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Showing posts from July, 2010

Everything She Wants' Summer Deodorant Roundup

During the summer, I usually change up my deodorant/antiperspirant in the quest to find one that keeps me so fresh and so clean. In June, I wrote about DeoDry , the Body Shop 's new natural deodorant with volcanic mineral and essential oils. I gave it a try, along with a few others -- some tried-and-true and some new to me.  Here are the results: DeoDry Dry-Effect Deodorant (Chilled & Breezy Stick) : I love that this Body Shop deodorant doesn't contain aluminum salts and promises to provide 24-hour protection.   My   verdict : The clean scent is nice, but because it's not an antiperspirant it definitely didn't keep me dry.  (B-) Secret Sheer Mineral Solid (Citrus Bliss) :  The splash of gold on the container is pretty and the "mineral" label sounds natural (but it contains aluminum). The tag line for Secret Sheer is "great protection doesn't have to be heavy. Let your skin breathe." My   verdict : This deodorant/antiperspirant is suppos

Everything She Wants' Link Love

As you already know, Everything She Wants is great. But I've decided to share the love.  So here's a list of a few of my fave blog posts of the week ( notice that my Jacqueline Laurita post is included; it's an oldie but a goodie! ). 1. Bronzers for Brown Skin -  Makeup by Kim Porter  Getty Images 2. Wanna Be Featured on Temple of Glam? Submit Your Favorite Summer Look -  Temple of Glam  3. Get the Look: Kimora Lee at Inception Movie Premiere -  Black Style Central  4. Shut Down. No really, phones off! -  The Bliss List   5. Jacqueline Laurita of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" Cleans House -  Everything She Wants  6. Make Your High Heels More Comfortable -  Her Goody Bag   7. The Importance of Online Plus Size Magazines -  Stylish Curves   8. Fashion at Comic Con 2010 -  O So Chic 9. Essence Magazine Hires a White Fashion Director? - La:Dolce:Vita Fashion Fix

Best Place to Get Your Eyebrows Shaped in NYC

If you want perfectly shaped eyebrows without the hassle of waxing or tweezing, it's time to visit  Shobha .  The New York City salon has locations in Soho ( 594 Broadway, 212.931.8363 ), midtown  ( 41 E. 57th Street, 212.223.2872 ), and Columbus Circle ( 3 Columbus Circle, 212.977.7771 ).  The downtown location's India-inspired interior is bathed in warm hues of orange, red, and gold.  You'll recline in a barber's chair while a Shobha specialist shapes your brows specifically to frame your face. The sewing thread pinches a little, but that mild discomfort is a small price to pay for beautiful brows.  Shobha's technicians are experts at the brow grooming technique that's been practiced by women in India for generations. During a visit with Shobha's resident hair removal guru Anjali, she told me I have an oval face shape (the most coveted facial shape by the way). Based on that angular shape, I should always ask for more rounded and soft brows.  Conv

5 Cool Places to Shop in Brooklyn's BoCoCa

Handmade cloth dolls by Cozbi. Handcrafted silk gown at Kimera. Dear Fieldbinder, is now Article& . With so many great shops in the connected neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens (affectionately called BoCoCa), we rarely need to leave Brooklyn to satisfy our shopping fix. Here are five of Everything She Wants' fave neighborhood boutiques: Jonathan Adler *   ( 378 Atlantic Avenue, 718-855-0017 ): This Adler outpost on Atlantic Avenue's "Antique Row" is a great place to window-shop and dream of the day you’ll be able to afford quirky chachkas like a fragrant  “Muse” candle   ($78) encased in a collectable ceramic container. *This store is now closed.  Visit one of the interior designer's stores in Soho or shop his quirky wares online. Dear Fieldbinder , *  ( 198 Smith Street, 718-852-3620 ) : Owner Laura Fieldbinder stocks her gallery-like store with feminine, trendy designer tops, frocks and accessorie

Zumba: The Rhythm is Gonna Get You

I'm not usually a gym girl. But thanks to the dynamic dance-aerobics-fest that is Zumba , I'm a proud, card carrying member of my local  YMCA . Led by uber-perky instructor Alma Bonilla , each 60-minute Zumba class feels more like a Latin dance party than a calorie-crunching cardio workout. Salsa , merengue, and Samba steps intertwine with the grapevine, Tae Bo jabs, and hip-hop moves. Super Alma teaches four frenetic Zumba classes a week at the Atlantic Avenue Y (Monday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday). Everything She Wants Tip : If you're in the area, you can try Zumba for free every Sunday through August 22 from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. at Brooklyn Bridge Park .

Jacqueline Laurita of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" Cleans House

It's not an act.   Jacqueline Laurita  of Bravo’s “ The Real Housewives of New Jersey ” (Sundays at 10 p.m. E.S.T.) loves to keep her home tidy.  "People think because we live where we live that we’re not real housewives," Jacqueline says during an interview at her sprawling, suburban New Jersey abode. "But we do our own cooking and cleaning." So the perky mother of three is the perfect spokesperson for Mr. Clean .   In her spiffy kitchen, she demonstrates the effectiveness of Mr. Clean's newest Antibacterial Multi-Surface Cleaners with Febreze Freshness.  Then we visited her super-sanitized bathroom, where Jackie shows how to use the famed Magic Eraser. Jacqueline is also candid about the show. She says everything we see is real.  "It's not scripted," she assures.  Even when the cameras aren’t rolling she and her neighboring sisters-in-law Caroline and Dina Manzo and loveable table-flipper Teresa Giudice get toge

Lost in Antigua: From Sugar Ridge to Halcyon Cove

You know how nothing on the TV show “Lost” was coincidental? Well, I had a “Lost” moment on my recent vacation on the Caribbean island of Antigua. One night while my husband and I lounged in our mosquito-covered canopy bed at the luxe boutique hotel, Sugar Ridge , we came across a local hotel beauty pageant on the tele. Sugar Ridge room/J.C. Halcyon Cove/J.C. The Ms. Rex pageant included five contestants representing two Antiguan Rex Resorts  -- Hawskbill and Halcyon Cove.  The pageant seemed like a throwback from the ‘80s and reminded me of the “Miss Black America” pageant from that era. Ms. Rex winner/Caribarena The flamboyant Ms. Rex host was a bald, bow-tied black man who spoke with a dramatic, “Showtime at the Apollo”-reminiscent delivery and stressed that the contestants speak with “clarity.”  The winner, Donella Loncke , wore a sparkly blue gown and had a certain twinkle in her eye. I picked her as the winner before she was crowned.  We found the pa

The Genius of Joan Rivers and Other TV Beauty Products

No judgment here, but how many of us have had inappropriate thoughts about those Shake Weights commercials?  And the "fashion" Snuggie had me at, it's a leopard print blanket with sleeves. As riveting as those products are, lately I've been fixated on two beauty items being hocked by comedian Joan Rivers. There's her Right to Bare Legs , a concealer you apply to your legs to hide unsightly blemishes, varicose veins, and even tattoos (her demo is big on body art).  Rivers claims her Right to Bare Legs will make your legs look younger, slimmer, and sexier.  It also promises to be sweat proof and water proof, and not to stain your clothes. Rivers is also the mastermind behind Great Hair Day Fill-In Powder , which gives fine and thinning hair the illusion of volume and thickness.  I guess the funny lady has a thing for paint products. Another as-seen-on-TV product that's caught my eye is the Cami Secret .  My hubby hipped me to this blouse-altering

Spice Up Your Summer Fitness Gear

Has the heat wave cooled down your workout?  Perhaps a change in gear is all the motivation you need to get physical. Here are three cool-and-colorful items on Everything She Wants ' radar that will surely spice up your fitness routine: Evangeline Lilly (not pictured) wore a CalibyCali tank on "Lost" Your boobies will thank you for investing in a   CalibyCal "Classic Tank"  ($58) in assorted colors. The hidden figure physics bra has mesh in the back, which holds your girls in place in a perky position.  Additionally, the front-panel with soft cotton lycra lends support and comfort without unwanted straps and hooks. Wooloot Wave watch in violet Not only is the  Wooloot Sport Wave Sports Watch ($19.99) a fun and trendy plastic watch; it's good for you.  The ultra-lightweight, waterproof watch comes in a variety of shades and contains tourmaline, a semi-precious mineral stone known for its ability to help the body detoxify, increase concentration

Natural Hair Care Tips from Blogger, Miss Moon's Musings

I was recently featured on the cool blog,  Miss Moon's Musings .  So I wanted to return the favor.  The blog's Brooklyn-based author, Audrey, has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to natural hair care.  And goodness knows, African-American women like me with natural hair are always on a quest for products that will make our non-chemically-treated hair bounce and behave. Audrey of Miss Moon's Musings Here are Miss Moon's Musings awesome product recommendations and tips: A rule of thumb for me when trying a new hair product, is to give it at least three months -- of course unless it made your hair feel horrible and/or fall out after the first use! I have never tried a product and had dramatic results the first time around. And despite the promises from the manufacturer, I probably never will. I've learned that time is the true test. Stick with a regimen for a few months and your hair will tell you if it's working. Shampoo: Hands down has to be A