Girls Just Wanna Have Sun!

Don’t you just LOVE a sunny day?

It really makes me happier,think better and I know more productive.

How about you? What does the sun do for you?While I live in Florida. I spent more time at the beaches of New York and New Jersey shore than I do now.Crazy huh?After getting stung by skin cancer I just can’t spend a lot of time out there. Being in the beauty and spa business I really have to practice what I preach.

BUT when I do go here are a few of my fave things to take and do to make your day in the sun more fun.

• At the top of my list I have to remind all you girls who are baking like cookies on the beach…to PROTECT yourself. Apply a shot glass size of sunscreen at least a half an hour before you leave.
• Freeze fresh grapes and blueberries overnight and pack in snack bags to enjoy a refreshing treat at the beach. Watermelon (do not freeze)cubes is another cool you down treat.
• Make your own fruit or vegetable infused water and put in a travel glass or bottle for sipping.

Examples: Kiwi and Strawberry slices or watermelon and mint. Get creative. But beware of citrus as it may interfere with your skin care and you can open the door to more sensitive skin in the sun = sun spots.

• Apply a quarter size of almond oil to your hair and comb it back and up away from your face. Your hair will condition while you spend your day at the beach.
• Give your feet  foot facial by taking a walk on the beach near the water. The WET sand is cheaper than any potion you can buy on the beauty store shelf.
• Rub in sunflower or almond oil on your cuticles (hand and feet) your skin will hydrate while you beach.
• Get some exercise and rev up that heart and walk or take a short run.
• Bring out you inner child and build a mini castle or sculpture …it will exfoliate rough fingers hands too.
• Hunt for seashells that might have a hole in them and create a necklace when you get home of it to remind you of your time. I have some from Hawaii and every time I wear or look at them I think of my awesome trip.Beautiful memories.

Have fun in the sun and protect that pretty face!

 

 

 

One of my top obsessions!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE…ALL things office supplies!

I love the colored organizers,desk chairs in hot colors, blinged out staplers,colored writing pens,Sharpie maker pens,rubber bands in all hues and the colorful beauty of writing and printer papers. The crazy part is I think I might love office and paper supply stores just as much as lipstick and that is epic.

I just visited The Container Store and roamed the store for hours! I am addicted. It is my happy place besides being in my own store.The second I get into a store like this or a paper/card store I love the smell. The thrill of being there. Do you like it too? Do you have a passion for office supplies too?

I so look forward to hearing from you!

Share with me your LOVES too!

 

 

Vegas Baby!

I am so ready to paint the town pink!

It is that time of  year and I am so excited to guest speak again at the International Esthetics Cosmetics and Spa show in beautiful Las Vegas! It is not only a fun city it is home to so many of my fav’ foodie spots!

I will be working,exploring and shopping the show floor for the latest and greatest in beauty and skin! I love this show! It is THE BEST!

I also can’t wait to go to the strip and partake in some eye candy as these casinos offer so much. While I do not gamble I do love everything else!

It is going to be 117 average temperature and while they call it a dry heat. I call it HOT AS HELL heat just like Florida.I still sweat!

I might even take in one of the hot spas if I have time as these spots are so divine! So, I will be bringing you the best in beauty from one who craves all things beauty and who is a foodie.

I will miss my husband but so look forward to sharing with you my travel and fun finds!

 

 

 

 

DIY for your accessories & more!

 

I have a fashionable guilty obsession! Accessories!

If it sparkles,dangles or glows around your hair,neck,ears or wrists …I’m in!

I use to and still do store all my fashionable beauties on veleteen boards and earring trays like Tiffany’s. But that can get expensive after awhile when you own as much costume jewelry as I do!

Last month my husband and I visited a new Asian grocery store that sold some incredibly delicious Japanese Mochi in the freezer section. After devouring all these cool and yummy goodies I was going to throw away the tray they came on. I got to thinking…how wasteful is that. And SILLY. The tray was quite sturdy and had spaces that could accommodate earrings,pins and more. So, I rinsed it out and started to fill. I left some space empty so you can see.

They work beautifully. It was just perfect storing for me. And they do not collect dust like the black jewelry trays and boards can do. Today I went and got more Mochi flavors for the long weekend.I look forward to organizing my jewelry in them and more.

What do you think? Pretty cool and eco- friendly idea.

PS

I think it would be great for eye shadow,gloss pots and the like too.

An Apple a Day…keeps you healthier!

It has been non-stop for me for 11 days with work and play. I have been traveling to the BEAUTIFUL state of Maine, next a trip to NYC (will share soon about these trips with you) and then back to FLORIDA for more work. We did another one of our signature Pop Up shop at an event with Jacksonville magazine. Yesterday was spent painting pretty faces at my makeup studio.

Today  I am going to celebrate my husbands birthday starting with breakfast in bed.

And for me I am eating clean as I am craving green! Don’t you just love the first bite into a green crunchy apple? God’s edible masterpiece! Last night I shopped the aisles and bought the freshest batch of colorful fruits and veggies. And this week I am going to back on a beautiful food track (with a little bit of his Birthday cake)

Travel and stress takes a toll on your body and skin. Sometimes you have to take a break and treat yourself to all the bounty from a farmer’s market.And feed your body what it needs.

Be well and take time to smell the strawberries,apples and papaya!!!

 

EGGstra, Eggstra Face Mask!

Do you want to brighten up your complexion?

One of my dear friends who happens to be of Asian descent shared this recipe with me.She swears by it’s skin brightening! I also find it refreshing and skin tightening.

What you will need is:

2 raw egg whites

2 tablespoons off fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons organic olive oil

Mix all of the above and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Clean your face,apply a generous layer of the above mixture on your face as if you were icing a cake. Your face is the cake. Then let it dry completely.

Afterwards remove the mask with a warm washcloth and wash your face with cool water.

Next apply a moisturizer.

I recommend you use this at least once a week maybe two.

After a month you will really notice brighter skin!

This is mask is good for normal to combination skin.

HOP TO IT, Gorgeous and enjoy looking at your skin in the mirror.

PS

Stay tuned for my EARTH DAY gorgeous giveaway next weekend.

One lucky BLOG reader will win!

 

 

 

 

 

The It Smoothie Shake

Here is a low calorie delight recipe I found from one of LA’s chef’s.Celebrities so LOVE this shake! You will too.

I am kinda addicted.

Blueberry Chocolate Antioxidant Shake

1/2 cup of blueberries

1 ripe banana

1 1/4 tablespoons of cacao powder

1/2 teaspoon goji berries

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons of agave nectar

small pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup of water

2 1/2 cups of ice

Blend all these beauty filled antioxidants and ingredients except ice until smooth. Add ice and re-blend approximately 15 seconds for a thick shake.I love this as a breakfast or snack treat!

I also LOVE to take this NEOCELL  blueberry beauty supplement daily…Read the bottle for it’s goodness for your SKIN,joints,eyes and so much more!

Get going and glowing,Gorgeous! #glowgetter  #neocell

 

Jet setting for Beauty & Food

I am ready to share my recent finds in WONDERFUL Chicago. Guest speaking at the International Esthetics Cosmetics and Spa show is always an honor and my pleasure. But playing in a city I travel to is always a JOY. I love to discover new hot spots and to visit my fave places I continue to go back to.

Welcome to Donut Heaven! Stan’s Donuts is an awesome donut place I fell in love with. While I love Do-Rite donuts and will never stop. Stan’s Donuts and staff  was the best! For almost 50 years Stan has crafted some of the world’s best donuts and started in Los Angeles. So many choices so little time!!! And they are ginormous!Don’t let the name fool you they have bagels and so many other yummies too.Including a Dirty Chai Tea! I love the name. Don’t you?

Next I had to stop at Ming Hin in Chinatown for DIM SUM …I ordered an array of fabulous delights from dumplings, to shrimp to Chow Fun. I did not order the tough bird staring at me on the menu. Although it was tempting to TRY.

I

I always go back to Merz Apothecary for old time pharmacy and beauty finds and for a drink at the Palmer House.So tres chic.

I adore shopping the Magnificent Mile with all the amazing stores but  I love to go downtown on State Street that great street with mom and pop shops and eateries. I love a store called Agaci for fashionable finds.Nordstrom Racks there too.

The beauty show was filled with energy and mystical crystals. I got a Chakra reading by the master Linda Bertaut. She said I am SUPER-CHARGED with lots of energy!!! But warned me to watch out for burn out.I guess it is all about moderation isn’t it? Visit: http://www.chakralicious.com for more info.

Korean beauty is still trending and there is beauty from the sea with Repechage skin care.

I discovered some more fun beauty things. Stay tuned for my posts.

Oh and its almost time for MY Spring Beauty Giveaway! Come back and see how you might win and score.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beauty,Beauty and more beauty in the Big Apple!

A week ago I escaped the blizzard and traveled to NYC for work and play. I was bound and determined not to let the cold weather get in my way.I arrived safe by Delta Airlines and landed almost an hour sooner than scheduled. The sun was shining gloriously and the weather was awesome in the 60’s. I checked in to my first hotel and quickly had attend to refresh and go to two planned beauty events. I  discovered new beauty products to show on my beauty and lifestyle segment on NBC12- TV. I also love to see what I would like to enjoy and add to my own beauty routine. My first stop was at a loft terrace in a sun-drenched  huge room. I sipped champagne,noshed on yummy treats and explored what’s hot a new.The best part besides the awesome products I saw. They served up COTTON CANDY fresh from an old time machine! How cool was that! I love cotton candy in its soft rainbow fluffy hues of sweetness.More to come in another post on the products I enjoyed and fell in love with.

Next stop I hustled in a cab to the event of the year. It happens once a year. NYC beauty editors,cosmetics executives and anyone who is anyone in beauty attend the Cosmetic Exec Women event. We sniff,touch,smell,play and test drive NEW beauty launches from the past 12 months.After we do this we vote after testing some more brands at home.There are many categories. Makeup,Hair,Skin,Nails,Fragrance,Male Grooming,Beauty Tools nail polish and so much more.It is a exciting packed party of wall to wall women.Each year is different. This year QVC was offering makeup applications and even gave us a cosmetic bag.Hair was being styled and more.And did I mention they had cupcakes and cocktails?

After the tabulations are all in brands receive an Academy award of beauty no not a gold statue but winning  is the most coveted accolade you want by a beauty brand. My swag weighed in at 12 lbs.Two fast and furious hours of a really packed pavilion.

The next day while the weather was still in the 60’s I had a few business meetings but made time to go downtown for Chinese Brunch called DIM SUM at one of my fav’ places in Chinatown section of NYC. The Joy Luck Palace. I was seated with two women and two of their nurses who took them o the city for an outing. They were from Hong Kong and 95 and 99 years young.So fun to watch the friendship between the two ladies. The older one was a fashionista dripping in jade jewelry.The two ladies did not speak English but I understood the language of their smiles,facial expressions,laughter and appearance.Women push carts filled with hot Chinese food from soup to dumplings to chicken feet.

My fave’ Dim Sum was 3  little piggies sitting in the bamboo steamer looking at me! They were meant for the end of the meal. A warm fluffy dough filled with a creme brulle kind of cream and it also reminded me of the yummiest vanilla pudding.The Chef’s  here make the best tiny bites of love.If you have never tried or enjoyed dim sum you must find a place to dine in your travels.

Did I mention I got caught in the first flurry of snow and slush and had not packed any boots? MY husband told me I wouldn’t need them.Note to self…never not pack your boots with all your other needed winter gear.

Window shopping is the best shopping! I window shopped all the hot stores like Bloomingdales,Macy’s and Bendel’s and more. I used to live here and really miss having this city at my feet on a daily basis.But I also shopped the fashion district too and discovered some amazing fabrics. So inspiring.Even stopping by candy stores and food stands gives me yummy inspiration since I so love candy and beauty too.

I took some time for at my fav’ places for a mani,pedi and facial too.And I discovered some more places to shop and play for K beauty too.

Oh and I went to the International Beauty Show and guest spoke at the International Esthetics,Cosmetics and Spa show. The show floor was filled with the latest and greatest in the world of beauty. Then came the SNOW.Thank goodness I was already booked on a flight the day before the storm.

Off on another beauty trip soon.Gotta unpack to pack.Stay tuned for more on my beauty adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe for Your Throat

Made it back from New York! I worked,I shopped, I dined and conquered the days before the blizzard. On the return flight someone behind me on the plane kept on coughing (and did not cover her mouth) all two hours and 45 minutes of the flight.

Not sure what I have caught but since I am on TV today at 3:00 for my beauty and lifestyle segment on NBC 12’s The Chat…I need to help my voice.

As the weather goes up and down all over the country and a chill in the air can make us feel like bad and come down with a cold or sore throat… give this recipe a try.

Here is one of my personal recipes for a dry sore throat:

A teaspoon raw local honey

1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

*A sprinkle of cayenne pepper

Take twice daily for three days. It is antiviral,anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.

Enjoy it as you wish!

I do this straight up on a spoon or my fave is to put it in hot water and sip like a cup of tea.

Works like a charm!

Stay tuned to my blog this weekend all about my adventures in beauty,fashion and food from NYC.