Everything She Wants

National Friendship Day was August 4, 2013, but Everything She Wants has decided to continue the celebration with a giveaway from merci fine European chocolates . While some friendships are for a season or a reason, other friendships are built to last a lifetime.  I’m fortunate to have two best friends: Cindy, whom I’ve known since junior high school and Deanna, who started out as my amusing intern.  Besides my mother and my husband, these girlfriends are my greatest confidants.  They’re like the sisters I never had and we’ve supported each other through personal trials and triumphs. So what better way to say ‘thank you’ to your friends than with merci chocolates?  One lucky reader will win a ‘Friendship Kit’  that you can either keep to reward yourself for being such a great friend or share with a deserving comrade. The kit includes: $25 Target gift card (yay!) 7 ounce box of merci chocolates A picture frame to display a photo of you and your friends A choc

As a digital influencer for Nivea, I was re-introduced to this tried-and-true brand of skincare products. And apparently so have the inmates on the addictive Netflix series Orange is the New Black . When preppy prisoner Piper Chapman finally receives her commissary check, she gives   Nivea Creme Body Creme  to a grateful fellow jailbird. Because dry skin and jail just don't mix. The iconic beauty brand's blue packaging with white type is also featured in a flashback scene from bad girl Alex Vause's angst-ridden adolescence (second photo). Orange is the New Black images from Netflix. Thanks to Nivea, I carry a 2 oz. tube of the non comedogenic Nivea Creme lotion in my handbag at all times in case of a dry skin emergency.  It certainly comes in handy when I need to moisturize my hands, elbows, legs and feet. While I was applying it to my hands, a woman sitting next to me commented on the clean, subtly citrus scent, "That smells nice."  When I told her i

Besides being a great place to shop for deeply discounted brand name clothing and accessories, Goodwill stores are stocked with housewares and knick-knacks that can spruce up any college dorm or apartment. Many of the New York City stores have an assortment of picture frames, decorative pillows, rugs and wall art. And skilled bargain hunters will notice new housewares items donated from Target. On a recent visit to the Goodwill in downtown Brooklyn on Livingston Street,  Everything She Wants  picked up four brand new rectangular dinner plates from Ikea for just $1.99 each.  We also purchased an adorable cat trivet at the Chelsea store. Below is a sneak peek at the treasures we found. We encourage you to visit a Goodwill store near you for home decorating inspiration. And check out the  A Good Look by GoodwilNyNj  blog ( Everything She Wants is featured!) for more budget style tips. Cute cat trivet, $.99 (from the Chelsea store). Picture frames from $3.99. Pillows fr

From food to art and fashion, Philly is a city bursting with creativity. We love to visit whenever we get the chance, but recently Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter came to New York City (which he jokingly referred to as a large suburb of his city) along with a few talented graduates of the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator at Macy's City Center . Aso Damisi: Moriamo (l) and Latifat (r) The program, modeled after a similar program at Macy's State Street in Chicago, is the first of its kind in Philadelphia and the goal is to support and promote emerging fashion designers from local design schools and the city's fashion community. Four designers in residence are selected each year and Macy's provides them with design and office/work space, a showroom, curriculum, mentoring and other resources. In particular, the sophisticated African-inspired garments by  Aso Damisi (in the Yoruba language "Aso" means cloth and "Damisi" means prosperity) caught

We haven't seen Lee Daniels' The Butler yet, but we will because it's an important film that recounts America's tumultuous and ultimately triumphant Civil Rights era. If you'd also like to see the film, starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey and inspired by the true story of longtime White House domestic worker Eugene Allen, here's your chance to win a pass for two during the film's run-of-engagement in New York City. Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker in Lee Daniels' The Butler./Photo courtesy of  the film. Five lucky Everything She Wants' readers will be selected at random. Here's how to win: 1. Follow me on Twitter @TracyEHopkins 2. Leave a comment with your first name and tell me why you'd like to see Lee Daniels' The Butler? The giveaway offer ends Friday, August 23rd at 11:59 p.m.

According to an article in The New York Times , a new study found that in addition to a trace amount of lead, a wide range of lipstick brands contain as many as eight other metals--from cadmium to aluminum. Now experts are speculating about what happens when these metals are swallowed and absorbed every day? In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration published a report that found traces of lead in 400 leading lipstick brands including Cover Girl, Maybelline and L'Oreal. Although the lead found in lipstick reportedly causes no real or unusual health risk, the Center for Disease Control has acknowledged that no level of lead is really safe.  And the new study published in the journal Environmental Heath Perspectives , also found traces of cadmium, cobalt, aluminum, titanium, manganese, chromium, copper and nickel in 24 lipsticks and eight lipstick brands priced from $5.59 to $24 . What this means for you?  To make an informed choice,  Everything She Wants' suggests you r

When Everything She Wants was offered a gel manicure at a press preview, we couldn't resist. We'd never had a gel manicure before, but we should have suspected something out of the ordinary was up when our skilled manicurist asked if we felt any burning while our nails bathed in blue light under a heated lamp. Yikes! Refinery29 did a thorough report on the health risks associated with the gel nail trend, and luckily our Gelish Soak-Off Gel Polish manicure was dried using an LED lamp instead of a UV lamp.  According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, ultraviolet radiation (UV) can cause skin cancer, and that includes gel manicure UV curing lamps. Although the risk for getting squamous cell caricnoma (SCC) from a gel manicure--the second most common skin cancer caused by frequent UV exposure--is reportedly low, we're not willing to take any chances. My Gelish manicure still looked good after two weeks. Apparently, LED lamps, which are also used to dry regular nai

At a recent preview hosted by The Accessories Council --a not-for-profit, national advocacy organization that raises consumer awareness and demand for fashion accessory products-- Everything She Wants got a super sneak peek at the hottest back-to-school items that every tween, teen and grown-up fashionista will covet. The Fall 2013 accessories forecast is bright. Here are a few of the highlights: Carlos by Carlos Santana Carryall ($108) : Channel your inner rock chick with this cool, faux leather carryall featuring whip stitch chain detailing and stud accents.  Sold at Macy's and Macys.com . Fossil Florence Collection ($75-$95) : This Fall 2013 Collection boasts an exciting new case shape in jewel tone leather straps or metal bracelets. Available at fossil.com . Electric Picks "Two Heads--Stars" Women's Bracelet ($60) : We love this unique hand-beaded and knotted hematite bracelet  with gold-plated skulls, and a hand-painted star bead.  All piece

Five lucky Everything She Wants' readers will win one of SheaMoisture's delectable organic body scrubs!  The scrubs are a natural way to exfoliate dry, dead skin. The fragrant flavors up for grabs are: Olive & Green Tea, Red Blush & Sage, Lemongrass & Sage and  Coconut & Hibiscus. Here's how to win: Leave a comment with your first name and tell me why you like natural bath and body products? Like SheaMoisture on Facebook ( https://www. facebook .com/ SheaMoisture)  and follow them on Twitter @sheamoisture4u. Follow me on Twitter @TracyEHopkins. Good luck! Five winners will be randomly selected. The giveaway offer ends Sunday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m.