Win a Trip to Charleston with Conde Nast Traveler

We proved you can have a fun girls' trip in only 24 hours last year when we headed down to Charleston.  We've been itching to go back for more boutique shopping, great food, and more time in general to check out this charming city.

Conde Nast Traveler is giving away a four night stay at the Restoration on King and airfare for two.  We had a cocktail or two on the rooftop (pictured below) on our trip and would love to stay at the chic spot.  The contest runs March 23rd, 2010 through April 20th, 2010. Enter at www.cntpromo.com/Charleston.

Web Snob Roundup April 2nd, 2010

Stiletto Jungle checks out the slightly naughty new Agent Provocateur swimwear line.

Allie is Wired reports that Victoria Beckham has been permitted to steal designs.

Bag Snob has a special bag with a justified price for Spring!

Get Spring Cleaning Tips for your Skin at Beauty Snob!

Coquette loves the many ways you can wear a DKNY Cozy -- a must have for your wardrobe!

Fashion Pulse Daily has got a first look at Zac Posen for Target, launching April 25th

The Jet Set Girls got a peek inside handbag designer, Lauren Merkin's carry on bag.

Get diamond jewelry for $75 (normally $7,200). SHEfinds tells you how.

Second City Style is wild for vintage inspired stilettos.

Shopping and Info loves the white and turquoise sandals Ashley Greene of Twilight wore recently by Sam Edelman.

StyleBakery hunts down some of this season's hottest (and prettiest) jewelry trends to make your spring wardrobe shine

Stylehive says to show some shoulder with asymmetrical ruffles.

The Beauty Stop details how to get a perfect 5-minute manicure.

Velvet Angels is one of The Shoe Goddess' favorite new brands for edgy, yet inexpensive shoes!

eye4style is freshening up for Spring with Shobha's new Rosewater Freshening Cloths.

On Our Radar: The Opening of the New Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles

The Ritz-Carlton L.A. opens today and is the cherry-on-top to the L.A. Live development which began with the Staples Center a decade ago.  The Ritz-Carlton is perched on top of its sister property, the JW Marriot, and features:

An exclusive rooftop pool and lounge with private cabanas and seating available day and night

An 8,000 square foot spa with a "Champagne and Shimmer" theme with treatments that include the Glowing Gold Facial and the Champagne and Citrus Scrub

Wolfgang Puck's new WP24 restaurant featuring Asian dishes and floor to ceiling windows with geat views

A 2,000 square foot fitness center 

And, our personal fave, the Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge

The Secret to Great-Looking Skin

Contributed by Daily Makeover's Megan McIntyre

Great-looking skin is the holy grail of the beauty world--you can pretty much pull off any kind of makeup if you're skin looks amazing. Unfortunately, very few of us are blessed with that perfect canvas of smooth and clear skin, yours truly included. While I work tirelessly to try and keep my skin looking its best, the sad fact is that some days I need more help than your average moisturizer and concealer duo can provide.


Enter L'Oréal Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base. The name pretty much says it all for this genius primer--it's like magic. Smooth some on your skin (a little goes a long way) and it instantly fills lines, smooths out uneven texture and minimizes pores and imperfections. I applied a dab under my eyes and my crows feet-in training instantly smoothed out, leaving my eyes looking fresher and younger. What's more, it also made my concealer go on that much easier so my overall appearance looked brighter and more awake. Since it was developed in partnership with backstage beauty guru (and my makeup hero) James Kaliardos, I wouldn't expect anything less than perfection.

I don't often label something "magical," but based on how easily my makeup went on and how smooth my skin felt and looked after application, that's exactly what I'd call this new primer. It just goes to show that just because you don't have perfect skin doesn't mean you can't fake it!

Related links:
Katherine Heigl Celebrity Makeover


Blow Dryer Hairstyles

Evangeline Lilly Beauty

A Peek Inside Lauren Merkin's Carry On

We are such big fans of Lauren Merkin's handbags, together we've probably got a baker's dozen.  Check out Laurenmerkin.com often to see her most current handbag designs and fabrics.  There are always great deals in the sale section too.  We just bought an eco-tote to carry with us shopping. We were thrilled when she agreed to share what's in her carry on.  Thanks, Lauren!

An idea of what your carry on bag looks like:

I pretty much always travel with my Cassie Beach tote in Zebra linen. It fits comfortably on my shoulder, holds everything I could possibly need, has two exterior pockets and zips closed. I even have a back up for when I wear this one out!

A few of your favorite beauty products for travel:

Burts Bees Pomegranate Lip Balm which is nourishing and has just a subtle hint of color. Cle de Peau Concealer is a must to hide my dark circles after a long flight (or just a long day!). Oscar Blandi Jasmine Hair Oil fights frizz and smells delicious. I also love Marc Jacobs fragrance and his classic scent and Daisy both come in rollerball pen which is great for travel.

A favorite wrap?

I always travel with some sort of wrap so I can try and get cozy on the flight. It's usually a classic navy pashmina which is plush and soft to curl up with on the plane and the color makes it pretty versatile for wherever I am going.

Music on your iPod:

My Nano is filled with Dr. Dog, Wilco (pictured above), Coconut Records, New Pornographers…. I usually have at least two play lists ready – one mellow to help me sleep and one to run with wherever I am going. My Nano also has Solitaire which has saved me during a few particularly long and sleepless flights!

A book you’re reading or DVD you’re watching:

Right now I am in the middle of reading The Help but I am eager to finish it so I can dive into The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest… I read the first two books in the series and became obsessed! Both are hard-covers though – not ideal for travel! I do not always have the focus for a book on a flight so I make sure to have a few magazines on hand as well. Sometimes you cannot beat US Weekly!

Anything else you always have in your carry on

I rarely travel without my laptop (one downside of running a business!) but I am thankful for my MacBook Air which is slim and light. Also, water and Tic Tacs!

Nair: Another Hair Removal Disaster

It's been more than a few years since I tried Nair the last time.  Chances are it didn't go that well then or I wouldn't have waited so long to use it again.

After a less than successful go at a Brazilian bikini wax a few weeks ago, I was on the lookout for the next best smooth bikini line.  I've shaved for years; but I want something that's smoother and never stubbly.

I picked up Nair (almost hidden) on the bottom shelf at CVS.  The directions were pretty simple, leave it on for three minutes and test an area.  If your hair isn't removed, keep it on a few more minutes and try again.  Don't leave it on for more than 10 minutes.  I tried it twice, the first was totally ineffective, I left it on only five minutes and no hair was removed.  After a couple of days, I tried again leaving it on closer to ten minutes.  This time no hair was gone; but I was left with a nasty rash. 

Does anyone out there use Nair or a similar product with success?  We'd love to hear about your experience.  My next move is laser hair removal; unfortunately it carries a high price tag.

Pops of Yellow for Spring

We've been on vacation in Florida this week and the sun has finally come out to shine.  We've noticed the great pops of color that women are wearing down here and hope to bring some of that home with us this weekend.  Only wear one piece a time, too much of a bright color is not a good thing! Here are the yellow pieces that we can't get enough of:

Ella Moss' bikini in a yellow and white stripe:

J. Crew was making embellished sweaters long before anyone else and their ruffled spring Celosia cardigan reminds of us something Rachel on Glee might wear:

 We covet our Prada handbags, this Vitello Daino Hobo in yellow is tempting:

Land's End Leather Sandals look great and don't cost a fortune:

Hurley board shorts would be perfect for cruising the beach for shells and starfish: