This week’s picks are part of Sephora’s new Tricks-of-the-Trade line, which are really great since these products work extremely well and are fairly inexpensive. By creating their own products and using simple packaging, the Sephora brand eliminates much of the middleman, and is able to keep production costs relatively low, resulting in a very reasonable price point for us, the consumer; huge factors to take into consideration, especially in our current state of economic strife. The following picks are my favorites from the line, and will help you get the most out of your basic beauty routine, whether it’s on the natural side, or if it’s done with a bit of bling.

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I’ve always been a fan of dynamic duos like, Batman and Robin, Thelma and Louise, Dolce & Gabbana, Sonny and Cher, Bonnie and Clyde, Patsy and Edina, to name a few, and while in New York for Spring/Summer 2009 Fashion Week, Gabriella got this week’s picks from the Victoria’s Secret Suite at the Bryant Park Hotel. What excites me about these Victoria’s Secret products in particular is that they are duos, meaning you get two options for the price of one, and in this dreadful economy, there ain’t nothing wrong with that! So hell yeah, these duos are dynamic.

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Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month I thought, yes, most women know to check their breasts monthly for changes in skin and tissue texture (see my post from last year on breast cancer prevention tips), and that exercise, eating a healthy well balanced diet, reducing caffeine, alcohol, not smoking, and maintaining stress levels can assist in lowering your risks of developing breast cancer. But what happens if you DO find a questionable lump? Well, that’s what this week’s tip is about, since it happened to me just recently.

I had noticed the lump back in July, thought it might be PMS related and dismissed it the first month. When the knotty tissue didn’t go away, I got scared, and immediately called my doctor. I have never had a serious health concern before, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. My hope is that this week’s tip will provide you with some helpful information in case you ever find yourself in the same situation.

Read all the tips after the jump!

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Being away from home for eleven days for New York Fashion Week was an incredibly exciting time had on a very demanding schedule. I’m a definite creature of habit, so to feel as calm as possible through the hustle and bustle of it all, I made sure to pack the the following products; comfortable reminders of home, and perfect ways to end the day, relax for a few, and yes, this week’s beauty picks for you too!

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This week’s tip is how to give a fast and easy manicure and pedicure. In between nail salon visits, I give myself a manicure and pedicure every week and a half or so, and the whole process, which includes last week’s tip, Two Minute Cuticle Prep, and drying time, takes about one hour.
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This week’s tip: Do It In the Shower - Two Minute Cuticle Prep , is another time saving technique done while showering, and is inspired by my true and desperate need for a manicure. During a shower is great time to prep cuticles, since skin automatically softens from the water’s moisture, and is easily pliable. The following is a quick, easy, and inexpensive way to maintain cuticles in between nail salon visits.

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This week’s tip and picks is inspired by the mental block I have in regards to exercise, henceforth illustrated by my work chair: A stability ball. Looking quite odd, and slightly pervy, and forever eliciting curious stares and comments, sitting on one of these during my work week, according to research and a friend’s personal trainer, keeps my waist shaped and my posture straight because your body is constantly having to make small adjustments in order to balance itself on the ball, which has the same effect as a constant low impact pilates workout. Sitting on a stability ball is an easy and mindless way to workout your core muscles (see diagram below) including your abs, and strengthens your back.

TIP: Works especially well while watching TV and when working on a computer.

*These balls come in different sizes, so for optimal results, use your height to determine what size ball will work best for you, e.g. larger balls for taller people, etc., and if you want to move beyond your sitting stability ball workout, check out these recommended stability ball exercises, from Fitness Magazine. (more…)

Target, or Tar-Jaaaay as we like to call it, is one of my favorite places to go, and for various reasons. From their designer clothing collaborations, to cleverly designed cleaning products (Method), to home organizing solutions, Target supplies a plethora of affordable and smartly designed products, whose reach even extends to the realm of beauty, seen in this week’s pick, Sonia Kashuk’s Perfectly Neutral Eye Palette, yet another impressive Tar-jaaay product.
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Finally, a fashion read with a sense of humor! A couple weeks ago, I attended the Barneys book signing of Eccentric Glamour, written by the store’s fabulously eccentric Creative Director, Simon Doonan.

Simon Doonan’s Eccentric Glamour is written as a guide from a fashion insider’s perspective to help one cultivate his or her own sense of personal style. He classifies eccentrically glamorous persons into three categories: The Gypsy, the Socialite, and the Existentialist, all having the ability to share overlapping characteristics, quite like the principles of the Ayurvedic dosha, the classification system based on body types, personality traits, and lifestyle preferences. Simon can help you discover your long lost fashion dosha, so it’s well worth the read.

Part self-help, part autobiography, the book not only includes incredibly valuable style, fashion, and beauty tips, and living and past examples of glamorous eccentrics, but is delightfully funny as well, and most importantly, is bluntly honest about what works and what does not work in the world of good eccentric fashion. His candor and general concern for the future of fashion is inspiring and most respected. I met Simon briefly at the Barneys book signing and was impressed with his ease; he didn’t seem stuffy or pretentious like some other fashion folks, and I was smitten cause he liked my glasses.

“Call me crazy, but I believe that there just might be more to being a woman than prancing around dressed like a Stepford blow-up doll. Non? In my experience you girls are highly idiosyncratic creatures whose true essence is riddled with subtlety and nuance. Your sizzling sexuality is only one aspect of a complex and intriguing picture.�?

Simon said it. And I agree. So now go find your eccentrically beautiful self and get Eccentric Glamour!

REVIEW:
Price: $16.32 - $24.00
Value: Moderate
Accessibility: Moderate
Where to buy: Barneys Stores, Barneys.com, Amazon.com

Enjoy and stay posted for more beauty tips and picks to come next week!

Years ago, one of my best friends, an esthetician, gave me a wooden brush made with natural hair and short nubby rubber bristles. She told me to use it on my skin before I showered and that I would like it cause it would “help my poor circulation�?. I’m not at all discriminatory, especially when it comes to health and beauty alternatives, so I did what she instructed, and lo and behold, I was hooked because it feels really good. Some years later, after further research into natural beauty regimens, I realized what I was actually doing had a name for it. Turns out it is called, dry skin brushing, which has the additional health benefits of removing dead skin cells and stimulating the lymphatic system, thus flushing toxins from the body. It also makes your skin incredibly smooth and soft. And shoot, I’ve had no complaints! Anyhow, this week’s tip is how to do it.

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