Holly Gofabulously!

I recently tried (and loved) several products from the Cargo Cosmetics line.  If, like me, you haven’t been very familiar with this brand in the past, take note!  These products are definitely on par with all the high-end (read: Dior, Chanel) lines I’ve used in the past!

My greatest loves from the Cargo line are the LashActivator and the blu ray High Definition Mattifier.  I also tried and enjoyed the Botanical Lipstick.  All three of these products are currently 50% off on http://www.sephora.com! 

The LashActivator (which actually lives up to the “cool factor” of combining the words “lash” and “activator” into one word for the product name) really surprised me!  According to Cargo, in clinical trials, this product was shown to have a 169% improvement over the natural rate at which lashes grow.  They promised results in 30 days.  My experience?  I’m not sure I noticed a 169% increse in lash growth (admittedly, I wasn’t really measuring my “lash growth rate”), but I will say that I noticed a difference.  My lashes appeared thicker and longer after using this product for several weeks.  Especially interesting is the “flexible rubber wand” applicator.  It looks like a regular applicator, but is easily bendable (like a straw)!  The wand is great to build the product with a few applications, while maintaining seriously separated lashes!  Originally $35, now only $17.50 at Sephora.

The blu ray High Definition Mattifer is a silky liquid that can be worn under or over makeup.  I prefer to use it under my foundation.  As promised, this product refines pores, minimizes lines, and conditions skin, resulting in a polished appearance.  Originally $26, you can pick it up now for $13 at Sephora.

Last, but certainly not least, you should definitely consider Cargo’s Botanical Lipstick.  Cargo is donating two dollars from the sale of every shade to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital!  I tried “Evangeline” and enjoyed the sheer color and the scent of cocoa butter!  Definitely smooth and silky!  Originally $20, it is now $10 at Sephora.

Prelude:  I wrote this article for my makeup column back in January.  I still adore my Huge Lips Skinny Hips (not surprisingly, I am still a Red Sole girl, all the way)!  Fantastic news:  you can now purchase Huge Lips Skinny Hips via the Home Shopping Network (HSN)!  It’s item number 276-220 on http://www.hsn.com!  Here’s the link:  http://beauty.hsn.com/purple-lab-huge-lips-skinny-hips-lip-plumper_p-5846199_xp.aspx?web_id=5846203&ocm=sekw  Enjoy! xoxo– Holly

What’s in a name?  Quite a lot, if you want to stand out in a crowd.  Just ask “Huge Lips Skinny Hips”, the new lip gloss from PurpleLab! 

Almost as interesting as the product’s name is the company’s reliance on social networking sites, such as Twitter and Facebook, to market “Huge Lips Skinny Hips”. After reading a tweet or two about this product  on Twitter, I had to find out more about it!  After all, what woman doesn’t want more information on huge lips and skinny hips?  A quick google led to the parent company’s website:   www.purplelabnyc.com.

I must admit, I was immediately intrigued.  A lip gloss that plumps and contains hoodia (an appetite suppressant)?  What a great idea!  I ordered “Red Sole” (a glossy red with a sheer texture).  Like all the glosses in this line, mine arrived  packaged in a very àpropos purple, hourglass shaped box!  Also included was a product card, explaining what I already suspected:  that the color name, “Red Sole”, is an homage to none other than those irresistible red soles found on Christian Louboutin designer shoes!  Ohh la la!  (At this point, my husband might ask, “Does the purple box and the mention of ‘that shoe guy’ make the product better?”  As I am sure most of my readers would agree:  Yes, it truly does!  So Bravo, Purplelab!  Rock on with your hoodie and your hourglass-shaped purple box and your Louboutin’s!  Muah!)

As a newlywed and new home owner, I especially enjoy burning scented candles in my home!  Few things are as enjoyable and relaxing as the warm glow of candlelight after a long day!  Given my adoration of candles and fine fragrance, I count myself especially lucky to have crossed paths with the divine experience that is Le Cherche Midi! 

Be warned:  ordering at http://www.lecherchemidi.com will change your entire outlook on candles, as well as the experience of fragrances for the home and body.  This company specializes in amazing concoctions for that part of yourself that yearns to be truly fabulous (and smell divine)!  The fragrances of Le Cherche Midi are sold as eau de toilettes for the body, as well as scented candles (both travel size and a 7.2 oz. larger size) and in the form of an innovative fragrance cube (the sophisticated answer to reed diffusers–without the reeds)! 

I originally ordered the fragrance sample set from Le Cherche Midi.  This sampler of all six “mainline” fragrances (they also create a “No. 57″ fragrance, exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman) is the best way to sample all the fragrances and choose a favorite!  The tiny glass sampler bottles are also elegant (no cheap plastic atomizers here)!   I was (very!) fortunate to sample a candle in the No. 9 fragrance, a travel candle in No. 14, and a fragrance cube in No. 20!  No. 9 stands out as a favorite for me (I burnt my candle to the quick–and it lasted many weeks!), but I also adore the fresh No. 14 and the warm, woodsy No. 20.  Check out the beautiful website at http://www.lecherchemidi.com to read more about the various fragrance notes.  Named only by number and a corresponding color, these fragrances allow each person to have an individual experience. 

The bottom line:  I will be back for more Le Cherche Midi!  Now that I’ve exhausted my treasured candle No. 9, I absolutely yearn for more!

It happened again today.  Once again, I witnessed the most disturbing fashion blunder since low-rise jeans.  These sightings have grown far too numerous to simply ignore.  I knew I had to take action.  Fabulous action!
 
Citizens of the DC metro area, please do the following (it could change your life):  look at your winter coats!  (This means men, too!)  That’s right, I need you to stop for a moment and take a look at your winter coats.  All of you–please!  Do you have your winter coat there with you?  Excellent.  Now, turn it around.  That’s right—look at the BACK of your winter coat.  Is there, perhaps, a “vent” or “flap” on the back of the coat, at the very bottom?  Something like this, maybe?

What’s that? Your coat has a vent, but your vent is sewn shut–just at the bottom–by a cute little “X” stitch?  Hmmm, yes . . . I see.  Well, I’ve got good news and bad news for you! The good news is that this article was written especially for you.  The bad news?  Well, I hate to be critical, but it’s just that . . . you sort of look like a tool!  See, you were supposed to cut that little “X” stitch and open the vent before wearing the coat!  (The “X” stitch is just for shipping and displaying the coat.  No one thought you were going to wear it around like that.  Seriously.)

I am literally amazed at how many “sewn vents” I witness in the DC metro area every day!  (Isn’t your coat a little tight “down there”?  Really?)  Ah well, no worries DC!  I’ve got you covered (err, vented)!
PS:  These instructions also apply to suit jackets, as well as those labels sewn to the forearm, listing the fabric content.   (Yikes!)

Have you seen the new “sprinkle diet” powder, Sensa?  I know it sounds a bit crazy, but this product caught my eye recently!  I am in my second month of using it, and I hearby declare:  Sensa works!
 
Yes, it’s true:  I sprinkled this white powder on my food.  What happened?  I ate less, and felt fuller, quicker than I normally would!  The Sensa shaker is a cool little contraption.  About the size of a deck of cards, it has two shaker sides:  salty and sweet.  Just shake a bit of “salty powder” on salty foods (popcorn, bread, rice, meat, etc.) and “sweet powder” on any sweet foods (breakfast bars, dessert items, etc.).  Both powders are white and have no taste.  The program is designed to be followed for six months, with a different shaker for each month.
 
Much to their credit, the Sensa team promotes healthy eating and exercise, along with using their product.  I couldn’t agree more!  I don’t think this is a “miracle thin powder” (wouldn’t that be great?), but I do believe that using this product with diet and exercise makes me more successful in my weight loss plan.

Interested in finding out more?  Dr. Alan Hirsch has written a book about Sensa called The Sensa Weight-Loss System.  This book is available for a discounted price through Amazon at the link below.
http://www.amazon.com/Sensa-Diet-Hunger-Weight-System/dp/0981538185/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254515919&sr=8-1.
 
For a special, fabulous offer, Check out:
http://trysensa.com/dmg/7B1720?pcode=rocketxl&plabel=blog&ccode=hollygofabulously&clabel=sensa.  This link provides access to a Sensa Trial Kit FREE for 30 days!  You will receive a 60-day supply of Sensa AND a $25 discount card for use at www.glow.com!  Glow.com is the next generation beauty e-tailer.  It’s where shopping, socializing and beauty addictions come together with access to over 170 brands offering the best in skincare, makeup, hair care, bath & body, fragrance and more!  You pay only the shipping and handling fee of $4.95, and have 30 days to try the product, free of charge.  If you like it, do nothing!  You will be billed for the 60 day supply.  If you decide Sensa is not for you, just return it within the 30-day trial period, and pay nothing but shipping.

Not interested in the trial offer, but still wanting to give Sensa a try?  Check out www.trysensa.com.  Should you decide to place an order, use code RXL7 at checkout for 15% off!  Regardless of your preferred method of obtaining a trail of Sensa, I definitely recommend that you do so.  It just might save you from that “return trip” to the holiday buffet table!

With a corporate headquarters and showroom right in Georgetown, Alchimie Forever is the best kept skin care secret in the District! 

The result of over 20 years of clinical experience in dermatology and biomedical research on antioxidants and the aging process, Alchimie Forever products are hypo-allergenic and cruelty-free.  The antioxidants in these products are extracted from herbs (rosemary, basil), plants (green tea, watercress, turmeric), and fruits and vegetables (blueberries, grape seeds, tomatoes), which are combined to strengthen, protect, and promote healthier, more youthful-looking skin.

I recently had the pleasure of sampling two Alchimie Forever products that I thoroughly enjoyed:  Kantic Lights Off Calming Evening Cream and Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask.  The Kantic evening cream is made from blueberries , jojoba , grape seeds, and vitamin E.  Described as a “mid-weight evening cream” on the Alchimie Forever website, I actually found it to be more “light”, in that it felt weightless on my skin and absorbed beautifully.  I definitely smelled a bit of the company’s signature blueberry when using this product.  As promised, it was nourishing and did not have any negative effects on my combination (read: breakout prone!) complexion.  I continue to use this evening cream with confidence.  Bravo, Alchimie Forever!

 The Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask, derived from blueberries, wild pansies, oats, grapes, and vitamin E, was equally soothing and softening on my skin.  Unlike many masks, this creamy formula does not harden.  Simply apply, leave on for 15-20 minutes, and rinse!  I loved following this mask with the Calming Evening Cream.  Heavenly!

Looking for a fabulous gift for a BFF, or yourself?  (After all, is there any form of self-love higher than that of skin care?  I think not, dear readers!)  Why not indulge in an Alchimie Forever gift set?  (Yay, gift sets!  Woohoo!)  Choose from the adorable Holiday Toes Gift Set (making purple toe polish look posh!), the luxurious Spa Facial at Home Gift Set (featuring my favorite Kantic mask), or get gifty with your favorite District Metro-sexual and pick up a Metro Man Gift Set (Hello? Vibrating razor in this one!  Write your own punchlines, people!)!  

Whatever your skin care needs, Alchimie Forever is definitely a fabulous choice this holiday season!  Support a locally-based company and check it out!

“The gods conceal from men the happiness of death, that they may endure life.” –Lucan

1970's Springfield, Virginia: Super Dave Myers (top row, far left), my husband Steve Denslow (top row, second from right) and my brother-in-law Scott Denslow (top row, far right)

I count myself lucky to have met and spent some time chatting with Dave Myers (“Super Dave” or “Supe”, as he is known to the many friends who loved him during his brief, but always exciting, 39 years in this life). Supe and my husband, Steve, grew up together, lived together when they were in their 20’s, and shared the company of an amazing group of friends. Obviously, I came into this story late, having just married my husband this past March. I met Supe for the first time when he moved back to Virginia this past year (but his presence was preceeding by an abundance of hysterical stories and photos)! He had already been diagnosed with cancer when we met. Every time I saw him–never fail–he was smiling. Polite, fun–strong and brave to the end.

As I waded through the crowd (and it was a crowd!) at the celebration of Supe’s life this afternoon, I knew that I was blessed to have met him and also blessed to meet his friends and family. The moment was not lost on me. As I so often do these days, I stopped and thanked God/Buddha/the Kabbalah/My lucky stars, or whatever greater power there is in this life–that I am right here, right now, finally deeply in love with the greatest man I’ve ever known. (I love you, Steve!) Really–what else is there?

Take a moment to smile, celebrate life, and enjoy this beautiful video tribute to Supe. The video was created by Josh Dietrich (a very dear friend of my husband’s from “back in the day”), and the music is an original song, titled “Daredevil”, written and performed by Brian McGinty (a high school friend of Supe and my husband). Check out Brian McGinty’s website and other music. This guy is going to be a big star, for sure!

For those who may be adverse to my love of web links, the actual web address to access the video on Youtube is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aJd8QD8F_E&feature=youtube_gdata

I recently sampled several products that I thought were worth sharing! In the interest of full disclosure, I will state that I received several free samples from various manufacturers.  Mind you, some of these samples are as small as half an ounce—hardly enough to “bribe” me into providing some sort of free advertising for the manufacturers in question. 

One of my favorite new product finds is Chella’s Morning Crema!  With an SPF of 25 providing both UVA and UVB protection, this anti-aging formula is a real winner!  As the product bottle states, this truly is a “matte finish hydrator”.  Given that I am a big fan of the matte look, I love starting my day with this cream!  It feels like silk going on the skin, but is no wimpy moisturizer.  Most importantly for me, this cream comes in a formula for normal to oily skin, so I do not have to be concerned with break outs due to over-moisturizing (in fact, I learned  long ago in the cosmetics industry that dryness can cause break outs as much as too much moisture)!  I love this product, and am now a true Chella fan!

Check out Chella (and purchase products) online at http://www.chella.com!

“If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.”  -Dr. Carl Sagan

At last, pastry and philanthropy have united to form one fabulous promotion:  the Slice of Life pie sale! 

Now in its’ third year, Slice of Life is essentially a large-scale bake sale!  All proceeds from the event go directly to Food & Friends, a volunteer organization that prepares and delivers meals and groceries to DC-area residents living with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses.  In 2008, Food & Friends served over 913,036 meals!

Choose from five amazing flavors (or order one of each):

Picture Perfect Pumpkin Pie  ~ $25
Thanksgiving would not be complete without this traditional favorite. The creamy pumpkin filling, in a delectable crust, has the perfect mix of spices and great pumpkin flavor. You’ll certainly want to more than one for your family and friends.

Harvest Apple Crumb Pie  ~ $25
Perfectly flaky with just the right amount of sweetness, you’ll enjoy this classic pie filled with a bushel of apples, spices and topped with sweet crumbles. Whether you serve your pie alone or a la mode, it’s a must have.

Oh So Sweet Potato Pie  ~ $25
For many, Thanksgiving means Sweet Potato Pie. This southern specialty, filled with creamy bright orange sweet potatoes, cinnamon and nutmeg is sure to warm the hearts of your holiday guests.

Southern Pecan Pie  ~ $35
Embrace true hospitality by sharing this Southern treat with your holiday guests. Ya’ll will love this delicious buttery crust, loads of pecans and sweet gooey filling.

 Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake  ~ $35
A chocolate lover’s delight! Your guests will go crazy over this rich, creamy cheesecake topped with a decadent dark chocolate ganache.

All pies are 10″ round.  Each pie is shrink-wrapped, (to ensure the freshest, most delicious product possible), then placed in a sturdy, gift-quality box.  What a thoughtful hostess gift!

Not a pastries fan?  No problem!  You can also donate pies to accompany the Thanksgiving meals delivered by Food & Friends to those in need, or simply make a general donation to the program!

Pies will be available for pick-up on November 24, 2009, at various convenient locations throughout the DC metro area.  Simply choose a pick-up location when placing your order!

Click here to order your pies today! 

Should you need additional assistance with your order, contact Lisa Shapiro (creator of DC’s hottest foodie blog, http://diningindc.net) at (703) 945-0058, or via email at ldshap00@gmail.com.