki and blush brush, Chanel Foundation brush, MAC skunk brush...etc (you get the point, I'm a brush whore.). Via Sephora website: A silver roll that includes 10 pockets for large brushes, 10 for small brushes, and one for a Full Coverage Kabuki Brush. What it does: Deluxe Brush Roll is perfect for organizing all your Bare Escentuals bareMinerals brushes and taking them wherever you go. The silver roll is the ultimate in beauty storage, with 10 pockets for large brushes, 10 for small brushes, and one for the Full Coverage Kabuki Brush. Keeping everything in its place has never been so stylish. I'm hoping it'll fit all my brushes (esp. since they all aren't from Bare Escentuals), luckily Sephora has a return policy!

Purchase #2 Fresh Soy Cream
I love this as a daily face cream! It smells awesome, absorbs quickly, and moisturizes without leaving my skin greasy. Even though my last bottle isn't done--I figured I might as well stock up with the 20% discount code since it is $38.00.

Purchase #3 Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Buff
I need a good eye shadow base/color corrector for my eyelids. I have decently dark lids, and I heard this base works miracles for both and doesn't crease! I'm so excited to try it, I hope it becomes one of daily wears! For what it claims to do, $24.00 does not seem bad at all.

Purchase #4 Stila Mini Lip Glaze Trio
I was going to purchase a Stila Lip Glaze for $22.00, but I figured I might as well get the mini trio for $8.00--that way I can test the colors and see which one I like the best. Fyi, you can only purchase this if you're a beauty insider--I highly recommend signing up!

Purchase #5 Brilliant Glossing Cream from Fredrick Fekkai
I don't know what to say except I LOVE this stuff. I'm opting for the 7 oz size for $27.50, rather than the 4 oz for 20.00 since I've already gone through a bottle (which is incredibly rare for me and hair products).

I was looking for a good lip primer, but the one I was debating on was $30.00--and I wasn't quite ready to take the plunge. Maybe I'll get some samples and then decide.

I'm excited to pick my samples at checkout!
Happy shopping dolls!
The discount code is "FF2009"
Enjoy!

au naturale and loving it! LUSH review

Recently my skin was in a "rut" I guess. I was getting little bumps (which I never had problems with before), more oily-ness on my t-zone (ew), and overall my skin was just bleh and not as bright. My mom told me it was because of all the different face products I use--i.e they all have lots of chemicals etc., and I'm messing up my face. Well thank you momma! I had exhausted other options and decided to take up my mom and go with a more natural approach to my skin care. The bf had gone to LUSH not too long ago, and I loved the goodies he brought back! I went to the Beverley Hills location, and I must say the sales associate was an absolute doll. She was incredibly patient, demo-ed literally everything I was remotely interested in, and gave me lots of samples :)
here's what I ended up leaving the store with:

YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY Shower Gel



Fresh strawberries, soothing honey, moisturizing almond oil, plus a drop of rejuvenating olibanum oil. Doesn't that just sound yummy? I've been using this everyday post gymming and the smell lingers on my skin for a good amount of time. So convenient to store in a gym locker--which is a major plus--and I feel clean without drying out my skin! If you love the smell of strawberries, definitely give this a try!

KARMA Soap



Lemongrass, pine, orange and patchouli essential oils. Sounds a bit funky, no? I thought so as well--until I smelled it. I fell in love! This scent is absolutely amazing, more on the spicy-orange-ish side, and totally soothes my body. Like the gel, the soap hasn't dried out my skin at all!
*this is also one of their well-known/best-selling scents


Coalface Cleanser



Charcoal and liquorice? Well, I can't say much except that it somehow works. I told the sales associate I had been feeling a tad oily and I needed a good cleanser for after my workouts and she recommended this. I was weary at first since I read reviews on how there were chunks in it and it was harsh on skin, but I was pleasantly surprised! There are indeed grits and chunks in the bar, however if used properly (i.e- slowly and rubbed to the face genteley) you'll love it! My face feels squeaky clean and the gritti-ness gives a good exfoliation that isn't too harsh.
*best seller

Ocean Salt Cleanser



This is AMAZING. My skin is more on the sensitive side, so I only use it about 2 or 3 times a week but I absolutely love it. It exfoliates my skin well and really gives it that deep clean feeling. If you've heard the raves about this product-- believe them. Just remember, if your skin is even a little on the sensitive side, don't use every day! You can even use it on other parts of your body besides the face. Who doesn't love a 2 in 1?

Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter



Lemon, mango, avocado and flaxseed oil. Absolutely LOVE this stuff, hands down. I love lemon scents and this one is yummy! You can use it in stubborn dry skin areas, i.e elbows, knees, etc. but make sure it try it on your cuticles! It works miracles. My cuticles are horrible and I've been using this every morning and night--there's definitely an improvement in the shape of my cuticles! with only twice a day for about a week? Awesome.

Sugar Babe Sugar Scrub



Sugar and extra virgin coconut oil are just 2 of the main ingredients in this little scrub and I absolutely adore it. For $4.95 you'll get about 2 full uses out of it (head to toe) but I broke mine up into 4 pieces. There's extra virgin coconut oil in the center and I must say, it makes your skin feel divine. So smooth and exfoliated-- beware, it's tempting to use everyday.

Therapy Massage Bar



Here's a twist on the usual massage oils or lotions me and the bf have been using. When demo-ing it in the store, I was quite pleased! My skin didn't have that icky feeling that other massage aids leave behind. Rather I felt nicely mouterized, and the fact that it melts into a buttery/liquid state while you use it is awesome. The Therapy bar is also supposed to soothe stretch marks and scars. Loved the concept so much I bought another goody for me and the bf, the Fever Massage Bar--More the reason to make it hot, right?

BIG Shampoo



Hello Margarita for my hair. I heard so much about this shampoo that I had to try it and see if the hype was just hype. I was a little set off, due to the texture of the shampoo (there's literally sea salt chunks in it) but my hair seemed to LOVE it. My scalp has been acting all sorts of weird lately and this was an amazing exfoliant! My hair is already on the voluminous side, but this shampoo definitely adds an extra oomph. Not something I'd use everytime I shampoo, but maybe once a week? It leaves your locks feeling squeaky, squeaky clean so don't forget to condition! Paired with the Veganese Conditioner-- it's literally a good hair day in a bottle.

Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser



Ground almonds gently exfoliate, rose absolute tones and lavender oil soothes. A pea-sized amount mixed with water in the palm of your hand to create an even paste is all you need. The result: angelic skin! LUSH could not have said it better. I've used this as my nightly cleanser and it is fabulous. My skin in instantly softer and well exfoliated! I never thought I would say those two things in the same sentence.

Mirror Mirror Neck Cream



True, I'm barely 23 years old but one of my biggest fears is not taking care of fine lines now. Everyone that I've seen with amazing skin that's past 30 years old all say they started using anti-aging skin care in their 20's! Naturally, I really wasn't sure if Mirror Mirror would do much of anything, but I have been using it every night on my neck for the past week. I haven't seen a huge difference yet, (I guess I can't really expect to) but I do have some semi-deep lines on my neck. The scent however, from a 1950's french perfume is absolutely intoxicating!

Gorgeous Face Moisturizer



This I received as a sample, due to the steep price ($85.00) I really wasn't sure if it would be as effective as the sales associate said it would be. She told me how it was formulated for Princess Diana, and that it was one of the most powerful moisturizers they have for reducing fine lines, etc. Needless to say I have religiously used this for the past week and I actually am not too fond of it. I really wanted to like it (hello, Princess Diana and all) but I guess it just didn't sit well with me. It was kind of oily and made me look shiny. Granted it wasn't horrible, but there was no real benefit either. For the price, I would have invested in something else...for now I'll stick to my Fresh Soy Mousterizer.

Items not pictured on the website that I purchased:

Grease Lightening
I purchased this rather than the Murad T-zone gel that I've head others rave about. I dab it on to my nose and forehead every night before bed. My skin does look a lot clearer but I'm not sure if it's due to this gel or just the change of skin care in general. Either way, I'm hoping if I keep using it, my pores will become more refined and clean!

BB Seaweed Face Mask
This mask is AMAZING. I don't even know how to describe how it made my skin look and feel--besides the fact that my skin was radiant. It is a little difficult to put on (there's actual strips of seaweed in the mask) but the results are well worth it. I highly highly recommend trying this mask!

Helping Hands Hand Cream
First off, I love the packaging! It's a small pump bottle that easily fits into my purse on the go. Second, the sales associate told me this cream was formulated for nurses to last in-between washes and I must admit, it does the job. I probably use it twice a day at most, and my hands feel so soft and supple! Almost as if I was wearing an invisible glove. I definitely recommend this for Winter.

I also purchased the Toner Tabs and 2 solid shampoos, but haven't been able to use them as of yet! As soon as I do, I'll let you know how they turn out. Also, I got a lemony scented soap (the name escapes me) but I wasn't able to find that online either. I mainly got that for my bathroom soap dish- it smells up the whole room! I have a sample of the Love Lettuce face mask which I'll try soon as well.

Overall, my experience with LUSH as a whole was pretty fabulous if I do say so myself. The sales associate was incredibly nice and knew the ingredients and history behind each product as well. My skin, only after a week, has gotten a lot brighter and more even! I really didn't expect results so fast, but I am incredibly happy with the results thus far. Hopefully my skin won't get used to the products because I LOVE them! And the fact that I'm using natural products is a huge plus in my book. Might as well save the chemicals for when my skin actually needs them..which is hopefully never.