Give me figs, palm trees, sparkling lemonade, sun-bleached shores, and let’s call it a DAY. Years back in my banking days, I took a much-needed respite to an all-inclusive resort in Aruba. I woke to room service and a terrace on the beach, and I lumbered around in gauzy cotton and soft sandals. I [...]

If you’re like me — an idiot when it comes to makeup application — you will adore Stila’s Yumberry Lip & Cheek Stain ($24). A soft pearlized pink stain, you’ll find your cheeks naturally flushed and luminous. And breathe easy, for this doesn’t require a litany of brushes, pads and newfangled technologies to achieve fabulous [...]

As you can see, I went a little bonkers in Miu Miu. There was the epic bag incident, and I thought I was in the clear, I thought I could make a break for it, but then I had the SHOE ENCOUNTER.
I mean, honestly. Would you say to these sumptuous peep toe bows? [...]

This month marks my three-year anniversary. Ice the cake, light the candles and scatter the balloons, I’m celebrating three years of sobriety. Three years of being awake, present and strong. This rebirth feels particularly auspicious because I sometimes thought I’d never get here. For two years, I skirted the fringes, coasting, reveling in the [...]

Contrary to popular belief, oils are magical for your skin. When I entered my thirties, I discovered one its secret gifts: oil production. For nearly thirty years I had unblemished, easy skin and suddenly an Exxon situation erupted on my forehead. My combination/sensitive skin went into overdrive and gone were the days of Biore abrasive [...]

It’s rare that you’ll hear me rhapsodize over a rose-scented, micro-bead exfoliant. Roses, in particular, red ones, make me shudder. They remind me of bad first dates and frantic, last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts accompanied by the requisite cheap chocolates housed in a satin box in the shape of a heart. Traditional bead exfoliants wreck [...]

Sometimes you crave chrysalis. You seek to step out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. Sometimes these are massive leaps — career changes, new loves, new homes — and sometimes the changes are subtle, minor, only perceptive to you. Over the past year, I’ve experienced a significant amount of change, and I’m [...]

Believe me when I say that MAC’s Russian Red lipcolor is part of my morning repertoire. For years my red of choice was Cherries in the Snow, but Russian is pure, unadulterated perfection. With blue undertones and a clean matte look, I carry this lipstick every where I go.
However, there comes a time [...]

If you’re seeking a luxurious bath experience without giving your credit cards a workout, stockpile on Jason Naturals Tea Tree Satin Shower Body Wash ($11.99). Paraben, laureth sulfate, and cruelty-free, this lavish bubbly wash delivers a rich, sudsy lather and a delicious concoction of healing botanicals such as Jasmine, Orange Blossom, Eucalyptus, Geranium and [...]

Believe me when I say I curse the day that I breezed by the J Crew Starlight Granite ballet flats in late December. Pausing, I slipped on a sample and was smitten with the graphite glitter shoe on my feet. The delicious toe cleave, the way the deep grey picks up light, and the [...]

If there is a moment where I’ve ached for bare minimalism — a simple day replete with hotcakes and amber syrup, old movies and an easy drift in and out of slumber — it would be this one. One year, ages ago it seems, an old friend gave me two books tied with red [...]

Believe me when I say that I did not plan for this radio silence. Several times this week I came to this space and I found my eyes easing shut and the idea of typing a single sentence was crippling. Because how do you articulate how tired you are? How the very thought of [...]

Over the past year I’ve experienced a rebirth of sorts. No longer do I take all that I have for granted — the fact that I’m privileged to have a wonderful job, a supportive network of truly beautiful friends and my health and well-bring. Having come from nothing, having made myself into something, I [...]

Sometimes I stare at my pores and wonder how it’s possible that I don’t have a complexion that mimics a moon landing. For years I’ve been blessed with unblemished skin. I was able to live this idyllic, tra la la life, where I could indulge in naughty eats and tumble into bed, faceful of [...]