Best ChapStick for Frigid Weather and Sore Lips

Yesterday my lips gave in and developed their own bright red liner. Not the lovely liner that comes from the perfect application of my most favorite Estee Lauder lip pencil, but the irritated flaky mess that arrives annually at the very same moment when the thermometer drops below 35. Luckily for me the beauty closet was packed with and handful of True Shimmer Chapsticks. I adore them!

The Botanical Berry and Blended Fruit Sherbet are my favs. My girlfriend is over at the moment I stopped doing my makeup twice to make her smell them. Full disclosure: Chap Stick (or their PR company - I can't remember which) sent me these. But at a few dollars a pop, everyone can afford this beauty. The website is also super fun. Enjoy!

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Mother Nature Fetes Opening of The Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe

One wonders how The Ritz-Carlton could charm mother nature into a perfectly timed winter storm complete with a remarkable 30 inches descending on the peaks of Northern California to fete the location's grand opening. If you have been charmed, as I have, by one of the R-C's 71 illustrious properties - you know the answer is, easily. Mother Nature and mortal lovers of beauty and refinement alike adore the Ritz-Carlton.

Following five years of design, construction and development phases, The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe opened mid-mountain in Northstar-at-Tahoe resort this week. “This is truly a first of its kind experience for North Lake Tahoe” said Allen Highfield, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton resort. “It has been incredibly exciting to see the final details fall into place, the training of the Ladies and Gentlemen and their enthusiasm to welcome our first guests.” The Ritz-Carlton has created over 350 jobs this year in Northern California, providing highly respected hospitality jobs and excellent training.

Simon F. Cooper, President and Chief Operating Officer for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. personally joined Allen Highfield for the cutting of the ceremonial ribbon and the welcoming of the first guest. “Lake Tahoe has always been a destination known for its pristine natural beauty and skiing, now it will also be known as home to a world-class resort,” said Cooper. “The arrival of our brand and the opening of The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe further enhances the guest‘s service experience at Northstar-at-Tahoe.”

The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe is the first new-build resort development in the Lake Tahoe area in decades. Anticipated to be the premier Northern California contemporary mountain retreat, the $300 million project, situated mid-mountain in the Northstar-at-Tahoe ski area will feature ski-in, ski-out access with mountain concierge services.

The Highlands Spa is a 17,000 square foot spa and fitness center with treatments and therapies themed around water and the woods. The new Highlands Gondola also opens today and will connect guests between the nearby Village-at-Northstar and The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe resort. Perched slope-side within a 15 minute drive of both Lake Tahoe and the historic town of Truckee, the year-round destination includes 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton Residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Destination Club residences. Sign. Me. Up. Enjoy!

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Calling it! Metallic Bag Trend With Michael Kors and Carlos Falchi

L'Oreal gave me this divine Carlos Falchi Shopping Tote back in September and though I was originally lackluster about its bluster I have grown to A-dore it! Not only is the cheery floral lining divine but the internal organization and magnetic closure are sturdy and well designed. I also happened to catch Tia Williams sporting it and was instantly in love. Check out more of the dreamy vision that is Carlos Falchi hand bags.

Now Michael Kors and Lucky Magazine have teamed up on this equally shinny, also divine bag. Though I have no personal experience with the bag, it's beauty is stunning. I'm feeling a trend coming on....

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Oh How I've Missed You! Dior Shadow, Liz Earle & Kiehl's!

November being the shittiest month of the latter part of my twenties, I haven't had much to say. I like this to be a place of beauty and between the completely unattractive behavior that's been decking the halls of my workplace and nearly every ex-boyfriend becoming engaged or knocking someone (else) up I've been entirely at loss for anything beautiful to say. Onward - to the most beautiful thing I've said all month: Thank God November is over.

Onto December, month of light, love, and all things most beautiful. Here for your complete and utter sensory pleasure are the little treats I can't live without during this season of Mirth and Merriment.

Dior Shadow Brow Styler: Every chic city gal needs this. A little length in your brow adds Audrey-like glamour to any day or evening look and this brilliantly bright little pencil from Dior is to die for. Allure Mag sent it to me and I agree with them.... You must!

Liz Earle SuperSkin Bust Treatment: If your girls get dry and dull in the winter a little lovin from Liz Earle will perk them right up. Liz sent me this glorious gift for Christmas and I'm totally smitten. The package claims this luxe, earthy cream will "plump, smooth, and firm skin around the bust decolletage" and after a full month of faithful use, I have to agree. Enjoy! (Check out all the Liz Earle products I CAN NOT live without - totally a Beauty's SPOT top five brand!)

Kiehl's Imperial Body Balm: The lovely ladies at Kiehls gave me this new body balm back in September so when that oddly terse patch of skin appeared on my tummy (as it does annually when the thermometer drops below 50) I knew just where to go. Russians know cold and this balm is based on Russian herbal remedies. So amazing. The only thing that will literally squelch that sleep disturbing, itchy winter skin. You MUST!


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The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style + North Carolina

A few weeks back Lucky Magazine welcomed Beauty's SPOT as one of only 100 Alpha Shoppers. We are highly honored to be part of such an elite group. As a welcome gift the gals at Lucky sent this adorable book, The Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style. Each look (American Classic, Gamine, bohemian, etc) is accompanied by a shopping guide with various stores that support each style. North Carolina being the land of boat shoes and straight men who regularly wear pastel colored pants it wasn't completely shocking to see a boutique with locations in Raleigh and Wilmington supporting the Shopping Guide to the American Classic look. What was shocking was that there wasn't' a boat shoe in sight on Beanie + Cecil's website. With brands like Tibi and Catherine Maldrino (and a solid denim collection) I'll have to make a point to stop by. Have you girls been there? Thoughts?

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Beauty Bargain Award: BeautyFix

I've been getting my beauty fix ever since I first stumbled upon Rainbow Green Clay in Whole Foods when I was 15. I've been getting BeautyFix for about a year now and I can safely say both fixes have changed my life. Beautyfix has introduced me to several ingenious products that no woman should go without. I'll list them below, not necassarily in order of OMG-I-can't-live-without factor:

DERMAdoctor KP Duty: The sweet scent of this scrub is deceptive as it's tactically speaking, it's a tough love provided by this chemical and physical exfoliant. Backne and winter skin are a thing of the past dear friends.

Canyon Ranch Protect UVA/UVB SPF 30 Moisturizer: As airy as the southwestern desert where it was created, this fantastically light SPF 30 will protect and soothe.

This cleanser smells like desatine which gives me flash backs to diaper rash and make me want to puke. So you know I must LOVE the effect it has on my face which to date is: quicker healing of blemishes, smaller blackheads, and smother younger looking skin. It's called "perfect" for a reason.

Lisa Hoffman Spa Shower Body Oil

iQDerma Firmaceuticals Firming Body Gel


Sign up for Beautyfix to get 7-10 products quarterly for only $49.99 a quarter. Amazing!

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I'm Dating Jo Malone

Our first date was the stuff of classic films. After meeting through a mutual acquaintance, I agreed to attend his event on Fashion's Night Out back in September. After walking a half-Manhattan sized route because every reccesionista had splurged on a cab to transform into a fashionista for New York's Chic-est night out, I finally reached the upper east side event. Greeted with scents too delicious to even fathom, unless you are in the presence of the brilliant Jo Malone himself, Jo proceed to make me a personalized bouquet.

If you don't know by now, I'll let you in on a little secret. Jo is in fact a brand. Sadly it's true that while a man has never made me a personalized bouquet, a brand has. Come to think of it beauty brands do lots of things for me that men, to date, have not. This, I suppose, is why I'm a 28 year old beauty blogger and not a housewife.

Tonight on what may have been one of this year's worst days I finally broke out my "worst day ever" stash. I have now slathered myself from head to toe in Jo's orange blossom body creme and am happily avoiding all thoughts of today be reliving my one night with Jo back in September. The scent instantly lifted my bad mood and delivered thoughts of cheerier times like returning to my hotel room in times square with the most beautiful bouquet I'd ever seen.

I'm hoping he'll show up for Christmas with this, the most beautiful Candle set I've ever seen.

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One Night in Proximity: The Greenest Hotel In America

Last month I had the extravagant pleasure of spending one night at America's only LEED Platinum Certified Hotel, The Proximity in Greensboro, North Carolina. I was a bit surprised to find it, to date, to be the nicest hotel I have ever patronized. Perhaps it was the eco-friendliness or the sublime design of everything from the locally made furniture to the most amazing bathroom door (think barn door meets Restoration Hardware) that charmed me. Though It could have also been the checkered cab or the Greenway. One night at The Proximity and I felt like a new woman. Emerging triumphantly into the world after the most restful sleep I have ever known, I did in fact have the best weekend of 2009.

Happily the French extravagance that wafted into my room (love a hotel room with windows that open) from Print Work's Bistro in the form of Carla Bruni's classic tunes was balanced by my neighbors, Da Swag City Tour, who apparently like to rest their bling in eco-friendly haunts just as much a Greensboro Orchestra going set who were also in town for a special concert. Apparently, everyone is going green and doing so together in the lobby of The Proximity. Enjoy!

My Room!


Da Swag's room?


Check out this video which was taken before their certification was approved.



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