SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Thriving Ivory: Jennifer Belton’s jb dzyne Jewelry Line

Before all you zealous animal rights activists come after me with clubs and burning torches, allow me to clarify: no elephants, walruses or mammoths were killed or maimed in order to produce these ivory-centric jewelry designs (nor were any harmed in the writing of this post… okay, that last part was a joke!).

In fact, the walrus ivory used in Jennifer Belton's original pieces range from 1,000 to 12,000 years old, while the mammoth ivory dates back 11,000 to 40,000 years. By using these ancient materials, Belton transforms every work into a valuable, almost magical, ancient artifact.

Belton decided to launch her jb dzyne line after spending the past eight years traveling throughout Europe, North Africa and Alaska, and discovering different kinds of ivory than what she'd previously seen. First, there's walrus tusk ivory, which is found mainly in two places: it's either excavated from old village sites (and hence varies in color depending on the amount of time for which it was buried and the color of the soil surrounding it), or it's discovered underwater or along beaches. The second type of ivory, mammoth bone and tusk, is also excavated from various sites and varies in color from a creamy white to deep brown.

In the jb dzyne line, Belton experiments with combining these rare materials with gold, silver and precious gems, yielding one-of-a-kind, exotic, intriguing and majestic works of art.

Pictured above are two of my favorite offerings: the "Amoebas" ring, which features 14k gold, sterling silver and fossilized walrus ivory and the stunning 14k gold, sterling silver, diamond and fossilized walrus ivory "Valdez" ring.

jb dzyne "Amoebas" ring, $2800 and "Valdez" ring, $5500. Visit jbdzyne.com

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January 29, 2009

Sporty Style: United Nude x K-Swiss

Can't get away with wearing sneakers to work? Want a shoe that's as comfortable as your favorite pair of kicks but is a bit more sophisticated and elegant? Check out these five styles from the new, limited edition Spring 2009 K-Swiss x United Nude collection. Each shoe features the classic K-Swiss stripes, while the more streamlined, sleeker lines are a nod to United Nude's architectural designs.

$200 each. Visit KSwiss.com or UnitedNude.com.

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January 28, 2009

Mrs. Bright Eyes

The trend towards flashier, look-at-me-now eye color is
in full effect for 2009. From sunshine yellow eye shadows (like the one Solange Knowles sported on the promo materials for her sophomore album) to turquoise, teal and aqua shades that have a whimsical, tropical feel and sultry jewel tones like amethyst and emerald green, this is the time to infuse those eyes with some vibrant bolts of color.

Want to experiment with a wilder, more electric palette, check out these fantastic eye shadows, liners and mascaras and tap into your own technicolor goddess.

EYE SHADOW PALETTES

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics "Bobbi Brights" Palette, $70. Visit BobbiBrownCosmetics

Smashbox Artist Eye Palette in Muse, $48. Visit Sephora.com

NP Set by Napoleon Perdis "Seattle" Gray/Navy Eye Palette, $20. Visit Target.com

Tarte Cosmetics Spring Greening Limited Edition Reusable Straw Palette, $38.50. Visit Sephora.com or TarteCosmetics.com

Tropez "Opposites Attract" Eyeshadow Quad in Ocean Breeze, $2.99. Visit Walgreens.com

MASCARAS

Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara in Brun Remix, $17. Visit Ulta.com

Vincent Longo C_scope Vibrant Eye Waterproof Mascara in Verde (green), $24. Visit VincentLongo.com

Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara in Purple Haze, $17. Visit Sephora.com

NYX Cosmetics Mascara in Electric Blue, $5. Visit NYXCosmetics.com

Styli-Style Colorlash Mascara in Green Shock, $7.99. Visit StyliStyle.com

Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara in Blue Disco, $17. Visit Ulta.com

Vincent Longo C_scope Vibrant Eye Waterproof Mascara in Giallo (yellow), $24. Visit VincentLongo.com

Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara in Electric Blue. Visit Sephora.com

Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Black Violet, $19. Visit Sephora.com

Styli-Style Colorlash Mascara in Blue Shock, $7.99. Visit StyliStyle.com

EYE SHADOWS

JK Jemma Kidd Hi-Design Eye Color in Urban, $18. Visit Target.com

CoverGirl Eye Enhancer in Indigo Impact, $3.47. Visit Drugstore.com

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Purple Haze, $16. Visit Sephora.com

LORAC Eyeshadow in Green Room, $17. Visit Sephora.com

NYX Cosmetics Single Eyeshadow in Irises, $5. Visit NYXCosmetics.com

Becca Jewel Dust in Feeorin, $24. Visit BeccaCosmetics.com

JK Jemma Kidd Hi-Design Eye Color in Modernist, $18. Visit Target.com

Everyday Minerals Eyeshadow in "10 Items or Less," $6. Visit EverydayMinerals.com

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Chronic, $16. Visit Sephora.com

CoverGirl Eye Enhancer in Lime Alive, $3.47. Visit Drugstore.com

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Electric, $16. Visit Sephora.com

Trish McEvoy Glaze Eye Shadows in Azure, Kiwi, and Iris, $16 each. Visit Nordstrom.com

JK Jemma Kidd Hi-Design Eye Color in Dramatic, $18. Visit Target.com

LORAC Eye Shadow in Glamorous, $17. Visit Sephora.com

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Green Goddess, $16. Visit Sephora.com

LORAC Eye Shadow in Celebutante, $17. Visit Sephora.com

NYX Cosmetics Single Eyeshadow in Violet, $5. Visit NYXCosmetics.com

LINERS

Vincent Longo C_Scope Vibrant Eye Waterproof Liner in Verdino (green), $18. Visit VincentLongo.com

LORAC Eye Shadow/Liner in Blue Topaz, $16. Visit Sephora.com

Tarte Cosmetics Eyeliner in Mona Lisa, $18. Visit TarteCosmetics.com

Bourjois Liner Clubbing in Violet Laser, $16. Visit Ulta.com

Styli-Style Line & Seal 24 in Spring Green, $7.99. Visit StyliStyle.com

Vincent Longo C_scope Vibrant Eye Waterproof Liner in Gialliano (yellow), $18.Visit VincentLongo.com

Bourjois Liner Clubbing in Electro Blue, $16. Visit Ulta.com

Estee Lauder Duo-Tone Eye Pencil in Aquateal. Available in March. Visit EsteeLauder.com for more information.

Styli-Style Liquid Liner 24 in Green, $7.99. Visit StyliStyle.com

JK Jemma Kidd I-Tech Liquid Eyeliner in Drama, $18. Visit Target.com

Tarte Cosmetics Eyeliner in Ballet Dancers, $18. Visit TarteCosmetics.com

Styli-Style Line & Seal 24 in Deep Purple, $5.99. Visit StyliStyle.com

Origins Eye Brightening Color Stick in Ice Blue, $14. Visit Origins.com

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Liner in Air Guitar, $18. Visit Sephora.com

Posted at 01:46 AM in Beauty | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

January 27, 2009

Sand Jewelry: Feel Like A Natural Woman

Here's a look at some of the marquis items from Sand by Therese, a jewelry line that focuses on celebrating organic shapes and materials found in nature. The bohemian-flavored line boasts necklaces, earrings and rings made of mother of pearl, jade, citrine, onyx, agate, colored freshwater pearls, green chalcedony, and more — all for less than $100 (most styles fall in the $30 range).

Beyond the materials used, what's intriguing about this line is the sculptural shapes given to each handcrafted item. The "Leafy Earrings" pictured at top, for example, feature small, pea-sized jade stones at the very top (which instantly make us thing of nature), then mother of pearl frames in undulating leaf shapes followed by dangling smokey quartz stones cut in more precise oblong shapes. The "Disco Earring," pictured second from top, feature a dangling strand of three pearls framed in hematite for a very peas-in-a-pod design. And lastly, there's the "Waterfall" earrings, which use a dainty strand of pearls falling along the interior of the mother of pearl frames so as to imitate the look and feel of falling water.

If you want your jewelry to commune with nature, check these out.

Leafy earrings, $36; Disco earrings, $34; Waterfall earrings, $46. Visit ShopSandJewelry.com

Posted at 01:33 PM in Jewelry | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

January 27, 2009

Need A Support System? Try Sassybax

If your cup runs full (or it runeth over, for that matter), then you've more than likely become acquainted with the shortcomings of strapless bras — they never seem to stay in place, forcing you to shift, tug, and adjust every few minutes; they can show through your clothes; they're often padded in the strangest ways; and they never seem to raise your breasts to the right height so that they look perky without looking Cathouse-ish. Strapless bandeau bras (theoretically) solve some of these problems but, in reality, the top elastic never seems to hold tight enough to prevent the bra from rolling down (and how annoying is it to have a bulky, rolled-up bandeau bra laying under your breasts, creating a lump that protrudes through your clothes?). So what's a woman with a full bosom to do when she wants to show off her new strapless dress or that plunging camisole top?

Well, what she needs to do is stock up on some Sassybax goodies.The shapewear line offers a variety of bra and bustier options that provide excellent support and focus on smoothing and slimming the female silhouette (and what woman can't dig that?!).

Pictured at top is Sassybax's Underwire Bandeau Bra. Ladies, this bra is hands-down the best strapless bra I've ever tried — and trust me when I tell you that I've tried many. The bra stays in place for however long you wear it: you can bend down, run around, and dance all over the house without having to tug at it even once. Meanwhile, the underwire and the elastic construction places your breasts at the perfect height, reversing the sagging effects of gravity and age. Seriously, my breasts looked so perky when I wore this bra, that I wanted to run around going, "Don't my boobs look great?!" Random story: I had a friend who, thanks to some implants, went from being completely flat-chested to having some nice little bumps and, for a period after the surgery, she'd flash anybody willing to look. It wasn't a sexual thing or even a deliberate attempt at exhibitionism — she was just THAT excited about her new boobs. After wearing Sassybax's Underwire Bandeau Bra and having my breasts lifted and tightened, I think I have an inkling of what she must have felt!

And the bandeau bra is just the beginning. If you want to wear a curve-hugging top and you're a bit frazzled by that extra flesh around your midsection, you'll love the Strapless Underwire Torso Trim, a bustier-like piece that will make you look slimmer and will give your shape greater definition (without cutting off your circulation or air supply!).

Other products available include the Peek-A-Boo Torso Trim, a stretchy undergarment with a plunging V-neck line that falls right by your hips so as to smooth out your entire upper body (it's perfect for slinky cocktail dresses), and the Bralette, which is perfect for wearing underneath thin T-shirts for a seamless look (no visible bra lines and, hence, no pinched back fat or other debacles). All the bras are available in nude or black and fit cups ranging from A to DD.

Sassybax Underwire Bandeau, $48; Sassybax Strapless Underwire Torso Trim, $75. Visit Sassybax.com

Posted at 12:34 PM in Fashion | Permalink | Favorite This | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)