Archive for September, 2006

The only benefits my roommate is getting are in the hygiene department. He’s been a good sport about testing everything from hair cream that doubles as lotion to aromatic aftershave spritzers.

What: Alterna Enzymetherapy Hemp Hair Concrete

What He Said: and I quote, “Seth likes Alterna Hemp Hair Concrete- are you going to say I’m a musician? Because I didn’t make the newsletter even though I used the 1. hair cream that you don’t have to wash your hands after you use it but you didn’t quote me and Adam got a quote. If you do say, “a musician who doubles on clarinet and saxophone.” Here’s my quote: “Seth likes Alterna Hemp Hair because it treats his hair the way most of his girlfriends treat him: tames you, controls you, and keeps you hard all day.” Or you can just say its a hard, pasty hemp product that gives you good styling for your hair. It lasts long and adds volume and texture.” What? No jokes about how it’s named concrete?

Price: $20

Get Yours: Amazon.com

Hooray for Friday! Today’s the first crisp day in NYC — my friend calls it “campus” weather…so see you in class at SheFinds U next week!

On the Syllabus:

Get in the foilage groove with a pretty falling leaf necklace from Peggy Li. (via thedailyobsession). Shop for more golden leaves in our Jewelry Guide.

Um. I was told there would be no math. The Purse Blog is giving away this LV to the person who can guess the number of the M&Ms in the jar. (via fashiontribes)

Got your tux for the fall formal? Not for him — for you. (via fabsugar)

History — names, dates, events — who cares? Which POTUS had the best hair. (via Manolo’s ShoeBlogs)

You know when you’ve been up all night writing that 35 page term paper comparing and contrasting Beowulf’s Grendel’s monotheistic sentiments with the philosophy of modern Christianity and then at 3:06 AM your Dell battery starts to smoke? Well…we’ve got a find for you. (via popgadget.net)

Face Scrub for the “Sensitive” Man

What: Lumene Skin Tech for Men Face Scrub

Why: I have sensitive skin. Baby-faced, rosy cheeks, I sunburn easily…you get the idea. After many disastrous attempts, I quit using facial scrubs because they all wreaked havoc with my face. Reluctantly, I tried Lumene Skin Tech for Men Face Scrub for fear of looking like I’d been bitch-slapped with a cheese grater. I initially cringed as I rubbed the sand-like granules into my skin, but immediately felt the difference. Lightly abrasive, rich lather and cool sensation all over my face. I rinsed to find an exfoliated, smoother and balanced (i.e., no scrubbed red patches) skin that looked visibly refreshed. Definitely a keeper for the “sensitive” man in your life.

Price: 3.4 oz for $8.99

Find it: at cvs.com

Belts are the final step in (finally) ridding ourselves of the tragic Boho-homeless look that had been so “hot.” Someone should pass a fashion dictate stating that one sad little twin’s eating disorder does not a trend make. As we collectively move towards a more classically structured feminine silhouette, this season’s neccessary accessory is understandably, the belt. Who’s cinching? Completely devoid of their utilitarian status, this season’s belts are not meant for loops. They’re bold like thisJackrabbit belt in Navy from pinkmascara.comensuring your accessory will be noticed.

Apparently, the wider and higher, the better. This is not always the case, as is evidenced by the near manic thoughts of “Don’t!” that seem to penetrate my psyche everywhere I go lately. For ladies with a short torso, a high waisted, thick belt that rests squarely beneath the bust gives the same dreaded look as the notorious “mom jeans”. To avoid this faux pas, sling low, like this one from Black & Brown London at eLuxury.

Follow the trend: Experiment with stlyes affordably,.

carries great brands like Twelfth Street and Ya-Ya.

Deal Alert: Fall Accessories up to 40% off NOW at Bluefly.com

The weather is changing and my lips are cracked. So if you see an abundance of balms on the blog- blame me. But I don’t think there’s a beauty staple more essential than a good lip balm or 12. Variety is the spice and all that…

Rosebud Perfume Company has been producing Smith’s Rosebud Salve since 1892. Anything with that kind of staying power belongs in your beauty bag. This light pink, lightly scented salve is most often touted as a lip gloss but its essential oil blends solve more than chapped lips. It soothes cracked skin, cuts, and scrapes. It even eases sunburn. Apply a thin layer of this wonder gloss to your eyelids for a dewy starlet glow. I’ve also used it to tame wild eyebrows, gloss up a matte lipstick, and (as suggested right on the retro tin) on blemishes. It was nerve-wracking to put a petroleum based product on my already oily complexion, but Rosebud Salve truly calms those “about to erupt” zits. Celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow claim not to leave home without it. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more versatile beauty bargain. $5.50 will buy you a tin that lasts for what seems like forever. Find it at beauty.com

Photo by Nancy Kaszerman/ZUMA Press NYMetro Liv Tyler at Prada

Black beauty (shadows, lips, and nails) is appearing all over. The trend took hold this summer with even the Upper East Siders/Hamptons residers squaring off their nails and painting them the color of an angsty teen’s aura.

BUT just like we get snarky over the TRL-izing of our indie bands and the mass-retail appropriation of our dress code, Brooklynites from trend-central Williamsburg have earned bitching rights over the filching of our finger style. We’ve had dark nails since the first hipster slung on his studded belt. Some of us haven’t stopped since the run on Chanel’s Vamp in ‘94. Even if you’re not obsessed with your anti-establishment status or a boy rocker (or David Beckham), you too can go dark without looking like Elvira.

Tips: Just keep your nails short, preferably square, and let a manicurist do the deed unless you have steady hand. No one wants to see a “dirty” nail bed from a polish smear. And even with the best of blacks, it takes a couple coats.

Follow the trend:
My address is in Williamsburg and my preferred polish is Essie in Licorice.

The Limited Edition Chanel Black Satin Le Vernis is completely sold out in stores and online. Find it on eBay. Buyer beware, it’s selling for as much as $109 a bottle!

OPI Black Satin has a more metallic finish than true black.

Ok, fine. But if Katie Couric goes black, I’m gonna stop.

What: Juice Beauty

Why: Unlike those delicious smelling, but horrible tasting markers I sniffed all the way through elementary school, Juice Beauty products actually are good enough to eat. Though completely organic and edible, your skin will be far more nourished and appreciative than your taste buds. Beauty conscious tree huggers everywhere are appreciating Juice Beauty’s use of pure high-end blends of organic liquid botanicals, and aromatheraputic essential oils and aromas. I’m working my way through the entire line, and every new product I’ve tried has immediately become “my favorite product EVER”. Seriously though, the extra creamy Juice Beauty Lip Plumper really is my favorite product ever. Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel available in full strength or sensitive skin (which just won Natual Health’s 2006 Natural Beauty award for best peel) left my skin tone visibly improved, with none of the redness or irritation that usually accompanies the removal of a layer of skin. My mother has “borrowed” the Green Apple Moisturizer SPF 15 and her skin looks so replenished I don’t anticipate getting it back any time soon.

Get Yours: by trying the Juice Beauty Organics To Go ($45 Value) sampler OR the Juice Beauty Radiance Collection ($75 Value) both are great deals at Sephora.com.

That glorious online mecca of designer deals has just made shopping for shoes, handbags and other accessories oh-so-easy: It created new departments for them. The department pages not only sort by color, size and style like other sections, but also highlight new products and the season’s trends. Love it! In less than 10 minutes I had a wish list of new accessories for fall: this lightweight Kashmere packable scarf – a steal for under $45 – and perfect for layering; a fantastic BCBG Max Azria brown leather handbag that has this season’s tassle and bronze hardware; and a wide brown belt for cinching it all together.

Check it out: Bluefly.com

Cruising to work in relative comfort, wearing scrunched-down socks and too-white walking shoes is so 1987. Unfortunately, taking public transportation to work is a necessary urban evil. Chasing down a bus or leaping through closing El doors can take the sexy out of your stilettos like that. I’ll admit I was skeptical about “dressy” sneakers. But I’ve seen scads of Loop-bound young professionals looking classy-comfortable in flat sneaks, and even she-of-sometimes-questionable-taste Mischa Barton makes them look cute and fresh.

Keds, the line for which Mischa is spokesfoot, has a fall-friendly pair, the ($49.99), in espresso-colored cracked leather. shows fashion sneakers and flashy metallic-accented skimmers; the silvery ($88.95) combine the rubber-soled comfy of tennis shoes with a chic ballet flat style. The ($123.95) from retro-hip Puma is in line with the well-fitting style the Grey’s Anatomy docs sport with their scrubs (that speaks volumes about comfort and style).

Follow the trend:
Ditch the scrunched-down socks. Find these and tons of other commute-friendly sneakers at

A couple years ago on a hot, Indian-summer day, I decided to take a break in a very cool (in more than one sense of the word) place. The Barney’s New York cosmetic counter. I wasn’t seeking anything in particular, but in my perusing I stumbled upon the most amazing lip balm. It didn’t hurt that the salesgirl whispered in my ear, “You just missed Jennifer Aniston, and she bought the Nuxe.” Good enough for Jen, good enough for me.
And since I tried the Nuxe’s Reve de Miel Baume Levres I haven’t been able to live without it. It has a creamy honey base. It isn’t greasy or slick, so you can apply to the dry skin around your lips without worrying about break-outs. It really is lotion for your lips. I won’t go to sleep at night without it slathered on and it’s gotten me through every chapped-lip winter since. In fact, while you’re at it, buy two. You’ll want one for your handbag or desk drawer and one for the bedside table.

Price: $21

Find it: Beauty.com

What: An Earnest Cut and Sew Tristen Maltese Wool Trench Coat

Why: In the back-to-school spirit, I’m giving a pop quiz. You know it’s officially Fall when…

A) You’re so over those endless self-tan applications

B) You switch from iced to hot lattes

C) You start to covet the cutest outerwear

D) Autumnal trends are shoved in your face by every blogger, talk show host, and glossy mag you see

All of the above, but for me it’s C especially. Take for instance this oh-so-enviable wool trench. So maybe a cream-colored coat’s not the most practical of purchases for a girl who spends a good portion of her day on public transportation (and a good portion of her life as a certifiably klutzy drink-spiller). But the belt! The buttons! The collar! (The collar!) It’s worth the dry cleaning bill, and is just about the coolest, crispest way to usher in a new season. Gold stars all around for following the military trend, the clean-lined trend trend, and for the heavy hardware accents.

Price: $495

Find it at: eLuxury.com

What: If trends had patron saints, the tunic with skinny jeans look would obviously go to British style icon Sienna Miller. This girl’s enthusiasm for paint-on pants is putting even Kate Moss to shame. But then again, everyone and their (hipster) brother is sporting super-tight denim this year. However, it is the pairing of a body-conscious, but not too-tight tunic that really creates a hip look for fall.

Follow the Trend: The versatile tunic can be found in a form for every shape, age, and style.
For class at the office or after-hours choose a fitted version like the cowl-neck from James Perse. (102.00)

For the ultimate in comfy, laid back chic try this Gap V-neck sweatshirt dress (44.00), a graphic Ed Hardy tunic from Amazon.com or this mocha Long V-Neck Cardigan. All are perfect for a trip to a dive bar Saturday night, or lying around on Sunday afternoon. Cinch it with a belt like Sienna to dress up.

Not sure this tunic trend will still be around in a year? Try the trend on the cheap. This adorable Viv Tunic by dELiA*s is only 29.50 will still look stunning with leggings and mid-calf boots. Over a white shirt, this v-neck will go from urban to office.