GIVEAWAY!!! Enter to win Grace in LA Jeans

Win it! Grace in LA is giving away jeans to 3 lucky thebeautywall.com readers!  Grace in LA jeans feature detailed pockets, a body-hugging fit with just the right amount of stretch and contoured waistbands that won’t gap. Available in bootcut, boyfriend, straight leg, skinny and capri styles.

To enter:

  1. You must be a subscriber to this blog, thebeautywall.com to win. If you’re not already one, simply enter your e-mail and click the aqua subscribe button.
  2. Leave a comment for this story with your name and e-mail address so I can contact you for details if you win. ***Earn an additional entry by forwarding this post to a friend or sharing it on your facebook wall. Let me know you’ve done that in your comment.
  3. Winners will be randomly selected by end of day Thursday, 5/23/13. Surprise styles will be chosen by the company and mailed directly from Grace in LA.

GOOD LUCK! xoxoNancy

 

photography courtesy of Grace In LA

 

Hats Off!

I always miss the mark on buying a summer hat–I start a little too late in the season and all the good ones are gone. This year will be different! Since it’s almost time for fun in the sun, it’s definitely time for a new summer hat. Here, some great picks:

  1. Olona Wide Brim Sunhat. $135 at barneys.com. Bright orange, 100% cotton, canvas soigne hat with an extra wide sun protecting brim.
  2. Biltmore for Madewell Panama Hat, $43.50 at madewell.com. A beach-ready, floppy, panama hat made from toyo paper.
  3. Jonathan Adler Print Bucket Hat, $98 at nordstrom.com. Playful typography and a raw-cut brim adorn this jute bucket hat.

photo courtesy of Beso, Bop Basics Floppy Raffia Sunhat, $98 at shopbop.com.

 

Nancy Answers: Your hair doesn’t have to be dirty to look good.

Hi Nancy, my hair always looks best “settled-in” a day or two after I wash it…how can I get that shiny, manageable look on Day 1? Please help! Thanks, D

Over the years I’ve worked with some pretty spectacular stylists…Elsa Canedo is one of them. She can sculpt hair like she’s Rodin or cut and style it so it’s edgy, beachy or perfectly coiffed. Her client roster is a mile long…recently she’s worked with Jennifer Lopez, Cheryl Hines and Julie Bowen. I asked…Elsa answered…and said it’s all about product!

If you have Fine hair: Towel dry and use a leave in conditioner, applied from midshaft to ends.  The residual product left on hands can be applied to root area. Try Bumble and bumble Leave in Conditioner, $24 at sephora.com.

If you have Medium to Coarse hair: You need more control and shine. On damp hair, apply a nourishing product such as Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil, $48 at bigelowchemists.com. It has Argan oil that absorbs without leaving hair greasy. If air drying, continue to smooth hair gently coaxing hair into desired style every 10 minutes or so, until dry.  If blow drying, simply style as usual and this should do the trick to give you manageable, shiny hair the first day of shampooing.

If your hair texture is Coarse:  For added control and shine try Oribe Super Shine Moisturizing Creme, $49 at oribe.com. Tuck in your bag to use on strays throughout the day.
For Curly hair:  A curl defining product will help maintain shape and keep frizz down to a minimum. Towel Dry and apply the styling creme throughout hair before wrapping up in a towel (turbin style) for about 10 minutes to help set help set curls. Then, take down from towel and allow to air dry or use a diffuser attachment on your blow dryer gently drying and styling hair as usual. You’ll love Oribe Curl by Definition, $48 at oribe.com or Ouidad Moisture Lock Define and Shine Curl Styling Gel Cream, $24 at ouidad.com.
Credit:  Elsa for Oribe Hair Care.
Photo, Elsa at work courtesy of Pinterest.

Read all about it: Pregnant women and junk food.

 

Eating for two? Step away from the junk food. If we’re anything like rats (and scientists say we are) recent research suggests you might be setting your child up for cravings. Eating food high in fat and sugar while pregnant just might give your child a predisposition to junk food addiction later in life.  Read article here.

 

Hands Down Best Manicure Kit!

Years ago, if you were to tell me that I’d get excited over a manicure set I would have thought you were crazy…but that was before I ever laid eyes on this chic one, by Rowallan of Scotland. This gorgeous leather case holds a nail file, scissors, clippers, tweezers, cuticle tool and more. It’s available in sky blue, red, coral or green and can be personalized in gold or silver letters.

Check out my sky blue one with silver letters. I love it so much that I can’t take my eyes off it, and I know it’s strange but I can’t stop inhaling that fresh leather smell.  I wish I’d seen this before Mother’s Day because this would have been my go to gift for everyone. On second thought, maybe it’s a good thing…I think I’ll get my holiday shopping done early this year!

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

Here’s my mom (in green) and my mother-in-law (in red)…I hope you had as wonderful a day as we did! xoxoNancyBlogshot-mom&judy

Is there a cure for grey hair?

It seems there is. Research scientists at Bradford University’s School of Life Sciences in the UK have come up with a topical treatment that prevents and reverses the greying process. They’ve discovered that people who are going grey develop an overabundance of oxidative stress leading to an accumulation of hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicle, causing it to actually bleach itself from the inside out. This same treatment also appears to be a remedy for people with vitiligo, a skin condition that causes loss of pigmentation leading to white patches on the skin.

Though there are some who embrace their silvery strands, if you’re not one of them this is great news! But don’t cancel your colorist appointment just yet, it’s still in the research stage and could be years before it’s available to the public.

photo courtesy of Pinterest

 

Something to Blush About…

Product Review: Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush in In Bloom, $24 at www.sephora.com.

I love that extra boost of energy I feel after a good workout. It gets my blood pumping and brings a healthy-looking glow to my complexion that lasts for hours!

Thanks to a little blush, that glow is easy to mimic. The perfect shade for you is the color your cheeks naturally turn when you’re blushing or exercising. To do, smile and apply blush to the apples with a fluffy brush if it’s powder or dotted on if it’s cream or gel. Gently blend up into the hairline and down and out for instant and natural-looking radiance!

I tried Smashbox Halo Long Wear Blush and was more than pleasantly surprised. In Bloom is a pink shade that adds just the right amount of color to my skin. It actually looks a lot brighter in the packaging but is absolutely perfect when applied. With its cool, built-in grinder a little twist gives you freshly ground, mess-free color–the perfect amount every time.

(photo courtesy of Orange County Bride Magazine)

Mum’s the Word: Seven Mother’s Day Gifts You’ll LOVE!!!

Here’s my mother’s day wish list–I’m sure more than one will catch your eye, too. Act fast! There’s still time to snap up one or all for you or your favorite mom!

Tortoise Flower Bracelet, $88 at jcrew.com. She’ll think of you every time she wears this subtly sparkly resin bracelet.

Turquoise Tealight Holders, starting at $12 at jaysonhome.com. These colored glass votives are pure magic…even when not-lit!

Konjo Scarf, $140 at lemlem.com. With its signature stripes and cool cotton blend, this breezy wrap makes a relaxed style statement.

India Hicks, The Maasai Collection, Purple Maasai Flip Flops, $105 at shoplatitude.com. Gorgeous beading and brilliant plum adds a punch of color to any neutral outfit.

Summer Straw Hat in Stripe, $39.50 at jcrew.com. This feels oh-so-Capri to me! It flattens and folds for easy packing plus has an extra wide brim for sun safety.

Pyrite Heart, $52 at jaysonhome.com. There’s just something extra special about this perfectly imperfect talisman.

Dewdrop Leather Pouch, $49.95 at redenvelope.com.  Choose from 4 different hand-cut, handprinted and recycled leather 7.5″ x 11″ pouches. Made to hold cosmetics, photos or odds and ends, but I’d use mine as a clutch.

Send Me Your Questions!

If you want beauty, style or lifestyle advice, need help finding the right product or item or just want to know a bit more about something, this is for you. Send your questions to me at nancy@thebeautywall.com and I’ll do my best to answer them in an upcoming post.

E-mail me…I want to hear from you!   xoxoNancy

 

find us elsewhere

subscribe via email

Enter your email address: