BEDKNOBS & BAUBLES

Covetable

December 18, 2014 by jessica 9 Comments

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I’m so impressed with all of you bloggers who are managing to balance the blog with holiday to-dos and a full-time job! I’ve definitely been slacking these past few weeks and a few days without social media is exactly what I need to refresh. Instead, you’ll find me curled up in pajamas, watching Christmas movies, and baking cookies for a couple of days before heading to my parents’ house. (Okay, yes, I’ll probably spend time catching up on everyone’s blog. It’s been far too long since I’ve commented on anything!)

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We have winners of the Gerard Yosca giveaway! Congrats to April C. and Katie K.! I’ll be pestering you for your mailing addresses soon. Happy holidays!

Last Day! Win Gerard Yosca Jewelry

December 17, 2014 by jessica 5 Comments

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]W[/dropcap]e’re in the final stretch of the Gerard Yosca giveaway with just eight hours to go! Don’t miss your chance to take home the Mina earrings or the Tokyo pendant. We’ll select two winners and each lucky lady will receive one of these gorgeous gems. (To keep things fair, the first person selected will have her choice of the two and the other will go to the second person selected.)

To enter, just let me know how you would style your favorite Gerard Yosca piece for the holidays. There are also bonus entries for supporting our sponsor and Bedknobs & Baubles. For an additional ten entries, share a collage on social media featuring your preferred item and how you would style it. Just be sure to tag me and mention #GerardYosca and #GerardYoscaGiveaway in the post so we can find it! Need a little inspiration? Check out four recent submissions below!

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ONE | TWO | THREE | FOUR

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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This giveaway is open to those with a U.S. mailing address. Please let me know if any questions come up! Good luck!

Sale Alert | Shopbop & Piperlime

December 16, 2014 by jessica 8 Comments

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]T[/dropcap]here are just two things left to do on my holiday shopping list: find a few gifts for Dave and head to to the liquor store to buy bourbon for my dad. It’s fantastic timing too, given that there are a couple of incredible sales going on at Shopbop and Piperlime. I’m using this opportunity to find a little gift for myself that didn’t make it to my wish list.

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Shopbop’s sale just got even more tempting! Now through Wednesday, you can save an additional 20% off already-discounted items. It’s the perfect time to stock up on cozy sweaters and coats. (There’s still a lot of winter left and you may as well keep warm in cashmere, right?) Shopbop also has free three-day shipping, so you still have time to score a pretty cocktail dress for the season’s festivities. Don’t forget to add a little sparkle and a pretty clutch in preparation for New Year’s Eve. Still have gifts to buy for the gentlemen on your lists? Head over to East Dane and enjoy the same deep discount on their sale items. Use code EXTRASALE at checkout.

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Piperlime is also bringing its sale A-game just in time for the holidays with 25% off just about everything on the site with code SHOP25. This is the time you’ll want to scoop up all of those new arrivals that just caught your eye. Even though this dress didn’t quite work out for me, I loved the quality of the fabric and might try this skirt or this dress from the brand. I’m also obsessing over these scalloped edge sandals. There’s no way I can afford this coat even with the discount, but it’s so pretty to admire!

Review | Clinique Cleansing Brush

December 15, 2014 by jessica 1 Comment

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]I[/dropcap]’ve been a fan of Clinique ever since high school when my aunt began giving me her gift-with-purchase samples. At the time, I didn’t realize what a cult following the brand had until another aunt asked if she could snag the Black Honey Almost Lipstick samples first! As I’ve gotten older, I prefer the super saturated pigments of brands like MAC and Stila for makeup, but nothing beats Clinque’s gentle skincare regimen. The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion has been my preferred moisturizer for years and I’ve just recently discovered this miracle worker for blemishes. So, you can imagine how jazzed I was to receive the brand’s new Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush as a Klout perk a few weeks ago. I’ve heard such great things about the Clarisonic system that I was elated to give this version a whirl.

PROS:

My skin is incredibly dry in the winter and this exfoliated away all of the flakiness, leaving a smooth canvas for moisturizer. On a few occasions, I applied this mask right after using the cleansing brush. My skin felt incredibly supple the next morning.
It’s waterproof and can be used in the shower.
The green bristles at the top are a little stiffer than the rest of the brush, allowing for a deep t-zone cleanse.
One charge lasts up to a week.

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CONS:

I broke out after the first use. The instructions suggest starting out with a 30-second scrub and working your way up to a full minute. I opted to start strong right out of the gate and may have irritated my skin unnecessarily at first.
The brush automatically stops after 30 seconds to prevent draining the battery. It’s not a big deal, but with a recommended cleansing time of 60 seconds, I did expect it to last a full minute. (Though, it is a nice feature if it gets jostled in a suitcase.)

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VERDICT:

It’s a more effective exfoliator than your standard-issue scrub and it left my skin completely makeup-free. I am a little nervous about the sensitive skin issue, but overall it’s fun to use and feels luxurious. Give it a go if you’re looking for an entry-level sonic cleansing brush.

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Disclosure: I received the Clinique cleansing brush free of charge through Klout. This does not influence my opinions of the product. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Bedknobs & Baubles.

Bauble of the Week

December 14, 2014 by jessica 5 Comments

[dropcap custom_class=”normal”]T[/dropcap]he Monica Vinader bracelet I purchased on Black Friday renewed my love of fine jewelry. I used to feel that if you were spending such a large amount of money on silver, gold, and precious gems, it should be on a classic piece you’ll wear forever. But what’s the point of being so serious and, well, boring? Jewelry should be a joy to wear. I’m in love with these infinity rings by Astley Clarke. They come in an array of candy colors like blue topaz, amethyst, emerald, pink sapphire, and orange sapphire. They’re certainly investment pieces, but they’re a heck of a lot more fun than your standard-issue platinum and diamond eternity band.