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December 13, 2012

Great Gift Ideas: Beauty and Cosmetics Stocking Stuffers

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You can never get enough of small, gifty items for the holidays (and you know, keep a few for yourself too).  We’ve assembled some great picks that we’re sure will work out splendidly for the gift recipient, with a million thank-yous headed your way for being such a darn good gift-giver! Avon Makeup Palettes

Packaged in a gorgeous holiday enclosure, Avon has some fantastic palette options that are available in lip glosses, eye shadows, or a combo of the both. Our favorite is the is ‘warm’ hued Avon Pocket Mini Palette $8.99, with rich and vibrant shades perfect for the everyday,  along with the holiday party nights.

Sally Hansen Gel Nails At-Home Gel Manicure System

A manicure that lasts, and lasts, and lasts is every gal’s dream come true. Do it from the comfort of  home, with Sally Hansen’s new kits. Choose from the Insta Gel Strips Starter Kit ($27.99) or the Pro Gel Kit ($64.99), which come with an LED Light to dry and the tools needed to get a perfect mani every single time. Check out the video above for application and removal tips and trick, and get ready to create a great manicure that will certainly save a ton of time and money.


Phyto Hair Care

I love when I get something as a stocking stuffer that I actually really need, and toiletries is always one the list. Phyto makes amazing botanical, natural hair care products for  men, women, and children, and have designed incredibly artful shampoo bottles, featuring the brand’s signature leaf motif. These are absolutely stunning to look at, and work extra hard to aid in whatever hair need or concern one may have. I’m addicted to the phytopanama+ shampoo (pictured), and there are plenty of other options such as shampoos for volume, greys, color-treated hair, dandruff, dryness, and more.

Clinique Gift Sets for Men and Women

Who doesn’t love Clinique? It’s such a GREAT brand, and with Gift Sets for holiday 2012 starting at $29.50, everyone can indulge in a handful of great products. Lashes Top to Bottom, $29.50, includes five fabulous mini mascaras (pictured), while the Whole Lotta Colour, $34.50 provides five mini Chubby Sticks — one of the most popular items in beauty as of late. Shop the Great Skin for Him or Happy for Him sets for men, or make your own holiday and ornament boxes (priced from $30 to $100+) filled with skin care and makeup items of your choosing.

LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

Lush sure knows how to do holiday beauty right; infusing fun and holiday-specific aromas, who wouldn’t want a holiday-specific bath bomb or soap? Favorites include the North Pole Soap, a dual, yummy mix of cocoa absolute and peppermint in the pink color with cedarwood and cypress in the white ($6.95 for the 3.5 oz cut of soap). Also of note is  Mr Punch Soap, which literally looks like a fruity punch bowl with notes of juniper berry oil, blackcurrant absolute, lime oil and actually a bit of gin! Last, we can’t forget the So White Bath Bomb, which resembles a snowball but once it begins to melt, shows its apple-scented pink core.

-Julia DiNardo

June 2, 2011

Welcome To Phyto Universe

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[Images courtesy of Phyto]

For starters, let me preface this review by being brutally honest: I LOVE this place! There really is no better way to describe it then as a zen botanical oasis in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan’s Midtown East. Situated at 58th and Lexington, the Phyto Universe experience sells and uses products by Phyto and Lierac Paris, with Caron Perfume products also available for purchase. Compliments of the brand, I strolled around the spa and received a complimentary hair and skin treatment to fully indulge in the botanical treatment philosophy that the brands so strongly pride themselves upon. I do think I dozed off during my facial, it was so relaxing, with the aromatic botanicals and argan oil of Lierac’s latest product, Sensorielle, lulling me into relaxation.

Afterward, I received a scalp analysis and hair treatment that included products created by Phyto Founder Mr. Patrick Ales decades ago, leaving my hair with a rewarding sheen and health that it hasn’t felt in a long time. One of the most interesting things about Phyto’s haircare here at the Universe is that there is no cuts or color being applied; it is merely to treat, and style hair.   Upon leaving, I received a customized prescription, based on my skin and hair needs, found within the brands’ product offerings. If you find yourself in need of a spa getaway in NYC, check out Phyto Universe, with it’s amazingly tranquil setting and gorgeous vertical garden, visible from its third story windows onto Lexington Avenue.

–Julia DiNardo

May 26, 2011

The Yves Durif Experience

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[Images of the salon, and Yves Durif, via YvesDurif.com]


[My “before” shots]
I hate to say that I give up, as I’m certainly not a quitter,  but have rather come to an understanding when it comes to styling my hair. No matter how much styling or product or attention I lavish upon it, it will just do what it wants, which is become limp and poke straight, as soon as possible, The only bit of hope that I have that I learned last week is the benefit of a really good haircut, as executed by Yves Durif at the Yves Durif Salon in The Carlyle on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.

Not only is Yves a maestro with the scissors, but he really understands a customer’s face, personality, and lifestyle immediately, which combined, results in an incredibly perfect cut. My hangups were that I have a slight cowlick in the front, been trying to grow my hair, and didn’t want a bob, as it is my Mom’s signature style (love you Mom, but we already look identical).

Yves worked within these parameters, gave me options, and decided together on a hybrid of a cool shag and a long bob. He also artfully reworked my bangs via shortening them a tad more on the left, in order to open up my face a bit more. The result? As you can see below, a little goes a long way, and it is a great improvement! With styling tips from Jessica and few highlights from David framing my face, I feel renewed in my quest to make my hair my own, instead of letting it dictate its fate.

Of course, I strongly recommend going to see Yves at his salon; he also uses Aveda and Phyto products exclusively, even with color, which gives a nice boost to the already gorgeous salon atmosphere via these natural yet effective products.

[My “after” pics]

-Julia DiNardo

May 17, 2011

Lierac + Phyto + Yves Durif + Style Coalition Event!

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The day of the royal nuptials was a cause for celebration for another reason; The Royal Treatment  Lierac + Phyto + Yves Durif + Style Coalition Event! I was brought inside the world of skincare and haircare via Phyto expert and hair stylist extraordinaire Yves Durif, who has a salon at the Carlyle hotel on the Upper East Side, and will soon visit the Phyto Universe location in Midtown, Manhattan that is an oasis for treatments featuring the products mentioned (more on that soon). Yves took us through the hair care products, including the Protective Beach Spray , and told us it is essential to protect your hair as frequently as possible from the sun’s powerful rays. Besides that,  my two favorite Phyto products that give my lifeless hair volume are the  Phytovolume Actif volumizer spray and the Phytomousse Volume foam that really seem to do the trick! Caterine was the resident expert of all things Lierac Paris, demonstrating the versatility of the new  Sensorielle oil, which can be put in a bath, on the hair, and on the skin. I have been a fan of the brand for some time now, using their bio-botanical complex, the Lierac Initiatic Cream. All in all – good company, great food, and amazing products!