From NYC, could the latest trend in beauty bars be headed our way?

The family took a four day getaway to NYC to get in the holiday spirit and enjoy the sights - Christmas Tree at Rock Plaza, windows at Saks, the Rockettes (actually excellent and tacky, as anticipated), Bradley Cooper (we rode together in an elevator and yes, I talked to him and yes, he is as spectacular as all get out).  A little early Merry Merry for me.  

The girls and I headed to one of our favorite spots for a manicure in the beauty playground that is underground at the le Parker Meridien.  Tenoverten is a cool spot for some pampering with an unrivaled selection of colors and brands of nail polish to choose from.  We love our local Miniluxe, but when in NYC, a nail care at Tenoverten is a treat not to be missed.

Image from Lisa Bida.

Image from leparkermeridian.com.

Apres nail care, we walked around a bit and saw some familiar and new additions to the beauty wonderland. 

Drybar, founded in 2009 and now a chain of 43 stores, offers blow outs only.  No cuts.  No color.  I’m familiar with the concept and frequent competitor BeStyled for a quick fix. Check.

Image from Lisa Bida.

Next was Blushington, a new concept makeup and beauty bar.  Whoa!  Ok, this is kind of cool.  Professional makeup applications at reasonable prices. I like it!  I once had my makeup professionally done for a big birthday party and it truly looked awesome.  They offer great brands like Becca, Kevyn Aucoin, Eve Lom and all natural Ilia, plus air-brushing.  Not sure how that works as I’m clearly a makeup novice.   Pick your “look” from the menu and off you go.    Full face is $45, TV ready $75.  LOL.  They also offer faux lash application and maintenance services like waxing, and lessons so you can try to recreate the look at home.  Blushington has 5 locations and this is its first NYC location.

Images from Lisa Bida.

Moving along the beauty underground, we encounter "coming soon”  - Skin Laundry, that is aiming to take laser and light therapy out of the doctor’s office for fast, affordable service.  Treatments claim to leave skin deep cleaned and toned, and with frequency, improved acne, decreased redness, dullness, hyper-pigmentation and photoaging, leaving skin smooth, even and firm.  I’m in.  Treatments start at $50.  Apparently, $40-$50 seems to be the magic range in which we feel comfortable parting with cash for a beauty indulgence.    This will be their 10th location, with other outposts in CA and Hong Kong.

Image from Lisa Bida.

Images from skinlaundry.com.

All brilliant right?  So as our beauty repetoire extends beyond hair to skin, WW2W predicts we’ll see these chains or their competitors opening up shop in Boston and potentially, Wellesley by 2017.  You heard it here first! ~ LB

Holiday gifties!

Here are some of the things I'm craving and giving this holiday season.

Image from mccreascandies.com.

McCrea’s caramels are not only delish and corn syrup free, they’re made right here Boston.  Sold at Barney’s, Boston Public Market and on-line.

Image from food52.com.

Hot Cocoa on a stick. Just swirl and go!  Hello stocking stuffer! And thank you Jennifer for comparing lists.

Image from urbanoutfitters.com.

The Fuji instant camera will be fun for my daughter to click, shoot and print.  There are all sort of fun frames and photo albums for displaying pics, old school. (Camera is on sale at Urban Outfitters for $80 right now!)

If you haven’t wandered into Urban Outfitters lately, you’re missing one of the latest and greatest collections of chemical free, all-natural products out there.  Oh, and everything is very reasonably priced.  There’s a super selection too, for men who groom.    I’m hoping Santa will slip a single use mask, or bath soak in my stocking this year.

Image from megcohendesign.com.

Meg Cohen’s luxuriously soft and yummy arm sox.  I got this gray one and it’s so awesome to be able to use my fingers and still have warm hands.  Not to mention, a tres chic look.

Image from amazon.com.

For curling up in front of the fire, a good book is a must. I’m pining for City on Fire, Garth Risk Hallberg’s debut novel about life in NYC in the 1970s.  The thousand pages took 7 years to write and ten publishing houses battled it out for the right to publish it.   

Image from bedbathandbeyond.com.

Finally, this pocket sized version of the beloved old Simon game will stash nicely in carry on baggage for some wait-at-the-gate fun.

Apres holiday madness, I’m going to throw on a face mask, swirl up some hot cocoa and settle in.

Happy Holidays!  xoxo ~ LB