Eco-friendly jewelry June 11, 2008

June 11, 2008
Don’t Pass on Grass
Campo Jewelry by Nugaard Designs
Some complain that the grass is always greener.
But who wants green when you can go for the gold?
Like the Campo collection by Nugaard Designs, made from Golden Grass, a plant indigenous to a small area of Brazil. The jewelry is crafted with blades of the shiny grass bound together to give ripples of sparkle. Artisans in the region hand-weave each piece.
Slide a cuff on your forearm, give your decolletage some dazzle with a double circle pendant, or try the thin woven headband to tame summer frizz.
The line’s also eco-conscious, requiring no varnish or chemical finish.
Any way you look at it, you’re golden.
Available at Annie Creamcheese, 3279 M Street NW, between Potomac and 33rd Streets (202-298-5555 or anniecreamcheese.com). To see styles, go to nugaarddesigns.com.

The brow June 2, 2008

Brow Beating
Eyebrow Specialist Flaminia Garioni
Some people are strictly about the boobs, others appreciate a firm bum.
Flaminia Garioni, however, only has eyes for the brows.
The eyebrow specialist will meet you at your house or her home studio. Using her tweezers (wax isn’t precise enough), she contours eyebrows based on your face and eye shape as well as the slant of your brow bone.
Garioni, who worked for some of the best makeup lines (Nars, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown) before striking out on her own, also offers tips on the right products and colors for your face. Since she works independently and earns no commission, she recommends only what she thinks will work for you.
And since you (or your hairs) don’t want to go astray, she’ll also talk you through proper grooming and future maintenance.
No need to go lowbrow.
Flaminia Garioni (202-907-6051 or fyubi.com).

Positive Body Image - Suprising stats and facts May 1, 2008

Did you know…

If show mannequins were real women, they’d be too thin to menstruate.

There are 3 billion women who don’t look like supermodels and only eight who do.

Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14.

If Barbie was a real woman, she’d have to walk on all fours due to her proportions.

The average American woman weighs 144 lbs. and wears between a size 12 and 14.

One out of every four college women has an eating disorder.

The models in magazines are AIRBRUSHED-they’re not perfect!!

A psychological study in 1995 found that three minutes spent looking at models in a fashion magazine caused 70% of women to feel depressed, guilty, and shameful.

Models twenty years ago weighed 8% less than the average woman, today they weight 23% less.

“Don’t weight your self-esteem…it’s what inside that counts”

The Little Shoebox April 21, 2008

Shoebox Greetings
The Little Shoebox Opens

When you really think about it, April showers bring a whole bunch of massive puddles. But once those rain boots are retired, it’s time to debut some sparkling new spring shoes.

That’s where Bethesda’s new shoe boutique, The Little Shoebox, comes in.

Owners Emilie Blaze and Janie Griffin opened this past weekend with a collection that should put some spring in every step. Popular lines like Giuseppe Zanotti and Kate Spade sit alongside up-and-comers like Brooklyn’s Olivia Rose Tal, Lario from Italy, and the new collection of shiny flats from dressmeister Tibi.

Love a splash of color or a statement pattern? The decor will inspire before your eyes even hit the merchandise. Girl-glam touches — from floor (leopard-print carpet) to ceiling (glitzy chandeliers) with lime ottomans, flamingo walls, and fuchsia and red velvet chairs in between — should put you in the mood for spring.

Come what May.

 

The Little Shoebox, 7134 Bethesda Lane (301-654-7463).

Itsola Clothing April 18, 2008

Its-Amore
Itsola Clothing

The grass has never looked greener and the sky is bright blue, but you leave the house dressed like a rain cloud in your head-to-toe black.

Though this may be your go-to look, it’s about as cheerful as the newest numbers from Wall Street.

Show a bit of spirit with affordable, easy-to-wear pieces from Itsola. Designer Lauren Fong worked in banking before turning to fashion, so her clothes balance mature styles with bright, exuberant colors like canary, blueberry, and sunburst.

Made from silk cotton voile, the tops and dresses have a playful appeal. Touches like teasing ruffles and a string of rosettes help the pieces transition from workplace to evening. So when you leave the house, you’ll look carefree.

And you can color yourself happy again.
Available online at lilylilyshop.com.

Companies that test on animals April 17, 2008

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Why are these companies included on the ‘Do Test’ list?

The following companies manufacture products that ARE tested on animals. Those marked with a t are currently observing a moratorium on (i.e., current suspension of) animal testing. Please encourage them to announce a permanent ban. Listed in parentheses are examples of products manufactured by either the company listed or, if applicable, its parent company. For a complete listing of products manufactured by a company on this list, please visit the company’s Web site or contact the company directly for more information. Companies on this list may manufacture individual lines of products without animal testing (e.g., Clairol claims that its Herbal Essences line is not animal-tested). They have not, however, eliminated animal testing from their entire line of cosmetics and household products.

 

Similarly, companies on this list may make some products, such as pharmaceuticals, that are required by law to be tested on animals. However, the reason for these companies’ inclusion on the list is not the animal testing that they conduct that is required by law, but rather the animal testing (of personal care and household products) that is not required by law.

 

What can be done about animal tests required by law?

Although animal testing of pharmaceuticals and certain chemicals is still mandated by law, the arguments against using animals in cosmetics testing are still valid when applied to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. These industries are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, respectively, and it is the responsibility of the companies that kill animals in order to bring their products to market to convince the regulatory agencies that there is a better way to determine product safety. PETA is actively working on this front by funding development and validation of non-animal test methods and providing input through our involvement on government advisory committees at both the national and international levels. Companies often resist progress and, instead of using human-relevant non-animal tests, choose to use animal tests because their results can be manipulated. Let companies know how you feel about this.

 

Arm & Hammer (Church & Dwight), P.O. Box 1625, Horsham, PA 19044-6625;

609-683-5900; 800-524-1328; www.armhammer.com

tBic Corporation, 500 Bic Dr., Milford, CT 06460; 203-783-2000; www.bicworld.com

Boyle-Midway (Reckitt Benckiser), 2 Wickman Rd., Toronto, ON M8Z 5M5

Canada; 416-255-2300

Chesebrough-Ponds (Fabergé, Ponds, Vaseline), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 800-743-8640; www.pondssquad.com

Church & Dwight (Aim, Arm & Hammer, Arrid, Brillo, Close-up, Lady’s

Choice, Mentadent, Nair, Orange Glo International, Pearl Drops), P.O. Box 1625, Horsham, PA 19044-6625; 609-683-5900; 800-524-1328; www.churchdwight.com

Clairol (Aussie, Daily Defense, Herbal Essences, Infusium 23, Procter & Gamble), 1 Blachley Rd., Stamford, CT 06922; 800-252-4765; www.clairol.com

Clorox (ArmorAll, Formula 409, Fresh Step, Glad, Liquid Plumber, Pine-Sol, Soft Scrub, S.O.S., Tilex), 1221 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612; 510-271-7000;

800-227-1860; www.clorox.com

Colgate-Palmolive Co. (Hills Pet Nutrition, Mennen, Palmolive, SoftSoap, Speed Stick), 300 Park Ave., New York, NY 10022; 212-310-2000; 800-221-4607; www.colgate.com

Cover Girl (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.covergirl.com

Dial Corporation (Dry Idea, Purex, Renuzit, Right Guard, Soft & Dri), 15101 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 5028, Scottsdale, AZ 85254-2199; 800-528-0849; www.dialcorp.com

Helene Curtis Industries (Salon Selectives, Thermasilk, Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 800-621-2013; www.helenecurtis.com

Johnson & Johnson (Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Listerine, Lubriderm, Neutrogena, Rembrandt, ROC), 1 Johnson & Johnson Plz., New Brunswick, NJ 08933; 732-524-0400; 800-526-3967; www.jnj.com

Lever Bros. (Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-598-1223; www.unilever.com

L’Oréal U.S.A. (Biotherm, Cacharel, Garnier, Giorgio Armani, Helena

Rubinstein, Lancôme, Matrix Essentials, Maybelline, Ralph Lauren

Fragrances, Redken, Soft Sheen, Vichy), 575 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10017;

212-818-1500; www.loreal.com

Max Factor (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.maxfactor.com

Mead, 10 W. Second St., #1, Dayton, OH 45402; 937-495-6323; www.meadweb.com

Melaleuca, 3910 S. Yellowstone Hwy., Idaho Falls, ID 83402-6003; 208-522-0700; www.melaleuca.com

Mennen Co. (Colgate-Palmolive), 191 E. Hanover Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960-3151; 973-631-9000; www.colgate.com

New Dana Perfumes, 470 Oakhill Rd., Crestwood Industrial Park, Mountaintop,

PA 18707; 800-822-8547

Noxell (Procter & Gamble), 11050 York Rd., Hunt Valley, MD 21030-2098;

410-785-7300; 800-572-3232; www.pg.com

Olay Co./Oil of Olay (Procter & Gamble), P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, OH 45201;

800-543-1745; www.oilofolay.com

Oral-B (Gillette Company), 600 Clipper Dr., Belmont, CA 94002-4119;

415-598-5000; www.oralb.com

Pantene (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202;

800-945-7768; www.pantene.com

Pfizer (BenGay, Desitin, Listerine, Lubriderm, Plax, Visine), 235 E. 42nd St., New York, NY 10017-5755; 212-573-2323; www.pfizer.com

Physique (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 800-214-8957; www.physique.com

Playtex Products (Banana Boat), 300 Nyala Farms Rd., Westport, CT 06880; 203-341-4000; www.playtex.com

Procter & Gamble Co. (Clairol, Cover Girl, Crest, Gillette, Giorgio, Iams, Max Factor, Physique, Tide), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.pg.com

Reckitt Benckiser (Easy Off, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Old English, Resolve, Spray ’N Wash, Veet, Woolite), 1655 Valley Rd., Wayne, NJ 07474-0943; 973-633-3600; 800-232-9665; www.reckittbenckiser.com

Richardson-Vicks (Procter & Gamble), One Procter & Gamble Plz., Cincinnati, OH 45202; 513-983-1100; 800-543-1745; www.pg.com

Sally Hansen (Del Laboratories), 178 EAB Plz., Uniondale, NY 11556; 800-645-9888; www.sallyhansen.com

Schering-Plough (Bain de Soleil, Coppertone, Dr. Scholl’s), 1 Giralda Farms, Madison, NJ 07940-1000; 201-822-7000; 800-842-4090; www.sch-plough.com

S.C. Johnson (Drano, Edge, Fantastik, Glade, OFF!, Oust, Pledge, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, Skintimate, Windex, Ziploc), 1525 Howe St., Racine, WI 53403;

800-494-4855; www.scjohnson.com

SoftSoap Enterprises (Colgate-Palmolive), 300 Park Ave., New York, NY 10022; 800-221-4607; www.colgate.com

Suave (Unilever), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260;

800-782-8301; www.suave.com

Unilever (Axe, Dove, Helene Curtis, Lever Bros., Suave), 800 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632; 212-888-1260; 800-598-1223; www.unilever.com

 

Legend

 

t The company is currently observing a moratorium on animal testing.

How to tame naturally curly hair April 15, 2008

I know it’s a pain, and after much searching for an article that actually helped me (if only just a little), I came upon this one:

http://www.wikihow.com/Tame-Naturally-Curly-Hair

Here’s the info, hope it helps you out:

1. Find an empty/clean shampoo bottle (one that’s easy to hold with wet hands).
2. Pour conditioner from your current conditioner bottle into 1/3 of the shampoo bottle.
3. Pour hair gel into another 1/3 of the shampoo bottle.
4. Top off with water (this will be the last 1/3 of the bottle).
5. Shake.
6. Shampoo hair regularly (using a dry hair shampoo), finger/comb knots out (do not brush!), and then rinse.
7. Squeeze extra water off hair, and then dry in towel.
8. Part hair down middle or side and squirt a golf-ball size amount of mixture into your palm, rub your hands together, and loosely finger the mixture down one side of parted hair (palms and fingers together, hair in between), and then the other side.
9. Leave hair as is or tie up. The next day, spritz dry hair with water sprayer, and redo your hairdo. The day after that, repeat steps 6-10.

 

 Tips

• Use a clarifying shampoo once a week to prevent buildup.
• This method is great for people with a sensitive scalp.
• Make sure you have the best cut for curls. Ask for some long layers all through your hair (this makes it more feminine and manageable).

Chic bags that fit a laptop April 15, 2008

http://www.stylelist.com/shopping/stylish-laptop-bags

Visit the website and enjoy! There are bags for all budgets. Some are actually quite pretty. Hope it helps find what you’re looking for.

Dressing up in D.C.! April 14, 2008

Somewhere in a musty corner of every woman’s history sits a girl done up in a frilly party dress with full-on makeup and sparkly big-girl heels.

And though getting gussied up like a Disney princess might have lost its novelty around puberty, you can get AllDressedUp without sacrificing a bit of style.

The Singapore-based line has arrived stateside with bright jewel tones; easy, open style; and wearable fabrics like linen, cotton voile, and jersey.

This season is inspired by the clothing of nomadic tribes along the Silk Road. Yaks and tunics aside, the theme emerges in cool draping, gathered skirts, and vivid textures. The colors echo the culture and vibrant landscapes of the spice-trading route.

Think of it as the next chapter in your fashion history.

And a very good reason to turn the page.

 

Available at Saks Fifth Avenue, 5555 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase (301-657-9000); online at net-a-porter.com. To see styles, go to alldressedup.com.

Dekka Showroom April 14, 2008

Dekka Showroom Opens

Sometimes showing unique style is like swimming upstream against a current of popped collars.

It isn’t easy to scout uncommon pieces that actually look good.

But just when it seems simpler to succumb to mass-produced crap, salvation has arrived with Dekka, a new showroom dedicated to local designers. Tucked into the second floor of a row house, the two-room shop has clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, and art.

Items range from Yosoy’s Miami-inspired dresses to Xzuberance’s polo-packed urban wear. Also on hand: jewelry made from Peruvian silver, handbags, mineral makeup, paintings, and music. If it’s an art form worth showing, it’s here.

Proving that it’s always darkest before the spawn.
Dekka, 1338 U Street NW, between 13th and 14th Streets, second floor (202-986-1370 or dekkafam.com).