Summer Splurges? Maybe These from Tarte, Peter Thomas Roth, and Dermacyte are Must-Haves

There's just something about Summer that puts me in a spending mood.  Suddenly, there are new products everywhere, and I want them all.  Here are some Summer products that, depending upon your budget, may be splurges, or must-haves.  No matter which, you will want to try them:

You might think of QVC as a regular shopping mall of name brand beauty products, but they have also managed to snag some of the best of the best makeup brands for exclusive products you won’t find anywhere else. For example, QVC has an exclusive on Tarte 100% Pure Cold Pressed Maracuja Oil ($46.00) until  January 21, 2012. The oil is dPure passion. Derived from the Amazonian passion flower, this pure maracuja oil is a powerful and intuitive elixir that instantly absorbs into the skin, delivering a high dose of essential fatty acids and vitamin C to hydrate. Yes, it is exotic. derived from the Amazonian passion flower and although I rarely, definitively say for sure that something works, I can attest to it’s hydrating powers. The minute the oil hits your skin and is massaged in, it disappears,  leaving a silky, odorless,, non greasy “glove” of goodness behind.  I usually shy away from anything called "oil" but this one just has an amazingly soothing and hydrating feel and it is just so effective in dealing with dry and itchy patches on skin.  Made mostly for the face and neck, I also applied it to dry patches on my hands and feet (yes, I felt like a pampered princess doing it) but I really couldn’t believe my eyes, literally at how the oil transformed my skin. Instead of being dry and itchy and overly parched, my skin looked happy and pump and dare I say it, more youthful.  And Tarte’s version is more than just some oil. You'll get yours in a plum-tinted bottle with a wood and golden-topped dropper top that delivers one dose (I used less). And that’s not all. It's nestled into a re-useable, woven box with logo button and a faux suede ribbon closure. I think it looks a little like a tiny cricket cage, but it's for storing loose change, hair pins, or anything small enough to fit into a -1/2" x 2-1/2" x 4-3/4" box.  As to the oil, if your skin is dry maturing, or needing TLC, I’ll admit that it’s  a bit pricey, but you don’t need much and it can make a discernible difference in your skin. If your budget allows for a splurge, fine. If not, it may just be your next must-have!  Visit the QVC Web Site to Order or the Tarte Web Site www.tartecosmetics.com to learn more.

Brown spots and age spots are no laughing matter. They're not a beauty statement, and they're hard to get rid of. Dermacyte Oxygen Concentrate $84.00 .33 oz. is a unique and soothing formula that not only helps to diminish these unsightly spots, the product also can help to enhance a brighter, more youthful complexion.  The products was created by a team of scientists who have been working for 15 years on the development of oxygen-based treatments for life-threatening medical conditions. Aided by modern technology, they created a carrier that allows the transfer of large amounts of dissolved natural oxygen without the use of chemical activators like hydrogen peroxide (which can dry and bleach skin).  Oxygen, FYI, is known to have a beneficial effect on wound healing, and so the technology inspired the creation of Dermacyte skin care products. Used morning and night on clean skin (before any other products), over time, this "oxygen bar for your skin" might really improve not just the overall look and feel of your skin, but also help to diminish age spots. I haven't used it long enough to report results, but I like the elegant, matte and shiny silver pump bottle that dispenses a very quickly absorbed, hypoallergenic, paraben-free serum. You can even use it as a spot application for problem areas. It's either a must have or a splurge, depending upon your need, and your budget. I didn't try it, but there's an Oxygen Eye Complex, too. Check out more on the Dermacyte Web Site

When a beauty reviewer gets enough inquiries about a product she's never tried, it's time to get it, and try it.  I have received nothing but accolades for Lashes to Die For Mascara $22.00 by Peter Thomas Roth.  PTR has great products, so I finally, I moved my butt into gear, and got some.  Well, my readers really have opened my eyes, literally and figuratively! The mascara is divine!  I am not sure what magic potion Peter Thomas Roth puts into the mascara, but it is formulated to help lashes look impossibly long and full, without clumping, smudging or flaking. Every single lash is singled out, coated, and perfect -- even when you apply several coats -- I've never seen anything like it.  The only part of the "magic" I can see is the mascara brush, that features two specialized zones for targeted length and volume. The formula dries fast, doesn't flake or smudge, and yes, it's water resistant.  To get longer and lovelier lashes, naturally, get some nourishment from Peter Thomas Roth Lashes to Die For Platinum  $125.00. This posh, patent pending complex can help to enhance the appearance of natural lash length, thickness and fullness! The mascara wand is full of cutting-edge technology, including a Patent Pending PTR Lash Complex to boost natural lash length, thickness and fullness; Actiglide (Sodium Hyluronate and Hydrolized GlycosaminoglycansIn about 4 weeks you'll see results. Just apply the formula with applicator brush, in a thin line, along upper lash line only at the root area (as though applying eyeliner). Use sparingly, only a small amount of product is necessary per application. However, along with the benefits, there are a few things you need to be aware of. First, like all of the lash-enhancing products, they work, but you really need to use them as directed, and regularly,  if you want results. And, you might want to consult your doctor before you try it, as excessive use of the product can lead to permanent darkening of the skin around the eyes and iris. Imagine how fabulous your lashes will look with the Lashes To Die For Mascara on Top of the Lashes to Die For Nourishing product. These may be pricey, but worth every single penny! Check the Peter Thomas Roth Web Site for more nifty products you'll want to consider.

EXCITING NEWS! This Blog Will Be Moving to the Advicesisters Web Site -- Coming Soon: Do you like this blog? If all goes well, within a few weeks, it will be moving to back to advicesisters.net to the newAdvice Sisters Web Site . Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You canalso read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

*I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!  Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.
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Marvellous Mally Roncal Shares The Love in a Great Makeup Set

Makeup Artist Mally Roncal wants everyone to look and feel beautiful.That is the philosophy behind her makeup line, and it has also made her a favorite among celebrities including the likes of Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Hayden Panettiere, Rihanna, Teri Hatcher. But what struck me immediatelgy about her "Share the Love Collection"  was the tag line: “kindness is the new black.”   How lovely!

But after I got past the momentary, warm and fuzzy feeling, it was time to take a critical look at the makeup line.  I liked what I saw. Mally Roncal’s makeup is sold on QVC, and also on her web site, but that doesn't mean it's cheesy.  Mally has plenty of makeup to choose from, but if you’re really wanting to try out her high performance products, there is a 10-piece Share The Love collection on QVC ($65.46) that has just about everything you might want to experience her lovely line This kit includes full-size, brand-new, high-performance products that will help you create the new look want, including two mascaras (keep one for yourself and give one to a friend) and a cute tote with the slogan that caught my eye to begin with: “Kindness is the New Black.”

• So what is in this kit? It comes in medium, tan or rich (deepest). The medium colors I tried in my kit will suit most light to medium complexions, with Tan and Rich in deeper and deepest tones. My review references the medium tones:

 • Two 0.10 oz lip magnifiers in Punch (pink) and Blush (sheer pink)--Worldwide Launch! Exclusive to QVC until 9/1/11 Who doesn’t love a chunky lip pencil. These will be kept perfectly sharp with the included sharpener. Punch is a glorious, shimmery, bright pink, while blush is mostly shimmer with just a hint of light pink. Lip pencils are the easiest thing to take on vacation, or just on a hike. Thin enough to put in a pocket, but these deliver the benefits of both gloss and lipstick in one, with the color and shine you want—love them!

• 0.26 oz 24/7 illuminating blush in Pink Satin--Exclusive to QVC until 9/1/11 * it comes housed in a striking, pink metal, mirrored compact with a champagne-colored pearly highlighter on one side, an intense but blendable to sheer to suit any complexion, deep pink blush. Use the dual ended blush brush with this for great results. I love the blush and the packaging, so I'm including a photo of it!


• 0.3oz Poreless Perfection shaded skin finisher in choice of Fair/Light, Medium, Tan, or Rich--Worldwide Launch! Exclusive to QVC until 9/1/11 *this is loose powder that requires a kabuki brush to get the look right, and of course, one is included. The powder helps to brighten and give your face a moistly matte finish.


• 0.01 oz Evercolor automatic eyeliner in Deepest Brown--Exclusive to QVC until 9/1/11 *this slim, swivel-up liner delivers the most intense, soft, smooth line ever. Even those who are all thumbs, can use this one easily. The deep brown is the perfect , classic liner color.


• Two 0.39 fl oz volumizing mascaras in Black--Give one as a gift! *it is a good mascara that has been reported as “my favorite” by readers.

.......and you can enjoy beauty tools, too: a double-ended 24/7 blush brush (synthetic side for highlighter/foundation the other is a brush for powder blush), Mini kabuki brush, Sharpener, Organza pouch and the Kindness is the New Black tote

Visit http://www.qvc.com/  to order. And check out the  Mally Beauty Web Site,Mally beauty web site for videos, how-to and more

EXCITING NEWS! This Blog Will Be Moving to the Advicesisters Web Site -- Coming Soon: Do you like this blog? If all goes well, within a few weeks, it will be moving to back to advicesisters.net to the newAdvice Sisters Web Site . Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You canalso read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  



Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

• 0.10 oz eye amplifying shadow liner in Chestnut (a brown shade)--Worldwide Launch! Exclusive to QVC until 9/1/11 One side has a rich warm , itnese, shimmery, coppery brick, the other, a sponge-tipped blender to keep the shadow smooth. This may be the only color shadow you want all summer long, because it is just so sexy with a tan (faux, I hope). Use it as a lid color, a liner, or line lids, smooth pencil over lid, for a sexy, smoky eye.

*I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!  Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.
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Smashbox Soft Box and More, Sensational for Summer 2011

One of the names that instantly comes to mind when I think of a favorite cosmetics brand, is Smashbox.  The products are high performance and pro-style, but they are also user-friendly (to the point where even the clueless can follow the easy steps provided with the products to get a good result) and glamorous. The colors take cues from the runway, but make them realistic and flattering for every woman.


Davis Factor and his brother Dean are the co-creators of Smashbox Cosmetics, and they have a proud lineage:  they are also the grandsons of another very famous makeup artist and cosmetics mogul: Max Factor. Smashbox products were born in a photo studio, to be used by professional makeup artists (as well as consumers at home). The resulting products make your look, flawless, even if you only have minutes to spare.

The multi-talented Davis Factor was present at a recent event in New York City at Hudson Studios, where editors got a sneak peek of the Smashbox Fall 2011 makeup items and kits. They're not ready to be uncloaked, but I can divulge that there is something for everyone, with colors that will be beautiful and chic and right on trend,  You will want what Smashbox is offering!  Watch for new kits, new foundations, and more.....with release date starting August, 2011.

...but while you're waiting for Fall, focus on Summer, right now.  In case you didn’t read my tweets (@advicesisters ) directly from the event, is that Smashbox is diving into social media with their new online site called: “Social Shop.”  The online site combines shopping with social media.  Visit http://www.smashbox.com/socialshop  and connect to Facebook. I am guessing this may (eventually?) results in benefits and bonuses for “friends” of Smashbox (and wouldn’t want to be a friend?).  Once you’ve done the “paperwork,” you can find your favorite Smashbox products and you can “like” and “Want” them.  You can also share your likes on Facebook, and of course, you can buy them. You will be able to see which ones your friends want (presumably so you can buy them gifts) and they can see what is on your mind, covet-wise, as well.  You can also see what the community-at-large likes, and thinks of various products. It is really a lot of fun!  I am a beauty reviewer, so I am curious what other like, but trust my own judgement on such matters more than I would those of FaceBook fans, but I think the idea is intriguing. I like the idea that Smashbox has an eye to internet users, and well as working with online reviewers like me.  *another thing that Smashbox is doing to engage you with your computer and smart phone is to add scan-able tags to the products. Scan a product and watch a how-to video to get the look and get more information from Smashbox—clever, and fun.   I have a Blackberry so I can’t try the phone app and report on it, but after you download the free tag reader at http://gettag.mobi and try it, please come back and leave a comment to share with all of us how it works, and what you think of the app. Thanks in advance for this.

Smashbox is known for drool-worthy kits and palettes, most at astoundingly reasonable prices. They are always well edited and well crafted, with colors that really work together.  Even better there are “how-to” instructions that help advanced makeup users to try new things, and the clueless, to accomplish pretty looks that will work every time. The kits are always a great value (e.g. my favorite “holiday” kit, The Smashbox Wish for the Perfect Palette ) that had so many different colors of eye shadow, blush, lipstick, liner and more, it was like a treasure chest (and cost just $49.00).  But Summer’s newest favorite is going to be the soft, easy to wear colors in the Softbox Eye Palette ($48.00) and Softbox Lip Gloss Collection ($29.00) “liked” them already on the Smashbox Social Shop Site, so add yourself to the site, and check out my other likes there,  too).
So what else is new for Summer, from Smashbox?  Plenty! 

The Smashbox Softbox Eye Palette is a rectangular, cardboard palette with interior mirror featuring a collage of the actual eye shadow colors you’ll see within.  The colors are soft and earthy, and they’ll  work on every skin tone. Nine powder eye shadows include five new ones: Nectar (a soft matte flesh). Lucky Penny (shimmery soft copper); Sugar (pearly medium pink); Stone (matte. Milky chocolate); and Truffle (shimmery deep taupe). The other colors include Vanilla (creamy matte vanilla); Flirt (one of my favorite, a glittery soft gold); Sienna (deep slightly shimmery warm brown); and Nude (medium tan).  On either side of the eye shadows, are two creamy liners:  Bronze (deep shimmery reddish bronze) and Taupe (deep metallic-shimmered pewter). You also get a dual-tipped brush (one side has a fluffy powder tip, the other, a flat liner one) and that’s not all…there is a mini photo finish lid primer  that keeps the color clean and long lasting (especially important in the Summer when the mercury, rises). The mini size means you can tote it with you when you travel. There's also a "get the loo" guide included, and something new:  A video tag is printed on the back of this palette—just scan it on your phone, and watch Pro Lead Artist Lori Taylor take you through the application right in front of your mirror! Or why wait?  Watch the video now and Get the looks, step-by-step

Seductive Summer Lips needs special products that look natural, but not washed out or dull.  And, who can choose just one to take on vacation, to the beach, or away for the weekend?  So Smashbox has created the Softbox Lip Collection ($29.00) six travel sized lip glosses in two formulas:  Lip Enhancing (in three formulas: sheer (barely there color) True Color (some color, plus Vitamin E and sunflower seed oil), and Full color (brilliant color and three-dimensional pearlescent shine, plus Vitamin E) and there is also the Limitless Lip Gloss (long wearing, with SPF 15 and nourishing vitamins A, C and E and sea kale), to take you through the Summer.  There are four silky, vanilla-scented Lip Enhancing Glosses with two new colors in the True Color Formula:  Brown Sugar (shimmery brown) and Glam (medium rose) , plus to two sheer colors:  Afterglow  (medium pink) and Illume (medium shimmery nude),. The  two Limitless Lip  Glosses include Infinite (baby pink), and a new one: 24/7 (deep berry). The glosses are shiny, luxurious, and well worth the money, as each individual gloss in full size is  $18.00 and $21.00, respectively.

Ready for a sensational Summer with Smashbox?  Visit www.smashbox.com

EXCITING NEWS! This Blog Will Be Moving to the Advicesisters Web Site -- Coming Soon: Do you like this blog?  If all goes well, within a few weeks, it will be moving to back to advicesisters.net to the newAdvice Sisters Web Site . Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

*I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!  Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.
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Think You're Drinking Real Champagne? Maybe Not! @champagnebureau

Do you know what this bottle is?  If you said "it's Champagne" you are correct!

But not every bottle of wine marketed as champagne, really is, champagne.  If you're thinking of bringing out the bubbly today, for July 4th, consider the fact that for your wine to be genuine champagne, the grapes and the wine must come from the champagne region of France.

I'm the lady in red, after many delicious sips of champagne

Wine, and the king of wines, Champagne, are the pride of France. At the Champagne Bureau’s inaugural Grand Tasting in New York, more than 90 wines were poured.   The character and variety was staggering!  The message was delicious, and clear: Champagne can only be made from grapes grown in a clearly defined region located about 90 miles northeast of Paris.

Some people think champagne is very sweet but like any other wine, it can be dry, or medium dry, or sweet. The most popular dryness category of Champagne is "Brut"  which allow for up to 15 grams of residual sugar. This is known as "dry" champagne and it doesn't leave a sugary taste in your mouth.

You don't have to wait for a special occasion to drink delicious champagne. Whether you drink it with a strawberry dunked in it, you prefer dry to sweet wine, or like pink champagne instead of the traditional, golden yellow, there is a genuine champagne in every taste preference, and budget, for you to enjoy.   Prices range from bottles that are under $20.00 (if you are a smart shopper) to upwards of hundreds and perhaps, thousands for old vintages. 

Just remember that  real champagne only comes from Champagne - the rest is well....just...bubbly wine!

For more information, Visit the Champagne Bureau Web Site for the US.  It's the Official US rep of Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), a trade association which represents the grape growers and houses of Champagne France

EXCITING NEWS! This Blog Will Be Moving Back to the Advicesisters.net Web Site-Coming Soon: Do you like this blog? I hope you do! Within a few weeks, it will be moving to the newAdvice Sisters Web Site which I hope will be live, very soon. Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

*I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!  Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.
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BookUrLook Makes Managing Your Hair, FaceBook Easy!

Thse days, everyone is on smart phones, and FaceBook, so many companies are taking advantage of the trend, and making it easier for you to not just learn about products and services, but actually interact with them, online.

One new approach to beauty, is a FaceBook page called BOOKUrLOOK. Launched July 1, 2011 by Proctor and Gamble,  BOOKUrLOOK is a scheduling tool that lets you find (for starters) nine nifty hair salons in New York City, learn about the stylists, see what services are available (and what they will cost) and then actually book your appointment, online.  The page is user-friendly and gives you a lot of information.  If you're local, it gives you a chance to find a new stylist, share ideas, and communicate directly with the stylist between visits for care and styling advice.  If you are planning a visit and a salon experience is in your schedule, you can book it online before you leave home, from wherever you feel like it, from your smartphone or FaceBook page. 

The first nine salons include: Pipino 57, Pipino Nolita, Hiro Haraguchi Salon, Christopher Stanley, Ricardo Rojas Salon, Alma G Salon, Le Salon d’Art, Red Market Salon and Mario Diab Salon.  These salons will post news, promotions and new service techniques, offering more value to their clients.  Immediately following an appointment, clients will be able to upload photos of their “new” look directly to Facebook from the salon.  How cool is that?! 

It was a bad hair day (humid) the evening of the launch, but Hiro Haraguchi did his best to beautify it with a nice blowout.
 
The launch of BookUrLook is a testament to Proctor and Gamble's commitment to supporting the salon industry.  I love the idea that while you might just pick up the phone and ask a stylist a question, you can simply connect from FaceBook. For  for those who like to "share," your "after" look will be a hit with your FaceBook friends who might also want to book a service and look as good as you do. 

To access BookUrLook go to http://www.facebook.com/BookUrLook  "Like" it and use the online reservation tool, or just check out the stylists and their work.

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EXCITING NEWS!  This Blog Will Be Moving Back to the Advicesisters.net Web Site-Coming Soon: Do you like this blog? I hope you do! Within a few weeks, it will be moving to the new Advice Sisters Web Site which I hope will be live, very soon. Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.   *I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!  Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.
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Magimix by Robot-Coupe Vision Toaster is Clearly, Fun!

We have all heard stories about the bride-to-be who got so many toasters, she needed an entire closet to store them all.  But if someone gets a new, Magimix by Robot-Coupe Vision Toaster, s/he is going to use it, not store it in the closet!

The Magimix by Robot-Coupe Vision Toaster is not just any old toaster, it's the world' first see-through toaster.  Yes, you really can watch your bread products get toasty!  You might find toasters that work as well, but none that will ever be more entertaining.  The Magimix is part toaster, part lava lamp/aquarium, and 100% living theater!  If you can't coax your kids down to breakfast on time, this toaster will change all that as it is somewhat fascinating.

True, it's just a toaster, and normally that wouldn't be something I'd get too excited about. But this one is not just unique because you have a window into the toasting itself, but because it is nicely made and very sleek and beautiful -- an accent on your kitchen counter, instead of an eyesore.  It was designed in France, where they take design to another level, but made in China.The body is sturdy, stainless steel, with glass viewing windows. The unit is fairly large:   15 1/2" x 8 3/4" x 7” high; 8 lb. 4 oz. and 1500 Watts. There is an easy to access crumb tray, too.

Toasters used to just have an on/off switch, this one has four-pre-programmed heat elements to produce uniformly browned bread: Toast, Bagel, Reheat and Defrost. There are extra-wide slots accommodate thicker breads.  You can also set the darkness of the toast from 1-8.  On my initial test, with an English muffin, I forgot that the dial was on 8, and got very dark, but not burned, bread.  Actually, I was impressed with that, because on my toasters bread that toasted would smoke and burn.  My muffin was perfect, just dark.  Subsequent tests products perfectly done bread at any setting I chose. *I did read some reviews that complained bread didn't toast evenly, but I didn't have that experience with the unit I tried. The reheat button is a nice feature, especially if you tend to get distracted in the kitchen. It gives your toast a 30-second warmup boost if you've walked away and your bread is now cold. The bagel setting toasts on one side, leaving the other side warm and soft instead of so hard you can't sink your teeth into it anymore.  The dial for "done-ness" equipped with a "stop" push-button (in case you decide you want your bread a little lighter as you see it toast),  and toasting options (with icons, so you can see what you are choosing without having to guess a number), are  all on the bottom front of the toaster.  Yes, I know it's a toaster, not a Rolls Royce, but it has to be the RR of the appliance world --It's just so cool!

Wedding and graduation season are here, and I'm willing to bet that any couple or single would be delighted to get this new, and novel appliance. The unit is built to last for 30,000 uses.  This toaster might outlast a marriage!  It may not make your bread taste any better, but at least you will have fun watching your toast, turn brown. In any case, there are a lot of clearly fun days (pun intended)  ahead of you if you use the Magimix by Robert-Coupe Vision Toaster! 

The suggested retail price is $300 but prices vary depending upon where you want to purchase it.  One reliable place is Williams Sonoma where you can even see a little video demonstrating the features of this trendy, modern toaster.  For more information please visit the Magimix Web Site

EXCITING NEWS COMING SOON: Do you like this blog? I hope you do! Within a few weeks, it will be moving to the new Advice Sisters Web Site which I hope will be live, very soon. Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  
Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.   *I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS!  Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.
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teriffic travelpro to take around the world

Although I am not counting on being the first online writer in space (although I hope Sir. Richard Branson gets the message that I have applied to be on the list), if luggage was allowed on Brandon's Virgin Galactic space flights, I'd carry TravelPro!.  Seriously, TravelPro luggage is so exceptional.  While I haven't taken it into outer space, I've taken pieces of it around the world. Travelpro Luggage is so reliable and easy to handle, I really would take the new, Platinum 7 20" Expandable Business Plus rolling carry-on with me.

You don't have to be traveling to another galaxy to know that these days, packing for an airline trip (especially) can be a challenge and a chore. If you over pack your bag, you'll end up with extra charges or worse, a bag that bursts open for a nasty surprise at the end of your journey.  I've amused myself many times while waiting for my luggage at airports. When the suitcases start to roll around the conveyor belts at baggage claim. I look to see which ones are in good shape, and which have failed to travel well.  There are always bags that look like a sofa with the stuffing coming out of it, and I wonder how the owners are going to feel when they see their valuables bursting out of their ripped bag.  But I have never seen a piece of Travelpro luggage that is dented, pushed open, or seriously damaged.
For business travelers or those who are just going away for a couple of days, I recommend the Travelpro  Travelpro Platinum 7 20" Expandable Business Plus Rollaboard (srp.$660.00 *shop around for prices).  This bag is mde of 2000d ballistic Nylon with Herringbone Trim and it comes in black or maroon. It's  20 x 14 x 9 inches and weighs 8.7 lbs. That may be a bit heavier than some, but it has a Full PP Honeycomb Frame, oversized, bonded Sealed Ball Bearing Wheels (and a Removable Wheel Feature--an option you might actually find yourself using in certain instances), plus a Removable Suiter System. The Extension Handle has a rubberized grip with multiple stops, so you can pull the handle up all the way or not, as you wish. While many rolling suitcases don't give you extra handles, this one has two with rubberized grips: one near the extension handle, and one on the side, so you can grab it off the luggage rack no matter what side it lands on. It also has shiny, chrome accents that make it look elegant, and luxurious. There is also an Integrated 4 point Expansion Stability System so the bag won't tip over when you're trying to run and catch your plane or train. The grips on the large, sturdy zippers are big, so you have something to really hold on to.  There is a place to hook another bag if you need it.

 

But there's something else I really like: this model has not one, but two outside zippered pockets for easy access to things you need quickly. One is a regular, zippered pocket. The other features a padded, zippered, laptop pocket that protects your laptop or net book and also provides easy access to it -- too bad taking out your computer is something we all have to do now, but at least you won't fumble around or have to open your entire bag while you are in the airport security line). Another plus for women who carry handbags is that you can put your computer in your carry on, and it still counts as just one bag. The large, velcro tab opens up to accommodate most small to medium laptops easily. There is also a deluxe Business Organizer in the same zippered area, that can store a variety of business essentials for easy access. If you don't want to use it for business, the front-loading pouch can hold your 1-quart plastic bag for liquids that you have to show, plus snacks, your water bottle, business cards--there is even an interior,  zippered pocket down near the bottom of this area that can store other tickets, reservations, other important papers you want with you at all times, but don't need, instantly.

Like a car that comes "loaded," this model also has a 2-level expansion gusset that expands for an added 2 1/2", so you can unzip for more space if you really need it. It also comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty *if you want to know what is covered, check the fine print carefully. NO wonder Travelpro luggage was the winner of the 2009 and 2010 Leading Edge Award from Executive Travel Magazine for “The Best Carry-on Case.”

You can get less expensive luggage, but it won't be Travelpro.  It's an investment that will pay dividends, perhaps for a lifetime. Visit Travelpro at for a complete list of the latest products and retail locations. You can also follow the company on Facebook and Twitter.


All Platinum 7 Visuals are available upon request, please contact Yaneisy Blanco at: yaneisy@gohrmc.com or call 305-573-0882.

EXCITING NEWS COMING SOON: Do you like this blog? I hope you do! Within a few weeks, it will be moving to the new Advice Sisters Web Site which I hope will be live, very soon. Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column andNY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

Copyright ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me.  You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts,  and by following me on Facebook and Twitter  (@advicesisters).  You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column  and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.  

 I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS! Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison"  If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me. *I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

Start Summer With a Great, New Book, Here are a Delightful Dozen to Try

is there anything better than curling up in a comfy chair with a good book, or sitting in the shade at the beach on a lazy day?  Even reading just one chapter of a book that captivates you before turning out the lights at bed time, is a treat.  Books, transport us.  It doesn't matter if the book you are reading is on a Kindle, a Nook, an iPad, a phone, or my favorite:  a genuine, bound book with paper pages that you can hold, and keep like a treasure on your bookshelf to re-read another day.  Sometimes it is just nice to escape into the world someone else has created for you to discover, or discover something new in the world you live in. Learn something new, be inspired, or enjoy some fiction -- books are made to enjoy all year long. Here are some books that I think make for great Summer reading:

The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus  by Sonya Sones(Harper 20011) is the first-person story of a middle-aged, just-about-to-turn-50, empty-nester during a particularly stressful period of her  life.  Her hot flashes irritate her. Her adored daughter is about to leave for college, leaving her to re-evaluate her relationship with her husband.  Her editor pushing her to finish her book (the one you are reading, of course). In reality, the book has nothing at all to do with Neiman Marcus, or "the hunchback" but it does have a rather deformed and weird format --an extended poem/haiku.  The author is a YA (young adult) writer, and the prose is clean and uncomplicated. It is written with a lot of humor. However, getting older, dealing with menopause, and the vicissitudes that come with growing older, are serious business. They're not really funny. While the author speaks as if directly to you, her constant use of the pronoun "I" in virtually every paragraph, annoyed me. It's a certain style, and a book of feelings, but it has just the thinnest pretense of a plot.  On the plus side, you feel as though you are peeking into the author's personal journal. The wry way in which the author describes her angst will make any woman going through the same journey feel better. Get It for mom, or for a friend who is going through menopause. Give to as a reality check to a cranky 30-year old who feels "old," or anyone experiencing empty nest syndrome, or feeling a bit down about getting older.

It Happened One Season  by Stephanie Laurens, Mary Balogh, Jacquie D'Allesandro and Candice Hern (Avon Books, 2011) might look like your typical romance novel, but it has a unique twist: Four best-selling authors collaborated to create four stories crafted around the same plot lines  (chosen by readers in a month-long contest):  The heroine had to be shy and/or unattractive.  After many seasons she has resigned  herself to never finding a suitor. Other plot elements include a younger brother of a titled Lord that has just left the army and is happy to be a bachelor; but his brother's family has only daughters,  so his brother pressures him to marry to ensure that the succession stays in the family (and variations on this theme).  All of the plot lines are fairly typical, but it is delightfully interesting to see how the four authors took these elements, and spun them into their own tale.  Like the proverbial seven blind men each describing an elephant, each author sees the characters and the outcome, quite differently. If you like romance novels, this one is sure to capture your attention.

Perhaps I'm one of the very few people on the planet that really dislikes salad (it's a long story...) but The Everything Salad Book by Aysha Schurman (Adams Media, 2011) made me realize that salad is a lot more than just lettuce, tomato, pepper and cucumber. The book is well organized with 300 recipes from dressings for salad, to types from traditional to pasta, even meat and dessert salads. A lot of what is offered is just common sense (most people have had chicken, potato or pasta salad) but the books helps those with a lack of imagination, or expertise, to create tasty dishes that even salad haters like me, can like.The author's award-winning recipes can be found in publications such as Better Homes and Gardens, Taste of Home, Healthy Cooking, Louisiana Cookin' and Sunset, but you won't find so many salad recipes under one book cover anywhere else. Most of the recipes are easy to do without too much preparation. For example, a food processor, carrots, cabbage, pineapple, coconut and cashews can help you create a Pineapple coconut
Coleslaw that's going to be be the hit of your next barbecue.  I also like the fact that calorie and nutrition counts are included (not all salads are low calories or low fat).  In the heat of the Summer, cold salads can save you a lot of cooking over a hot stove.  Get the book for yourself, or download it for Amazon Kindle, NOOK, Sony eReader, or from the Google and Apple iTunes eBookstores.

My Lipstick Journey Through Cancer: A Journey of Faith and Finding the Right Shade by Anna M. Warner (Author House 2011) *note: I re-wrote this review three times and somehow, it refused to public properly so I apologize to the author and publisher.
Anna is not just a cancer survivor, she's a singer who literlaly loses her voice when her surgery for thyroid cancer is "botched."   This book is a realistic, inspirational chronicle of Anna's cancer journey from discovery to surgery through treatment, recovery, physical therapy (for her damaged voice) and beyond. The author uses the "schtick," of a new lipstick color and type for each chapter, to tie the pieces of the book together.  I really didn't think the lipstick added much to the book -- it would be just as interesting and important, without the lipstick descriptions. However, the color of the lipstick does help the author to express what she is thinking and feeling and doing at any given time. Anna's experience with thyroid cancer isn't typical, but it is an example of what can go wrong when you are dealing with the human body.  Luckily, the book has a positive ending. I know what cancer, especially thyroid cancer, can do to turn your life upside down. I liked her honest and accurate chronicle of her cancer journey. Whether Anna could actually speak with her physical voice wouldn't matter for this book: her point is loud and clear: the things we take for granted are a huge gift, and you can find a little joy even in the darkest of days of your life if you try --even if it's just a new lipstick.

Author Rachel Gibson writes very girly, chic-lit books that are actually well done, full of fun and sometimes, even a bit of suspense. For example, a new one from Rachel is Any Man of Mine (Avon, 4/11). The plot is rather improbable plot but who cares? In the end, love will triumph and the heroine will win!  "Autumn Haven" has a fanciful name and more fancifully, meets a hockey player in a Las Vegas nightclub. By the next morning, Autumn finds herself married (to the hunky hockey dude), and also, abandoned. And finally, Autumn's bad luck marraige and one-night tryst produce sa daughter that hunky hockey dude doesn't even know about. Yes, it's far-fetched. The final, fantastic detail is that Autumn is a wedding planner (how ironic) who re-connects with her one-night-stand-husband at a wedding she is orchestrating, and where he is a guest. None of this really matters as much as the sexual tension that runs through the book as Autumn and her guy fall apart, come together, and so forth.  It's a beach read and yes, you will enjoy it!

Laura Lippman’s thrillers are always fun to read, and I have two new ones to suggest to you:  The Girl in the Green Raincoat  (Morrow Paperback, 2011) is a classic Lippman thriller, featuring her signature character,  “Private Investigator” Tess Monaghan. But you don't need to have read other books featuring Tess Monaghan to like this one.  Tess is a woman of intrigue and action, but in this book she is on complete bed rest for a complicated pregnancy.  Still, a good PI can't resist a mystery, and Tess sees one unfolding as she looks out her window, sort of like Rear Window. There's a woman with a green raincoat and a dog in a green raincoat that walk past her window. One day, there's just the dog wandering around, seemingly abandoned.  Of course, someone like Tess is going to want to know what happened. With the help of her boyfriend “Crow,” and some additional partners, she find out, and gets more than she bargained for.  This book originally appeared a couple of years ago in the NY Times as  as a serialized novella.  Perhaps that's why the characters are detailed, and there are side stories about love and relationships, including Tess's. True, the plot is a bit predictable, but it was still fun to read.  Laura Lippman’s crime fiction will entice even those who aren’t enamoured of the genre,

Written with a different voice, but with the same keen skill to let the action flow, is The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman  (Morrow August 2011).  Out in paperback in August, 2011, this time the focus isn’t on a Tess and her colleagues, but some ordinary people --  old friends brought together again after the sudden death of ‘GoGo,” the guy who was the wild one in their group.  There is a secret  (what crime novel would be complete without one?) involving a strange man who lives alone in the woods, innuendos of sexual abuse, and more.  The book is engaging, even thrilling (as Lippman’s thrillers can be). The author is the same, but her "voice" seems very different. That shows Laura Lippman's flexibility and skill as a writer. If you’re delayed on the plane,  or stuck in the doctor’s waiting room, The Most Dangerous Thing will take your mind off it, completely!

When I think of a book about unlikely friendships, I usually think about relationships between people who may not normally "fit" together. However, Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland *Workman, 2011) shows that friendship is not exclusive to humans.  The author, a writer for National Geographic, offers 47 seriously remarkable accounts of friendships among animals, with photographic evidence. Most people have heard of the gorilla, KoKo, who could use sign language, and "adopted" a tiny kitten, but it is startling to see the pairings in the book: a cat licking an iguana, a leopard sitting cheek to jowl with a serene cow, or a cat with a bear. and many more unlikely pairings.  But these stories really happened, a dog and a squirrel, and even a snake with a hamster.  The photos and stories prove that under the right circumstances, not just people, but animals, will bond together in genuine love and support.  Anyone who has ever doubted that animals have real emotions and the capacity to care,  will surely be inspired by this book.  The photographs are beautiful and touching, and the stories, amusing and educational for young and old. I loved this book for it's lessons and it's "feed good" vibe.  It's the perfect bedside read for your weekend guests, or get one for yourself or someone who just needs a pick-me-up. I loved it!

What would it be like to spend a day in Paris, exploring the city with a French tutor?  Could the experience change your life, forever?  French Lessons By Ellen Sussman (Random House July 2011) is a newly-minted novel inspired by a business trip the author took with her husband to Paris. While she was hard at work, she hired a tutor to help her husband brush up on his French.  He set off with the tutor to explore the City and Sussman had an idea for her novel. Fittingly, this book is the story of three Americans who have each hired a French tutor. They explore the city while speaking and learning, French, but, of course, it's not that simple.  What sounds like a lot of fun in the real life version, is more complicated in the book.  One American student is a young teacher with a broken heart and shattered dreams. The second is a lonely expat who doesn't feel happy or at home with her husband, or in her new country. The third student is the husband of an actress and (like the lonely expat) feels distant and unconnected to the world his wife lives in. The French tutors have their issues, secrets, and passions, too.  I don't want to give too much away and the plot is fairly complicated, but the author skillfully weaves her characters and their stories together, with some surprising results. I enjoyed French Lessons even more than I expected to because I have recently returned from Paris. However, the armchair traveler will still find enough to relate to, and enjoy. It's a great book for the beach, or a vacation read.

Alice Bliss (Penguin Books, 2010) by playwright, lyricist and librettist, Laura Harrington is supposedly for teenagers, especially those who have a parent or parents serving in the military.  But I was also moved by the story. It's written in a straightforward and easy to read style, but it doesn't talk down to younger readers.  The main character in the book is a young woman named Alice Bliss. She is a relatively normal teenager, up until the time that her dad's army reserve unit is called up for active duty in Iraq.  The separation is difficult enough for Alice and her family, but then dad ends up missing in action. Eventually, Alice's family learns he's been killed. The book realistically follows Alice's everyday life, as her family tries to cope without her father, and then with the finality that he will never be coming back. Of course, there's a love story:  Alice's budding romance, complicated as it is, with a neighbor boy.  I can't imagine how difficult it must be for the children of servicemen and women to deal with the lack, and sometimes, complete loss, of a parent.  But life continues on, and there's a genuine message of hope and renewal that will definitely resonate with teenagers going through a situation similar to Alice's.  Those who are in the military should get a copy for their teenagers (and read it, too), but it's also a bittersweet read for any adult.

Summer is the season of special events and weddings.  Most people getting married will hire professional photographers to document their wedding day and perhaps, their engagement.  But others will take matters into their own hands, with varying levels of success. Still other might actually want to be the pro behind the camera lens.  There's something for all,  in The Art Of Engagement Photography by Elizabeth Etienne (Amphoto Books, 2001). The author is an award-winning wedding and lifestyle photographer who has a quirky, off-beat style. It isn't to my personal taste, due to a penchant for fuzzy (ok, soft focus if you must), photographs. However, the book isn't so much about her style, as to how you can develop your own, right down to the equipment and support you will need to shoot portraits and candids of couples.  You can learn a lot from this book, not just about how to use your camera equipment and set up a shot, but beyond that, to retouching, and even using photos and presenting them in creative ways. There is even a section on what you need to know to be a professional photographer, and to make money from your images in other ways (E.g. as stock photos). I am keeping this book as a reference for the future, when my own photography and writing gallery web site goes live this month!

I have never listened to the Steve Harvey Show, which been told is one of the most popular morning talk shows on the radio, but co-host Shirely Strawberry apparently has earned some wisdom from the school of hard knocks, and she shares her views in this new book:  The Strawberry Letter by Shirley Strawberry (Random House April 2011).  Her easy, "confidential" and "just between us" style has been well crafted with writer Lyah LaFlore.  The questions "people" have put to her (I am not quite sure if they are made up letters created to highlight her chosen topics, or real ones sent in by listeners) range from typical "agony aunt" to truly provacative. They are interesting to read, and might be the topic of discussion at your next women's club meeting.  But that's where my enthusiasm for the book, ends. Shirely really doesn't answer the questions with specific, well thought out, do-able suggestions. Instead, Shirely turns each and every question back to herself, her failed marriage, her lack of self-esteem (which I assume is now corrected) and her faith in God.  As an expert advice columnist, I do consider my life's experience when I'm helping to flesh out a real answer to a person who is having difficulties, but I never make someone else's problem about me.  Shirely, does. She doesn't claim to be a therapist, but advice needs to be relevant to the person asking for it, not the advice-giver alone. I also was uncomfortable with her very conservative (very archaic) views about how men and women can and should behave towards each other.  It is big world and advice givers should not assume that their readers are all the same.  Ms. Strawberry's fans must be mostly conservative and religious.  But maybe they are not.  This reviewer, for one, didn't relate to either the advice, or the author's viewpoint on virtually any topic.    

....do you have a favorite book that you think makes perfect Summer reading? Share it with The Advice Sisters, in the Comments section, below.

EXCITING NEWS COMING SOON: Do you like this blog?  I hope you do!  Within a few weeks, it will be moving to the  new  Advice Sisters Web Site which I hope will be live, very soon. Watch this Blog for the launch date, or subscribe to the Advice Sisters mailing list Me or follow me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.   ©Alison Blackman Dunham. All rights reserved. The Advice Sisters is a registered United States trademark. No content may be used or copied without written permission. If you want to use my work, please obtain it legally. For more information, Email Me. You can show your interest and support by subscribing, leaving comments on my posts, and by following me on Facebook and Twitter (@advicesisters). You can also read and subscribe to my National Luxury Lifestyles Column and NY Cosmetics column on the Examiner.com.

*I use provided samples for most of my reviews. Learn more in the "A Note About Compensation" section of the Advice Sisters What Works Beauty, Cosmetics and Fashion Review column

I LOVE YOUR COMMENTS! Please leave your comments on my posts. You can find the "comments" section (in green) at the bottom of each post next to: "Posted by Alison" If Comments has a (0) next to it, I would especially appreciate yours being the first! Thanks in advance for interacting with me.