By guest contributor Chris O’Brien

Looking for a bit of Madison Avenue in a bottle? The Bond No. 9 New York Beaches collection of men's cologne uses the Big Apple’s beach getaways as basis for their perfume’s identity. With fragrances ranging in names from Fire Island, to Hamptons, the company conjures romantic images of N.Y.’s posh beachfront.

Labels: Big Apple cologne, Bond No. 9, Father's day gifts, FitFlops, Gifts for men, indulge, men's cologne, polished, Treatments

Is the work of six hands better than two? That depends … are you a bottle-capper at Schlotz brewery (ala Laverne & Shirley) or are you responsible for walking 12 Bichon Frise through Central Park? Then yes. But what about six hands all working together to give you a massage at the same time … indulgent or strange?

The Thai Privilege Spa, decorated impeccably with flowing silk, candles and bamboo in Soho, offers this Siam Nirvana massage. UrbanDaddy describes the zen-like six-handed treatment as an encounter that starts with greetings and tea … “And then the symphony begins. The three expertly trained therapists work in chorus to create a sensation your body has never known (a rare feat).”

The Siam Nirvana is said to be so incredibly breathtaking it could make you feel as if you never want a two-handed massage again. If there ever was a time when a regular massage just wasn’t good enough ... this could be it.

The 75-minute massage is $590 and must be booked 48 hours in advance.

Definitely for the privileged.

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Labels: eyelash extensions, FitFlops, indulge, Indulgence, Massage, polished, Six-handed massage, Skin, spa, Thai Privledge, Treatments, UrbanDaddy

By guest contributor Dee Murray

I have nightmares about it. If I were a drinker, I swear I’d throw back a few before I attempted it … There’s just no denying, buying jeans bites.

Low rise, high rise, boot cut, straight leg, skinny leg, wide leg … 34 waist, 36 long or just straight size 12 … it’s just too much for a fashion-loving woman to bare. Especially if said fashion lover has 6 kids, can’t find time to exercise AND works full time (not to mention travels for business constantly).

Let’s face it. We’re different. We’re not pine-board straight tweens; we’re not perfect-body teens. And we’re most definitely not those bare-midriff model types. We’re real women who need a little help here and there, but just want to feel great about who we are, what we’re wearing and how we look in it.

So nightmares, Be Gone (Zap). After reading about the hype, then seeking them out in a local store, I am now hooked on NYDJ brand jeans.

I actually didn’t believe it because I’d purchased many pair of jeans in the past claiming they were ‘butt lifting’ or ‘tummy tucking’ … but they just didn’t work. So, would these get the job done? We’ll see …

Trying on NYDJs is kind of fun. To get the proper tummy tuck effect, I had to go down two sizes from my normal jean size – which in itself is a great feeling. The jeans felt supportive, but I could still move and they weren’t restrictive.

Not Your Daughter’s Jeans have special stitching inside the pockets helping hold in the ‘fat folds’ and help achieve a smooth fit. They are comfortable (don’t feel like you’re wearing a girdle), they breath and they look great.

While I do find they lose their tummy tuck ability to a certain extend by the end of the day, a quick wash and dry totally tightens them up again. The jeans wash up beautifully and don’t fade. I love wearing them with blouses/t-shirts that are a little more form-fitting because these jeans really do create a form-fitting line.

NYDJs come in all colors; all fits and even have fancy-pocket jeans with rhinestones. My person faves are the dark jeans, wide leg, but I also love the rhinestone pocket jeans. (NYDJ designers … if you’re reading this, I’d love some jeans with embroidery on the legs …).

Cashing in at about $100 makes NYDJs a little harder to come by for those of us on a budget, but I’ve found it’s pretty easy to pick them up at some discount closeout stores such as Nordstrom Rack or even eBay. But the full line is carried at high-end retailers such as Nordstrom.


Two versions of NYDJ




Previous Post: Luxury hand sanitizer

Labels: celebrity haircuts, ebay, famous haircuts, indulge, Indulgence, nails, nordstrom, polished, salon, Skin, spa, Treatments, tummy tuck jeans

I once thought a friend of mine was heavy drinker because he smelled of alcohol constantly. To my surprise I found out he actually did not drink at all, but did have another addiction: hand sanitizer. It left him with a constant scent of booze and left me turned off to hand sanitizer for years. So, when I heard of a 'luxury' sanitizer made with essential oils I gave it a whirl.

Frais hand sanitizer is made with ginger, grapefruit, basil, orange, lemon myrtle, tangerine, cardamom and niaouli. I thought the scent was a little strong at first, but toned down to a botanical aroma that reminded me of the interior of an Aveda store. The smell was clean, but rich and definitely did not have that alcohol-like smell I was used too.

Frais only uses high grade pure sugarcane alcohol and does not use animal ingredients or perform animal testing. They also partnered with the Just a Drop foundation which supports global water, sanitation and health projects.

So, say what you will about hand sanitizer (I know many either love it or hate it), but this one had grown on me and left my hands pretty soft.




Previous post: World's most expensive haircut

Labels: grooming, hair, hand sanitizer, luxury, nails, polished, polished salon, Skin, spa, Treatments

Could we price out a haircut per snip? Ask Beverley Lateo (right), who paid nearly $17,000 for a cut by Stuart Phillips in London. This got them both seated in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Indulge did the math on this haircut. Say you are 40 years old and you pay $50 for a haircut you will get every two months until you turn 100. Your total cost for your lifetime of haircuts is $18,000.

We reported this record-breaking haircut in our World-Class Indulgences article and the response was so big we decided to chat with Stuart Phillips ourselves.

Indulge: What made the haircut so expensive?

Stuart Phillips: Attention to detail is the most important part of why the haircut is so expensive. The client spends all day with me and is literally treated like royalty.

Indulge: How did you come up with a VIP service?

Stuart Phillips: As the salon is adorned with 23,000 Swarovski crystals, people generally flock outside to look and photograph it. We also regularly attract A-list Hollywood stars like David Hasselhoff, Jean Claude Van Dam and Kirsten Dunst and so I know the salon is fit for even a queen. I thought it would be good to create a team of people that could offer an amazing service with the salon being at the main venue.

Indulge: What does it entail?

Stuart Phillips: The £8,000 (around $16,000 U.S.*) package includes flights, transfers to and from London airports in a limousine, a champagne lunch or dinner, a VIP section of the salon booked out for a whole day, a master class on hair styling with Stuart Phillips and a basket of hair products (specific to each individual hair type).

The £20,000 (around $40,000* U.S.)package includes the same as above plus a personal shopper, transfers to and from the airport and back, 2 days accommodation at one of London’s finest hotels, a private chef and a special discounted rate of £28,000 (around $55,000* U.S.) if a friend comes along (normal price £40,000 (around $80,000* U.S. ))


Phillips, a rep from Guinness Book of World Record and Lateo.


The interior of Stuart Phillips salon



*Amounts vary based upon currency rates

Previous Post: Free Dermalogica skincare analysis and products

Labels: Beverley Lateo, hair, indulge, Indulgence, Kirsten Dunst, Most expensive haircut, polished, Relax, salon, Skin, spa, Stuart Phillips, Treatments

Huntington Beach- July 4-6 at the Pier Plaza

San Francisco - San Francisco Marathon (Pier 30/32) Aug. 1-2, Justin Herman Plaza Aug. 3 and 27, UC Berkeley Berkeley (Recreational Sports Facility and Downtown Berkeley "Welcome Week") Aug. 28-29, and Civic Center Aug 30-31.

Previous Post: Kate Hudson promotes eco-friendly hair products

Labels: dermalogica, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, polished, salon, Skin, spa, sun protection, Treatments

Anyone can wear a bold piece of jewelry, but simplicity is the key to elegance. The straightforward design behind these colorful 35-karat cocktail rings is one of the reasons they caught my eye.

At $1350, Darby Scott rings have an antique cushion cut stone set in white or yellow 18K gold. You can choose from stones ranging from black onyx to dark lime citrine to smoky quartz and more.

These rocks are big right now with celebrities, including Rachel Bilson, Hayden Panetierre, Eva Mendes and Queen Latifah, who all have them in different colors.







Previous Post: Hollywood Hairstylist Sally Hershberger talks to Indulge

Labels: celebrity jewelry, darby scott, eva mendes, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, queen latifah, rachel bilson, Relax, salon, spa, Treatments

Recently I was attending a party at the Beehive Lounge in Boston and noticed the bar had hooks for purses or briefcases underneath it. Have you seen those before? They are just in front of your legs, so if you’re sitting in a stool at the bar you can keep your bag safe and clean. It is a great way to keep your bag clean, safe from thieves and away from drippy drinks on the bar. I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t want my Balenciaga bag coming in contact with a runaway rum and Coke.

Labels: Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett, christina aguilera, ecoli, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, Jessica Alba, paris Hilton, Purse cleanliness, Purse safety, Rachael Ray, Relax, rihanna, Treatments

Flip-flop-flip-flop-flip-flop … sounds like something you would hear at the beach, but not exactly a sound you hear when someone is exercising. That could change though as a new generation of flip-flops are here and they could get you shaped and toned with every step you take. FitFlops, a “flip-flop with the gym built in,” are shoes made with a multi-density mid-sole designed to challenge your muscles to give you greater exercise while you walk. Made for men or women, if you’re too busy for the gym, or just hate working out, this could be a solution for you.

FitFlops, released in May 2007, were created by a group that included Bliss spa-entrepreneur Marcia Kilgore, Senior Lecturing Biomechanist Dr. David Cook and several footwear engineer­ing technologists. The shoe had a waiting list of over 10,000 names making it the quickest selling new health and wellness shoe yet.

While FitFlops were designed to tone and shape your muscles, the company says they have also been reported to lessen chronic back pain, result in inch loss, speed healing of injured joints and relieve pain from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs and arthritis.

They have plenty of testimonials on their site, but soon I will tell you what I really think of them. See my photo below of me in my FitFlops ... I am to spend the next few months testing them out and you can look for my review to find out the following:

-How I think they feel
-How I think they look
-Have I noticed physical changes as far as toning and trimming of muscles (yes, I will take photos)
-How I think they feel to walk in for a long time
-How I think they feel to stand in for a long time

Have you tried these? Let me know what you think. Or, if you want to experiment with them as I am doing, send me email! We can track your progress too on Indulge.

FitFlops come in tons of trendy colors and styles (note the very cool sequins and fringe) and retail for $49.99. They even have a limited edition Auerlia style, which I think looks exactly like the gladiator sandals that are so hot this summer. For details on where they can be purchased, visit The FitFlops website.







Jacqui in her FitFlops.

And stay tuned for my review! I will keep you posted throughout the summer.


Previous post: Jennifer Garner promotes sun protection

Labels: exercise, Father's day gifts, FitFlops, fitness, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, Relax, Skin, spa, Treatments

Father’s day is June 15 and rather than get dad another set of golf balls or a coffee mug, let’s buy him something indulgent. It doesn’t matter what your dad is like… there is something for every dad.

The traveling dad: The “Grab + Go Portables” kit, by Anthony Logistics For Men, is essentially everything dad needs for a trip. A bonus is they are small enough and in a zip lock case so he can buzz right through airport security. The kit includes facial cleanser, facial scrub, cleansing gel, shampoo, astringent after shave, shave cream, and a zip top bag. $35, Sephora.

The dad who loves to chill: Neiman Marcus has a decadent cashmere robe in charcoal or navy for $950. If that is a little pricey for you, Brookstone has a spa robe for men made of their exclusive “NapSoft” material for $89.99. It comes in camel or white. Also -if the gift you bought mom for Mother's Day was bad- you can get her one too because they have women’s as well.

The stylish dad: Looking good is always indulgent so why not update dad for the next 12 months with the necktie of the month club. These ties are handpicked by fashion professionals on a monthly basis. $21.95 per month at Amazing clubs.


Previous Post: Eyelash Extensions

Labels: Father's day gifts, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, polished, Relax, Skin, Treatments

Anyone who skis knows that Vermont filled with lots of great mountains. Along with that comes many delicious restaurants, cozy inns and fireside lodges, but what about if you really need to relax after a long day of skiing. Vermont has some really luxurious spas that can be get you polished and groomed not just after a long day on the slopes, but all year long.

Labels: grooming, indulge, Indulgence, polished, Relax, salon, Skin, spa, Treatments

Want to be easy on the eyes and on the wallet at the same time. It is possible for the next few days because it is Spa Week (April 14-20)... a glorious seven days of discounted treatments at some of the most luxe spas and salons. I am seeing $50 specials on a variety of hair, nail, skin and other relaxing services throughout the U.S. to make you feel polished and groomed.

Spaweek.org gave me great tips on spa etiquette, including mentioning you're booking a Spa Week special deal when you make the appointment, requesting a male or female at the time of booking if you have a preference for some of the more hands-on treatments and they say standard tipping is 15-20% of the original price of the service.

Indulge yourself for less!

Labels: indulge, Indulgence, salon, Skin, spa, Treatments