Summer is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. I hate being cold (which obviously means I’m no fan of winter) and I love being active outdoors—a far more pleasant prospect when there’s sunshine and warmer temps.
Another bonus? Come May, I can finally ditch the blow dryer. When it’s cold, I have to thoroughly dry my hair before stepping even a single foot outdoors because I get chilled so easily. But as soon as the thermometer jumps above 70 degrees, I let my natural wave come through by air drying.
Read more
We fell hard for Natalie Alcala last fall, when the LA-based writer and blogger spent a week guest blogging for us. In fact, we loved her posts so much that we asked her to be a contributing editor. In addition to blogging for us once a week, she’ll also be writing for the Birchbox Magazine and keeping us up to speed on all things fashion, beauty, and fun.
L.A. has tons of spas. As the home to Hollywood’s top stars, the city is oozing with fitness centers, healthy eateries, and beautification destinations to ensure that these million-dollar bodies and faces are well-preserved. And although non-famous residents, like myself, are not part of this six-figure club, we’re lucky to have these celebrity-approved establishments at our disposal. One of these gems is Kinara Skin Care Clinic & Spa, located in West Hollywood’s Design District.
Founded in 2003 by skincare guru Olga Lorencin-Northrup, Kinara is where A-listers get their facials the morning of the Oscars. In addition to counting Hollywood darlings like Anne Hathaway as clients, Olga’s most loyal fan is the one and only Halle Berry, who has been coming to Kinara for nearly 10 years! Given that I’m becoming a bit of a celebrity facialist addict, I had to meet with Olga to see what all the hype was about.
Read more
We all have something about our hair that plagues us whether it be frizz, flatness, or oil. After years of practice we all develop little tips and tricks for combating these haircare woes. For example, our Community Manager Rachel swears by Miss Jessie’s® Original Quick Curls to fight frizz, while Relationship Manager Jillian is a dry shampoo fiend due to her oily roots.
Read more
Blair Badge is one multi-talented lady: she’s a social media manager, a beauty editor for fashion site Chictopia, a model, a newlywed and an all-around awesome gal with a penchant for witty banter. Her dreamy blog, love, blair, is a heady mix of all her talents in one and we can’t get enough of her style and beauty advice. This week, she’s sharing her DIY beauty tips, like how to create a pretty custom lip color and how to get perfect beachy waves.
Polka dot manicures are incredibly east to do. Perfect this adorable design with just a few simple steps!
Read more
Photo: Ritournelle
Getting my nails done has always underscored the paradox of choice. Exhibit A: the rows and rows of polishes. Exhibit B: the abundance of treatments and add-ons. To make matters worse, I’ve long been baffled by the difference between a regular salon manicure and a spa manicure. Is the higher price for a spa manicure justified?
Since ignorance is definitely not bliss in this case, I consulted Regine Berthelot, the Treatment Manager from Caudalie’s Vinotherapie Spa at The Plaza to get clarification. Berthelot explains, “A regular manicure serves the purpose of moisturizing your hands and polishing your nails. A spa manicure goes beyond that to include exfoliation, a hand and arm massage, a moisture mask and hot paraffin treatment, and a brightening serum before the polish application.” What’s more, a spa manicure typically lasts around 45 minutes—much longer than a regular manicure.
Sounds great, right? Better yet, you don’t necessarily have to drop big bucks to experience the height of luxury that is the spa mani. Click through to learn how to recreate Caudalie’s signature Vinotherapie manicure at home!
Read more
Photo: newstalkradiowhio.com
At the Snow White and The Huntsman premiere earlier this week, Kristen Stewart did her best edgy-princess style by rocking a gold chain woven into her classy updo. The look was so pretty, it made us want to re-examine our hair accessory collection. Here are a few ideas that will add something extra to your regular style:
Read more
I adore that Karl Lagerfeld goes so over the top every time he shows a new collection. With this latest showing, I’m not sure how he’ll outdo himself the next time around. For Chanel’s Resort 2013 presentation yesterday, Largerfeld chose Versailles as his backdrop. The location was perfectly fitting for the Marie Antoinette-inspired ensembles, which showcased embellishments, ruffles galore, and even voluminous pantaloons.
Read more
Based in Washington D.C., Ayren Jackson-Cannady is so savvy that we wished she lived closer to NYC so that we could swap products with her. This beauty writer knows what’s up (she’s written for Fitness, Glamour, and Gloss Daily) and we’re excited to have her sharing her know-how and multi-culti beauty expertise as a contributing editor.
When it comes to beauty, I’m all for letting your creative juices flow. If you think blue eyeliner and red lipstick look good together—rock it! If you think peach and pink and blue and purple highlights are where it’s at—right on! You want to wear glitter and graphic neon stripes on your nails? Go you!
Read more
Blair Badge is one multi-talented lady: she’s a social media manager, a beauty editor for fashion site Chictopia, a model, a newlywed and an all-around awesome gal with a penchant for witty banter. Her dreamy blog, love, blair, is a heady mix of all her talents in one and we can’t get enough of her style and beauty advice. This week, she’s sharing her DIY beauty tips, like how to create a pretty custom lip color and how to get perfect beachy waves.
Let’s face it—bikini season is a challenge. It’s often daunting to think of those upcoming summer months knowing our post-hibernation bods will soon be on display. Here are a few tricks for whipping your skin into shape for summer!
Read more
