Leavin' On A Jet Plane: Beauty Essentials for Travel

Disclaimer: I ABSOLUTELY HATE FLYING.

That being said...I'm heading to Florida next week. So I was surfing the web (do people still say that??) and looking for some beauty products that will keep me sane comfortable while I'm thousands of feet in the air.  Every site I stumbled upon had such boring products, until I came across 3FlOz.com. Why am I just now finding out about this site?? It's fantastic! I was browsing through the products for a good 45 minutes adding tons of (mostly) necessary items to my checkout cart.

Take a peek at some of my faves:

As I've stated, airplanes and I do not mix. So I, preferably, like to be knocked out cold and sleep through the whole flight! I don't want to take anything too strong that will have me drooling like a psychiatric patient, so these pills are just perfect. Choose from seven packets ($4 each for 16 pills) including "Help, I can't sleep", "Help, I have a headache", "Help, I have allergies" or get the whole set of seven packs "Help, I need a lot of help". (Cute!)

I don't know about you, but brushing my teeth in an airplane bathroom is just something I will...not...do. This "no brush, no rinse" whitening toothpaste by Supersmile ($16) is genius (!). All you have to do is dab a little on your tongue, using your tongue as a toothbrush, and smooth over your teeth until it dissolves. Again...genius.

The Air Repair Kit ($35) has everything from a Facial Mist Spray to an Eye Cream to keep you hydrated on your flight. You can also buy each separately, but I think I'll just buy the whole pack to cover all my bases. ;)

I always, always carry towelettes. Blame it on me being a mommy or blame it on my mild case of OCD, but I need to wipe my hands and face constantly. This gentle, all natural wipe by Yes to Carrots ($6) is packed with cucumbers, aloe, and green tea to wipe away any icky stuff on your skin- leaving you fresh and ready to hop of that plane. And after hours up in the air, these wipes are my new best friends.

Do you have any beauty must-haves for traveling?

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo

Allycia



Photo credit: 3FlOz.com

New Shoe Alert!

I'll freely admit that I'm a bit of a shoe whore. I initially spotted these at Zara for $99 in nude...bought them...returned them...and cursed myself when I changed my mind and (big surprise) they were sold out! So when I caught a glimpse of these lovelies in HOT PINK (!!!) at DSW.com, I hit the "order" button without even blinking. Impulsive? Yes. But how could I not have hot pink heels in my life? The Zara pair were made of a suede material while these by Mix No. 6 are satin. And I think I kinda like the satin better anyway. I have a wedding to go to next month in Florida so I justified my purchase with that in mind (hee hee). And for only $50, I mean c'mon!

FYI: They're also available in black, nude, and grey!

What do you think?

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo

Allycia

Recap: Best Nails at the 2011 VMAs

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Let me start off by saying that I'm not big on award shows, but I'm so glad I caught the MTV Video Music Awards last night. The biggest news of the night of course was Beyonce is preggers!! And when they cut to her (now famous) tummy rub, I was almost in tears after Jay Z's reaction. So sweet! Of course there had to be someone being a little...umm, weird outrageous..and that person was Gaga. What the hell was that?! Can someone please explain? The whole West Side Story cross-dressing thing was making me (and Britney Spears) very uncomfy.

But what is an award show without talking about the fashions of the night? And you know I had my eyes on the hair and makeup. But did you catch all the amazing manicures? Here are the top manis that really "nailed" it (bad pun-I know, I know):

Can I just say how much I love Adele!!!! Every time I hear her sing, it's like I'm holding my breath so I don't miss a note. SO beautiful. I haven't tried the talon nail trend but I'm really loving Adele's nude mani. Hair, makeup, nails...check...all perfect!

The lady of the night. I didn't think Bey could get any more gorgeous, but she definitely has that pregnancy glow here! Again the almond shaped nails, and they match perfectly with her beautiful orange Lanvin gown. Stunning!!

Beyonce's former band-mate Kelly Rowland looked ah-mazing in this black and gold minidress with a very on-trend manicure- the "paint one finger different" look. In pink and an accent of sparkly gold it's just perfect.

And now for the"colorful" ladies of the evening:

Oh Nicki, Nicki, Nicki. When will we realize that these get ups are no longer eccentric, they're just plain weird. I don't even know how to comment on the outfit so let's try and peel our eyes from that mess and talk about the nails, shall we? When I first saw her mani close-up, what immediately came to mind was my high school days getting my nails done here in Queens circa 1999. I'm not impressed, Nicki. Sorry.

Did you catch Cloris Leachman saying she was DTF with Pauly D?? Bad visual. I love The Jersey Shore and love me some Snooki. And I honestly don't hate her nails here. I kinda like the sparkles and feathers. I personally would not sport sparkles and feathers but it somehow works for Snooks.

And last but not least, Katy Perry. This girl is always rockin' a cool manicure and she did not disappoint last night! Love the colors, love the patterns, hate dislike the outfit.

All in all an entertaining evening. What was your favorite fashion moment?

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo 

Allycia

Photo sources:
MTV.com
Bellasugar.com

It's Potty Time!

I think one of the most exciting moments in a mom's life is when you hear "Mommy, I have to go potty!".  I wish someone had told me how incredibly difficult it would be to potty train, especially potty training a boy! A few months ago, when Jordan turned 3, I was determined to get this potty thing down in no time. Well...I was wrong. So very wrong. If I thought my three year old was stubborn before, I had no clue he would absolutly refuse to use that potty. And by refuse, I mean kick, stream, and throw various objects at me. I tried everything! I took him to Toys R Us to pick out the potty he wanted (we've gone through three), I tried rewarding him with everything from candy to stickers, having him watch his dad go (sorry for the TMI), and even resorted to bribing him with lavish gifts-nothing worked. Nada. 

I decided to see what strategies other mom's were using and, through the magic of Google, I found tons of suggestions and advice. (I also read about some mom's who were practically in tears over this!) After reading about the five year old who was still in diapers, I was beyond determined. So, one mom said that she just got rid of the diapers and pull ups completely cold turkey-giving her son no other option but to use that potty. I figured, what the hell, I'd give it a shot. And after three days of having him run around literally butt naked (and one accident on the livingroom carpet, sigh), I can finally say, "Yes, my son is potty trained!".

It's a huge feeling of accomplishment for me. And he is beyond excited every time he goes. I've never been more proud...of the both of us!

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo

Allycia

Fall 2011: Hypnotic Beauty Collection by Victoria's Secret

The new Limited Edition Hypnotic Beauty Collection by Victoria's Secret features an array of products to transport you to another exotic world filled with warm days and cool Arabian nights.

The Perfect Lipstick ($14) is rich, creamy and glides on with silky smooth application. It comes in two gorgeous shades: Exotica (a warm red) and Pink Whisper (a light pink). Both colors can easily work beautifully on a variety on skin tones.

I am always on the hunt for a great black eyeliner and I think I've found it with the Kajal Eyeliner ($15). The tip allows for an almost fool-proof application. And with the highly pigmented, dark black shade you can create the ultimate smoky eye!

I've never met a woman who didn't want just a little bit of blush to highlight and accentuate. The new Luminous Blush ($16) doubles as an amazing highlighter to apply to your cheeks, or wherever you please.

The Deluxe Eye Palette ($26) comes in two varieties both with five complimentary colors to choose from. I especially love the beautiful packaging!


These are each fast becoming my must haves! What do you think of the new collection?

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo

Allycia

My Trip to Teen Vogue

On Tuesday, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to sit down with Sabine Feldmann, the Vice President & Publisher of Teen Vogue! I recently became a member of Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW), an organization with over 4,000 executives in the beauty industry. I signed up for their mentor program and saw that Sabine was a member as well; I was so excited when she asked me to stop by!

We sat in the fabulous Conde Nast cafeteria eating yummy frozen yogurt (with chocolate sprinkles!) and chatting about how to excel in the magazine industry. I've been freelancing at magazines including InStyle and Cosmopolitan but I'm now considering a full-time editorial gig. But, oh lord, that is easier said than done! So I decided to pick her brain for any tips on how to reach this goal. And her advice: NETWORK! NETWORK! NETWORK! The saying has never been more true: "It's not what you know, but who you know".

It was such a pleasure to meet with Sabine- she's so lovely and sweet. Expert advice, great tips (and did I mention to delicious frozen yogurt?). It was a great day all around!

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo

Allycia

*Photo credit: amateurgourmet.com

What is Birchbox?

Have you heard of Birchbox? It's like Netflix for beauty addicts! There are soooo many new subscription-only sites popping up online that it was only a matter of time before someone came up with this idea.

Here's how it works. You go to Birchbox.com to register, and for only $10 a month you've subscribed to receive a package every month filled with beauty products! And they're not just any products, Birchbox has brands like Carol's Daughter, Benefit, Kiehls, Nars, Stila, Zoya and lots more! Your package arrives in a pretty pink box with descriptions of all the products inside.

You'll receive 4-5 sample size products in your box filled with everything from skincare to makeup and sometimes you receive actual full size products. (The sample sizes are pretty substantial though!)
And if you love the sample, simply go to Birchbox.com to purchase a full size. Every time you purchase a full size or refer a friend, you receive points toward more products!

And although they only launched last year, Birchbox is already a huge hit with beauty junkies! (Just go to YouTube and search 'Birchbox' and you'll see tons of people raving about their Birchbox packages!! I kid you not!).

Ahhh, Birchbox...It's like Christmas every month!

Until next time...smooches*

xoxo

Allycia