12.13.2012
Coterie.com launches PHYTO Silky Straight Blow Dry Sets!

Coterie.com, the new online shopping experience designed for the ultra-busy woman, introduces three exclusive limited time only offers by renowned botanical hair care brand, PHYTO.  And guys, if you know me AT ALL, you know that I love…actually, make that LIVE FOR, a good blow out so you know I was excited when I heard about the easy PHYTO systems for a perfectly silky straight blow out.  Now, using PHYTO takes me back…waaaay back to 2009 when I visited the PHYTO Universe Natural Beauty Oasis in New York City.  They took photographs of my scalp and magnified it up to see how healthy (or not healthy) my scalp really was.  The verdict?  A healthy scalp.  I could breath a sigh of relief and then go home and immediately wash my hair with my new PHYTO products.

Back to the blow dry sets…I love the PHYTO tagline “blow out before you go out” cause it’s just so true.  When you have good hair, you’re going to have a good night, simple as that, and PHYTO and Coterie are giving you THREE options to help you get that perfect hair.  My favorite?  Option 1: Phytolisse shampoo and Phytolisse mask, since I have fine hair.

PHYTO Silky Straight Blow Dry Sets:

Option 1. Phytolisse shampoo and Phytolisse mask- $49 (valued at $62)

Option 2. Phytodefrisant and Phytolisse serum- $45 (valued at $56)

Option 3. Phytolisse shampoo, Phytolisse mask, Phytodefrisant botanical relaxing balm, Phytolisse shine serum combo- $80 (valued at $118)

Also, if you’re not already familiar, you need to check out Coterie.  They pretty much make discovering and purchasing prestige beauty products informational and effortless by curating and editorializing peer-influenced limited time only exclusive offers (while also offering full-price items).  And, they have some great brands (Stila, Perricone, Urban Decay, etc.) so I’m pretty into it.

FTC Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Coterie.com but all opinions are my own, as per usual.


11.26.2012
Sponsored Post: Cyber Monday Shopping

I LOATHE Mondays…but if there’s one good thing about a Monday, it’s Cyber Monday, and that’s probably just about it. Truth be told, I can’t deal with Black Friday- the crowds, the lines, the crazies…I just can’t do it. This is exactly why Cyber Monday is the deal for me; you still get ALL of the discounts and savings and you have to interact with NO ONE. It’s amazing. What am I searching for today? These three are my top priorities:

  • iPhone5: I’m not even entirely sure anything Apple goes on sale (ever) but hey, I’m still gonna look.
  • MacBook Air: See above re: Apple products but again, I reaallllly want one of these so I’m gonna try.
  • General fashion sales: I’ll be checking my main sites, which would be J.Crew, Piperlime, Zara, Kate Spade, etc. to see what I can grab for super cheap.

Once I get my own shopping done (selfish Sally, I know), I plan on checking out some sites for my fam as well. I was recently introduced to Ebates.com and hello, I really like earning money from shopping. It’s free to join and new members receive a $10 bonus gift card after making their first $25 purchase! After that, Ebates customers get 1%-50% cash back on their purchases at thousands of different stores (good stores, trust). As you shop, the cash back accumulates into your account and then every few months, you’ll get a big fat check from Ebates. Hi, free money.

Discover how online shopping saves you time and money this holiday season. Ebates is a great destination for online deals and you get cash back! Sign up today!

Reply below and be entered to win $100 cash from Ebates. Sweepstakes Rules.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ebates. The opinions and text are all mine.

11.21.2012
My Week with the Acura ILX

Truth be told, I know absolutely nothing about cars.  What I do know is that, when it comes to cars (and most things in life), I always go with my gut instinct…and my gut instinct is telling me this is a GOOD CAR.  When Acura approached me to test drive the new Acura ILX for the week, I realized it made perfect sense; the new ILX is the go-to upgrade car for any girl going through the quarter life crisis.  You drove that powder blue compact car (circa 1990) high school into college and NOW, you are FINALLY ready to treat yo self to a car from this decade.

I’ve only been driving the ILX for one day BUT here are my current favorite features:

  • the backup camera (though I’m sure that’s not its technical name)- My current car doesn’t have one of these and now I feel like I totally missed the boat.  It’s so nice, and still a little weird, to not look behind as I back up.  It’s the wave of the FUTURE, people.
  • the fact that it’s a hybrid- I’ve never driven a hybrid car before.  Sorry for partying.  I was a little confused at the “auto stop” notice that kept coming up every time I put my foot completely on the brake but once I got used to it, I realized that it’s probably saving a TON of gas by shutting off, which is AWESOME.
  • the seat warmers- When I picked out my current car, these babies were a non-negotiable.  Even though I live in Southern California, you’d be surprised at the many uses you can get out of a good seat warmer…for example, does your back hurt?  Do you have cramps but have to drive?  SEAT WARMERS will help.


Stay tuned for an ILX update early next week and, get excited:
Tell me what YOU would do if Acura gave you an ILX for a week!  They’re monitoring comments on my blog and Twitter and will pick their favorite responses to win $50 or $100 gift cards!

                                                         Backup cameras are AWESOME.

FTC Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Acura but all opinions are my own (as per usual).
                               

10.23.2012
Sponsored Post: Mary Kay

You probably read my first post about Mary Kay’s Hollywood Dreams Makeover contest but if you didn’t, click HERE.  Once I get re-introduced to Mary Kay, I pretty much became hooked…all over again.  The Nourishine plus ™ lip gloss?  Amazing.  I’m literally walking around with the “Rock ‘n Red” shade in my purse and I love that I wear it for both day and night.  But when it comes to night, I always focus on the eye and lip.  For my last girl’s night out, I used a full face of Mary Kay products and I was super happy with the results; the Lash Love™ mascara (another favorite) is a deep, awesome black and it doesn’t flake off, which is so key when it comes to mascara.  As soon as I walked into the bar, two of my friends instantly commented on how my eyes were “really popping” and wanted to know what I used.  The answer?  Mary Kay.

 

 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mary Kay but all opinions are 100% my own and I would never feature a product that I don’t genuinely love!

02.28.2012
Sponsored Post: DailyMakeover.com Get The Hottest Oscar Hairstyles At Home!

We finally made it the most glamourous awards show of the year: the Oscars! Just as we expected, we saw some gorgeous gowns and amazing hairstyles. While we can’t help you score a vintage Dior dress, we have great tips to get your hair looking red-carpet ready. Wella Professionals was responsible for some of the best looks of the night, and now their celebrity stylists are sharing their tips on how they created these hot Hollywood hairstyles.

Michelle Williams
Michelle’s pixie is very modern and sophisticated chic. The hair has just enough texture to make the look sweet, yet edgy.

To Get The Look: First, start by applying Sebastian ProfessionalMousse Forte to wet hair, then allow it to air dry. With a small round brush, finish off with a blow dry that gives the hair more height, then use your hands to set the part and bangs. Finish the look with Wella Professionals Stay Essential Finishing Spray to set in place.

Penelope Cruz
The actress showed off very old Hollywood glamour, channeling the 1950s Grace Kelly finger waves that perfectly complemented her Armani Privé gown.

To Get The Look: Start with dry hair and use a small amount of Wella Professionals Natural Volume Styling Mousse at the roots. Set hair in steamhot rollers by rolling hair straight back from the head. This will give hair extra texture and curl. Use smaller rollers at the back of the head to create a tighter curl, and then pin hair underneath into a faux bob. Lightly mist with Wella Professionals Dynamic Fix 45 Second Crafting Spray, then back comb and tease at the root. Brush out the finger waves into place and set with Wella Professionals Stay Essential Finishing Spray.

 

Leslie Mann
Stylist Rod Ortega decided to give Leslie a ponytail for a more youthful look that made for a fun contrast to her elegant, sequin-detailed dress. The high ponytail also works well for her face shape, creating a beautiful silhouette.

To Get The Look: Start out by prepping wet hair with Wella Professionals Velvet Amplifier to prime hair for a smooth blowout. Use a small amount of Wella Professionals Mirror Polish Shine Serumon the ends of the hair for added smoothness and shine. Blow out with a round brush at the roots for texture and use a Mason Pearson paddle brush to blow dry from mid-length to the ends. Back comb for extra volume, especially at the roots, and use a flat brush from mid-length to ends again so there is texture, but not curl. Then leave the front and sides of the hair out, pull the rest of the hair into a ponytail near the top of the back of the head. Smooth the hair left out of the ponytail back and wrap around the elastic to hide the band. Spray the style with Wella Professionals Stay Essential Finishing Spray to hold in place while leaving it with lots of natural movement.

Olivia Wilde
Stylist Davy Newkirk and Olivia opted to go for a chic 70’s inspired updo to complement her strapless Gucci gown that she wore to the 2012 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. The roughed up, simplistic yet super chic updo gave her a timeless and effortlessly beautiful look.

To Get The Look: First, apply Wella Professionals Pearl Styler to wet hair and rough dry it, using your hand and a blow dryer. This will give hair extra texture before styling. Next, gather hair at the crown of the head and secure with a bungee cord. You can tease the ends to rough it up a bit more, for added edgy texture. Loosely twisted the hair around the bungee for a loose structure and secure with bobby pins and hair pins. To finish, spray the hair with Wella Professionals Dynamic Fix hairspray, and rough up the hair with fingers at the root and around the bun, spraying once again with the Dynamic Fix to add sheen and hold the look for the night.

Nina DoBrev
Celebrity stylist Riawna Capri gave Nina a youthful looking fishtail ponytail that is easier to create at home than you think.

To Get The Look: First, spray Wella Professionals Ocean Spritz all over and scrunch hair for a nice beachy texture. Loosely gather the hair into a slightly messy ponytail with a center part. Then, begin your fishtail braid. Once done, pull a couple pieces out to create a more distressed look and finish with a shine spray, such as Wella Professionals Shimmer Delight all over for a polished finish.

For the latest on hair trends and styling tips, follow Wella Professionals onFacebook and Twitter!

 

 

 

 

02.22.2012
Sponsored Post: DailyMakeover.com 2012 Oscar Hair Predictions From The Pros

We spoke with the pros at Wella Professionals, the hair brand who has a very impressive roster of red carpet hair under their belt already from this season, including Madonna, Michelle Williams, Claire Danes, Emma Stone, Zoe Saldana, Emily Blunt and Shailene Woodley, to get the inside scoop on what hair looks will heat up the red carpet this Sunday.

Graceful Sheen
“We will see a peak in fluid textures and warm tones that suggest effortless elegance and healthy, shiny hair that shows a lot of movement and bounce,” states Wella Professionals Color Ambassador Aura Friedman. “Expensive and Luxurious are words you could use to explain this look – maximize this effect by asking your colorist to use Wella Professionals Haircolor to give you a soft shade with warm undertones that will best complement your skin tone.”

Aura recommends her A-list clientele use Wella Professionals Brilliance Shampoo and Conditioner, which is designed to seal in color while leaving locks irresistibly smooth to the touch.

“Wella Professionals Velvet Amplifier is a red-carpet favorite,” adds Celebrity Stylist Andy LeCompte, “that smoothes the hair surface so it can better prepare the hair for styling.” Andy also uses Wella Professionals Shimmer Delight Shine Spray on his clientele to create the most sheen and expensive looking finish to any end look.

Angelic Side-Chignons
LeCompte predicts that celebs will lean toward classic styles with a play on texture and symmetry. “There will be a lot of deep side parts and loose ponys, bobs and chignons tied to the side.” This style can be customized to accentuate any gown, face shape or hair accessory. “It also lessens the stuffiness of that prom feeling and adds a more up-to-date, laissez-faire feeling.

The options here are endless, but no matter the look, you can use Wella Professionals products to perfect the end look. Apply 3-5 pumps of Wella Professionals Velvet Amplifier hair primer to create an even surface on each and every hair follicle before drying the hair, creating a foundation for the most luxurious looking end-look. To keep a style looking fresh yet modernly undone, use a light-hold hairspray such as Wella Professionals Stay Essential Finishing Spray to hold the hair while keeping an overall sense of liquid movement.

The red carpet arrivals of the 84th Annual Academy Awards®, will be airing February 26th on NBC. Be sure to join Wella Professionals on Twitter and Facebook LIVE during the red carpet arrivals (between 4pm and 7pm EST), along with their special guest panel of hair pros Aura Friedman, Rick Wellman and Mark Garrison to get tips, tricks and commentary on the hair looks of the evening.

Can’t wait till then? Visit the red carpet tab on Wella’s Facebook page for tips and leave questions for their experts to answer.

 

11.02.2011
Sponsored Post: Very.com Very Big Blogger Competition

It’s not every day that you could win $1,000 a year for 20 years, right?  I’m not one to enter many contests but when I heard about Very.com’s Very Big Blogger Competition, I just couldn’t resist.  If you’re not familiar, Very.com is a new, super cute British e-tailer, with some really adorable dresses, btw.

You can click HERE to vote for me (please!) and, as a bonus, you’ll receive an exclusive invitation to their new online VIP event where you’ll get 20% off!

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