Using 365,000 pulses of ultrasound, the JeNu Infuser is a revolutionary way to infuse product into our skin. I received my Infuser a month ago…. and of course couldn’t get it charged quick enough! Thankfully it was so simple to charge by just attaching the unit to a futuristic wall device (that came with the device) and…. 20 minutes later I was up and running. I used the MicroSphere Conducting Gel that came with my JeNu and my DNA Eye Renewal, eye cream 3 nights in a row and could actually see a difference after the first application. By night 3 I was sold…. hook, line and sinker. The best part of the Infuser? The automatic shut off. After 60 seconds the hand-held device will turn itself off so you know that area is done… and it’s time to move on to the next part of your face. After I finished my eyes (all the way around) I started in on my upper lip (also with the DNA Eye Renewal) and 60 seconds later it was stunning. As you know… we all have such different skin… so what works well on your skin may not work so well on mine and vice versa. But after pouring through so many reviews on the JeNu…. it looks like we just may have a serious winner on our hands.
www.jenu.com
or visit our Boutique page or click the links below!
It’s officially here…. The Fall 2015 Shoe Trend of…. Fur Shoes! This trend has been hovering around the fashion arena for a couple of years, but 2015 is making it official. I found these amazing Simone Rocha fur trimmed shoes in London this past summer and I squealed with joy upon trying them on!
Two serious trends in one…. Men’s lace up’s and fur. You can’t go wrong with either in fall of 2015….. and in fact worn together they are a serious fashion statement. Which brings us to the question…. Why is fashion so important for us as women? Fashion shows the world who we are…. and who we would like to be. It’s one of the most powerful and empowering arts there is. Think of the amount time, manpower and money that went into the making of my silly fur shoe. How many people were employed in the process…. and how many were employed in the process of selling that shoe. Fashion is a daily way for us to embrace art, express ourselves and feel good about ourselves.
Is the Fur Shoe Movement for you?
Today is National Lemonade Day! So we thought we would bring you some really fun ways to enjoy what could be…. America’s favorite summertime drink. Ana and I headed into the Fabulous365 kitchen and came up with endless recipes and endless possibilities. It’s so easy to make a gourmet lemonade by just adding a few key ingredients to your base of basic lemonade.
Our Basic Classic Lemonade Recipe
Directions: In a large pitcher combine the lemon juice, sugar, and 1 cup water. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then add 5 more cups water, a few slices of lemon to garnish, and plenty of ice.
(Sugar can be substituted with Stevia in powder or liquid form. Just slowly pour slowly while tasting until you achieve the perfect sweetness for your palate)
Now comes the fun part…. Adding in the ingredients to make the perfect gourmet lemonade. The sky is the limit when it comes to adding in the fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Muddling is the art of smooshing up our ingredients. And that’s what we will do to all add in’s today. After adding in “the add in’s” you will need to let the mixture sit for at least an hour for the lemonade to absorb the taste.
To muddle….
Take a bowl, add in your ingredient and with a large spoon smoosh away until it’s broken up enough to allow the juices to come out.
Here are a few of the Fabulous365 Lemonades that we created!!
This is one of my all time favorites! My sister-in-law, Linda Winkler, was so ahead of her time when she served Lavender Lemonade almost 10 years ago…. with some delicate little sugar cookies. It was such a delicious combination that I still remember all these years later how I drank 5 glasses!
Use your basic lemonade and add in 6 tablespoons of a very aromatic and good cooking lavender. Please let this one sit overnight for the lavender to absorb into the lemonade. Chill and pour into a beautiful glass.
There you go…. just a few of the different combinations we came up with. When it comes to the “Add in’s” the possibilities are endless! So today…. buy your ingredients…. make your lemonade…. and let it sit overnight to be able to serve the perfect gourmet lemonade on National Lemonade Day!!
Happiest National Lemonade Day!!
With some serious Lemonade Love,
Laura Dunn
p.s. My Lemonade Outfit is one I wore in Kauai and I simply adore the comfort of the RAILS flannel shirt! I wore it with an ages old ruffled mini and always barefoot in the kitchen! Rails…. my new go to button-down shirts! The fit and comfort are absolute perfection!! Check out the Boutique page for links.
When I booked our last minute trip to Kauai (we had to cancel a planned trip to Istanbul) I was not expecting much…nor was I planning on writing about the trip. I have been to Hawaii 18 times and many of them were on photo shoots. The last time I was in Kauai was so many years ago…. that I won’t even go there. To be frankly honest…. our last trip to Lanai was such a disaster we made a vow to never return to Hawaii. The Four Seasons on Lanai was so tired and so old that we all felt they should have burned it to the ground (it’s under new ownership now and it’s being completely renovated… yay!). When we arrived on Kauai and I had forgotten just how stunningly beautiful this island is. I was not expecting much in the resort department and I am glad I didn’t. That’s not what this island is about. This island is about beaches, outdoor adventure and the sheer beauty of this magnificent island. With all that said…. I want to give you a few must Do’s and must See’s on this ever so magical island of Kauai.
We drove past Nana’s 3 times expecting… I don’t know what…. but something a little bigger that the tiny little trailer that was present in the strip mall parking lot it resided in. Finally we found the Yelp “5 star” Nana’s Snack Shack. Nana had just gotten there and she didn’t skip a beat when we ordered our 18 items. Starting with the best smoothies and acai bowls my family has ever tasted, on to the waffle hot dog (a hot dog baked into a waffle) which my husband Steve, said it was the best hot dog he has ever had. My teriyaki chicken sandwich on Hawaiian sweet bread was so good that I think I moaned. A wrap, another sandwich and finishing off with Nana’s chocolate Kit Kat covered frozen banana…. Giving Nana’s 5 stars would be an insult… this little roadside stand is such a gem we went twice and everyone wanted to go everyday! Nana is culinary roadside genius!!
4-971 Kuhio Hwy
Kapaa, HI 96746
Going on a helicopter tour was the last thing I wanted to do on the perfect mid-trip day. Beach yes! Out-voted yes! So helicopter we did…. and OMG I am so happy I was out-voted! To see Kauai by helicopter is one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. Beau’s fiancé James, grew up flying in helicopters all over New Zealand and at one point told our captain it was the most beautiful scenery he has ever experienced. I had to agree. I can’t even verbalize the vivid visual beauty we witnessed. There are 14 amazing waterfalls on Kauai and seeing them from a helicopter is like a beautiful dream. Add in the fact that we had to go through training with Blue Hawainan to board that copter… and I would have to say it was the best and safest helicopter experience of my life.
www.bluehawaiian.com
Tunnels is the most beautiful snorkeling experience on the Na Pali Coast (north island) with a beautiful natural reef. I laid on the beach while my people snorkeled. The 360 degree view was absolutely stunning with a mountain range sitting just behind the ocean… making it a surreal backdrop. To see the most fish…. head to Lawai Beach aka: the Beach House in PoiPu. There is also a great restaurant also called the Beach House with fabulous lunch right next to the beach.
Chickens where everywhere! Hahahaha I have never in my life have I seen so many chickens running around any island. Adorable, but they have fleas so enjoy from afar! My chicken photo op turned into flea bite city.
We found the the best Shave Ice on the way to Princeville from Poipu (south to north). Wailua Shave Ice uses the finest Japanese ice grinder to finely shave their ice… and use only real fruit and fruit juices. Add in some milk and Viola!… the perfect shaved ice! To say we were in shave ice heaven is an understatement.
I just switched out “Shaved Ice” for “Shave Ice” after we were informed by “Shave” in our comment section. Thank you so much for letting us know! I had no idea!!
xoxox
The best dinner on the island comes from Merriman’s Fish House. Don’t let the fact that this farm fresh to table restaurant is in a cute little mall confuse you. We discovered Marriman’s 2 nights before we were leaving and managed to squeeze in 3 dinners (one on the way to the airport)… it was that good! Everything we ate at Merriman’s was amazing. From the Kalua Pig Quesodilla to the fresh beet salad that tasted like it was just pulled from the ground. There is a casual restaurant below the finer dining option below that serves gourmet burgers and pizza. AMAZING!
2829 Ala Kalanikaumaka Rd, Koloa, HI 96756
Phone:(808) 742-8385
Ask me to off road…. Never. Ask me to go with other people on a tour… Never. Ask me to purposely get filthy dirty… Never. I guess never say never as somehow I ended up with my family at Kipu Ranch one beautiful afternoon. We went on a group off road adventure through a massive cattle ranch and I must say we had a blast! My husband was kind enough to let me drive so I could feel in control as a few times I wasn’t sure how we were going to make it out alive. Exciting… fun and really really dirty!
235 Kipu Rd, Lihue, HI 96766
(808) 246-9288
The Blue Hole Sea Caves and The Queens Bath Princeville are two of the most important visual wonders on Kauai. We saw both from the air, but due to weather conditions we were unable to see by foot or boat. A visit to both will be first up on our next Kauai adventure.
There are so many beautiful and swimmable beaches in Kauai, that my feeling is to look a few up on The Beaches Map and just go for it.
Any one of the many, many roadside juice stands will have a fresh chilled coconut for your hydrating pleasure!
p.s. Renting a car, suv or jeep on Kauai is essential. Plan on driving around and exploring this island for at least half of your trip. There is just way too much beauty to miss if you don’t.
The “FENDI Bag Bugs” came out in November of 2013 to a really big splash and 2015 is finding these little “Bag Bugs” making a serious almost “comeback” and are even more in-demand now…. than in 2013. I received my first “Bug” as a gift from my beautiful friend, Nancy Jane Goldston, Editor in Chief at The Blonde and The Brunette (a wonderful fashion blog) and little did I know that two years later these little bugs would be picking up some serious fashion traction! Fendi has named each buggie (AKA: Bag Monsters) Lucifer, Kooky, Lucky and Zesty to name a few…. and these bugs have become iconic little creatures of the purse…. each telling their own story. Last year we saw the “Karlito” bug that was Fendi’s ode to Karl Lagerfeld and one of the hardest to secure poofs of fur to ever hit the market (again a gift from my little fashionista friend… #blessed). So much fun! So much fur!
Add in this years “Micro Baguette” to the mix….a Bag Bug inspired tiny little purse with two inner compartments that can be worn alone or attached to your bigger purse….. and now we have a serious bug invasion!!
On me: Gucci Jacket (from the archives), Flying Monkey Jeans, Saint Laurent studded pumps from S/S 2015
Who doesn’t love a good swim?! Last year at this time I bought 15 bathing suits that were on sale for ridiculously low prices. I wore a couple and stashed the rest for winter and spring break. When summer started this year…. I had all these great bathing suits to choose from and I even pulled a brand new one out from 3 years ago that was completely spot on trend. Now is the time to buy…. with the summer coming to a close, most bathing suits are on sale and with labor day weekend parties just around the corner… there’s not a better time to pick up a suit or two. Here are a few I purchased on sale this year that will take me into next year.
Swimmingly Yours,
Laura Dunn
p.s. Be sure to check out our boutique page for some great Swim ideas! xx
“Tech Neck” is the newest ailment to result from modern technology found in people who own an average of 3 devices. But in fact, owning just one device (a cell phone) and using it incorrectly will do the trick. The repeated bending of the neck is causing creasing, wrinkles and crepey skin in men and women at a younger and younger age. “The problem of wrinkles and sagging of the jowls and neck used to begin in late middle age but, in the last 10 years, because of ‘tech neck’, it has become a problem for a generation of younger women,” said Dr Christopher Rowland Payne, a consultant dermatologist at The London Clinic. Add in the fact that most people tend to forget to use sunscreen on the neck and dermatologists around the world are reporting men and women coming in at a much younger age (18 to 39 years of age) to address aging necks.
How do we avoid “Tech Neck?” Holding our devices at 0 degrees (as shown in the chart above) will help us avoid wrinkling and creasing. I write with my laptop in bed so my posture and neck position is just about as bad as it gets. I have had issues with my neck for a couple of years since I had a TCA peel done by a very well known plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills that went south. The peel caused wrinkling and crepey skin that was not there before…. and then compound that with the bending over a computer screen daily and using my cell phone incorrectly. It’s been a recipe for NECK aging disaster!
Dr. Derek Jones is a world renowned leader in the field of non-surgical facial rejuvenation. An Associate Professor of Dermatology at UCLA and Founder and Medical Director SCLP Beverly Hills.
Dr. Derek Jones and I put together a strategy to combat “Tech Neck.” Our first line of defense and the start of “Operation No Mas Tech Neck” was to inject my neck with the dermal filler Belotero. A smaller molecule injectable and a product that is easier to mold than most of the other injectables. Dr. Jones used a cannula (a fine needle that is inserted under the skin to treat a large area) to fill in the lager creases and start the process of filling in the crepey areas. This is our second time filling, as we are trying to build up the product under the skin. It’s a process, but one where I am getting immediate gratification as the results are fantastic. We most likely will inject a few more times before we start up with the lasers. Treating the neck is not easy as the skin is so thin, delicate and there is not a lot of fat. When treating the neck, please avoid at all costs anything that will decrease fat. A few months back I tried the Ulthera at another doctor’s office, a laser that is touted as a skin tightener. I do believe that The Ulthera melted some of the fat in my neck creating more wrinkles and more creases. When dealing with the face and neck PLEASE make sure to go to only the best dermatologist in your area.
Please stay tuned as I will be reporting back on each process I try in the war against Tech Neck and aging!! At this point…. two thumbs up for dermal fillers in the neck.
Love,
Laura Dunn
DISCLOSURE: I paid full price for all of my treatments with Dr. Derek Jones. This is not an advertisement in any form. This is my personal journey and I am hoping to help and enlighten on the war against neck aging.
I threw down the gloss, picked up the LACQUER…. and I liked it…. the taste of that gooey gloss-stick! For me to set down my Chanel Glossimer… and pick up, try on and actually leave the house in a new gloss…. is nothing short of a miracle! And that is something that’s NOW happening on a daily basis. To know me…. is to know that I don’t leave the house without a gloss in my pocket! Then… last week…. in walks into my life…. Smith & Cult LipLacquer. Let me digress….
I recieved a stunning box last week, filled with eight of the glossiest, gooiest and freaking down right perfect colors of glosses that I have ever seen. “The Shinning” is a collection of 8 lip glosses by Smith & Cult…. the amazing women that started “Hard Candy” nail polish in the 90’s, and then went on to create Smith & Cult Nail Lacquers earlier this year. With names like… Fade The Sun, Her Name Bubbles, The Lovers and The Queen is Dead… how can we not fall head over heels? The Shinning is a continuation of the Smith & Cult nail lacquers line and just the beginning of a Beauty Love Story that will hopefully go on forever…. and ever….
With my nails and lips covered…. what will these amazing women come up with next?
It’s finally easy being green! Move over florals…. It’s all about the Leafy Greens for mid-summer. As we hit the mid-mark of summer 2015, it’s time to pull out all of our Fresh Leafy Greens…. a great floral alternative and a serious trend look. The leafy prints are a continuation of last years Banana Leaf trend… fun, kicky, and bright. Rock this bold pattern with ease by mixing it with your basic black and white, or, match up the greens and yellows found in the leaves.
This summers hottest green tone? Pantone’s “LUCITE GREEN.” Basically, it’s a mild mint tone and any article of clothing in this shade will have you sitting pretty on the trend wagon. Our Michael Kors leafy dress is spot-on! So let’s recap….. Anything Leafy…. Anything Minty…. Anything in shades of light GREEN…. will have you rocking it for the rest of this beautiful summer!!
Big Bold Kisses!
Laura Dunn
P.S. We would be so honored if you would please follow us on
Forever21 sent me this great quality, pair of pink culottes (or gaucho pants) about a month ago, we shot and scheduled it, but we should have scheduled sooner as these are as sold out as it gets!!
The good news? You can get the exact pair in black and we have found a few other stores that carry culottes that compare in looks… sadly, none in price. These were a serious lot of look for the serious little price tag of $21.00.
After Jennifer Lopez wore them on the red carpet… they were history. These are a great summer trouser that were originally a 1960’s staple… have made a 2015 come back! Easy to wear and easy to accessorize… They are perfect for summer and transitioning into Fall of 2015.
