12.12.2013
Holiday Gift Guide: 25 Gifts Under $25

holiday gifts under $25

holiday gifts under $25 2

holiday gifts under $25-3

Holiday gifts under $25-4

1//Corkcicle ($25)

2//Nate Berkus Black & White Box ($25)

3//Tipsy Vase ($22)

4//Burt’s Bees Beeswax Bounty Classic Lip Balm Holiday Gift Set ($15)

5//Flavor Infuser Water Bottle ($15)

6//NUANCE Salma Hayek Beautiful Blends Eye Quad ($9)

7//Capwell + Co. Gold Snake Bangle ($24)

8//Rodial Glam Balm Lip Ornament ($16)

9//The Cheap Chica’s Guide To Style ($15)

10//Anthropologie Homegrown Monogram Mug ($8)

11//Jouer Puttin’ On The Glitz Collection ($25)

12//BCBG Spike Ear Cuff ($24)

13//BCBG Eyelashes Coin Purse ($16)

14//Sugar Paper Polka Dot Journal ($16)

15//C. Wonder Monogram Cheese Board with Spreader ($22)

16//Deer Earrings ($12)

17//Kiehl’s Spray-N-Play Cleansing Spritz ($13)

19//Knotted Yarn Pillow ($25)

20//Too Faced Jingle All The Way ($25)

21//Kitty Cat Tree Ring ($12)

22//J.Crew Snowflake Socks ($16.50)

23//Drybar The VIP Pack ($25)

24//Kate Spade Literary Glasses Notepad ($10)

25//Essie Winter Cube Collection ($17)

12.11.2013
Holiday Gift Guide: For Your Lips

beauty gifts

I’ve covered quite a bit of holiday beauty gifts already (here, here and here) but I couldn’t resist these, especially selected for the LIPS.  Maybe it’s because I had a lip treatment at Bliss Spa today (ok, that’s probably what it is), but I’ve gotta tell you…my lips are feeling fresh and sexy as ever right now and I’m inspired.  Here are my top lip gifts to give:

1.Bliss Fabulips ‘pout’-o-matic// It looks like an electric toothbrush at first glance but it’s waaaay gentle on your lips, yet still does the exfoliating job.  This is definitely going to be my new favorite thing for 2014.

2. Fresh Sugar Baby// Fresh’s Sugar Rose lipstick is a classic so it’s not really a surprise that they put together this great three-piece gift set.

3. LUSH Christmas Kisses// The name pretty much says it all: it’s a Christmas-themed set of lip goodness including a scrub, lip tint and awesome breath mints.

4. eos Smooth Lip Balm Sphere Holiday Ornament// These little eos lip balms are pretty popular…one, because they’re cute and fun to use and two, because they actually really do hydrate.  I love the idea of this fun sphere holiday ornament.

12.10.2013
Holiday Gift Guide: The best gifts for co-workers

the best gifts for co workers

 

Buying a gift for someone you may or may not know can be a little awkward, which is why I tend to stick to general gifts that almost ANYONE will love.  When it comes to giving a holiday gift to the random lady in Accounting that you barely know, these gifts will all be a hit.

1. Wine// Almost everyone likes a bottle of wine.  Depending on the budget limit, you can even get them one white and one red, so everyone wins.

2. Nice Candy// There are a ton of great candy options these days. I’m particularly partial to Sugarfina since their candy is amazing quality and the packaging is super cute.

3. Monogram Stationary// You don’t need to know much about a person for this (aside from their first name), and most people don’t buy themselves nice stationary, so it’s a nice treat.

4. Chic Office Supplies// Even though most jobs supply the office supplies, they’re usually pretttty boring.  These fabric-covered thumb tacks will brighten up any office or cubicle (YUCK).

5. A Relaxation Candle// Lavender is a calming scent that’s perfect to burn while you’re under deadline or stressed out with too much work to do.

6. A Gift Card for Coffee// As a last resort, a simple coffee gift card is a no-fail gift that even non coffee drinkers can use!  Hi, Starbucks has amazing oatmeal.

12.09.2013
Holiday Gift Guide: What This Girl Wants

Holiday gift guide- what I want

 

I always struggle when it comes to making a holiday gift list for myself, mostly because I’m incredibly hard to shop for.  Looking back at my wish lists from 2011 and 2012 it looks like there’s always a similar theme: quirky stuff that’s also incredibly useful.  I actually DID buy myself the Macbook Air that I listed on last year’s list (currently using to write this post!) my mom bought me the Tocca candle from 2011, so given the theme that I end up with one thing from my list every year, which item do you think I should buy this year?

1. Fire Escape Shelf: In a weird way, I feel like I never really appreciated my fire escape when I had one while living in New York City…this hilarious/actually practical wall shelf is all kinds of awesome.

2. BCBG Spiked Apple Jewelry Box: My first thought: punk rock Snow White.  My second thought: I want this in a bad way…it also comes in silver and gold.

3. Striped Cashmere Eye Mask: I started using an eye mask to sleep in college and I’ve never looked back. It would seem that a cashmere version would be the next step in life.

4. Cube Planter: I’ve been fascinated with terrariums since I made one in elementary school and this one is really modern and cool…and definitely not made by an 8-year-old.

5. Cat Ice Cube Tray: Do I really need to explain this one? Meow.

6. THIS WORKS Deep Sleep Pillow Spray: I’m all about the good sleep and this spray just seems like a dream (no pun intended) to pair with the cashmere eye mask.  The soothing blend of lavender, vetivert and wild camomile essential oils will help calm the mind in preparation for a restorative slumber.

12.06.2013
Holiday Gift Guide: Gloss48

Gloss48

Even though I get a TON of beauty products sent to me to test, I still get giggly with excitement at the sight of a new product discovery.  And let me tell you, it’s rare for me to come across a brand that I haven’t tried or at least heard of…and now there’s Gloss48.  I was skeptical at first glance but now I’m officially hooked.  They basically scour the beauty universe to find new, innovative, must-have niche beauty brands and then feature them on the site for seven days with a discounted price (e.g. motivation to test new stuff out).  What did I find?  Well…I’m pretty excited and eagerly anticipating the arrival of this Skin & Co. Roma body set that features TRUFFLES. Yes, truffles.  I also ordered this adorable Bee Naturals Baby Gift Set for my BFF that just had a baby…so cute and an easy way to gift friends and family for the holidays!

12.05.2013
Holiday Gift Guide: The Little Market

The Little Market gifts

 

A few weeks back I attended the launch party (and also a blogger sushi lunch!) for The Little Market x Citizens for Humanity where I learned about Lauren Conrad’s latest project: The Little Market, a company she started with friend Hannah Skvarla, that’s mission is to build sustainable partnerships with artisans in developing countries, by connecting them with customers through an online marketplace. They seek to empower women artisans to rise above poverty and support their families.  So basically, Lauren and Hannah have been traveling the globe in search of amazing ethically-made products that practice fair trade principles.  If you know me, you know I love this kind of stuff and, even better, they’ve sourced a TON of amazing items that would make for perfect holiday gifts.  Here are my favorites:

1. Block Print Elephant Journal (handmade in India)

2. Rose Gold Candle (handmade in India)

3. Black Knit Baby Sneakers (handmade in Peru)

4. Aqua Round Glass Pitcher (handmade in Mexico)

5. Mint Vanity Trunk (handmade in India)

6. White Dove Ornament (handmade in Nepal)

Lauren Conrad The Little Market2

Annette, Lauren Conrad, me, Kelly