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

Decorate!

Well I haven't totally knocked out my To-Do list, so I'm not gonna buy my earrings just yet (though I'm hoping I'll finish it tomorrow- then off to Urban Outfitters we go) :).  I did buy myself a little treat, however.  One of my very favorite bloggers, Holly Becker of Decor8 fame, released her first book and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.  In fact, it's the first book I've pre-ordered...I want to say ever.  It finally came this week and and I'll tell you what, it didn't disappoint.  We're talking 288 pages of gorgeous homes, stellar advice and tips from pros like Jonathan Adler and Amy Butler.  There are checklists, floor plans, quotes and inspirational pictures out the wazoo.  And every time I pick it up, I notice something new!  

I grabbed a few excerpts for you to check out, but they're only sneak peeks.  Wouldn't want to spoil the fun! :)  To buy a copy for yourself (or your Mom!  I hear there's a holiday for her coming up soon...) click here.

Sugarcane

Tapas restaurants aren't made for everyone, but they're most certainly made for me.  My enjoyment of a meal...any meal...grows exponentially with each additional course, so the concept of a restaurant where you order many small plates of food is a little piece of heaven for me.  This past Sunday night my BFF DawnChere took me to Sugarcane, a killer Tapas restaurant that blew my mind one goat cheese croquette at a time.  If you're ever in Miami it's a must visit!  I wanted to take pictures of all our food but got distracted by the deliciousness of said food about halfway through our meal, so I only snapped a few.  Our menu of choice was:

Crispy Leg of Duck Confit and Waffles with Mustard Maple Syrup

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Linguica and Manchego

Goat Cheese Croquettes with Membrillo Marmalade

Brussel Sprouts with Orange and Sweet Soy

Shellfish Seviche with Avocado, Tomato and Nori Crisps

Shrimp Tempura, Yellowtail Jalapeño & Crunchy Tuna Sushi Rolls

I could neither identify nor pronounce the majority of the things we ate, nor was I terribly excited about how some of them sounded (let's be honest...duck and waffles?  That's scary.) but oh my word was it delicious.  Every.  Single.  Bite.  Don't be too surprised if I give one or two items a try in the Foodie Files to come.  The potential for disaster is high, but it's worth a shot.  :)

Pictures via Miami Examiner, Alissa Ponchione & my Iphone

P.S.- The atmosphere is reason enough to pay Sugarcane a visit.  Let me just throw a few descriptors out at you...you do with them what you will.  South American Colonial Spanish-Style Architecture.  Vintage accessories and salvaged wood floors.  Hand-painted Moroccan Tiles.  Vintage wallpapers and antique mirrors.  Told you...amazing.

Que Bella

When you're a single gal with a good number of single friends, the girl in 'girls night' can seem somewhat superfluous.  It's just...regular night.  Nonetheless, last night's girls night was so much fun that it's totally claimed the week's Que Bella.  A lot of my favorite things were involved...good friends, quality time, delicious food and killer atmosphere.  We started off the evening at a scrumptious little french bistro called Miel.  MmmmmMmmm, was it good!  Since I'm a sucker for presentation, my favorite part was the Creme Brulee.  Amazing, right?! 

{Photo Via Creme-bru-log}

From there, we ventured over to The Patterson House...one of my favorite places in Nashville and long time resident of my 'things I must feature on Design-Muse' list.  There's arguably no place in the greater Nashville area with a cooler vibe.  You know what they categorize it as?  A 'speakeasy'.  If a more awesome term for a bar or lounge exists, I've certainly never heard of it.  They don't do any advertising, nor do they have so much as a sign out front, so it's hard not to feel like you're in on some fantastic secret from the moment you walk in.  But it's not a secret at all- in fact, Patterson House received coverage in the New York Times and was even named one of the top 10 bars in the nation by Bon Appetit magazine.  The interior is a pre-prohibition dream with an imprinted tin ceiling, rich textures, metallic wallpaper and dimly lit chandeliers I'd love to Oceans 11 right out of there.  It makes me want to hug the interior designer, Landy Gardner...and believe me...I'm not a hugger.  To top it off, they even have posted rules like "no fighting, no play fighting, no talking about fighting...no name dropping, no shenanigans...men must refrain from introducing themselves to women unless invited or introduced by a friendly party" and the like.  I just...love it.  It's hard to do it justice in explanation, or even in pictures, but here's my best attempt.

{Photos Via Style Blueprint, MetroMix Nashville,

  softarchitecture's Flickr photostream & my iPhone :)}

Do You Rue?

Early last December I attended a conference that ended up being a total game changer for me.  The things I learned and the people I met at Lavish helped me revitalize and refine Design-Muse into something I’m very proud to curate.  The whole experience was overwhelmingly positive, but there were certainly a few shining moments that stood out from the others.  Meeting Grace Bonney of Design Sponge (my very favorite design blog) ranked pretty high, getting to connect with a close knit community of other design bloggers I didn’t even know existed was a definite plus, and the many laughs provided by the Lavish Fairy Godmother, Shameeka Ayers made the weekend extra enjoyable.  One of my all time favorite parts of the conference, however, was the opportunity to meet and learn from the lovely ladies of Rue Magazine.  Talk about a group of hard working women!  I’ll tell you what, these four girls are the real deal.  Though each has built a design career in her own right, their claim to fame as a group is the bi-monthly online magazine they founded and produce.  The third issue of Rue was released yesterday and I’ve already poured over it about a thousand times- it is just so, so excellent.  So you have an idea of the kind of quality we’re talking about- here’s a sampling of a few of my favorite images from the most recent issue of Rue.  To check out the other 261 (free!) pages, click here.

 Photo Credit: Emily Anderson

 Photo Credit: Trent Bailey

 Photo Credit: Jamie Beck

 Photo Credit: Jamie Beck