Category Archives: lifestyle blog

Friends and Family Fall Sale at Assured Allure!

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Our Friends and Family Fall Sale is going on until midnight, Monday, October 10th.  20% off your entire order, which means everything is on sale!  Even items already marked down!  Here are just a few great pieces you can get:

jenna-cuff-braceletThis is our Jenna Cuff in Wine, which will be a very popular color this fall season again.  Perfect, because I love this color and think this is such a pretty bracelet.  At 20% off you can get our Jenna Cuff Bracelet for only $12.00.

 

 

 

 

cluster-bead-necklaceOur Cluster Bead Necklace is an elegantly effective amount of bling when needed.  It seems like a simple beaded necklace, but brings enough sparkle to make you want to wear it all the time.  This will be your new go to necklace when you’re running out the door to meet your friends in the evening.  With an additional 20% off, you can get this gorgeous necklace for only $12.00.

 

 

cosette-necklace-copyFor making the perfect work statement our Cosette Necklace wins that race hands down!  It simply looks stunning with a beautiful suit or a tee shirt and jeans.  I simply love the versatility of this necklace, not too much, not too little…just right!  With our sale you can get this lovely piece for just under $25.00.

 

 

 

thelma-earringsAnd with a touch of druzy, our Thelma Earrings are the perfect running around earring for a busy woman on the go.  Pick these up, on sale, for just under $11.00.

 

 

 

 

Be sure and check all our pages for many more great deals at our Friends and Family Fall Sale!

Jewelry Trends for Spring 2016

Fashion news/tips, Latest News, lifestyle blog, Necklaces, New jewelry items, Rings, , , , , , , ,

As we look forward to warmer weather, there are lots of new jewelry trends for Spring 2016 and here are a few we thought you might like.

Pastel Colors – As you know, Rose Quartz (a blush pink color) and Serenity (a light blue) are two colors that are leading the pastel color scheme this spring. Some other popular colors, according to Instyle Magazine, also include Lilac Grey, Buttercup, Fiesta, Green Flash, and Iced Coffee, among others. And our Cosette Necklace comes in three of these popular colors.

Cosette Necklace
Cosette Necklace

Statement Necklaces – This trend continues into Spring 2016. And with the popularity of denim shirts right now, a statement necklace is the perfect piece to wear around the collar. Try it! Our Fleur Collar is the perfect piece for this task.

Fleur Collar
Fleur Collar

Chokers – This hot trend is #1 on Fashionisers list of accessory trends for Spring/Summer 2016. And they are coming out in several different material variations, such as the traditional velvet chokers with embellishments or with metal, pearls, chains, and leather. Our Lauren Link Chain Choker is a perfect embodiment of the new materials….it has two variations of chain in the same necklace and is interlaced with leather and topped off with a suede tassel. It’s a stylish piece that gets lots of compliments.

Lauren Choker
Lauren Link Chain Choker

Nautical – As Fashionista points out in its article, its all about nautical details, from the stripes to the rope embellishments. You will want to check out our Multi Chain Nautical Charm Necklace to help you get this fun spring look!

N-1990-11 (1 of 1)
Multi Chain Nautical Charm Necklace

Ring Stacking or One Large Statement Ring – While stacking rings is still popular, if you don’t want to pile on several rings, you might consider one large statement ring.  It sometimes looks a bit more elegant and is easier to wear than several smaller rings.  Our Ogden Crystal Ring is a perfect for making a statement and is a stretch ring so it’s practically guaranteed to fit.  Its an easy on and off ring and is just so gorgeous, you can’t pass it up.

Ogden Ring
Ogden Crystal Ring

Follow all the jewelry trends for Spring 2016 here at www.AssuredAllure.com today!

Online Fashion Consignment – Clothes for cash!

Bracelets, Fashion news/tips, Latest News, lifestyle blog, , , , , ,

Remember the days of the garage sale?  Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t seem like you see garage sales like you used to. When I was young, it seemed someone in the neighborhood was having one every weekend. And my mother dragged me to every one of those! Which means that I have an aversion to them, although I do think they are very good way to re-purpose household items that would otherwise get thrown away. Now, there’s a better and more convenient way.

If you’ve collected an overabundance of nice clothes, purses, and shoes, there are some great online fashion consignment sites you might want to check out. Going this route will not only help you clean out your closet but you can also earn some money too!  Here are some of the sites that you might like.

ThredUp – They send you a bag, for free, you fill it up, send it back and ThredUp sells the items and takes a commission. Super convenient. They are looking for items that are like new or without a lot of wear and tear, or may even still have tags. You can leave your earnings with them and use it to shop with on their site or you can cash out with PayPal.  Every year ThredUp donates 10% of their Clean Out proceeds to Teach for America and you can also donate your earnings to their non-profit partners if you like.  And they also accept children’s clothes.

Poshmark – You take a picture of what you want to sell with your phone and post it using their free app.  And then hope it sells!  Poshmark promotes a community of buying and selling with other Poshmark “closets” and you actually follow other peoples postings based on your likes.  So you are selling to your contemporaries. This service is more of an eBay process approach, which means you do more of the work to sell the product, and they tend to focus on name-label products, such as Louis Vuitton, Tory Burch and Michael Kors.

Tradesy – You sell anything in your closet that’s in great condition. Again, you take the picture of the item, but they will help with enhancement of that image. If you aren’t sure of a price, they will suggest a price. And if an item sells, Tradesy sends you a free pre-addressed box, a prepaid shipping label, packing material, and you ship your product out. They earn a commission on your sale price and if a customer wants to return the product they will process the return for you. This is more of a hybrid of the first two online services listed here.

Threadflip – They either send you a shipping kit or you can print a prepaid shipping label at home to send your products to them.   Your products are then inspected and if they don’t make the cut are either returned to you or donated to Goodwill.   For items they accept to sell, they will photograph, price, sell and ship. You can leave your earnings with Threadflip and use it to shop with on their site or you can cash out with PayPal. This and ThredUp are very similar models.

I’ve given you tidbits on sites that you can buy and sell primarily clothing and purses, but there are sites that you can use to sell other products too, such as swap.com or eBay Valet.

While most of us know about eBay, eBay Valet lets you simply package up an item you want to sell, ship it to eBay using a free prepaid label and then eBay Valet will handle the rest. They will photograph your item, create a professional looking post and deal with customer inquiries. Once your item sells, they’ll ship the product to the buyer and send you up to 80 percent of the sale price via PayPal. There are some limitations on what you can and can’t sell.   This is a site you cannot use to sell clothing or anything worth less than $40, but if you have electronics, sporting goods, or instruments, then this is the site for you.

B989 GOLD

I love the fact that the online world has given us these alternatives. No more garage sales! Not to offend the garage sale lovers out there. After all, my mom still loves them. And, yes, sometimes I still go with her.  But if I do go, I’m wearing our Crystal Tube Bracelet.  A piece that can be worn anywhere!

Happy Selling!

Patti

Dry Shampoo – Some helpful hints

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Up until about a year ago I was a “wash-my-hair-everyday” kind of girl. I couldn’t stand the idea of not washing my hair, even if that meant blow-drying long hair, in the middle of summer, in a southern state. We’re talking 100 degree, 100% humidity averages, where you instantly start sweating the minute you get out of the shower. No matter what the thermostat is set on. Well, needless to say, I finally got tired of that. So instead of packing up and moving somewhere cooler, I figured out that dry shampoo could actually take on the task of cleaning and refreshing hair. But even now I only go a day between washing, or in other words, I traditionally wash my hair every other day.

One thing I have learned after going through a maze of what dry hair shampoo to use or not is that what you use really depends on your type of hair. One of my sisters has fairly thin hair and stopped washing her hair everyday years ago. But what she uses may not necessarily work for me, since I have thick hair. And my hairdresser claims she only washes her hair once a week! Sorry, but I can’t imagine that. I guess I should fess up to the fact that I have oily skin and hair, so after a week that would get scary. I know the oil secretion would adjust over time, but sorry, I just can’t go a week.

Another determinant of which dry shampoo you like will be the scent that comes with it. Some are strong, some not so strong, but almost all of them do have a scent. So if you are scent sensitive, you will probably have to try a few before you find one that is right for you.

And keep in mind some dry shampoo’s are better than others for color treated hair. This was big for me as I am now on the “trying different colors and highlights” bandwagon.

I have discovered that the key to a dry shampoo working well is to spray or apply accordingly and then leave it for two minutes before you brush or style your hair. This will give the product enough time to absorb any excess oil or odor.

I put together a condensed list of what made several “best and worse” dry shampoo lists floating around the web. And I include comments from what I’ve tried and haven’t tried.

Best Dry Shampoo’s

Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk – Not only have I seen this on almost every best list for dry shampoo’s (totalbeauty.com, thefashionspot.com, allure.com), it really does not leave the dreaded white residue and smells great. It is a bit on the pricey side at $20, but worth it to me and most reviewers.  Or you can try the travel size for pricing as low as $9. I typically try new products this way, so if you want to try, purchasing the travel size may be the way to go.

Batiste Clean & Classic Original – Like the above, this is on most best’s lists and the scent is good. It sprays on white, so you will just need to brush through after letting set a bit. Batiste also makes several other versions of a dry shampoo, but the “original” version is what makes it on all the best lists consistently.  You can find the “original” version at most drug stores.

Naturia Dry Shampoo by Rene Furterer –  This is another great dry shampoo with a subtle scent. According to TheFrisky.com it adds volume and shine. You can buy at Drugstore.com  It comes in full and travel size, so choose carefully since this is a bit pricey.

Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray – This is not technically a dry shampoo, but has been used as one and praised consistently. The only issue here is the price….$42 a bottle on Amazon. But they do have a smaller travel size that sells for much less.  And this was on The Fashion Spots best list for dark hair.

Worst Dry Shampoo’s

Tresemme Freshstart Dry Shampoo – On several worst lists and for good reason. It is tough to spray on and not overspray. It does not blend well into the scalp, or rather it still shows after extensive brushing in darker colored hair. I have used this and, personally, do not like or recommend.

The following were on both the best and worse list of several reviewers’ depending on the reviewer.

Psssssssst – According to Elle.com this dry shampoo can keep your hair refreshed for days.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo – This was one of the first ones I tried and I loved the scent. And it works well on most hair color’s.

Dove Invigorating Dry Shampoo – Again, some loved and some did not love….but you have to love the price. At only $4, it may be worth a try.

According to The Fashion Spot there’s a way to make a do-it-yourself dry shampoo that will make it easier on the budget and the environment.

But I have to say, according to some older and wiser ladies who did not have dry shampoo until a few years ago….plain baby powder does the trick and does it well.

And what do I put on after I have gorgeous tresses? I absolutely love our new Regis Necklace!

N054 4 (1 of 1)

 

It’s a trendy, yet subtle way to add some style if you are not a huge statement maker. And it comes with matching earrings! No looking for a pair to match up with it.  And remember we have free shipping until after the holidays!

Happy Shampooing!

Tour Bus Travel with Style in Scotland!

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I recently took a trip to Scotland for two weeks and it was fabulous! Part of what made it so great, aside from the fact that this was the first time I was able to be away from work that long, was I went on the trip using a tour bus company. I have never considered doing this previously, but one of the people in our group suggested a particular tour company and simply raved about how good they are. Another person in our party has MS (Multiple Sclerosis) so my family thought doing a tour would make the walking or physical exertion of traveling easier. So off we all went.

But first, let me advise that you should schedule plenty of time in between connecting flights on your way to Europe. It’s no fun running from one end of an airport terminal to the other, and barely making the flight. Or not making it at all. Just give yourself plenty of time and consider visiting one of those airport spa’s, if you have the time. Sage advice, as I’ve learned the hard way…more than once.

Usually there’s limited time and you want to see as much as possible while on vacation, right? Tour bus travel will definitely get you to many places each and every day. As an overview, we started in Edinburgh, went north up the east coast all the way to the Orkney Isles, then across to the west side to the Isle of Skye, and ended the tour in Glasgow.  Regardless of how large a geographic area you are trying to cover, the bus stops every hour and a half, if for anything, bathroom breaks.  So sometimes this meant road stops with a café and tourist shops, but most of the time this was a chance to visit some incredible castle or take a scenic photo. Examples of quick stops were St. Andrews, Glames Castle, Melrose Abbey, a ride on the “Hogwarts Express”, and so much more.

And just think, you don’t have to worry about driving in a foreign country yourself, figuring out that country’s train system, or paying a lot of money for taxis. You are chauffeured around in the comfort of a large and, typically, luxurious bus, with comfy seats and a toilet on board. While I’ve always enjoyed using mass transportation in other country’s, the “when in Rome” attitude, I have to say, I didn’t waste any of that “which rail line do we take” map reading time while on a tour bus. You simply jump on and away you go. No dilly-dallying. The only thing you figure out is where your assigned seat is on the bus each day. And according to others on the tour who were more seasoned than I, the times we left each morning were good (in other words, not real early). We typically had a hotel buffet breakfast each morning (included in the tour price) at 7:00 or 7:30 am and left the hotel by 8:00 or 8:30 am.

Some additional perks of using a tour were, since I was traveling in a party of five, they always made sure to sit my group together on the bus, or at functions we went to. In addition, the main tour guide was very knowledgeable about the country, each place we visited, and handled any special requests, such as arranging ahead of time for dietary restrictions. Also, some city’s we visited they brought in a tour specialist to give us even more detailed information about where we were visiting. And lastly, the tour I used, Trafalgar, delivered and picked up one piece of luggage for each person from our room. We changed hotels at least five times, so you don’t realize how helpful this is until you see how small and slow European elevators are.

I have to mention a few miss-steps too, right? One was we went at peak season, on probably the two busiest tourist weeks of the year in Scotland. This meant the group was VERY large (52 people). And that meant it took a while to do anything. A bit of herding cats for our tour guide. On the flip side though, we met a lot of wonderful people from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But, overall, I highly advise you NOT to go during peak season; May and September are usually good times for most European trips.

I found a great article on comparing bus tours on Rick Steves’ Europe site. Check it out if you want a great trip. While Trafalgar was listed as low-end cheap, it was great, well organized, and we saw more sites than we would have seen if we had done this trip on our own.

Click on the hyperlink for a few more good tips from Rick Steves’ Europe site.

pearl spiral ring

As for what jewelry did I take? I typically like to take basic pieces such as the Tubular Pendant Necklace or the Chandler Necklace. They go with just about anything. I also took the Trim and Proper Bangle, one of my favorite pieces, our new Medora Spiral Ring and the Henley Cuff Ring.

Oh, and as for the physical exertion concern, our family member with MS enjoyed the trip tremendously.  The tour company is always amenable to anyone who does not want to get off the bus or see a specific site.  In other words, you still do a bit of walking.  And while tired at the end of the day, we were still able to make it to the hotel bar for a libation, including some great scotch.  🙂

Cheers!

airport spa

Your Travel Wellness Oasis – Airport Spas!

Fashion news/tips, lifestyle blog, travel

airport spaTravel in itself is stressful and with waking up early and running through the airport to just sit and wait having a spa nearby to freshen up sounds like a great idea! There are several airport spas popping up at hubs around the country and you’d be surprised at how popular, affordable and chic they are.

Increasingly, airports are vying to be your go-to beauty destination.  As they transition from transportation hubs to full-on shopping malls with chic boutiques, name-brand retailers and restaurants affiliated with celebrity chefs, more airports also are welcoming spa and salon businesses that help passengers glam up, too. The newest on-the-fly beauty services go well beyond the typical chair massage. Travelers at Chicago O’Hare can choose a walk-in or pre-booked “back facial” (an upper-back acne treatment) at the recently renovated Terminal Getaway Spa. LaGuardia fliers can try a shine-enhancing hair glaze and blowout at WT GO, a spinoff of the upscale New York salon Warren-Tricomi that opened in January. Meanwhile, men seeking old-school pampering can pop into the two-year-old barbershop at Buffalo Niagara International Airport for a hot-towel shave and a few minutes in the massage chair.

Not exotic enough for you? Try a fish pedicure at Wellness Oasis at Singapore’s Changi Airport, which involves plunging one’s feet into a pool full of callous-munching fish. Or, if you decide your bikini line needs immediate tending, “We’re ready, and the wax is hot,” said Adeline Moya, vice president of business development at Be Relax, a French chain with 38 locations world-wide including airports in North America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia (its name is a slightly awkward translation of a French idiom).

Beauty is just the latest development in the continuing evolution of airports that began after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when heightened security measures required travelers to arrive much earlier than they had before. After the security logjam comes the seemingly endless wait known in airport-speak as “dwell time,” a perfect opportunity for businesses to find profitable ways to amuse their concourse captives. The travel and retail industries are hoping to grab a piece of the $439 billion “Wellness Tourism” market, a travel category that includes beauty and which in 2013 grew at a faster rate than tourism overall, according to a study by the Global Wellness Institute, a Miami industry group.

This year, XpresSpa has added seven new spots at various airports. Meanwhile, its competitor, Be Relax, will have 11 new locations by the end of 2015, including Boston Logan, Toronto Pearson and Washington Dulles. A 3,000-square-foot branch is slated to open at Dubai International Airport in early 2016. Retail stores are getting in on the trend, too: Estée Lauder last year opened a 5,320-square-foot boutique at Detroit Metropolitan Airport; aside from selling its brands’ products, the store includes services like the “Arrive Hydrated” skin-care consultation, which uses products from the prestige line La Mer. Benefit recently discontinued its Sydney Airport brow service but still does brows at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia, and Auckland Airport, New Zealand.

Fliers can also go the do-it-yourself route with beauty vending machines, which started showing up at airports about two years ago and have only multiplied since. Vending machines from 3FLOZ dispense travel-size beauty and grooming items, while Benefit Cosmetics’ “Glam Up & Away” kiosks sell mascara, blush and lip color and have mirrors on the side so travelers can touch up right after

buying. Nail-polish brand Essie has vending machines at five U.S. airports, letting bored travelers give themselves manis at the gate.

Travelers also often assume beauty services at airports cost more than those on the outside. That isn’t necessarily the case. Blowouts at WT GO in the XpresSpa in La Guardia’s Terminal C run $45 to $95 (the pricier version includes the glaze treatment); blowouts at Warren-Tricomi’s regular salons are $65 to $100. A basic XpresSpa manicure costs $30, about a third more than the national average, but

a haircut at the Old Fashioned Barber Shop at Buffalo Niagara is just $15—which might explain why some regular clients are locals who drive to the airport for a cut.

Still, some services just don’t fly. At Terminal Getaway Spa, which has locations in Chicago, Orlando and Charlotte, the most popular service remains that old airport standard: A 20-minute, $42 chair massage. Women business travelers tend to decline facials, because they’re already made up for the day, said Marko Iglendza, the chain’s founder and CEO. Nor does Terminal Getaway offer blowouts. “Say you’re flying to a meeting,” Mr. Iglendza said. “Would you really go to the airport to have your hair blown out? You might be late; there might be traffic. Would you really risk it?”

“There are two things you can do to waste time in an airport: get drunk or get your nails done,” she said. “I didn’t think arriving where I was going drunk was going to work.” Ha! Well put ma’am, well put.

So have you put the airport spa scene to the test? Share the services you’ve seen or tried and what you think with us on Twitter or Facebook using hashtag #airportspa.

Fabulous Fall Bags & Matching Fashion Jewelry

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If the finer things in life like super expense bags such as Chanel’s new mosaic bag that costs a whopping $9,000 or Fendi’s Peekaboo mini clutch, priced at $4,150 are way out of reach there are some amazing alternatives you need to know about. We’ve done some digging and come up with some gorgeous trendy fall bags and matching fashion jewelry accessories from our online store to help you pay the bills and look chic doing it!  If you’re looking for a stylish fall bag that looks far more expensive than it is, consider your shopping done. Here are some gorgeous fall handbags and perfectly matched fashion jewelry accessories that fit the bill.

mango-bucket-bagMango

Since Mansur Gavriel launched in 2013, the bucket bag has been back in the spotlight. But there’s no need to cash in your savings. Ya know?

Pair this sophisticated bag with our super popular Alexa Collar for the whole look. Priced at just $36 it’s a winning combination. alexa collar

 

 

 

marie-turnor-lunch-clutchCroc-Effect Bucket Bag, $79.99 at Mango

Rebecca Minkoff

Fringed handbags made a name for themselves this fall on the runways of Altuzarra, Burberry Prorsum and more. When you’re looking for affordable options, try a rich autumnal shade. Neutrals and bright colors can look a little cheap in this price range.

halle watchPair this fun look with our Halle Silicone Watch for the full-effect.

 

 

 

 

J.Crew

jcrew-blue-clutchJ.Crew’s tassel clutch is perfect when you want a clutch that works for day and night. Plus, it comes in lemon as well as indigo (shown here).

 

Suede and Leather Tassel Clutch, $128 at J.Crew

Pair this look with something sparkly… like our Mia Drop Earrings for a fun look you’ll feel fancy about! E27521-2T

Get a Farm-to-Table Beauty Boost with These Great Brands

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The farm-to-table beauty concept has extended well beyond the walls of high-end restaurants and boutique grocery stores to the beauty world as well. Organic fruits and veggies are no longer the only ‘organic’ thing consumers are worried about. Now that the light is being shined on all the harsh chemicals going into all our skincare, haircare, makeup products and more the organic beauty product movement is kicking off with a lot of gusto. We discovered some great organic beauty boosts that you may want to incorporate into your daily routine. Thanks to TheFashionSpot.com for the run-downs on these great brands! 

formulary_55Formulary 55

Farms: Washington and now Colorado

Brand Story: Founder Cordelia began with simple bath and body products handmade in her kitchen and sold at local farmers markets. She’s since moved to a larger space in Colorado where her products are sold in 11 countries.

Must-Have Product: The line’s seriously affordable bath tablets are just as relaxing for the mind as they are the skin. Formulated with almond oil, essential oils and epsom salts, the effect is a clear mind and brightened skin.

Milk & Honey Bath Fizzy, $6 at Formulary 55

sibuSibu

Farm: Tibet

Brand Story: Not only does the brand pride itself in using recycled plastics and partnering with the Forest Stewardship Council, it also has a direct relationship with the Himalayan villagers who harvest the sea buckthorn berry used in its face oil. The Dalai Lama has even recognized the company for its living wage and respectful treatment of its employees.

Must-Have Product: Sibu Sea Buckthorn 

vmv_hypoallergenicsVMV Hypoallergenics

Farm: Leyte in the Philippines

Brand Story: VMV not only sources its ingredients from nature (like its coconut oil from a USDA-certified organic farm in the Philippines), but it prides itself in never adding fillers that are known to cause allergic reactions. It’s actually the only brand to provide rating system grades based on how many allergens the product doesn’t contain. In its 30 year run, less than 0.1 percent of consumers

farmacyFarmacy

Farm: Upstate New York

Brand Story: Co-founder Mark Veeder discovered a unique flower growing at his home in upstate New York. After further analysis, he found the now named Echinacea Purpurea, GreenEnvy was rich in phytochemical compounds that fight the signs of aging and reduce pigmentation. The brand’s full collection (now available at Sephora!) also includes farm-friendly fare, such as kale, carrots

Blossom Jeju

Farm: Jeju, the largest island off South Korea

Brand Story: A main reason Korea is leading innovations in beauty is because of its approach to using natural, pure ingredients. Blossom Jeju taps camellia extract, a rich antioxidant, from the gorgeous island Jeju (so it’s technically not a farm), where it grows on the wind-swept cliffs.

Must-Have Product: The brand’s 100% Camellia Seed Dry Oil hydrates and illuminates a gorgeous glow without the greasy after-effect of most oils.

Blossom Jeju 100% Camellia Seed Dry Oil, $30 at Glow Recipe

Bottega Organica

Farms: New York and Italy

Brand Story: All of the products are formulated through a unique blend of pure, natural ingredients and concentrations of anti-aging medicinal plants harvested and processed in both Italy and upstate New York. The innovation behind the innovative approach is thanks to one of the co-founders, Dr. Andrea Alimonti, a world-renowned geneticist.

Must-Have Product: Ignore everything you’ve heard about oils being bad for acne-prone skin. The brand’s Anti-Blemish Oil uses the peel oil from oranges to soothe acne, while prawn sage fights bacteria.

Bottega Organica Anti-Blemish Oil, $68 at Bottega Organica

Must-Have Product: Sibu Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil is 100 percent pure, preserving skin’s tone and texture by repairing damage at a cellular level. Apply just a few drops to fingertips and dab onto your skin before your moisturizer.

Sibu Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil, $34.95 at Sibu Beauty

cocovitCocovit

Farm: South India

Brand Story: Founder Rikita Kapadia wanted a coconut oil that could be extracted from the fruit without heat (this takes a lot of its powerful antioxidants with it!). The brand’s unique process picks fresh organic coconuts from the Cocovit coconut farm and formulates a richer, fresher oil sans heat.

Must-Have Product: Its first (and signature) product, Cocovit Coconut Oil, is multipurpose. Apply to your hair, skin and cuticles for non-greasy hydration.

Cocovit Coconut Oil, $38 at Cocovit

Smart Idea- A Healthy Happy Hour

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200278039-001If you’ve fallen into the bad habit of planning your weeknights around which happy hour event you should attend then we are here to help with a healthy happy hour! While the appealing post-work happy hour Margarita Monday, Taco Tuesday or Wine Wednesday is great once in a while – it’ll leave you feeling lackluster once you realize your fitness and diet goals are severely slacking among all those empty calories and tasty fried bites. But there is a great way to use those after-work hours for something good and studies show that the hours of 4-6pm are actually best for peak athletic performance so instead of pouring another cocktail dig into an adrenaline kick instead at the gym!

Part of the appeal of going to happy hour is that you get to chat with friends! Well after a great workout you can stop by to grab a smoothie or healthy fresh green juice. That way you have the social experience as well as the treat to look forward to. Working out in a small group is more fun and helps you actually work harder than you would on your own so join a class or small group training session to get the most benefit. Fit friends are fun friends so grab a buddy and get moving!

Reframe how you ‘celebrate’ things. If you usually celebrate with cocktails and a slice of cake try celebrating with a great, blood pumping workout and a healthful fresh pressed juice after! You will have the better end of the deal every time because unlike that cake that will slow you down, that workout will fire you up and give you long-lasting energy and a sense of euphoria like nothing else can.

Banish a blue mood simply by moving your body. If you sit down and start eating it may feel good for a little while but the longer lasting effect is self-loathing and a bigger number on the scale. Both of which you will not feel good about so bust the blues by heading to the gym, taking a powerwalk at your lunch break or doing a few squats and lunges around the office. You don’t need fancy fitness equipment to get the benefit of moving your body – you just have to get up!

And remember, MODERATION is the key to everything in life. A little of something you enjoy paired with an overall healthy lifestyle is the best way to tackle your fitness goals. You can never stick to the ‘no ____ ever again’ rule because forever is a super long time and we’re human – we love treats! So reward yourself every now and then but stay focused the other 80% of the time and you’ll be just fine.

Reward yourself right now with a wallet-friendly accessory that will last longer than any cocktail and will always look good on a healthy body! Here are our favorites of the week:

unique necklace Neva Necklace – Elegant sophistication for every outfit! 

 

 

 

 

 

long tassel necklaceChic long tassel necklace comes in burnished silver- great for day or night. 

 

 

 

 

unique drop earringsThese super cute drop earrings feature filigree metal for a fun look.

 

 

 

pearl spiral ring Glam-up your finger with this fun pearl spiral ring!