Holiday Gift Guide - Philosopy Party Girl Set

Stick "Party Girl" in front of anything and you've got our attention. And when it's this set of Philosophy pomegranate-scented products, you'll keep it -- and his, too, if you know what we mean. The set comes with pomegranate exfoliating bubbly shower gel, pomegranate shimmer lotion and pomegranate lip shine. The scent is invigorating and all those bubbles are like a disco ball in your shower. The lotion leaves skin glowing for all your revealing holiday frocks. Perfect for your friend who is a non-stop party!

Available at Philosophy.com for $28.

B. Kamins, Chemist Diamond Radiance Facial

I recently had the B. Kamins, Chemist Diamond Radiance Facial at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, D.C. It's an anti-aging treatment that uses the sparkle of diamonds to reflect light; but also the science of B. Kamins products (think peptides and amino acids) to stimulate collagen growth.

I've visited many Ritz Carlton properties and the Georgetown location stands out from the rest for its uniqueness and intimacy. It's a contemporary luxury boutique hotel housed in an historic Georgetown building; a favorite for visiting celebs (recently for those starring in political thrillers); and rumour has it, it'll be packed for Inauguration with A-listers. I even passed an Oscar winner on my way to the spa.

The Spa at the Ritz is appropriately cozy (not at all like the 27,000 square foot spa at the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island). On a windy, cold November day, it was comforting to wander into the intimate setting, change into my robe and have a cup of tea in the relaxation room.

The Diamond Radiance facial is billed as the "most high-end treatment" offered by B. Kamins to rejuvenate and revitalise your complexion with promises to lift tired skin even in lieu of a face lift. It's geared for mature skin (older than mine perhaps); but it does a great job of exfoliating then moisturizing a younger complexion also. This would be a great facial the day before a high school reunion or even a wedding if you're looking to even out and brighten your skin tone. The most dramatic step in the facial is the Deep-Detox Microstimulator. Sadly, this product is not available for purchase, in fact it's a powder to lotion formula that the aesthetician mixes shortly before applying. It works so strongly, I was advised to not exfoliate for the remainder of the week. The Flower Water Treatment Spray also stood out as refreshing and pleasant. It's the only of B. Kamins products to carry a scent and I found it addictive. I was spritzed between each of the steps in the facial; but it can be used at home before applying your makeup to prep your skin, after applying makeup to set it or anytime to refresh your face and body. The Diamond Radiance facial left my skin soft and glowing for the next three days, and I wouldn't use my favorite tinted moisturizer afterwards for fear it would interfere with my results.

The facial is offered at luxury spas worldwide including Ritz Carlton Spas, Saks Fifth Avenue Spas, Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spas, and Bliss spas. Remember spa gift cards make excellent holiday presents!

The Flower Water Treatment Spray is available at B Kamins, $36 for 8 oz.

Bobbi Brown Friends and Family Sale 20% Off

Bobbi Brown is having their first ever Friends and Family sale December 2nd and 3rd. Get 20% off your purchase and free shipping with proceeds helping to benefit Bobbi Brown's $10,000 donation to Dress for Success.


Wouldn't this Lip Gloss Trio be perfect for any woman on your gift list? Use the code BFF08A at checkout.

Dubai - A Firsthand Account

A friend of JSG's recently returned from a trip to Dubai. His report: It's not exactly a booming tourist destination. Our friend's exact words: I hate it. I despise it. I love to hate it.

All right-y then. In addition to being humid, our friend says the city is a pit (75 percent of the world's cranes are in Dubai). Because of the strict Muslim laws, there are no bars at street level -- most are hidden inside the hotels -- which means there's zero street life. Women aren't allowed at the beaches, so if you do go, be prepared to stay at your hotel's pool.

The one thing that did impress our friend: the Atlantis, whose opening attracted the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson and many, many more A-Listers. He said it's spectacular and nearly identical to the one in the Bahamas. On that note, JSG will save our travel time and dollars and head down to the The Cove at Atlantis when we have a desire to walk through a tunnel of fish or dive down a monster water slide.

Gossip Girl Headbands

While we occasionally try to rock out a headband, we don't quite have Blair Waldorf's flair for the accessory. But now that we know one of her secrets, courtesy of Page 6 Magazine, it may be time to give headbands another shot. Sunday's issue featured a profile on Sabrina Bacon (shown left), half of the design team behind Pas Comme les Moutons headbands, a favorite of Blair's and her minions.

Want to know another secret? The headbands are available at NYC's Owl's Lab, which is having a Cyber Monday deal TODAY ONLY. Use code: cyber40 and get 40 percent off the headbands and everything else online.

Holiday Gift Guide - Luggage Tag

The countdown to Christmas is on! If you didn't get all your Christmas shopping done over the past weekend, you're in luck (and if you did--well--showoff!): JSG will be bringing you a gift suggestion a day. We've done our best to keep them all affordable, good values and original. All our gift guide posts will be in red -- just in case you're as fried as we are already from the holiday stress -- we wanted to make it easy. 

First up, is this luggage tag from Tepper Jackson. The bright color means your bag is always easy to spot on the luggage carousel and the irreverent font elevates an otherwise practical item into a fun gift. Available for $15 on Passengers Only.

A Peek Inside Julia Lintern's Carry On

A few weeks back, we shared with you the gorgeous sexy winter coats by Lia Lintern. We loved the story behind the label almost as much as the coats themselves: Designer Julia Lintern is a former aerospace engineer. We asked her to show us what's inside her carry on. (And those sexy winter coats? You can save 15 percent with the code LIA-HOL-08 at checkout.)


I think that traveling light is one of life's greatest pleasures... My bag is Alexander McQueen's "Flapper Satchel" in ruby crocodile. (JSG note: Bargain hunters, the bag is now $1,299, marked down from $2,170. A lot, we know, but an incredible price for this timeless bag.)



A friend with beautiful skin once told me that she used L'Occitane Radiance Cream - I must have misheard her because I actually put olive oil on my skin that night..Then I realized what she was talking about..I just love this line!



My experience is the airline industry has taught me that you lose over 4 oz of water per hour! (that's just nearly one of those miniature water bottles they give you on board).. So I carry my own feminine Sigg canteen wherever I go...I just make sure to fill it at the nearest water fountain before I get on board.



My Music: I'm always in the mood for Jose Gonzalez!


I'm currently reading Madame Bovary (Penguin Classics) by Flaubert. It's a beautiful, if not heart-breaking, novel and a great way to escape those interim hours in the airport!