Is it quitting time for you yet? Christmas break is almost here, and today I’m headed off to spend Christmas on the Gulf of Mexico! Cannot wait to share some resort looks with you all from the beaches of Boca Grande, so stay tuned!
I’ve been back and forth between New York and Palm Beach constantly this holiday season, and since December is always a high travel time for me, I’ve come to depend on a few key essentials that I know I can always depend on, and always find at a local drug store when I run out. Since I don’t go a December day without relying on each one of these items, I know I have to share what has become my “holiday survival kit” with you…
1. Hanes Shape wear Tights
Going from desk to dusk making the rounds at every holiday party on your list can be quite the fashion challenge. You want to have something office appropriate of course, but also something can easily morph into festive evening wear while you’re in a taxi, riding the subway, or stealing a moment in the bathroom before punching out. That is why I love my Hanes Power Shaper stockings. Tried and true, Hanes tights are a girl on the go’s best friend. Not only do they keep me warm when the winter winds settle in, but they are an easy fix when my spray tan is wearing off, or my legs are over due for a scrubbing, shaving, and shinning let’s be honest- there is always that day in the week. The Hanes shape wear collection has been my go to for years; it is perfectly sleek and sliming underneath all those great holiday dresses, and you just can’t beat the price. I am a classic black girl, but this season have started trying out the nudes when I’m back in Palm Beach and have been out of the sun for a while. I always have a pair packed in my handbag or carry on, ready to go as I tend to get cold easily and often times will need an extra layer underneath my trousers or jeans to stay warm.
*Tights Tip*
There are countless posts and articles out there about how to prevent a run in your stockings. I’ve tried so many things throughout the years, but here’s what works for me and is worth a try. When I first get a new pair of Hanes tights, I run them under cool water for just a second and place them neatly in a freezer tight ziplock bag. Then I pop them right in the freezer to freeze over night, remove them and let them thaw out in my bedroom or bathroom air as I shower the next morning. I am not entirely sure why this works, but it definitely does. Somehow they are stronger and more resistant to snags.
2. Oil Absorbing Sheets
There is nothing worse than spending all that time on your holiday red lip, only to find that all those pictures from last night’s party feature your shinning skin absorbing that iphone flash. It’s natural that even the dry skin prone of us will be more oily around this time of year as the sudden drop in temperature and loss of humidity can make you skin produce more oil in effort to stay moisturized. Glistening dewy skin is great in the summer, but the only shimmer on your face this time of year should be from a glittering eyeshadow or illuminating highlighter. That is why I love Clean and Clear’s Oil Absorbing sheets. They weigh nothing and are packed nice and thin so they fit in every size purse. Never leave home with out them.
3. Strong Hold Hair Spray
Hair spray and holiday hair are a bond that cannot be broken. When I need to style my hair for a holiday evening I need a hair spray that is going to stand the test of time and last through over heated apartments, the elements, and lots of hair swinging dancing. I have long swore by L’Oreal’s Elnett Strong Hold Hair Spray and although it is a classic, it lives up to the most modern of standards I assure you. Get the travel size here, you will never see me do a bag spill and it not be there!
4. Bobby Pins
Goody’s golden blonde color bobby pins live in my purse where coins once did. I cannot go a day at my desk without sticking a few in my head to get the hair out of my face. Since I often times style my hair in the morning I want to be sure my temporary up-do during the day doesn’t crease or wreck my set hair for that evening, and that is why bobby pins are my go to. I also love up-do this time of year, and getting bobby pins that match your hair color allow you to recreate basically any hair tutorial you see on youtube in minutes. Iphone + bobby pins+5 minutes in the ladies = holiday hair magic
5. Epson Salts
If you don’t know this about me by now, I’m shocked, as I am a vocal bath enthusiast and a firm believer in floatation therapy. One epson salt bath a day can cure so much of the things we carry and that weigh us down. One of my holiday wish list items is actually a session at Lift Floats, the new floatation therapy based spa in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn. During the holidays I’m often squeezing my feet into those oh-so-fabulous holiday heels night after night, and even some lunch time afternoons. By the time I get home my feet are on fire, and my low back is killing me, not to mention that my legs sometimes even appear swollen (this can be from dehydration and higher sodium in take: think holiday party food + 1 or 2 extra drinks). So when I get home I immediately run the hot water, grab a large water with lemon, a dump an entire large bag of epson salts (these are my favorite) into my tub. 15-20 minutes of soaking relieves all the soreness and relaxed my muscles, and gives me a moment to reflect on the great fun and seemingly endless joy the holiday season brings.
A special thanks to Hanes for sponsoring this post
var ClickMeter_pixel_url = ‘http://pixel.watch/8032beea-742e-4c83-bed4-a9230546f04e’;
