5 Best Beauty Buys from 2020

Wow what a year! 2020 will go down as one of the most stress-ridden, anxiety-triggering, let down years of them all. As it comes to a close, and as the holidays approach us let’s all think of the women in our lives who helped us survive it all! Whether that’s a close girlfriend who talked you off the ledge, or a female caregiver who helped with the burden of childcare, or the nurse who helped your family member, they deserve a treat. And so do YOU! You made it through triumphantly and you’re still here to live to tell about it! Don’t listen to those who wrongly miscategorize sleep, and a simple shower as moments of self care. What are they gonna do next? Say you treated yourself cuz you sat down for dinner? NO. You need (and deserve) everything off this list. And so does that female on your “nice” list

Spa Sciences (Beauty tools). Facials can get pricey. Did you know though that now there are new tools to help you DIY the experience and get the same benefits at home? Spa sciences has come out with a couple new tools that I suggest everyone add to their bathroom cabinets for an invigorating exfoliation and cleanse! I use the MIO for pore extraction and resurfacing at least once a month and the NOVA Sonic cleansing system daily. Together they’ll run you just $70 the cost of one facial and these will give you weekly ones for the rest of your life without the commute.

MySmile (teeth whitener)– did you survive lockdown with coffee and wine too? If so, now’s the time to repair the teeth staining. This at home whitening kit is a fraction of the cost that you would have spent at the dentist’s office. And who wants to take off their mask at an office and have a dentist all up in their mouth right now anyways? With super easy to follow instructions, you’ll have whiter, brighter teeth.  And it’s so easy! Try it! I did (while watching the Bachelorette reality series lol)

 

Kiel’s -get the latest in skincare from Kiel’s and it will come pre-packaged in the perfect holiday presentation. I have been loving the line reducing vitamin c serum, midnight recovery concentrate, and vitamin c (multi-corrective cream). Their powerful potions are highly effective and popular with both sexes actually.  And the boxed sets range in price from. $25-$100 to fit every budget.  Plus how cute are these??

Tarte Cosmetics-having learned about the clean, cruelty free, non-toxic movement, I’m super appreciative of this free from harsh chemicals- makeup line. And I’m so happy to have been able to partner with them and try almost everything out! Their high-performance natural products have great pigment in their colors and I’m addicted to their foundation and eye colors. My daughter often likes to try my makeup on herself and this line feels much safer for a baby’s skin than others. Plus they have the cutest packaging which makes gifting easy!  Click here to shop their Gift quiz which will lead you to the perfect gift!

Dyson air wrap– are you still using the old hair dryer and irons that damage your hair? Time to get updated because Dyson has come out with a revolutionary all-in-one device that protects, shines, curls, straightens, dries and tames your tresses. AND they managed to make it look uber cool! Impress someone with this technology. You can rest assured that this is something they probably don’t have yet and you can be sure that one size fits all!!  Click here to shop the complete styler set.

With Christmas just 11 days away which of these items will make your last minute shopping list?  Happy holidays everyone!  Click here for a funny, corona virus inspired gift guide for kids!

Full disclosure, I have been gifted items to review and consider including in this round-up.  Not all items made it to the list.  All opinions are 100% mine.

Doll Themed parTEA (part 2) Tablescape and Food

kids party decor, kids party ideas, girls birthday ideas, 7th birthday, barbie birthday, how to decorate a girl's birthday partyFor the doll – themed parTEA details (part1) that reviewed the general vision and all the party activities, click here.  This post concentrates on all the table decor, food and beverage from my daughter’s 7th birthday.  Thanks for reading!
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A feast for the eyes is just as important as a feast for the stomach for special occasions like birthdays.  And for me, designing the tablescape is the MOST fun task.  I love the challenge of presenting an eye-catching display that sets the celebratory tone, brings to mind the theme and excites everyone.birthday party decor, tablescapes for kids, kids' party decor, girls' birthday party, girl birthday

Thanks to Table Vogue, we had the prettiest Tiffany blue, tailored linens which provided the pop of color that the all-white venue needed.  It also happened to be one of Juliet’s and my favorite colors. Wasn’t it a gorgeous backdrop to all the Meri Meri tableware that I found on sale?

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If you look closely, you’ll see that we chose it for the doll-like print and coordinating colored, heart plates (it was a galentine’s parTEA after all).  And YES plates don’t have to be just for the table! They can be wall decor too; see how I taped to the heart plates to the curtains behind the birthday girl’s throne.

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See Table Vogue for beautiful linens of all sizes, colors and patterns!  Using an upscale linen instead of the plastic ones normally reserved for kids’ parties really elevates the scene!  And I can’t thank Table Vogue enough for being such a special partner for this event

The throne, curtain structure, and bow seats were generously loaned to us by Petite Seats who has THE cutest selection of kiddie rental chairs and tables.  I seriously have never seen a better collection of kiddie chairs on the market and I’m an event planner!!  I’m so thankful that they are nearby and can serve the greater NY area.  We are so lucky to live here with the best selection in everything.  Just check out this throne and those bow seats!!

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Notice that for this tea party, centerpieces included tea cups filled with flowers?  Teapots filled with flowers would make another excellent option too!

FOOD & CAKE

Here for the food and cake?  Don’t worry, I got you.  At this galentine’s parTEA, I presented heart-shaped, kid-friendly sandwiches on classic, floral, tiered plates.  The Royal Albert brand featured at our party, felt the most feminine and fancy – you can shop my favorite Royal Albert floral tiered stands at the end of this post.  They’re so beautiful that I know we will be re-using them for years to come.  In fact, I’m planning to bring them out next for mother’s day!

american girl doll party, tea party sandwiches, american girl dolls, american girl doll birthday party, barbie party, best 7th birthday partySandwiches were shaped with heart cookie-cutters, and dressed with garnish, baby’s breath and matching Meri Meri doll toppers.   How cute are THEY???  It’s all about the details!

american girl doll party, american girl dolls, american girl doll birthday party, barbie party, best 7th birthday partyMenu included kid-favorites like: PB&J, nutella and banana, fig jam and strawberry, and ham and cheese sandwiches along with macarons, mini-cupcakes and lots of on-the-go snacks!

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Lemonade and fizzy flavored water were hits too!

doll themed party, american girl doll party, doll party ideas, afternoon tea for kids, tea party for girls, barbie party, barbie birthday, american girl birthday partyWith a kid-centric party, the menu should stay simple.  But you can elevate the look and feel by incorporating elegant details and that’s exactly what I tried to do.  Click here to purchase the expensive-looking, but plastic, gold-beaded chargers!

And as they say a party without a cake is just a meeting. best birthday party, 7th birthday party ideas, doll themed party, barbie party, lol doll party, mini melanie cake It was important to us that we partner with the right cake master for this all-important party element.  And we were so lucky because Mini Melanie, the Chopped reality TV winner from the Food Network, made THE most delicious cake with an ombre pink buttercream exterior.  I wanted something simple because I had all these cake toppers to add.

She delighted and surprised all the guests with the rainbow layered interior.  So beautiful and soooo soo good!barbie party, american girl doll party, mini melanie cake, event planner tips, petite seats

I just love how all the party pics turned out.  Thank you, Andrea Kay Images for the photographs.  We’ll treasure them for years to come!  For more secrets on stylishly designing a kids’ table, see my prior post from Juliet’s 3rd birthday party here.

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