March 3, 2015
by Julia DiNardo
After my first trip to Hawaii a few years ago, I became obsessed with the place, along with all things coconut. Eating and drinking young coconut, along with using the oil in cooking, the milk in smoothies, and body products became a new found obsession, bringing memories of that wonderful land with me everywhere. More importantly however, coconut is just an awesome hair and skincare product, providing great emollient, conditioning, and anti-viral properties, that it’s a no-brainer to include in your beauty routine. I tried a few items from The Gnarly Whale, a minimal ingredient beauty, bath, and body product line that is kind to your body and the earth, featuring recyclable packaging and paper.
The Thai Coconut Scented Coconut Milk Soap ($5.50) is light and effective, airy and effervescent, while the Thai Coconut Beach Waves ($12) makes for a great second day hair style, adding some texture, bounce, and incredible aroma into the mix. If coconut isn’t exactly your thing but you love the concept (vegan, cruelty-free, limited ingredients), try the brand’s natural make up remover, lip balm, hair detangler, body scrub, or similar products featuring different main ingredients, like pumpkin, lemon, peppermint, or cucumber melon.
March 3, 2015
by Julia DiNardo
Detox and/or hydrate your skin with Glossier‘s two latest star products, the Moisturizing Moon Mask to plump, hydrate, and smooth the skin, and the Mega Greens Galaxy Pack, which helps you to get rid of excess oil and impurities ($22 each). For me, hydration is essential, as even my normal dose of moisturizer isn’t cutting it when it has to compete with the wind, ultra-low, frigid temps, and indoor heating blasting on me. Using natural emollients and brighteners (such as licorice root and lemon extract), the masks are gentle and appropriate for all skin types, even sensitive ones like mine. Plus, the packaging is super slick, and looks great resting by its lonesome on the corner of my bathroom sink.
If you aren’t familiar with Glossier, its the brainchild of Emily Weiss, beauty blogger and founder of the wildly successful site Into The Gloss. The concept behind the brand is to represent the epitome of what’s needed and used, effective and of high quality, starting with the most important foundation of them all — skincare.
The brand launched with four core products (otherwise known as Glossier Phase 1 Set products, available in three skin tones): soothing face mist, priming moisturizer, balm dotcom, and perfecting skin tint. I’m obsessed with them all, but have to relay that the lip balm (balm dotcom; $12) just feels so wonderfully soothing and indulgent in this weather, great for skin that needs a little soothing besides your lips, which can be around your nails and cuticles, elbows, etc. I hope that your skin gets the nutrients that it needs and you feel as great as it looks!
March 2, 2015
by Julia DiNardo
[Images by Giafrese]
Wearing all black can make you blend in, especially amongst a see of fashionable show-goers during New York Fashion Week unless…you mind the small details! Texture, a pop of color, interesting details, complimentary silhouettes, and generally looking put-together with careful consideration and thought give all black that extra oomph that you may be looking for. Also, I’m comfortable. No really, I’m not wearing a single item that doesn’t feel great. Plus, you’ve got to love that awesome movement of the fringe skirt, peeking out from under my long jacket as I walk or the wind blows. Click through below for all of the looks as well as links to what I’m wearing.
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February 27, 2015
by Julia DiNardo
[Images Courtesy of Catwalk by TIGI]
always has AMAZING beauty looks to accompany her beautiful clothing on the runway, clearly compelling her nail, makeup, and hair team to push their artistic boundaries to the max. Taking various sources of inspiration from Star Wars, this season,
Catwalk by TIGI US Creative Director Thomas Osborn created a
“lady Luke Skywalker,” and with the help of some product and practice, you can get the look too!
Using CATWALK® by TIGI Session Series™ Salt Spray and the Session Series Work It Hairspray (plus some pre-braided extensions), you’ll be channeling otherworldly, powerfully boho braided hair in no time! See below for the how-to steps:
- Begin by spritzing CATWALK by TIGI Session Series™ Salt Spray all over and make a center part from the hairline to the nape, sectioning the hair into two low ponytails.
- Using a flat brush and a bit of CATWALK by TIGI Session Series Work It Hairspray, smooth hair down and lock in the center part.
- With hair pins, secure the pre-made extension braid just behind the ear and cross over the crown. Repeat with a second pre-made braid in the opposite direction, crossing over the other braid to create an “X” formation on the head.
- Next, take out the ponytail elastics and start braiding the ends of the braids into each ponytail, using the traditional three-strand technique and adding in additional pieces of hair into the braid as you move down the hair length.
- Finish each side with an elastic, leaving a significant amount of un-braided hair below the elastic.
- Bring the two braids together, taking care to hide the pins and create the intertwined braids.
- Use fingers to gently tug out pieces of the braid to create an undone slightly lived-in look and finalize it with CATWALK by TIGI Session Series Work It Hairspray.
