First Look Fridays: Publicist Nicole Darmanin of Mario Badescu

A fabulous brand and fabulous publicist go hand in hand for me. And there's no better marriage of the two than Mario Badescu and Nicole Darmanin. Not only is Mario Badescu one of my very favorite brands of all time, but Nicole is simply one of the smartest, sweetest PR people around! Truth be told, I'm a little jealous that she gets to be around so many spectacular products all the time. Read on to find out which serum she can't live without, the product she uses for her curly hair and so much more.

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My Latest Mani: Zoya Aurora

Zoya Aurora is one of those colors that's just totally, completely stunning. I've had it sitting on top of my nail polish chest (yes, I have one of those) for a LONG time, and I finally decided to break it out this week. WOW! Is it ever fantastic.

Aurora is originally from the Ornate Collection, which also includes the you-have-to-look-at-me-right-now Storm. Seriously, every color in this collection is worth buying immediately -- they're just not like anything else! And Aurora is definitely at the top of my list, thanks to its rich sugarplum hue and flecks of microfine holographic silver glitter. It's especially eye-catching in sunlight, but trust me when I say it's difficult to take your eyes off your nails while you're wearing this shade!

Aurora is most certainly a keeper. What's on your nails right now? Let me know in the comments!

Nivea Appreciation Day

While I like to use products from myriad brands -- and usually, my apartment and desk look like miniature versions of Sephora -- once in awhile, I begin to use a host of products from one specific company. As of late, that company has been Nivea. I was lucky enough to receive a few of their products in recent weeks, and I'm here to tell you that they've completely changed the look and feel of my skin from head to toe. Here are my favorites, in a segment I'm calling Nivea Appreciation Day.

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Salon and Spa Directory: The Bliss 24-"Heaven" Body Treatment

When I walked into Bliss over the weekend, my entire body was screaming for a little TLC. The sudden 30-degree drop in temperature over the past week, not to mention many hours sitting on planes, left my skin feeling dry, dehydrated and raw from head to toe. Enter the Bliss 24-"Heaven" Body Treatment.

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First Look Fridays: Beauty Publicist Blair Crames of Beauty Fashion Sales Group

I've been working with beauty publicist Blair Crames for years. She's worked at some of the best names in the business, from Avon and Clarins to the PR firm Bratskeir & Company. Blair is always a delight, not to mention she really knows her beauty stuff backward and forward! And here's a little fun fact for you -- her dad is the CEO and owner of Demeter Fragrance Library! Read on to find out which mascara Blair loves, the flat iron she can't live without and so much more.

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Let Your Garden Grow: Thymes Temple Tree Jasmine Body Wash

I have a bit of a problem when it comes to body wash ... namely, that I can't get enough of it! I'm always looking for just one more to add to my shower. Recently, the winner has been Thymes Temple Tree Jasmine Body Wash.

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Manicure Spotting: Katie Wearing a Multicolored Glitter Mani

A couple weekends ago, my best friend visited me in New York. Katie and I have a long, LONG history of loving nail polish -- you may remember our 12 Days of Favorite Nail Colors series back in December! (If not, give it a reread and let us know what you think of our choices.) Well, it will come as no surprise then that whenever Katie and I visit each other, we take the opportunity to use each other's nail polishes. Katie went through my stash and couldn't pick just one -- or seven! -- so she decided to do a multicolored glitter mani. Read on to see even more pictures and find out what colors she used to create this unique look.

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Nail Polish Comparison Swatches: Essie Where's My Chauffeur? & China Glaze For Audrey

When I happened to put my bottles of China Glaze For Audrey and Essie Where's My Chauffeur? next to each other on my coffee table recently, one fact became extremely apparent. They're exact dupes of one another!

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First Look Fridays: Beauty Publicist Jenna Muller

If you're looking for one of the sweetest (and best!) beauty publicists around, look no further than Jenna Muller. I've been working with her for years, mainly because she represents some of my all-time favorite brands (Lierac and PHYTO!). She's whip-smart, unbelievably friendly ... and she just happens to have AMAZING hair. Recently, she branched out on her own and created Jenna Muller Communications. Read on to find out how she got her start in the industry, which cleanser she can't live without and so much more.

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(Almost) St. Patrick's Day Nail Art: Polka Dots With Essie and OPI!

I may be Jewish, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to have fun with my nails around St. Patrick's Day. (Side note: Did you know it's actually technically correct to write St. Paddy's Day, NOT St. Patty's Day? I just learned that at work this week.) Rather than just paint my nails green, I wanted to have a bit more fun -- so I decided on a polka dot manicure! My original idea was to give all of the nails a dark green base with lighter green polka dots, but my friend Melissa said it might look cooler to alternate -- and she was right!

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All About Ombre: The New Black Ombre 5-Piece Nail Polish Set in Haze

I'm in love with ombre nails. I've been known to create my own combinations more than once (check out my green version here and my pink one here!) -- and I'm always looking through my stash for new and interesting color combos. But here's the thing. Sometimes, even though I love searching through my stash for the perfect five colors, it's just really time consuming and frustrating. So The New Black Ombre 5-Piece Nail Polish Set in Haze is, without a doubt, one of my new favorite acquisitions.

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Happy Hydration: Le Metier de Beaute Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo

Do you read Beauty411? You really should -- Nancy Houlmont is super knowledgeable about all things beauty (especially skincare), and she's just the nicest person around to boot. (You can read more about her in my First Look Fridays column here!) Nancy has the ability to get me hooked on product after product -- so many of the ones I end up loving, I first discovered on her site! And the most recent addition to my arsenal, of course based on a glowing review from Nancy, is the Le Metier de Beaute Ultra Hydration Eye Mask Duo.

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First Look Fridays: Publicist Teona Ostrov of Bratskeir & Company

I've been working with beauty publicists for over 10 years. Without them, I wouldn't really be able to do my job as a blogger! And I realized recently that it's high time you get to know some of the most fabulous publicists in the industry -- the ones who are helpful, insightful, and, most of all, incredibly easy to work with. First up is Teona Ostrov, who works at Bratskeir & Company. Teona works on one of my favorite brands of all time, The Body Shop -- and a nicer, more enthusiastic publicist is hard to come by! Read on to find out which fragrance she loves the most, the product from The Body Shop that she can't live without and so much more.

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My Recent Manicures

I paint my nails a lot. A LOT. One manicure a week just doesn't seem to cut it for me these days! I've been known to change my nails as many as three or four times in one week. Even if I love the color I'm sporting, I just need something different a day or two later! Check out some of my most recent manicures.

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So Rosy: The Body Shop Wild Rose Caring Hand Wash

In my youth, I was a classical pianist. I was actually pretty good -- I used to win competitions -- but, for the most part, I really just loved playing show tunes and belting them out simultaneously. One classical piece that I just adored, though, was To A Wild Rose by Edward MacDowell. It was just a simple, beautiful melody that came easily to me and I could play over and over again (probably to the annoyance of my mom and brother, who had to hear it so many times!). In any case, I couldn't help thinking of that piece when I started using The Body Shop Wild Rose Caring Hand Wash.

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My Latest Mani: Zoya PixieDust in Nyx

Oh, Zoya. How is it possible for you to steal my heart again and again and again and ... okay, you get the picture. In any case, I've fallen head over heels for Nyx, one of the colors from the new (and much anticipated) PixieDust Collection.

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Salon and Spa Directory: DreamDry

There's a new blowout bar in town, and it's pretty darn amazing. Or, as Rachel Zoe would say, it's BANANAS. Why the Rachel Zoe reference, you might ask? Because DreamDry, this fabulous new salon, is her creation!

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Beauty Giveaway: Nails Inc. Autumn Winter Collection

There are many reasons why I love the Nails Inc. Autumn Winter Collection.

1) The collection includes six gorgeous nail polishes in a variety of finishes -- glitter, shimmer and creme. So there's something for everyone's taste!
2) The nail polishes are in a cute mini size, which is convenient since I NEVER finish nail polish in regular-sized bottles.
3) Nails Inc. just creates the most amazing colors. Plus, I love that every polish name is taken from a street in London -- just so clever.

Curious about the six nail polishes in this gift set? They are:

Sloane Gardens (deep navy glitter)
Chester Street (pearlescent nude)
Bruton Mews (deep forest green creme)
Richmond Terrace (rich glossy plum creme)
Jermyn Street (classic taupe creme)
Chelsea Bridge Road (a rich tomato red creme)

I'm sure you'll love the polishes in this gift set just as much as I do. But here's the biggest reason you're going to love the Autumn Winter Collection ... one winner has the chance to win this set, with a retail value of $25! To enter, use the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


THE RULES:
This giveaway ends on Saturday, March 9 at midnight. One winner will be chosen AT RANDOM on Sunday, March 10. Maximum of SIX ENTRIES (one for each way listed above). Multiple entries will be disqualified. Giveaway is open to US residents only.