L'Occitane

photos by  judy stalus via flickr

Peony are my favorite flowers. So soft, so feminine. Needless to say I was very excited to try the new L'Occitane  Peony line of products.  So sensual, I can see myself wearing this scent early sunday morning going for a breakfast, or having afternoon lunch with family. 

The fragrant atmosphere of a garden filled with peonies on a spring morning…

There is a Mediterranean legend of a beautiful nymph named Paeonia who was so courted by the gods that a jealous goddess transformed her into a flower with a thousand petals: a peony. Since then this symbol of beauty and femininity brightens every spring with its dazzling show of colors and scents.

This EDT captures the subtle aura of the peony flower, a rich floral fragrance marked with hints of green freshness. The feminine bottle evokes the delicate roundness of a peony as it comes into bloom.

Head notes: a burst of luminous and juicy scents of bergamot and grapefruit.

Heart notes: a bouquet of peony and rose petals.

Base notes: the soothing softness of sandalwood and white musk.

Contains an exclusive peony extract from Drôme (France).

Fresh Sugar Face Polish

Where do I start with Fresh. Well let's start with the fact that this company, has very lovely packaging. Everything from soaps to face creams to perfume, looks just amazing,  like something I want to actually to put out for display instead of hiding in my bathroom cabinet.  I've tried a few things so far, and I can honestly say that I haven't came across anything I didn't like. Today I want to share with my favorite scrub/mask by Fresh.  If you haven't tried it yet, go ahead and ask for a sample at Sephora and let me know what you think. Texture is very brown-sugar like but it's more a paste. You really don't need much, little goes a long way. It's purifies my skin immediately and makes it super soft. It does leave a "slip" on my face, I guess from hydrating oils, but I actually like it that way.  Now for the  divine smell  of it, to me this is by far the best smelling product on the market. Imagine brown sugar, a little lemon zest and strawberries in one yummy warm cookie. Ha-ha, that's what it's like for me. I literally want to eat it! 

Now the down side... Price. I hate to say it, but it's little pricey. $55  for 4.2 oz is not quite what I would like to spend on a face polish, but I do think that little goes a long way and this jar will last me a long time.


What it is formulated to do: This innovative formula is enriched with revitalizing brown sugar and antioxidant-rich wild strawberries, which work together to gently dissolve dead skin cells and reveal perfectly nourished skin. It also includes hydrating seed oils that leave the skin soft and supple. An invigorating aroma from a natural blend of citrus oils further enhances the experience of using Sugar Face Polish. The formula is recommended for all skin types and will not sting or cause redness.

Korea

Good morning dolls! It's a truly  GOOD morning for me, I am off to Seoul S.Korea. Peace out!

Yoga

POST BY MY DEAR FRIEND NATALIYA

 I never thought that yoga would be something for me. I was always a treadmill girl and firmly believed that a cardio workout is the right way to “ bikini body heaven”.

Last month on vacation I met a girl who was a spiting image of Kelly Ripa, and just looking at the way she was built I knew right away “I gotta try whatever she is doing for her workout”. She said Yoga influenced her life big way: happiness, internal peace, leaner muscle, core strength and unbelievable flexibility are some of the benefits that she experienced. 

Two open-air classes of Vinyassa yoga with the Belgian trainer, beautiful scenery of Caribbean Gulf of Mexico, birds signing and a complete relaxation at the end of the session  - I wanted to do more. And I will. Now it is just a question of finding the right class and a trainer that inspires you…

Here is how yoga can help to lose weight:

Great workout. High intensity Yoga like Power Yoga or Vinyassa can burn up to 375 calories an hour for a 130-pound person. Other styles of yoga that have a lower intensity can burn anywhere from 150 calories to 200 calories in a one-hour class.

Yoga teaches mindfulness. Yoga cultivates both body and mind awareness. Many people who have started to practice yoga see their weight drop effortlessly. That happens because we realize how frequently what we eat is dictated by our mind and not by our physical body’s need for energy.

Muscle strength. There are many things you can be working on that help your body and burn calories as you hold a given posture. Every breath should be an opportunity for you to elongate and strengthen your muscles more. This kind of action burns extra calories as well as improving your flexibility, strength and balance.

Military Jackets

Personally I love a military style (I guess we can thank my hubby for that, wink-wink) and I'm loving current trend of military  style jackets. Comfy, stylish and super cute. My one suggestion  would be - try mix and match, pair boyish jacket with a cute girlie skirt, or cute crops with hight heel. Don't try to be all matchy-matchy, you'll risk to look to masculine 

XOXO  Lora 

Sunday

Tuscan chicken salad

Hello darlings, how's everybody's weekend going so far? I've been busy getting ready for my trip to Korea, I have only a few days left  before I can see my dear hubby again. 

So I've been on a health kick lately, working out a lot and eating healthy. Forget about big meals, processed food, sugars and soda. I am loving the way my body responds to good food. I did lose some weight in a last couple of months and pretty happy about it. By no means did I "need" to loose weight, I am pretty slim, but I felt like with the crazy job hours and moving half way across country - I stopped taking care of my body like I used to and put on a few. So now, I am back into toned shape, gained muscle in all the right places and my body works like a clock, thanks to routine exercise and healthy food. 

Today I want to share with you one of my favorite lunch salads. I won't get into right proportions and all, just adjust it to your taste.

You will need grilled chicken breast (skinless and boneless), fire-roasted peppers, grilled asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, julienned carrot, cleaned button mushrooms sliced. For the dressing I like to use a mix of Extra Virgin olive oil with a little champagne vinaigrette and lemon zest. Don't forget to add lots of italian herbs, black pepper and sea salt. Normally I would also add fresh basil, but mine died  couple of days ago so had to do without it. Let it "sit" for a couple of hours in the ice box before eating. Bon Appetite! 

Little love for your legs

I admit, I'm clueless when it comes to legwear fashion. I grew up wearing simple black cotton/nylon pantyhose for winter, and your average skin toned nylons for warmer months.  I was always fascinated by some really pretty designs that I would see on the streets. Only in my early-twenties did I start to experiment with fishnets, stockings, colors and designs. I think slowly but surly I am discovering for myself this lovely world. I still try to stick to my style, and as boring as it might sound, my style is simple black pantyhose of a great quality from Italy, with a low rise and very velvety but thick texture. I love a minimalistic look and only every now and then do I experiment with "cut-out"patterns. When I came across these photos I thought some of them were actually something I would like try on.

News from NARS

Another great surprise from NARS. New Pure Sheer Lip Treatment SPF 15.  Impervious to summer sun, NARS Pure Sheer Lip Treatment hydrates, nourishes, repairs and pampers...effortlessly. Buffered with SPF 15 and moisturizing mango butter, it soothes and softens, protecting lips throughout the day. Six subtle yet sublime tinted shades—think mauve, cantaloupe, strawberry, pearl and pinks—caress your lips. Lush and lingering, they're equally comfortable on their own or underneath your signature NARS lip color. Sexy and safe lips—who said you can't have it both ways? 

Now @ Nordstrom

Couture on the budget

I love it, when I find couture looks for less. I had a big smile on my face, when I came across this pretty Lee Angel bangles for $150. You see, the thing is, I have almost identical bangles from.........(drum roll here) American Eagle for $ 6.95 on sale!  

Lee Angel

American Eagle

MAC To The Beach Collection

For those who don't know me, I used to work for MAC Cosmetics as a full time artist/product specialist. I absolutely loved working for one of my favorite makeup lines of all time. Unfortunately, due my husband's military move to another state, I had to quit my job (sad face here)

Anyway, I am so exited about this upcoming Summer 10 collection. Packaging looks great, colors are so wearable and summery.

Available in May

For colors and prices click "Read more"

Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color

Hello dolls!  How's everybody's weekend? Today I want to share with you my new best lipstick. It's Bobbi Brown's Creamy Lip Color in shade "Retro Pink". I was looking for that perfect pinkish glossy lipstick that moisturizes my dry lips,  for a while now.  It almost feels like I have ChapStick on, it's that comfy on my lips. Don't let color scare you, pink does look pretty bright, but once you put it on you will see that it's actually more of milky-pink, very sheer, but buildable. And how can I forget about staying power! Color might wear off in a couple of hours, but your lips will stay soft and supple for a while. Try to pair it with soft peony pink blush and a little highlight on your cheekbones, or intense smoky eyes.  It comes in a huge variety of natural shades and the price tag is $22

Overall 10/10 

bare lips with ChapStick

Retro Pink

XOXO... Lora

NARS Limited Edition Multiple Tubes

From left: Cadaqués, Beverly Hills, and Turks and Caicos

Nars' new limited-edition Multiple Tint tubes can be used on the lips and cheeks. But instead of previous Multiple releases, which came in Nars' popular soft, sweet shades such as Orgasm, Palm Beach, and Maui, these come in ultrabright red (Beverly Hills), orange (Turks and Caicos), and fuchsia (Cadaqués). While they look intense in an eighties way, the colors are actually very wearable because they’re surprisingly sheer.  
$38 at narscosmetics.com starting May 1.

via NYMag

Beautiful art

Art by Monsieur Qui

Inspiration: DENIM

D&G