Celebrate Innovation with the 2016 Product of the Year Winners #Giveaway #POYUSA2016

With 50,000 new consumer products introduced each year, when purchasing products for your home and family how do you come to the decision on what's worth your hard earned dollars? Although it may initially spark my interest, just because I've seen the new trendy product in a commercial or magazine ad it doesn't necessarily mean that brand is going to get me to run out to the store or buy it online. I'm a huge fan of reading reviews and word of mouth recommendations, sometimes I make my decisions based solely on how many stars or thumbs up a product receives before purchasing. Haven't you ever wondered what goes into the voting process when a product is named as one of the BEST?

This year I attended the Product of the Year Awards where the most innovative products were

TextureMedia & Target Celebrate Curls, Coils and Waves with Texture on the Runway #NYFW

Variety. Assortment. Mixture. Contrast.... it seems these days whether discussing popular award shows, or the appearance of multi-ethnic models on the runway, if you've seen the hashtags #oscarssowhite or #blackmodelsmatter,  DIVERSITY has been a big topic of discussion everywhere. 

InStyle Magazine & Single Edition's Summer Social Connecting Bloggers + Brands

Summer may officially be over but we can still revel in the fantastic gatherings that kept us busy during fun-filled events for trend watchers. InStyle Magazine and Single Edition's Summer Social was a glitzy and stylish affair where Bloggers and Digital influencers connected with brands up-close and personal. Guests from all over excitedly headed to 404 NYC to get a taste (sometimes literally) of what's hot.

It was one big party! During the cocktail reception there were passed hors d'ouevres by Gardein, flowing wine courtesy of the Brancott Estate, and hot beats by DJ Olivia Dope. In fact, as soon as you walked in, many were being pampered with a manicure by Essie! It was truly a fabulous night. 

Ode a la rose, a florist based largely in New York City provided beautiful rose bouquets on every floor -- the piece de resistance being a larger than life arrangement in front of their station. I still can’t figure out how many dozen roses there were, can you?

Thierry Mugler rocked our worlds with their heavenly Angel scent and their out of this world Alien fragrance. The first thing that I noticed about Angel was the hint of pine needle!  A fun fact about this brand is that once you’ve purchased a fragrance by them, you can refill the bottle the next time your buy for a fraction of the cost. How cool is that? Completely outside of the box scent and packaging wise, Thierry Mugler’s booth was a major highlight for me.

 And speaking of highlights, I couldn’t believe how much I loved Gardein’s vegan snacks! From their Crispy Chicken to their Crab Cakes – everything they served was not only gluten free, but it wasn’t even actual meat. I am a staunch meat eater and they had me fooled. My favorite was the Beef Tacos. Toward the end of the night, I was tip-toeing to their booth to see how many times I could “sample” their treats.

New to me was Dickinson's witch hazel. As an avid user of all things natural, it was refreshing to get to meet the brand and sample a few of their cleansing cloths. An added bonus is that their wipes are soap and fragrance free for those of us with sensitive skin! My skin has never been more #SelfieReady!

Other brands of note were Tide Pods, Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs, Zico, Neutrogena, and Sun Chips. Instyle Magazine and Single Edition were generous enough to send us home with some of these fantastic goodies too!

All in all, Instyle Magazine’s Summer Social was a fun and exciting event that has introduced me to brands I hadn’t tried before. Thanks for having me and for the fab bag of goodies we got to take home to try out.

                                                    Contributing writer

La Toya of La Toya Literally is a blogger and opera singer from Brooklyn. She is abnormally obsessed with all things Outer Space, loves to travel, and reads nearly 100 books a year. When she's not dining out or binge watching The Twilight Zone, you can catch her singing in various venues around NYC. Find her on Instagram  & Facebook

Give the Gift of Self Care & Ring in the New Year with a #DoveBeautyBar Giveaway

Disclosure: Opinions expressed are 100% my own, guests received a gift bag for attending and I received no other compensation to host this giveaway.




In just a few hours we'll be counting down to the end of 2014 and excitedly welcoming in the New Year and most likely a new set of resolutions, or what I refer to as daily steps to improvement. One of my biggest vows to myself is to set aside more "Mom - Me" time, even if it's a brief twenty minutes to myself (when the kids are asleep & hubby is at work, I squeeze in an episode of New Girl & flip through a magazine while indulging in a cookie & glass of Moscato) in some shape or form.

 It's funny my hubby and I were just talking this morning about how he manages to get in his "Dad-Me" time even if it means just grabbing the dog and taking him for a walk to clear his head. Yet I, and I'm sure quite a few other ladies out there don't put themselves as a priority and when we do, often feel guilty & question what other more important tasks, we could be crossing off our lists. Shame on us!

Earlier this month I attended the Dove  Build Your Own Beauty Bar event on behalf of Lady and the Blog, at the De Berardinis Salon where both media and the public were invited to an evening of pampering. Guests stocked up on beauty essentials for the season, enjoyed a customized makeover and got festive nail art at the mani station, while mingling and enjoying light bites and cocktails.   

One of our very first actions of the day is probably where our self-care and beauty regimen should begin, right in the shower! I remember after having each one of my boys, managing to hop in the shower was one of those fleeting luxurious moments and even now with them both 9 and 4 I live for that quite solitude (maybe not so quite while I belt out tunes on spotify) to help me jump start the day.

Dove has been a long time staple in my house, and has been since I was a kid (I always loved the scent and how creamy the lather was & how soft my hands felt after washing them). Having received the Best of Beauty Award from Allure magazine and If you've ever used a Dove beauty bar, you know it's not like any ordinary soap. And if you haven't tried it yet you'll discover that with it's signature 1/4 moisturizing cream it replenishes nutrients lost during cleansing and helps your skin feel firmer and more elastic, not tight, itchy or dry. I hate when my face feels like it's cracking after using some other products in the past.

No matter the fragrance preference we can all enjoy the beauty benefits in the New Dove Beauty washes that are made with an ultra-mild cleanser found in face moisturizers &  provide smoother, softer skin after just one shower (I won't even lie, I've stopped buying shaving cream and replaced it with this collection because the lather works just as well for me). 

This time of year, my skin gets super dry & flaky so I know it needs lots of moisture and that I need to stay hydrated. That evening, leading, dermatologist, Dr. Ellen Marmur was on hand to prescribe guests the type of Dove products that would help address their skin's personal needs.

Without a doubt the ladies were enjoying their consultations and getting a bit of pre-holiday glam, for FREE! I had such a good time with my glam-fairy Michael who had me laughing the entire time as he helped me create my customized lip-color, and they made it right in front of me! 

This event was a lovely reminder before the holidays that we all need to take time out to focus on ourselves. I am true believer that in order to take care of others we first need to make sure to take care of ourselves. Yes, Be GOOD to YOU! 

So as a special treat to welcome in the New Year, I've teamed up with Dove to offer one reader a year supply of Dove Beauty products: Your choice of an assortment of (8) Dove Beauty Washes or (16) Dove Beauty Bars. This giveaway is open to U.S residents only ages 18+

To enter: Simply answer the question below in the comments and then the rafflecopter for any additional entries. Lots of Luck and continued blessings in 2015!

How are you planning to take better care of yourself in the New Year & Which Dove Beauty Wash or Dove beauty Bar  are you hoping to try or gift ?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Savannah Sunset Collection by INGLOT #BeautyNewbie

 Disney's Tony award winning musical The Lion King has been a must see show for years,         drawing in crowds because of their talented cast who are not only amazing actors, but are beautifully skilled singers and dancers. Audiences find themselves captivated by the detailed sets, intricate and creative costumes and of course the stunning make-up that can help transform a person into their character as they grace the stage.

I am far from a make-up maven, more like a make-up virgin who seriously just learned how to apply blush a few months ago. Which was why I was so beyond excited to get the opportunity to cover for Vera Sweeney (Lady and the Blog) to preview the exclusive INGLOT collection, Savannah Sunset at The INGLOT Studio in Chelsea Market. This gorgeous, shimmery palette embodies all the magical colors of a sun setting in the African savannah and consists rich and vibrant oranges, browns and bronzes that will make anyone glow. The collection includes:

• INGLOT Freedom System Eye shadow Paleette #606, 108r and #329
• Face Blush #40
• Freeom System Lipstick Palette #20 and #21
• Nail Enamel #042
• Secret Volume Masacaa and Inglot Felt Tip Eyeliner Pen

 I walked into the Inglot Studio and seriously felt nervous, as if somebody could read on my forehead that I didn't know a thing about beauty products. Guests enjoyed light bites & cocktails while others were eyeing the rainbow selection of products, from shadows to liners and polishes and chose their favorites while they waited for their Inglot consultant to give them a complimentary mini make-over.

Throughout the evening I watched as an actress from the show FELA, learned how to make her eyes pop for an upcoming performance she was going to be in with the Roots. I loved watching the layering of colors and the end result was gorgeous, but seemingly to difficult I think for me to achieve at home. I'm going to have to watch quite a few YouTube videos to pull off, anything close what her consultant did.

The highlight of the evening was meeting Mr. INGLOT himself, who created the brand 30 years ago to make high quality products at affordable prices & he was joined by the incredibly talented & extremely friendly performers from The Lion King on Broadway: Chondra Profit who plays Sarabi,  Bonita J. Hamilton who plays Shenzi and Ray Mercer who's part of the ensemble as a giraffe.

I'm all about great quality and affordability for anything I purchase, especially when it comes to make-up because it's just not something I purchase on a regular basis (yet) and can't justify splurging on when I know products that won't break the bank exist. Honestly my typical everyday make-up routine consists of eyeliner, mascara and gloss and if I'm going out in the evening I will most likely wear foundation and a bold lip color to step it up a notch.  I'm sure I'll want to experiment more and will definitely try to this month because thanks to Inglot and The Lion King, the hubby and I are going to see the show on Broadway which has been on our bucket list for-eva! 

The Lion King is now playing at the Minskoff Theatre (200 West 45th street, New York, NY) and INGLOT's Savannah Sunset collection with The Lion King can be found in boutique stores around the world and on Inglotusa.com. Audience members who bring their ticket to INGLOT Times Square and like INGLOT Fan page on Facebook will receive a 20% discount on their purchase or receive a free makeover from INGLOT. And stay tuned because Kaye Tuckerman (creative director of Inglot) says there will be upcoming Broadway team-ups with the beauty brand in the future! 

Disclosure: The opinions expressed are 100% my own and I received a gift bag for attending. No other compensation was received.