Shop Till Your Glass Drops!

Call me crazy but who in the right mind gets up at 4am to join the Black Friday stampede? Really is a new tv, doll house or sweater set worth losing your beaute sleep or worse yet being trampled to death (see Walmart fiasco from last year)? I understand we are in a recession/saving mode like little squirrels who horde their nuts but what ever happened to civility, dignity and compassion? Plus do you really want to brave the holiday crowds, screaming kids and rude salespeople when you can do all your holiday shopping from the comfort of your own home (go ahead and indulge by doing it from your bed!)? Think about it: you in your comfy clothes with a glass of vino in hand simply pointing and clicking your holiday gift list away. It's a beaute no brainer, especially since there's so many amazing deals on Cyber Monday (for those of you who are not aware of this internet holiday, the Monday after Thanksgiving is the largest online shopping day!...Apparently no one needs to or is working! ). Now beware many of these deals are only valid for the next 24-48 hours so hurry and take advantage of these insider savings that aren't even available in stores!

Shopping Deals Expiring at 11:59pm on 11/30

Armani: Enjoy 20% off skincare and cosmetics plus complimentary shipping with code FAMILY. Pick up their cult favorite Luminous Silk Foundation for your sis.

Lancome: Save 20% off all purchases plus free shipping with code HOLIDAYJOY2. I bought their Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover and who doesn't love their flake-free mascara?

Origins: $10 off orders $25 or more and get free shipping with code TenOff09. For you natural and organic beaute lover give them their USDA certified organic line.

Shopping Deals Expiring at 11:59pm on 12/1

Bliss: 30% off 2 or more items with code GIFT30 or 30% off hand picked giftsets with code SET30 for the bath lover on your list.

Kiehl's: Enjoy 20% off and free shipping on orders of $30 or more with code FAMILY. Pick up their Creme de Corps Soy Milk & Honey Body Polish for someone you want to snuggle with!

Shu Uemura: Receive 20% off and free shipping on orders of $50 or more with code WISH09. Stock up on their amazing brushes and their legendary Eye Lash curler for your makeup-happy friend.

Bath & Body Works: Get 25% off all orders. Treat your mom with Dr. Wexler skin care products!

Bobbi Brown: Spending for a cause! Enjoy 20% off plus free shipping on orders of $65 or more. No code necessary this saving is automatically applied at checkout. Proceeds from purchase will help support their donation of $10,000 to Dress for Success. Get their fool-proof Long Wear Eye Gel for you're best friend.

Usage tip: Start enjoying the holiday festivities since you no longer will be wasting your time standing in line at the retail counters!

The result: Stress-free gift saving...don't you love your computer?

The Third Date

There's something so promising and idealistic about the first date. You're filled with hope and optimistic expectations as your mind runs wild with all the possible scenarios...could he/she be that great lover typically reserved for the story books? Perhaps a future baby daddy? (No judgement on my part. I understand times are tough. Just kidding! The gold digger look is not a good style so drop it like you did with last season's MC Hammer-esque harem pants)! Or if you're not already jaded, perhaps you may be as far-reaching to fantasize that this may be the one! (We have saying in my culture: there's a wedding in the bride's house and the groom doesn't even know it!). Then there's the second date...by now you've been brought back to earth by the events transpired during and between date 1 and 2. You've started to make your pros and cons list to see if this is worth the investment. Date 3- I like to call this the deal breaker. Either you're intrigued and willing to stay for more or you've seen enough and well...au revoir, adios, adieu, you get the idea!

Luckily for the Clarisonic Mia Skin Care Brush date 3 continued to exceed Dr. Sam's expectations (if you have no idea who Dr. Sam is you need to keep up and read the last post!). After using the brush both morning and evening, Dr. Sam has been experiencing a new radiance and luminosity. The blackheads around her nose have nearly dissappeared and her hyperpigmentation spots have been lightened. Her skin's texture is smoother and softer, it's almost surreal! Of course all these end benefits are a testament to the brushes cleansing and micro-massage mechanism that effectively removes more dirt, oil and impurities than your typical manual cleansing methods. And because her skin is being "detoxed" in a sense, Dr. Sam is noticing some breakouts as deeply seated bacteria is brought to the skin surface. But as she moves on to date 4 (I know, I think it's becoming serious although they haven't had the "talk" yet), I can already see Dr. Sam is hooked! She has doubled her treatment time from 50 seconds to 2 minutes!

Usage tip: Use the brush around the neck and decollete area at least twice a week to deeply cleanse the skin. After all skin ages everywhere and it is much harder to mask the maturity signs in these two key places.

The results: You know the butterfly feeling you get in your stomach on date 3? Well imagine the same sort of feeling just for your face!

The Mia, Day 1

As a child your mind is like a sponge, eager to absorb any and everything. It is during these earlier stages that you form opinions, views and preferences based off these individual experiences, and as the experience/situation is repeated over and over again your notion or inclination only gets further cemented. I know, I know, what does this have to do with beaute and what's with the deep introspective, philosophical talk?! I'm privileged enough to have a vivacious, whip-smart cousin, and for circumstances beyond either of our control we haven't always had the most warm, intimate rapport (this is where those childhood experiences come in). However on a twist of fate I'm honored to have her visiting me this week, and in an effort to start a new beginning we will be co-authoring this weeks posts. And did I mention that this brilliant cousin is a dermatologist? Oh yes! So get ready for two expert opinions!

Taking advantage of Sephora's V.I.B. 20% off event, we picked up the Clarisonic Mia Skin Care Brush over the weekend and decided to put their claims to the test. At a $150 a pop we wanted to make sure this professional gadget goes the extra mile. For those of you not familiar with this tool allow me to give you a brief introduction. Borrowing from the sonic technology of your favorite toothbrush, the Mia is a soft, cordless brush that moves back and forth at more than 300 times per second to remove makeup six times better than traditional methods. Worried about irritation? The brush comes in 3 styles designed by skin type: normal, sensitive and delicate. And the claims? Clarisonic promises cleaner, smaller pores and healthier looking skin that is so thoroughly clean that your skincare products will work better. So we will be reporting to you from the frontlines of my brightly lit bathroom where we will be test driving the Mia for the next 5 days.

Immediately/Day 1

Methodology: We followed the prescribed directions and washed for a total of 50 seconds, spending 10 seconds on each cheek, 20 seconds on the forehead and the nose/chin. (Note the brush automatically turns itself off after a minute). You can use any cleanser with the brush, we washed in the evening with the one provided and in the morning with Dr. Sam's favorite. Interestingly neither foamed especially since the brand Dr. Sam uses is known for its lather properties when used mechanically by hand.

Findings: Immediately I noticed Dr. Sam's complexion had a rosy, healthy glow almost like she had spent the day frolicking in the mountains inhaling the fresh air. Her skin was silky, silky smooth to the point where we could not stop touching it! And ohhh the softness! You would have thought we were admiring the butter soft leather bags from our favorite Italian brand. Dr. Sam appreciated the gentleness of the brush, she was astounded that her skin was thoroughly cleaned with minimal abrasion. In the office she only sees results like this through more invasive procedures like microdermabrasion. Dr. Sam was hooked....she couldn't wait till morning so she could use it again!

Usage tip: Remove eye makeup first with a cotton pad and eye makeup remover. I like Lancome Bi-Facil. Lightly wet the skin and brush before cleansing. Make sure to gently move the brush in small circular motions but avoid pressing too hard as it will only irritate the skin and prohibit the brush from properly cleaning.

The result: Skin as soft as a baby's bottom, radiant as a post-workout glow and smooth as silk!

Pin Straight Smartness

There are just some looks that are so iconic and in a sense timeless that they become synonymous with that certain tweed jacket or enviable quilted bag. Back in the '90's our go-to-girl, Ms. Rachel Greene (aka Jennifer Aniston), evolved her shag that spawned a million "me too's" to a sleek, pin straight layered look. The moment that happened there was a stampede of a million women running to buy their very own flatiron...and the copycatting continued. Over 10 years later that polished look has stayed relevant and mainstream. Ms. Aniston still sports it and the house of Gucci and Givenchy made the modern sleek hair front and center of their autumn/fall campaigns. Of course like all things there's a right way of doing it and a wrong way. I'm still haunted with the memories of my first flat ironing experiences. Within months my hair was ravaged. The ends became prone to breakage, my hair lost its luster, felt straw-like and began to make this almost scary crinkling sound when touched. Unfortunately I was still in my beaute guru apprentice days so there was much to be learned!

Now having perfected the look, I want to share the "right way" to do it to avoid the unnecessary damage and scary side effects! Let's think of this as the Whole Foods, yoga approach to flat ironing.

Pin Straight Hair (the healthy way!)

1. After washing and gently towel drying hair, apply a heat activated milk/serum from mid-length to ends. Protecting hair from heat damage, this type of product prevents against breakage and the scrunchy feeling to keep strands healthy and strong. I recommend Kerastase Ciment Thermique.

2. Blow dry strands till they are barely damp.

3. Take a paddle brush and quickly smooth hair in 2" sections with the blow drier. This preps the hair by beginning the early straightening stages helping to cut down on the flat ironing time. Reminder: this is just a quick prep so don't focus on making it perfect.

4. Starting at the root, rest hair on the inside panel (the one closest to your scalp) of the iron and gently pull it taut or straight with your hand. Closing the iron at the root causes an unsightly kink/bump so this technique gives you pure smoothness.

5. After straigthening the 1" section of hair near the roots, gently press the iron closed inch by inch as move down the remaining length of hair. Never, ever drag the closed flat iron along the hair. This will only damage your hair shaft.

6. After your straightening is complete, mix a shine spray or serum between the palms of your hand. Then clamp 3" hair sections between the palms and almost in a clapping motion apply the shine enhancing product. This method avoids ruffing the hair cuticles and maintains the frizz-free smoothness you worked so hard to attain.

Et voila ma belle! You got the look without the burn (yes this is one of the few cases it's good to avoid that burn, baby, burn feeling we all seek at the gym)

Usage tip: Always use a flatiron with ceramic plates and make sure that the temperature does not exceed 180 F. There is absolutely no reason your iron needs to be hotter than that! I once met a women who liked her flatiron to be 450 F. When I told her that at the temperature she could literally melt her hair she started crying! Melted hair is not an iconic look so please be smart. And learning from our last post it is imperative to nourish your hair weekly with a conditioning, restorative masque. Afterall we all need a little TLC!

The result: Beautiful yet sleek, healthy yet polished straight hair.

Deshabille No More

There a couple of ways to spend a perfect Sunday night - making dinner with a special someone as you hand feed each other, watching the latest Desperate Housewives (yes I'm a fan, albeit a bit closeted about it) over a bottle of vino or attending a poetry reading, as I did this past Sunday. While I sat and listened to the most soulful, core-stirring, inspirational words known to man, I couldn't help but notice the women in front of me. It wasn't her sweater or intent concentration that caught my eye. No it was her frizzy, deshabille, split-end screaming hair that distracted me from the evening's festivities. I literally had to sit on my hands to avoid interrupting the reading to tell her how to fix the hot mess on her head. With the plethora of amazing hair care products and especially one special treatment called a masque there's no reason to look like that!

Richer and more luxurious than your traditional conditioner, the masque nourishes and revives dry, stressed, brittle hair. Masques feature fortified formulas packed with moisturizing, strengthening and taming ingredients to reinforce hair from the cortex (the center/structural foundation of hair) while smoothing the cuticle (hair's outer layer). Imagine little packman's that replenish hair with it's essential building blocks (proteins) to rebuild from the inside out. Lipids and nutrients replenish hair while conditioning agents seal for shine and manageability. Hair is smoothed, softened and glowing. Depending on your price point I recommend either Kerastase Nutridefense Treatment ($58) or Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine Instant Melting Conditioner ($4.99). Both will restore environmentally stressed, heat damaged hair for glossy, shiny, advertisement locks!

Usage tip: Apply once a week from mid-length to ends. Leave on for a minimum of 5 minutes (basically while you wash your body, exfoliate and shave your legs - talk about multi-tasking!) or up to 30 min (wrap hair in a towel so that your head's body heat helps in penetration) depending on damage. Although rich, these products are weightless so if you apply a nickel to quarter size amount (dependent on hair length) your hair will maintain it's bouncy volume. In desperate need to cover your split ends like my fellow poet enthusiast? Use the masque twice week on ends only in lieu of conditioner for an instant seal!

The result: Touchable, velvet soft, luminous hair!

Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend!

There are a few innate things you can always count on in life: taxes must be paid every April 15th, the sun will rise in the east and set in the west and the ladies will always have a weakness for a certain sparkly gemstone. Think about it: have you ever met a girl who didn't go gaga over diamonds? Whether it's the pre-recession/finance-induced/celeb-sporting multi-carat (read: as big as your face) stone or a more subdued micro-pave, females will always become a bit weak in the knees. And a girl will always be able to recount the first diamond she received. The incidence sets a precedence, given from one loving person to another (for me it was the studs my parents gave me on my 16th birthday). Along those lines I have a diamond gift for my readers...

If there is one part of your face that you would like to sparkle like a million little diamonds or glitter the way fresh snow dances with a radiance-like dazzle, it is without question your lips. The multi-faceted shimmer of a D-flawless lipgloss imparts a sumptuous, multi-dimension, almost irresistible look to lips. So for your gift: drumroll please as you tear the wrapping paper, discover amongst the tissue a small blue box and open the lid to find....Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer! Without question, this is THEgloss for a sophisticated, timeless glimmer. Imagine a micronized diamond bracelet that was transformed into a lipgloss and you would get Chanel Glossimer's. Available in 40 different shades, this gloss is what makes your lips desirably and unattainably kissable (beware of people becoming so fixated with your lips that they will be chasing you down the streets for just the smallest hope of kiss!). Formulated with my favorite antioxidants, vitamins C and E, this product will also prevent against free radical damage while the water-resistant formula stays put for hours upon hours. So for your next night out (or if you want to add a little something to your day) pull this out and frost your lips with this multi-watt diamond gift!

Usage tip: Use alone or layer on top of a complimentary lipstick for intensified shine and color. My personal favorite color is Unity which originally launched as a limited edition but like all blockbuster hits became a Chanel mainstay. It's the perfect caramel, shimmery bronze hue well matched and non-competing with any eye shadow color!

The result: Timeless, classic lips (after all that's what diamonds are!)

Kings & Queens

It is sort of funny the way things transpire. Have you ever noticed how one thing can just lead to another without you ever expecting it? On a recent Target shopping trip I picked up a new, ribbon-weaved notebook for work (I need something pretty to look at while sitting through endless meetings). And in one of those meetings my co-worker complimented me onit. We started talking about the shopping utopia Target is and the endless things one never knew they needed until they browsed the aisles. As a fellow New Yorker who doesn't have the luxury of having a Target store within the city, she commented on how Duane Reade (the smaller, NYC answer to Target) has cultivated an equally interesting selection of products. She started raving about this body product line she had seen there after having once purchased it at Nordstorm. 9am sharp the next day she is at my desk clutching a heavenly body butter...

And that is the moment I fell in love with Kings & Queens Nefertiti Honey Body Butter. It is rare that a product can sweep me off my feet within the first few seconds. I tend to be the cautiously skeptical type who must use a product several times before recognizing any affection-like feelings. My eyes were fixated on this ornately designed tube as I thought "Wow I don't need to hide this product in my bathroom." It's so beautiful it can actually be a decoratory element. As I unscrewed the cap and squeezed the cream, the nourishing scent of honey sealed the deal. And of course with all that foreplay, the cream really delivered- rich, luxurious and hydrating. So off I went to my local Duane Reade and stockpiled this life-changing product. I also picked up the complimentary body wash to complete the whole experience. Used by the original Beaute Guru, Cleopatra, honey has been long revered for its natural humecant properties (meaning it attracts and retains moisture), utilized in combination the body wash and body butter nourish skin for a long-lasting silky softness. I had almost forget about the products until I went to put my sweater on this afternoon and noticed how unbelievably rose petal-esque my skin felt. I must have not been the only person to realize this, my poor coworker had the body balm stolen off her desk after showing it to me. Can you imagine?! Beaute readers run (not walk) to your Duane Reade for this lavish indulgence. For my non-Nyc friends checkout out Beauty.com which sells a set with the body wash and balm for $12. Now that's what I call pampering, recessionista style.

Usage tip: For optimal hydration, apply the body balm directly after getting out of the shower to seal in the moisture. Check out there other scents as well, although I must warn you that they're not nearly as amazing as the honey.

The result: Nefertiti, the royal wife of an Egyptian Pharaoh, was revered as beauty icon who relied on honey for all her beauty treatments to ensure she lived up to the essence of her name, which means "the beautiful woman has arrived".