New Daily Hair Holy Grail Du Jour: Davines

Coming to you live from the land of soft hair, I know, that is very unlike me, my hair is usually dry as the day is long. Now you have probably heard me complain for years about my dry skin and hair. I know, I know, sorry! However, I finally found a product that is perfect for me, actually its perfect for every girl on earth, because every girl on earth needs a little bit of TLC on their ends. Mine just happen to need A LOT of tender, loving care.

Meet my new favorite hair care product from Davines. If you are like me, you probably have never heard of Davines, however, as soon as I saw the packaging I recognized it immediately. They carry Davines at Barneys and on their retail site http://www.davines.com/ , I knew I had seen it before. Personally, I had never tried any of thier styling products, I am a wash and go kinda girl, I like oils but thats about it.

Anyway, I was sold on this product as soon as I was told is it like a daily moisturizer but for your hair. You can apply it throughout the day on the ends of your hair, like you would a hand cream on dry hands. Hello, that has my name written all over it.

I throw this tube in my bag and have been applying it around 3 times a day, my hair is incredibly soft, and lets talk about the scent. AMAZING. It smells like a mix between Body Shop's White Musk and my little ponies, I know you know what I am talking about!

Have you tried Davines? Will you give it a shot?
xx

Cherry Bombe Magazine Du Jour 5.7.13

Ladies, I have exciting news, well in my world, magazines are very exciting news in gerenal, but a magazine that is about Fashion AND food? Well, you mind as well tell I have been sent 5 Hermes birkin bags free of charge, thats how exciting Fashion and Food are to me (Okay, that might have been a teeny exageration).

Anyway, Cherry Bombe Magazine is just that, from thier mouth to my ears " a new magazine that celebrates women and food—those who grow it, make it, serve it, study it, enjoy it and everything in between. It is about sustenance and style and the things that nourish the mind, the eye and, of course, the stomach.

Cherry Bombe features a variety of cultures, cuisines and voices—chefs and servers, food stylists and scientists, culinary icons and up-and-coming entrepreneurs—as documented by some of the most interesting food and fashion writers and photographers around. Almost all of the subjects and contributors are women. "



Full Disclosure here, Kerry Diamond, the genius behind Cherry Bombe is THE woman who urged me and quite frankly, convinced me to start this whole Beauty Channel deal on YouTube. You can kind of call her the Beauty Whisperer. Her career includes opening resturants, being a Harpers Bazaar editor, launching WWD Beauty Biz, Lancome, Coach and more... I mean... this woman is a power house.

Check out the below beautiful imagery from the first issue. Mine should be arriving within the next few weeks.

 

 

Will you be picking it up?

xx

Obsession Du Jour: Rodin Olio Lusso Face Oil 2.20.13

Another skin care review, I know, I know, I am totally on a skin care kick. We all know that good skin is the foundation for any and all good makeup. This once is a total splurge and has reached cult status level at this point. I am sure a lot of you have heard of this precious luxury oil, Rodin's Olio Lusso.

I love the whole story and philosophy behind the Rodin. A little background, Creator Linda Rodin is from the world of Harpers Bazaar and Henri Bendel. Rodin has dressed the most gorgeous and charismatic women in the world—from Madonna and Halle Berry. Despite access to ultra-exclusive skincare lines in this heady milieu, Rodin became disillusioned with their anti-aging claims and complicated regimens.

“What I longed for was something far simpler—that caress the skin noticeably and without any delay. Nothing out there did quite that.” So she brought her style smarts, her instinct for beauty to the skincare arena. After experimenting with essential oils in her kitchen for nearly two years, Rodin put the finishing touches on her first dream elixir, the original RODIN olio lusso face oil, in 2007. (The name—which translates as luxury oil —is in honor of the easygoing Italian beauty that has long inspired Linda’s own style). The models and makeup artists she worked with tried and loved it, and soon RODIN olio lusso was selling to a cult following at a few select stores.

Fast forward to now and me (scintillating topic, I know!)- I tried the oil about 6 months ago, in the middle of trying about 12374 other products. Recently, I have been paring down to basics and trying to be a bit more simple. I opened up my massive beauty arsenal and saw this baby staring at me so I went for it. I am LOVING it, it is almost like a religious experience every morning applying it. The smells transports you to a spa or lavender field in Italy. 

It's simple, feels good and does what it says its going to do.  The ingredients are simple, only oils: Jasmine, Rose Hip Seed, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba, Evening Primrose, Apricot, Arnica, Calendula, Neroli, Sunflower, Argan, Rosemary and Juniper.

This is an  ideal  moisturizer for anyone seeking a simple solution to hydrated skin and a luminous, light-reflecting complexion. It works on complexions that are “normal,” oily, dry- and does not leave ANY greasies behind. I, being the driest of dry, need a moisturizer after for the day time just for a little extra protection in the winter.

I have been applying about 3-4 drops on a moist, freshly washed face in the morning and night! Follow with makeup—or not.

Now, the only thing is, it is quite pricey at $150 for 1 fluid Oz. Yes, this is a bit steep but the ingredients are premium and really is quality product. You can buy directly at http://oliolusso.com/products/rodin-olio-lusso-face-oil or Barneys http://www.barneys.com/Rodin-Olio-Lusso-Luxury-Face-Oil/00505002969763,default,pd.html!

Have you tried yet? Thinking about it? Would love to know!

xx

Where Have I been? And an anticipated review of Dr. Perricone's Blue Plasma

First things first, where have I been? Oh, I dont know, just so busy that this is the first time I have sat in front of my computer to write in my blog. In December I took a well needed break and vacation for a few weeks. As soon as I got back in Janruary I flew to Dallax Texas on business and here I am. January 30th, finally sitting down, right before New York Fashion week. Ah well, better late than never right?

Well, I am back now and I am committed to reviewing the best of the best in beauty (and dont forget my favorite, jewelry) and sharing my little journey in the world with you guys.

Now onto it, I have gotten so many questions and requests for this review and I now know why. I just picked up Dr. Perricone's Blue Plasma Daily peel two days ago and I can officially say I am in love. I know that iss crazy only after two days but its true. This stuff is actually, I dare to say, miraculous. A quick run down on my skin for any new readers, dry as the sahara desert. No matter, how much I exfoliate and moisturize (and trust me I do, Revive, La Prarie, SK-II... I have tried it ALL) it is never smooth, hydrated and forget about glowing.

Well, its only been two days so I can say I have had a 180 turnaround yet, but let me tell you there is a NOTICIABLE difference in texture and hystration. The first day I used, I woke up with softer and smoother skin. There was even a slight shine to my skin (which I am always after, as my skin is super dull and dehydrated).

This is a daily peel, but I think of it more as a serum. I put on in the nightime after cleansing before and bed and thats it. I love that you dont need to wash it off. It is kind of priey at $95 dollars but you only need like 4-5 drops for your whole face. It should last you a while.

The details from Dr. Perricone's Website are:

A unique, non-acidic daily peel designed to deliver all the benefits of a traditional peel without redness or irritation. This cutting edge liquid treatment works with Bio-specific Peeling to attack only dead skin cells, Micro-extraction to lift surface debris, unclogging and purifying the skin of build-up and finally Hydro-fusion to rebalance skin's hydration with enriched water. No rinsing needed. Apply and follow with your daily skincare regimen.

Benefits:

- Resurfaces and unveils new skin.
- Achieves luxurious luminosity & glow.
- Smoothes, hydrates and plumps lines & wrinkles.

 

Consumer Studies:

- 90% agreed their skin was visibly more luminous after just one application.
- 87% agreed they preferred this treatment to a chemical peel or exfoliating scrub and this product gave them professional results.
- 82% agreed this is the best resurfacing treatment that they have ever used.
- 87% agreed their skin felt like it has been replaced with “new skin” after 4 weeks of use.

So, in short do I recommend this? Well , do I really need to answer that. It is a RESOUNDING YES!
Let me know if you have tried or you are going to?

xx

Review: Tarte Maracuja Oil 11.8.12

My second review of the week is a skin care item, but more than just that, it is truly multipurpose, Tarte Maracuja Oil. I have been using this every morning as a facial oil, using it as a cuticle oil, using it on the ends of my hair. I even have been mixing it with my body lotion for some extra oomph.

A little background info on Maracuja oil, also known as Amazonian Passion Fruit oil.  Tarte's Maracuja oil is hand pressed without the use of heat to guarantee the maximum amount of  essential fatty acids and vitamins. Maracuja oil is said to target individual skin concerns and delivers harmony, restoring skin balance and aiding in recovery and rejuvenation. The oil rebuilds and repairs skin while brightening, and never leaves skin with a greasy or filmy feel. I believe this to be true, I see this working on Oily and Dry skin skin.

It is touted as being for anyone who wants brighter, firmer, and smoother skin. I personally have found it has been extremely moisturizing with out being oily, major plus. I have also been really liking this for the ends of my hair.

You can buy it at Sephora.com and it retails for $46.00, which can be pricey but, this will last you a while, as it only takes three drops to cover your entire face and neck. It comes in a good sized bottle and contains 1.7 Oz, which is a decent size.

Have you tried? Will you?
x

Obsession Du Jour: Equinox LE shirt, proceeds go to Hurricane Sandy relief 11.6.12

I wanted to share a T-Shirt that was designed by Equinox to raise awareness and help the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Equinox is selling limited edition T's for $35 and 100% of the proceeds will be going to the American Red Cross. I like that 100% is going to be donated, I have seen a lot of companies only donating a portion of sales. Equinox is donating ALL.

Let's do what we can and show our support in anyway we can. Either by purchasing products that are donating 100% of proceeds or donating to the Red Cross. If you cant help financially, please consider donating your time.

I hope everyone is safe and warm tonight, whether you are in NYC or not.

x

Obsession Du Jour: Dior Hydralife BB Creme 11.6.12

In anticipation of Sephora F&F, I will be doing a product review a day, which I have purchased from Sephora. As you can see from my last post, I got a nice little box filled with goodies.

First up is my absolute, newest "obsession", more than an obsession really, it is a complete must have. I got a little baby sample of the new Dior HydraLife BB Creme about 3 weeks ago and fell completely in love. I used it every day for 3 weeks, I squeezed every last drop out of it before decided to splurge for the full size.

Yes, it is pricey at $56 but it is worth every penny, for me, this BB creme gives as much coverage as a foundation but with the benefits of actually moiturizing and be light as a feather. I can not stand the feeling of foundation on my face and suffocating me. This does not do this.

Consider me a lifer.

Do I recommend this? 100%. However, remember mileage will vary depending on your skin type. I happen to have very dry skin. I would assume if you are very oily, you might not like this, or at the very least have to set with a powder. I also have heard this can be a bit dark for some people, for me this color is absolutely perfect.

Have you tried this? Will you?

x

Sephora Product haul Du Jour 11.4.12

In anticipation of Sephora friends and and family sale (which I know you all are looking forward to, as you have told me on twitter), I am going to be doing a sephora product per day this week.

I made a nice "healthy" order this week for the true friends and family sale, the one where the employees send out codes. Don't fret if you did not get one, the general sale is coming up mid- November, so rev your engines.

Anyhow, I am going to be sharing a product per day with a full in-depth review of each up until the sale. Either to help you decide, if whether to, or not to buy.

Here is a sneak peek, first review coming up tomorrow. What's on your F&F sale list? Share below.

Enjoy!
X

Deborah Lippmann Santa Baby Du Jour 10.28.12

Topping of my wish list for nailpolish right now. Love the metallic peacock hues. Total must have.

An exclusive for Neiman Marcus.

Anyone grabbed this yet?

X

Kate Spade iPad Case Du Jour 10.28.12 (Hurricane Sandy Edition)

This is a sort of random post, but you will see why this came to my mind. I love techonology, and I love my iPad. It is currently charging JUST IN CASE we lose power due to the lovely mistress, Hurricane Sandy.

Anyway, I have been on the perpetual hunt for the perfect iPad case. I have tried out a ton. I have a rhinestone encrusted one (not practical), I have one with the wireless keyboard attached (too bulky and heavy for a handbag), I have that one you can buy at apple, the front flap one (doesn't protect enough)... and so on. You can see finding the perfect iPad case can turn you into goldilocks quite quickly.

I went on a serch for an orange leather case, I know, kinda obtuse of me, I never expected to find one. Lo and behlod, I was wondering around Soho last saturday, about to indulge in a boozey lunch at Lure Fishbar on Mercer street with a dear friend and I happened to peep into Kate Spade.

Kate Spade is usually not my style, I err on the boho/ rocker/ glam end of style, i love oversized, neutrals and leather. Kate Spade can run you quite preppy. Anyway, I saw a bright orange lether case and excatly the style I was looking for. Slim, compact and bright. 

Long story short, I am so thrilled with my orange leather ipad case that I was motivated to share it with you all. It has a hot pink lining of leather with a gold accent on the outside which is a nice fashion touch.

 

Do you have an ipad? Are you like me, always on the hunt for the erfect case?

If so, try out www.KateSpade.com and see if they just might have something for you!

xx

PS- Everyone that is in the path of Hurricane Sandy, Stay Safe! Remember, all shelters are pet friendly, so please dont leave your furry babies at home!

And I am off to Kennebunkport, Maine...

What's a city girl to do when she wants to escape the honking NYC taxis, subways and wants to relax and Spa-aaah?

Naturally, take a road trip, rent a mustang and book a girls trip to spend a quiet 3 days in Kennebunkport, Maine at Hidden Ponds, of course.
Fine dining, spa's, bike riding, antiquing, s'mores and more awaits just a few hours away from the hubbub of NYC.

5 hours later... And I am here in Maine.

Will fill you all in after my girls getaway! Hey you never know who is close to Maine...

Xx

Fresh Du Jour 10.9.12

Having a total "Fresh" moment in Sephora right now. Stay tuned.

Xx

Obession Du Jour: Jack Black Lipbalm in Grapefruit and Ginger

I am sure you have all heard about Jack Black, no, not the actor, the brand of skincare. I had been hearing about the lip balm for a few YEARS, I will go as far to say. I dont know why but it just never interested me. I dont know, judge me if you must but yes, I judge a book my its cover.

The packaging never drew me into the product. However, after hearing raves upon raves for this lipbalm, being the lipbalm junkie (errr... addict) that I am, I gave in. 

The first one I picked up with the Lavendar flavored one, and ew. Seriously, I put it on and make that lemon face. I couldnt even believe I picked this flavor because it smelled and tasted putrid. I usually love lavender. I guess I never thought that I might not like to rub it on my lips.

Anyway, I spoke about it on twitter and everyone recommended the lemon flavor. I picked that one up and I liked it, a lot. Now I could maybbbeee see what all the raving was about. I like the consistency, its thick but not sticky and definitely is hydrating. This makes a great overnight lip treatment. I like to pile on, go to bed and wake up with super soft lips. Great. However, still the scent was not mind blowing.

Fast forward to 2 days ago, I was in Blue Mercury and I saw the display case of all the flavors and for some reason, a little voice in my head said to buy the grapefruit flavor. I LOVE grapefruist scents, I like the zing!

Lo and behold, I now am a believer. I am in LOVE with this scent. This scent makes me want to put it on everyday, all day. Who know the scent could make that huge of a difference? Anyway, I am now in love and recommend this lip balm (I dont think I have to tell you which one to buy...pretty obvious).

I will be picking up a few more of these in the same flavor to litter around my apartment. Have you tried? Which is your favorite flavor?

xx

Blue Mercury Haul du Jour 10.5.12

I just got home from a wonderful facial at Blue Mercury in Union Square (more on the service later, I got dermabrasion- major thumbs up) and you know that I could not walk out with at least a FEW goodies. The Chanel lipstick in La Provocante was a separate little purchase from Bloomingdales and my attempt at stepping outside of my nude lipped box.

I wanted to share the below with you, obviously reviews for each will be coming up along with a video.

Have you tried any of the below? The m-61 cleanser and the Caudalie was recommended by the facials and used during. I liked them a lot, so to my house those babies came!

Have a great weekend! Any fun plans?

xx

Obsession Du Jour: Blinged out iPhone case for under $20

After my last post and video about my crystallized iPhone case I got tons of questions about it. 

Exciting news is that my girl Gina is doing a huge promo for this week. You know I never post about sales or what not, but this is something I love!  I have these cases and they normally cost $50- $200 and Crystal Icing charges up to $400 for celeb blinged out phones.  

So basically, now you can get a crystallized iPhone case for under $20. Who doesn’t love some sparkle?That is a good price, I am going to snag a few for holiday presents!

ENJOY! No code or anything, you can just order it on their site here http://crystalicing.com/products.asp?cat=98

 

xx

Holy Lashes, Obsession Du Jour: Givenchy Noir Couture Mascara 9.28.12

This is something I have been meaning to post about forever, but actually it is right in time for the elusive upcoming Sephora friends and family sale (I do not know exactly when it is, but it usually hits sometime around October 20th).

I posted about this on Instagram and I got tons of interest, feedback and validation that this product is basically the best thing since sliced bread. 

I love eyelash extensions, but I can not stand the feeling of them. Now, now, I am not saying this will mimic fake eyelashes and in 2 minutes you will have Kim Kardashian eye lashes buttttt its pretty dang close. This really thickens and elongates you eyelashes without clumping. It gives very long fluttery lashes. I was asked if it does hold curl and I never noticed that, because my lashes are I guess, pretty curly naturally, but I curled them and they stayed all day, so the answer is yes on that (That's for you Rae!). Additionally, it says that it is a 4 in 1 mascara providing, length, volume, curl AND lash care! Cool!

This is my personal favorite mascara I have used as of yet, previously Yves Saint Laurent's Faux Cils has that title. Funny, that I never liked any of the previous Givenchy mascara's until this one. I am glad I got this sample from Sephora or I would have never tried it.

The below is the sample from Sephora, but I have recently gotten the full size (I actually have three now. One for home, one for my makeup bag and one for my desk. Yes, that is HOW much I like it).

So, do I recommend trying this? YES. If you can still get a sample from Sephora, definitley take advantage of that and if not, it is worth the $30 somesthing plunge. Trust me!

By, the way, Sephora is the only retailer you can grab this from currently, check it out here!

Have you tried? Will you?

xx

Very exciting announcement: I am OFFICIALLY a Beauty Editor!

I don't know if I have shared this on my blog yet, but I know I have mentioned a million times on my twitter account (@BelleDuJourNYC) . I am now a beauty editor (just add it on to my 2 other full time jobs) at a luxury magazine. 

I am so excited to announce that my debut issue as the beauty editor hits stands today.

I’d like to introduce you to 25A Long Island’s newest luxury print magazine. 25A caters to those who have a fine-tuned taste for luxurious treasures and takes its audience inside one of the most affluent areas in America, Long Island's Gold Coast. From stories and profiles about prominent figures in both media and business worlds to the latest in high-fashion, exotic automobiles, restaurants, events, sensuous travel destinations, beauty must-haves, and Gold Coast mansions, this is the ultimate guide to the sweet life of Long Island.

Set to be Long Island's premier luxury magazine, 25A aims to enchant its readers with intelligent editorial, beautiful design and captivating photography. This September 19^th marks the third issue. 

Below are my three beauty pages that I have put together for the Autumn 2012 issue!

  

For those that know me, you know how obsessed I am with beauty, hence the creation of this blog! It was a perfect match, as I am originally from the Gold Coast of Long Island as well.

You can see the whole magazine here http://www.25amagazine.com/index.php/component/k2/item/80-autumn-2012

And, of course, if you are on Long Island, be sure to pick one up!

xx 

Dara 

PS- A very special, big thank you to Gwen Wunderlich of Wunderlich Inc PR !!