ABC / November 19, 2015

ABC2 Scandal Shopping – Winter Finale & Fashion

The Scandal Shopping Series has been an amazing experience. Every week (until the end of the season) we have re-created looks surrounding Olivia Pope’s wardrobe. The news team and I filmed at various shopping locations such as consignment stores, boutiques, and retail chains.

Boutiques Featured:

The Wise Penny Consignment Boutique

South Moon Under Harbor East

White House Black Market

La Chic Boutique

Ann Taylor

Dear Annie Boutique

Macys in Annapolis

Oasis Consignment Boutique

Kelsey’s Korner

As the Scandal Winter Finale airs tonight, I hope the local Baltimore audience enjoyed all of the pieces selected and our segment encouraged women (no matter their shape or size) to channel their inner Olivia Pope.

Photos are taken from WornonTV.net

Olivia Pope’s Gladiator Style –

More Candid Photos from The Scandal Shopping Series

Clothing and accessories worn (by myself) were purchased from New York & Company

CLICK HERE TO WATCH:

ABC2 WMAR SCANDAL SHOPPING

Beauty / November 18, 2015

Birchbox and Rent The Runway Launch: Black Friday Sales

Birchbox (www.birchbox.com), a leading beauty and grooming retailer, has opened its doors in Washington, D.C. in partnership with Rent the Runway, which is revolutionizing fashion by allowing millions of women to rent designer apparel and accessories. On Friday, November 6, Birchbox launched a beauty shop in a dedicated space at Rent the Runway’s Georgetown store, allowing local customers to get a complete new look from head to toe – from on-trend outfits and accessories to the latest lipsticks and head-turning hairstyles.

The shop features the following elements to help Washingtonians prepare for special occasions and upgrade their everyday looks:

A Build Your Own Birchbox (BYOB) station with an exclusive new box design co-branded with Rent the Runway ($15)
A curated shop featuring the best hair, makeup, skincare and fragrance products, as well as holiday gift sets, from brands including Bumble and Bumble, Dr. Jart, Living Proof, Oribe, RMS Beauty, Smashbox, Stila and Sunday Riley, among others
Birchbox subscriptions and gift subscriptions for purchase (starting at $30)
Makeup services (starting at $30)
Special offers and events

“Birchbox has a large subscriber base in the DC area and our customers want to look their best, but don’t always have time to navigate the latest new products and trends. Together with Rent the Runway, we’re able to offer a one-stop-shop edited with the very best in beauty and fashion,” said Katia Beauchamp, Co-Founder and CEO of Birchbox. “It’s designed to bring delight to discovering new product by having an easy and efficient shopping experience. As we approach 2016, we’ll continue exploring meaningful opportunities to bring Birchbox to life offline.”

Customers can visit www.birchbox.com/georgetown for more information on Birchbox at Rent the Runway Georgetown, located at 3336 M Street NW. Birchbox has a flagship store in Soho, NY and plans to open additional stand-alone stores in 2016.

About Birchbox

Founded in 2010, Birchbox is a leading beauty and grooming retailer, offering an efficient, personalized way to discover and shop for new products. Birchbox redefined the online shopping experience by pairing a monthly subscription of deluxe samples – tailored to customers’ unique profiles – with inspiring editorial content to create a seamless path to purchase full-size products online. More than 800 best-in-class beauty, grooming and lifestyle brands are available on Birchbox’s e-commerce shop. In 2012, Birchbox launched Birchbox Man and expanded internationally, and in 2014, Birchbox opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Soho, New York. Today, Birchbox has more than 1 million subscribers and operates in six countries, including France, Spain, UK, Belgium and Canada. Birchbox is headquartered in New York City. To learn more, visit www.birchbox.com or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Snapchat.

# # #

Black Friday

For US men and women – spend $35 on gift subscriptions and/or full-size product and get:

Non-Ace: 25% off with code BIGDEAL
Ace: 30% off with code ACESONLY
No limit to code usage

For CA women – spend $45 on gift subscriptions and/or full-size product and get

25% off with code BIGDEAL
No limit to code usage

Cyber Monday

Same offer as above as above but codes are:

Non-Ace: PARTYON
Ace: ACEDIT
No limit to code usage

Beauty / November 16, 2015

PUR Cosmetics – Holiday Makeup Essentials

The holidays are quickly approaching and PÜR Cosmetics has the makeup essentials you need to achieve a chic, glam look.

1. PÜR Cosmetics Liquid Veil 4-in-1 Spray Foundation: Give yourself air-brushed perfection with this ultra-light spray that is clinically proven to nourish and improve skin with a blend of age-defying ingredients. The formula includes the proprietary Ceretin® Complex, packed with time-released peptides, ceramide and non-irritating retinol, which is proven to firm and smooth the skin.

Price: $39.00

2. PÜR Cosmetics Double Ego Dual Ended Eyeliner in Bali: Add a pop of color to your holiday look with the green shade of this two-in-one dual-ended eyeliner that offers a dry mineral tip for definition and a liquid liner that glides on with ease for bold, intense color.

Price: $21.00

3. PÜR Cosmetics Chateau Cheeks Pressed Powder Blush in Savvy: Give your cheeks a smudge-proof flush of color with anti-aging benefits. Resveratrox and Vitisin help brighten and correct skin while keeping it hydrated and gently exfoliated. Blend the soft, ultra-wearable color in with your fingers to give cheeks a soft inner radiance or dust it on with a brush to highlight and accentuate features.

Price: $18.00

4. PÜR Cosmetics Lip Lure Hydrating Lip Lacquer in Fiery: Top off your look by giving your lips a burst of hydrating color with this alluring lip lacquer. The unique formula features a blend of Orbignya Oleifera Seed Oil, Avocado Oiland Jojoba Seed Oil, which forms a protective barrier on lips to naturally prevent water loss.

Price: $22.00

Available: purcosmetics.com and ULTA Beauty stores

DIY / November 15, 2015

GuruNanda Essential Oils and Diffuser – Lifestyle Tip

GuruNanda 100% Essential Oils with Diffuser (www.GuruNanda.com), an aromatherapy gift set that features two different oils (calming lavender and uplifting peppermint) and an ultrasonic diffuser with a color-changing LED light to add to the sensory experience.

This would be great for:

Natural products and aromatherapy enthusiasts
Alternative beauty and wellness enthusiasts
A holiday party hostess gift
Affordable gifts/gifts under $25 (It retails for $19.99)
Gifts for the home
DIY spa-ers
The woman who has everything
Stressed out holiday shoppers who need to wind down or reenergize

The kit houses two different oils – lavender and peppermint — and an ultrasonic diffuser that disperses them into the air, where they release their wonderful natural fragrance and the healing aromatherapy benefits. It can transform a room into a mini DIY spa in seconds. The diffuser also features a color-changing LED light to add to the atmosphere.

Best of all, at only $19.99, it’s an affordable, thoughtful, one-size-fits all gift with tangible benefits. It will be available in November at Walmart.

Accessories / November 13, 2015

Soft Surroundings – Grande Opening at Westfield Annapolis Mall

Soft Surroundings, a leading multi-channel retailer committed to providing stylish, casual clothing with a comfort fit, the latest in beauty and skincare, jewelry and accessories, and home furnishings to women of all ages, maintains its dedication to providing an extraordinary shopping experience by announcing plans to open a Maryland location, specifically at the Westfield Annapolis Mall in Annapolis, MD. “We are so excited to expand our East Coast presence with an upcoming Soft Surroundings location in Maryland,” said Sr. Vice President of Retail Stores, Danny Boddy.

“Our Westfield Annapolis Mall location will provide women throughout Anne Arundel County and beyond the opportunity to experience what we are all about. We offer beautiful apparel, luxurious bedding, curated furniture from around the world and beauty solutions – all hand chosen for today’s busy woman. Our passion for customer service and the integrity of our brand gives us the ability to share our story and hopefully make our customers’ lives a little more fulfilled and enjoyable.” The Westfield Annapolis Mall location is part of an eleven store expansion for 2015.

The new location will not only feature the popular merchandise found in the Soft Surroundings catalogs and website, but will also offer customers a variety of unique, store-exclusive merchandise to further enhance their shopping experience. An all-day Grand Opening Event will be held at the store on Friday, November 20th. About Soft Surroundings: Headquartered in St. Louis, MO, Soft Surroundings is an upscale lifestyle brand and retailer of women’s apparel, home, and beauty products. Releasing its first catalog in 1999, Soft Surroundings has been dedicated to making women look and feel their best ever since.

Having experienced record growth in its online and catalog channels, Soft Surroundings opened its first retail location in St. Louis, MO in November of 2005, followed by additional stores in Hartford, CT; Kansas City, MO; Chicago, IL; Denver, CO; San Antonio, TX; Houston, TX; Dallas, TX; Boston, MA; Philadelphia, PA; Atlanta, GA; Richmond, VA; Fairfax, VA; Madison, WI; Paramus, NJ; Bridgewater, NJ; Memphis, TN; Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Cleveland, OH; Tucson, AZ; Scottsdale, AZ; and Chandler, AZ. Soft Surroundings is continuing to expand its retail division nationally to meet the needs of its many devoted customers.

Beauty / November 11, 2015

Spa Week: Holiday Gift and Wellness Idea

Give the Gift of Wellness this holiday season. The new gift card by Spa Week, Spa & Wellness BLACK, is the only spa and wellness card you will ever need, making a perfect gift for everyone on your list. It is accepted at over 8,000 spa and wellness locations across North America and may be used any time of the year without expiration. Special perks of this card include thousands of spas and hundreds of treatments to choose from, the ability to load in any amount from $10-$500, and the ability to use the card in multiple locations on as many visits as you choose. Visitors to spaweek.com can conveniently purchase Spa & Wellness BLACK, to be shipped in a gift box with a personal message anywhere in the United States. Recipients will have the freedom to choose from thousands of locations and services, all while knowing that you have their long-term health, balance and happiness in mind. Visit www.spaweek.com to see the numerous spa and wellness locations that accept Spa & Wellness BLACK.

“Spa Week encourages a healthy lifestyle and inspires people to pursue ways of living fuller lives,” says Spa Week Founder, Cheryl Reid. “Consumers are seeking better ways to take care of themselves, taking responsibility towards maintaining good health and making important lifestyle changes.”

With Spa & Wellness BLACK people can choose to access spa and wellness services, medical grade treatments, holistic services and cosmetic treatments, such as: massages, facials, yoga, pilates, nutrition classes, acupuncture, chiropractic sessions and more. Premier brands across the US that accept Spa & Wellness BLACK include: Waldorf Astoria, Four Seasons, Rosewood Hotels, The Peninsula, The Trump Soho, Jurlique Soho, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, L’Institut Sothy’s and Fresh (LVMH).

In addition to Spa & Wellness BLACK, if you want instant gratification on www.spaweek.com, you can send an e-gift card to someone’s inbox immediately or at your requested date with a holiday themed background design. If you are looking for a corporate gift idea visit www.spaweek.com to learn about the unlimited uses of the corporate gift that offers something for everyone.

About Spa Week Media Group, Ltd.

Spa Week Media Group, Ltd. is the leading health, beauty and wellness marketing company across North America. Through its website SpaWeek.com, millions of consumers from coast to coast benefit from an abundance of resources necessary to experience a healthier, well-rounded lifestyle, 365 days a year. Spa Week was created and founded by Cheryl Reid, who hails from successful careers within the luxury spa industry and publishing spheres. Since its inception in 2004, Spa Week has continued to revolutionize the industry with the success of its biannual Spring and Fall Events with signature $50 spa services, life-changing promotions and a robust gift card program. For the past eleven years, consumers from all demographics have felt physical and mental relief and gained tools for healthier living by taking advantage of an abundance of spa and wellness treatments at an attainable price. Spa Week continues its dedication of delivering the best in health and wellness year round with its Spa & Wellness Gift Card, the premier spa gift card of choice by consumers. Spa & Wellness BLACK is accepted at over 8,000 spa and wellness locations across North America. In addition, you can also find select denomination cards sold in over 55,000 retail stores nationwide including Target, CVS, Rite Aid, and Sam’s Club and on SpaWeek.com.

Follow us on Facebook at Spa Week, on Twitter @SpaWeek and on Instagram @SpaWeek. Share your Spa and Wellness Memories #SWBLACK

For more information, visit http://www.spaweek.com/ or call Julie Leventhal at (212) 352-8098 Julie@spaweekmedia.com

Accessories / November 11, 2015

Ann Taylor Holiday Season Gifts

Gift-giving can be effortless this holiday season thanks to Ann Taylor and their must-have winter collection. From cozy cardigans and stylish crossbody bags, to lush faux fur accessories, there is the perfect present (at every price point!) for all of the women in your life.

For the perfect gift that gives back, Ann Taylor’s Limited- Edition Elephant Charm Jewelry Collection donates 50% of the purchase price of each item sold to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Below, please find a selection of ideas for gift-guide consideration

Beauty / November 10, 2015

Phuse Beauty Products – Splurge vs Steal

Spend less to impress with Phuse Beauty hair and makeup tools –

Accessories / November 10, 2015

Style Loft Boutique – Layered Lady Top and Jeans Review

Transitional clothing, what does that mean? Wearing a garment that’s meant for one season but incorporating that particular item into your current wardrobe. Purchasing a camisole shell can be a great wardrobe staple regardless of the season. It can be worn by itself with a pair of slacks or layered underneath a cardigan.

Camisole shells also style well with delicate accessories such as studs and hoops. Lastly, they can be worn to work, brunch, or cocktail hour.

I adore the Layered Lady Top shown above because of the shoulder fit, v-neckline, and flare at the waist. The fabric content (silk/polyester) compliments the design of the top and color (winter white) can enhance any item bottom in my wardrobe.

I decided to wear this top with a pair of jeans for a casual look; but can also be worn with a pencil skirt and booties!

To purchase the Layered Lady Top visit StyleLoft.net – Don’t forget to follow their social media channels below:

StyleLoft.net

StyleLoft Blog

https://www.facebook.com/styleloft.net

https://www.pinterest.com/styleloft0007/

Quick Style Tip –

Daytime: Wear a bra that’s the color of your skin tone.

Nighttime: Wear a black bra for a cheeky look!

sponsored post

Fall 2015 / November 9, 2015

Paul Mitchell – Giving Is My Style Campaign

Christmas and Thanksgiving’s right around the corner and everyone likes to give back during this time of the year! Why not participate in a great charity; striving to raise funds for Boys and Girls Club, Waterkeeper Foundation, Morris Animal Foundation, and many more. Paul Mitchell has taken action on social media with the Giving Is My Style Campaign.

Paul Mitchell Mission:

This holiday season, we’re celebrating our commitment to live beautifully by giving, because that’s our style. Whether that means taking steps toward sustainability, helping families in need or supporting underserved kids, Paul Mitchell® believes in doing good for people, animals and our planet. Join our global family and share why or how you give back on Instagram or Twitter with #GivingIsMyStyle, and we’ll donate $1 to one of our favorite charities on your behalf.

Causes:

Bright Pink: Bright Pink is the only national non-profit organization that focuses on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women. We are proud to support their mission to educate, equip and empower women of all ages to be proactive with their health. @BeBrightPink

Waterkeeper Foundation: For more than 10 years, Paul Mitchell has supported Waterkeeper Alliance in their mission to protect rivers, streams, coastlines and other major waterways around the world.@Waterkeeper

Morris Animal Foundation: Morris Animal Foundation is a global leader in supporting scientific research that advances veterinary medicine. We’re proud to support the organization’s commitment to improving the health and quality of life for dogs, cats, horses and wildlife around the world.@Morris_Animal

Grow Appalachia: In 2010, Paul Mitchell co-founder John Paul DeJoria teamed up with Berea College to establish Grow Appalachia, a non-profit initiative that helps Appalachian families plant a healthy future. Over the last few years, the organization has produced more than 1.1 million pounds of healthy, organic food for thousands of people in five states. @GrowAppalachia

Boys & Girls Club: Paul Mitchell co-founder John Paul DeJoria grew up in an underserved Los Angeles community. During his youth, the local Boys & Girls Club provided a safe place for him to socialize, learn and grow. Today, our company is proud to give back to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and their efforts to create great futures for young people.@BGCA_Clubs

Reforest’Action: Paul Mitchell Tea Tree proudly supports Reforest’Action, an environmental organization that plants trees worldwide, in the areas where they’re needed most. Join The Green Takeover and help us plant 500,000 trees by 2016.

Social Handles

IG: @PaulMitchellUS

Twitter: @PaulMitchellUS

Hashtag: #GivingIsMyStyle

Join us in helping with the cause by sending an IG Message or Tweet with the featured social media handles. I’ve already started working on the initiative and asking everyone to join me! It’s just that easy but can make a big difference this holiday season.

[youtube height=”720″ width=”1280″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs4KCWsnBkI[/youtube]