Escentually Flawless Skin

Bare Escentuals is my favorite make-up overall and I have been using more and more of their products since my Aunt first introduced me to their eyeshadows sometime around 2001! Other than lip gloss, mascara and some eyeliner (I don't wear it often and when I do, I turn to Bare Escentuals or one other brand), all I wear is Bare Escentuals. I have turned so many of my friends on to it over the years that if I worked on commission I would be writing this from my summer home! There are too many products to discuss all of them in one posting so I will start with the basics, the Bare Escentuals foundation, bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation. Here is all you need to know: this has not irritated the skin of anyone I know, even my friends with the most sensitive skin, this has never caused my oily skin to break out, this make-up is 100% natural, preservative free (made with crushed minerals) so you can literally sleep in it, the coverage is flawless, it is weightless, has an SPF of 15 and you will LOVE it!!

The bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation comes in a full palette of shades so you can find your perfect match (in the rare case that you are in between shades and go to their boutiques they will mix them up for you to create the perfect shade). The Bare Escentuals Full Covergae Kabuki Brush ($28) is the best brush to use with the foundation, you will find it is so easy to apply the foundation (swirl, tap and buff) and you will get the best coverage with it. If you are a Bare Escentuals virgin, I highly recommend buying one of the Bare Escentuals Starter Kits which contain the foundation and brushes as well as a few more products, most of which I love and will write about at another time. Sorry to be so cryptic about these kits but they vary slightly depending on where you purchase them (Bare Escentuals , Ulta and Sephora, among others all sell them) so you'll have to do your research on them. The kits generally sell for around $60 while the bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation alone is $25 (to be fair, the containers in the kit are usually a little smaller than the full size bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation). Let me know how much you love this product once you try it and how many compliments you get too!!

Hot Wheels

Just in time for summer weekends away, I'd like to introduce you to the cutest weekend bag by Toss Designs, the Rolling Duffel. While I don't have one of my own (yet), I have borrowed my friend's and I give this bag stellar marks for the amount it can hold (it seems like literally the exact amount you can squish together in a big and still get it to fit in the overhead bin on a plane) and equally stellar marks for being so cute but I have to be honest and and ding it a little in the weight department (but then again, who couldn't stand to lose a few) since the bag, sans your clothes, is on the heavy side. So, if you are going to be carrying this on your shoulder (it does come with a detachable shoulder strap) as opposed to wheeling this around behind you, this is probably not a good choice. Otherwise, to wheel is to love!!

Measuring 23" x 11" x 14", the bag has multiple storage compartments and is perfect for short trips (or at least short trips if you pack at all like I do - who wants to make decisions in advance, and what about the weather, you can never tell how it will be...you get the idea). The bags pictured above - the one on left is from the Medallion Collection (one of my favorites) and the one on the right is from the Zanzibar Green Collection - are both are made from vinyl which keeps the H2O out too (and accounts for some of the weight of the bag - the canvas bags might be a little lighter but I am not sure).

The Rolling Duffel comes in a variety of patterns and retails for $196 or you can call Maria at Sealed With a Kiss for discounted prices ~ 631-470 0014!!!

Lend a Helping Paw

In 1997, Puppies Behind Bars ("PBB") my favorite program/charity came into existence and since then has been one of the most remarkable causes I have learned about. I can’t say enough about the benefits of this program, probably because they are so life altering for the prisoners who act as puppy raisers and the recipients of the guide dogs they train. PBB works by offsetting a substantial portion of exceedingly high cost of training guide dogs by enlisting prisoners (carefully selected) to train the puppies. Here is additional information (and a much better explanation) from the PBB website:

Dr. Thomas Lane, a veterinarian in Florida, thought that prison inmates would make excellent puppy raisers, and started the first guide-dog/prison program. Not only do inmates have unlimited time to spend with the puppies, but they benefit from the responsibility of being puppy raisers in ways that are especially important to their rehabilitation: they learn patience, what it is like to be completely responsible for a living being, how to give and receive unconditional love, and -- since puppy raisers take classes and train the dogs together -- how to work as a team.

PBB strives to meet the current needs of the communities in which we work and has expanded its goals accordingly. After the events of September 11, 2001, law enforcement agencies' need for working dogs increased dramatically. To help meet this demand, PBB added the training of explosive detection canines (EDCs) to its program. In 2006, PBB started raising dogs to assist disabled children and adults and launched Dog Tags: Service Dogs for Those Who’ve Served Us, through which we donate fully trained service dogs to wounded soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The pups live in the cells with their primary raisers, go to classes administered by PBB once a week, and are furloughed two or three weekends a month to 'puppy sitters' who take the dogs into their homes in order to expose them to things they won't experience in prison. These can be as simple as hearing doorbells or the sounds of a coffee grinder, and as complex as learning how to ride in a car and walk down a crowded sidewalk.

The puppies live in prison for sixteen months, after which they are tested to determine their suitability for training as service dogs for the disabled or explosive detection canines for law enforcement. If they are deemed suitable, PBB returns them to the schools where they continue their formal training. If they do not continue on the track to become working dogs, PBB donates them to families with blind children. In either case, these puppies, raised in such a unique environment, spend their lives as companions to people who need them.

PBB pays all of the costs incurred with raising these puppies so anything you could spare, whenever you could spare it to help this cause would surely be instantly gratifying!!! Even if you can't give, it is worth exploring the PBB website to learn more about this amazing charity!

Let it Grow, Let it Grow, Let it Grow

Once upon a time I was at the nail salon. The girl next to me and I started talking (naturally) and somehow we landed on the subject of hair - which she was having issues with since the birth of her daughter. She recommended Hair, Skin and Nails by Purvana and swore that it made her hair (which was falling out after she gave birth) stop falling out, get thicker and healthier. I went right to the vitamin guy, he told me this was his best selling product (even better than prenatal vitamins). I bought them, tried them and the rest is history! My hair, skin and nails will now live happily ever after!

The Pursuit of Straightness

Its that time of year again when those of us with curly, frizzy, difficult to manage hair flock to our respective salon's to tame our manes (I went yesterday). The most popular processes are the Japanese Straightening (Thermal Reconditioning) and the Brazilian Keratin Hair Treatment. Having tried both, I thought that I would tell you about another option that I like even better, Straight Variations. As a reference point, I have long, fine, curly and frizzy hair. My curls are not kinky but are somewhat unruly and a halo of frizz surrounds them - ugh! One of my best friends participates in this yearly pilgrimage with me and also gets the Straight Variations. She has thick, dark hair with tighter curls (though also not kinky) and she dyes her hair with a single process regularly.

First, let me tell you what I didn't like about the Japanese and Brazilian methods. The Japanese Straighteners are very harsh and the results are extreme. If you are seeking super straight almost volumless hair, the Japanese Straighteners will yield this result and for many, it looks great. I used this process for a number of years and while I loved how straight my hair was and how easy it was to dry, I found the damage to my hair significant (dry, thinning hair) and the lack of volume and resulting styling issues annoying. Knowing my dislikes, my stylist suggested I try the Straight Variations which is essentially a hair relaxer that comes in 3 different strengths (your stylist will know best which one is most appropriate for you - I get the middle strength as does my friend) and removes most of the curl and all of the frizz from your hair. The Straight Variations is far less damaging than the Japanese Straightener and the process leaves more volume in your hair as well. The result - LOVE!!

Last year, my stylist suggested that I try the Brazilian because it is so "healthy" for your hair so I decided that I would try it (my friend said, as usual, I could be the guinea pig and stuck with the Straight Variations). Unlike the Japanese and Straight Variations, the Brazilian process is not permanent, it washes out gradually over the course of about 8-12 weeks (on average). I have to say, while the results were decent for about 3 months, overall I really didn't like it. I felt that the results from the Straight Variations were better (more polished and more volume), are permanent and, I didn't notice that my hair was any healthier from the Brazilian. Not to mention, you can only use certain shampoos because you need to avoid those with Sodium Chloride which strips the treatment out of your hair (you will find that most shampoos contain Sodium Chloride) and most of the shampoos formulated for use with this process don't lather (i.e. I felt like my hair was dirty all the time even though it wasn't).

All in all, I think the Straight Variations is the happy medium among these hair straighteners/relaxers/conditioners and is the clear winner with me!! Unlike the Japanese and Brazilian processes, no flat iron is used with Straight Variations so it doesn't take nearly as long which is just an added bonus! Also, if your hair is thicker or your curls more unruly, you can get this process done more than once a year (my friend says she will every year because about 6-9 months in her new growth can get annoying but she has yet to pull the trigger). and I would suggest getting a conditioning treatment after the process to counteract some of the inevitable drying. I know a number of salons offer Straight Variations but it is not as widely known or available as the Japanese and Brazilian processes so you might have to look around for a place you are comfortable with (I know of a place in NJ and another in NYC, send me an email for more info). Pries vary by salon but Straight Variations will run you around $200 which makes it the least expensive option as well!!!

Don't Let Your Hair Down

I have pretty fine hair and while its long, I don't have a lot of it so finding hair clips that don't fall out is challenging. For those of you that share my pain or for those of you that just think these are far nicer than your average plastic clip, the Ficcare Maximus Clip is a must have! These handmade and hand painted clips come in a number of different colors and a designs as well as sizes small, medium and large. I haven't a clue what size mine are, sorry. I will say that they hold my hair pretty well (they are actually patented) which is no small feat but if you have very short, fine hair, I am not sure it will do the trick (the small might, if that isn't what I have - I don't think it is). No worries, the clips come with an instructional brochure so everyone can figure out how to use them! The Maximus Clips are sold at various online and retail stores for about $36-40 depending on size and design.

Don't Let This Ship SALE!!!

My favorite ribbed tanks are on sale for $9.99 each for the next 24 HOURS ONLY at Cherry Tee!!!

Make a Toast

If you love wine or are purchasing a gift for someone that does, Reidel Wine Glasses are a awesome! They glasses literally make wine taste better! Reidel makes a number of different collections including hand-blown glasses and their website makes it very easy to select the appropriate glass for you based on your choice of wine. The website also offers a number of decanters (some are really beautiful) and other accessories.

I personally like the Vinum collection which are the first machine-made, over 24% lead crystal stemware, based exclusively on the characteristics of wine grape varietals. These glasses are designed so that their rims let wine flow smoothly, and their shape and sizing work together to direct wine to the ideal part of the palette. Fine, yes, I did steal a lot of that description! If you aren't serious about wine (which I am not) or you just want to get a one size fits all set, consider the Vinum Bordeaux Wine Glasses.

You'll have to do some research on prices but I have often found Amazon has some of the best prices out there. Note that these glasses are dishwasher safe but hand washing may be the better way to go to avoid breakage and detergent residue - they are totally worth the effort!

Peep Toe Predicament

A friend of mine at work came to me today to ask what to do about wearing stockings with peep toe shoes in this too-cold-to-wear-no-stockings and too-warm-to-resist-the-urge-to-wear-a-cute-skirt-weather. My admittedly unhelpful solution to this problem is simple, I don't do stockings, they are just not my thing and I don't do freezing my butt of either so I just avoid skirts until it is warm enough not to have to worry about this problem (tights in the fall in winter excepted). This didn't fly with her so I suggested footless stockings like the ones by Spanx which do the trick if your skirt is knee-length or longer but not for shorter skirts or cold legs! Spanx also make an under the heel style that covers the entire leg and heel but leaves the rest of your foot exposed (I'm not going to lie, I don't get these). If you are in need of an instant fix or you are on a tight budget, you can always cut the toe bed off of your stockings. Finally, you can also just wear stockings (NO reinforced toe beds) especially if the open toe is slight or your skirt is exceptionally long and if not, you can just hope no one is paying attention to your feet (which is not likely to be the case if your peep toes are so fabulous that you had to wear them instead of closed toed-shoes)!

Try to Contain Yourself!

Spring is the perfect time of year to bring you another one of my favorite product lines, The Macbeth Collection. This home/office/dorm accessory line offers tons of accessories for decorating, organizing and gifting wrapped in your choice of over 200 exclusive prints that are sure to match any decor, need or occasion!!

I combined three complimentary prints to liven up my drab office in the form of the tissue box, the large clip board, the trinket tray to hold odds and ends and now candy (how else does one make it through the day), and the window box where I keep pending documents that I am am not ready to file away just yet. When my sister left for college I bought her the clip board as well as the Padtre (notepad in a tray), and the magnet board. Going to a BBQ, consider the Tote Along as a gift. Have a Beach House, look at the oval tub, perfect for storing shoes and beach toys. Need accessories to organize your baby's room, playroom or den or just looking for fabulous ideas for baby gifts, check out the Macbeth Collection items on the Layla Grace website. All of these ideas barely touch the surface so check out The Macbeth Collection 101 for 101 ways to use items from the collection!

You can order directly from the Macbeth Collection website or for personal attention, more ideas and the best prices I have found (20% off) call Maria at Sealed With A Kiss at 631-470 0014. The ideas are endless but all adorable and sure to be unique and much loved!

10 Seconds to Save the World

...or at least make a difference in it! You can donate to the Animal Rescue Site just by going to the site and clicking on the "Click Here" Icon. Every time you do, sponsors of the site fund the provision of food and care for rescued animals living in shelters. Once on the site, you can click on the tabs at the top and link to The Hunger Site (money goes to world hunger organizations), The Breast Cancer Site (funds free mammograms to those in need), The Child Health Site (funds preventative care and treatment to children in need around the world), The Literacy Site (provides free books for children worldwide) and The Rainforest Site (which is dedicated to global rainforest preservation) all of which work on the same premise!