The Best Holiday Travel Wardrobe Essentials are Officially ON SALE!

The holidays are almost here and little get-aways are right around the corner.  I can’t wait! This year I want to pack only what I need so I don’t spend all my time packing to leave and then re-packing to head home again.  I’m going to pack like a pro and make a capsule wardrobe to mix and match, taking at least one of the holiday / travel stresses out of the equation.  And I don’t want to spend a fortune doing it.  The sales are officially on and I am over-night shipping these finds and saving big bucks in the process.

Shop Michael Michael Kors Jacket: Nordstrom.com

Shop Current / Elliott Jeans: Shopbop.com

Shop JCREW Sweater: Jcrew.com

The key to keeping things simple is to pack basic pieces that work well together, and are classic without being boring. Rule of thumb: choose neutral colors and no more than four so they will all compliment each other.  Choose a packable down coat and wear a wrap-style belted wool coat on the plane.  

Shop LOFT Sweater: Loft.com

Shop MANGO Jeans: ShopMango.com

If you are anything like me, style is right on par with comfort and these pieces will travel well, keep me warm and cozy, and take me from brunch through evening without skipping a beat.  I’ll wear the jeans alternating the coats and the fair isle sweater for shopping, socializing, and sightseeing, and switch to the faux leather jeans and black turtleneck for dinner and shows. The black satchel bag is large enough to carry essentials on the plane and small enough not to look like luggage or be too heavy to carry around  all day.  I’ll add black boots and a pair of statement sneakers that I already have, and I’m good to go.

Shop Steve Madden Boston Satchel: Nordstromrack.com

Shop Lauren Ralph Lauren Coat: Nordstrom.com

Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving Beauties! I’m thankful for all my amazing readers! Blessed!

                                                                   XOXO Shelley

#happythanksgiving #holidaytravelwardrobe #capsuletravelwardrobe #travelstyle #airportstyle #holidaywardrrobe #getawaywardrobe #whattopack #chictravelstyle #facethis.blogspot.com #ShelleyGoodstein

All I want for Christmas is - A Bevy of Beauty Treats! Let the Pampering Begin!

“All I want for Christmas is….” well, not ALL I want, but definitely right up there at the top of my list are the gorgeous beauty holiday products, all delightfully packaged and ready for spoiling someone, or me, as it were.  I so look forward to hitting up all my favorite beauty stores, both in person and online to see all the special releases of my favorite products, exclusive limited editions, and bijoux-sized treats that give me the opportunity to indulge.  And there are so many to chose from this year that I have narrowed down my favorites just in case Santa needs a hint, or if you, readers, need some beauty suggestions of your own.

The holidays are the perfect time to try out a new lipstick in a daring color or finish and I love the new Pat McGrath Labs Mini Matte Trance Lip Trio, and Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Mattemoiselle 10/10, both with a versatile range of shades for maximum glam for the new year.  Charlotte Tilbury’s The Golden Goddess Set has everything you could dream of from eyes to lips to face in the metallic shades that will work literally every single day all winter long, giving me a “just back from vacation somewhere warm and sunny” glow.  Speaking of vacation, I am lusting after Tom Ford’s Soleil Blanc Shimmer and Travel Set which is the ultimate in get-away glam and definitely coming with me if I am lucky enough to see a beach this winter.  Nars Hot Tryst Cheek Palette gives a hot-blooded flush and has every shade you could desire to warm up your winter complexion. 

Skin and body care treats take the cold sting out of winter, and bath and body products scented with coconut and rose are the perfect antidote to dry winter skin.  I love the luxurious Herbivore Botanical’s Self Love Bath and Body Ritual Kit for it’s rejuvenation properties, not to mention its delicious scents and formulas.  BeautyBio’s Bright Eyes Set is an amazing eye patch treatment that puts the life back into the delicate under-eye skin and the soft “Offline” eye mask reminds us to step away from our electronic devices and relax.  Dry winter skin is no match for La Mer’s Celestial Transformations The Radiant Collection, which has every product you need to restore your glow with the proper skincare products, not just faking it with makeup.  And don’t forget fragrance: the holiday season is the best time of the year to try new scents,  I love the smaller versions of perfume and eau de toilette without committing to a full-size bottle, and it gives me a “fragrance wardrobe” to brighten winter days.  I love scents that remind me of summer and sunshine, like Maison Margiela’s Replica Travel Spray Sets, and Hermes’ Garden Collection Coffret Set. 

Let the pampering begin! All of these beauty indulgences have put me in the holiday mood and gifting is going to be extra glam this year. Santa, are you listening? I’ve been SO GOOD this year!

                                                                XOXO Shelley

#holidaybeautybuys #bestbeautygifts #holidaybeauty #holidaymakeup #bestgifstsets #holidayshoppinginspiration #beautygiftguide #facethis.blogspot.com #ShelleyGoodstein

Hair Hack - Water Bottle Hair Challenge: Does it Work? Beauty Experts Weigh in

The water bottle challenge, also known as the DIY Dyson Airwrap, is all over instagram and everyone from hair stylists, to beauty bloggers is weighing in on whether it really can curl your hair just as well as the uber-expensive Dyson Airwrap  ($600.00 and there are waitlists at many retailers to buy one).  So what is it, how do you do it, and does it work?

First you need to take a clean plastic water bottle and cut the top off.  Then cut an opening in the side of the bottle that is large enough to fit the nozzle of your hair dryer into it.  Needless to say, this has to be done carefully with a hobby knife.  

Twist a small section of your hair and insert it into the top opening of the bottle.  Place the dryer nozzle into the side opening of the bottle and dry for 30 seconds.  Slide the bottle off and use your fingers rather than a brush to separate the curl.  Voila!  

Tips:  

Try various heat settings on your hair dryer to see what works for your type of hair.

Use a setting product to help hold the curl.

Spray the curl after to maintain the style.  

The bottle gets really hot while using the dryer so let it cool down between each curl.  

Verdict: 

The curls are long and loopy, not tight, so they add more volume than actual curl.

Many people found the hair tangled badly into a ratty mess.

If you don’t use any products the curls will fall out immediately.

The Dyson Airwrap uses air rather than heat, so using a water bottle and blow dryer still damages the hair over time.  If you curl your hair with a heated appliance every day you might want to consider investing in the Dyson Airwrap to protect the condition of your hair.

If you are on a budget or if you just want to curl your hair once in a while then the water  bottle hair hack can work in a pinch if you use products to set and hold the style, so in that case it's a win.   

Check out celebrity hair stylist Justine Marjan’s water bottle hair challenge video clip:

YouTube beauty blogger Chloe Wen shows it’s not as easy as it looks:

Have you tried the water bottle hair hack yet?  Did it work for you? Any advise or tips?

                                                               XOXO Shelley

#waterbottlehairchallenge  #trendinghair  #DIYDysonAirwrap  #viralhair #instagramhair  #waterbottlehairhack  #facethis.blogspot.com  #ShelleyGoodstein