No, seriously.  I don’t want to get any older.  I just hit 31 and that is ENOUGH. 

Let’s be honest – I’ve been obsessed with skin for a while, but I’ve noticed that as my age advanced…so has my obsession. 

Here are my latest tricks of the trade:

I have to thank Jenn Falik for recommending the first two.  Are you guys following her?  She’s amazing.) 

1. iT Cosmetics “No-Tug™” Heavenly Luxe Dual Eyeshadow Brush 

Ok so here’s the Q+DD: this is the “first ever” anti-aging and age preventative shadow brush that won’t pull on your delicate eye skin while applying your shadow.  Am I 100% convinced?  No.  Will I try absolutely everything?  You betcha.

It’s actually a pretty great brush, too.  It’s dual-sided for contouring.  For $24 – I’d say give it a go. 

2. Vichy 3-in-1 Cleanser

It’s a cleanser, toning lotion, and an eye makeup remover all in one.  You can actually wipe it off with a cloth once you’ve cleansed or rinse with water.  My skin has been AMAZING with this.  So super soft and fantastic. 

3. Natura Bisse “The Cure” Cleanser

So, at $57 a bottle (to Vichy’s $20) this cleanser is definitely less economical, but it’s great also.  Its a little less “milky” and I still feel like I need to use a separate eye makeup remover when I use it.  But, not only does it clean, but it detoxifies skin and is extremely gentle as well.  PLUS: when I use it with my Clairsonic Mia – there’s virtually NO residue left over when I’m done and I feel squeaky clean.  (Without the squeak, of course.)

It also has Green Tea Extract, which is lovely and supposedly neutralizes the effects of free radicals, “diminishing irritation and dryness.”

4.  Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Cream with SPF

I’ve blogged about it before and I’ll probably blog about it again.  I absolutely love this stuff.  It’s a foundation.  It’s a moisturizer.  It’s a SPF.  It’s a firming treatment. It’s amazing.  Get it today.  You will thank me.  (many of you already have!)

5. Water.

Yep.  Good old H-Two-Oh.  I’ve been drinking it like a fiend.  Just like they always tell you to and I can tell a huge difference in my skin! (somewhere in Birmingham my mom is saying “I told you so.”) 

There you have it.  My new plan for reverse aging.  Who knows.  Next year I might just turn 29 again!  (nah, 31 has been pretty awesome so far)

La and me at my 31st birthday last Saturday

Enjoy, lovelies!

xx, L

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December 29 is a dangerous time.  Santa was good to you…particularly with gifts that come in envelopes.  Or maybe you’ve got that extra check from Grandma or a little Hanukkah gelt left in you pocket (and I don’t mean the chocolate kind…)  What to do? 

I’m pretty sure if you ask Greg, he’d suggest a lovely Orange Savings Account or a Roth IRA but if I were you, I might opt for the following: 

1. Oribe Royal Blowout

I am pretty much obsessed with Oribe.  It all started with the Anti-Humidity spray (blogged about here) and then the “Beautiful Color” shampoo and conditioner.  But I was recently introduced to Royal Blowout and I’m never turning back.  You just spritz a little of this weightless-greaseless product into damp hair and bampf! – perfectly straight, glossy-yet-somewhat-voluminous hair.  And of course it has the signature Oribe scent which is AMAZING.  I love this stuff.

2. Trish McEvoy Beta Hydroxy Pads  

These are the most amazing exfoliating pads…ever.  I used them forever ago, but I quit because at $65 for 40 pads…they’re pretty pricey.  But I’m back on the bandwagon now.  My skin looks absolutely amazing and I feel like these babies take care of those hard-to-exfoliate places like around your nose and such.  Basically, they dissolve dead skin cells to make your face glowy and help to prevent breakouts.  So worth it.  

3. Hammitt Viper Holiday Clutch  

You guys – I had never even HEARD of Hammitt before I fell in love with this clutch and now I’m planning nights out just so I can carry it.  The leather is DELICIOUS, it’s SO spacious (I love the new “oversized clutch” trend.) and it’s the perfect amount of glam and rock and roll.  The entire line is to die for – but this clutch made me really happy.  (I got mine at Gus Mayer in Birmingham– but you can find them on Facebook or search for them on your Google Machine)

4. Alora Reed Diffuser in Due 

G got me one of these as part of my Hanukkah gift and I LOVE IT.  First of all, it’s gorgeous.  Secondly, it smells absolutely AMAZING – jasmine, cucumber, basil and ylang ylang.  (What is a ylang ylang, you ask?  I have no idea.  But it smells good.)  The best part is how the scent fills my whole room without overpowering it.  I recommend.

So there you have it.  Nothing you need…but all fun stuff.  Happy December 29^th!

xx, L

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It all starts with an obsessive blogger fair princess (much more accurate, obv.) who went to the enchanted castle salon to get her hair did before traveling to DC to visit friends.

Said princess has stick-straight princess hair, but as a long-time admirer of Goldilocks + Snooki, alike, she has always dreamed of having massive New Jersey-ish volume in her long princess tresses.

(Did I mention that she is a PRINCESS??!) 

On a fateful Thursday evening, she visited her fairy godmother beloved hairstylist, Daniel Carter at Mint Salon, who used a MAGICAL potion from a far-away land (Kevin Murphy Powder Puff Volumizing Powder) to help the fair princess achieve the volume she so dearly longed for.

Daniel skillfully applied the mysterious potion to her hair – and just like magic – the princess’s locks grew taller and taller + more voluminous right before her very eyes!! 

Witness:

The result was amazing!  She was thrilled! 

this was NOT a great picture of the princess's face, but it SURE WAS of her hair!!

Not only was the potion incredibly effective on her stubbornly-straight hair, but also the wizard who designed it used super cute pink packaging - the princess’s favorite color.  How convenient!

The princess thoroughly recommends trying Kevin Murphy’s Powder Puff (especially during the upcoming humidity free months) + visiting her fairy godmother fabulous stylist, Daniel Carter, at Mint Salon!

The End.

(Oh yeah, and everyone lived ABSOLUTELY happily ever after!)

xx, L

Mint Salon – Daniel Carter
985 Monroe Drive (Midtown)
Atlanta, GA  30308
404.724.9669
http://www.mintsalon.net/

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Two weeks ago now, I got a keratin treatment and bunkered up for the following two days of processing until my hair transformed into a pretty princess mane.  Slick dragged me out for lunch one afternoon under the condition that we were going to go some place that he promised I would enjoy + where I wouldn’t run into anyone who I knew.  We went to Sheik Burritos n Kabobs.

Sheik serves fresh Persian and Southwestern cuisine, and they make an effort to use local and organic foods.  Slick had dined at Sheik once before and remembered really enjoying it and wanting to bring me as soon as he had the opportunity to choose a restaurant (which is nearly always my job).  I had never even noticed the restaurant, which is situated on Piedmont Ave. near Cheshire Bridge - an area I pass multiple times a week.  It’s a small space, but there is a lot going on in there + I knew I liked it as soon as I walked in and saw the King of Pops served here sign!

Sheik’s walls are covered with a whimsical Persian mural.  This is my favorite section…

Slick ordered Sheik tea over ice with honey and we listened closely as our enthusiastic server walked us through the unfamiliar menu.  As this was my very first Persian food experience, I needed a bit of hand-holding to make sure that I knew what I was getting into. 

Our server suggested that we start off with chips and eggplant with herbs dip.  The eggplant’s texture and flavor was unusual to me, but in a good way.  The small cup of dip was not around for long!

After much deliberation, Slick + I deferred to the server to select our entrees.  He split two tasty burritos between us. 

On the left: La Dirka-Dirka – lamb sirloin, bad-man-jon, and red spinach served Persian style (wrapped in Persian flat bread with Basmati rice and yogurt).

On the right: La Camelback – local chicken breast, feast-n-june, Persian salsa, maroon and gold beets, and feta in a whole wheat tortilla.

They arrived with chips and a small cup of Persian salsa: tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, mint, olive oil + citrus.

We very quickly devoured both burritos.  They were delicious and filled with unique flavors. 

I think it’s important to challenge your taste buds, AND I think it’s important to have a restaurant that you can escape to when you have a keratin treatment slathered all over your head + you don’t want to see anyone you know.  Sheik was a perfect escape for both.  Keep an eye out for it on Piedmont Ave.  It’s a gem and worthy of a visit.  Heck, it’s King of Pops and Q+DD approved!  You can’t really beat that… 

xx, L

Sheik Burritos n Kabobs
1877 Piedmont Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30324
404.975.4314
www.sheikburritos.com

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Note: I have had several questions regarding my self-administered fake-tanning lately, that I thought I’d bring back this post – circa this time 2009. For the record – I’d rather have someone else administer a spray tan on me, but sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. 

Enjoy!

I’ll admit it: I suffer from bouts of tan-orexia. I will sometimes sit in the sun or frequent my local tanning salon until I am a bronzed goddess and still look in the mirror and see a pale person.

(Note: this is when things get ugly. Just before my sister’s wedding I was dangerously teetering on the verge of looking like Magda from There’s Something About Mary. True story.)

You should know the glow I crave is not something that is effortless for me to achieve. My eyes are green, my hair is blonde, my skin is…see-through.

It’s not an exact science. Mistakes are often made. Case in point: once or twice in a summer I will inevitably sport a glorious lobster-colored sunburn which I think we can all agree is Not. Cute.

Before someone alerts my dermy (I love you, Dr. Weisman!) or my mother, please also know I am becoming increasingly fearful of wrinkles. I have become positively m.i.l.i.t.a.n.t. about my skincare routine and tanning unfortunately does not jive with my plan to look like this when I’m 80.

Here’s the answer: St. Tropez Self Tanner!

www.sttropeztan.com

I like the mousse. I had been using the lotion forever, but my mom recently turned me onto this air-whipped version of the same product. It is virtually blonde-proof.

Here’s the Q+DD on how to apply: First, invest in some disposable rubber gloves, this stuff is impossible to get off of your palms, and that is a fake-tan dead giveaway. I literally just slap it on at night, sleep in it, and shower it off in the morning. It doesn’t even have to be even when it goes on. The only tricky parts are your feet, ankles, knees, wrists, and
elbows.Just go lighter on these areas.

If you are lucky enough to live with someone who does not mind helping you with this application, you can enlist them to apply the product to your hard-to-reach areas, but you can also use a product such as this:

www.domyback.com

I know what you’re wondering and here are the answers:

A: It does rub off on your sheets and clothing, but washes right out.

A: As far as self-tanners go, the scent is pretty darn good. I mean, I wouldn’t trade my Jo Malone (Or L’s Brit Scent!) for it, but it’s pleasant enough.

A: It looks natural: bronze not orange! Witness the picture below from a recent “White Party,” a situation in which a tan is definitely mandatory:

Happy (safe) Tanning!

xx, L

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