Hasta La Ideas

Valentine’s Day is just two days away and if you’re like most people, the special gift has yet to be found. (I can totally relate because I’m guilty of still owing a Christmas present to one of my good friends!) If you’re stuck in the office or it’s just too cold to step out and find something along with the rest of the last minute shoppers, then turn to the joys and convenience of online shopping. Shop til you drop while staying in your pajamas or during your lunch break and get them delivered to your sweetheart just in the nick of time. And they’ll never know you did it all in a few clicks. Don’t worry, I’d be the last person to tell on you! In need of some ideas? Name a star after a loved one because they really are one in a million. A gift subscription for his favorite magazine is a gift that comes every month. To see more last minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas that can be delivered right to your beau’s door, click the slideshow!

The occurrence of the words “festive” and “beauty” in the same sentence may stir up a few painful memories of that time you went to school on St. Patrick’s Day in head-to-toe green, complete with clover-colored eyeshadow and lipstick (it’s okay – you sooo did not look like a leprechaun). And yeah, that time you showed up at a Halloween bash with a full-on clown face (only to find out the hard way that it wasn’t a costume party) wasn’t too hot either. But seriously, no matter what bad experiences you’ve endured and beauty faux pas you’ve committed in the past with occasion-coordinated makeup shades, a festive face doesn’t have to be obnoxious, nightmarish, or costume-y! With the right products and tints (and the correct doses of them!) you can look great for your Valentine’s Day date without resembling a page off the calendar. For one, it’s vital to remember subtlety – with Philosophy’s candy heart-inspired lip gloss and Sephora Valentine’s chocolate-scented bath scrub and body butter, the whole world may not be able to read all your V-Day enthusiasm like a sign on your forehead, but you and the one you’ll be cuddling up to will get to enjoy the celebratory scents! Also, while bright red lips and harsh fuchsia blush may set off a warning alarm in your brain, don’t shy away from the right shades of pink! With the Laura Mercier First Blush Palette, you’ll be surprised at how far a gentle rosy glow can go in creating a softly feminine and flirty look. For the perfect pucker-upper, take a look at Clinique’s Kissable Six set of lip plumping glosses, complete with six different pink, plummy, and nude shades, so you won’t have to spend hours in the store trying to pick the perfect tint! And, if you’re feeling just a tad bit bold, try for a more season-suitable smokey eye in a plum-pink shade like Make Up For Ever’s Plum 39 (just make sure to go nude on the lips for balance!). As long as you don’t try to use all eight festively fabulous products at once, these candy-colored goods are bound to help you look cuter than Cupid… and way sexier too, I hope. Check out the slideshow for the rest of the Valentine’s Day-influenced beauty sets and shades!

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I don’t know about you, but I happen to find the process of rationalizing lingerie purchases pretty easy. Did I really need five more pairs of aerie boyshorts? No, but I won’t need to do laundry as often. That Honeydew satin cami set? Totally unexpected and cute- plus, you have to give your other lingerie pieces a break sometimes. And it goes without saying that there’s no such thing as too much Natori or Hanky Panky– it’s a fact. But when it comes to lingerie by innovative Italian label La Perla, the pretty price tags might require a bit more rationalizing than usual. The luxury lingerie brand makes some of the most captivating underthings you’ll ever lay eyes on, and with just a few key pieces you’ll no longer see your lingerie collection as a mix of boring yet functional basics punctuated by oh-so pretty, oh-so unpractical things. Take this delicately adorned push up bra from the Malizia collection- its simple shape and subtle yet stunning embroidery make it a top drawer must-have, and at $113, it’s quite reasonable as far as luxury lingerie goes- plus, you can always try it on in-store and then search sites like barenecessities.com for sales. For luxurious design at an easy to swallow price, look to La Perla Studio- this mesh bra is perfect for everyday wear, but looks anything but basic and is just $42. With Valentine’s Day just days away, I’ve found some of the dreamiest La Perla creations, just begging to be wrapped and unwrapped this Saturday (even if you just buy them for yourself). Click the slideshow to see my no-rationalization-necessary favorites!

As much as I’d love to have the privilege of referring to my hair in its natural state as “badass,” frankly it’s much closer to “bush woman” or “rats’ nest” than it is to “rock star.” The truth is (and I know I’m not alone here), my coif requires a whole lot of coaxing from products, brushes, and irons before it can even dream of entering the rocker-chick realm! And unfortunately, that heavy-duty level of tress-stressing really does wonders when it comes to damaging the heck out of hair, especially with all the harsh heating, teasing, and chemicals galore, and in the long run only makes it increasingly difficult to deal with! Well, my high-maintenance-maned amigas, hair stylist Scott Fontana has answered our prayers with his kick-butt line of VIP-worthy products, appropriately named Badass Hair. With its no-BS approach, Badass Hair provides powerful products with simplistic ingredients that get the job done (and tell you exactly what that job is right on the bottle, eliminating the need to attack your mane with 902932 different products at once). With clever names like “Up All Night” Volume Mist and “Give Me A Stiffy” Gel, these frizz-tackling tools aim to give you rock-glam hair without being forced to rough it up.
Click “Read More” for our interview with Badass stylist and founder, Scott Fontana, then scroll down to get the details on the giveaway! Also, don’t forget to check out the slideshow to see more of Scott’s own favorite products!