Winter Time Skin Care...Keep Glowing Through The Cold!

Are you feeling the chill yet Glam-ettes? My fellow Glam Girls in New York are already experiencing snow this weekend and here in Haute-lanta it is pretty chilly! I don’t know about you ladies but winter for me means very dry skin! *sighs loudly*

So, I think it’s def time that we talk about what we will do to show our skin a little TLC to keep us glowing through the cold!

1.     Winterfy Your Facial Cleanser – Make your cleansing routine winter friendly by switching out your harsher foaming cleanser to a gentler cream cleanser. My favorite facial cleansers are by Neutrogena. They have several cream cleansers to choose to from. If your skin is uber sensitive, Cetaphil is also an excellent option.

2.    Use Less Toner – Although toner is still a flawless skin necessity, it can be drying to your skin. I recommend using your toner less, maybe once a day or every other day.

3.    Kick Your Moisturizer Up a Notch! – I can’t explain how vital this step is! You may want to use a heavier facial moisturizer than you used in summer months. Oh and ladies, please don’t think you are excused from SPF protection! Ensure that your moisturizer has at least an SPF 15 rating. I love Oil of Olay UV Defense Regenerating lotion with SPF 50. A pricier option that I also LOVE is Philosophy’s Hope in a Jar. For your body, I still love my Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula but you may opt for something a bit more luxe, say some body butter. The Body Shop still has one of the best body butters and they have so many new scents to choose from!

4.    Don’t forget your scalp! – If your scalp is anything like mine, the change to cooler temps means those dreaded flakes! Boooooo! Use a moisturizing shampoo that is specially made to combat those flakes! My hairstylist and I like Kera Care’s Moisturizing Dry and Itchy shampoo.

 

5.    Who Told You To Stop Exfoliating? – Ladies, how else are we supposed to glow through the cold. We must still exfoliate from head to toe at least twice a week to get rid of dead skin! Use a gentle scrub if you’re scared (LOL). For your body, try a sugar scrub, they tend to be more moisturizing. I love Carol’s Daughter Brown Sugar Scrub.

Give 'Em "The Boot"!

So now that we’ve discussed some Haute n’ Cute coat options for the Winter, it’s time to pair our coat with our other Winter Love, The Boot! Ah Yessss, the shoe that has the ability to turn almost Any Day Fall/Winter Outfit into a Super JAZZY Fashionista Ensemble!

It is sooooooo important not to skimp on Quality here Glam-ettes! It is waaaaay easy to tell a pair of LQBs AKA Lower Quality Boots! Besides, An investment now means that you will be giving ‘em the boot for YEARS to come! ;-)

My personal favorite boot right now is the riding boot! But just for my fellow Glam Gals, I stepped out of my fave boot box to add some more options to the Bangin’ Boot list. LOL! So, what boots am I loving for the winter? Read on, get your Bangin’ Boot on and please do tell me what you think! Many of the picks came from http://www.piperlime.com/, this is a boot goldmine!

1. Hive and Honey “ITALY” Boot – I love the button detail and yummy tan color! A must have!

2. Nine West “FESSUP” Bootie – A sexy bootie in the ever classic leopard print! Make this your statement piece!

3.  Steve Madden “ANNNIE” Wedge Bootie – I will forever love all things wedge! Ultra Glam and Uber comfort in one! Can’t beat that!

4. Luxury Rebel “PERRY” Boot – Ummm…. I feel like I could run the world in these! Lol!

5. Frye “HARLOW CAMOUS” Boot – The heel is not too aggressive and this is certainly a timeless look!

6. DV by Dolce Vita “ZELA” Boot – Another classic riding boot Glam-ettes! I just can’t seem to get enough! J

Get Coated!

Something happened here in Haute-lanta between last Monday’s high temperature of 86 degrees and the sudden chilling temperatures that seemed to come out of nowhere. It’s that time of year again Glam Girls!  We must pull out our cutest boots and sweaters and of course we must “Get Coated”

In the fall and winter seasons, the coat is one of our biggest necessities. Not only does it keep us warm, but a coat is a great way to make a fashion statement. A great quality piece can glamify your outfit!

I am excited to share some coats picks with you! I searched some of our favorite retailers for this list! One thing is certain ladies, color is everywhere this season! This is so exciting since winter can be so dreary. The pop of color adds something special to classic coat styles. So here are some of my faves from JCrew, French Connection, and Forever 21. Let me know what you think!

1. The JCrew Cape Coat – A classy style that I can see us wearing with jeans or all dressed up too!

2. The JCrew Town House Trench – Another timeless classic that has been updated with a pop of color!

3. Halogen Faux Fur Collar Coat – Don’t you just love the extra dose of glam the faux fur   adds? Fur is also one of the biggest trends this season.

4. Forever 21 Peacoat – I love the cut of this coat! And you can’t beat that under $30 price tag!

5. French Connection Wonderland Wool Coat – The rich royal blue and cool pockets! Need I say more?

Do You Have A Glam Squad?

I made it to my favorite eyebrow threading salon the other day and got some VERY disturbing news. My “eyebrow girl” who I had been faithfully going to for 8 years quit the day before! “What you talkin bout Willis?” I asked the receptionist. It took EVERYTHING out of me not to burst into tears!

I realized then that although I am just Lil’ Ol’ Kim, I had my very own “Glam Squad”, my own Special team of Beauty Professionals who work hard at helping me be Fabulous!  So I thought about it, doesn’t every Glam Girl NEED her very own Glam Squad? Indeed! She does!

So who are the key players that need to be on any winning glam squad?

1.     A Master Hairstylist – This may very well be the Most Valuable Player (MVP) on your glam squad. Your hairstylist should share some of the same hair visions as you do. If natural hair is your goal then they shouldn’t try to offer you a relaxer at every appointment. Your hairstylist should be versatile; you shouldn’t have to go to four different people for a color, haircut, weave, and styling.

2.    An Eyebrow Expert  – Another star player! Well groomed eyebrows are necessary to complete any look and adds polish to your face. Once you decide if you prefer waxing or threading, choose someone that is willing to work with you to find the right brow shape to suit your face.

3.    Manicurist – You meet new people all the time and the handshake is just not the same with shabby hands. LOL. Decide if want to wear your nails natural or with artificial enhancements and from there search salons that best suit your needs.

4.    Esthetician – Bikini grooming has become a VIP (Very Important Part) of a glam girl’s mandatory “maintenance”.  Bushy is Soooooo out of style and Sooooo out of hygiene! No glam girl should roam around town without a well-groomed “secret”! Lucky for you girls, I have written an entire series on Bikini waxing that you should look out for!

5.    Your Best Girl Friends – If your friends are anything like mine, they will never let you step out without being 100% GLAM-ified! Our friends should have our backs, fronts, faces, hands, toes and everything in between! They should be the Co- Captains of our Glam Squad!

Outlet Shopping... Deal or No Deal?

I know everyone is already excited about starting their Christmas shopping. You may have already even made your gift list and let me guess, one of your shopping adventures will most certainly be at your favorite outlet mall? Wait just a second though, before you fill your gas tank up and round up your girls, read on!

As I went through the pages of my October InStyle, I noticed an interesting piece about Outlet Shopping. I picked up some facts that I would be dead wrong to keep to myself!

1.     Did you know that many brands produce lines that are meant only for their outlet stores? That’s right ladies! The clothes produced for these lines are usually made with lower quality materials than the clothes produced for the regular store. As a fellow glam girl, I know we don’t do low quality!

2.    Since these items were never sold in regular stores there is no true “Original Price”. Retailers get to make up an original price and have us believe that we are getting a bargain! We have been tricked! No Bueno! We hate tricks!

3.    Be honest ladies, when have you ever driven more than an hour to your favorite outlet mall and left empty handed? Never huh? That’s what I thought! Why would we drive that far and not buy anything? That’s exactly why these outlet malls are usually located out of our way, to guilt us into spending money!

So the next time you do decide to take the outlet journey, be sure to examine your clothing carefully for quality and use your glam girl shopper sense to evaluate whether you’re making the best purchase decision!

Meet Me At "The Posh Spot"!

The weekend is almost here ladies and I’m sure that like me after a long work week all you can think about is a little pampering. Maybe a Mani – Pedi? Nothing like a fresh coat of nail polish to put your life back into perspective.

So let’s talk about a uber hot nail salon and spa that I encourage you to add to your beauty black book! The Posh Spot in the Vinings is exactly what the name suggests, POSH! It is the perfect place to suit all of our glam girl needs. Not only will you be pleased with the quality of the work at this nail salon spa but the excellent customer service will make you feel like the VIGG (Very Important Glam Girl) that you know you are.

Of course I made sure that all of the products used here meet our beauty standards ;-). If one of your pet peeves at the nail shop is not finding a great polish, then you have nothing to worry about. The Posh Spot offers a wide selection of nail color from great brands of course! 

While you’re there, do a little shopping also! This full service spa and nail salon also sells an impressive variety of beauty products and great jewelry. Check out their website http://www.theposhspot.com/ for a full list of services and to book your appointment for this weekend! 

Miracle Product Alert! "Ambi Even and Clear"

Even the most glam girl can have a skin flare-up sporadically. It’s the “glam” in us though that makes us realize that even the most minor flare-up is major. Flawless skin is a must to pull any look together. 

So you can imagine my dismay when two pimples on my chin turned into not so glam dark spots. No Bueno! After my initial panic, I dug deep into my beauty archives. I came out with a solution for us if you are ever in this dilemma.  

Ambi Even and Clear Targeted Mark Minimizer sounds like a mouthful but really is magic in a small tube. In less than two weeks my dark spots faded significantly! What’s nice about this product is that although it worked overtime to clear my skin, it was still gentle enough not to cause any other skin issues (WHEW!).

This miracle cream is loaded with vitamins A, C, and E and does an excellent job keeping skin moisturized as it works its magic. I encourage you to add this product to your emergency beauty stash. Now, aren’t you all happy that I did the legwork for you on this one?

Shopping in South Beach!

So what do you do when your girls’ trip starts off with you making it to your destination but your luggage, Ummm, not so much! Yikes! Poor Cher! This was the potential tragedy she was faced with upon her arrival. No luggage = None of the cute outfits we spent weeks planning! We had to think fast! After all there were parties to attend and Ocean Drive eagerly awaited us!

We quickly realized that there was no reason to panic! If you are ever in South Beach and in a fashion bind, Collins Avenue is all you need! Right outside our hotel, there was a haven of all our fave stores! Urban Outfitters, Steve Madden, InterMix, Barneys, Zara, MAC, Sephora, Nicole Miller, Sisley and the list goes on! Whew! Saved!

The icing on our shopping trip cake for me was an uber cute swimwear boutique called Beach Bunny! If you are serious about your swimsuit collection, then you must make this one of your stops when you visit South Beach. The swimsuits are one of a kind and the cover-ups are just as fabulous!

Extra Glam Mode! Do you see the sequins and chain detail?

I am happy to report that what started out as a crisis turned out to be a great shopping trip for us! #winning

The GlamDiaries Travel Essentials

I partnered up with my favorite fashion and beauty source InStyle to bring you some travel essentials to keep us right even before we make it to our final destination. Read on girls! All the picks are well within our budgets too!

1.     Caudalie’s Luxe Elixer - I remember having a serious talk with my friends this summer about how harsh the re-circulated air on airplanes can be on our skin. The air dries our skin out and we must be prepared to fight back. This moisturizing mist can be applied throughout the flight to keep our skin at its best.

2.    Herban Essentials Refreshing Wipes – These smell good wipes are meant to kill germs naturally with pure essential oils. A great alternative is “Wet Ones Wipes” of course.

3.    A Stylish Tote – This will keep all your travel essentials at your finger tips. Just throw it over your shoulder and go. I found this really cute one on http://www.shopbop.com/. Rep your zodiac sign with me :-).

4.    Clear product bottles – Glam girls, this is so important. I would hate for any of you to use the wrong beauty product for the wrong thing! That could end up tragic. Yowsas!

5.    Breath Mints – We know that you sometimes can’t help but to nap on the plane. We all do it. But we must freshen up our breath post nap if we decide to spark up a conversation with the hottie sitting next to us ;-)

For another great list of travel essentials, please visit http://theglamtrak.com/2011/06/just-throw-it-in-bag-summer-edition.html. http://www.glamtrak.com/ is the glam girls go-to source for all things travel by the way. This blog is a fave of mine!

The Miami Beauty Picks Are In!

The number one goal on any glam girls trip is to stay fly at all times. Even in your sleep. LOL. You never know who you will meet, Rick Ross! I’m so ready! So I have picked a few items to throw in my beauty bag of tricks. I have convinced myself that I can’t set foot on a plane without these items.  

1.     Carol’s Daughter Gelee De Soleil Browning Oil with SPF 15 – Anyone that knows me well will tell you that one of my favorite past times is to sit in the sun and chocolate tan with my fave magazines and my IPod until I’m half past midnight! This browning oil will get me to the two shades darker that I need to be.

2.    MAC Dazzleglass in “Love Alert” – Glam Girls, Did you really think I was gonna hit those Miami streets without a red lip? Enough Said!

3.    Versace Bright Crystal – This is one of my all time favorite fragrances! I always get compliments and I love that it is appropriate for both day and night. So, less to pack! #winning.

4.    NARS Bronzer in Casino – This will be the perfect enhancer for my chocolate tan. With the perfect tan, you really can do minimal make-up. A little bronzer, mascara, and gloss and you are set!

5.    Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Fluid – My hairstylist and I laugh constantly about my “edges”. LOL. I will need something to tame them so that they don’t embarrass us both. I have always loved Aveda hair care products and Big Sis swears by their “Be Curly” line. I will try this one out and let you know what I think. ;-)

The GlamDiaries Takes Miami!

From time to time, every glam girl should take the time to get away from the stresses of life. Work, relationships, family and the everyday routine can certainly take a toll on your psyche and leave you feeling less than glamorous.

So, with that said, MIA! HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!! This week I will be venturing to Miami on a Glam Girl Trip with three of my favorite people. Most naturally we want to include you guys in all the fun (well, not ALL of the fun ;-) LOL).

Let’s get started. I wanted to share with you some of our favorite items that we can’t wait to bust out of our suitcases when we get there!

Fara’s  Fave – RayBan “Classic Wayfarer” Sunglasses.  Fara swears she would be no one without her essential accessory. LOL. It didn't take the numerous celebs that rock these sunglasses for this true fashionista to know the mystery and drama that sunglasses can add to an outfit.

Monet’s Fave – BCBG “Bandage Skirts”. I swear Monet has this Herve Leger inspired piece in every color and she plans to bring EVERY SINGLE ONE of her “Instant Butt Lifters” to Miami. Have no fear glam girls, if the hefty price tags in BCBG is just not your cup of tea then a Body Con skirt will provide the same fashion experience. J

Cher’s Fave – Steve Madden Embellished Sandal. Cher has convinced all of us, that no swimsuit and cover-up combo is complete without the right sandal. She plans to glamify her beach outfits with the detailed ornamentation of these sandals. Uber Glam!

Kim’s Fave – Victoria’s Secret Floral Animal Print Bikini.  What is Miami without the right bathing suit?! Exactly! That’s why I can’t wait to rock my floral and animal print bikini (Mixing prints is another one of InStyle’s Style rules to break). I LOVE this bathing suit!

I hope you enjoy our favorite Miami picks as much as we plan to enjoy Miami! Stay tuned for my Miami beauty essentials. J