10 Products That Actually Work

Yesterday I found myself perched in front of a low shelf at my local T.J.Maxx/Homegoods ...waist deep in one time use Korean beauty masks, Aloe vera sock treatments and a variety of items that boasted ingredients like "real volcanic ash!" "compressed diamond fibers!" "mineral sea salt extract!" when it occurred to me...I'm addicted to miracle products.  I mean, who doesn't love the idea of phenomenal, instentatious results?  In most cases I'd go gaga for somewhat noticeable, slowly developing results!  I can tell you with confidence, however- and if you have a similar addiction I'm sure you'll agree- that's not how things typically play out.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...except for these gems.  Every so often a blind squirrel finds a nut, as they say, and over time I've developed a small arsenal of products that just plain work.  Here's a few of my favorites...

1. Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy: The trick to this is to use it the moment you start to feel a pimple developing...I'm always astounded at how well it works.  I can neither confirm nor deny that a few males in my family use it regularly as well.

2. Egyptian Magic: I first discovered Egyptian Magic at- of all places- Costco.  The price was a little steep for skin cream but you know how it goes when you're in the zone buying in bulk...in the cart it went.  It is, by far, the most hydrating product I've ever purchased.  The consistency might throw you off at first (it's more of a balm than a cream) but the results are unparalleled.

3. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask: So, my lips get really dry in the winter.  Really, really, really dry (and cracked and peel-y and the whole enchilada).  They've been especially bad this winter and after trying everything I could think of (including, but not limited to, other items on this list), I finally found my solution in this lip mask.  Just before bed I exfoliate my lips with a sugar scrub, then use just a smidgen of product.  Come morning I'm a new woman.

4. Moroccan Oil: Nothing smells better, nothing works better.  Keeps my relatively thin hair shiny and smooth without looking greasy.  The best.

5. Wet Brush: This is the most fabulous detangling brush for wet or dry hair (though it's particularly amazing when hair is wet).  It's the only brush I've ever used that doesn't feel like it's doing damage to my hair...knots just glide right out.  

6. CeraVe: I've only been using this facial moisturizer for a few months but my skin loves it.  A little goes a long way, too...at the rate I'm going I should finish my first jar circa 2025.

7. Sweater Saver: I love our living room couch, but after about a year of use I realized it was covered in messy little lint balls.  After purchasing several products that falsely claimed they would rid me of said lint balls, I was at my wits end.  Thankfully my Mom found the Sweater Saver at a little boutique and it worked like a dream.  Every time I use it my couch looks brand new!

8. Foot Rubz: When I purchased this foot massager as a small present to throw in my husband's Christmas stocking I had no idea how much use I'd get out of it.  Although I admittedly hate the fact that whoever named the product substituted a "s" for a "z" in their name (never a z people...never a z), I have to say the dang thing rubs the knots right out of your feet without any pain.

9. Epsom Salt Soaking Solution: There's nothing like an Epsom salt bath to cheaply soothe muscle aches and pains.  I always feel like a remarkably new person whenever I take one, and the smell of this particular product is divine.  

10. Totally Awesome: If you're looking for a 100% organic cleaner made of all natural ingredients...well...keep looking cause this isn't it.  Don't get me wrong, it's not hazardous, but it is strong so ventilation is key.  That being said, boy oh boy does it work!  This stuff gets out everything.  Seriously.  It hasn't let me down yet and I've put it to the task on more than one occasion.

1. Blemish Therapy, Bare Minerals $18  2. Egyptian Magic, Costco $39.99  3. Agave Lip Mask, Bite Beauty $26  4. Moroccan Oil Treatment, Moroccan Oil $44  5. The Wet Brush, Amazon $8.96  6. Moisturizing Cream, CeraVe $12.99  7. Hollywood Sweater Saver, Amazon $7.34  8. Hand and Foot Massager, Foot Rubz $6.26  9. Epsom Salt Soaking Solution with Eucalyptus Spearmint, Dr. Teals $4.87  10. Totally Awesome All Purpose Cleaner, Dollar General $1

Wanted: Week 17

1. Black and White Striped Coverup, Sheinside $22.33  2. The Multiple Stick, Nars $39  3. Seletti Plate, Drake General Store $25  4. Savannah Metallic Wedge Sandal, Tory Burch $265  5. Hayword Tray Table, One Kings Lane  6.  Rosantica Necklace, Matches Fashion $682

Wanted: Week Four

I'm taking our Wanted series to the next level today by using it to post our first gift guide of the season.  The items below are so wanted they could essentially serve as my unofficial Christmas wish list.  If your Mom/Sister/BFF loves fashionable classics, you might find an idea or two here for a gift she'll adore!

1. Leather Opera Gloves, Amazon $68  2. Golden Tassel Necklace, J. Crew $65  3. Fur Stole, Zara $59.90  4. Bow Pump, Aminah Abdul Jillil $195  5. Personalized Monogram Stud Earrings, Nordstrom $48  6. Creme De La Mer, Nordstrom $155  7. Clarasonic Skin Cleansing Brush, Sephora $150  8. Moscow Mule Mug, Amazon $20.20

An Experiment in Beauty

I had an idea the other day...one of those funny, 'this is either going to be really good or really bad' ideas that pop up in your head from time to time.  I called my dear friend Nina, as I so often do when I get this variety of idea, and we decided to 1) drag a few more friends into the action and 2) give said idea a shot.  And thus our evening of homemade beauty treatments was born.  I did a little research and, using only items found in my kitchen, made a few masks, scrubs and the like from the various super foods I had laying around.  There were a few success stories and- as you can imagine- a few things that went somewhat horribly wrong.  But most of all there was laughing.

Let's start with our happiest discovery...the star of the night was a face mask, made by mixing 2 eggs with 1 single serve container of plain Greek yogurt.  The instructions were simple...mix, apply to your freshly washed face, let dry (takes about 10 minutes) and wash off.  All four of us agreed this was a gem.  My favorite part was how smooth it left my face feeling...two thumbs up on this one.

Now let's jump to the night's low point.  We attempted a banana, avocado and coconut oil hair mask that didn't exactly pan out as planned.  In retrospect, I would never let someone smash a banana or avocado in my hair without putting up one heck of a fight, so I don't know why I ever thought it was a good idea to allow it in the name of beauty.  It was disgusting.  Smelled great!  But felt really, really gross and took forever to wash out (seriously...shampooed twice, conditioned twice and was still picking out pieces).  I found the recipe a few different places online...mash 1 ripe banana, 1 ripe avocado and 1 TBS coconut oil per hair mask, apply to hair, cover with saran wrap and leave in for 15-20 minutes.  I had high hopes due to all the glowing reviews but this one is a no go.  While it definitely did make my hair feel softer, it wasn't worth the nightmare of a process.

The other two experiments of the night were actually pretty great.  We put together a lip scrub comprised of the juice of 1 lemon slice, 1 tsp honey and 2-3 TBS brown sugar.  Not gonna lie...it tastes awesome (of course I tasted it...it was sitting right there on my lips).  It actually worked pretty great, too!  Natalie and I liked the fact that it was a little tingly while Nina and Courtney couldn't actually feel it tingle at all...we all used the same batch so you can file that one under unsolved mysteries I guess.  While it didn't make some crazy, dramatic difference in the condition of my lips, it was an enjoyable process to be sure.  I feel good about recommending it.

Lastly and most simply, we tried the 'ol cucumbers on the eyes trick.  The instructions I read said to cut one inch slices, which seemed really thick but we went with it.  My suggestion is to pair this one with the face mask like we did...it was awesome...so cooling and relaxing!  I can see why this home remedy has such staying power.  It's simple but effective!

While the night's results weren't perfect, we had an absolute blast experimenting.  It's a worthwhile activity to be sure.  What about you?  Any home beauty treatment suggestions or horror stories you want to share?  I sure would love to hear them below!

Be Our Valentine

Nashville friends: I have a fun announcement.  We're throwing a killer Valentine's Day event for new clients here at the salon!  You can't beat the price for the fun, indulgent night we have planned and tickets are extremely limited so make sure you get one ASAP.  If you didn't have Valentine's plans before, you do now!  Click here to purchase a ticket.

Beauty Bar Essentials

I'm a big fan of makeup.  A big, big fan.  And while reveling in the perfection of my favorite gold eyeshadow this morning, it occurred to me that I've never really communicated that on the blog before. My follow-up thought was slightly more profound...what have I communicated on the blog lately?  I'm always really proud of what I post here, but as I was sifting through the last few weeks of content I realized it's been pretty much strictly editorial calendar driven.  Don't misunderstand me, I love our editorial calendar and have no intention of pulling the plug on it, but I want to make sure I deliver more than just the same scheduled content from week to week.  The moment this space becomes merely something I need to fill is the moment it won't really be worth visiting anymore...while I don't feel like that's where I'm at, I do want to make sure I'm actively working against it.  I wish I could promise a proverbial waterfall of new content, but since I'm in the process of growing a business I don't think that's something I can deliver at the moment.  But!  I can commit to two posts a week on top of our regular editorial calendar for the time being.  As Design Muse grows things will continue to change here, but it's my goal to always make sure the content is fresh and inspirational. 

That being said, let's talk about makeup for a minute (the catalyst for this whole rant).  I rounded up a few of my must haves...the products in my beauty regimen that get an A++ 100% of the time.  I've tried a lot of different kinds of makeup in my day (more than I'll ever admit to) and these are the tried and true favorites.  A few quick thoughts about what's listed here:

1. Urban Decay 'Baked' Eyeshadow- The best gold eyeshadow you'll ever use.  Super pigmented, extremely warming with the perfect amount of shimmer...seriously...the best.

2. Boom Boom Brow Highlighting Pencil- Love using the matte end to highlight my brows and the shimmer end on the inner corners of my eyes.  Especially helpful when I didn't get quite enough sleep the night before.

3. Shiseido Eyelash Curler- Try it and you'll never use another eyelash curler again.  For reals.

4. Mac 'Fleur Power' Powder Blush- Just enough coral to be universally flattering...looks like freshly pinched cheeks.

5. GaBee's Lip Balm- In a perfect world, I'd send all of you a stick of this...it's seriously my favorite.  Check out the back story on how it came to be here.

6. Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base- Doesn't clump, dries clear, keeps your eyeshadow on all day.  What more could you ask for?

7. Dior Show Maximizer Lash Plumping Serem- Makes a huge difference in the length and thickness of my lashes.  Huge.

8. Lorac Multiplex 3D Lashes Volumizing and Thickening Mascara- I've tried cheaper, more expensive, thicker, thinner, and everything in between.  This is hands down my fave.

9. Stila 'Fiery' Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick- Never in my life have I come across another lipstick like this.  The perfect red, stays allll day (and then some), the best, best, best.   

1. Eyeshadow in 'Baked', Urban Decay $18  2. Brow Highlighting Pencil, Boom Boom Brow Bar $18   3. Eyelash Curler, Shiseido $19  4. Powder blush in 'Fleur Power', MAC $20  5. GaBees Lip Balm, Beretta Apiary  6. Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, NARS $24  7. Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum, Dior $28  8. Multiplex 3D Lashes Volumizing & Thickening Mascara, Lorac $22  9. Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in 'Fiery', Stila $22

Gift Guide: Lovely Ladies

I broke our Ladies Gift Guide down into two parts...today's is for the chic, sophisticated women in your life, tomorrows is a little more relaxed and fun.  I sprinkled a few aspirational presents in there, but there's some practical gems too.  And I couldn't resist throwing a Jadeite plate in...fun fact: collecting them is on my bucket list.  

1. Jadeite Plate, Fishs Eddy $16.95  2. Glass Turquoise Necklace, Siman Tu $700  3. Metallic Leather iPhone Case, Anthropologie $38  4. 100 Years of Fashion, Amazon $25.31  5. Crystal Embellished Leather Gloves, Valentino $745  6. Crystal Necklace, Kate Spade $278  7. Marbled Latte Mug, LEIF $20  8. Nars Nail Polish, Sephora $18

Nicole Marie Salon & Spa Sneak Peek!

I've been in the Nicole Marie zone lately trying to get all our social media in order.  We're moments away from launching the website but I wanted to sneak you guys a few pictures of how things turned out before it goes live.  Our full before and after post won't be up for a few more weeks (you know how finishing touches can drag on) but here's a couple shots of how things look at the moment.  Oh, and follow us on Twitter (@NMSalonSpa), Pinterest, and Facebook if you get a second!

Shop This Look: Cinderella

Cinderelly, Cinderelly...are you fabulous or what?  For our second official Shop This Look, I took a few cues from the queen of the Disney princesses (don't worry fellow brunettes, Belle is still my very favorite).  Truth is, I'm gonna see Ms. Cinderella on the big screen in a couple days so I keep waking up singing her songs...not that I'm complaining because, be honest, the music in that movie is too good.    Now, if you are A) a Sephora Beauty Insider, B) a Disney fan and C) free this Thursday night, then boy oh boy do I have a link you need to checkout!  Play your cards right and you may be sitting pretty at your town's special movie theater screening, too!  You'll find all the details here.  In the meantime, check out the pieces below inspired by the movie...see something you like?  Just click and buy!  So simple, right?

23 Madison Studio

Finding something you think is awesome is always a good time.  Finding something that combines three things you think are awesome is an unspeakably good time!  In this case, the party responsible is 23 Madison Studio and the three things in question are luxury items, adorable artwork and stationary.  Really, really cute stationary.  More incredible still, the artist behind this fabulous studio will create custom "what's in your bag" illustrations!  Is that not the neatest gift ever?  I've been brainstorming what mine would include ever since I discovered this cute little shop and so far I've got: my iPhone, Dior mascara, GaBees Lip balm, Rayban Wayfarers, Southwest peanuts, my Dad's old monogrammed business card case, a Dinner and a Suit CD and Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume.  What would you display in your "what's in your bag" illustration?

Images Via: 23 Madison Studio

Impractically Perfect

I spent the majority of yesterday in New York City helping a dear friend plan her wedding and as a fun treat, her Mom made reservations at Bergdorf Goodman for lunch.  Now, I don't know if you've ever been to Bergdorf Goodman for lunch (I, of course, hadn't) but in my now expert opinion, you should go.  You should go right away.  But let this be a warning to you if you do go right away!  Should you dare to browse around after lunch like we did, chances are high that you will loose your ever loving mind.  It's just way too many beautiful, wonderful, extravagant things under one roof...things you most certainly can not have displayed in such a way that tricks you into thinking maybe you might need them.  There's some kind of dark magic at work there for sure.  After spending part of the afternoon discovering so many incredible pieces, I got to thinking about the kinds of over the top things I would buy if I was the kind of over the top person that shopped there.  These were the first items that came to mind...

1. Coloring Book, Hermes $140  2. Mini Luggage Tote, Celine $2,400  3. Windows at Bergdorf Goodman, Assouline $695  4. Creme de la Mer, La Mer $1,800  5. Crystal Embellished Sandals, Alexander McQueen $1,710

GaBEE's Lip Balm!

Have you seen this awesome lip balm in stores?  Uh oh, hope you didn't answer yes cause that was a trick question!  It's actually our lip balm...created by my Dad using his beeswax as a main ingredient and named after (drumroll please) me!  Is he sweet or what?  I thought you might enjoy a behind the scenes look into exactly how this delightful little treat came to be...sounds like fun, right?  Good, let's do this.

I know I've mentioned my Dad's mind blowingly cool hobbies on several occasions, but in case you didn't know, one of them is beekeeping.  We used beeswax from his hives as the base of the lip balm by melting it in a pyrex measuring cup mostly submerged in boiling water.  

When the beeswax melted, we let the water continue to boil and added coconut oil, pure cocoa butter, and olive oil to the mix.  We then gave things a stir, carefully removed the cup from the heat and added vitamin E.  We lined our tubes up and poured the lip balm in immediately so as to not give the liquid time to solidify in the pyrex cup.  Side note regarding the pouring process: there was a learning curve, but somewhere around the 40th tube we got the hang of mess-free filling.  Side note regarding my blood pressure during this portion of the afternoon...I pretty much held my breath until all the tubes were full.  The potential for a murderous domino effect was high but we rose to the challenge.

Once the tubes were filled we gave them a little time to solidify.  When they did, we capped and cleaned them with a tiny bit of rubbing alcohol to remove any residue.

After that, all that was left to do was put on the labels and admire our work.  I mean seriously, is that just the neatest thing or what?!

Family Feud

If you know me in any capacity, you know that one of the things I adore about life is the fact that I'm so close with my cousins.  We had more fun growing up than I could possibly articulate (and continue to have fun together as adults, I might add).  While normal kids were playing house, we played "court", complete with lawyers, evidence, and many a reference to Robert's Rules of Order.  We put on plays with choreographed dances and costumes, we wore matching hand knit animal sweaters and t-shirts with our faces puffy painted on them, and loved Winnie the Pooh for much longer than we should have.  One time we even unionized and went on "strike" (I can't remember what we were raging against, but I do remember staging a formal march and chanting "strike!" over and over while our parents shook their heads and chuckled).  It was a great childhood...the kind I hope my kids have someday.  But of all the fun we had, perhaps my favorite thing we ever created was the great family feud (not to be confused with the episode of Family Feud we staged and taped as a home video...the Do-Good family vs. the Be-Bad family.  True story).  When we were really young we decided to break up into teams and stage a series of competitions.  We named said teams the Blue Elephants and Pink Panthers after our respective mascots (and by mascots I of course mean two stuffed animals we found in our toy chest at Nonnie's house) and battled in every area from badminton to gingerbread house decorating.  It was serious stuff but shockingly enough (considering how young we were at the time) always really good natured. 

I took the liberty of adding some flair to one of our old family photos to illustrate the great Blue Elephant/Pink Panther divide.  Please note 1) The fact that we all have nearly the same haircut 2) just how outnumbered my brother is and 3) the hilariously mischievous face he's making...there's absolutely no telling what he did and/or said moments after this picture was snapped.

While we haven't competed in any official challenges against each other for years, we have comforted each other through unspeakable tragedies, stood proudly in weddings, spoiled each other's kids and marched through life with our arms linked.  You may not get to choose your family, but you do get to pick your friends and I'm thankful we all picked each other (and more thankful still that God picked us for each other as family).  That being said, Pink Panthers rule, Blue Elephants drool.  It's just a fact of life.

1. Cyrus Blue Elephant Necklace, Go Jewellery £28  2. Cushion Elephant, Svenskt Tenn $99  3. Thank You Stationary, John Robshaw $18  4. Tiger Pinky Ring, Pinky Panthers $225  5. Nars Schiap Nail Polish, Barney's New York $18  6. Pink Panther Party Prop, Etsy $11.95

Inspiration Piece: Beautiful Agate

When it comes to valid sources of inspiration, nothing is really off limits.  In fact, our parent company has designed entire rooms around something as obscure as a cake or plate (both true examples, actually).  With that in mind, I've been setting aside fascinating pictures for the last few weeks and pulling together pieces that highlight the style, textures and colors that make them so interesting.  Accordingly, I've dubbed this new series "Inspiration Piece".  First up is this spectacular agate...the color palate is something only God Himself could (and did) come up with.  It's almost too pretty for words.  And I'm pretty psyched about the goodies I found to coordinate with it.  Pretty psyched, indeed.

1. Caleigh Nail Polish, Scotch Naturals, $15  2. Gold Velvet Pillow, Pier 1 $23.96  3. Aaliyah Printed Kaftan, Diane Von Furstenberg $212.50  4. Hillary Druzy Ring, Metro Park  5. Steel Caviar Eye Stick, Laura Mercier $24  6. Moroccan Kurkuma, The House of Kami £132  Photo Via Flickr

Next Stop: Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a tricky, tricky deal.  Nothing ever seems quite special enough!  I mean, we're talking about our moms here...there's not a present in the world that measures up.  Nonetheless, I rounded up a few indulgences that might very well make life a little sweeter for that lovely Mom of yours.  She's so worth celebrating so make sure you do it up right!  

1. Striped Jersey Pajama Tank, Eberjey $76  2. Awaken Sea Salt Scrub, Arbonne $35  3. Astoria Drops, Anthropologie $200  4. Glass Urn with Peonies, Jayson Home & Garden $100  5. Red Velvet Wine, Cupcake Vineyards $10  6. Downton Abbey Seasons 1 & 2, Amazon $74.98  7. Striped Jersey Pajama Pants, Eberjey $80  8. Chocolate Croissants, Williams-Sonoma $39.95  9. Sephora Favorites Deluze Fragrance Sampler, Sephora $50

The Shops At Target

The Shops at Target are open for business!  After weeks of waiting, I finally got the chance to explore their curated collection of items from boutique stores across the country.  First observation: wow.  Second observation: I'm not exactly sure what their restocking plan is, but based on what I saw yesterday you should probably pay them a visit sooner than later.  The concept itself is pure gold but the really great part is they were able to deliver on their great idea.  With all the self restraint I could muster, I walked away with only one of The Candy Store's dark chocolate sea salted caramels (best. thing. ever.), some bronze COS Bar nail polish and a few Privet House cloth napkins.  This sleeveless jersey dress from The Webster spoke to me (you've gotta see it in person...the material is incredible), as did the majority of the Privet House dinnerware but I silenced them all.  You've gotta draw the line somewhere.  Anyone else make their way over to The Shops yet?  What did you think?

1.The Webster Printed Belts, $19.99 each  2. Privet House Black Fig & Honey Candle, $15.99  3. Polka Dog Bakery Rope Ball, $9.99  4. Candy Shop Salted Caramels, $9.99  5. Candy Shop Nostalgic Candy, $9.99  6. Candy Shop Swirl Lolipop, $3.99  7. The Webster Sleeveless Jersey Dress, $29.99  8. COS Bar Bronze Nail Polish, $3  9. Privet House Journals, $28.99  10. The Webster Geo Print Bangle, $16.99  11. Privet House Small Woven Tumbler, $21.99

I Dream Of Izola

If I had to sum up my experience with the online boutique Izola in a few words, they'd be some variation of "I want all these things".  They specialize in bathroom accessories inspired by old world utilitarian objects and it's as awesome as it is obscure.  We're not talking jewelry and shoes here...we're talking soaps.  I'm freaking out over soaps.  Which brings me to my next point, either A) I'm starting to loose it or B) This packaging is all kinds of brilliant (and there's more where this came from, by the way).  Thoughts?

Images Via Izola