Trends for shoes this fall are bold, sparkling and sometimes a little wild as animal prints, primary colors and crystals were favorites among designers for the season. Here are some of the hottest looks in footwear to get your fall fashion in full force.


Wild wedges
As usual, snake skin seems to be the biggest animal print this year. It was seen slithering down the runways in the form of a wedge (below) at Gucci Fall/Winter 2008/2009 women's collection - along with matching bags. Giraffe and leopard are great on pumps, stilettos and wedges as well, but as always, everything in moderation. Just a tiny patch of print goes a very long way and is best worn on one article of clothing at a time.














Tall cuffed boots
Whether you like them flat or with heels these boots look great over tights of a similar tone or skinny jeans. Suede versions in grey and purple are big this fall and Chinese Laundry has a great pair (below) called ‘Tahoe’ for $99. Those also come in black and a deep brown. This may sound VERY 1980s, but I have a currently looking for stirrup jeans to wear under my cuffed boots so my jeans don’t get all bunched. Any suggestions?

















Silky satin
Forget the dyables you have worn as a bridesmaid in every wedding since 1990 … satin shoes no longer have to match your dress. For a look that really pops, pair in a bold color of satin heels (such as red, yellow or blue) with a simple dress or jeans.
















Bohemian biker
You don’t have to ride a Harley to get some edge into your wardrobe. These motorcycle boots from Gucci Fall/Winter 2008/2009 women's collection had minimal metal, clean lines and fringe that gave it a hint of hippie. They were paired with tights, flowing tops and colorful scarves which gave them a softer look.
























Bright and bold
Colors are big this fall and can come in many shapes and sizes. Jewel tones along with many primary colors will be seen in solids, not patterns, on shoes. Sky blue apparently means the sky is the limit on what you wear them with if you are as brave as Katie Holmes …





















Happy shoe shopping!


Previous post: Donate hair to Locks of Love

Labels: 2008 Cosmetic Executive Women, celebrity haircuts, eyelash extensions, fall fashion, fall shoes, famous haircuts, FitFlops, indulge, Indulgence, polished, shoes

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

Your neck is cramped, your skin feels grimy, you look a little faded … and now you find out your flight is delayed. That may have been a big hassle years ago, but now you can utilize this quality time normally spent in a hard plastic airport chair relaxing and rejuvenating in a comfy spa chair. Airport spas are now a place to unwind and beautify thanks to an array of relaxation locations that have popped up in terminals around the world.

Services for luxury travelers
Take XpresSpa for example. As one of the biggest airport spas it serves 20,000 travelers a month at 34 locations including Logan, D/FW, JFK, Houston Bush Intercontinental, San Francisco and more. Services comprise of massages, waxing, facials and manicure/pedicure. The menu is standard with the exception of add-ons to facials including an olive oil and leaf mask, an exfoliating papaya mask and a ginseng and spirulina mask.

Fast massage at the airport
If you’re interested in a fast massage at the airport between connecting flights, the Massage Bar, with locations in Seattle, Dulles, Nashville, Sacramento and more, offers a 15-minute or 30-minute massage with no appointment required. Or - because your feet are exhausted- you can kick back, lay on a heated neck and shoulder wrap and get a foot massage. One of the best features of the Massage Bar is that many of their services do not require you to undress. This is a draw to those who need a quick massage but couldn't be hassled with changing.

Airport spa in Vancouver
The Absolute Spa at Vancouver Int’l takes airport grooming to an entirely new level with steam showers, self tanning and a private resting suite equipped with aromatherapy and music. They also offer an assortment of unique services including the Bon Voyage Moor Mud Manicure, the Circulator Anti-Swelling Leg Massage, and an oxygen spa that gives an ‘Oxygen boost with fresh citrus or aroma oil.’ If you want to look good right off the plane Absolute offers haircuts and make-up touch-ups.

Here are some airport spas to help you relax and revitalize on the go:

Baltimore-Washington International Airport
Destination Relaxation

Boston Logan
Jetsetter Mini Spa
Classique Hair & Nail Salon

Calgary International Airport
Destination Relaxation

Chicago O’Hare
The BackRub Hub

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Int’l Airport
10 Minute Manicure

Dallas/Ft. Worth Int’l Airport
XpresSpa

Denver Int’l Airport
A Massage Inc.

Indianpolis Int’l Airport
Passport Travel Spa

Newark Liberty Int’l
Massage Bar

N.Y. JFK
Oasis Day Spa
XpresSpa

N.Y. Laguardia
XpresSpa

Sacramento Int’l Airport
Massage Bar

San Francisco Int’l Airport
XpresSpa

Seattle-Tacoma
Massage Bar

Toronto Pearson
10 Minute Manicure

Vancouver International Airport
Absolute Spa

Washington Dulles International Airport
Massage Bar

Do you know of any places where you can get a good haircut or a fast massage at the airport? Let me know!

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Labels: Absolute spa, airport spa, BWI, celebrity haircuts, eyelash extensions, famous haircuts, FitFlops, grooming, indulge, Indulgence, JFK, Logan, nails, polished, Skin, toronto, vancouver, xpress spa

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.

Previous Post: Review of lip plumpers

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

She started with one product: cheek gloss. Between that and the commitment to making the application of make-up easier for women, Rosie Jane Johnston (right) has expanded her extremely successful line of Rosie Jane Cosmetics - which are popular across the world.

Today she tells Indulge how she got her start, what celebs she likes to work with and how women can gain confidence to apply cosmetics beautifully.

Indulge: How did you get your start in the industry?
Rosie Jane: I finished makeup school and had just moved to London. I was working part time in a video shop, a photographer walked in talking about how he was going to be shooting Kylie Minogue next week and I asked him if he needed a makeup artist. Everything started from there.

Indulge: What would you tell a woman who feels like she is hopeless at applying makeup?
Rosie Jane: Not to give up. A lot of brands make it pretty confusing when it comes to choosing products and then applying them. Try starting with some basics…mascara, cream blush, and lip gloss. As your confidence builds, start adding some more products…eyeliner, eye shadow, etc.

Indulge: Is there an easy way for women who wear glasses to apply eye makeup? Rosie Jane: Try doing it with a dual hand mirror. One side magnified the other normal. You can hold the mirror as close as you need to. Do one eye at a time if need be. Also try going for products that are goof proof, like the Rosie Jane Eye Define. You can practically be blind and still make this liner work for you.

Indulge: Who is your favorite celebrity to work with?
Probably Poppy Montgomery (left) because she's my sister so we always have a lot of fun together.

Indulge: Tell us about the new Eye Define that just came out?
Eyeliner is the hardest cosmetics product to master. Realizing that the most common eyeliner is black, I wanted to add a natural and unique spin on the typical black eyeliner. 'Night' is a slightly shimmery smokey black, so the line it creates is not as harsh. It’s a more natural finish and with the angled tip, it is so easy to use and get a really defined look.

Indulge: What are some tricks for women to look polished but not overdone?
Rosie Jane: When it comes to makeup, to me less is always more. Women should just be defining what they have. Always keep it simple. Normally a good coat of mascara, pink cheek, and flushed lip is all you need to look pulled together and radiant.

Indulge: What is the biggest makeup mistake women make?
Rosie Jane: Not wearing mascara even when they have naturally dark lashes. Or getting all dressed up and only putting lipstick on, with no other makeup. Makeup is just as important to your overall look as the outfit you choose to wear.

Indulge: How can women use makeup to look younger?
Rosie Jane: Keep your lip color light; just try using a natural lip liner and a tinted gloss. Dark colored lipsticks tend to make women look older. Don't wear too much and just keep it simple.

Indulge: Do you have any secret application tips to share with us?
Rosie Jane: Try using a white iridescent eye shadow just in the inner corner of your eyes. It gives an instant pick me up and looks stunning.

Indulge: Anything you would like to add?
Rosie Jane: Just remember makeup is all about layering. Start with less and build from there.


Previous post: A review of 'Tummy Tuck' jeans

Labels: celebrity haircuts, famous haircuts, indulge, Indulgence, Kylie Minogue, Make-up application tips, polished, Poppy Montgomery, Rosie-Jane Cosemetics, Sally Hershberger, salon, Skin, spa

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

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

Previous post: $100,000 Spa Vacation In New Mexico

Labels: conde nast, hair, indulge, Indulgence, nails, polished, salon, Skin, spa

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