October 20, 2010 I didn't realize that Collective Wellbeing was the first company to make an entire paraben-free product line. Their prices are also pretty friendly on the wallet. I tried the Charcoal Body Wash, which is a moisturizing sulfate-free purifier that detoxifies your body.
October 19, 2010 I still can't believe that fall is really here. Last week we had a long heat wave and everyone was in skimpy outfits. Today I'm wearing extra layers. Now I'm in need of some long boots to keep my legs warm, so I've been looking at Ecco's latest designs. The Danish brand is known for comfort and classic aesthetics.
October 19, 2010 With Halloween and holiday parties coming up, I'm trying to eat lighter meals at home. I'm also getting lots of inspiration from Elizabeth Andoh's new book, Kansha: Celebrating Japan's Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions. Based on Buddhist philosophy, the spirit of kansha (appreciation) is about giving thanks to nature's bountiful gifts, as well as acknowledging those who transform the abundance into delicious food.
October 18, 2010 There are so many skin brighteners out there, but only a few products will really work. The new Photo-Age Corrector High-Potenchy Spot Treatment from Kiehl's delivers its promise quite well. Not only does it reverse the sun damage that's already visible to the eye, it also prevents new invisible damage from rising to the skin surface.
October 18, 2010 Givenchy is going the classic route for this holiday season. Festive red is the dominant color, with a bit of silvery grey and black as a supporting role. The star product, Le Prisme Collector Sparkling Powder, is a limited edition face and décolleté powder that's housed in a luxurious faux crocodile box. The iridescent light rose powder is also scented with floral water. A soft pink powder brush is tucked underneath, and Hubert de Givenchy's signature on the mirror adds a vintage and elegant touch.
October 14, 2010 Oh my...in the beauty world we're already looking at holiday colors! Guerlain's latest and greatest, Les Ors, is a tribute to the brand's iconic emblem. Their 2010 holiday collection highlights the majestic bee design that was initially made for Empress Eugénie's perfume bottle in 1853 (Eau de Cologne Impériale). As you enjoy the season's festivities, these gorgeous products will transform you into a regal beauty. Luxurious golden highlights flicker on the skin and shimmering jewel shades play across the face.
Natalia Vodianova for Guerlain Les Ors holiday 2010 collection.
October 14, 2010 The next time you plan a trip to wine country, make Healdsburg as your home base. A new eco-conscious hotel, h2hotel, just opened three months ago with LEED Gold certification. Amongst its many amenities, they have a solar heated pool, a living rooftop garden, and yoga classes on Saturday mornings. You can also borrow bikes for three hours at a time. What a fun way to explore the area.
h2hotel's junior suite.
Food & Drink, Lifestyle, Travel October 13, 2010 I wish I had the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules Palette when I was in high school. Adolescence was such an awkward time, and dealing with all things related to beauty overwhelmed me. I was certainly interested in makeup but didn't know which brands to buy or how to wear it properly. Honestly, when you have youth on your side, you really don't need tons of makeup anyway. Why cover up that fresh and dewy skin?
October 13, 2010 If you want to learn everything there is to know about artisan salt, Mark Bitterman's book, Salted: A Manifesto on the World’s Most Essential Mineral, With Recipes, should do the trick. His encyclopedic book features the world's rarest and most exotic sea salts and provides enough info to satisfy any food geek. I'm truly amazed at all the research he did because it really shows in his passionate prose for the planet's most popular mineral.
October 12, 2010 Clé de Peau's Fall-Winter 2010 makeup collection, Joyaux Intemporels, is an homage to the radiant jewels of the Belle Époque period. These new seasonal colors also reflect the fleeting beauty of nature, such as the myriad hues within a butterfly's delicate wings.
